MARY FOSTER (AP)
- A judge threw out murder and attempted murder charges Wednesday against seven New Orleans police officers accused of gunning down two men on a bridge in the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In quashing the indictments, District Judge Raymond Bigelow agreed with defense arguments that prosecutors violated state law by divulging secret grand jury testimony to a police officer who was a witness in the case.
“The violation is clear,” Bigelow said in making the ruling.
Survivors of the Sept. 4, 2005, shootings have said the officers fired at unarmed people crossing the Danziger Bridge to get food at a grocery store. Ronald Madison, a 40-year-old mentally disabled man, and James Brissette, 19, were shot and killed by police; four other people were wounded.
The officers acknowledged shooting at people on the bridge, but said they did so only after taking fire.
Katrina struck on Aug. 29, 2005. In its aftermath, levees broke, flooding 80 percent of New Orleans. Chaos gripped the city, and looting was reported in some areas. Rescuers said they thought gunfire was directed at them.
Later investigation revealed at least some of the shooting was by residents trapped by floodwater trying to attract the attention of rescue parties.
Survivors of the shooting said in civil suits that they were unarmed and ambushed by the officers, who jumped out of the back of a rental truck and started shooting.
Police officials have acknowledged the officers shot people from both sides of the bridge, but said they were shot at first.
Sgt. Kenneth Bowen, Sgt. Robert Gisevius Jr., Officer Anthony Villavaso II and former Officer Robert Faulcon Jr. each faced first-degree murder and attempted murder charges in the case. Bigelow also threw out attempted first-degree murder charges against Officer Mike Hunter Jr. and Officer Robert Barrios and attempted second-degree murder charges against Officer Ignatius Hills.
Faulcon resigned from the police force; the other officers were assigned to desk duty after their indictment.
Bigelow also said Wednesday that prosecutors had wrongly instructed the grand jury, and that grand jury testimony by three of the officers was used against them improperly.
“It bordered on deliberate misuse of the law,” Bigelow said. He gave the district attorney’s office until Sept. 18 to decide if it would appeal.
Assistant District Attorney Robert White said his office would analyze the rulings and consider appealing. The office could also convene another grand jury to consider new charges against the officers.
“The ruling was not a total surprise,” White said.
The officers sat quietly on one side of the court room and did not visibly react to Bigelow’s ruling.
“We are very pleased for all the officers,” said Bruce Whittaker, the attorney for Hills. “Now these men can get back to doing the work they love.”
Madison’s brother said the family hoped the Justice Department would investigate the matter. Keva Landrum-Johnson, the interim district attorney, asked U.S. Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey to have his civil rights division investigate case, according to a letter dated Aug. 8 that the family provided reporters.
“Our family today still feels that the ruling just proves again that the justice system here in New Orleans is still flawed,” said Dr. Romell Madison.
A message left after hours seeking comment on the letter wasn’t immediately returned by Justice Department staff in Washington.
U.S. Attorney Jim Letten in New Orleans said he hadn’t been formally notified of Bigelow’s ruling and wouldn’t comment on it. Letten said he has told the Madison family that his office would not intervene while the district attorney’s office had an “active case ongoing.”
Bigelow ordered bracelets used to track the officers’ whereabouts removed but did not remove the bail each paid until the district attorney decides what to do.
Police spokesman Bob Young said the officers would return to regular jobs quickly, but he was not sure where they would be placed.
Members of the group Safe Streets, Strong Communities attended the hearing and demonstrated outside the courthouse after the ruling.
“The Danziger case is yet another example of a police department in crisis and a criminal justice system unwilling to keep them in check,” said Norris Henderson, co-director of the group.
The case was the latest in a series of high-profile, emotional criminal prosecutions tied to Katrina that have fizzled.
Last year a grand jury refused to charge a doctor and two nurses in connection with the deaths of four patients at a New Orleans hospital after the storm. A jury also returned a not-guilty verdict against the operators of a St. Bernard Parish nursing home where more than 30 residents died in the storm’s flooding.
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Russia: Poland risks attack because of US missiles
JIM HEINTZ (AP)
- A top Russian general said Friday that Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base exposes the ex-communist nation to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons, the Interfax news agency reported.
The statement by Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn is the strongest threat that Russia has issued against the plans to put missile defense elements in former Soviet satellite nations.
Poland and the United States on Thursday signed a deal for Poland to accept a missile interceptor base as part of a system the United States says is aimed at blocking attacks by rogue nations. Moscow, however, feels it is aimed at Russia’s missile force.
“Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent,” Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying.
He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia’s military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons “against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them.” Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.
At a news conference earlier Friday, Nogovitsyn had reiterated Russia’s frequently stated warning that placing missile-defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic would bring an unspecified military response. But his subsequent reported statement substantially stepped up a war of words.
U.S. officials have said the timing of the deal was not meant to antagonize Russian leaders at a time when relations already are strained over the recent fighting between Russia and Georgia over the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia.
Russian forces went deep into Georgia in the fighting, raising wide concerns that Russia could be seeking to occupy parts of its small, pro-U.S. neighbor, which has vigorously lobbied to join NATO, or even to force its government to collapse.
Under the agreement that Warsaw and Washington reached Thursday, Poland will accept an American missile interceptor base.
“We have crossed the Rubicon,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, referring to U.S. consent to Poland’s demands after more than 18 months of negotiations.
Washington says the planned system, which is not yet operational, is needed to protect the U.S. and Europe from possible attacks by missile-armed “rogue states” like Iran. The Kremlin, however, feels it is aimed at Russia’s missile force and warns it will worsen tensions.
In an interview on Poland’s news channel TVN24, Tusk said the United States agreed to help augment Poland’s defenses with Patriot missiles in exchange for placing 10 missile defense interceptors in the Eastern European country.
He said the deal also includes a “mutual commitment” between the two nations to come to each other’s assistance “in case of trouble.”
That clause appeared to be a direct reference to Russia.
Poland has all along been guided by fears of a newly resurgent Russia, an anxiety that has intensified with Russia’s offensive in Georgia. In past days, Polish leaders said that fighting justified Poland’s demands that it get additional security guarantees from Washington in exchange for allowing the anti-missile base on its soil.
- A top Russian general said Friday that Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base exposes the ex-communist nation to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons, the Interfax news agency reported.
The statement by Gen. Anatoly Nogovitsyn is the strongest threat that Russia has issued against the plans to put missile defense elements in former Soviet satellite nations.
Poland and the United States on Thursday signed a deal for Poland to accept a missile interceptor base as part of a system the United States says is aimed at blocking attacks by rogue nations. Moscow, however, feels it is aimed at Russia’s missile force.
“Poland, by deploying (the system) is exposing itself to a strike — 100 percent,” Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff, was quoted as saying.
He added, in clear reference to the agreement, that Russia’s military doctrine sanctions the use of nuclear weapons “against the allies of countries having nuclear weapons if they in some way help them.” Nogovitsyn that would include elements of strategic deterrence systems, he said, according to Interfax.
At a news conference earlier Friday, Nogovitsyn had reiterated Russia’s frequently stated warning that placing missile-defense elements in Poland and the Czech Republic would bring an unspecified military response. But his subsequent reported statement substantially stepped up a war of words.
U.S. officials have said the timing of the deal was not meant to antagonize Russian leaders at a time when relations already are strained over the recent fighting between Russia and Georgia over the separatist Georgian region of South Ossetia.
Russian forces went deep into Georgia in the fighting, raising wide concerns that Russia could be seeking to occupy parts of its small, pro-U.S. neighbor, which has vigorously lobbied to join NATO, or even to force its government to collapse.
Under the agreement that Warsaw and Washington reached Thursday, Poland will accept an American missile interceptor base.
“We have crossed the Rubicon,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, referring to U.S. consent to Poland’s demands after more than 18 months of negotiations.
Washington says the planned system, which is not yet operational, is needed to protect the U.S. and Europe from possible attacks by missile-armed “rogue states” like Iran. The Kremlin, however, feels it is aimed at Russia’s missile force and warns it will worsen tensions.
In an interview on Poland’s news channel TVN24, Tusk said the United States agreed to help augment Poland’s defenses with Patriot missiles in exchange for placing 10 missile defense interceptors in the Eastern European country.
He said the deal also includes a “mutual commitment” between the two nations to come to each other’s assistance “in case of trouble.”
That clause appeared to be a direct reference to Russia.
Poland has all along been guided by fears of a newly resurgent Russia, an anxiety that has intensified with Russia’s offensive in Georgia. In past days, Polish leaders said that fighting justified Poland’s demands that it get additional security guarantees from Washington in exchange for allowing the anti-missile base on its soil.
Money, Black Power and radio
U-Savior, Workers World
- The August 2008 issue of Black Enterprise featured an article entitled “Money, Power & Black Radio: How Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner Capture Your Ears and Dollars” written by George Alexander. In the article Alexander points out the viability of Black radio in today’s market—despite the seemingly obvious challenges.
As is the case with the approach to many of the problems affecting Black people in America today, the article addresses the “symptoms” and treats them as the focus rather than reaching deeper to present an accurate analysis of the problems facing a medium that has always been under siege.
The article cites “a rapidly changing industry” and ‘brutal competition” as some of the major obstacles facing Black radio today. It claims that the medium “can survive through syndicated programming and bold entrepreneurial moves.”
But what causes these inequities? There are stations that are doing well despite the market’s overall slump. So why is it that with all the sound business models they could emulate, Black radio still struggles? Why has it historically had difficulty competing despite the fact that Black music (or urban, as it is called today) is one of the most popular genres in the world?
The article makes no mention of the historically inequitable treatment that Black radio station owners receive at the hands of Arbitron, the radio ratings system which discounts Black-owned and -programmed radio stations through inaccurate, outdated and racially biased measurement systems. Nor does it mention the Madison Avenue executives who render Black radio unprofitable by refusing to pay premium advertising rates, even though these stations enjoy the largest audience across the board.
Alexander points out that Black radio suffers because a Beyonce, for example, can be heard on many mainstream stations and that listeners need not tune in to exclusively Black-programmed stations to hear her music. But it neglects to deal with the aspects that historically set Black radio apart from all other radio in the first place and that are now nonexistent: serious Black talk and personality radio.
During its golden age Black radio was exciting because it allowed listeners to hear new music; it made listeners enthusiastic about the listening experience because the jocks viewed their uniqueness as a strength. Now we’re forced to hear the same ten songs by the same five artists over and over, played by disc jockeys who promise not to talk too much.
Today’s mainstream Black radio does not deal with Black issues in the unapologetic manner that helped it make a connection with the community. Bob Law’s show, Night Talk, was popular not solely because it was syndicated. It was popular because Bob Law’s approach to politics and culture was relevant, and the show’s content was potent. Comparing the availability of a Black crossover pop artist to the availability of the kind of political content and local coverage offered from the 1960s through the 1980s does us a disservice.
As pointed out in the Black Waxx Multimedia, Inc. film “Disappearing Voices: The Decline of Black Radio,” it is not simply the artists or the jocks who are disappearing. Nor is it simply their absence that renders Black radio impotent. It is the fact that the voice of the community they represent has no forum.
Racism and inequality
The Alexander article sought to treat the predicament of Black radio as merely an economic one, when in fact politics and America’s inherent racism are to blame. Even from an economic standpoint we must go back to the beginning of Black people’s presence in this country. While whites owned businesses and set up institutions, Blacks were forced to work for free. Even at the point of the emancipation of the enslaved there were no programs set up so Blacks could “catch up.”
The disparities grew exponentially as time passed. When radio spectrum licenses were first given out, Blacks were excluded. We can’t imagine there is a level playing field in the radio industry today when there is still a need for affirmative action in the workplaces and educational institutions across the nation.
The answer to conglomeration and racism is not an updated business model. The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters complains about the monopoly that conglomerates like Clear Channel enjoy, but there is more to the story than that. Arbitron and Madison Avenue work to keep Black radio poor, patronizing it with substandard rates to maintain their false face of diversity. White-owned media enjoy proliferation while Black-owned radio struggles to stay afloat. Meanwhile NABOB members won’t go for the jugular because they need the crumbs the ad execs dangle in front of them in order to survive.
How can the station owners be sure of their audience when they can’t trust the people measuring them? And if Arbitron’s numbers can’t be trusted, how many times will station owners continue to change their format without questioning the fact that no matter what they play they get paid the same substandard rates for airtime?
Another factor that isn’t taken into consideration is the role the Federal Communications Commission plays–or doesn’t play. The FCC is supposed to protect the interests of the public by seeing to it that radio station owners operate with some level of responsibility to the public, which includes offering programming that serves the community as well as protecting station owners from being forced out of business by monopolies. Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting are stark evidence that the FCC is not doing that job. In the article there is no mention of holding this government body accountable.
The fact is most people may not listen to the radio anymore because they sense a lack of loyalty on the part of these owners. A huge sector of the Black population wants more from Black radio than relationship guidance, gossip, comedy and Jesus. They want to be taken seriously from a political perspective. They want radio that reflects their local issues.
They don’t want Black-faced radio that furthers a white-business/political/cultural agenda. They want Black radio that reflects what is best and brightest about their community. You can’t have that if a guy who’s never been to their town and who doesn’t know about the young boy who was killed by police that week is on the radio during all the prime times. Meanwhile coverage of local activists who make positive changes in the community is replaced by gossip jocks whose sole contribution to the airwaves is “who’s sleeping with who, who’s gay, and whose breasts are fake.”
We need to make room for our best and brightest. There are too many charismatic and informed individuals who need access to the microphone. Regardless of the success of a few chosen ones, if we settle for anything less, we can’t really call it Black radio with a clear conscience.
By U-Savior
workers.org
- The August 2008 issue of Black Enterprise featured an article entitled “Money, Power & Black Radio: How Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner Capture Your Ears and Dollars” written by George Alexander. In the article Alexander points out the viability of Black radio in today’s market—despite the seemingly obvious challenges.
As is the case with the approach to many of the problems affecting Black people in America today, the article addresses the “symptoms” and treats them as the focus rather than reaching deeper to present an accurate analysis of the problems facing a medium that has always been under siege.
The article cites “a rapidly changing industry” and ‘brutal competition” as some of the major obstacles facing Black radio today. It claims that the medium “can survive through syndicated programming and bold entrepreneurial moves.”
But what causes these inequities? There are stations that are doing well despite the market’s overall slump. So why is it that with all the sound business models they could emulate, Black radio still struggles? Why has it historically had difficulty competing despite the fact that Black music (or urban, as it is called today) is one of the most popular genres in the world?
The article makes no mention of the historically inequitable treatment that Black radio station owners receive at the hands of Arbitron, the radio ratings system which discounts Black-owned and -programmed radio stations through inaccurate, outdated and racially biased measurement systems. Nor does it mention the Madison Avenue executives who render Black radio unprofitable by refusing to pay premium advertising rates, even though these stations enjoy the largest audience across the board.
Alexander points out that Black radio suffers because a Beyonce, for example, can be heard on many mainstream stations and that listeners need not tune in to exclusively Black-programmed stations to hear her music. But it neglects to deal with the aspects that historically set Black radio apart from all other radio in the first place and that are now nonexistent: serious Black talk and personality radio.
During its golden age Black radio was exciting because it allowed listeners to hear new music; it made listeners enthusiastic about the listening experience because the jocks viewed their uniqueness as a strength. Now we’re forced to hear the same ten songs by the same five artists over and over, played by disc jockeys who promise not to talk too much.
Today’s mainstream Black radio does not deal with Black issues in the unapologetic manner that helped it make a connection with the community. Bob Law’s show, Night Talk, was popular not solely because it was syndicated. It was popular because Bob Law’s approach to politics and culture was relevant, and the show’s content was potent. Comparing the availability of a Black crossover pop artist to the availability of the kind of political content and local coverage offered from the 1960s through the 1980s does us a disservice.
As pointed out in the Black Waxx Multimedia, Inc. film “Disappearing Voices: The Decline of Black Radio,” it is not simply the artists or the jocks who are disappearing. Nor is it simply their absence that renders Black radio impotent. It is the fact that the voice of the community they represent has no forum.
Racism and inequality
The Alexander article sought to treat the predicament of Black radio as merely an economic one, when in fact politics and America’s inherent racism are to blame. Even from an economic standpoint we must go back to the beginning of Black people’s presence in this country. While whites owned businesses and set up institutions, Blacks were forced to work for free. Even at the point of the emancipation of the enslaved there were no programs set up so Blacks could “catch up.”
The disparities grew exponentially as time passed. When radio spectrum licenses were first given out, Blacks were excluded. We can’t imagine there is a level playing field in the radio industry today when there is still a need for affirmative action in the workplaces and educational institutions across the nation.
The answer to conglomeration and racism is not an updated business model. The National Association of Black Owned Broadcasters complains about the monopoly that conglomerates like Clear Channel enjoy, but there is more to the story than that. Arbitron and Madison Avenue work to keep Black radio poor, patronizing it with substandard rates to maintain their false face of diversity. White-owned media enjoy proliferation while Black-owned radio struggles to stay afloat. Meanwhile NABOB members won’t go for the jugular because they need the crumbs the ad execs dangle in front of them in order to survive.
How can the station owners be sure of their audience when they can’t trust the people measuring them? And if Arbitron’s numbers can’t be trusted, how many times will station owners continue to change their format without questioning the fact that no matter what they play they get paid the same substandard rates for airtime?
Another factor that isn’t taken into consideration is the role the Federal Communications Commission plays–or doesn’t play. The FCC is supposed to protect the interests of the public by seeing to it that radio station owners operate with some level of responsibility to the public, which includes offering programming that serves the community as well as protecting station owners from being forced out of business by monopolies. Clear Channel and Infinity Broadcasting are stark evidence that the FCC is not doing that job. In the article there is no mention of holding this government body accountable.
The fact is most people may not listen to the radio anymore because they sense a lack of loyalty on the part of these owners. A huge sector of the Black population wants more from Black radio than relationship guidance, gossip, comedy and Jesus. They want to be taken seriously from a political perspective. They want radio that reflects their local issues.
They don’t want Black-faced radio that furthers a white-business/political/cultural agenda. They want Black radio that reflects what is best and brightest about their community. You can’t have that if a guy who’s never been to their town and who doesn’t know about the young boy who was killed by police that week is on the radio during all the prime times. Meanwhile coverage of local activists who make positive changes in the community is replaced by gossip jocks whose sole contribution to the airwaves is “who’s sleeping with who, who’s gay, and whose breasts are fake.”
We need to make room for our best and brightest. There are too many charismatic and informed individuals who need access to the microphone. Regardless of the success of a few chosen ones, if we settle for anything less, we can’t really call it Black radio with a clear conscience.
By U-Savior
workers.org
Percy Miller Unveils New Cable Network
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Hip-hop entrepreneur Percy Miller, a.k.a. Master P, is launching a family-friendly cable network, Better Black Television.
The network will provide "positive content for a black and brown culture," according to a company statement.
BBTV, set to launch in 2009, will be a general entertainment channel running a wide range of scripted, unscripted and news programming, including drama and comedy series, movies, animation, reality, politics, sports and entertainment news, children's educational and teen programming, as well as "responsible hip-hop music and videos."
BBTV advisory board members include Oscar winner Denzel Washington; Vault Load Films president Jim Finkl; NAACP executive director Vicangelo Bullock; NBA player Derek Anderson; cable industry veteran Prof. Sal Martino; hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc; entrepreneur Olatokunbo Betiku; and real estate mogul Curtis Oakes.
BBTV chairman and CEO Miller said he's had the vision for BBTV for several years.
"I believe that there is a market in our community for a new diverse network that provides a new brand of superior programming that caters to all aspects of television, from reality to original programming," he said.
The new channel is taking on the black-oriented cable channel BET.
Miller stressed that he has "a great relationship with BET and MTV" and that he and his son, Lil' Romeo, "will continue to do work with them and support their networks."
He also acknowledged BET founder Bob Johnson.
"I remember him telling me back in the day that if you wanted to know real estate, you've got to hang out with real estate investors. If you wanted to know sports, you've got to hang out with athletes. I wanted to know TV, so I hung out with Bob and learned the TV game from one of the best in the business."
Production on BBTV's programs has begun in California, New York, Louisiana and Florida.
The cable channel is in the process of purchasing local cable channel affiliates across the country.
BBTV's programming in the works:
* "Sunset and Vine": Video show hosted by Vyshonn Miller and Brittany Phillips that will showcase the top hip-hop and R&B acts as well as play classic videos.
* "One Shot Comedy Show": Comedy show hosted by Gary Johnson (a.k.a. G-Thing) featuring established and upcoming comedians.
* "Gee Gee the Giraffe": Children's educational show (will air Saturday morning on BBTV Kids).
* "Manage Your Money": Featuring financially successful people lending tips to promote financial literacy.
* "Close to the Starz": A behind-the-scenes show that takes the viewers up close and personal to their favorite celebrities.
* "Karma TV Show": Bilingual soap opera with an African-American and Latino cast.
* "What's Cooking TV Show": Talk show that covers wide aspects of entertainment and current events while cooking healthy, budget-conscious meals.
* "The Black List Movies": Film showcase featuring classic and contemporary movies, as well as original BBTV productions.
* "Hip-Hop Garage Show": Saturday show that will play new and upcoming music.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
The network will provide "positive content for a black and brown culture," according to a company statement.
BBTV, set to launch in 2009, will be a general entertainment channel running a wide range of scripted, unscripted and news programming, including drama and comedy series, movies, animation, reality, politics, sports and entertainment news, children's educational and teen programming, as well as "responsible hip-hop music and videos."
BBTV advisory board members include Oscar winner Denzel Washington; Vault Load Films president Jim Finkl; NAACP executive director Vicangelo Bullock; NBA player Derek Anderson; cable industry veteran Prof. Sal Martino; hip-hop pioneer DJ Kool Herc; entrepreneur Olatokunbo Betiku; and real estate mogul Curtis Oakes.
BBTV chairman and CEO Miller said he's had the vision for BBTV for several years.
"I believe that there is a market in our community for a new diverse network that provides a new brand of superior programming that caters to all aspects of television, from reality to original programming," he said.
The new channel is taking on the black-oriented cable channel BET.
Miller stressed that he has "a great relationship with BET and MTV" and that he and his son, Lil' Romeo, "will continue to do work with them and support their networks."
He also acknowledged BET founder Bob Johnson.
"I remember him telling me back in the day that if you wanted to know real estate, you've got to hang out with real estate investors. If you wanted to know sports, you've got to hang out with athletes. I wanted to know TV, so I hung out with Bob and learned the TV game from one of the best in the business."
Production on BBTV's programs has begun in California, New York, Louisiana and Florida.
The cable channel is in the process of purchasing local cable channel affiliates across the country.
BBTV's programming in the works:
* "Sunset and Vine": Video show hosted by Vyshonn Miller and Brittany Phillips that will showcase the top hip-hop and R&B acts as well as play classic videos.
* "One Shot Comedy Show": Comedy show hosted by Gary Johnson (a.k.a. G-Thing) featuring established and upcoming comedians.
* "Gee Gee the Giraffe": Children's educational show (will air Saturday morning on BBTV Kids).
* "Manage Your Money": Featuring financially successful people lending tips to promote financial literacy.
* "Close to the Starz": A behind-the-scenes show that takes the viewers up close and personal to their favorite celebrities.
* "Karma TV Show": Bilingual soap opera with an African-American and Latino cast.
* "What's Cooking TV Show": Talk show that covers wide aspects of entertainment and current events while cooking healthy, budget-conscious meals.
* "The Black List Movies": Film showcase featuring classic and contemporary movies, as well as original BBTV productions.
* "Hip-Hop Garage Show": Saturday show that will play new and upcoming music.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Questions as to Pace of Probe Into Inmate's Death
The head of the Prince George's County chapter of the NAACP yesterday criticized what she said was a lack of progress in investigating the death in June of an inmate accused of killing a county police officer.
"While this investigation is taking so long, people are losing the trust that they had in the county government, and it is a very big, heavy cloud not only on the correctional officers . . . but on the county," chapter President June White Dillard said. "The longer it takes, people will begin to suspect that . . . the county government is trying to do a coverup, and that is not what we want to happen."
Dillard's comments drew a rebuke yesterday from county Public Safety Director Vernon R. Herron, who said county officials are no longer in charge of the investigation. He said they turned it over to state and federal authorities June 30, the day after Ronnie L. White was found strangled in his jail cell.
"We're awaiting the results of the investigation like everyone else," Herron said. "I think it's unfair for Ms. Dillard to criticize and to indicate that the county government is involved in any coverup. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Dillard's comments came nearly six weeks after the last significant public update on the case from law enforcement. White, 19, was found unresponsive and with no detectable pulse in his cell in the Prince George's County Corrections Center on June 29. That was less than two days after he was charged with killing a veteran county police officer, Cpl. Richard S. Findley, by striking him while driving a stolen truck.
The day after White died, county officials said the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner had preliminarily ruled his death a homicide by asphyxiation and strangulation. At the request of county officials, the Maryland State Police and the civil rights division of the FBI took over the investigation.
Suspicion fell on correctional officers after County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) said that only a few guards, and no other inmates, were believed to have had access to White's maximum-security cell. Some correctional officers also initially declined to meet with investigators.
In mid-July, an attorney for the correctional officers disputed that union members had been uncooperative and predicted that investigators would find that White had committed suicide.
Spokesmen for the state police and the FBI declined to comment about the case yesterday. Law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said interviews with most guards were completed weeks ago.
At the NAACP news conference, Dillard also called on county State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D) to expedite the investigation by demanding that the state's medical examiner issue his final report on White's death. Ivey has said he will take the findings of the investigation before a grand jury, but first needs to receive the final medical examiner's report.
Dillard's complaints about the pace of the investigation were echoed by Bobby Henry, an attorney for White's family.
"The White family is very disappointed in the progress of the investigation at this point," he said. "We want there to be a thorough and detailed investigation, but we believe it could be done in a much more expeditious manner. It has become painfully obvious that this investigation and the prosecution of these wrongdoers are well beyond those charged with those responsibilities at this time."
Cindy Feldstein, a spokeswoman for the Maryland medical examiner's office, said doctors are striving to complete their report on White's death by the end of the month. She said examiners are waiting for results from a final portion of the autopsy: tests on White's brain and nervous system.
Ivey said he would rather be "fair than fast" in receiving evidence and prosecuting the case.
"If the question is, 'Am I going to pressure the medical examiner to do something faster?' The answer is no. I think it's important to let the medical examiner take the time he needs," Ivey said. "This case is too important."
By Aaron C. Davis and Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post Staff Writers
"While this investigation is taking so long, people are losing the trust that they had in the county government, and it is a very big, heavy cloud not only on the correctional officers . . . but on the county," chapter President June White Dillard said. "The longer it takes, people will begin to suspect that . . . the county government is trying to do a coverup, and that is not what we want to happen."
Dillard's comments drew a rebuke yesterday from county Public Safety Director Vernon R. Herron, who said county officials are no longer in charge of the investigation. He said they turned it over to state and federal authorities June 30, the day after Ronnie L. White was found strangled in his jail cell.
"We're awaiting the results of the investigation like everyone else," Herron said. "I think it's unfair for Ms. Dillard to criticize and to indicate that the county government is involved in any coverup. Nothing could be further from the truth."
Dillard's comments came nearly six weeks after the last significant public update on the case from law enforcement. White, 19, was found unresponsive and with no detectable pulse in his cell in the Prince George's County Corrections Center on June 29. That was less than two days after he was charged with killing a veteran county police officer, Cpl. Richard S. Findley, by striking him while driving a stolen truck.
The day after White died, county officials said the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner had preliminarily ruled his death a homicide by asphyxiation and strangulation. At the request of county officials, the Maryland State Police and the civil rights division of the FBI took over the investigation.
Suspicion fell on correctional officers after County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) said that only a few guards, and no other inmates, were believed to have had access to White's maximum-security cell. Some correctional officers also initially declined to meet with investigators.
In mid-July, an attorney for the correctional officers disputed that union members had been uncooperative and predicted that investigators would find that White had committed suicide.
Spokesmen for the state police and the FBI declined to comment about the case yesterday. Law enforcement officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said interviews with most guards were completed weeks ago.
At the NAACP news conference, Dillard also called on county State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey (D) to expedite the investigation by demanding that the state's medical examiner issue his final report on White's death. Ivey has said he will take the findings of the investigation before a grand jury, but first needs to receive the final medical examiner's report.
Dillard's complaints about the pace of the investigation were echoed by Bobby Henry, an attorney for White's family.
"The White family is very disappointed in the progress of the investigation at this point," he said. "We want there to be a thorough and detailed investigation, but we believe it could be done in a much more expeditious manner. It has become painfully obvious that this investigation and the prosecution of these wrongdoers are well beyond those charged with those responsibilities at this time."
Cindy Feldstein, a spokeswoman for the Maryland medical examiner's office, said doctors are striving to complete their report on White's death by the end of the month. She said examiners are waiting for results from a final portion of the autopsy: tests on White's brain and nervous system.
Ivey said he would rather be "fair than fast" in receiving evidence and prosecuting the case.
"If the question is, 'Am I going to pressure the medical examiner to do something faster?' The answer is no. I think it's important to let the medical examiner take the time he needs," Ivey said. "This case is too important."
By Aaron C. Davis and Avis Thomas-Lester
Washington Post Staff Writers
Southern Africa to Launch Free Trade Zone
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Fourteen Southern African countries will formally launch a free trade zone at a summit on Saturday, South Africa said on Tuesday, hoping to boost the region's economic muscle.
The Free Trade Area (FTA) will exempt 85 percent of trade from tariffs and the aim is to fully liberalise by 2012.
South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said while that was a realistic target, greater efforts were needed to develop and integrate the region.
"The launch of the FTA is not an end in itself but a beginning of a process we need to embark on to build both productive and trade capacity, improve competitiveness of our industries...," Mpahlwa said in a statement.
The 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) needed to focus more on strengthening its agricultural industries and improving infrastructure.
"The lack of infrastructure is a major barrier to regional integration and development," the minister said.
SADC first mooted the idea of a free-trade zone in 1996 but progress has been slow and some economies continue to lag behind in developing infrastructure and policies crucial for integration.
reuters
The Free Trade Area (FTA) will exempt 85 percent of trade from tariffs and the aim is to fully liberalise by 2012.
South African Trade and Industry Minister Mandisi Mpahlwa said while that was a realistic target, greater efforts were needed to develop and integrate the region.
"The launch of the FTA is not an end in itself but a beginning of a process we need to embark on to build both productive and trade capacity, improve competitiveness of our industries...," Mpahlwa said in a statement.
The 14-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) needed to focus more on strengthening its agricultural industries and improving infrastructure.
"The lack of infrastructure is a major barrier to regional integration and development," the minister said.
SADC first mooted the idea of a free-trade zone in 1996 but progress has been slow and some economies continue to lag behind in developing infrastructure and policies crucial for integration.
reuters
Mbeki Leaves Zimbabwe without Power-Sharing Deal
HARARE (Reuters) - South African President Thabo Mbeki left Zimbabwe on Wednesday after failing to secure a power-sharing deal between its main rivals during marathon talks, adding to doubts over chances of an agreement.
Mbeki brokered three days of negotiations between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on ending a post-election crisis that has worsened Zimbabwe's spiral of decline.
Mbeki said negotiations had not broken down, but Mugabe had only reached a deal with the leader of a breakaway opposition faction and he was unsure even that had been signed.
Mbeki said Tsvangirai was still looking at his options.
Negotiations followed Mugabe's unopposed re-election in June in a poll from which Tsvangirai withdrew because of attacks on his supporters and which was condemned around the world.
Mbeki headed to Angola to meet President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, head of the political department of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is worried about the impact of a possible meltdown in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki, the region's chief negotiator in Zimbabwe, is expected to brief a weekend SADC summit in Johannesburg on the situation in Zimbabwe, a once promising African country whose economy is in ruins.
Without a comprehensive breakthrough in negotiations, Mbeki may come under renewed pressure to take a tough line with Mugabe, a policy he says would only aggravate political tensions in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki was confident a solution to the crisis was possible. "I have no doubt that's what will happen," he said after talks ended on Tuesday night. "If it means staying in this country for six months, I will do that."
There was uncertainty over where talks had got to.
A senior official of Mugabe's ZANU-PF told Reuters a deal had already been signed with Arthur Mutambara's breakaway faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, but a spokesman for that group said it was untrue.
If such a deal sidelined Tsvangirai, it could make it even harder to end the crisis and ease the hardship of Zimbabweans suffering 2 million percent inflation and shortages of food, fuel and foreign currency.
Mugabe is expected to convene parliament next week and plans to form a national unity government with Mutambara.
Mutambara's 10 seats would give the coalition the majority in parliament that ZANU-PF lost in March elections for the first time since independence, but excluding Tsvangirai would be unlikely to heal the deep rift in the southern African country.
By Nelson Banya for reuters
Mbeki brokered three days of negotiations between President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai on ending a post-election crisis that has worsened Zimbabwe's spiral of decline.
Mbeki said negotiations had not broken down, but Mugabe had only reached a deal with the leader of a breakaway opposition faction and he was unsure even that had been signed.
Mbeki said Tsvangirai was still looking at his options.
Negotiations followed Mugabe's unopposed re-election in June in a poll from which Tsvangirai withdrew because of attacks on his supporters and which was condemned around the world.
Mbeki headed to Angola to meet President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, head of the political department of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which is worried about the impact of a possible meltdown in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki, the region's chief negotiator in Zimbabwe, is expected to brief a weekend SADC summit in Johannesburg on the situation in Zimbabwe, a once promising African country whose economy is in ruins.
Without a comprehensive breakthrough in negotiations, Mbeki may come under renewed pressure to take a tough line with Mugabe, a policy he says would only aggravate political tensions in Zimbabwe.
Mbeki was confident a solution to the crisis was possible. "I have no doubt that's what will happen," he said after talks ended on Tuesday night. "If it means staying in this country for six months, I will do that."
There was uncertainty over where talks had got to.
A senior official of Mugabe's ZANU-PF told Reuters a deal had already been signed with Arthur Mutambara's breakaway faction of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, but a spokesman for that group said it was untrue.
If such a deal sidelined Tsvangirai, it could make it even harder to end the crisis and ease the hardship of Zimbabweans suffering 2 million percent inflation and shortages of food, fuel and foreign currency.
Mugabe is expected to convene parliament next week and plans to form a national unity government with Mutambara.
Mutambara's 10 seats would give the coalition the majority in parliament that ZANU-PF lost in March elections for the first time since independence, but excluding Tsvangirai would be unlikely to heal the deep rift in the southern African country.
By Nelson Banya for reuters
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