Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 15 July 1999 — Page 4

The Muncie Times, July 15, 1999, page 4

NEWS BRIEFS

Compiled by Andre Scott 2 whites drag black man 2 miles on South Carolina road One of two white men accused of dragging a black man alongside their pickup truck for more than 2 miles, in a rural South Carolina town, said he was drunk and does not remember much of the incident. Eric W. Jones said he and a friend, Arthur Marshall, split a 12-pack of beer after work. Jones said all he remembers is the truck going into a ditch and then running through the woods. The pair allegedly attached Charone Green, 23, who suffered leg and arm injuries. According to police, Green was grabbed by the arm and dragged by the men when he approached their pickup truck, which had slowed in front of his cousin’s house on a rural road 90 miles east of Columbia. Washington County Sheriff Kelvin said he has no evidence that the crime was racially motivated. The FBI and the State Law Enforcement Division are however, looking into the case. Memphis man to sue police in beating of his teen son MEMPHIS, Tenn.—A Memphis father said he will seek action against two area sheriffs, who he said nearly beat his son “to death” in his back yard at an end of school party. Harold Leake accused law enforcement officers of putting a gun in his 19-year-old son’s mouth during the incident. A stream of witnesses, including the young man’s 17-year-old sister, said they saw police grab Immanuel Leake, hit him in the head with a flashlight and them put their feet on his neck as he lay unconscious on the ground. Meanwhile, one officer

involved in the incident was taken to a local hospital with head injuries and numbness. The police’s report describing Leake’s arrest claim that he struck an officer without provocation. 1 But the family says it can produce plenty of witnesses to refute that account. No welcome mat for Ward Connerly in Florida MIAMI, Fla.—Political leaders in Florida say Ward Connerly, the conservative African American businessman who crusaded for the end of affirmative action in Washington state and California is not welcome to bring his crusade to Florida. Floridians are trying to keep affirmative action off the ballots in their upcoming election. Ali centers’s opening date postponed LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Larry Townsend, who heads the fundraising effort to build a center in honor of former heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali says the opening ceremony for the center will be delayed. Supporters of the center were reluctant to admit that lack of funds for the center was the reason. Townsend refused to disclose how much money has been raised for the center. Townsend said will not open as scheduled by January 2001. A new opening date has not been announced. Van Peebles honors new movie director SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— The godfather of Modern Black Cinema, Melvin Van Peebles, presented the First Annual Maverick Award in his name during the Juneteeth Film Festival. The award recognizes

emerging filmmakers who take risks and those who present unique and authentic images of African Americans in film. Van Peebles’ film, “Sweetback’s Badass Song” gave new meaning to the term maverick. The award was presented to upcoming director Craig Ross, Jr. for his film, Cappuccino. The 18 millimeter fdm was produced for less than $10,000. N.Y. AME delegates say no to public school vouchers NEW YORK, N.Y.—At the annual New York State Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Philip R. Cousins, said the conference had voted to condemn the voucher system for public schools. AME delegates said vouchers pose a fatal threat to the stability of the public school system. Bishop Cousins called the voucher system a white preference policy. Deadlier form of heroin reported in Pittsburgh, Pa. PITTSBURGH, Pa.—A new and highly addictive form of heroin is causing more accidental overdoes in the Pittsburgh area than ever, according to the Allegheny County coroner. Cyril Wecht said the drug, which is called a number of names, includes “Red Demon,” “Porsche,” “Last Stop,” and “Dead-on-arrival” is a purer form of heroin. Though no deaths have been attributed to the drug in Pittsburgh, two people died in a neighboring county. Wecht said dealers put higher grades of heroin onto the streets at relatively low prices to get people addicted to a higher level of the drug. Some people inevitably overdose, but the profits are incredible, he said. Mfume resigns

from credit company Questions have been raised about the appearance of NAACP President Kweisi Mfume in a commercial endorsing the FreedomCard. The FreedomCard is a credit card developed by an African American company to serve the banking needs of new credit, troubled credit and fair-to-good credit risk African American and Latino applicants. Obtaining the card would ensure applicants an opportunity to establish credit or, over a period of time, upgrade their credit status. Mfume was featured 16 times in the paid advertisement supporting the efforts of the FreedomCard in commercials, which ran in the Baltimore area from June 8 through June 13. FreedomCard, Inc. (FCI), a minority business enterprise headquartered in Marina del Ray, Calif, owns the FreedomCard. The former co-creator and co-owner of the “Montel Williams Show,” Wesley R. Buford, originally developed the concept in 1994 in Delaware. Buford contends that FCI is the only African American national credit card, marketing company in America. Mfume was a member of the corporation’s board of directors and is quoted on the company’s web site as saying, “Our community is a super purchasing power. It is now time to harness and focus this financial strength so we can impact our needs for capital formation, recycling of money and economic development in our community.” But according to Sheila Douglas, public relations spokesperson for the national NAACP office, Mfume was asked to resign from his board position by the NAACP general counsel before the airing of the commercials in Baltimore. She said the counsel wanted to avoid the appearance that the NAACP, a non-profit organization was endorsing a venture by a forprofit corporation.

Mfume sent a letter to FreedomCard Inc., resigning his board position and declining any financial compensation. The FreedomCard was officially launched in May, advertising in California on local radio and television stations. The top 500 minority populated cities in the United States were targeted, with Baltimore being the test market for the card. According to Buford, since launching the card, FCI has issued about 15 million cards and documented the response rate as averaging between 40 and 50 percent. D.C. tee faces hit-and-run charges A 15-year-old will be tried on assault charges for a hit-and-run accident that seriously injured another boy in northwest Washington, D. C. Doctors at Children’s Hospital say that 11-year-old Brenton Contee’s condition had been upgraded from serious to fair. The teen-age suspect was an escape from a youth facility at the time of the accident. He was arrested after a foot chase when he ran into a northwest home and jumped from a second-floor window in an effort to avoid police. He ran up the street and into an alley where he was finally arrested by police. His name has not been released because of his age. Court records show the teen has a criminal record and has escaped from juvenile detention centers on a number of occasions. In addition to the hit-and-run charges, the youth is also looking at burglary charges for allegedly forcing his way into a home during a chase, and assault with intent to kill while armed and driving without a permit. Witnesses said Brenton was rollerblading through his neighborhood around 7 p.m. when a car traveling well over the speed limit hit him at

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