Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 29 February 1992 — Page 1

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97th YEAR ■ NUMBER 9 ■ SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 29,1992 ■ PHONE 317/924-5143 ■ 50*

It weeflrewortteet Monday’s City-County Coundt meeting ee several councllmen and some lald-off workers confronted Senior Deputy Mayor Robert L Wood. Above, Wood tries to explain the mayor’s actions to City-County Councilman Glenn Howard and membera ot

the public and prase. (Recorder Photo by William Raadell)

No smiles over continued layoffs

Rape victim speaks out By CONNIE GAINES HAYES when she was 20 yeara old. Hurt Staff Writer and ashamed, Reynolds has lugged

the memory of that traumatic night

Rape — It could happen any- around for years, and has confided where to any woman. 1° no one except a neighbor. Corporate executives, children But tor the first time in five and grandmothers are not exempt yews» Reynolds decided to speak It can take place in deserted park- frankly and openly about her rape ing lots and alleys, in college dor- with The Indianapolis Recorder. mitories or even at home. Recorder: Why .are you comWhile many victims are poor tag forward now with your story? and powerless, others are wealthy Reynolds: The rape wassomeand famous. Statistics show that thing I felt I could deal with myoftentimes the perpetrators of this self* But after a flurry of meaningdegrading and demeaning crime less relationships and erratic beare acquaintances, not strangers, havior, I couldn’t deal with it any-

Elaine Reynolds, 25, expert- more,

enced the brutal and disturbing act Sm RAPE, Page A8 Jury process lacks black participation

By MIKE RAMEY , Staff Writer Last Monday, members of the City-County Council satdowqrto take care of business. In die audm&were several dozen laid-off city and county workers who had gotten “the business.”Add to the mix word from the Goldsmith administration feat more layoffs are scheduled to take place in the next 30 to 45 days and the result was a tense atmosphere. Council member Glenn Howard got off the first shot at the Goldsmith administration via a prepared statement which he read to the Re-publican-controlled body. “I have been on tire couiKdl fora long time,” said Howard, ’’and I know that we didn’t pass a budget that was so unbalanced that we had to eliminate whole departments and agencies to be able to make ends meet,” Howard said. Howard then accused the Goldsmith ad-

ministration of being insensitive to the laid-off workers by not being humane in the way in which they were let go—some of them with 10 to 20 years of experience in their jobs. In defense of the mayor, Senior Deputy Mayor Robert L. Wood said laid-off workers were being helped in locating new jobs, and the Divisionof Equal Opportunity (whichhad nine people cut from its staff Feb. 21) would be stronger, because of the streamlining process. ”Our efforts,” Wood told council members, "are geared toward real progress and not the status quo.” Council member Ron V. Franklin, county financial advisor from 1988-91, stopped short of accusing Goldsmith of lying to the public about the deficit Franklin said council could not pass a budget with a deficit attached, and noted that if there were a deficit, it would make more sense to cut in other areas first instead of

personnel. After his remarks, Wood phoned the mayor at home, updating him on the statement he had read to the council, and the council’s response. Howard caught Wood in the hallway and demanded to know tow the city was being “humane,” yet casting woricers out into an unstable job market The two men exchanged words for 15 minutes, as Howard pressed Wood for answers. Wood told The Recorder he is the designated point man on layoffs for Goldsmith. But, commenting mi the prospect of more layoffs, Wood would not identify the exact city departments that were destined forthe ax, saying only that the administration was looking primarily at “middle management” jobs, and not primarily at line jobs. Wood also said other city departments were being examined, and more layoffs would come in 30 to 45 days.

By MIKE RAMEY Staff Writer Marion County Circuit, Superior Court, and Municipal Court judges received their annual report of the number of citizens who participated on juries in January. The bottom line: while more people appeared for jury duty in 1991 than in 1989 and 1990, the response rate is still low overall, something whichconcems judges and those responsible for summoning prospective jurors for ser-

vice.

Marlene Wilson, supervisor of the Marion County Jury Pool system, a post she has held for seven years, said her records show that while some 49,000 subpoenas were mailed out to registered voters, only about 17,700 appeared for duty in 1991, a response rate of 36 percent. “When people receive a summons (for jury duty), it’s not an

invitation, it’san order to appear,” said WUson. CM any given morning, some 30 to 40 percent of people who are summoned to appear don’t show. Indiana requires the use of voter registration records to select prospective jurors. Wilson says this is the best way to go, as judges feel this method produces more responsible, and better, jurors. However, there are no numbers available as to how many AfricanAmerican residents are called for jury duty. Wilson says racial, and sexual breakdowns on jury statistics are not currently being done, but could be if requested by the Marion County Clerk, and judges. Nadeen Biddinger, chief deputy clerk, said neither the judges nor the Marion County Cleric have asked for such information and that it would cost extra to redesign existing software to accomplish the SaaJURY, PagaAS

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Nightmare on equal opportunity street Second of three parts has the right to bring any agency in for By MIKE RAMEY closer (access).” Staff Writer The EG office will still take complaints from victims of racial, sexual, or physical Feb. 21 came too quickly for staffers in discrimination. However, with nine staffthe Indianapolis Division of Equal Oppor- ere gone, and 11 positions, in effea.elimitunity. There was the hope of a last minute nated, the office will be hard pressed to reprieve, and topes the layoffs would be continue its 180 day average of resolving avoided. By die dose of business that cases. Ransom admire that while things Friday, there was no last-minute biockage have gotten better in the city over the of the reduction order—and nine people years, black economic growth could be lost their jobs. tatter, and the need for his office is still Robert Ransom, director of the dlv& red. sion, had met with Mayor Stephen Odd- In the political fallout from the streamsmith on Feb. 17. The two men talked for lining decision, State Representative Wiltwo hours in a closed-door session. Ran- 11am A. Crawford served Mayor Goldsom said he was assured that Goldsmith smith notice: either rescind the layoff orwas committed toequsl opportunity, fight- der, or he and other parties would head to IngdiaaMnation.andaffinnrtiveactton court to force “Action of Mandate” — a oompHanok Ransom was quick to add formal court order to leave die division that it was the mayor's choice to stream- done. The deadline for a decision was line agencies to their best wottcing poten- Feb. 29. dal. But for now, ttoae 130 to 150 cases "It starts from the top,” said Ranaom. _ ^

Breaux goes against slate By JIM NELSON Staff Writer State Sen. Billie Breaux, D-In-dianapolis, has announced she will run for reclection despite not being slated by the Marion County Deraocrare. At a news conference held on Tuesday, Feb. 25, Breaux announced she will remdn in the race to represent Senate District 34, and will run in the May primary election against Eunice Trotter, the slated candidate. Breaux says she wants to return to the Generd Assembly because the residents of Indianapolis have voiced support for her campdgn and are asking her to nm. “I am announcing my intention to aggressively seek renominsdon welfftion to **** State

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