Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 10 March 2000 — Page 4
PAGE A4
THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER
FRIDAY.
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National News
NAACP calls for Justice Department investigation for civil rights violations BALTIMORE (NNPA) — NAACP President Kweisi Mfume recently said, “the NAACP strongly believes that the civil rights of Mr. Diallo were violuletf on the night of Feb. 4, 1999, when he was brutality killed in an unbelievable hailstorm of 41 bullets. The fact that the accused officers were even acquitted on the charge of reckless endangerment is equally as unbelievable.” Mfume asked the U.S. Department of Justice to use all available resources to investigate the shooting for possible civil rights violations by the police officers who shot Amadou Diallo 19 times. Mfume spoke with Deputy Attorney General forCivil Rights Bill Lann Lee immediately following the jury decision and asked that the federal government investigate the shooting under the U.S. Code 18, Statute 242. He also sent letters by facsimile to Attorney General Janet Reno and Lee.
The NAACP is demanding that Congress enact legislation that would establish federal guidelines regarding a police officers use of violent force. Local jurisdictions currently govern use of force poli-
cies. ,, I. X
Black media leaders to issue statement on Diallo
case
WASHINGTON (NNPA)—In a response to the recent Amadou Diallo verdict, several of the nation’s leading Black mediaowners have joined together to launch a public statement and to possibly carry out other actions. Led by publisher Earl Graves of Black Enterprise magazine, several companies were discussing the notion of purchasing full-page advertising in national publications to issue a statement regarding the case. ESSENCE magazine. Black Entertainment Television and Johnson publications hadeach been approached. In addition to national advertising, Graves had also expressed in-
terest in a national town hall meeting to aired onBET. Nodeterminations had been made at press time. Demonstrators challenge death penalty at U.S.
Supreme Court
WASHINGTON (NNPA) — More than 185 supporters of jailed activist Mumia Abu-Jamal were arrested for demonstrating outside the Supreme Court. The protesters, organized by the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, were calling for a nationwide end to the death penalty. Citing the Abu-Jamal case as a pinnacle situation illustrating the faults with the death penalty, the group stood and laid down — in civil disobedience and allowed police to arrest them. Abu-Jamal is a Philadelphiabased African-American journalist convicted of killing a police officer in 1981. Questions surrounding the fairness of his trial have been raised since the conviction and he has gained worldwide support from civil and human rights groups calling for a new trial. To
date, Abu-Jamal’s appeals have been denied. “The aim was to focus on the Supreme Court with this matter and to give the nation a show of strength. Our numbers of people committed to this effort are growing,” explained NCAD program coordinator Brian Henninger. “There were 95 people arrested in our protest in Philadelphia on July 4, so this clearly shows that people are coming out more.” Although Abu-Jamal has not run out of appeals options, Henninger notes that Abu-Jamal could receive a date for execution by the end of the year. “We are trying to turn up the heat on this case and all death penalty sentencing,” Henninger says. “We don’t want to wait until the doors have closed on it.” . Henninger says that the wellpublicized and controversial nature of the case has created heated polarization for both sides of the debate over Abu-Jamal’s sentence. “It’s a zero sum for both sides,” he says. “If we execute Mumia, then the chances for our society recog-
nizing the problems with the death penalty are significantly reduced. Because if you kill a man in spite of the fact that his trial was questionable, then when don’t you kill anyone? Where does it end. On the other hand, the other side feels that if you let a cop' kilter go. ybu’ vfc opened the doors for criminals.” The group plans to continue its efforts to gain Abu-Jamal a new trial and to end the death penalty. Congressman Rangel says Bush also owes apologies to Blacks and Jews NEW YORK (NNPA)- Congressman Charles Rangel said that the apology to Catholics by Republican presidential hopeful George Bush was not enough. “An apology to Catholics was needed, but it’s not enough, “ Rangel, a Democrat, said. “Blacks and Jews have also been offended by Bush’s failure to denounce the racist policies of Bob Jones Uni-; versity or anti-Semitic statements by people associated with his campaign. Black people are due an
apology because Bob Jones University has an official policy against interracial dating which is clearly aimed at Black students.” (The university has since rescinded its dating policy.) Rangel said he was similarly outraged that people ie the Bush campaign or its supporters have made “insulting comments about Jews that Bush has refused to even repudiate, much less apologize for.”
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Ofialcal study Children fforti the Indianapolis area who have recently turned 4 (but not yet 4 1/2) are needed to participate in a 3 - year study focused on children’s play interests. The project is funded by the National Science Foundation, and is based on the IUPUI campus. Children will make 3 annual visits to the Cognitive Development lab, and parents will be interviewed by telephone every other month. Some children who develop certain types of interests may be asked to complete additional sessions. Children will receive small gifts in return for their participation. For more information, or to enroll your child, please call or email the Cognitive Development Laboratory (274-4930, e-mail: [email protected]) or Dr. Kathy Johnson (274-6764, email: [email protected]).
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