Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 30 March 2001 — Page 4

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A4

FRIDAY, MARCH 30, 2001

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BRIEFS Continued from A1 bowling alley involving Alexander’s 15-year-old son and a group that she described as skinheads, some of whom wore swastika patches. The suspect denied he was a skinhead, according to police, and said he burned the cross because he thought Alexander’s son had lied to him. The boy is being held in the Lake County Juvenile Detention Center on preliminary charges of criminal mischief, Grennes said. He was expected to appear in court Tuesday morning. The incident prompted a meeting between Valparaiso’s mayor and a group led by Alexander and leaders of her church. “i hate to see these things happen anywhere,” said Mayor David A. Butterfield. “I hope it’s just kids doing something stupid without understanding what it means to other people." Union Community Church of Valparaiso, which Alexander attends, was defaced with a swastika two years ago. A committee on race relations was formed after that and other incidents at the time, but Butterfield said the group hasn’t met recently. “I think it’s a bigger issue,” Alexander said. “I’d like to go into the schools and let them know what is going on.” DNA evidence links suspect to 1985 crime, police say For nearly 16 years, Indianapolis police had few leads in the death of a 15-year-old girl whose body was found in Fall Creek. Monday, they arrested a suspect in the case - a man who had been in prison on another charge almost since her death. According to police, DNA evidence linked 44-year-old Sterling C. Riggs of Indianapolis to Tracey Poindexter’s death. Riggs was being held without bond Tuesday morning in the Marion County Lockup on preliminary charges of rape and attempted murder. The Marion County prosecutor’s office will decide on formal charges.

“My daughter can be at peace now, and I can be at peace,” said Shirley Kendall, Tracey’s mother. “I’ve been thinking about it every year for 16 years. Now, justice can be done.” The girl’s nude body was found in the creek on the city’s near-north side in mid-April 1985. She had been bound and had a scarf wrapped around her neck. Poindexter’s family had not reported her missing. Tracey, an eighth-grader at Shortridge Junior High School, had been living with an aunt and had last been seen leaving her aunt's home two days before her body was found, said homicide detective Sgt. Michael P. Crooke. An autopsy showed she had drowned, but there were no witnesses and no leads. Crooke didn’t forget the case, though. "The investigators in this office don’t give up,” he said. “We don’t like to have unresolved cases, and we’re doing every thing in our power to solve them.” Crooke remembered the Poindexter case last August, when he learned of a computer system used to track genetic profiles during an FBI seminar. Semen samples had been taken from the girl’s body. “I couldn’t wait to get back and submit it,” he said. “I knew we had enough evidence to check it out.” Indiana law requires convicted sex offenders to provide DNA samples. When the semen sample was tested, it was connected to Riggs, who in January had finished serving a sentence for another sex crime for which he was arrested nine days after Tracey was killed. Police said that Riggs is also being investigated as a possible suspect in other sexual assaults. Legislators seek advice on e-mail disclosures Four Indiana legislative leaders have hired a law firm for help on a bill that would bar the disclosure of public officials' e-mail. The group is using taxpayer money to pay the firm of Sommer & Barnard for legal advice on the issue. "Because of the importance of this public policy issue, when we’re balancing the privacy of an individual with the people’s right to know, we felt we needed to receive an outside opinion,” said Rep. Brian Bosma, R-India-

napolis. The other three legislators are Rep. John Gregg. D-Sandbom; Sen. Robert Garton, RColumbus; and Sen. Richard D. Young Jr., DMilltown. The bill is headed for a Senate committee after the House passed it in a near-unanimous vote. Gov. Frank O’Bannon’s office repeated last week that he would consider vetoing the proposal if the law erodes the public’s access to public business. O'Bannon already has made public his e-mails from taxpayers about this issue, and most were in favor of a veto. It is unclear how much the legal representation will cost because the lawmakers did npt sign a contract, said Jerry Williams, counsel for Gregg, the House speaker. The money to pay for legal advice likely would come out of the operating budgets of the House and Senate, he said. Lewis and Clark bill clear another committee Who better to sponsor a bill to recognise Lewis and Clark than Lewis and Clark? , The Senate voted 47-1 Monday to pass legislation that would create a state commission to mark the 200th anniversary of Meriwethfer Lewis and William Clark’s expedition to explore the West. The measure was sponsored by Sen. James Lewis, D-Charlestown. and Sen. Murray Clark, R-Indianapolis. The historic expedition shares a link to Indiana because Lewis and Clark used the town of Clarksville as a meeting place while preparing to launch their 1803-1806joumey. Many members of their Corps of Discovery exploration team were recruited from the Falls of the Ohio region. Clarksville residents sought the measure because they want the town included in a national three-year celebration of the expeditioni's bicentennial. Local officials hope to organize a slate of commemorative activities in October 2003. Sen. Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, didn’t need the special sponsorship to support the bill. "In honor of my two dogs, Lewis and Clark, I vote aye,” Kenley said. *

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