Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 3 May 2002 — Page 3

FRIDAY, MAY 3, 2002

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

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ZOLA Surveyors seeking opinions about Indy’s cultural scene

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whites to impose the death penalty when the defendant is Black and the victim Caucasian. So when the Allen County Superior Court jury box in Azania’s case turned out to be full of white faces, it seemed to be quite a stroke of bad luck. But it turned out not to be a matter of chance at all. A few months after Azania’s trial, it was revealld that Allen County’s computerized jury selection program had systematically excluded most of the residents of Wayne Township, home to three-quarters of Allen County’s voting^tge Black population, from ever serving on a

jury.

Azania’s attorneys say that this was more than just a computer glitch. They say this error is indicative of a systemically racist court system. Groups like Amnesty International have repeatedly criticized the U.S. criminal justice system for allowing Blacks and members of other minority groups to be disproportionately arrested, prosecuted, sentenced and executed. Blacks constitute only 8 percent of the population of Indiana and 11 percent of the population of Allen County, but they represent threequarters of Allen County’s criminal prosecutions and a third of Indiana’s death row. In Allen County, a longtime public defender had repeatedly informed the court that he believed the county’s jury pool under-rep-resented Blacks. Those concerns were ignored.Jn post-trial hearings on Azania’s case, experts on jury pool composition harshly criti- -* cized Allen County for “deliberate indifference" to the racial makeup of its juries. “In a state that is historically recognized as the ‘birthplace of the Klan,’ the long-standing nature of Allen County’sexclusion of Blacks from juries smacks of racism, and the citizens of this state must demand that Mr. Azania be given a new sentencing trial,” says Erica Thompson, one of Azania’s attor- , neys. “To execute a man who was never given the opportunity to be tried by ‘a jury of his peers’ offends our basic sense of fairness, justice, and indeed, humanity.” Particularly frustrating for Azania’s supporters is that, once the jury selection problem was discovered, all Allen County criminal defendants with pending cases were given the opportunity to postpone their trials until a new system could be put in place. Presiding Judge John F. Surbeck justified that decision by insisting it would have been “absolutely unfair” for anyone to proceed to trial given the jury pool mistake. Yet Azania’s conviction, handed down by a jury drawn from the Maimed pool, remains in effect. A spokesperson for Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter did not go into specifics of Azania’s appeal, but says the office will argue that Azania'sconviction should stand. “The attorney general’s office is prepared to aggressively defend the conviction and sentence of 7p\o Agonia Azania before the Indiana Supreme Court,” said Staci Schneider, press secretary for the attorney general’s office. “The attorney general ’ s office believes the facts of the case will speak for themselves.” Azania’s request for a new trial* is being supported by the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus. For more information on Azania’scase,checkwww.prairiefire.org/freezoloazania.html.

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER USPS 262-660 Published weekly by: The George P. Stewart Printing Co., Inc., P.O. Box 18499, 2901 N. Tacoma Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46218. Entered as Second Class Matter under Act of March 7,1870. Periodicals paid at Indianapolis. IN POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Indianapolis Recorder, P.O. Box 18499,2901 N, Tacoma Ave., Indianapolis. IN 46218. Subscription price by mail or carrier: $39 per year; $29 for 6 mos ,75 cents per copy National advertising representative: Amalgamated Publishers Inc., 45 W 45th St., New York, NY 10036 Member: National Newspaper Publishers Association. Central Indiana Publishers Association, Hoosier State Press Association SUBSCRIBERS BY MAIL: We are not responsible for replacing issues missed due to change of address or late renewals Please allow two weeks when placing a new subscription or change of address order. CaN (317) 924-5143.

“Indianapolis is a more interesting place to be than it was five years ago,” The Indianapolis Cultural Tourism Initiative wants to hear what Central Indiana residents and visitors think about the city’s cultural activities and experiences. Residents and visitors will have an opportunity to provide their input in two ways. Volunteers will be

conducting three-minute surveys at six downtown locations during "Indy Play Days” on Saturday. May 4. The survey also will be available online at www.indygbv.org from May 3 to 12. In addition to questions about the places people go when they're downtown, the survey will ask for opinions about Indianapolis as a destination. Residents and visitors will be asked tb agree or disagree

with statements such as, “Indianapolis is a more interesting place to be than it was five years ago.” and “Indianapolis has unique or unusual things to see and do.” Downtown survey locations include the Indianapolis Artsgarden, Visit Indy at Circle Centre, City Market, Durwyn Smedley 20th Century art gallery. Champions sports bar in the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown and Victory Field

The responses will be tabulated .and used to help develop the Initiative’s marketing and communications campaign. The campaign will be designed to educate residents about the city ’ s arts and cultural offerings, spur them to participate, and encourage them to share the information with visiting friends and family. Central Indiana residents will begin seeing the campaign this fall. In 2003, the campaign will be ex-

panded to regional markets. The Initiative is a collaboration of the Arts Council of Indianapolis. the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association, Indianapolis Downtown Inc. and the City of Indianapolis. Mayor Bart Peterson announced the Cultural Development Initiative in June 2001. Clarification Last week’s front page story “Roundball Classic highlights youth anti-violence weekend” was written by Joshua Cohen.

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