Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 23 August 2002 — Page 2

PAGE A2

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

FRIDAY, AUGUST 23,2002

Justice for Carol Jenkins, A Human Being

•I.

Continued from A1

TOUR Continued from A1 Not bad for a group of former Western Kentucky University students who all ditched the halls of academia to pursue a career in the uncertain world of entertainment. “I took a leap of faith and decided to go after my first love...music,” said Scales. “My mamma and pops always told me in order to get something, you’ve got to give up something.” Group members say they have a great deal of respect for Indianapolis and local DJ Paul Bunyon for helping them achieve commercial success. “Paul showed us a lot of love in those early days and when we come to Indy we are definitely going to do something special,” said Scales. “It’s going to be like a homecoming because we were not able to hit Louisville and many of our fans there are going to be in Indy.” While audiences can expect to hear some hip-hop, rock during the group’s set, don’t count on seeing the lyrical slaymen iced-up and draped in platinum. “Our music is based on being grounded,” said Scales. “Flossing just isn’t our style. We try to keep things simple and we want to let people know it’s okay to just be themselves, to just be average.”

and Dr. George F. Parker, an Indiana University faculty member and forensic psychiatrist, whose counsel was sought by Judge Burnham. Bellow interviewed Richmond for 45 minutes, on July 14, while he was still incarcerated at the MorganCounty jail. She said she found Richmond “to be having some cognitive difficulties and that he occasionally lost his train of thought He knew he was in jail but he didn’t know the city he was in. He understood he was charged with murder, but he didn't understand what consequences might happen if he was found guilty.” Bellow’sexamination included what she described as an extensive review of the medical records provided by the court and Richmond’s attorney as well asan interview withoneofRichmond’s sisters, whom she did not identify. She testified that she “deliberated long and hard” for several days before concluding that his acute dementia, depression and inability to focus rendered him unable to assist in his own defense. Two days later, on July 16, Richmond underwent a second court-ap-pointed psychiatric examination by Dr. Parker. Parker’s examination, though only 15-minutes longerthan Fellow’s, was deemed to be cursory, at best, by the prosecutor who, in summation, criticized Parker’s failure to even review Richmond’smedical records until just before his appearance in court Parker asked jail officials to allow him to interview Richmond in the library because the smell in Richmond’s cell, due to his incontinence, was 1 ‘overwhelming.” Parker testified, “His clothes and his body were quite soiled. He trembled. He had great difficulty answering questions. He was unable to provide (even) very little details about his life. He failed all the court-related issues. He didn’t know guilty vs. not guilty.” When asked by Sonnega whether he believed Richmond was faking his behavior, Parker said, “Incompetency can be faked, but it’s hard to maintain that kind of (faked) impairment for long periods of time.’’ Parker did not believe Richmond had the capacity to fake the mental and physical symptoms he exhibited during his examina-

Carol Jenkins’ parents, siblings and nephew outside the courtroom, from left, Robert Davis, Paul Davis (father), Eric Brooks (nephew), Elizabeth Scott (mother), Larry Davis, Paulette Brooks, Pat Howard, and Laura Rodgers. (photo/J. Buntin)

tion. ask for a third opinion. I think it was In an attempt to counter their re- necessary as there was enough eviports, Sonnega asked Dr. Crane, apsy- dence that Mr. Richmond had the chiatrist in private practice who has thought processes to fool the doctors.” testified in more than 500competency Sonnega was referring to three other hearings in Morgan County and witnesses he had called from throughout the state of Indiana, to re- Richmond’s former jail and nursing view the findings of Drs. Fellow and home staff whotestified, unanimously, Parker. He said Dr. Bellow’s report is about numerous incidents where they consistent “with the way he would do believed Richmond’s behavior was it” although he would have also at- clearlymeanttodeceiveorfeignexagtempted to review any available police gerated pain and suffering, reports. In the end, though, Sonnega conDr. Crane referred to a key section ceded, “You have two competingjusofBellow’s report and said that while tice theories, here. One, is you try he believes her report was excellent, everybody and you hold them account‘There was a lot of information in that able. And, then, the second theory is report that was suggestive of his being death with dignity. And in between is competent” Contrary to her findings, the legal requirement that when you’re Crane said, “He (Richmond) under- on trial you know what’s going on. stands the difference between past and And, certainly, trying a bunch of inpresent Being vague is not unusual in competent people is not justice. The thesetypesofproceedings. He isclearly fact is his health is declining and that is aware of the role of his defense attor- a factor that was probably in the back of ney, the prosecutor, the judge, et cetera, everyone’s mind.” That pretty much complies with the Indiana (statutory) definition of com- A family’s hunt for petence.” second suspect Crane noted that people with prior i n the minds of many, Carol Davis criminal records, like Richmond, are Jenkins remains an enigma, often wise enough to answer questions a victim whose haunting, beautiful in a way that benefits them. “They’re face cries outftom behind thick-rimmed often famihar with how all of this glasses forboth definition and justice, works,” said Craine. ‘They’re knowl- Her story, first reported inthis series edgeable of the process.” on June 7 following Richmond’s May Sonnega stressed his support of QarresLremainstransfixedinthehearts Crane’s analysis in his closing remarks and minds of people of all races who but to no avail. In subsequent remarks could empathize with hercruel victimoutside the courtroom, the prosecutor Lzation, and terror, on the night of Sept, said,“I’mdisappointedthejudgedidn’t 16, 1968, on the dark, rain-slicked

streets of Martinsville. Parts of her story have been told by local media and a growing number of national media including a story, last month, in People magazine. Yet much remains

untold.

Kenneth Richmond, on the other hand, is a man whose violent acts and involvement with the Ku Klux Klan have been indelibly etched in the public domain by way of the courtroom

to this article, says she believes her niece’s account of what happened that

night

“Our heart goes out to her family,” said Richmond’ syoungerbrotherGlen Richmond who, along with his wife, Barbara, and his sister, Linnie Shields, were also in court last Friday. Though advised by Richmond’sdefenseattorneytosaynothingtothepress,theydid speak out briefly and it was evident that they, too, have endured their own kind of torment. Glen Richmond added, ‘This has devastated both sides. Even though we lost our son in a car wreck six years ago, and she (Linnie) lost a son, we still don ’ t know the pain they went through from having a daughter murdered. And our heart does go out to those people and that’s all I’m legally allowed to say.” The Jenkins’ family’s posture, at this point, appears to be to continue to work behind the scenes to appeal to those members of the public who may know anything about the case, and the alleged second suspect, to come for-

ward.

Said LauraRodgerson the family’s

documents of three states—Indiana, behalf, “We remind the Indiana State

Kentucky and Florida. But what about Oirol?

And what about the second man that Richmond’s daughter Shirley Richmond McQueen, only 7 years old on the night of the murder, alleges held Carol’s arms behind her back while her father, in an allegedly drunken racially-inspired assault, plunged a

screwdriver into her chest?

In an Indianapolis Recorder exclusive, Kenneth Richmond’s sister, Linnie Shields, in a companion story

Police, all law enforcement officers and the community at large that Kenneth Richmond was not alone in committing this crime. There is still a nameless, facelessindividual out there and we petition these parties to work tirelessly to find the individual and bring him to justice. “We folly expect the state to continue the pursuit of justice for Carol. We are holding them accountable to continue to prepare the case for trial and to investigate any other leads.”

Paul Davis (left) and his grandson Eric Brooks.

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