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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 13, 1981)
BUF plans picket Arbitrator reinstates 'possum tossin' cops' t h i n k it if is the wdrst »...I..« decision since .1 the Dred r\ i ri . . . that said " I think Scott M Decision Blacks have no rights a white must respect. It says that the police can do anything in the Black community that they want and very little w ill be done,” Ronnie Herndon, Co-chairman o f the Black United Front said o f the Arbitrators decision to reinstate former police officers Craig Ward and James Gallaway. ” Deppe and Dugan are admitted felons yet Deppe got a light work release and Dugan got a $30,000 settlement. This is one o f the worst cases I ’ m aware o f and they were given a slap on the wrist - a thirty day suspension. This has shown the futility o f trying to obtain justice in this country; the system was not set up to give justice to Black people.” Officers Ward and Gallaway were fired by Commissioner Charles Jordan after they admitted to throwing four dead opossums in front o f the Burger Barn Restaurant on March 12th. The P ortland Police Association challenged the action and the case was ultimately referred to binding ar bitration under the union contract. Opinion was almost unanimous: Piwto Loving: “ This action shows the Black people o f this city (hat the City is racist.” _ A Z ; " I only ask the question, if the police officers had been Black and the business owner white, would the outcome have been the same?” Mattie Spears "The business owner should file charges against the police officers involved.” Edna Roberston: “ The reinstatement is a slap in the face to the com munity and to the city at large.” Kathryn Jenkins: “ The police officers arc to set an example for others and at this point they have been a poor example.” Tha Black Unltad Front will sponaor a plckat of North Pracinct at noon on Saturday. Paraona who wlah to join tha plckat ahould aaaambla at Cathadral Park, under tha St. Johna Bridge. North Pracinct la located at tha aaat and of tha St. Johna Bridge. Donald J. Sevetson, Conference Minister, Central Pacific Conference, Umed Church o f Christ: " I n light o f the arbitrator’ s decision it becomes imperative that the leadership o f our city makes it clear that acts o f racist in timidation by public servants will not be tolerated in Portland.” hreddye Petett, Executive Director, Urban League o f Portland reinstatement is a disservice.” 7 Portland. ” T h . The A rb itra to r Gary L. Axon o f Ashland, Oregon based his decision on testimony and briefs provided by the C ity and by the union. The deter mination was made in large part on the fact that the two officers had clean [J !? p ‘ -hai- the di#ci.p,ine was not in kecP'n8 with prior police discipline, that I olice Commissioner Jordan did not interview the officers or their supervisors, and that the other officers involved were not disciplined. The Arbitrator also determined - based on the testimony o f Jordan and the o f ficers -- that the act was not racially motivated. Axon ruled that the penalty was too hash and that since the City Charter does not provide for a penalty greater than 30 days suspension other than termination, the officers should have been suspended for 30 days without P? r‘ TKi y 8rC '° bc provided back Pa>- with any earnings deducted. Both "J 1 '? haVC workcd for thc un>on since their termination. The decision o f the Arbitrator is final. For excerpts from the Arbitrator's report please see page 9. PORTLAND OBSERVER August 13. 1981 Volume XI Number 43 28C Per Copy After hours anyting goes by Ron Sykes Shirleen Foley, 23: "W hen the regular clubs close and I 'm not tired o f partying, I go to the afterhours. ” * •U a Photo: Richard J. Brown Pill poppin' poison Grassroot News N .W .—We have people who sell the drug usually mix been conditioned in our society to their own batch and each purchase sedative act like they are drunk with no alcohol signs. They fall and slip believe that there’ s a p ill for every will represent a different degree o f and talk like their mouth is full o f ill. You can take a p ill to prevent the drug. bubblegum. pregnancy or in itia te fe rtility . Jn I his drug does not create energy Most o f the reds and yellows that terms o f drug abuse the intake o f in the body, but whatever is stored find their way to the streets are ob uppers and downers requires a cold up is released by hiding the feeling tained by someone selling their hard look into the legal and illegal o f tiredness and the need for sleep prescription, or in rare cases are traffic o f drugs. It w ill decrease the appetite, which written by a script doctor. T ra d itio n a lly , amphetamines, cuts down the norm al supply o f Barbs are not a drug to play barbiturates and tranquilizers have energy from food. The biggest been prescribed by physicians to danger however is that prolonged around with. I hey are thc most ad dicting o l all the legal, and most cure or treat symptoms brought on use by people who drive might cause illegal, drugs. One might lake them by illness, stress or injury But oc hallucinations or sudden blackouts. to go to sleep. You w ill find that casionally you will find these drugs I he chemicals that make up am being sold on thc streets, in the phetamines arc not addicting in the sooner or later one pill is not strong enough, and a cycle o f addiction is parks and in the bars. The problem same way as heroin or barbiturates. arises when there is prolonged use, But with continuous use. they can building up. When the monkey m ixing o f drugs and poor become habit-forming. When they jumps on your back you can’ t kick it alone. A process called detox is q ua lita tive status o f drugs taken stop using amphetamines, users w ithout the benefit o f medical have reported they feel Jumpy, necessary and withdrawal is slow. I his same process is required for supervision. nervous and very depressed. Also Amphetamines fa ll under the speed can make users older and tranquilizers such as Valium and Quaaludes i f long-term use classification o f stimulant. The type long, heavy use o f speed can cause sold o ff the street are speeds. These heart, liver and kidney damage. So produces addiction. I f withdrawn too soon, convulsions will occur and aren’ t always the little white Speed Freaks—beware! you w ill have a close encounter o f ’ ’ crosstops” but can be the small Another drug type that is misused thc kind you don’t live to tell about. black capsules called ’ ’ black is barbiturates. They come in a beauties.” The grassroots reasons rainbow o f colors, from Reds When people are dropping for taking these uppers are either to (Secobarbital) to Yellow Jackets downers, the possibility o f overdose lose weight or to gam more waking (I entobarbital) and blue dragons is greater than with any other drug. hours. (Amobarbital) along with rainbows You can take two and later on take “ When I take a couple I get this (lu r n a l) . I his drug can be very two more because you’ re high from rush in about fo rty minutes and I harmful if misused and is addictive the first two and forgot. Also, if you beg people to let me clean their if used long enough. are taking street downers, you must house,” a user explained the effects. I he high is obtained by taking never mix them with alcohol or For about four or five hours I run these sleeping pills and remaining other drugs. A lcohol w ill just in around and take care o f business awake. " I remember when I first crease the effect o f reds and you and then I come down. I t ’ s a real dropped two reds. I always heard could get so high you’ll lift yourself hard down. I don’ t feel like eating about craving certain foods and this from this world. but when I do I feel better I like to and that. A ll I was able to do was A concluding caution might be get o ff but the comedown is a climb upstairs and fall into bed,” added. II you’ re going to buy dope problem.” a young woman described her first from the streets, then you have to What makes the use o f uppers in tro d u ctio n to downers. People take the drugs, pills, blow or smoke d iffe re n t from downers is that who are able to stay awake on this all at your own risk. O LC C regulations require legitim ate clubs to close at 2:30 a m., but OLCC does not regulate after-hours. Therefore, after 2:30, it ’ s boogie time at the after-hours. Portlanders flock by the hundreds to the "C h a rlie ’ s,” ’ ’ M abel’ s ,” “ B ill’ s.” "S h a k e y ’ s,” and “ L u c ille 's ." o f Portland—all fic titio u s names fo r obvious reasons—some of Portland’s better- known after-hour houses. C h a rlie ’ s” is the most prominent. The inebriated beware. You must negotiate a flight o f stairs 55 strong. Due to a Mexican- American shootout, the owner has retained a doorman who checks for membership cards, which arc as easily attained as tea in China. To gain entrance, you must have a membership card or a black face. Not to say that ’ ’Charlie’s” doesn’ t cater to all races—quite a few whites have membership cards—but when you are underground, you cannot refuse service to anyone, regardless o f age, color or creed. "C h a rlie ’ s " is unique in that it does issue membership cards. I f you come before 3:30 a.m ., you must have a guest or permanent member- to "C h a rlie ’ s” the faint-of-heart — cannot survive. The action is everywhere. As you walk in, there’s a bar to your right attended by two male bartenders. There are two scantily clad cocktail waitresses working the fioor. serving 20 tables surrounding the dance floor. The dance floor is elevated. Red, blue and green lights bounce merrily o ff thc faces o f judges, prostitutes and pimps all at the same time, get ting down on the dance floor. This is after-hours at its best. Lee Wilson, 38: "W hen the clubs close, I want something else to do, so I go to after-hours to continue my h ig h .” "C h a rlie ’ s” is nicely decorated, well managed and ship cards. A fte r 3:30, the club is open to all. Joyce Brandon: “ I like to party with friends because I ’ m a late starter. I f you work nights and get o ff late, you go to after-hours because it is thc only place to go to have drinks.” Who frequents these illegitimate establishments? Mona Richmond, 19: ” 1 go to after-hours to catch a man.” On any given night you can sec members o f the higher e che lo n — le g is la to rs , ju d g e s , assistant district attorneys—to drug dealers, pimps, gamblers and prostitutes. Anything goes. You can do anything in after-hours that you can do at any club in Las Vegas. Once you have gained admittance organized,and has the sort o f a t mosphere that puts ' pimps and r - --------- legislators on the same plane. The after-hours clientele accepts as "norm al” all o f the activities that occur w ith in the confines o f the establishment. Illic it drugs flo w freely—cocaine, marijuana and the almightly dog, heroin. You ask for it; you got it. And if you don’ t ask for it, you are invited. Remember, there could be highly respected officials on the premises and they are usually to ta lly disregarded. On one occasion, however, the owner o f "C harlie’s” was overheard chastising one o f his regulars, a young lady o f 25, dressed u t u to p age J (Please t turn page 5 cc col. 1) Party ends with police action Julius Jefferson blames the police for inciting an incident at his home early Saturday m orning, August 8th. ” 1 am absolutely positive they were trying to start an incident." " I t was like a fear factor -- that if people keep coming here someone is going to get hurt.” Jefferson said he has never had a problem with the police before and did not pay much attention to allegations of police harassment. According to Jefferson, he has large parties nearly every weekend through the summer for his children and their friends. He says he has never had a complaint from neigh bors or thc police, but had suspen ded the parties for a month because o f a fight at a previous party. Friday night was thc first party since thc suspension. Jefferson described the party as having about 300 participants in the house, the yard and the street. Thc police came by at one point and gave a number o f parking tickets but Jefferson said no problems oc curred. Around 3:00 a m., the Jeffersons called the police to pick up their nephew, Erie. I his young man, age 15, was on probation in California lo r robbery and had been sent to them. Because he would not keep his probation rules and was involved in several thefts, Mrs. Jefferson had asked his probation officer to return him to ( alilo rn ia . The day before he was to leave he ran away, so she tailed the police to report him missing This was July 28 On the night o f August 8th, Eric returned home, so the Jeffersons party on the NW corner, also a great called thc police to come and get deal o f illegal parking which him so he could be returned to blocked 13th Avenue and Emerson C a lifo rn ia . The o ffice rs arrived Street “ creating a large tra ffic jam shortly, during thc party. " I f two and disrupting the neighborhood” . o ffice rs had come and had acted The o ffice rs slopped to w rite properly, they would have had no tickets and the congestion eased. As p ro b le m ," Jefferson explained. they started to leave, Gross was hit "B u t they brought eight cars. Four in the back o f the head with a rock. officers came into the house. They They ordered the crowd to disperse started telling me to end the party and called for cover. and send people home, but they A t 3:00 a.m. another car was d idn’ t give me time to do it. They dispatched to check on shots fired were very hostile.” and a large crowd. O fficer Jenson Jefferson reports that as they advised Butler and Gross that were taking Eric to the car, hand nothing could be done because o f cuffed, he was pushed. The crowd thc large crowd. threw rocks and bottles. The police A t 3:44 Butler and Goss were responded with clubs, knocking called to pick up a runaway. They people down, shouting for them to were hesitant to go, but were ac disperse. Jefferson said one young companied by four other cars and man who asked fo r an o ffic e r’ s Sergeant Moose. They decided to go name was pushed down and struck. "a s low key as possible” and to Jefferson said he was shocked by leave q u ickly. A ccording to the the behavior o f thc police and tried report, a fte r they arrived at the to get one officer’ s name. "W e had house and handcuffed Eric, a heated conversation but he refused Sergeant Moose asked Jefferson to to give his name." Jefferson did not close the party and Jefferson said he see any name tags. would in a few minutes. I he story told by thc police re As they returned to the car a ports differs substantially. " I asters Choice" coffee jar struck O fficers Butler and Gross re Gross’ elbow. Some o f the young ported they first arrived at the Jef people ran and others began to ferson home at approxim ately I throw objects. Gross and Moose or a m. when they "observed a large dered the crowd to disperse and crowd o f black youths playing dice "p h y s ic a lly walked remaining and shooting craps at NE corner o f juveniles out o f the area" as they in tersectio n .” They shined their continued io throw objects. light on the crowd and told them to O fficers J. B. Hudson and I D disperse alter which several youth Kochever responded ,o a call to yelled obscenities "flipp in g us o f f . cover Gross and Butler. They had "A s is normal" on weekends, the been present during the earlier in- report continued, there was a large ( Please turn to page 12 col. I)
