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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1985)
Mrs Franses Schaen-í.ewapaper Roo» U n iv e rs ity o f Oregon L ib ra ry murene, Oregon 97403 New police I version j Blazers, Lakers photos Page 6 Page 2 ■M W ____ __ ___________ — B H M M PORTLAND OBSERMER Volume XV, Number 28 May 8, 1985 250 Copy Two Sections u lr l » n a d a t ( <r * rw xuA M t '•» . M r I M r Stevenson inquest by Lamia Duke GRASSROOT NEWS. N.W — Multnomah County’s first public in quest in a decade will be held Thurs day, Friday and Saturday as witnesses and police participate in a forum to gather information on what happened April 20th, the night Tony Stevenson died as the result of a sleeper hold adminstered by a Portland police officer. Michael Schrunk, Multnomah County District Attorney, will pre side over the inquest. Six jurors are selected at random and jurors may be excused if they are related to or had been associated with the deceased, if they witnessed the death or il they are biased. Jurors will be selected randomly from the list of registered voters in Multnomah County. Schrunk said since people of color comprise only 9 percent o f the popu lation. then 9 out of KM) jurors se lected will be a person of color. Chief Harrington said the possibil ities of a Black being on the inquest jury or the grand jury is rather limited. Schrunk cautioned that the scope of an inquest is limited to identifying the deceased person, when and where he died, and the cause and manner of death. Also, the findings of an inquest arc not admissible in a grand jury, civil or criminal proceeding. After the in quest, jurors will answer these three questions and the D A. will forward the verdict to the Stale Medical Ex aminer’s office. The inquest is taking place while other inquiries and investigations are being conducted. The U.S. Justice Department will see if Stevenson's civil rights were violated, a citizen s committee will review the use of force by the bureau and the police and vari ous media are also exploring different angles. "Out ol tnese uitierent investi gations, we will get as close as hu manly possible to the facts ol what went on that night," Schrunk added Harrington said the inquest and the grand jury could return two dif ferent decisions It’s impact on police/community relations will be "terrible." "N o one will ever know what happened How can you lake the same set of facts to two different bodies and have two different an swers? It will create a lot of distrust in the community," Harrington added. More than JO people, including eyewitnesses and the police, will par- ticiate in the inquest. Schrunk noted, " I t’s tragic what happened to Mr. Stevenson. Out of it, lessons will be learned. We are hear ing from all segments of the city, saying ‘Eel's solve this and move forward'." Nuclear free zone supported police officers involved in the sale of controversial T-shirt affair: Mayor Clark fires tw o officers by Lamia Duke GRASSROOT NEWS, N.W. - Saying it was a "relatively easy de cision," Mayor Bud Clark reiterated the recommendation of his police chief and terminated the two officers who sold T-shirts reading, "D on't Choke ’Em, Smoke 'Em " "N o one with the level of judgment displayed by these two officers should remain on the force," Clark said at a Tuesday afternoon press conference. After conducting an eight-day in vestigation, Police Chief Penny Har- nngton found the two police officers' actions to be a gross violation of established bureau policy. "The men were on duty, they were selling the shirts for profit on police property and it was terrible judg ment," said Harrington. At a Monday night neighborhood meeting, Harrington had this to say about the response from the police union who plan to challenge the ter mination. "I have to do what I believe is the right thing. If the police union does not support it, I still have to do the right thing. If they want to take some kind of action expressing their disap proval with me. then I guess that's what they have to do ," she added. Calling the termination “ political," Stan Peters, president of the Police Association, said the union would appeal Clark's decision. “ The slogan on the T-shirts was not racist, but a reaction against the temporary suspension of the carotid (sleeper) hold." Peters said I he Police Union was instrumental in the reinstatement of the officers involved in the opossum-tossing inci dent when police officers threw dead opossums in front of a Black-owned restaurant. Officer Pantley, who claimed Stev enson hit him, was among the group of officers who witnessed the inci dent. The next morning Pantley ad hered to the code of silence when asked it anyone knew about or wit nessed the incident. Harrington was asked if she be lieved the officers involved in the opossum incident were disciplined properly She hesitated and reluc tantly answered. “ N o." Commissioner Kafoury announces wider services: Youth, health care, drug programs by Lamta Duke GRASSROOT NEWS. N.W. - Multnomah County Commissioner Gretchen Kafoury announced recent policy decisions which will augment, supplement and create a variety of human services for 1985-86 "Future revenue predictions are not promising State aid may be re duced, federal revenue sharing cuts are expected and there’s always the threat of a successful property tax limitation measure. But the county still feels it is essential to begin these new services and programs," Kafoury added Through a transfer of funds from municipal services to county-wide services, Multnomah County will pro vide alternative programs which will expand youth care, prenatal services and health care to the medically in digent By restructuring the county's mullicare program, twice as many individuals are expected to be served. Commissioner Kafoury said the highlight of this additional funding was the expansion of alcohol and drug treatment services for county youth, adding. "Youth have been drastically impacted by past budget cuts. They have not been getting the services they need.” She also highlighted additional funding for prenatal services for low income women, saying, "W e'll have a system where any pregnant woman can obtain care if needed ” The focus on human services is a departure from the county’s priorities years ago when inner city residents shouldered a double tax burden as they paid for municipal services to unincorporated Multnomah County as well as City Municipal Services. "It kind of balances things out," Kafoury noted. Below aie a list and dollar amounts reflecting the increase in human serv ices funding: In c r M .a d H u m a n S arvlcaa Funding f o r F Y 1 9 » 8 8 (M u ltn o m a h C o u n ty O a n a ra l Fundi Youth Alcohol and Drug Services Prenatal Care 1800 women) * Children'Family Mental Health Teen Health Clinic/ Demonstration protect Juvenile Services Commission Services to S e n io rs ........................... Multi Cere/Restructuring Chronic Disease Prevention 250.000 300,000 130,000 50,000 100.000 80.000 180 000 122.000 Chris« Heponse Services Burnside Ares ........................... 115.000 I Justice Services Funding) Prostitution Alternatives Council Chad Support Enforcement/ 0 A s Office Close Street Supervision Domestic Violence Services Probation Counselors/ DUIt Total 40 000 54.000 110,000 1,7.000 »4 000 »1 732 000 y y by Robert Lothian Mayor Bud ( lark said last Wednes day that he will introduce a nuclear free zone ordinance to the City t oun- ctl, possibly before July. Clark’s statement came at the end of a day of hearings on whether produc tion of nuclear weapons and com ponents should be limited or banned within the city. Nuclear free zone supporters specu lated that the council might take a straw vote, but voting was pul off un til an ordinance is introduced. The city attorney had drafted an ordinance, yet none of the council members were willing to sponsor it. “ I couldn’t introduce il because I didn't agree with the language," said Clark. Last week’s hearing was a repeat of one last fall. Supporters who have been working for a nuclear free zone for two years appeared satisfied with Clark's prom ise to introduce an ordinance. But earlier, some witnesses ex pressed impatience with the council. “ We’d like them to finally take a position,” said Jeff l.iddicoat, co director of the anti-nuclear group New Clear Vision. "They’ve been doing this for two years now,” he said "They can run tapes of these things.” Other witnesses spoke of the nega five effects of nuclear weapons pro duction on mental health, civil lib erties and children. Many school children were present. Dr. William Caldicott, formerly on the staff of Harvard Medical School and husband of Dr. Helen Caldicott, the Australian anti-nuclear activist, graphically described what a 20 mega ton nuclear bomb could do to Port land. "Complete and utter destruction" would occur within a 20-mile radius and people "would literally disap pear. leaving shadows on the con crete,” he said. Much of the testimony concerned economic effects. “ Not a single job would be lost" if the ordinance was passed, said I iddi- coat. "Economic conversaion" to peace-time production could compen sate for lost revenues, he said. But Don McClave, president of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, dis agreed. Companies that do occasional defense work would reconsider local ing in Portland, and the city could forget about Navy ship repair con tracts if the ordinance was passed, he said. City Council member» and supporter» listen to testimony by Rabbi Emanuel Rose during Nuclear Frae Zone bearings (Photo Richard J. Brown “ The economy is very fragile. . it needs to be encouraged," said Mc Clave. Ed Cooley, president of Precision Castparts Corp, in Milwaukie, said his company makes metal castings, "harmless in themselves," for the nuclear-capable cruise missile. If the ordinance was passed, said Cooley, Precision Castparts, with 2,5«) employees and a payroll of $50 million, would reconsider Portland expansion plans. Cooley mentioned OECO t orpor ation's recent move from Portland to Milwaukie "Because of these things they arc leaving Portland," he said OECO makes parts for nuclear weapons, say protesters who have pKkettcd the company. Clark took exception to the testi mony of one pro-nuclear free zone witness. " I ’d like to think that I'm sensitive to my children, and to my constituents,” said the mayor Minority Business Com. revived The Portland Federal Executive Board has reactivated the Minority Business Opportunity Committee. The Committee, under the chairman ship of Bill Doran. Corps of Engi neers. will endeavor to assist Federal contracting officers, minority busi nesses and prime contractors in the field of contracting. Major events planned for this fiscal year include updating and distributing the Minor ity Business Directory, publishing the "The Catalyst” newsletter, and spon soring workshops for federal con tracting officers, MBE’s and major private sector contractors. The Minority Business Opportun ity Committee is in the process of preparing for publication the Minor ity Business Directory. This publica tion will include MBEs in the state of Oregon and Southwest Washington. It is hoped that busineses and Gov ernmental agencies will find the di rectory to be a useful tool in the iden tification of minority owned firms that are capable of providing products and/or services that they require. The directory is being published based on the currently available information on minority owned businesses.