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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 6, 2003)
(The JJnrtlanb (Observer Page A2 August 06. 2003 P olice Commission to Review Hanging Death Suspicions linger that victim’s hands were tied behind his back (AP)— The U.S. Commission on Civil Righ ts will review the deathof a black man found hanging from a tree because o f lingering suspicions that his hands were tied behind his back, an official said. Bobby Doctor, director o f the com m ission’s southern regional office, said he will interview family members and police investigators. The commission then would de cide whether to dispatch an inves tigative team. "W hen you get this kind o f alle gation, that the young m an’s hands were tied behind his back, you have to take it seriously,” Doctor said. Feraris "R ay” Golden, 32, was fo u n d h an g in g o u tsid e his grandmother’s house on May 28 in BelleGlade, Fla. Some relatives ini tially said it was impossible he’d committed suicide, claiming Golden was found with his hands tied be hind his back. Sevell Brown, the Florida presi d en t o f the Southern Chris tian Leadership C o n fere n ce, called for the c iv il rig h ts c o m m is s io n ’s intervention fol lowing a judge’s ruling Tuesday that Golden committed suicide and could not have been lynched. The decision, along with eight hours o f testimony and boxes o f evidence in a rare public inquest, failed to quell suspicions among blacks in this rural, largely segre gated town o f 15,000, where about half o f the residents are black and many are poor. Brown told a newspaper that the organization, which the Rev. Mar tin Luther King Jr. helped start, found “serious inconsistencies” during testimony. “ H istorically, (w ith) hangings o f black m ales, inquests have al ways found suicide,” Brown told Although some family members say they now see suicide as "pos sible,” other relatives, friends and community leaders say they still have questions about w hether G olden’s hands were tied before his death, whether he was uncon scious, and whether police officers tainted the scene when they drove onto the lawn and ran across it to cut G o ld e n ’s b o d y from his noose. "There’s noth- ing to change my ________ mind, nothing to lead me to believe that he would do this to himself,” said Jamila Smith, Golden's former sister-in-law. Critics w eren’t mollified by the pictures o f G o ld en ’s body - clean o f bruises and blood except for a large purple strip around his neck. O r the testim ony o f experts who said Golden was likely depressed, or the statem ent by a police of- Critics weren't mollified by the pictures o f Golden s body - clean o f bruises and blood except fo r a large purple strip around his neck. The Palm Beach Post for its W ednesday edition. He would not elaborate on the inconsisten cies. Any findings by the commis sion, which investigates allegations o f discrimination in the justice sys tem, could be used by the Justice Department to launch a criminal investigation. ficer that G o ld en ’s grandm other initially said Golden told her: “No body loves me. I ’m going to kill myself.” The evidence show ed G olden, 32, to be a troubled, divorced, unem ployed father o f four who was behind in his child-support paym ents. G olden was a habitual drinker, and when he died he had traces o f cocaine in his system and a blood-alcohol level o f 0.334 percent. N A A C P le a d e rs, w ho had called for the inquest, likened the proceedings to a charade, aim ed only to prove police conclusions that G olden took his own life rather than exam ine the rum ors that he w as lynched, possibly because he was dating a w hite p o licem an ’s daughter. Father Charged in Son’s Death W E 'LL PAY YOUR D ED U C TA B LE (A P) — A Beaverton man has been arrested and charged with beating his tw o-year-old son to death. 1 ssac Bynum, 20, is being held at the W ashington County Jail. His son, R yshaw n, w as pro nounced dead Friday at O r Issac Bynum egon H ealth and Science U ni verebrain injury, bleeding in his versity. eye, a broken neck and at least The boy had suffered a se- tw o broken ribs. He also had LIFETIM E W A R R A N TY 6444 NE Martin Luther King Boulevard Portland, Oregon 97211 Ogi Ognianov Phone 503-445.4702 Cell 503.380.4425 ‘ , » I — - ..ir» Bernice Golden, the m other o f Feraris "Ray" Golden, awaits the outcom e o f an inquest into her son 's death alongside her common-law husband Henry Drummer at the West County Courthouse in Belle Glade, Fla. (AP photo) w hip m arks on his legs, but tocks, back and chest. Police said the death was the result o f severe child abuse. Bynum says his son was hurt in a fall. A uthorities say Bynum had custody o f his son. The bo y ’s m other lives out o f state. B ynum ’s two other children have been taken into custody. Evidence Gathered in Girlfriend’s Murder Portland detectives are asking forthe public’s help for information in the murder, of a mother of four children. Michael McGavock, 32, is ac cused o f killing his girlfriend, Latonia McPherson, 28, in a knife attack on July 26 in a home they shared at 10255 S.E. Mitchell St. Police say he confronted police with a knife when they arrived at the Michael • McGavock ‘ i. m 'join. ■ home to investigate the stabbing. Officers said they needed to use a tazor gun,|q;w M ^ •.iaakrtn A total o f five children lived in the home and have been taken into protective custody. Anyone with information in this investigation is asked to call Detec tive Steve Ober at 503-823-4033 or Detective Chuck Shipley at 503- 823-0400. Cops Show To Follow Portland Police (AP) — The police reality show COPS is returning to Portland. Three film crews from Langley Productions, based in Santa Monica, Calif., will spend eight weeks riding along with patrol and senior neigh borhood officers in the bureau’s five precincts, and with the Gang Enforcement Team, Auto Theft Task Force and TriMet officers. The show last came to Portland in 1989. The crews are expected to film hours of arrests, drug raids, prostitution missions and other police work before whittling the best footage down to two or three six-minute, 40- second segments for its 2003-04 season. They could air on FO X ’s Saturday night half- hour shows as early as September. “W e’re looking for interesting situations, all kinds o f poignant moments, tragic moments, action moments,” Langley said. "You see hu man behavior in extreme, sometimes good and sometimes bad, and you see law enforcement officers doing their jobs.” “COPS” has profiled law enforcement agen cies in more than 140 cities in the United States and has filmed in Hong Kong, Central and South America and Russia. Its independent producer said Thursday he is considering taking his film crews to Baghdad. Another Guilty Plea in Street Family Murder At home with Family. Turning work into play. Connecting on a different level just by changing scenery. Hanging out ‘til dark. Outdoor bliss. Home! 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His testimony wi11 allow prosecutors to bui Id cases against those allegedly most responsible for the killing, including several facing aggra vated murder charges. In total, 13 have been indicted. Brown-Lenon said he was sent to buy lighter fluid after the beating. But he said he was told it was to bum bloody clothing from the beating, not know ing it would be used to bum Williams. A u th o r itie s say th e s tr e e t fa m ily turned on W illiam s Joshua Brown-Lenon w hen she v io la te d one o f the fam ily’s codes o f conduct. Sus pects in the case told police W illiam s was punished becau se they th o u g h t she had spread a lie that one o f the fam ily members offered her money for sex. < Bank Robbery Suspect Shoots Self A serial bank robbery suspect shot him self in the head Tuesday when sur ro u n d e d by p o lic e o f f ic e r s a t th e M cD onalds parking lot on Northeast M ar tin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and C olum bia Boulevard, police said. The suspect's car was surrounded by police cars, triggering what appeared to be an arm ed standoff. T here were reports o f gunfire and a » short time later police advanced on the car and discovered the m an's body inside. The incident during the evening rush hour led to the closure o f both m ajor streets for more than an hour and clogged side streets. The FBI confirm ed the man was a serial bank robbery suspect. N oothcr details were immediately avail able. r