March 21. 2 00 7
PagcA2
Officers Indicted in Groom Shooting
shots. The judge set bail for the
two officers who fired the most
bullets and released the other
without bail.
S h o o tin g surv iv o rs Joseph
Guzman, in a wheelchair, and Trent
B enefield, using a crutch, at­
tended with Nicole Paultre Bell,
(AP) - Three New York City who was engaged to Bell and le­
police officers charged in a 50- gally took his name after he died.
Queens D istrict Attorney Ri­
hullet barrage that killed an un­
chard
Brown on M onday un­
armed groom on his wedding day
sealed
the indictm ent charging
appeared before a judge Monday
and had their first en co u n ter D etectives M ichael Oliver, who
since the shooting with the vic­ fired 3 1 times, andGescard lsnora.
a decorated undercover officer
tims and their families.
In a packed, ten sio n -fille d who fired 11 times, with first-de­
courtro o m , the th ree o ffic e rs gree and second-degree m an­
stood with their hands clasped as slaughter.
If convicted o f the most seri­
they pleaded not guilty in the
Nov. 25 shooting that killed 23- o u s c h a rg e s , th e d e te c tiv e s
year-old Sean Bell and wounded would receive mandatory prison
time — up to 25 years.
two of his friends.
O liver also was charged with
The officers fired 46 o f the 50
endangerm ent for a bullet that
smashed through the window ot
an occupied house. And a third
officer, Detective Marc Cooper,
was charged with a m isdem eanor
for a bullet that struck a train
station across the street.
The case renew ed allegations
that the NYPD is too quick on the
trigger and sparked protests by
activists who say the departm ent
is too quick to judge black men
harshly, aclaim city officials deny.
Bell was black, as are Guzman and
Benefield. Cooper, 39, and lsnora.
28, are also black. O liver, 35. is
white.
Sean Bell was killed after his
bachelorpartyatastripclub. Union
representatives and lawyers for the
•officers have said theirclie its were
convinced that Bell and his friends
were going to retrieve a gun from
his car to settle a dispute.
NYPD held
criminally
accountable
Sean Bell's parents William and Valerie Bell attend a news conference Monday outside Queens
Criminal Court in New York. (AP photo)
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Potter to Hop ‘Flight of Friendship’ Boyfriend Guilty of Murder
Portland citizens to help restore New Orleans
M ayor Tom Potter will ac­
com pany 75 Portland citizens
April 1-4 on a “Flight o f Friend­
ship” to help New Orleans re­
cover from the devastating ef­
fects o f Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita.
The effort is sim ilar to one
undertaken shortly after Sept.
11, 2001, w hen a g roup o f
Portlanders reached out to New
Yorkers to help spur tourism again
in that city.
Participants this time will work
with Mercy Corps, which has
been in New Orleans since the
storms to help rebuilding efforts,
and provide financial and moral
support and focus on recovery
efforts along the G ulf Coast.
O f particular concern are resi­
dents o f New Orleans' 9th Ward
neighborhood, which was devas­
tated by flooding after the hurri­
canes. Flight o f Friendship and
S M A R T (S ta rt M ak in g A
Reader Today) will donate hun­
dreds o f books for chi Idren to the
Tom Potter
$100 REWARD
For Return of I-Pod in Black Velvet Case. Featuring Dave Chappell- R&B-Jazz
Music. Lost on 17th of March in North East Portland. Contact: 503-288-0033
9th W ardCom m unity C en­
te r and w ill sto ck the
shelves for a new book­
lending center.
The group also will meet
with New O rleans M ayor
Ray Nagin, and visit with
em ergency preparedness
officials to learn what les­
sons can be applied to Port­
land.
M ayor Potter will ac­
com pany attorney Nick
F ish an d G o v . T ed
Kulongoski, as well as sev­
eral o th er business and
com m unity members.
A nyone in terested in
joining the flight or for more
in fo rm a tio n can v is it
www.llightolfiiendship.com.
A Portland man who was so
angry over a breakup that he
stabbed his form er girlfriend is
guilty o f murder.
A M ultnom ah C ounty ju ry
M onday rejected d efense a rg u ­
m ents that Gi lberto Pedroso was
reasonably d istre sse d and only
guilty o f m anslaughter w hen he
stabbed C laudia Rhone 17 tim es
on the lawn o f her north P o rt­
land a p a rtm e n t co m p lex last
M ay 2.
Defense attorney Joe Calhoun
argued that Pedroso was affected
by an “extrem e em otional distur­
bance.” For m onths, he was so
obsessed with Rhone that he kept
watch on her unit at 216 N. Sumner
St. -- even sleeping under her
window, Calhoun said.
Pedroso, 64, is scheduled next
Claudia Rhone
month to be sentenced to life in
prison with the possibility o f pa­
role after 25 years.
State Reps Want Troops Out
Discover the joy that comes from infant
adoption, foster parenting, and mentoring!
Explore the possibilities at an information
session at The Boys
(AP) - After two hours of emo­ ers to send a message, on behalf of
tional debate, which included one their constituents, that Oregonians
lawmaker reading the names of Or- no longer support the four-year-
egonians killed in Iraq and Afghani­ old Iraq war and want U.S. troops
stan, the Oregon House backed a withdrawn.
"Our troops have done their job.
resolution Tuesday urging Presi­
dent Bush and Congress to with­ It's long past time to bring them
draw troops from Iraq as soon as home," said Rep. Chip Shields, D-
Portland. chief sponsor of the mea­
possible.
Approval o f the nonbinding sure.
resolution came after sponsors said
The resolution was opposed
it was important for state lawmak- by most o f the cham ber's Repub-
licans, who argued that it would
have no practical effect but could
underm ine morale among U.S.
troops by m aking them think
people back home don't support
them.
Bu, Shields and other support­
ers said the memorial was a legiti­
mate way for the Legislature to
"stand by" troops and their fami­
lies by bringing troops home as
soon as possible.
& Girls Aid Society.
Il,r Jlortlanb CObscrucr Established 1970
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This big decision in your life begins with a
simple first step: find out what the process
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looks like, what the requirements are, and how
Association, Serving Portland and Vancouver.
you can get involved.
“My goal is to be a fie ld surveyor. ”
Children - vulnerable at all ages - are waiting
______ S
for a safe and nurturing adult like you to change
Spring classes start April 2nd.
their lives forever.
RSVP Now: 503.542.2392
lake your dreams come true,
It feels good to improve the life
of another human being.
A Foster Parent
QarkCollege
The Next Step
018 SW Boundary Court
Portland, OR 97239
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