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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 8, 2012)
Local News TriMet Middle College Girl (Graphic).” On Jan. 12, police arrested three sisters, one 13; one 16; and 18-year-old Rakeshia Burns, on felony charges of riot, third degree assault, second degree disorderly conduct, harassment, and interfering with public transportation. The Skanner News is not reprinting the underage juveniles’ names, although the victim has been identified in numerous media reports; both the underage girls charged with crimes have been released from the juvenile justice center, issued GPS monitors and are awaiting court proceed- ings. Selena Harris -- who is Abiori’s daughter and the mother of the 13-year-old and Burns -- is charged with hindering prosecution for allegedly denying to the police on the phone that her daughters were at home, when, police say, they were; police also say that ‘Here this girl opened her mouth and started a fight – and now my family has to face prison time?’ Harris was trying to arrange for her 18-year- old to flee the charges. The white teenager, whose story conflicts with accounts of her friends and has changed over time as reflected in the police reports, has not been charged with any offense. In the first police report, dated Dec. 26, the reporting officer describes interviews with the victim, her boyfriend and another friend in the moments after the fight. “He said they were on the back car and 3 B/F’s (black females) got on the train and told him that he was ‘cute,’” the initial police report says. “[The boyfriend] told me that [the victim] did not like the females telling him this and words were exchanged which led to the 3 BF’s hitting [the victim].” The sergeant wrote in the report that the victim was examined by emergency work- ers soon after the incident and found to be uninjured. According to the victim, the report says, she was attacked because she laughed when “the BF’s told her to ‘stop sassing.’” “[The victim] was very concerned about what her father would think and that this was her fault,” the sergeant wrote. When the investigating officer telephoned the victim’s father, “[He] said he was more concerned with [the victim] putting herself into situations that could be avoided,” he wrote. The victim’s second friend, also a teenaged girl, told investigators in January that the victim “had an attitude with the girls and began exchanging words with them.” “I thought she was going to fight when she stood up and took her headphones out her ears,” the victim’s friend said. At issue in the case is the original video of the fight, which police reports indicate was circulating at the victim’s school, and had been posted to Facebook. This longer video, received by police offi- cers Jan. 6, shows some of the lead-up to the altercation, including the victim standing up to the three other teenaged girls before the three sisters quickly advance on the victim with quick slapping motions; the slapping continues for about 20 seconds before the sisters withdraw, and the victim sits up in her seat. Throughout, other teens on the MAX lit- erally jump up and down with glee as the standoff progresses. Yet the video shown repeatedly on TV has been edited to only show the hitting, as if the victim was quietly sitting on the train before it all started. The repeated airing of this shorter video – which has included one television station’s segment on viewers demanding the teens be PHOTO BY LISA LOVING continued from page 1 Jefferson High School’s Middle College for Advanced Studies Wednesday announced it has three new partners: Portland State university, Oregon State university and Warner Pacific College have joined the university of Oregon in pledging substantial scholarships to lower-income students, who meet their entry requirements. Jefferson Principal Margaret Calvert makes the announcement. charged with a hate crime -- appeared to have motivated the victim’s family to press charges amid claims that their daughter “wasn’t protected” on TriMet. In fact the police reports show the family waited until Jan. 3 to call the police for the first time, and officially notified officers of their decision to press charges more than two weeks after the incident – after filming numerous television interviews on the case. On Jan. 12, officers again interviewed the victim, with her parents’ permission. The girl said that the fight caused her “eyes to roll back in her head,” and that the next day she found she was bleeding from a scratch. The officer writing the January report noted inconsistencies in her testimony com- pared to the police investigator’s report just after the incident. The victim said that, the previous month after the attack, she had a severe headache and two deep scratches across her chest; she told the officer that at the time she wasn’t sure if she had lost consciousness. “I advised [the victim] that she seemed to minimize her injuries from the attack, when interviewed by the news channels,” the offi- cer wrote in his report. “[The victim] told me the news reporters told her they wanted her to go on television so she could let the people know she was all right and okay,” he wrote. “They were making her feel better about speaking on television. “I explained to [the victim] how these comments can affect the investigation. She was not aware, and she assured me of her injuries.” According to the victim, the police report says, the attack started because she laughed at a joke one of the sisters made. This, she said, infuriated the other girl and prompted all three to start hitting; for her own part, the victim told police, she “did not provoke anything.” What does Art mean for you? How can art help you free your mind? Learn how to draw graffiti. eliminate violence and increase the peace. Imani Muhammad 503-781-5313 info@portlandyouthsummit.org Kaon-Jabbar East - History Of African Martial Arts This workshop will break down the origin of Martial Arts and the connection of this art to the 5 elements of Hip Hop. Learn self- defense techniques. Betty Harris - Bullying in Our Commu- nity and Schools Learn how to recognize bullying, and stop it. Get a hands on personal experience in resolving issues facing your community. Youth continued from page 1 Soul. He’ll share how young artists can nav- igate the music business without compromising their integrity, and how to gain national and international success, without a major label or industry cosign. Jasiri X has a history of challenging authority. In 2010 he released the table- turning, ‘ What if The Tea Party Was Black?’ Last year he stood up against the execution of Troy Davis with “I am Troy Davis.” Check him out on Facebook at jasirixofficial, or on twitter @Jasiri Parents are also invited to attend work- shops dealing with bullying, sex and the challenges of parenting in 2012. Youth Summit Workshops: Desmond Spann - Emcee Mind- Freestyling If you have ever wanted to learn the art of freestyling, pubic speaking, or confidence this workshop will expose participants to the opportunity to learn these skills. Con- quer perfomance fear through the fun experience of freestyling. Elijah Hasan - Creative Media Get thinking about how media messages influence you. Discover fresh and creative approaches to creating and sharing media. The more aware you are, the more control you will have over who and what you believe. Joshua Dudley - Graffiti, Art and Free- dom- Madgesdiq - Who Are You? (Discover- ing Yourself Thru the Power of Writing) Are you a writer? Do you have thoughts that no one else knows? See how writing can bring you deeper into yourself to a place where where the world slows down, and time stands still, where barriers are lifted, where dreams are manifested and autobi- ographies are written. Solamon Ibe - Healthy Opposite Sex Relationships Forget the pain and the drama. Kick those media storylines to the curb. Healthy rela- tionships are meant to feel good. Find out how to make it so with your man Solamon. William X - The Causes of Youth Vio- lence Youth violence has swept over America and that includes Portland, Oregon. Check out who your real enemies are and how you should handle them. Think outside the box of skin color, gender, or class to find true self-love and identity. Learn the skills to Parent Workshops Jay Klusky Ph. D-New Skills for a New Time Discover how to give youth the skills they need to succeed; skills they won’t learn at school. Learn a new tool that helps families strengthen self-esteem and self-discipline. Mic Crenshaw- The Future Is Up To Us Delve deeper into how the world we live in affects our children. We, as a race and civilization are in the midst of a global eco- nomic crisis. The root of this crisis is the system of capitalism and exploitation that has shaped history and the reality we live every day on earth. Find out how we can make change in our own lives. Mariotta Gary-Smith & Linda Horn- buckle - Let’s Talk About Sex Do you have a difficult time discussing sex with your children? Don’t worry most parents do. Linda and Mariotta will give you new tools to help you help your child navigate these dangerous waters. Learn where to go for the facts and how to ask for help when you need it. HAVE TALENT? Young Minds of Awareness, the mentor- ing and skills training agency is also hosting an event for youth. The Teen Summit and Dance will run from 4 pm to 10 p.m. Feb. 17, at the June Key Delta Community Center, 5940 North Albina St., Portland, 97217 The summit, 4-5:30 p.m., is free. The dance, 5:30 to 10 p.m. will include a dance competition with trophies for the best three dancers and entertainment. It costs $3 in advance and $5 at the door. At the summit, Taiwo Payton, who spent his teen years in foster care, will speak about the foster care system and youth gangs. Portland City Commissioner candidate Teressa Raiford will also speak. Young Minds of Awareness, located at Oregon Outreach/ Gladys McCoy Academy, 3802 N.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. offers a range of services for youth including life skills and career training, mentoring, commu- nication and more. The program serves children leaving the foster care system and children dealing with disabilities, as well as offering recreational activities for youth. Also on Feb. 17, the Police Activities League Youth Center will hold a Black History Open House from 6-9 p.m. at the youth center, 424 N.E. 172nd Ave., Portland 97230. An exhibit will show how the Freedom Riders risked their safety, freedom and even their lives, in the struggle for civil rights. February 8, 2012 The Portland Skanner Page 3
