A4 THE BULLETIN • WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2021
GUILTY VERDICT: KILLING OF GEORGE FLOYD
Verdict
Continued from A1
Hummel considered the case
as clear cut as possible. Hum-
mel said he would have charged
an officer, or any citizen, in De-
schutes County for the same
actions Chauvin committed.
“Justice was done,” Hummel
said. “Our country needed that
verdict.”
Since the murder of Floyd
last year, high school students
in Bend have been leading
protests against police brutal-
ity. Some joined existing local
activist groups, while others
formed their own group, Bend
4 BLM.
One of those students is
Maxwell Friedman, a junior at
Bend High School and mem-
ber of Central Oregon Black
Leaders Assembly. Friedman
was relieved when his mother
texted him about Chauvin’s
conviction. But he also knows
this isn’t the end of fighting
against police brutality.
“It’s good to see progress and
justice rightfully served, but
George Floyd is still dead,” said
Friedman, 17. “A lot of people
were killed, and their murder-
ers … returned to the (police)
force — business as usual.”
Friedman, who is Black
and Jewish, also noted that it’s
Harassment
Continued from A1
Breese Iverson is a member
of the committee, and the for-
mal conduct complaint filed
against Witt says the incident
occurred during a meeting on
April 12. Details of what hap-
pened have not been fully di-
vulged, but Breese Iverson said
Tuesday that Witt had sent her
inappropriate texts.
One text included a ref-
erence to a “quid pro quo,” a
Latin term still used in busi-
ness and politics that loosely
means “a favor requiring the
return of a favor.”
“The fact Representative
Witt chose to sexually harass
me leaves us no room for any
future ability to have real dis-
cussions regarding committee
business or other House Floor
business,” Breese Iverson wrote
in her letter to House Speaker
Tina Kotek. “The quid pro-quo
he texted me is an inexcusable
abuse of his power. Experienc-
ing this sexual harassment is
something I should not have
to be exposed to or accept as a
course of business, especially
in today’s Capitol culture.”
Breese Iverson filed a formal
conduct complaint the next
day with the Legislative Eq-
uity Office. In the complaint,
she signed a portion that in-
cluded acknowledging a false
complaint would be consid-
ered perjury. Sarah Ryan, an
attorney with Jackson Lewis, a
firm specializing in labor and
business law, was hired by the
equity office to investigate the
allegations. She interviewed
Witt and Breese Iverson and
found that Witt was in no way
a physical danger to Breese
Iverson.
Ryan said Breese Iverson
told her that going to meetings
with Witt in attendance would
take an emotional toll on her.
She recommended that com-
munication between the two
be banned and Witt tempo-
rarily removed from the chair-
manship.
A panel of the House Con-
duct Committee met Friday.
Unlike other committees
where the majority Democrats
are the chairs and have more
votes than Republicans, the
conduct committee is evenly
split between the parties, in-
cluding who presides.
The panel on Friday in-
cluded Rep. Ron Noble, R-Mc-
Minnville, and Rep. Julie
Fahey, D-Eugene, who are co-
chairs of the committee. Other
members who attended were
Rep. Raquel Moore-Green,
R-Salem, and Rep. Tawna San-
chez, D-Portland. Noble pre-
sided over the hearing.
Witt appeared and spoke
briefly to say that he was
“shocked and surprised” by the
allegations. Breese Iverson did
not take part in the hearing.
The lawmakers were unani-
mous in approving the ban on
communication. But all agreed
they did not have the power to
remove Witt and were uncom-
PHOTO: More than a thousand people stand outside the Deschutes
County Courthouse in Bend on June 6, 2020, to demonstrate against
racial discrimination and social injustice. The gathering, dubbed the
Bend Walk for Justice, was the third local rally in a week and joined
rallies nationwide that day. Participants in Bend marched from
Riverbend Park to the courthouse and back. Ryan Brennecke/Bulletin file photo
traumatizing to constantly see
police killings of young Black
men in the news. He pointed
out that during the Chauvin
trial, police in Brooklyn Cen-
ter, Minnesota, shot and killed
20-year-old Black man Daunte
Wright.
“I’m still going to keep fight-
ing, because I don’t know the
day that my name might be a
headline,” Friedman said. “Be-
ing a minority in this country
… we see people like us get
killed every day. It’s crippling.”
Bend 4 BLM co-founder
— Bend High School senior
Jade Jager — said she heard of
the Chauvin verdict from her
history teacher Tuesday after-
noon. She was happy with the
news but, like Friedman, ac-
knowledged the fight against
police brutality isn’t over yet.
“Chauvin was convicted, but
there are still so many police
out there that hurt people and
justice was not served,” said
Jager, 17.
Even though Chauvin has
been convicted, Jager believes
anti-racist activism will con-
tinue in Bend. Although Bend
4 BLM didn’t have events
planned after the trial ended
Tuesday, she hoped to organize
something in the near future.
“As a whole, our generation
is definitely paying attention to
these events,” Jager said.
Jace Bracelin, a junior at
Summit High School and
Bend 4 BLM member, said he
felt conflicted about Chauvin’s
conviction.
On one hand, he was happy
that Floyd’s killer was going to
prison. But Bracelin also be-
lieves that Chauvin was con-
victed not necessarily to serve
justice, but more to avoid riots
and public pushback.
“If it wasn’t as publicized as
it was, he would’ve 100% got-
ten away with it,” said Bracelin,
17. “It’s certainly a victory, but
all considered, it feels concil-
iatory.”
Reporter: 541-617-7820,
kspurr@bendbulletin.com
Reporter: 541-617-7854,
jhogan@bendbulletin.com
pressing need for in-
fortable asking Kotek
terim safety measures
to force Witt out as
to protect the victim,”
chair because it could
Drazan said in the
violate rules about
statement.
presumption of guilt.
In her letter to
“This process is not
Kotek, Breese Iver-
supposed to be puni-
Breese Iverson
son said the House
tive,” Fahey said.
had failed to follow its
House Minority
own rules in not acting to is-
Leader Christine Drazan,
sue “interim safety measures”
R-Canby, criticized the com-
as outlined in the Legislature’s
mittee for not taking a firm
Rule 27, which ensures a “safe,
stance on safety measures for
respectful and inclusive work-
Breese Iverson.
place.”
“Co-chair Fahey’s rejection
After Witt stepped down,
of the independent investiga-
Kotek, “out of an abundance
tor’s recommendation to tem-
of caution,” informed House
porarily remove Chair Witt
members she was naming Rep.
from his committee shows
Zach Hudson, D-Troutdale, as
a shameful disregard for the
Chauvin
Continued from A1
Defense attorney Eric Nelson
followed Chauvin out of the
courtroom without comment.
The verdict was read in a
courthouse ringed with con-
crete barriers and razor wire
and patrolled by National
Guard troops, in a city on
edge against another round of
unrest — not just because of
the Chauvin case but because
of the deadly police shooting
of a young Black man, Daunte
Wright, in a Minneapolis sub-
urb April 11.
The jurors’ identities were
kept secret and will not be re-
leased until the judge decides
it is safe to do so.
chair of the House Agriculture
and Natural Resources Com-
mittee. Witt and Breese Iver-
son remain members of the
committee.
Breese Iverson was named
to the House District 55 seat
in August 2019. She replaced
former House Minority Leader
Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte,
who resigned to take an ap-
pointment by Gov. Kate Brown
as a judge on the 22nd Circuit
Court of Oregon, which cov-
ers Crook and Jefferson coun-
ties. Breese Iverson was elected
to a two-year term in 2020.
House District 55, includes all
of Crook County and parts of
Deschutes, Jackson, Klamath,
It is unusual for police of-
ficers to be prosecuted for
killing someone on the job.
And convictions are extraor-
dinarily rare.
Out of the thousands of
deadly police shootings in the
U.S. since 2005, fewer than 140
officers have been charged with
murder or manslaughter, ac-
cording to data maintained by
Phil Stinson, a criminologist at
Bowling Green State Univer-
sity. Before Tuesday, only seven
were convicted of murder.
Juries often give police of-
ficers the benefit of the doubt
when they claim they had to
make split-second, life-or-
death decisions. But that was
not an argument Chauvin
could easily make.
and Lake Counties.
Witt was first elected to the
House in 2005 and won elec-
tion in 2006 and every two
years since. He represents
Floyd, 46, died May 25 after
being arrested on suspicion
of passing a counterfeit $20
bill for a pack of cigarettes at a
corner market. He panicked,
pleaded that he was claustro-
phobic and struggled with
police when they tried to put
him in a squad car. They put
him on the ground instead.
The centerpiece of the
case was the excruciating
bystander video of Floyd
gasping repeatedly, “I can’t
breathe” and onlookers yell-
ing at Chauvin to stop as the
officer pressed his knee on or
close to Floyd’s neck for what
authorities say was 9.5 min-
utes including several minutes
after Floyd’s breathing had
stopped and he had no pulse.
House District 31, which in-
cludes Columbia County and
portions of Multnomah and
Washington counties.
gwarner@eomediagroup.com
OBITUARY
John Anthony Pagano
July 22, 1952 - April 13, 2021
John was born July 22nd, 1952 in Portland, Oregon to
Anthony and Frances Pagano and died on April 13th,
2021. John att ended Milwaukie High School and aft er
high school joined the Nati onal Guard from 1971-1976
where he found his niche in working with electronics
and computers. John married Madeline (Pinky) DiFabio
on May 11th, 1974 while living in Portland. 10 years
later, John had the opportunity to move his family to
Sisters, Oregon where he and Pinky raised their family
over the next 30 years. During that ti me, John started
his own business, Computer Cleaning and Helitronics
Landing Lights for emergency vehicles.
While in Sisters, John engulfed himself in the service of
his family and his community. He was a volunteer EMT 1
for this Sisters Fire Department for over 20 years where
during that ti me you could see him roaming the sidelines
of Sisters High School Football games or organizing the
Department’s Toys for Tots program in his spare ti me.
John had two hobbies that he enjoyed most; working on
electronics and using his HAMM Radio. His home offi ce
was scatt ered with tools and electronics where he was
constantly “futzin” around making blinking lights or
landing kits for Air Life. Always att ached to John’s hip,
was his prized possession, his HAMM Radio. Licensed as
N7RGF, John was always on his radio, talking to friends
around the state.
Later in life, John was diagnosed with Primary
Progressive Multi ple Sclerosis, which slowly took away
his ability to enjoy his hobbies in reti rement. However,
surrounded by family, he could be seen scootering to
soccer, fl ag football, school plays, bike races, and the
occasional road trip to Camp Sherman or Three Creeks
Lake. John is survived by an extensive Italian family in
the Portland area. John and Pinky are most proud of
their children and their extended families, which are
spread across the state. Gabe and Heather Pagano,
with grandchildren Maya, Max, and Dominic. Megan
and Edward (Tank) Duckworth, with Bailey, Amari, and
Khi. Finally, James and Krista Hayes, with Jaxon, Maddie,
and another one on the way. John is also survived by
his two younger brothers and their families; Ken and
Marian Pagano and Dan and Tammy Pagano.
John, Dad, Maddog, Uncle Johnny or Pappa...you will
always be #1.
A mass will be held at St. Thomas Catholic Church in
Redmond, Oregon on April 24th , 2021. The rosary will
begin at 10:30, followed by a service at 11:00. Cookies,
coff ee, and drinks to follow.
In lieu of fl owers, please donate to the Oregon Chapter
for Multi ple Sclerosis @
htt ps://www.nati onalmssociety.org/Chapters/ORC
Redmond Fire Department -
htt p://www.redmondfi reandrescue.org/