Date: Wed, 15 Jun 94 20:01:02 EDT
From: articles@drum.ncsc.org (Various Information)




1993 NCARRV Report

In the ten years since NCARRV was founded, there has been a significant shift in
the sources of racial violence. Perpetrators of bigoted violence are less likely
to be members of explicitly racist organizations, and more likely to be
unaffiliated individuals. Yet racist organizing continues, and intolerance of
differences between people seems more difficult than ever to overcome. In fact
we have witnessed backward steps: tolerance of bigoted, racist and hateful
actions has become more widespread. Incidents of violence have increased in all
areas of society, regardless of motivation. And bigotry continues to present
itself as an excuse for violence, instead of a reason for its condemnation. 

Despite certain noteworthy victories over organized hate groups, which includes
successful criminal & civil litigation, the key symbols of Klan activity -
cross-burnings, racial slurs and harassment, vandalism, glorification of white
supremacy - continue to serve as rallying points. The climate of fear and
mistrust that such activities create continues to incubate hatred and violence.
It is urgent in such an environment to find ways to interrupt the cycle of
escalating violence and fear, to encourage understanding of the common
difficulties of communities suffering through economic dislocations, lack of
significant opportunities, and epidemics of crime and drugs. 

Yet from many quarters, we hear a growing call for a new kind of tolerance, as
if all it would take to end the violence were an acceptance that things have
gotten better and will continue to improve. If African-Americans were to "get
the chip off their shoulder" so whites could carry through on their commitment
to "color-blindness" the problem would magically disappear. It has become"rude"
to insist on calling attention to the continuing inequities, to deplore the
absence of significant efforts to improve the conditions of poor communities
(white or black), or to locate responsibility for the epidemic of crime and
violence in our society in long-standing patterns of discrimination against,
under-investment in, and outright exploitation of impoverished non-white
communities. Yet these problems continue to exist, in many cases even to grow
worse. 

Despite progress in calling attention to systematic practices of bigotry and
violence, there is less frank discussion now of on-going racial inequities and
people's anxieties about race than there was 10 years ago. We have seen a
systematic retrenchment of affirmative action laws. A new "politics of scarcity"
has slashed funding for social programs. Once intended to create opportunities
for African-Americans, these programs are now less capable of meeting the needs
of anyone. Finally, mutual understanding and support as the moral foundations
for dealing with racism have given way to a crude selfishness and racial
isolationism. 

The result is a new level of bottled-up rage, punctuated with outbreaks of anger
by individuals and sometimes by entire communities. As NCARRV re-aligns itself
for the next decade, it is clear that our focus must widen from hate groups like
the Klan to include the more embarrassing problem of continued disparities in
the treatment of white and non-white people in this country. We must get past
the recriminations and one-sided charges of "black racism" and "white racism" -
there is only one racism, and these are simply different manifestations of it.
Until we can get past the mistrust and name-calling and move on to roundly
condemn all acts of violence and aggression, whether perpetrated by a black
youth, a white home-owner, or a police officer, the situation can only
deteriorate. 

One of the most troubling tendencies in our society at large has been the
emphasis on personal isolation as a solution to social problems. Communities
with wealth draw back into themselves and hire more armed guards and policemen;
more crimes than ever draw jail sentences and prison time; impoverished
communities find themselves barricaded, ignored, invisible; would-be immigrants
are turned back while no thought is given to how to create opportunities in
their own countries. 

The most unfortunate manifestation of this thick-skinned indifference to the
plight of those who are "different" is to be found in the courts and criminal
justice system. The ethnic intimidation act has become a new tool in the
intimidation of minority populationsQfar more non-white citizens have been
prosecuted and convicted, and those convicted have received harsher sentences
than their white counterparts. The violent victimization of non-white people,
homeless people, homosexual people and others continues to receive far less
attention than violence directed at heterosexual white people, despite the fact
that a much higher percentage of people in those minority groups are victimized.

It is no surprise that youth end up suffering the brunt of these developments.
After all, youth cannot insulate themselves in the ways adults attempt. They
cannot avoid interacting with each other and must establish their own social
arrangements. But more than ever, positive role models are lacking. There are
precious few examples of adults effectively addressing problems of race,
sexuality, or economic opportunity. The situation of young people is a barometer
of adults' capacity to create a supportive, functional society. By that measure,
these are bleak times indeed. 

Still, we cannot afford to give up hope, nor to despair in our struggle for a
decent life for everyone. We must continue to insist on fairness and equity in
all aspects of our lives, particularly on the part of those entrusted with the
enforcement of law and justice. We must remedy lack of opportunities by creating
new opportunities, not by redistributing the shrinking number that already
exist. Finally, we must be mindful of every person's pride and dignity, even as
we challenge the symbols of bigotry and hatred that divide us. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

NCARRV was established to eliminate bigoted violence in North Carolina by
educating residents about the escalation of incidents of bigoted conflict and
the prejudices from which such violence arises. NCARRV accomplishes this mission
through monitoring and research; victims' assistance; community organizing,
educating, and networking; and by suggesting changes in public policy. 

In 1983, NCARRV began sounding the alarm about the rise in extremist activity
and bigoted violence. Now NCARRV is recognized as the main monitoring agency for
hate activity in North Carolina, and as a national model for countering white
supremacist activity and hate violence. NCARRV's data predicts trends and offers
solutions as problems emerge. 

NCARRV has worked in the trenches all across North Carolina in communities
experiencing hate group organizing and bigoted conflict. NCARRV has also worked
to build bridges between and among a wide range of constituencies affected by
hate violence rising from racism, anti-Semitism, and homophobia. 

NCARRV began staffed operations in 1985. Based in Durham, North Carolina, NCARRV
is a 501(c)3 organization with approximately 600 members and two staff members,
numerous volunteers and interns. Its Board of Directors meets quarterly and the
annual meeting is held in November. Dues are $20 per year for individuals and a
sliding scale of $30 to $100 for organizations. NCARRV is supported by a number
of foundations, including but not limited to the Z Smith Reynolds Foundation;
the Fund for Southern Communities; the Funding Exchange; United Church Board of
Homeland Ministries, United Church of Christ; Public Welfare Foundation; RESIST;
the Durham/Chapel Hill Jewish Federation; the Greensboro Justice Fund; the Bryan
Family Foundation; and the Paul Green Foundation. 

This report was compiled and written by the staff and volunteers of North
Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence: 

   Christina Davis-McCoy, Executive Director 
   Linda Shealey Williams, Community Educator/Field Coordinator 
   Jeremy Raw, Volunteer 
   Ann Burlein, Volunteer 
   Andrew Neather, Volllnteer 
   Typesetting by Kelly Martin, Willow Graphics 
   Printing by GrassRoots Press 

NCARRV's Board of Directors are: 

   Alease Alston, President 
   Lee Wood, Treasurer 
   Rev. Clarence Bryan 
   Linda Moore 
   Dr. Alton Pollard, III 
   John Tracy, Esquire 

*** 

*** 

ANALYSIS

1993 can be characterized as one of the most violent years in recent North
Carolina history. There were a total of 147 incidents, up from the 138
documented in 1992's report. Although there wasn't a tremendous upsurge in the
overall number of incidents, the intensity of violence has certainly increased.
There were far greater assaults and aggressive physical contact between
individuals, especially among young people. The number of harassment complaints
doubled. The prevalence of violence may be a factor in this marked aggresslon. 

In 1993, the number of murders doubled compared to 1992. Most of the murders
involved racial conflict and conflict between youth or involved youth. The
number of anti-gay incidents more than doubled from 1992's report - 29 to 60. It
is clear that many North Carolina citizens have discomfort with its gay and
lesbian citizens. 

Below is a breakdown of documented conflict and its comparison with 1992. 

   l993 ... l992 
   35 ..... 19 ****Assaults 
   13 ..... 20 ****Vandalism 
   05 ..... 09 ****Cross burnings 
   42 ..... 23 ****Harassment 
   06 ..... 10 ****Slurs 
   08 ..... 12 ****Leafletting / Literature 
   01 ..... 02 ****Arson 
   08 ..... 04 ****Murders 
   22 ..... 30 ****Klan organizing (legal and illegal) 
   07 ..... -- ****School conflict (tensions) 
   _________________________________________ 
   147 .... 138 ***Total 
   _________________________________________ 
   24 ..... 19 ****Incidents involving youth 
   60 ..... 26 ****Incidents that were anti-gay 

Although the organized Klan activity was less than that documented last year,
the level of intensity increased significantly. With the February Wilson bank
robbery, open recruitment in KKK robes in Salisbury, and the murder carried out
by a skinhead in Winston-Salem, the state of North Carolina can not afford to
ignore white supremacist movements. 

As regards young people and assaults, our state's leaders and citizens have not
yet dealt with conflict played out by its young people. The state demonstrated
its lack of understanding when it focused attention on removing guns and weapons
from the public schools rather than ask the question "Why do youth feel they
need to be protected?" And what of this notion that violence is the answer when
dealing with conflict and difference? In our society it appears that whoever
exhibits the greatest level of violence gets the most respect. We have teenagers
walking around thinking they can not get respect without carrying a gun. Not
only is there the issue of lack of self esteem among many young people, but also
creative, realistic ways to deal with conflict in a nonviolent manner. 

The state's ethnic intimidation act was applied to six publicly known cases last
year. State agencies we contacted were unable to provide concrete data on cases
tried under the state ethnic intimidation statute. Of the cases cited in
newspapers, the first case was in January in Wake county where two white men
assaulted a group of Vietnamese in a Raleigh pool hall. It is not known if the
case has gone to trial. The second case occurred in January also, this time in
Gaston county where a group of black youth attacked a white student after an
athletic event. Thirteen youth were charged, one gaining a three year suspended
sentence while the others plea bargained or had charges dropped due to lack of
evidence. The third charge was again black on white where in Transylvania county
three Job Corp students attacked a white student. The February incident
concluded with the three black males given a two year probationary sentence and
dismissed from the Job Corps. The fourth ethnic intimidation charge came in
March where in Surry county a white man threw jugs of urine on the lawn of an
African-American police officer. That charge was later dismissed. The fifth
charge came in July where in Rockingham county two white teenagers conducted a
harassment campaign against an African American student. Even though they had
been charged with attacking this same student at an earlier date and that there
was racial animus, the teenagers received light punishment. One was given a one
year sentence suspended for two years, a fine and community service. The other
was just given 50 hours of community service. The final charge of ethnic
intimidation in 1993 was sited in Orange county where a group of black teenagers
assaulted an interracial group. The teens were charged with calling a black
victim an "Oreo". Two young men charged received the harshest sentence given in
1993 for ethnic intimidation. They were given four days active jail time, a one
year suspended sentence, two years supervised probation, 50 hours community
service,an 11:30 curfew, and ordered to pay the victim's $7,000 medical bill. 

Three prosecutions were undertaken for blacks assaulting whites, while two were
for whites assaulting blacks. Sentences for black offenders were stricter than
for whites in cases where convictions were won. 

The use of this act needs to be examined. 

HATE GROUPS IN NORTH CAROLINA

Although the number of Klan rallies, marches, and other activities decreased
slightly from 1992's report, we can not ignore the fact that white supremacist
groups need to be closely monitored in North Carolina. 

Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan 

This group is still under the national leadership of North Carolina's Virgil
Griffin. Griffin and the state's Grand Dragon Rev. Charles Beasley continue to
push for the group's visibility in the state with weekend marches in communities
across the state. Although Griffin has had some medical problems, the group has
continued to develop chapters from Charlotte to Wilson. 

Because of the climate created when the Klan marches in communities, cities such
as Wilmington, Salisbury, and Greensboro continue to look at creative
alternatives for its citizens. The cost associated with Klan marches has some
wondering how to charge Klan members for a faction of the cost of police
protection while struggling with the First Amendment. As our economy worsens and
scapegoating continues, it will be necessary for cities and towns to develop
tactics to respond to the frustration many feel when they see the Klan marching
down their streets. 

Invisible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux Klan 

This KKK faction lost a major civil rights battle with the Southem Poverty Law
Center. James Farrands, national leader and residing in Sanford, and his group
lost not only $37,000 but office equipment, their membership list and their
monthly paper The Klansman. The group reportedly adopted a new name and assumed
operations more or less underground. The Invisible Empire had the reputation of
being the most violent Klan faction in the United States. Its members carried
out harassments and murder across the United States. The success of the lawsuit
demonstrates how the legal system can effectively slow down white supremacist
groups. 

The Confederate Knights of America, National Socialist Front 

This neo-Nazi group, led by Huntersville's Terry Boyce, has the potential of
being the most deadly group in our state because of their ability to recruit
young people. In February of this year two members of this group were arrested
for robbing a Wilson bank. Before it ended, the pair led police on a dangerous
carchase through the streets of Wilson. 

In Winston-Salem, an organizer for this group was charged with the murder of a
white teenager who had black friends. Apparently this was the motivation for his
murder. Winston-Salem, known for its conservative nature, was plastered with
recruitment fliers from the Confederate Knights of America, National Socialist
Front, and dealt with a number of racial tensions in 1993. 

There are, however, some individuals who prescribe to white supremacust ideology
and hide behind religion. Nord Davis, of the Northpoint Teams, publishes
Christian Identity literature and a newsletter called "On Target". Davis, who
was listed in our 1991 Annual Report for spreading Christian Identity literature
in the western part of our state, has been harassing NCARRV and its executive
director Christina Davis-McCoy. Nord Davis has written literature criticizing
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., dedicating it to Ms. Davis-McCoy in an effort to
discredit her and NCARRV. 

In regards to the other groups we have here in North Carolina, such as the
Populist Party, Kirk Lyons and CAUSE, and various factions of the Christian
Identity movement, very little movement has been documented by NCARRV. That may
be due to the "protective stance" many of this groups have taken since the
February Wilson bank robbery. Whatever the reason, we do know that these groups
and individuals continue to preach and distribute their message of hate and
ignorance to many North Carolinians. We need to be able to effectively counter
those messages. 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMEDIES: NCARRV 1993 ANNUAL REPORT

North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence has consistently
illuminated trends which suggest the need for public education, ardent advocacy,
and specific policy redress in the North Carolina community. Our reporting on
issues of bigoted attack, community unrest, police/community conflict, and youth
has followed in that tradition. Our work has continued in the hope of creating a
climate in the state which values the dignity and worth of all North Carolina
residents and calls for accountability of those to whom that responsibility is
entrusted. 

As we observed in putting together documentation for 1993, one clear trend which
has emerged is the pervasive climate of violence in the larger community and
society. Fanning the flames of hysteria over violent criminality feeds the fear
of some citizens, and in turn, desensitizes others of us who should be outraged
when we hear of fear-based violence. Unfortunately in these situations, there is
ultimately more value given to the protection of material goods and property,
than to the life of another human being, even when not directly making any
life-threatening action. 

There are several incidents documented in this report which we feel result
directly from the racially charged climate and from prejudicial hysteria
regarding crime and potential criminals. Two typical examples of such incidents
are the Durham shooting deaths of Jamal Elliot, a fourteen year old African
American male and twenty-two year old Simon Rodriquez, a Latin man, both killed
by citizens. 

Overall documentation for 1993 reflects conflict, tensions and violence in 46
counties in the state, with a logged total of 147 incidents. The fires of
intolerance are still raging and burning in North Carolina. 

The Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation issued the results of a survey commissioned in
1993 which revealed that Whites and Blacks in North Carolina "view different
realities but agree that race relations are (a) serious problem in (the) state".
Of the more than 800 North Carolinians questioned, "large majorities of blacks
and whites perceived that the races have negative opinions about and feelings
toward each other". The survey was completed by Howard, Merrell, and Partners, a
Raleigh based marketing and public opinion organization. Measures of seriousness
of the problem included the statistics that " 32% of whites and 38% of blacks
think that violent racial disturbances similar to those in Los Angeles will
occur in North Carolina in the next few years, More than eight in ten whites and
blacks believe that racial problems among North Carolina middle and high school
students are serious." 

We applaud the wisdom and vision of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation for this
significant research. It certainly echoes what we have been hearing and saying
at NCARRV for the past ten years. What is even more painfully clear is the
continued need for local and state govemment intervention to ease tensions and
provide guidance and support of programs which create opportunities for people
to move beyond intolerance toward mutually respectful relationships. And while
there must be attention given to individual relationships, there must also be
concentration on reforming historically biased institutions, shoring up weak
infrastructures that currently fail to address human relations issues, and
creating new ones where none exist. 

We again call on Governor Jim Hunt to recommission the statewide Task Force on
Racial, Religious, and Ethnic Intimidation and Violence. Work on this task
force, commissioned by Governor James Martin in 1988, only scratched the surface
of the root causes of remaining conflict and violence. While the outcomes of the
victims's reporting network, law enforcement human relations training, and an
ethnic intimidation statute are laudable accomplishments; there are still many
other steps aimed at restoring mechanisms in communities for redress and clear
public education which must be explored with the bountiful resources of the
state of North Carolina. We further urge that re-establishing human relations
commissions in every county of the state and developing an anti-bias curriculum
for use in all North Carolina public schools be specific tasks of the
recommissioned body. Only when we have come closer to extinguishing the fires of
intolerance and bigoted violence in North Carolina, may we call ourselves a
"World-class Community". 

Since the implementation of North Carolina's Ethnic Intimidation Act, NCARRV has
insistently urged that concerted steps be taken to remove ambiguities existing
in the legislation which make it difficult for courts, citizens, and law
enforcement agencies to apply the law as it was originally intended. With the
publication of this report and based on NCARRV's monitoring of how the statute
has currently been applied, cases prosecuted reflect a disproportionate racial
imbalance in convictions and sentencing. Blacks have been convicted at twice the
rate of whites under this new statute and received more severe punishment than
their white counterparts. 

In our efforts to secure statistical data on convictions to date covered under
the statute from the Governor's office, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI),
and the Administrative Offices of the Courts, we were advised that no data was
available. This raises once again serious questions for us at NCARRV about how
the effectiveness of a law can be measured if clear data is unavailable on its
use. Secondly, we are concerned that without clear information which can
substantiate the usefulness of this statute in the state,it may jeopardize
extension of the Federal Hate Crimes Statistics Act of 1990. 

In light of our findings, we recommend that serious consideration be given to
developing standards for application of the Ethnic Intimidation Act which will
restore it to it's intended use. These standards would do much to clarify how
the statute should be used and to address concerns of the current ambiguities
involved in interpreting and applying the law. 

With the release of this report for 1993, as has been the case over the past
eight years, NCARRV's documentation of anti-gay violence ranks second only to
racially motivated violence. Conservative estimates suggest that gay men and
lesbians comprise ten percent of the total population. Yet few national, state,
or local protective measures exist for individuals who are harassed, assaulted,
and murdered because of their sexual identities. Passage of the Federal Hate
Crimes Statistics Act of 1990 clearly sets precedent for the establishment of
protective mechanisms for this population, as clearly as the exclusion of their
protection only continues to legitimate their victimization. We strongly
recommend the inclusion of sexual identity in North Carolina's ethnic
intimidation statue and the Civil Rights Interference Act to serve as a
deterrent to would-be perpetrators of crime against gay men and lesbians in this
state. 

THE CHRONOLOGY

Methodology 

Documented incidents include racist, religious, and anti-gay violence as well as
constitutionally protected Klan and neo-Nazi activity such as meetings, rallies,
electoral activity, and other forms of organizing. 

This document incorporates the following working definition of bias crime used
by the California Racial, Ethnic, and Religious Violence Task Force: "Any act to
cause physical injury, emotional suffering, or property damage, which appears to
be motivated, all or in part, by race, ethnicity, religion, or sexual
orientation." 

Below is a chronology of incidents of bigoted conflict in North Carolina in
1993. The events in this chronology are classified by types as follows: 

   A = Assault or fight 
   V = Vandalism 
   C = Cross burning 
   H = Harassment 
   O = Organized by Klan, neo-Nazi, or other supremacist group 
   S = Slur or reported remark 
   L = Leafletting or literature 
   M = Murder 
   F = Arson 

An additional classification of some events is made in the following areas: 

   X = Anti-Gay 
   Y = Youth involvement, as victims or perpetrators 
   R = Motivated by victim's religion 

Following each incident is NCARRV's sources of information presented here. Those
sources include: 

   Newspaper clippings 
   The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) 
   The North Carolina Human Relations Commission (HRC) 
   The North Carolina Coalition for Gay and 
   Lesbian Equality (NCCGLE) 
   The Center for Democratic Renewal (CDR) 
   National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) 
   Klanwatch, Southern Poverty Law Center 
   Local and state law enforcement 
   Field research by NCARRV staff 
   Victim's reports 

DECEMBER 1992 incidents: 

Davidson Co. The NAACP held a press conference on December 31 to announce that
the chapter is considering filing a lawsuit against Sheriff Jimmy Johnson. They
contend that the sheriff's department has unfairly fired or denied promotions to
African American employees. They also allege that the Sheriff has used racist
language when referring to black people. (January 2, Winston-Salem Journal) 

JANUARY ** 

Y #1. January, Orange Co. A student residence hall at the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill was the site of ugly racial harassment. In one of the
dormitory bathrooms, someone placed a flier which read: "This bathroom is no
longer desegregated. No niggers allowed except for the housekeepers." (Feb. 8,
Daily Tar Heel) 

Surry/Wilkes Co. The Elkin Board of Education approved an advisory council to
monitor race relations in the Elkin school system following allegations of
racial tensions at Elkin High School. (January 21, Winston-Salem Journal) 

C C A #2,#3,#4. January 1, Haywood Co. Two crosses were burned at the
Waynesville home of a white woman who was involved in an interracial
relationship. She was the target of harassing phone calls two weeks before the
cross burning. The FBI were called in to investigate it as a civil rights
violation. This incident fell on the heels of two other racially motivated
incidents in Waynesville. On Aug. 8, 1992, a white Waynesville police officer
was assaulted with rocks, bottles and his patrol car window smashed after the
officer responded to a call to break up a fight between black and white youth. A
week later, a fight broke out at the shopping mall between a black man and a
white man. (January 3 and 5, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

H X #5. January 5, Wake Co. City council member Mary Watson Nooe proposed that
private businesses be required to observe Raleigh's non-discrimination policies
(which currently protect city employees against discrimination, including those
based on sexual orientation). Adam McManus (director of Citizens Against
Pomography) and the Wake County Christian Coalition organized to defeat Noce's
proposal. Nooe received several death threats. Council member Anne Franklin
received harassing telephone calls from opponents. (NCCGLE) 

January 8, Columbus Co. A news article from the Wilmington Morning Star reported
that the Columbus County school system has been cleared of charges that it
discriminated against African American students. A complaint was filed that the
school system placed African-American children in programs for the mentally
impaired and that African-American males were more likely to be punished. The US
Department of Education agreed that African-American students "are significantly
under-included" in academically gifted classes but felt there was no evidence
that the school discriminates. 

A #6. January 9, Wake Co. Two men were charged with ethnic intimidation
following a fight between whites and Vietnamese at a pool hall in Raleigh. The
suspects allegedly called the men "chinks", "gooks", and "slopes" and began
swinging pool sticks and punching them. Raymond John Zimmer and Mark Hammond
were charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon and ethnic intimidation.
Zimmer is also alleged to have taken a pager from one of the victims and left
numerous messages threatening to kill him. (January 16, Raleigh News and
Observer) 

M #7. January 15, Union County. Guy Mitchell Brown and Russell Brice Hinson were
charged with the crossbow death of a sixteen year old. Felicia Hope Houston of
Monroe died after she was struck by a bolt from a cross bow on December 28.
Although Hinson was a KKK leader in Union Co in the late 1988s and was convicted
of assaulting a black man in 1987, authorities speculated that the incident was
not racially motivated although the victim was black and the two men were riding
through a predominantly black neighborhood. Monroe Public Safety Chief Bobby
Kilgore said Felicia was in the wrong place at the wrong time and that the
incident was "a drug deal gone bad." Hinson was sentenced to life in prison on
December 16 after a jury deadlocked whether to give him the death penalty.
Prosecutors say that Hinson killed Felicia Houston "to send a message to the
black community". Guy Mitchell Brown turned state's evidence and under a plea
agreement, the murder charge was dropped. He was given three years in prison for
accessory to murder after the fact. He has served eleven months and is scheduled
to be released soon. Testimony at the trial illustrated that Hinson indeed had
racial prejudices. Lt. Derry Simpson, jail administrator and longtime friend of
Hinson's testified that Simpson had a "black or dark blue mannequin that
appeared to be holding a football or a watermelon" that he would use for target
practice. (January 15, Charlotte Observer, December 16 and 27, Charlotte
Observer) 

O #8. January 17, Rowan Co. Forty members of the Christian Knights of the Ku
Klux Klan marched in Salisbury. Forty-five officers dressed in riot gear
surrounded them as they made their way down Main Street. (January 14 and 18,
Salisbury Post) 

A A #9,#10,#11. January 20, Watauga Co. Appalachian State student Paul Dodson
was assaulted off-campus at a local bar. When he went to the University Health
Services for treatment, he was assaulted again by the same assailant. Dodson
reported the attacks as "gay-bashing." City police, however, never interviewed
Dodson; instead, they wrote on the police report as fact a hearsay statement
repeated by bar owner Joe Todd that accused Dodson of sexually assaulting his
assailant. After the campus newspaper revealed Dodson's name but protected his
attacker's, Dodson withdrew charges, quit school, and attempted suicide. One
week before Dodson's assault, another student had beenbeaten in the same bar by
a man yelling "You faggot!" repeatedly. No charges were filed. Earlier that
month, an African-American student pledging to a fraternity was beaten when its
members found out he was gay. The student was hospitalized with kidney damage.
He did not press charges. (NCCGLE) 

L #12. January 21, Cumberland Co. Flyers from the Confederate Knights of
America, National Socialist Front were put under car windshields outside a
bowling alley on Raeford Road in Fayetteville. (NCARRV, victim's report) 

V Y #13. January 22, Orange Co. MacNider Hall, part of the School of Medicine at
the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was vandalized with "scrawlings
suggesting hate crimes against blacks, including profanity." (January 26, Durham
Herald-Sun) 

#14. January 23, Orange Co. At UNC-Chapel Hill, a white student verbally
assaulted a black Morrison dorm resident. (February 8, Daily Tar Heel) 

A X #15. January 23, Wake Co. A gay male was assaulted by a man with a gun who
raped him twice, robbed him, forced him to call several friends to pay money so
he would not be killed, and then threatened to disclose his sexual orientation
to his family if he told police (which he did not). (NCCGLE) 

V X #16. January 25 - 31, Watauga Co. Graffiti was written on the bathroom wall
at Appalachian State that said: "Beat the hell out of a fag. Apps Anti-Homo Hate
Club. Club sponsored gay-bashing - Join the fun! Fags have no rights.
Homosexuals must die. Make the world a better place . . . Kill a fag. Fags
caused AIDS. F--- you faggot (sic)." Someone painted the name of the campus gay
and lesbian student group in a circle with a slash across it. (NCCGLE) 

A Y #17. January 27, Gaston Co. A group of black youth surrounded a white
teenager after a game at Hunter Huss High School in Gastonia. While kicking and
punching the youth, they shouted "Malcolm X" and "Rodney King." The incident was
believed to have been provoked when a white police officer asked a group of
black teenagers to leave the parking lot but said nothing to the white teenager.
Thirteen black students, who ranged in age from 14 to 19, were suspended from
school for 10 days and were charged with assault inflicting serious injury for
racial intimidation. On December 14 Darrius Jefferies was sentenced to three
years probation and ordered to pay a portion of the victim's medical bills.
Other defendants are working on plea bargains or had charges dropped for lack of
evidence. (December 15, The Charlotte Observer, January 29, Gaston Gazette,
February 2-3, Gaston Gazette) 

V Y #18. January 29 or 30, Moore Co. Racial slurs were spraypainted at Pinecrest
High School. The slurs included references to the KKK, swastikas, satanic
symbols, and slavery. It was discovered on the outside of four buildings, four
school buses, two activity buses, and two vans. Following this vandalism spree a
14 - year old eighth grader brought a gun to school and was suspended for 10
days. (February 4, Southern Pines Pilot) 

A X #19. January 30, New Hanover Co. Three Marines were charged with the beating
of a gay man in a club in Wilmington. The beating was viewed as a backlash
against President Clinton's lifting of the ban on gays in the military. The
Marines were later acquitted after claiming they attacked in self-defense.
(February 2, Jacksonville Daily News, April 14, Wilmington Morning Star) 

FEBRUARY ** 

S #20. Mecklenburg Co. A Charlotte man received a bill from Sears addressed to
"APURE COON" (sic). Sears officials maintained that a former employee entered
the slur into its computer. Sears offered an apology and refunded the victim's
last payment. (February 19, Charlotte Observer) 

H X #21. February 2 & 6, Watauga Co. A 16-year-old lesbian was accosted by a man
who cursed "G-damn f---ing Boone dykes." Four days later when the woman was
shopping at the mall with gay friends, the same man was part of a group who
followed the woman and her friends through stores, coming up to them one at a
time and muttering slurs. (NCCGLE) 

H X #22. February 4, Watauga Co. A lesbian was followed by a man in a car who
drove up behind her in the parking lot and blocked her in for 20 minutes. The
incident took place the day after the Appalachian State school paper published a
letter she had written protesting its printing the name of a man who had been
gay-bashed. (NCCGLE) 

H X #23. February 4, Watauga Co. A lesbian who works at Appalachian State
received a harassing call at work. The call came the morning after the school
paper published a letter the woman wrote protesting the paper's publication of
the name of a man who was gay-bashed. (NCCGLE) 

February 5, Davidson Co. Davidson County commissioners decided not to approve
the Martin Luther King, Jr holiday as a paid holiday for county employees.
Instead the board voted to allow county employees to use a vacation day to
observe the King holiday. (February 6, Winston-Salem Journal) 

Y #24. February 5, New Hanover Co. Students at two schools in Boiling Spring
Lakes left school early in response to rumors of a big fight. South Brunswick
Middle School and High School were patrolled by seven sheriff's deputies and
many parents came to pick their kids up early. Rumors centered around racial
tensions when white students began wearing rebel flags on their clothing and
displaying rebel flags on their vehicles. (February 6, Wilmington Morning Star) 

A Y #25. February 5, Caldwell Co. A fight involving black and white students
erupted after a basketball game at West Caldwell High School. Twelve officers
responded and there were over one hundred onlookers. The fight recalled the
stabbing deaths in 1991 of two African-American male students in the hallwaysof
West Caldwell High School. The youth were stabbed by two white youth who were
later acquitted of murder. (February 6, Lenoir News-Topic, NCARRV) 

C #26. February 5, Johnston Co. A cross is burned at the home of a Native
American in Benson. The victim reported that it was the second act of vandalism
at his residence within two weeks. Although the victim was involved in an
interracial relationship, law enforcement stated "the crime appears to be a
domestic dispute rather than a hate crime." (February 9, Raleigh News and
Observer) 

S #27. February 7, Orange Co. In Chapel Hill, conduct was called into question
when black transportation employees complained of racial slurs directed towards
them by white employees. It was later decided that the department would undergo
sensitivity training for all employees. (February 7, Chapel Hill Newspaper) 

O #28. February 9, Wilson Co. Two members of the Confederate Knights of America,
National Socialist Front robbed a bank in Wilson and led police on a chase and
shootout. Kurt Eugene Latimer and Linwood Paul Pittman were charged with
robbery. Latimer was arrested at the scene, Pittman eluded officers, kidnaped an
elderly man at gunpoint and forced him to drive to Virginia. Pittman gave
himself up two days later. (February 21, Raleigh News and Observer) 

A Y #29. February 11, Transylvania Co. Three black Schenck Job Corps students
were discharged from the center after they were charged with ethnic intimidation
for assaulting a white student in a dorm. They pled guilty to misdemeanor
assault and ethnic intimidation, received two-year probationary sentences and
were discharged from the Job Corps. (March 5, Hendersonvile Times-News) 

H X #30. February 15, Bladen Co. 175 people from the Bladen County Coalition of
Christians presented petitions with 2,500 names requesting the Board of
Commissioners to revise library book selection policies after it purchased three
gay-affirmative children's books. Commissioner Fred Bowen received a threatening
call by someone claiming to be a Coalition member. (NCCGLE) 

V X #31. February lR19, Wake Co. Notices of the first Gay and Lesbian Awareness
week posted in the Free Expression Tunnel at NC State University were defaced.
On Friday, two hours after the notices were restored, someone painted homophobic
graffiti, including a picture of a person with a gun shooting "two dead faggots"
and slogans like "Why do you think God invented AIDS? Think about it." (NCCGLE) 

A #32. February 20, Brunswick Co. A white Leland woman was raped by a white man
in retaliation for her involvement with a black man. The interracial couple were
on their way to visit friends when they were accosted by four white men. Three
of the men chased the boyfriend while the fourth man, "hollering she didn't
belong with no nigger", and that "whites belong with whites and blacks belong
with blacks," raped and assaulted the woman. The rapist was captured by law
enforcement and charged with first-degree rape and jailed under a $100,000 bond.
(March 4, Wilmington Morning Star) 

C #33. February 21, Mecklenburg Co. A cross was burned at the home of a
southeast Charlotte woman. (February 22, Gastonia Gazette) 

H X #34. February 23, Watauga Co. A gay student at Appalachian State University
received a homophobic flyer about "Bill Clinton's Queen Berets" in university
mail. The flyer was sent by "Students Against Sexual Crimes and Homosexism."
(NCCGLE) 

H X #35. February 28, Orange Co. Hoping to cut funding to B-GLAD (UNC-Chapel
Hill's gay and lesbian group), conservativestudents Darren Allen and Chris Tuck
released a confidential list of 63 people who had attended a B-GLAD meeting.
Three students whose names were on the list received threatening phone calls.
This fall, the new B-GLAD co-chair received letters postmarked nationwide all
containing a photocopy of the list with "devil" scrawled next to his name and
threats like "A bullet through your head, faggot." (NCCGLE) 

MARCH ** 

Durham Co. A Duke University professor claimed he was the victim of racial
discrimination and was rejected for tenure. The forty-year old African American
filed charges with Duke and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
(March 2, Raleigh News and Observer) 

A X #36. March, Orange Co. A man reported that a 19-year-old youth was
gay-bashed. (NCCGLE) 

Wake Co. The DollHouse, a Raleigh strip club, became the subject of a state and
federal probe after black men reported being denied membership with the club.
(March 19, Raleigh News and Observer) 

Macon Co. The site of the white supremacist Church of the Creator was purchased
by William Pierce, former leader of the American Nazi Party, in July of 1992 for
$100,000. He is now attempting to sell it for $299,900. The listing described
"property and three buildings ideally suited for a group or organization which
wants a headquarters where it can host meetings, training sessions, or retreats
of up to 40 members or guests." (March 9, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

A Y #37. New Hanover Co. A parent group expressed concern after a white junior
high school teacher allegedly struck a black student with a notebook. (March 16,
Wilmington Morning Star) 

H #38. March 2, Durham Co. The North Carolina Minority Support Center reported a
message left on their voice mail by someone who claimed he was the "Grand Wizard
of the Charlotte KKK". He said he was calling for a meeting but left a phone
number which was disconnected. (NCARRV victim's report) H X #39. March 3,
Guilford Co. Two gay men received harassing calls on their answering machine.
They are prosecuting. (NCCGLE) 

H #40. March 3, Durham Co. A woman involved in an interracial marriage reported
to NCARRV that someone left a message on their message machine "Hey is anybody
home, any body there? I got the bomb." The woman suspected someone from an auto
repair place they visited was responsible for the call. The woman's husband is
from West Africa and has a bumper sticker on his car which reads "stop the bomb
habit". (NCARRV victim's report) 

A X #41. March 4, Onslow Co. A man assaulted Linda Papineau, secretary for
30-Minute Muffler, which had sponsored a radio program in which Crae Pridgn
spoke about being beaten by three Marines. Before hitting her the man said: "I
want you to know what I think of your business promoting (homosexuals)."
(NCCGLE) 

A Y #42. March 11, Forsyth Co. Three black Carver High School students were
arrested following an attack believed to have stemmed from racial tensions
evoked by white students carrying Confederate Flags to school. The episode led
school administrators to host a school forum on resolving racial conflicts a few
days later. (March 12 and 13, Winston-Salem Journal) 

March 18, Durham Co. A black teenager is killed while fleeing a home he
attempted to break in to. Fifteen year old Jamal Elliott was shot four times in
the back by white homeowner Michael Seagroves. Seagroves chased Elliott and
three other black teenagers from his property and shot at them as they fled. The
incident created tensions in the community with residents split over whether
Seagroves was justified in the shooting. Seagroves was charged with manslaughter
and aggravated assault. In a December trial the jury deadlocked. Attorney
General Mike Easely announced in late January 1994 that the state would not
retry the case. (March 20 Durham Herald-Sun, NCARRV staff report) 

O #43. March 21, Caldwell Co. Members of the Christia-n Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan marched in Lenoir. (NCARRV monitoring report) 

V X #44. March 22, Guilford Co. Posters advertising a talk about gays in the
military were vandalized at UNC-Greensboro's library. (NCCGLE) 

H #45. March 23, Surry Co. A white man was charged with ethnic intimidation
after several incidents where jugs of urine were thrown into the yard of a black
police officer living in a predominantly white neighborhood. 

H X #46. March 25, Mecklenburg Co. A woman listed as a contact for a bisexual
support group received a harassing call. (NCCGLE) 

H Y #47. March 29, Buncombe Co. Members of the Theta Chi fraternity from
UNC-Asheville harassed a black student who had been hired by the University to
paint over fraternity and sorority symbols on a road leading to the campus.
Rocks and eggs were thrown at a police car called to the scene. The fraternity
was put on probation in 1992 when a member was seen wearing a racial slur
written on a hat during a televised UNC Asheville vs Western Carolina basketball
game. (March 31, April 1, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

H X #48. March 29, Mecklenburg Co. Someone yelled "faggot" into a classroom at
UNC-Charlotte apparently after seeing a notice posted on the classroom door
identifying the lecture as gay-oriented. (NCCGLE) 

V #49. March 30, New Hanover. A concession stand, freshly painted for the N.C.
Azalea Festival, was defaced with swastikas and skulls. (March 31, Wilmington
Morning Star) 

A Y #50. March 30, Wake Co. A black Zebulon Middle School student was attacked
by white youth after an altercation on a school bus. Racial slurs were allegedly
made during the assault. (April 1, Wendell Gold Leaf Farmer) 

H X #51. March 30, Mecklenburg Co. Two gay men at a restaurant were verbally
harassed by four men. Management was supportive and promptly called police.
(NCCGLE) 

H X #52. March 30, Orange Co. A gay man received a threatening message. (NCCGLE)

V X #53. March 31, Mecklenburg Co. A flyer announcing Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual
Week at UNC-Charlotte was torn down and replaced with an anti-gay flyer.
(NCCGLE) 

H X #54. March 31, Orange Co. An openly gay UNC student received two harassing
calls. It was reported to police. (NCCGLE) 

APRIL ** 

April, Durham Co. A caller reported that someone bashed in the door of his car.
The car was parked at the entrance of a hiking trail where anti-gay vandalism
often occurs. (NCCGLE) 

April 1, New Hanover Co. A gay bar is fire-bombed in Jacksonville. Three Molotov
cocktail bombs were thrown into the bar after it received much publicity
surrounding gays in the military. No one was injured. The previous month ten
hangmen's nooses and notes saying "Faggots die" were left outside the bar. Danny
Leonard, the bar's owner, has received three to four threatening calls a week
since March (120-160 calls). Two weeks before the arson, Marines wielding
baseball bats turned up at the bar, but no one was injured. On February 5, the
bar was targeted by an anti-gay rally attended by only four protesters. (April
3, Wilmington Morning Star, NCCGLE) 

M #55. April 2, Robeson Co. In Maxton, a nineteen year old black youth, Terry
Curtis Williams, is murdered by a white convenience store clerk after a fight
over a pack of cigarettes the clerk believed was stolen from his store. Racial
tensions boil as hundreds gather to protest the following weekend. Willie
Dockery Steed is charged with second degree murder. (Aril 5, Laurinburg
Exchange) 

H X #56. April 6, Mecklenburg Co. A gay man was informed by co-workers that his
boss was telling them not to talk to him. (NCCGLE) 

A #57. April 9, New Hanover Co. In Wilmington a white male was assaulted at a
fast food restaurant by two black men who called him "racial names" while
hitting him with their fists. (April 16, Wilmington Morning Star) 

O O #58,#59. April 10, Mecklenburg Co. The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan
marched in Charlotte and Matthews. (April 12, Gastonia Gazette, NCARRV) 

V #60. April 14, Caldwell Co. Vandals struck Davenport Elementary School in
Lenoir, spraypainting a wall with "KKK" and "Hems #1"(sic). (April 15, Lenoir
News-Topic) 

H #61. April 17, Wilson Co. A victim contacted the NCARRV office to report a
series of harassing phone calls made to her home and a restaurant she owned. The
phone calls were followed by a fire which destroyed her business. The victim
reported to NCARRV that the previous owner of the restaurant was connected with
the Klan and did not want to see her succeed. Untrue rumors were spread that her
cook was HIV positive in an attempt to keep people from eating at her
restaurant. The restaurant was burned twice until it was destroyed. No one was
ever charged for the arson. (NCARRV victim report) 

April 20. Members of a House subcommittee, the Judiciary II committee, killed a
repeal of the state's crime against nature law, which has been used against gays
and lesbians in the state. The bill died a fast death because some committee
members saw it as a way to "legitimize homosexuality". (April 23, Raleigh News
and Observer) 

H X #62. April 21, Wake Co. In Raleigh, a gay travel agency sent promotional
materials to a list of people presumed gay. Someone returned the materials with
hateful comments scrawled upon them. (LGHP, NCCGLE) 

L #63. April 21, Forsyth Co. In Winston-Salem flyers were distributed downtown
by someone advertising for the National Socialist Front. The message read "White
Power Forever, What about White Civil Rights?" (NCARRV victim's report) 

April 21, Nash Co. NCARRV staff was called to Rocky Mount to investigate
problems at a high school there. Concerned black residents questioned why blacks
had to enter the school from the back while white students entered from the
front. They also maintained that black students were being sprayed with Mace. In
a meeting with the superintendent, teachers and parents were assured that their
concerns would be studied and an effort would be made to hire more black
teachers. (NCARRV victim's report) 

April 23, Orange Co. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Faculty
Council approved a plan that will require freshmen and sophomores from fall 1994
onward to take a least one course studying cultural diversity. (April 25, Chapel
Hill Herald) 

C #64. April 25, Cleveland Co. A cross is burned at the home of a Swainsville
resident. (April 27, Shelby Daily Star) 

L Y #65. April 26, Forsyth Co. Radst notes were left on the dorm rooms of four
Salem College students. The notes read "Niggers Go Home" and another was
addressed to a white student involved in an interracial relationship, calling
her a "nigger lover". The incident prompted school officials to host forums with
students to discuss the incident and race relations on campus. Salem College, a
four year women's college has about 800 students, 5% of them minorities. (June
20, Winston-Salem Chronicle) 

April, Mecklenburg Co. Charlotte residents found themselves in a middle of a
battle when Freedom Park, used by youth to showcase their cars, was closed. The
park, frequented by mostly young African-Americans, was closed after residents
near the park (who are mostly white) complained of loud music and people
urinating in their yards. (April 30, Charlotte Observer) 

A #66. April 30, New Hanover Co. A man was assaulted and called a racial slur
after he turned in front of a car on Oleander Drive in Wilmington. The driver of
the second car made an obscene gesture after the victim cut in front of him. The
driver then followed the victim into a shopping center, got out of his car,
called the man a "nigger" and attacked him. The suspect left the scene after the
fight. (May 2, Wilmington Morning Star) 

M #67. April 30, New Hanover Co. The body of a black male was discovered by a
fisherman at Greenfield Park in Wilmington. Twenty-five year old Tony Robinson
died a week later after being beaten into a coma. Police suspected the slaying
may be related to the fact that Robinson was gay. No suspects have been charged.
Local activist Leo Teachout told NCCGLE that Robinson's murder followed the same
pattern as several other unsolved murders since the early 1980s in which gay men
were killed during the same time that police begin publicly conducting sting
operations targetting gay men in local parks. (May 8, Wilmington Morning Star,
NCCGLE) 

MAY ** 

May, Guilford Co. A resident of a half-way house called to report she was
assaulted by another resident who said she was "queer" and tried to push her
through a window glass. One day later, the caller was discharged from the home
while the assailant was allowed to stay. Caller is filing a complaint. (NCCGLE) 

May, Orange Co. A group of young men at a party talked about killing gay people.
(NCCGLE) 

H X #68. May, Durham Co. A woman who lived in a house where a gay man also lived
called to report that a neighbor erected a sign on her lawn reading "Gays live
over there." When confronted by the caller, the neighbor accused the caller, who
is not gay, of rolling around and kissing on the front lawn with another woman.
The victim called police, who at first were unresponsive, but eventually asked
the neighbor to remove the sign. (NCCGLE) 

H X #69. May, Orange Co. A teacher who was involved in a controversy over
including gay and lesbian literature in a multicultural program received a death
threat. (NCCGLE) 

May 5, Mecklenburg Co. Jim Ivey, who identified himself as a "proud Klan
member", wrote a letter to the Charlotte Observer stating "the Klan will be
around protecting white rights as long as the NAACP is around protecting black
rights." (May 5, Charlotte Observer) 

Y #70. May 5 - 7, Polk Co. Students at Polk Central High School in Columbus had
Sheriff's deputies patrolling the halls and metal detectors installed at the
school after a series of incidents that may have been racially motivated. On
Wednesday, May 5, a black student sprayed four white students with Mace. That
incident led to a fight between a black student and a white student. The student
responsible for spraying the Mace was later suspended. The letters "KKK" were
found on a bathroom stall that same day. The next day, deputies searched
students with metal detectors and found seven pocket knives. Polk, with a
student population of 550 students, 12% black (60 students), planned to undergo
group conflict resolution and sensitivity training. (May 8, Asheville Citizens
Times) 

A #71. May 7, Gaston Co. A West Gastonia softball coach was charged with two
counts of assault after pointing a gun at two teens. The incident occurred
during a game between the girls' West Gastonia team and the Bessemer City team.
Coach Billy Joe Johnson reportedly became upset because, in his words, "This
black boy (sic) had been mouthing off during the entire game." The youth was
cheering for the other team. It was reported that Johnson used a racial slur
during the incident. (May 9, Gastonia Gazette) 

O #72. May 8, Catawba Co. The Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan marched in
Conover. (May 10, Hickory Record) 

H #73. May 8, Madison Co. A car belonging to an interracial couple was shot into
and racial slurs were painted in the road in front of their home. The couple had
only lived there for two weeks. (May 13, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

May 19. The Ku Klux Klan faction the Invisible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan lost a civil case filed by civil rights marchers attacked in Forsyth
County, Georgia in 1987. The suit, filed by the Southern Poverty Law Center,
forced the Invisible Empire, led by North Carolina resident James Farrands, to
pay $37,500 in damages, turn over its office equipment and give up its name. The
settlement also barred the group from using its mailing lists and the name ofits
newsletter, The Klansman. (May 20, Roanoke Rapids Herald) 

A X #74. May 25, Guilford Co. A gay man was assaulted by two men in a parking
lot who yelled "Faggot" and "Take it like a woman" as they beat him. Caller
reported that police acted as if he deserved the beating and told him to find
out the names of his assailants on his own. (NCCGLE) 

May 27, Forsyth County. The Winston-Salem Journal reported a former Food Lion
employee alleged the supermarket chainhad a "policy of sending out-of-date meat
from area stores to the Food Lion store on North Claremont Avenue because the
store catered to black people." Bobby R. Woollen, former market manager at Food
Lion, stated that the meat manager in 1992 told him to send out-of-date meat to
the store because ". . . food stamp time was coming up and the Clermont (sic)
Store could move the product". In later months Food Lion dropped the out-of-date
meat policy. (May 27, Winston-Salem Journal) 

JUNE ** 

June. A study by the NC Division of Youth Services revealed that black youths
make up 70% of the enrollment in state training schools even though only half of
the juveniles arrested each year are black and only 32% of the state's juvenile
population is black. Researchers looked at case files from 1990 in 10 counties.
They found that Johnston, Buncombe, Caldwell, Cumberland, and Forsyth counties
sent more black children to training schools than Brunswick, Haywood, Wilkes,
Robeson, and Guilford counties. (June 29, Charlotte Observer) 

M O #75. June 3, Forsyth Co. A neo-Nazi leader was charged with the death of a
white youth killed apparently because he had black friends. Twenty year old
Aaron Harrison Moser, leader of the Winston-Salem chapter of the Confederate
Knights of America, National Socialist Front, was charged with the murder of
Thomas Joseph Scharf and the shooting of Julius Johnson, a black friend of
Scharf. The incident occurred after Moser spotted Scharf and Johnson with others
standing at Clemmonsville Road. Words were exchanged and shots were fired. (June
5, Greensboro News and Record) 

O #76. June 6, Guilford Co. Forty-six members of the Christian Knights of the Ku
Klux Klan marched in High Point. The march drew 100 spectators, some of them
supporters. Speakers included Rev. Charles Beasley, NC Grand Dragon and Horace
King, SC Grand Dragon. (June 7, Winston-Salem Journal) 

H X #77. June 14, Wake Co. A gay man called to report a campaign of
intimidation, extortion, discrimination and harassment. When the caller
disclosed his sexual orientation to a co-worker, the co-worker began to
blackmail him. When the caller reported this to his employer, his employer
demoted the caller, and joined the co-worker in making death threats and
harassing the caller, his roommate and his family. The caller reported this to
police, who were indifferent, and is pursuing legal action. (NCCGLE) 

June 26, Wake Co. At this year's Pride March held in Raleigh, about two dozen
protesters (mostly from Johnston County) screamed at marchers to repent and
carried signs that read,"Homosexuals want to indoctrinate school kids." (NCCGLE)

A #78. June 27, Lenoir Co. In LaGrange, a white convenience store clerk shot a
black customer, leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Twenty year old Nico
Hood was shot by sixty year old Norman Potts after an argument in the store. The
argument followed Potts's refusal to sell pastries to Hood and his friends
because one of the young men had been "banished" from the store. Potts
reportedly fired upon Hood after Hood pulled a gUll from his pocket. Potts was
charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Members of a
citizens' group marched, protested, and showed up at town council meetings to
express their outrage over the state of race relations there. (September 26,
Raleigh News and Observer) 

A X #79. June 28, Durham Co. Linda Evans was assaulted by her mother for "being
a g-- d---- lesbian." The mother abducted Evans' two children and took them to
their father (who last year tried to take the children from Evans because she is
a lesbian; he is now prohibited from seeing the children unless authorized). The
father refused to return the children until forced by the sheriff. Evans noted
that police "were great" and is pursuing legal action. (NCCGLE) 

L #80. June 29, Guilford Co. Greensboro police found signs warning blacks not to
harm whites in certain parts of the city. The signs read: "Waming. Hate crimes
against whites will not be tolerated. We are watching. KKK". Police believe the
signs are in retaliation to a beating of two white men at Morningside Homes on
June 23, in which one suspect has been charged. An informant to the police
department said "one white person would be beaten for every black person
arrested in the area by a white officer." (June 30, July 3, Greensboro News and
Record) 

June 30, Mecklenburg Co. A gay man reported that in November 1989 his girlfriend
demanded $4,000 or she would reveal his sexual identity. He is currently
pursuing legal action. (NCCGLE) 

JULY ** 

M #81. July 3, Robeson Co. A white Red Springs police officer, Lt. James Howard
Edwards, was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Julian
Williams, an African American, who was involved in a relationship with Edwards's
daughter. The shooting occurred after Officer Edwards heard that his daughter
was treated at a local hospital for wounds she allegedly received from Williams.
Mr. Williams was shot up to sixteen times in the head and body. Lt. Edwards
turned himself in thirty minutes after the shooting. The shooting sparked racial
tensions in the community because citizens thought Lt. Edwards would not be
prosecuted. On July 31, the black community in RedSprings expressed outrage over
the release of James Edwards under a $75,000 secured bond. Family members and
black community leaders questioned Edwards's release. (July 4, Fayetteville
Observer; July 15, Red Springs Citizen; August 5, Red Springs Citizen) 

July 7. The NC House approved a bill that would rnake it illegal to teach
techniques used in hate crimes. Senator Robert Carpenter, R-Macon, introduced
the bill after discovering neo-Nazi sympathizer William Pierce owned property in
Carpenter's district. There were rumors that Pierce would turn the property,
originally the site of the Church of the Creator, into a paramilitary compound.
The House approved the measure 9~9. It would be a misdemeanor punishable by a
prison term of up to two years, a fine, or both to teach techniques used in
crimes of racial, ethnic, or religious bias. (July 8, Wilmington Morning Star) 

O #82. July 8, Guilford Co. A caller reported that a chapter of the White Aryan
Resistance (WAR) has formed in Jamestown. He said he had been to the home of its
organizers and wanted to expose them. The number given to NCARRV had been
disconnected. (NCARRV victim report) 

July 12, Orange Co. A group of parents expressed opposition to the Chapel
Hill/Carrboro School Board's plan to include sexual orientation in the schools'
multicultural curriculum. The school board meeting was the first in a long
battle against inclusion of gay and lesbian culture in the school board's
multicultural plan. (July 14, Durham Herald-Sun) 

July 15, Rowan Co. The American Civil Liberties Union filed suit on behalf of
the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux Klan against the City of Statesville and
the Statesville Police Department. Filed by ACLU attorneys William Simpson, Jr.
and Samuel Fritschner, the suit was brought because "Klan leaders were not
satisfied with the route in which (sic) they were given to hold a march." (July
16, Statesville Record and Landmark) 

H X #83. July 16-17, Wake Co. ~ man listed in the phone book as a gay/lesbian
counselor received multiple harassing calls saying "All faggots should die" and
"We're gonna get you." In one instance, a father discovered his son calling for
an appointment and re-dialed to harass the counselor. The calls still continue
at about five a week. (NCCGLE) 

V #84. July 16, Vance Co. Vandals spraypainted swastikas, "KKK", and a satanic
symbol on trash dumpsters near Belmont Drive in Henderson. The vandalism
occurred one week after vandals defaced school buses at Northern Vance High
School. (July 17, Henderson Daily Dispatch) 

July, Durham Co. A letter written by a minority task force at Duke University
created stirs of anti-Semitism after the letter criticized top officials with
"trying to establish a Jewish connection". Duke University President Nan Keohane
responded with a letter to the local and national NAACP offices, vowing to work
with the task force on issues raised over workplace discrimination. The task
force later stated "lt was never the intention of our committee to tarnish the
reputation of the Jewish community, which has historically cooperated in the
Civil Rights struggle for equality." (July 27, Raleigh News and Observer) 

A Y #85. July 21, Rockingham Co. A black teen was assaulted at Madison High
School by two white youths from Marshall. Daniel Ramsey, 17, and James Chandler,
18, were both charged with ethnic intimidation after they assaulted Sam Thomas,
16. Chandler was also charged with assault with a deadly weapon for attempting
to run over Thomas. Ramsey was cited as one of three teenagers who assaulted
Thomas last November on a school bus. The three youths were sentenced to 30 days
in jail and the convictions were appealed. Both Chandler and Ramsey were in a
pickup truck when they attempted to run over Thomas. They got out of the truck
and "wrestled Thomas to the ground and started punching him in the head." One of
the youths reportedly yelled at Thomas "You're not black, you're just a -ing
nigger!" Thomas is one of two black students at Madison High School. On November
16, Daniel Ramsey pled guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor assault, was
given a 1-year sentence suspended for two years, a $250 fine, and 100 hours of
community service. The other defendant, Jamie Chandler, did not go to trial. His
charge was deferred by the district attorney in exchange for 50 hours of
community service. (July 29, Marshall News Record, July 24, Asheville
Citizen-Times, November 17, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

A Y #86. July 29, Orange Co. In Chapel Hill, police break up a fight on Franklin
Street between black and white youth who were/ shouting racial epithets. Police
Chief Ralph Pendergraph was quoted as saying "One of the groups has a connection
to the Skinheads and has ties to a Skinhead organization in Charlotte." (July
32, Chapel Hill Herald, August 1, Chapal Hill Newspaper) 

A Y #87. July 31, Orange Co. Three white UNC students were assaulted by a group
of black youth. The incident caused alarm in Chapel Hill after a string of
racially motivated fights on Franklin Street. (August 4, Chapel Hill Herald) 

AUGUST ** 

A X #88. August, Catawaba Co. A gay man was struck twice in the back of the
head, hit in the face and kicked by a man who shouted "I hate you faggots!" As
the case neared trial, the assailant harassed the witnesses, even spray-painted
one witness's car and threatened to beat and shoot her. The caller said both the
police and the D.A. were supportive. (NCARRV victim's report,NCCGLE) 

V X #89. August, Cumberland Co. Someone carved "Faggots die" on a sign in a
public park. (NCCGLE) 

O #90. August 1, Rowan Co. Two Klansmen dressed in robes and hoods were cited in
Salisbury for impeding the flow of traffic. Charged were twenty-five year old
Thomas Robert Moore, from Asheboro and thirty-two year old Jesse Wayne Barnes of
Franklinville. (August 5, Denton Record) 

H #91. August 2, Lenior Co. A La Grange resident spoke at a town council meeting
about a police officer and volunteer firemen who used racial slurs in the
community. The resident, a member of the Black Alliance, said the police officer
frequently used the word "nigger" and volunteer fireman yelled racial slurs and
told blacks "Get off the street" and "We're going to get you" at a July 3 march
sponsored by the Black Alliance. (August 3, Kinston Free Press) 

H X #92. August 3, Forsyth Co. A group of women playing softball reported that
they were called "dykes" and "sicko" by a group of young men. (NCCGLE) 

M #93. August 5, Gaston Co. In Gastonia a black teenager murdered a white
teenager in what police suggest was a "racially motivated" attack. Eighteen year
old Brian Desmond Worthy was charged with the murder of nineteen year old Robert
Allen Burns. Burns was hit in a drive-by shooting. Others may be charged with
the murder also. (December 17, Gastonia Gazette) 

X #94. August 6, Cumberland Co. Kenneth Junior French, a 22-year-old Army
sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg, entered a restaurant wearing a hunting vest
and armed with two 12-gauge shotguns, a .22-caliber rifle, and extra ammunition.
According to Sgt. Mike Ballard, witness Dawn Gabriel, and victim Eddie Burnett,
French spoke loudly about "Clinton letting faggots in the military" while
firing. There is no evidence suggesting French thought any of the people he shot
were gay. Killed were: Wesley Scott Cover, 26; James F. Kidd, 46; Ethel Parrous,
65; and Pete Parrous, '73. Wounded were: Jeffrey Bradstreet; Eddie Burnett, 38;
Phillip Fornabio, 40; Connie Kotsopoulos, 39; Willie McCormick, 51; Rick Parmee;
and Rona Woods, 23. (NCCGLE) 

O #95. August 7, Macon Co. Ben Klassen, leader and founder of the Church of the
Creator, was found dead at his home. Investigators ruled the death a suicide.
Klassen reportedly took an overdose of sleeping pills. At his side was a copy of
his book, The White Man's Bible. The Church of the Creator is a part of the
Christian Identity movement which claims that white people are the true
descendants of Christ, Jews are "children of the Devil", and blacks and other
people of color are "Pre-Adamic" and "subhuman". Just before Klassen's death,
members of his group were part of a failed attempt to start a race war in Los
Angeles where they planned to bomb a black church and target black and Jewish
leaders. (August 11, Charlotte Observer) 

A #96. August 8, Onslow Co. Two white Camp Lejeune Marines were charged with
assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after their participation in a
drive-by shooting with racial overtones. Twenty-two year old Lance Cpls
Christopher S. Bush and Brian K. Folk shot at blacks while making racial
remarks. (August 10, Charlotte Observer) 

O #97. August 8-9, Lincoln Co. Members of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan marched in Lincolnton and hosted a state rally the following day. (police
intelligence) 

August 9, Columbus Co. Tabor City's black police chief is fired by Town Manager
Al Leonard for undisclosed reasons. Willie Gore, the town's first black police
chief, maintains he was fired because he signed time cards for other employees
and that a body shop owner signed for parts for a police car at an auto-parts
store. Two hundred people marched on August 21st in protest. (August 23,
Charlotte Observer) 

August 13, Nash Co. Four individuals charged with attempting to start a riot
last year in Rocky Mount were given long prison sentences to prove, in the words
of Assistant District Attorney Keith Werner, "the state will not put up with
this type of lawlessness in the area." The incident happened last fall when four
white teenagers on a "hate spree" burned a mobile classroom and shot a black
man. Two of the youth were given twenty years, a third given fifteen years.
(August 13, Rocky Mount Telegram) 

O #98. August 14, Scotland Co. Members of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan marched in Laurinburg. (police intelligence) 

S X #99. August 16, Mecklenburg Co. A gay man called to report that a grocery
store cashier muttered "dumb faggot" under her breath after an effeminate man in
front of the caller took a long time putting away his change. Caller reported
the cashier's mutter to the customer service desk. (NCCGLE) 

O #100. August 21, Harnett Co. Members of the Christian Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan marched in Pineview. (yolice intelligence) 

O #101. August 28, New Hanover Co. Twenty-seven members of the Christian Knights
of the Ku Klux Klan marched in Wilmington. Some of them reportedly carried guns
and machetes. They were protected by 150 of ficers from the Wilmington Police
Department and the New Hanover Sheriff's Department. Forty people gathered at a
peaceful protest demonstration planned by area churches at another site.
Taxpayers paid $20,000 in overtime costs for officers because of the march. A
proposal that "any group posing a threat of violence" should pay an insurance
bond did not meet the approval of city of ficials. (August 29, September 14,
Wilmington Morning Star) 

A X #102. August 29, Nash Co. A gay man reading a newspaper in Battle Park was
beaten with a stick by two men who told him "Low-life faggots like you don't
deserve to live." The men said police patrols (which target gay men and arrest
them for picking up other gay men in the park) were "not doing enough to clean
up the park" and they were taking it into their hands to "do the job right."
After forcing the gay man to play Russian roulette, the two men took his
clothes, wallet and car keys, smashed his car windows, then walked away and
watched as he got a shirt from his car and walked out the road for help. The
caller was hospitalized with a collapsed lung, stitches, and bruises. The caller
also reported that police were indifferent and acted as if he deserved to be
beaten. When he asked for their help, one officer said "But we are trying to
stop gays in the park." Officer McGraff told NCCGLE that police are not
investigating the case because they do not have enough information. (NCCGLE) 

M #103. August 29, Durham Co. A Hispanic man was gunned down in a Durham county
neighborhood after a resident asked him to leave. Twenty-two year old Simon
Rodriguez was shot by nineteen year old Rodger Lane Freeland because Rodriguez
was waiting for gas for his stalled car. (August 31, Durham Herald-Sun) 

L #104. August 30, Macon Co. A caller reported racist literature stuffed inside
newspaper rack copies of the Atlanta Constitution. The flyers were announcements
of the National Vanguard Books, believed to be a business run by neo-Nazi
William Pierce. (NCARRV victim's report) 

S Y #105. August 31, Cumberland Co. A white drum major at the predominantly
black college Fayetteville State University stepped down after catcalls and
racial epithets were yelled at him on several occasions. (September 2, Charlotte
Observer) 

H X #106. Late August, Wake Co. A harassing phone call was received by a NC
State activist whose phone number was listed on fliers advertising the group's
first meeting. (NCCGLE) 

H X #107. Late August, Wake Co. An NC State University student activist driving
down Hillsborough St. was harassed by two men in a pick-up with NC State
stickers, who threw a cup of ice in her window and yelled "Faggot." (NCCGLE) 

SEPTEMBER ** 

L X #108 September, Wake Co. Someone put up flyers in shower stalls at NCSU
warning men that gays wanted to have sex with them. (NCCGLE) 

H X #109. September 2, Wake Co. A lesbian received a telephoned death threat the
night after the NCSU paper ran an editorial she wrote supporting National Coming
Out Day. (NCCGLE) 

X #110. September 2, Vance Co. A victim visited NCARRV's office to report that
he has been followed for some time by men driving cars with Georgia license
tags. The victim believes the incident started when he moved next door to a man
speculatively linked to the Klan. The victim, who is black, had his home damaged
and his property vandalized. The county sheriff's department have been unable to
charge anyone with the defacement of his property and he has hired a private
investigator. (NCARRV victim's report) 

A #111. September 6, Buncombe Co. Blacks and whites clashed in Asheville at a
Westem Steer restaurant. Shots were fired and one person was hit in the finger.
No one was charged. (September 7, Asheville Citizen-Times) 

September 6, Lee Co. Members of the Wake County NAACP went to Sanford to
confiscate office equipment from the Invisible Empire Knights of the Ku Klux
Klan. (September 10, Raleigh News and Observer, NCARRV) 

H X #112. September 7, Durham Co. An interracial lesbian couple reported
receiving death threats at their home. A swastika was painted on a rock near
their home and threats were circulated among people close to them. (NCARRV
victim's report) 

H X #113. September 9, Pitt Co. A gay man listed as contact for a gay, lesbian
and bisexual group received a harassing message. (NCCGLE) 

V #114. September 17, Wake Co. A home in Gamer was vandalized with references to
the KKK, racial slurs, and Satanic syrnbols. (September 29, Garner News) 

Y #115. September 17, Durham Co. Rumors of racial conflict at Southem High
School prompted school administrators to ask white students not to wear cowboy
hats. Apparently a group of white teens dressed with cowboy hats were sus-pected
of instigating a confrontation with black students at the school. White students
were angered, pointing to black students wearing Malcolm X hats and T-shirts to
school. (Septetnber 18, Durham Herald-Sun) 

O O #116,#117. September 18, Randolph Co. Twenty members of the Christian
Knights of the Ku Klux Klan marched in Asheboro and Randleman. (September 22,
Randletnan Reporter) 

H X #118. September 23, Mecklenburg Co. After an MCC church (which ministers
primarily to lesbians and gay men) purchased land in Mathews, its pastor
received death threats and harassing calls. Led by Cindy Faw, members of nearby
Baptist Bible Church organized to run the church out of their neighbor-hood. The
group has harassed church members during services, filed a petition to revoke
the church's zoning ordinance, and alleged that church members molest children.
(NCCGLE) 

September 23, Forsyth Co. One of the four white men charged with the brutal
murder and castration of a black man was released from jail, serving barely 16
months. Assistant Distrlct Attorney Vince Rabil claimed Dwayne Gregory Doby
received death threats and may be needed as a witness in upcoming appeals.
(Setttember 23, Winston-Salem Chronicle) 

A Y #119. September 23, Cleveland Co. Two fights between black and white
students at Kings Mountain High School in Kings Mountain led to the suspension
of six students. The following day police confiscated a baseball bat and a knife
from students. (September 30, Kings Mountain Herald) 

A #120. September 24, Orange Co. Kyle Noriega, a white man from Durham, was
assaulted by a group of black teenagers. He described the beating to the Chapel
Hill Herald as follows: "All of a sudden a group of blacks stepped out of the
shadows of an alley. The leader came forward and cold hit me to the ground. The
next thing I know, these dadgum niggers were all over mebeating the sh-- out of
me." (September 26, Chapel Hill Herald) 

H X #121. September 28, Wayne Co. A lesbian reported she and her partner were
being harassed by their neighbor who yelled slurs from his front yard and
damaged their home. (NCCGLE) 

L #122. September 29, Chatham Co. In Siler City, bright red stickers proclaiming
"Earth's Most Endangered Species: THE WHITE RACE. Help Preserve it. Write of
call the National Alliance in Hillsboro, West Virginia" were scattered
throughout the city. (September 30, Siler City News) 

H X #123. Late September, Orange Co. Someone threw a brick through the second
floor window of an openly gay student at UNC. It was reported to campus police.
(NCCGLE) 

OCTOBER ** 

O #124. October 2, Cleveland Co. Twelve members of the Christian Knights of the
Ku Klux Klan marched in Shelby. Twenty officers provided police protection.
(October 4, Shelby Daily Star) 

A Y #125. October 9, Johnston Co. Racial tensions were displayed when a group of
white youths accosted a group of black youths in Clayton. The white youth were
dnnking outside a game room when they decided to "cross the railroad tracks" and
assault a group of black youths. Officers and sheriff's deputies were called to
break up the fight. The newspaper reported there were 200 black and white youth
involved. (October 11, Raleigh News and Observer) 

F X #126. October 9, Onslow Co. Someone broke into Danny Leonard's home, doused
his bed with diesel or jet fuel, and set the home ablaze, causing $72,000 -
$80,000 in damages. Leonard received a phone call the night before the arson
which said "We're gonna get you good this time faggot." After the arson, someone
called saying, "We fixed you good this time faggot. Next time we'll finish you
off." A week later, someone called to boast, "I broke down your door, poured gas
on your bed and burnt your house down. I'm gonna do the same to the bar and kill
you." (NCCGLE) 

S X #127. October 9, GuiUord Co. Fans at a UNC Greensboro soccer game shouted
homophobic slurs at the opposing team. (NCCGLE) 

O O #128,#129. October 9, Nash Co. Members of the Christian Knights of the Ku
Klux Klan marched in Middlesex and Bailey. (police intelligence) 

October 11, Wayne Co. (GLHWC) - In Goldsboro, a man walking down the street was
called a "fag" and ridiculed when a car full of teenage boys passed him.
(NCCGLE) 

H X #130. October 15, Durham Co. A gay man doing his laundry at a White Star
laundromat was harassed by two men who started to come after him. The following
day the victim passed by one of the men on the street who shouted at him, "I see
you made it out of the laundromat alive." (NCCGLE) 

O #131. October 16, Cabarrus Co. Thirty members of the Christian Knights of the
Ku Klux Klan marched in Concord. (October 17, Concord Tribune) 

October 24, Durham Co. A white youth possibly took advantage of racial problems
in Durham when he said he and a friend were attacked by a gang of black
teenagers on Hoover Rd. The youth first reported that they were in the
neighborhood looking at a truck advertised for sale. It was later discovered
that the youth were there to buy drugs. The other youth died as a result of his
injuries. (October 25, 26, 28, Durham Herald-Sun) 

NOVEMBER ** 

H X #132. November, Orange Co. An openly gay UNC student received harassing
phone calls once or twice a day for weeks. (NCCGLE) 

H #133. November 1, Durham Co. A Durham woman reported burn marks resembling a
cross in her yard. Police were investigating it as a possible hate crime.
(November 3, Durham Herald Sun) 

O #134. November 6, Guilford Co. Twenty-five members of the Christian Knights of
the Ku Klux Klan marched in Greensboro. They were protected by 235 law
enforcement of ficers, costing the city $29,000. (November 11, Greensboro News
and Record) 

V X #135. November 8, Purham Co. A victim reported vandalism to his car which
had several gay stickers on it. "Fag" was written in black permanent marker
across windows, mirrors and bumper stickers. (NCCGLE) 

A Y #136. November 14, Orange Co. In Chapel Hill, a black teenager was charged
with four counts of ethnic intimidation after an altercation with four men, one
of whom was black. The victims reported being assaulted after a group of 15
black teenagers exchanged words with the four men. The black teenager charged
reportedly called the black victim an "Oreo" because he was with three white
men. On January 7, 1994, Judge Lowry Betts sentenced Jamel K. Burnette, 17, and
Dimitrius G. Mullins, 17, to four days active jail time (2 weekends each), one
year suspended sentence, two years supervised probation, 50 hours community
service, an 11:30 pm curfew, and ordered to pay the victim's medical bill of
$7,000. (November 15, January 8, Chapel Hill Herald, November 15, Raleigh News
and Observer, November 19, Chapel Hill Newspaper) 

Y #137. November 17, Lincoln Co. Fifty West Lincoln High School students were
suspended following a protest over the "phasing out of one of the school's
long-time symbols, the Confederate Battle Flag". Principal Kelly Childers
decided the school emblem, removed from band and athletic uniforms, was a threat
to the safety of the students when they travelled to other schools. West Lincoln
High School is mostly white. Later in the week, 125 students protested, calling
for a student advisory committee. In a meeting with Associate Superintendent Ed
Hatley recommendations were given to keep the flag, including putting a slogan
on the flag, "Heritage, Not Hate". (November 17, Lincolnton Times News, and
November 19, Charlotte Observer) 

M X #138. November 21, Chatham Co. Carlos Rubino murdered Troy Joseph Dison.
Dison was hit in the back of the head with a vase and was slashed with a knife.
Rubino said he attacked Dison after Dison made a sexual advance. (NCCGLE) 

H X #139. November 22, Western NC. A white gay man reported that he and his
African-American partner, both in college on athletic scholarships, were
illegally videotaped by their teammates while the two men were having sex. The
coach made the two men watch the illegal tape with him as he made degrading
homophobic comments, and brought honor court charges against the men to have
them dismissed from school. The honor court voted to take no action and promised
to destroy the illegal tape. Both men received numerous harassing calls at home.
(NCCGLE) 

V X #140. November 22-27, Wake Co. When a lesbian student parked her car near NC
State's campus, someone cracked the right rear passenger window and wrote "F---
queer" in chalk on the car. Police said they could not do anything because she
could not prove the writing and the vandalism were related. (NCCGLE) 

DECEMBER ** 

Y #141. December 10, Alamance Co. Racial tensions peaked at Burlington's
Williams High School after "colored" and "white" signs were displayed at the
school's water fountains. Students left school early for fear of violence.
(December 11, Burlington Times-News, AGALA) 

December 10, Halifax Co. Black and white county employees held separate
Christmas parties this year. The party was held at the Scotfield Country Club,
which blacks in the community say does not welcome them. Whites gathered there
while black employees gathered at a local restaurant. (December 20, Charlotte
Observer) 

L #142. December 13, Catawba Co. In Hickory an interracial couple found a Klan
calling card on their car windshield. The card read "The Knights of the Ku Klux
laan are watching you and we don't like what we see". (December 14, Hickory
Daily Record) 

December 22, Durham Co. Woman reported that in the Durham Regional Hospital a
man called her a "dyke". (NCCGLE) 

OTHER INCIDENTS ** S X #143. Spring, Durham Co. A Riverside High School
accounting teacher joked freely about "fags" during class. A gay youth in the
class asked OutRight! to write the coach a letter. (NCCGLE) 

H X #144. Summer, Durham Co. Caregiver at a residency for people living with
AIDS reported that three times during the summer a car filled with male
teenagers drove by shouting anti-gay slurs. (NCCGLE) 

A X #145. Fall, Transylvania Co. A 16-year-old gay youth was repeatedly
assaulted by his schoolmates when they found out he was gay. One schoolmate
tried to kill him by jerking him out of a car. On December 9, the youth moved to
a group home so that he could, in his words, "go back to high school and get
away from all the hurt, pain, danger and harassment." (NCCGLE) 

Fall, Orange & Durham Co. Five gay parents from the Chapel Hill school system
reported that their children were harassed. One child was verbally abused on a
school bus, the others were harassed on the playground. (NCCGLE) 

A X #146. Winter, Wake Co. An Afrlcan-American fraternity at NC State assaulted
and kicked out a pledge because he was rumored to be gay. The man was
hospitalized and withdrew from school. (NCCGLE) 

H X #147. 1993, Cumberland Co. Employees and patrons at aub Oz, a gay bar,
reported numerous slashed tires and harassing calls. (NCCGLE) 

1993, Buncombe Co. Local hotline told NCCGLE about one reported instance of
anti-gay vandalism but gave no details in order to protect confidentiality.
(NCCGLE) 

"There is little hope for us until we become toughminded enough to break loose from the shackles of prejudice, half-truths, and
downright ignorance." Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

POLICE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS: CONFLICT AND UNREST CONTINUE 

The "age-old problem" of police and community friction, as identified by the
Community Relations Service of the United States Justice Department, became a
critical concern for North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence in
1989. Following our monitoring efforts of six years, we noted a marked increase
of almost 100 percent for that year over the previous three years in the number
of suspects' deaths occurring while in police custody or while being
apprehended. With the release of a special report in 1990, "NO REVERENCE FOR
LIFE? POLICE USE OF DEADLY FORCE IN NORTH CAROLINA", one full year before the
Rodney King incident in Los Angeles brought this issue to the front burner of
current social debate, NCARRV began to raise hard and unpopular questions about
the pervasive climate of fear andmistrust which fuels this phenomenon. We
believed our focus to be right on the mark, especially in light of the
overriding racially charged characteristic of the conflict. 

We raised such questions as: Is the violence attributable to police brutality or
self defense? Is what we are seeing due to lack of respect for the law or lack
of respect for those perceived criminal? What works best, a strong-armed
militaristic approach or a human relations centered negotiation style? We also
offered recommendations for remedies which included: more active participation
by citizens in the policing process in their communities and in the review
process when allegations of excessive force surface; mandating by law the
civilian review of agencies facing allegations of excessive force; the
development and implementation of a uniform firearms policy governing law
enforcements' discharge of weapons by the North Carolina Criminal Justice
Education and Training Standards Commission; and systematic record-keeping and
reporting on police use of deadly force by the Police Information Network with
targeted information which would clearly indicate the relationship of violence
against and by police. While citizens have taken an active role in advocacy for
their involvement in policing their communities, as suggested by these
recommendations, official steps toward implementing them have been slow to
non-existent. 

"Community Oriented Policing" practices have been implemented in some agencies
and increase human relations training for officers in some departments across
North Carolina. Even so the conflict continues and the climate of fear and
mistrust prevails - on the part of citizens and police alike. That social
reality resonated unequivocally for us at NCARRV, as we prepared documentation
for the release of this report. 

The 27 incidents logged account for alleged assaults by officers on citizens,
racial slurs directed a police and by police at citizens, instances of riots an
racially motivated community unrest, inappropriate police response, and death. 

Citizens in communities we hear from express their understanding of the need
for, and in fact desire police protection, especially in light of the larger
climate of violence and crime in our society. Their frustrations center around
what verges on "police occupation" in their communities which are perceived to
be "criminal" or "drug infested" . They resent being labeled "hostile" when they
react to more than three police cars responding with riot-geared officers to a
simple disturbance. The disturbance is exacerbated by such "show of force" and
winds up in a dangerous power play between community and police. Individuals -
particularly African American men, articulate their outrage at being held at
gunpoint and often handcuffed as a result of mistaken identity. Six of the
logged cases in this section are attributed to conflict and tension in those
categories. 

Law enforcement professionals face a different yet equally intensified strain in
these highly charged situations. As they embrace their mandate to protect and
defend the public and their own lives, they also must grapple with making the
transition from traditional paramilitaristic police culture to a more personal
approach of negotiation and problem-solving. A new set of skills are required
when officers feel they are "out-gunned" and out-numbered by the criminals. The
capacity for a clear judgement call wanes in dangerous situations, and fear for
personal safety becomes paramount. In the absence of these new skills, the
objective is to subdue a suspect at any cost and end the threat. 

Seven deaths of susnects which occured while in the custody of police or during
apprehension by officers are included in this section. While three of the
suspects were alleged by officers to be armed, none of them returned fire. A
Rockingham County man sustained 11 gunshot wounds after allegedly pointing a
shotgun at officers following a domestic dispute. A Selma man, Charles Nathaniel
Smith, was shot by three police officers and died on the scene, and Kenneth
Brian Fennell of Goldsboro was shot by a Randolph County officer following a
speeding citation stop and a scuffle. Unarmed Daron LaMont Bines died after he
was shot by Winston-Salem officer E.F. Gene Piscitelli after seeking to
intervene in a struggle with the officer and another man. Windy Gail Thompson
was shot four times and killed by Charlotte officer Mark Farmer who alleges she
tried to drag him with her car following a suspected drunken driving stop. 

The "pepper spray" deaths of 26 year-old Angelo Robinson of Concord and a
Winston-Salem man, Lawrence Francisco Cannon, 52 years old, occurred when
officers used the mace to subdue them during arrest. Pepper spray mace was also
used on a crowd in Columbus county following a disturbance at a Tabor City town
council meeting, which resulted in community unrest. 

Two cases of inappropriate police response were logged when calls came into the
NCARRV office. Members of the Durham Service Corps, a community service and
education program, related how they had been falsely accused of attempted
robbery by a nervous Durham resident and had been handcuffed and held at
gunpoint by North Carolina Central University Campus Police with Durham City
Police cooperation. There were also questions from citizens following the
release of information by the Durham Police Department that a black gang was
raping and kidnapping white women as partof an initiation rite. The police
recanted the story after public outcry. 

We learned again from these incidents that police departments bear a unique
responsibility in shaping community views about crime and its perpetrators;
Hasty judgements based on misinformation from the community or on officers'
preconceptions can easily lead to embarrassment or even tragedy. The challenge
posed here for departments appears to be their need to investigate carefully
from a non-confrontational posture before responding to any given situation. 

In 1993, there were also police convictions and discharges stemming from
citizens' mistreatment. Two of six officers in Gaston County were convicted on
charges of abusing street people. A Hoke County officer was convicted of assault
following an arrest where he beat a suspect with his baton. A Statesville
officer was discharged following allegations of excessive use of force in a
domestic dispute call. 

In light of the incidents revealed in this section a number of questions
immediately surface. How do we diffuse the ongoing climate of mistrust and fear
between police and communities, undergirded by the perception that one group,
particularly identified by race or age, is more criminal than another? Shouldn't
the use of pepper gas mace be halted until there have been conclusive studies
about its toxic nature, given the deaths we know have followed its use? How do
we ensure that the "Community Oriented Policing" approach is embraced statewide
by law enforcement agencies, across the board? How do we really restore peace
and mutual respect in our communities? It is clearly our sense at NCARRV that
these questions deserve serious consideration and must be answered if we hope to
de-escalate the pervasive climate of violence and conflict with police in our
communities. 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMEDY OF POLICE AND COMMUNITY CONFLICT 

Some very positive steps have been taken across the state by police agencies who
have embraced Community Oriented Policing as an approach to create the potential
forpartnership relations in communities. The Durham Police Department, as a
model, includes components such as Crime Area Target Teams (CATT) which places
officers in "high crime area" communities in order to restore safety for
residents. They have also developed community work and dialogue groups like the
North East Central Durham Partners Against Crime Group, comprised of police and
residents who have a pulse on what is happening and are working together to
build positive perceptions and relationships. 

These approaches, while admirable, still only address the symptoms of a problem
that is otherwise almost out of control. We strongly encourage and recommend
that police agencies explore partnership relations with community based
organizations to develop projects which offer skills training and
entrepreneurial opportunities to traditionally disempowered and unemployed
juveniles. These kind of projects may serve as the strongest deterrent to young
people seeking money and respect and who often believe they find both through
criminal behavior. Creating opportunities for sustainable income and realization
of one's total potential is the truest way to prevent crime. 

As we at NCARRV have continually stressed, there is a need for active citizens
participation in policing their communities. We also believe citizens must have
a voice through a Citizen's Review Process when allegations of police misconduct
or charges of excessive use of force emanate from the community. The cases
logged in this section point to the fact that the underlying problems have not
been ameliorated. In light of the apparent success Durham's department is having
with their North East Central Durham Partners Against Crime Group, we suggest
that this kind of structure could be a model for dealing with such matters. The
very nature of these groups, through careful nurturing, information sharing and
exchange, and mutually respectful relationship building between communities and
local departrnents, should guarantee that the interests of all are served. We
would further recommend that this structure be empowered to monitor complaints
through constant contact with their departments, and to make appropriate
recommedations. 

CHRONOLOGY 

1993 Incidents of Police and Community Conflict December 31,1992, Gaston Co. A
Gastonia man claimed he was assaulted by police officers in an unmarked car on
New Year's Eve. When he refused to pull his car over. Vincent Pressley was
stopped for driving with expired registration tags and was charged with
resisting arrest, driving with expired registration tags, and failure to stop
for a blue light and siren. (January 9, Gaston Gazette) 

January, Gaston Co. Two of six police officers charged with abusing street
people received prison terms. The officers were charged with harassing homeless
people by pouring cooking oil and urine on them and by beating them. Charges
surfaced in 1990 after complaints were filed. Controversy surrounded the case
after the city paid victims money in exchange for keeping quiet. (January 23
Charlotte Observer; January 23 Gaston Gazette) 

January 5, Durham Co. The Durham Police Department informed the public of a
black gang that "kidnaps and rapes white women as a rite of initiation".
Following questions emanating from the community, police maintain the
information was given to them by an informant. They recanted the story a few
days later. (January 6, Durham Herald-Sun) 

January 10, Cumberland Co. A Fayetteville man filed a complaint against a
Highway Patrol officer stating that the officer assaulted him with a heavy,
metal flashlight to the face. The victim's wife sat in the car while the assault
occurred. (January 26, Fayetteville Obsever-Times) 

February 18, Rockingham Co. A man pointed a shotgun at police and is shot eleven
times and killed when he charges at them. 

March 28, Orange Co. A black Chapel Hill resident complained after police
pointed a gun at his head after mistaking him for a robbery suspect. The same
weekend, a black Fort Bragg Army sergeant and his brother were handcuffed and
interrogated by police at gunpoint, also as a result of mistaken identity. One
of the officers allegedly commented that "all blacks look alike." After public
outcry and a police investigation, Police Chief Ralph Pendergraph stated in the
April 2 edition of the Chapel Hill Herald that "These were felony vehicle stops
and under this policy officers are allowed to draw weapons, although with no
finger on the trigger." Officers were going on the description of "black man
driving a red car". (March 29, April 3, Chapel Hill Herald) 

April 11, Johnston Co. A Selma man was shot by three of ficers after he stole
his girlfriend's truck at gunpoint. Officers responding to the call said
twenty-seven year old Charles Nathaniel Smith was armed with a .38
semi-automatic pistol. He was told four tirnes to drop the weapon. When he
didn't respond, Officer David Allen fired. The other two officers at the scene
fired also. Smith died at the scene. The officers were placed on paid
administrative leave pending an investigation. (April 13, Raleigh News and
Observer; April 13 Smithfield Herald) 

Duplin/Wayne Co. Mount Olive Police Chief John Wilson was the subject of a
petition asking for his removal. Residents point to Wilson's abusive treatment
of two black teenage residents and his management style as reasons for
dismissal. Earlier this year Wilson was accused of using excessive force in the
apprehension of two unarmed black teenagers. Wilson reportedly threw the teens
to the ground, handcuffed them and held them at gunpoint. Prior to becoming
Chief of Mount Olive, Wilson was head of mall security at Crabtree Valley Mall,
which became the subject of mistreatment of African-American customers,
particularly black youth. Wilson was asked to resign after the mall agreed to
pay a $12,292 settlement to a black youth who charged he was struck and injured
by a security guard. (April 15, Raleigh News and Observer) 

April 25, Lee Co. When police were called to a Sanford community to break up a
fight, tensions created a riot where tear gas was used to disperse a crowd
gathered to witness the incident at Turner Drive. Community residents expressed
their outrage at the way the police handled the situation, claiming that tear
gas was not necessary. (April 27 and 28, Sanford Herald) 

April 29, New Hanover Co. What was termed a "hostile crowd" gathered to throw
bottles at police officers who were in the Creekwood area to arrest a man on
trespass charges. An officer was responding to a call of loiterers in the area
when he spotted the man, who had a previous drug charge. Because of that drug
charge, he was to be arrested on sight. The suspect reportedly resisted arrest,
another officer "unintentionally struck the suspect in the upper body, possibly
in the head area", as the suspect charged the officer. A crowd gathered,
throwing rocks and shouting "Rodney King". It was the second time in six weeks
that a crowd gathered in such a response during a police arrest. Lt. J.L Yost,
head of the career criminal section of the Wilmington Police Department was
quoted as saying: ". . . to us, it'snot black and white; it's people choosing to
behave in a certain way. You need to ask one question: Did the man submit
willfully? The answer is going to be 'No'." The suspect, Wayne Lamont Clark,
later filed a complaint. An investigation completed a month later by the
Wilmington Police Department concluded that the officers did not use excessive
force. (May 1, 4 and 25, Wilmington Morning Star) 

May 3, Durham Co. A student from North Carolina Central University filed a
complaint against Duke University's Public Safety Department after he and three
other students were detained upon leaving Duke's Perkins library. Kyle Jackson,
a pre-law student, and a friend were on campus using the library when they
offered two friends a ride. Public Safety of ficers stopped them just as they
were leaving the library and ordered the occupants of the car to put their hands
on the dash. Jackson maintains that when he asked why he was stopped, he was
told to keep his hands on the dashboard and was not given any explanation. Chief
A.B. Washington of Public Safety later said the car was stopped because one of
the occupants of the car was suspected of stealing a bookbag from the library.
No one was charged. Jackson filed a formal complaint. (May 4, Durham Herald-Sun)

May 8, Cumberland Co. It is reported that a Cumberland Co. Sheriff's deputy was
placed on paid administrative leave following a complaint that he beat a
handcuffed suspect. The incident occurred following a disturbance at a tavern
where the suspect could not find his wife. The woman apparently left after the
suspect was involved in a fight at the tavern. The suspect was charged with
damage to personal property and trespassing after he kicked the dashboard of the
patrol car and kicked at the deputy. (May 8, Greensboro News and Record) 

May 14, Durham Co. An off-duty Sheriff's deputy reportedly used racially
offensive comments while breaking up a fight between two students at Southern
High School. The remarks allegedly occurred after a student involved in the
brawl assaulted the deputy. The student was charged with assault. (May 19,
Durham Herald-Sun) 

May 23, Rowan Co. The Statesville Record and Landmark reported that a police
officer from the Statesville Police Department was fired for using excessive
force during a call responding to a domestic dispute. (May 23, Statesville
Record and Landmark) 

June 1, Forsyth Co. Winston-Salem police officer E.F. Gene Piscitelli shot and
killed a man during a struggle with another man the officer saw smashing windows
of a parked patrol car with a bicycle. Twenty-six year old Daron LaMont Bines
died after being shot by Officer Piscitelli. Witnesses say Bines was trying to
break up a struggle between Piscitelli and Richard Nathaniel Burns. During a
struggle, the officer swung his billy club and sprayed Mace. People gathered to
watch the fight and witnesses reported after Officer Piscitelli withdrew his 10
mm semiautomatic, he shot himself in the thigh before firing at Bines. In
November, District Attorney Tom Keith cleared the officer of any wrongdoing.
(June 2,4, Greensboro News and Record; November 4, Winston-Salern Chronicle) 

June 3, Hoke Co. A Raeford police of ficer was convicted of assaulting a suspect
with a baton during a January arrest. Officer Locklear maintained the suspect
jumped him after he was attacked. He was sentenced to six months in prison,
suspended and placed on 18 months unsupervised probation. (June 4, Fayetteville
Observer-Times) 

June 15, Guilford Co. An African American Highway Patrol Officer was charged
with assault after he beat a drunk driver suspect. The suspect, William Lee,
reportedly spit at the officer and called him a "nigger". Lee, who is white, was
reportedly handcuffed at the time. Steve Evans, a five-year veteran of the
Highway Patrol, was placed on unpaid suspension after the April 19 incident and
was subsequently fired. (June 17, Greensboro News and Record, June 18, Charlotte
Observer and June 18, Winston-Salem Journal) 

July, Durham Co. Members of the Durham Service Corps reported that their van was
stopped and NCCU police officers held them at gun point after a false report
that there was a gun in the van. The Durham Service Corp is located on North
Carolina Central University's campus. Durham City police arrived and explained
to corps members what was going on. A Durham resident became nervous when he saw
young black men in his neighborhood (the service corp members were going around
tagging city garbage bins). He called police to report he saw a gun. Members of
the corp met with city representatives to express their concerns. (NCARRV victim
report) 

July 11, Robeson Co. A Red Springs police car was shot into while an officer was
inside. The car was struck five times, its headlight, front tire, and front
fender hit. The shooting occurred when tensions were high due to the shooting of
a black man by a white off-duty police officer. (July 25, Red Springs Citizen) 

July 11, Cabarrus Co. A twenty-four year old African American male lost his life
at the hands of law enforcement in Concord. Angelo Robinson and an off-duty
police officer exchanged words at the Waffle House in Concord. Backup assistance
was requested by the officer and Robinson was continually sprayed with mace.
Robinson, who had asthma, died enroute to the police department. The event
touched off rioting and citywide curfews in the area. (July 12,13 Charlotte
Observer, July 12, Goldsboro News Argus, July 13, Kannapolis Daily Independent) 

August 12, Cabarrus Co. Concord city aldermen voted to support state legislation
that would create citizen review boards to review police actions. The vote came
one month after Concord was rocked by rioters after the death of an African
American male in police custody. Angelo Robinson died after police used mace on
him during confrontation at a Waffle House. (August 15, Salisbury Post) 

August 30, Cabarrus Co. An autopsy report released by the state stated that
pepper spray Mace contributed to the death of Angelo Robinson, who died while in
police custody in July. Attorney General Mike Easley urged law enforcement
agencies to suspend use of the spray until officers received more training on
its use. "In my opinion, the cause of death in this case is asphyxia due to
bronchospasm precipitated by the pepper spray. The decedent reportedly
complained of respiratory difficulty and subsequently collapsed soon after being
sprayed with the substance." Lisa M. Flannagan, assistant state medical
examiner. (August 31, Raleigh News and Observer) 

August 30, Randolph Co. A black male was shot and killed by a Highway Patrol
Officer after being stopped for speeding in Archdale. Kenneth Brian Fennell of
Goldsboro was stopped and given a citation for driving without an operator's
license. Trooper Stephenson said he found crack cocaine, a pistol and scales in
the car. The victim and the officer then struggled and the trooper claimed he
fired in self-defense. Trooper R.L. Stephenson was placed on administrative
leave during investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation. (September 1,
Wilmington Morning Star) 

September 24, New Hanover Co. A white man injured during a fight refused to
cooperate with a police officer because he was black. Police were forced to
return to the home of the victim three times to get a report. (September 25,
Wilmington Morning Star) 

September 26, Johnston Co. A nineteen year old man was shot nine times and
killed by a state Highway Patrol officer. The officer says he spotted Winfred
Earl Boskey standing on the side of a road near a car. They struggled while two
Department of Correction officers were flagged by a motorist and came to assist
Trooper Charles Rogers. Rogers attempted to spray Boskey with Mace but instead
sprayed himself in the eyes. The two then fell into the back of the police
cruiser with Boskey on 'op. (September 28, Raleigh News and Observer) 

October 12, Columbus Co. Five supporters of former police chief Willie Gore were
arrested for a disturbance at the Tabor City town council meeting. Gunshots were
also heard and several parked cars were damaged. Community residents blamed the
incident on the police, who many feel instigated the disturbance after
supporters of Gore were asked to leave the town meeting. I'olice responded with
pepper spray and the outbreak followed. Ada Spivey was quoted in the Wilmington
Morning Star with saying "They fired the colored l,. and the colored people
don't like it. But the colored got to realize that the colored people got to
live just like us white folks got to live. Il they don't put somebody in their
way, they're going to take it over, the colored people are." White resident
Linell Fowler was quoted in the October 17 Wilmington Morning Star as saying
"But all I'm asking is that they stay in their place and act like they should.
They are not. They are trying to make white people come to them and its not
going to work." (October 14, Raleigh News and Observer, Whiteville News
Reporter, Wilmington Journal) 

October 19, Iredell Co. Statesville Police Officers arrested six people and
charged them with inciting a riot after "50 hostile people in a high crime
neighborhood" assaulted police with rocks. Officers say they were responding to
reports of a disturbance. A crowd was asked to disperse and when they did not do
so, officers responded by asking for assistance from the NC Highway Patrol and
the Iredell Sheriff's Department. No injuries were reported. (October 21,
Winston-Salem Journal) 

November 3, Forsyth Co. A man who lapsed into a coma after being sprayed with
pepper spray by police in July died. Lawrence Francisco Cannon, 52 years old,
was charged with trespassing and fighting at a convenience store in
Winston-Salem. Cannon crawled into a nearby car and refused to leave. Officers
forced him out, "struggled with him briefly", and sprayed him with pepper spray.
Upon arrival at the Forsyth County Jail, a jailer refused to admit Cannon
because he was stumbling. He was taken to Forsyth Memorial Hospital, but was
unconscious in the back seat of a police car when it arrived. As of November 4,
District Attorney Tom Keith had not decided whether police did anything
improper. (November 4, Concord Tribune) 

December 29, Mecklenburg Co. In Charlotte, an African American woman was shot
and killed by Officer Mark Farmer during a traffic stop for suspected drunk
driving. Thirty-two year old Windy Gail Thompson was shot four times after
Farmer maintains he was dragged by her car. After a chase that ended with Ms.
Thompson's car in a utility pole, Farmer says he went around the passenger side
of the suspect's car. With his arm hung in the window, Officer Farmer said Ms.
Thompson took off, dragging him along. I le claims he fired to save his life.
Community leaders questioned the amount of force used. (December 31, Charlotte
Observer) 

UPDATE ON THE POLICE AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROJECT 

In 1991, with a one-time seed grant from the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, NCARRV
launched a model criminal justice project to address police and community
conflict, foster mutual respect and trust between police and citizens, and
interrupt an escalating trend toward violence in our communities. 

Throughout 1991 and 1992 NCARRV brought the experience of monitoring
police/community violence and working with victims to a collaboration with the
Criminal Justice Department of North Carolina Central University (NCCU). A major
goal was to convene an advisory board of law enforcement administrators, human
relations workers, criminal justice experts, and community leaders in order to
examine the dynamics of "police culture" and move toward developing "police and
community partnerships". The project aimed to encourage ground-breaking research
which might suggest training, policy,and additional needs for recommendations to
state policing agencies for change. The advisory body was formed as a
broad-based statewide representative group and met bi-monthly to provide project
oversight and directions in shaping the two-year project. 

Initial research initiatives of assessing community perceptions surrounding
police service delivery began in 1992, and data was collected in Durham, Graham,
and Beaufort counties.In ligh tof thosei nitial findings, under the strong
encouragement and guidance of the Advisory Board, the project was expanded to
include assessing police agencies' perceptions. 

In 1993, with additional funding from the National Institute of Justice and
guided by the research expertise at NCCU, the project initiative was honed to
focus on rural policing initiatives. The Advisory Board is continuing to meet
and the project is ongoing. An expanded timeframe now projects publication of
the project's findings in March of 1995. NCARRV is currently involved on the
project as a consultant in assisting to shape a community education and
empowerment initiative. 

Summary and Recommendations 

The year of 1993 was earmarked by intensified acts of violence in North
Carolina. While Klan organizing activity of marches and rallies diminished
considerably, the occurrence of assault, community unrest amid racial tensions,
and death were noted at an all-time high. 

The conspicuous absence of visible organized hate group activity validated for
us at NCARRV the effectiveness the past ten years have had on planting seeds of
hatred which undergird and offer support to individuals who commit acts of
bigoted attack. The pervasive climate of violence which we are now seeing in the
larger community and society cuts across gender, age, race, ethnicity, class,
and sexual identity lines. 

As we have pointed out with the documentationof the 147 incidents logged in
1993, fear-based violence accounts for the majority of cases. That fear is
overwhelmingly seeded in mistrust of those who are different and the heightened
hysteria around crime and the perceptions of who are responsible for crime. This
hysteria must be laid to rest and named as it realistically exists. 

It exists for the benefit of elected officials who capitalize upon this
notoriety, hoping to gain support of voters who are made to feel protected and
"safe". It also exists for the benefit of the media who gain readers and viewers
from the hyped sensationalism. If national indicators can be believed, which
suggest that crime is indeed diminishing in all categories except black on black
crime, then the pivotal set of questions to be answered here is: who will fill
newly built prisons supported by our tax dollars and appearing in the heart of
our communities? Who will be sent to these newly established boot-camps touted
as a possible deterrent for first-time youthful offenders? Who is destined to
experience the "three strikes you're out" rule, which will determine life-long
prison terms? Who currently bears the brunt of this hype around crime and
ultimately loses across the board because we fail to think in terms of
preventive strategies instead of intervention? 

These questions, while very hard-edged, must be answered as we watch the
resources of our state and nation be siphoned off to address hysteria about
crime instead of being used to create real and certain opportunities to build up
our communities and our youth instead of the currently designed approaches aimed
at locking up our youth. 

The swiftly approaching 21st century and the hope for a different kind of
culture and society which values the dignity and worth of all of its population
now places upon us some unique demands. Paramount among them - as ethnic and
racial demographics shift - is that we think more critically and face with much
more honesty the legacy of chaos our racially defined history has wrought.
Particularly in light of how that history has determined who will remain
impoverished or can be categorized "at risk" or become totally devalued over
property. 

With the release of this report and as NCARRV grapples with many of the same
challenges of the next millennium and those provided by the findings of 1993, we
offer a number of recommendations for remedies that we believe will the move
state toward restoring the values of human worth and dignity for all North
Carolinians. 

We recommend that: 

   Governor Jim Hunt recommission the state TaskForce on Racial, Religious, and
   Ethnic Intimidation and Violence. 
   The Task Force develop an anti-bias curriculum for use in all public schools.
   A model can be gained from the National Association for the Education of
   Young Children. 
   Human Relations Commissions be re-established in every county in North
   Carolina. 
   Standards be developed for application of the Ethnic Intimidation Act to
   re-orient it toward its original "intended" purpose. 
   Statistics on indictments and convictions under the Ethnic Intimidation Act
   be recorded and published. 
   Sexual identity be included as a protected class in North Carolina's Ethnic
   Intimidation Act and that victims of this class qualify for compensation
   under the state's Civil Rights Interference Act. 

Summary of Recommendations for Police and Community Relations We recommend that:

   Police agencies explore partnership relationships with community based
   organizations to develop projects which offer skills and entrepreneurial
   opportunities to juveniles and young adults. 
   Citizens participate in policing their communities 
   A Citizens' Review Process be established to address allegations of police
   misconduct and/or excessive use of force. 
   Model programs such as the North East Central Durham's Partners Against Crime
   Program be - extended to other areas in the state. 
   Community/Police relations projects include the power for citizens to monitor
   complaints and make recommendations. 

North Carolinians Against Racist and Religious Violence 

P.O. Box 240 

Durham, North Carolina 27702 

919-688-5965