Wednesday, September 04, 2002
More of the same, black leaders say
By Kevin Aldridge, kaldridge@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
The indictment of Lt. Col. Ron Twitty served as another painful reminder to many African-Americans of what they say is the disproportionate treatment and disrespect of people of color must endure in Cincinnati.
News of the city's highest-ranking black officer's indictment came as no surprise to some African-Americans, although many had hoped for a different result from the grand jury.
“We say "No justice, no peace,' but peace is not even on the horizon,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch III, president of the Cincinnati Black United Front. “It's just no justice. Justice remains as elusive as ever for black people in Cincinnati.”
Disappointment and disgust were two emotions commonly expressed by African-American leaders who pledged their continued support for the assistant chief. The Black United Front — one of three groups leading a boycott against the city — said it will expand its call for economic sanctions to include local corporations in response to the indictment.
“For two years we have been fighting for police to be properly investigated and disciplined when they commit wrongful acts against the community,” said Juleana Frierson, BUF chief of staff. “But this is not what we have fought for. This is overkill. Lt. Col. Twitty has been singled out unfairly.”
She said Col. Twitty faces more jail time — more than 10 years — than officers Robert “Blaine” Jorg, Patrick Caton and Stephen Roach combined. The three officers were acquitted of charges in the deaths of two African-Americans.
Several African-American leaders said Tuesday they plan to stand beside Col. Twitty, if and when he goes to trial. Some said the assistant chief's indictment has only widened the divide between blacks and whites in Cincinnati.
“This indictment takes this city back 30 to 35 years,” said Norma Holt Davis, president of the Cincinnati branch of the NAACP. “People are going to line up on different sides of this situation and it just makes it more difficult to come together for constructive dialogue about real problems . . . ”
Mrs. Davis said Col. Twitty's guilt or innocence is not really at the heart of the matter for many African-Americans. Many people are upset over Police Chief Tom Streicher's handling of the situation.
“If he had been a high-ranking white officer, he probably would have been taken off to the side, talked to and had a reprimand put in his file,” Mrs. Davis said. “There would have been no press conference. The case would never have been turned over to (Hamilton County Sheriff) Si Leis. He would not be subject to public ridicule.
“This is just a cutting off of an African-American at the knees,” she said. “And there seems to be this unwillingness to acknowledge this disparate treatment by some in our community.”
Scotty Johnson, president of the Sentinels, an organization of black police officers, called Tuesday “one of the rainiest days in the history of the Cincinnati Police Department and in the history of the city itself.”
“It's a 12-round fight,” Mr. Johnson said. “We're early. And I've never seen a true champion give up in the third round.”
Jim Clingman, a longtime acquaintance of Col. Twitty and former president of the African-American Chamber of Commerce, said he thinks a deal between prosecutors and Col. Twitty could still be a possibility.
“I'm anticipating a deal will be cut where both sides can save face,” Mr. Clingman said. “I don't think they will drag it out to trial and there is no way they will send him to jail. I refuse to entertain that thought for one second because if that happened you could only imagine what the reaction would be.”
The biggest reaction thus far is the Black United Front's decision to expand a boycott that has already cost the city millions. The 14-month-old boycott has caused the city's largest convention this year and one of the biggest next year to cancel, along with several high-profile entertainers who had scheduled performances.
Ms. Frierson said the BUF had shelved its plans to broaden the boycott while new city manager Valerie Lemmie got acclimated. But the Twitty indictment is further proof to BUF leaders that the city is not serious about change, she said.
“This flies in the face of everything the city says it's trying to do,” Ms. Frierson said. “We are still living in two cities with two different standards of prosecution, two standards of discipline, two standards of justice.”
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