
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, March 9, 1990                   TAG: 9003092238
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                                LENGTH: Short

GREEKFEST SUIT AMENDMENT DENIED

A motion to expand a lawsuit filed against the city of Virginia Beach by a man injured during last year's Labor Day violence has been denied by a federal judge.

Dwight K. Cowell, 33, alleged in his initial suit that he was beaten by Virginia Beach police officers and attacked by a police dog during the Labor Day riots.

In his amended suit, Cowell charged his injuries were a result of a racially motivated conspiracy by city leaders to keep young blacks out of the city during the holiday. Cowell charged other blacks were injured in the riot because of the city's alleged conspiracy.

U.S. District Judge J. Calvitt Clarke ruled late last week "the court is not persuaded that the interest of justice will be served by the allowing the filing of this . . . amended complaint."

Cowell's attorney, Paul E. Sutton II, argued the court should allow the amendment because of information contained in a report by an independent panel investigating the riots. The Labor Day Review Commission concluded the riots were not racially motivated, but caused by "an unfortunate combination of lack of leadership, inadequate planning, poor preparation, failure of communication and the unlawful actions of a small percentage of the crowd." A trial on Cowell's original suit is scheduled for June 20.

- Associated Press

by CNB