Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 30, 1994 TAG: 9401300024
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: D-9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium
But Munden, 32, has had to take a lot of abuse for his stance, including having every window broken and a gang of invaders kick down his door.
"They act like they own the place. They're out there all times of the night," said Munden, 32, who has lived in the area for about a year. "And I told them if I see them on my porch dealing drugs, I'm calling the police."
Munden, who doesn't have a telephone, went to an outdoor pay phone last week and called police when he saw some drug dealing going on.
A few hours later, while he was watching TV, a brick flew through his living-room window, he said. Then every window in the one-bedroom apartment was broken.
Monday night, he and his 15-year-old son sat down to watch a movie on television. Soon, there was a knock on the door, and Munden saw the familiar face of one of the dealers when he opened the door. "Man, why you wanna keep calling the police on us?" the youth asked.
Munden slammed the door shut and locked it.
"A few seconds later, bam, the door flew open, and there were about seven or eight guys standing in my kitchen, in my kitchen, talking about don't nobody slam the door in our face," he said.
The intruders threatened to hold Munden down and make him watch as they me or my kid,' and I picked up a knife to defend myself," he said.
The drug dealers tore up his apartment but left without harming him or his son.
The neighborhood clearly has a drug problem and such incidents "happen much too frequently," said an area civic league officer who insisted on anonymity because "if my name is printed, they'll be kicking in my door next."
Police said they are investigating Monday's incident.
"We want to get our citizens involved, and we're not going to allow criminal elements to intimidate them in this manner," said police spokesman Larry Hill. "We will do what's necessary to correct the problem and maintain a peaceful environment."
Munden said he has called police four or five times to report drug dealing, but when police arrive the dealers scatter. They regroup later and confront him, he said.
They first started hanging out behind his apartment last summer.
"I told them to please take that stuff from my door, at least go around the corner with that stuff, but nothing worked," he said.
It got so bad that when the dealers weren't hanging out on his back porch, people would knock on Munden's door looking for them.
"One dope fiend came to my door and said, `I've got 10 dollars and I'm looking to cop a dime,' " he said, a reference to a $10 bag of crack cocaine.
Munden put up the sign after that, but he took it down last week, saying it wasn't working. Still, he said he would not give up.
"I'm not going to let these guys run me out of here," he said. "It might be easier if I move or just ignore what's going on, but I'm not going to do it. No, sir. That's what's wrong now, too many people take the easy way out."
by CNB