Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, January 23, 1995 TAG: 9501230093
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium
Annistine Patrick and Kathryn Grayson have called a community meeting for Tuesday to address crime in the city's East End and its effect on residents.
``This is not a race issue. It's an issue of right or wrong,'' Patrick said. ``This is black-on-black crime and we can't blame anyone else for these crimes but ourselves.''
Nathaniel Dunlap and Damion Pruden are in jail on charges that they were involved in an East End shootout last summer that left 5-year-old Andre Grady paralyzed.
Patrick said she hopes the meeting will unite the community and show the witnesses they have support. She said police, prosecutors and ministers have been invited.
Patrick said she understands why some East End residents are afraid to testify against people such as Dunlap, who was once convicted of attempted murder, and Pruden, who has had robbery and attempted robbery charges against him dropped. She understands, as well, why residents are afraid to just pick up their phones and call 911.
She said people always talk about cleaning up crime, but no one has ever thought the process through for those, such as witnesses, who may be putting their lives on the line to see it happen.
``We understand what's going on, but we're tired of it and we want something done,'' Patrick said. ``We want to let the community know it's time to stand up and be counted. Time to stop being held prisoners by these young men.
The Rev. Lawrence Bethel, pastor of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church, is among the ministers invited to speak at the meeting. Bethel is also president of the Newport News chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. He said the meeting has a larger focus than the Grady case.
``What's going to happen is the community members in attendance will be exhorted to be supportive of the commonwealth's attorney in witnessing crimes they are aware of,'' Bethel said.
``I'm also hoping that input will be received from those present as to how our community can be motivated to be more cooperative in appearing in cases that are in court.
"I realize it's a tall order to ask people to put their lives at risk to testify, but we must find an answer and a means to motivate our community to do so. Our survival depends on it.''
Commonwealth's Attorney Howard Gwynn, who will attend the gathering, agreed the meeting should focus on the future. He plans to stress the importance of reporting crimes and coming to court.
``There are certain areas of town where people live in fear every day and they are terrorized by any number of persons,'' he said. ``But they have to decide if they want to live in fear and be prisoners in their own homes, or have some fear and take a stand against these people.''
by CNB