ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, June 25, 1996 TAG: 9606250069
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA
SOURCE: Associated Press
Eleven years after police dropped a bomb on the MOVE rowhouse, a federal jury ordered the city and two former top officials Monday to pay $1.5 million to a survivor and relatives of two dead members of the radical cult.
After nine days of deliberations, the jury found the city used excessive force and violated their constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure.
Ramona Africa, the only adult to survive the blaze, was awarded $500,000: $400,000 for pain and suffering, and $100,000 for disfigurement from burns suffered in the fire.
Relatives of MOVE founder John Africa and his nephew, Frank Africa, who both died, were awarded a total of $1 million for pain and suffering.
The May 13, 1985, police bombing of the group MOVE and the subsequent fire killed 11 people in the MOVE house and destroyed 61 homes in the Philadelphia neighborhood.
MOVE - a mostly black group whose members adopted the surname Africa, ate raw food, espoused equality with animals and preached against technology - started blaring profane anti-government messages over a loudspeaker from the rowhouse in an effort to free nine members who had been convicted of killing a police officer.
A gunfight broke out as police tried to serve arrest warrants against four of the members, including Ramona Africa, who were accused of harassing their neighbors.
During the assault, police dropped a homemade satchel-bomb from a helicopter in an attempt to knock out a rooftop bunker. Then police and firefighters let the fire burn as the gunfire continued.
Six adults and five children living in the house died, and 61 homes burned.
Africa, 41, served seven years in prison on a riot charge. She and relatives of the dead sued the city, former Police Commissioner Gregore Sambor and former Fire Commissioner William Richmond.
LENGTH: Short : 45 linesby CNB