WESTERN MICHIGAN
ccordlng to Alan H. Pete n. atio
E ecutive Director, The tiona! Crime
Commi ion, the handboo helptully provid
the chance for families of murder victims to
hare the , pain and terror that ult from
hearing bout the experiences of others. It is
from the key experiences of igni cant other
loved 0 of murder victims that his bandboo
i compiled and to their courage it is dedicated.
It w created for you.
we can e� justice from a Berrien
County Judicialsystcm that has been
infamous in its handling of Black
people for years.
We found out about �t justice
when tbe·tj)� ••• _�,**�
to <fti i
Hammo elM a
against Officer MarvinPiedler out of
court.
They want to forget that every
influential white person in this
county rallied behind the white cop,
giving him support and paying his
legal expenses, while not one dime
was spent by them on the fuDeml
costs of a young Black man killed in
the flower of his youth.
They forget, calling us rabble
ready to be roused by the only Black
minister in town brave enough to
follow his convictions. Yes, I know
this experience has notbeen l�t
ure e
lost SOJDeQDC the eel.
The Bible teaches us to forgive
those who trespass against us, but we
would have to be utter fools to forget
what white people have done to us
for the past 400 years, let alone what
happened to a young BlaCk man on
Benton Harbor's southside two
years ago.
Geoffery Morrow, BH
WO T 0 ALL, however, are the
deep-rooted p ychologica1 ounds on the
urvivors. These ounds can be deep and
erio those that killed their loved ones.
These types of ounds are not always obvious,
nd they cannot be ignored, or they, like
physical wounds, will fester and grow worse.
WHETHER WE, concerned Americans,
wish to realize it or not, murder has become a
frequent incident in the lives of ordinary people,
just like . It causes 10 ,grief and hardship. It "MURDER: This Could Never Happen To
ep rates parents from their children, nd Me" is the title of a much-needed handbook
children from their parents. It causes a lasting which has been created and pecifically
gap between brothers and i ters and significant designed to benefit those family members,
loved ones. urvivors, and tho e who help to support
Mmder causes permanent los and leaves families of murder victims during the often
urvivors to deal directly with the grief, all too . overwhelming process of recovery. Its dual
often alone, with no answers to. the many
o r t'l1/IIAII1""""
on, ha GO •
"You SluJll Do No MIU< ,. 11 one of
old t rul of lOCiety and 0 of the earli t
rea trJcti 0 odety has placed on any on
person' behavior to lId another.
In reality, murder, once a rare event in the
United Stat ,has truly become n epidemiC
with a rate of more than 10 murders for every
100,000 people.
akeno mi
•
I
Inquiria regarding "MURDER: 1'Iais Could
Never Happen To Me", may be ent to �
National CriIM Commission, Post Office Box
3S0-MDR, East Orange, New Jersey 07019.
All inquirers are kindly requested to enclose
a self-addressed, tamped envelolpe.
•
I
The Southwestein Michigan member volunteers must be able to
Volunteer Center is in need of adult attend !egularly cheduled board
and youth voluntccrs each week. meetings, participate in committee
Individuals interested In responsibilities, and have a sincere
volunteering may call 983-0912 in interest in the welfare of cbildren .
the SL Joseph-Benton Harbor area or . who are clients. The organization is
683-5464 in the Niles area: particularly interested in board
Agencies and organizations in members from the fields of finance,
Deed of volunteers arc as follows: marketing and la •
To The Editor:
The July 11th edition of the
Herald Palladium tates exactly
what's on the minds of white people
inSouthw ..
dea�iji.�lasY�iIi
to run from a white police officer'
a classic case of shooting first and
asking questions later. And now over
two years later, the powers-that-be in
Berrien County want poor Black
folks to forgive and forget.
They tell us the Michigan
Appellate Court has made a mistake
by reauthorizing charges against the
man who took Mr. Maben's life, like
- Berrien County Computer
Services Department is looking for
volunteer 'who can begin
immediately to help with data entry
and telephone reception. Volunteers
should have at least some experience
with keyboards. Training will be
provided.
- 'Planned Parenthood of
Southwestem Michigan welcomes
DeW members to the teen advisory .
board. These volunteers will help
evaluate program ideas and
curricula. Planned Parenthood is also
looking for three to five volunteers to
work with the summer parks
program in the Benton Harbor area.
These volunteers would talk with
kid at the park and work in
conjuction with the family planning
health assistant.
- Berrien General Hospital is
looking for volunteers interested in
visiting residents in the, long term
care facili ty. Residents would
elcomc help with woodworking
projects, gardening, reading books
and keeping up with current events.
Qilldren' groups - scouts, youth
groups, etc. are also welcome to
inquire about short-term or
10DI -term volunteer projects with
the residents.
..:_ Big Brothers-Big Sisters of
Niles-Buchanan is interested in
finding qualified candidates for i
board of di.rc(:tolS. PIOIpOCIi board
- AmerlcanRed Qoss is in need
of vohmtcelS on their Bloodmobile.
The Bloodmobile will be in 'the
following locations lnJuly: Fri., July
24, 11-4:45 p.m., Mercy-Memorial
on Aprd in Benton Harbor; Thea ..
July 28, 1-6:45 p.m., Lakeshore
Masonic Lodge, E. Napier, Benton'
Harbor; Wed., July 29, 12-6:45 p.m.,
LECOnmperial at First United
Methodist Chwch, in St. Joseph.
- Berrien County Historical
Association' 1839 Courthouse
Museum in Berrien Springs need
teen volunteers to help with their
production of "lnbcrit the World" on
July 23-26, 30-31 and August 1-2.
Teens are needed to assist as ushers,
ticket takers, refreshment servers
Jnd as production assistants.
Interested teens should call the
Youth Volunteer Coordinator.
- Pets Alive, a no-kill animal
sbelter in Cassopolis are in need of
teens to volunteer their help.
Amateur animal groomers are
needed to help ba� and groom cats
and dogs. �o helpeD are needed
for -people therapy" - to play with
the animal. and to help exercise
them.
- SarettNature Center in Benton
Harbor would like teen voluntcclS to
assist with the.ir summer "help day."
Sdledule includes Saturday, July 25,
with pruning the nature trails;
Thursday, August 6, help with a
variety of special projects, building
a new trail, rebuilding an old one and
fixing up an observation deck.
RACHAL ttOSALEAN BUR
KARLAND CROCKETT
Clara HendellOn Jones' y
had their family reunion recently.
played bingo, d a fashion
show, talent conte t and played
different kinds of porta. Family
members traveled from far
MissiSSippi and DI 01. for the
reunion.
•
Vacation Bible School will be
held the Beulah Bapti t Church,
July 27 through 31, from 6-8 p.m.
The theme ill be, -Jesus Gives Me
Freedom.-
Everyone
1'be.Ie will be for all a .
Rev. Willie N. Paul is the pastor.
Racbal Rosalean Bura ADd her
AOVERTI HERE!'
CALL B RNIC
(616) 927 1527
upset with the co
YOU'have the rer. opportunity
to 'make a'difference.
The S nate Judiciary Commltt (y l111at me group who pr ldad ov
the Anita HilI/Clarence Thoma h rings) will soon vote on the confirm tlon
of John Sml tanka to the Sixth Circuit of Ap I •• Th Judlcl ry Commltt
n d to know the Judicial record of Smletank . H I well known to African'
Americans In western Michigan. Under hi r Ign a Berrien County
Pro eeuter, he tumed th court Into a "rallro d station to Jackson" for
Black.
One ca e that how cl rly th qu lonable tactics of John Smletanka I
the Maurlc Carter ca . Carter I erving life. ntence for the hoolng In
1973 of an off-duty Banton Harbor police officer. The officer, wound d
upertlclally, claimed the day of the hooUng h. could not Identify ttl
a allant. Two yea,. later after C r'. picture w publl heel on p gone
of the local paper, the officer picked Carter out of a lineup. Cart '
court-appolnted attorney ney r filed a motion for discovery nd went to trial
without th f eta. The Afrlc n American wom who cl rkad In the ore
wh re the hootl� occured teetlfed that C. w not the lIant White
employ of Sml nka t tlfl d that Carter w th man. 111 ali-white jury
convicted Cart r.
A Southfield attorney, working for free out of conviction that Carter w.
riliroaded, ha uncover d avldence of jury tampering In the C rt r ca. '
That dl COy ry ha prompt d the national NAACP and the B nton Harbor City
Comml Ion to r qu n Iny Igatlon of ch rge of Jury mperlng In th
Cart r c e. . '.
Wh re do you tit In? If you bell v that the Smletanka nomination hould not
be decided unll the jury tampering charg ar Inv etlgated, then clip th
. coupon below, fill It out, and mIn rt to:
S nator Jos ph Blden, Chair Sanat Judlcl-v Committe, 221 Ru ell,
Washington, D.C. 20510
-
,.,.----.----------------------------------------------------_-_-_-_-.......,,;-;.;,;-;,;;.;;;;-�-;;.,;-;;;;.;,;;-;;.;;;-;;.-;;;,;;-;.;;-;;;.;;;;;-;.;;;-;;.;-;;;.;;;-;.;;:;-I
t
ke-Court
aben
At The
Library
Big Kids StoryHour meets
on Tuesdays at 1 p.m. and P!e­
School StoryTIme meets on
wednesdays at 10 a.m. Both
sessions feature tones, songs,
and a bort video.
Movie. for children are
shown on Saturdays at 12
noon. Showing on July 25 will
be: "Tom Sawyer. -
Chlldrenmayjoin tbesum­
mer readiDg program anytime
during regular library hours
until August 1. Prize are
awanted the children work
toward the goal of20books by
August 15.
4-H Flower
Aranglng
Work hop
Berrien County 4-H has
scheduled its annual Flower
Clinic for any interested 1992
Berrien County Youth Fair
Flower exhibitolS. The clinic
will be held Tuesday, July 21,
at 6:30 p.m. at the Berrien
County Youth Fairgrounds
between the beep and goat
barns.
The clinic is open to the
public. All programs are avail-,
able to all without regard to
race, color, national origin,
ex, handicap, age, or religion.
o ar Senator Bid nand Memb r of the Judiciary Committee:
Sincerely'
Addr.
Zip
City
St.
I
I
I
I