CINCINNATI RIOTERS FACE HATE-CRIME PENALTIES
Steve Miller
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
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> The FBI in Cincinnati is pursuing hate-crimes charges
against black rioters who randomly attacked whites in three
incidents last month.
FBI spokesman Ed Boldt said his division was working the
cases, "which arose from allegations received after the
disturbances. These were brought by complaints." Mr. Boldt
declined to identify the race of the suspects.
But a law enforcement source, speaking on the condition of
anonymity, confirmed that the suspects were part of black
gangs that rampaged during three days of disturbances in
mid-April.
One white man already has been indicted on racial
intimidation charges, the state´s version of a hate-crimes
law. The riots were triggered by the April 7 police shooting
death of Timothy Thomas, an unarmed 19-year-old black man,
who was running from officers.
During the violent outbreaks, rioters broke the windows of
downtown merchants, looted stores and started fires.
And some yanked white motorists from their cars and beat
them.
"These would be felonies and, under federal law, punishable
by up to ten years," said Mike Allen, Hamilton County
Prosecutor. Mr. Allen had previously questioned federal
agencies´ apparent lack of interest in pursuing numerous
reports of hate crimes that were reported during the riots.
He has promised to vigorously pursue such offenses committed
by anyone, regardless of race.
"I am obviously very happy that the FBI has chosen to
investigate these cases," Mr. Allen said. His office can
work with the FBI on prosecuting the cases under federal and
county law, Mr. Allen said. That would provide the heft of
both federal and local penalties. The cooperative effort is
akin to that used to prosecute bank robberies.
The news is an answer of some kind for John Ridel, who has
wondered if his case will get any attention. He filed a
report with the Cincinnati police, saying he was beaten by a
mob of 15 blacks in north Cincinnati as the downtown was
raging last month.
The riots had spread, although Mr. Ridel didn´t know about
it.
The Cincinnati man said he was driving through the city
with his fiancee and her 10-year-old son when a group of
black protesters blocked his car.
Mr. Ridel got out. They jumped him.
"I took two steps, that´s the last thing I remember," he
said.
Witnesses called the police, who arrived and broke things
up.
But when police investigators failed to respond to his
complaint ("They basically blew me off," he said), Mr. Ridel
took the matter to the FBI.
"I´m glad to hear that someone may look into this," he
added.
The riots and the indictment of Stephen Roach, the officer
who shot Timothy Thomas, have fueled a combustible racial
stew in the city of 330,000. Traditionally popular events
such as concerts and celebrations are being threatened by
activist groups that promise to protest at them.
One of the city´s leading civil rights crusaders, the Rev.
Damon Lynch III, said earlier this week that he intends to
keep the heat on city leaders throughout the summer via
sit-ins and demonstrations.
The result of those protests, he hopes, will be relief of
what he perceives as "racial problems."
His followers have so far staged a sit-in at a restaurant,
marches through city streets, and protests at City Hall.
One targeted event, "Taste of Cincinnati," draws up to
500,000 people and brings in an estimated $25 million to the
city. Mr. Lynch said the annual Memorial Day weekend
celebration should not be held because of strife in the
city. Cincinnati leaders have acquiesced, for the most part,
to the wishes of protesters.
Minette Cooper, the city´s vice mayor, said she and her
colleagues can try to calm the civil rights agitators, but
"how many times can we do that? We also have to make some of
the changes necessary, which means police reform, economical
development."
And there is the inevitable federal lawsuit, which was
filed this week by the family of Mr. Thomas. The suit claims
that the city of Cincinnati is ultimately to blame for the
shooting death of Mr. Thomas.
Mr. Thomas´ death, the lawsuit claims, stems from the
pattern of civil rights abuses by officers "who have lied
about their actions in fatal shootings to justify a claim of
self-defense."
The civil action seeks unspecified damages.
City Council member Pat DeWine said yesterday that the city
has already been too weak in its stand against detractors.
He admits the police department, beleaguered by accusations
of misconduct for years, may justify the federal
investigation that was announced on Monday.
But, "We have to get rid of this idea that the only way to
deal with all of this is to cave in to some of these people
who are making threats," Mr. DeWine said. "How can we create
a jobs program, which we did, when we can´t even find enough
lifeguards to keep all of our city pools open? This is like
the ´60s, creating jobs for people to do nothing."
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This article was mailed from The Washington Times
> (http://www.washtimes.com/national/20010511-99983556.htm)