Pubdate: Fri, 28 Mar 2008
Source: Lima News (OH)
Copyright: 2008 Freedom Newspapers Inc.
Contact:  http://www.limaohio.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/990
Author: Greg Sowinski
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/racial.htm (Racial Issues)

PITTS AGAIN WARNS COMMUNITY TO LISTEN TO HIM

LIMA - A city leader and community activist is telling  everyone to 
"wake up" while warning the criminal  justice system is drifting down 
the same path that led  to the fatal police shooting of a woman 
during a  January drug raid.

Police and others in the community have operated in the  same way 
that created the conditions that led to the  shooting of 26-year-old 
Tarika Wilson, a mother of six,  inside her East Third Street home 
Jan. 4, said Fifth  Ward City Councilman Tommy Pitts.

Pitts also repeated what he has for the past year about  disparities 
in arrest procedures with black and white  drug dealers. That 
disparity showed through court  records blacks were allowed to make 
more drug sales  than whites in similar circumstances.

On top of that, the additional buys meant more charges  and more 
prison time as is the case with Anthony Terry,  the man police were 
after during the botched raid,  Pitts said.

"When it comes to healing there can be no healing until  there is 
equal justice," he said.

Pitts, who has never said blacks should be treated  better only equal 
in drug arrests, was speaking after  reading in the newspaper Terry 
is scheduled to plea and  possibly go to prison for up to five years.

Pitts' comments are far from the first time he has  addressed the disparity.

Although some have seemed to not take Pitts serious for  addressing 
race issues as it relates to drug arrests,  especially since he first 
raised it while his sons were  facing drug charges, he has continued 
to push the issue  long after the cases against his sons were over 
and the  time.

Pitts has backed his claims with a detailed review of  court records 
that showed black drug dealers were  allowed to make more sales, 
faced more charges and more  time behind bars.

"People don't like to talk about race issues. It's not  a subject 
that I particularly like to talk about myself  but at times 
necessary," he said.

Pitts is critical of the way police handled the drug  investigation 
against Terry which allowed Terry to  allegedly make seven drug sales 
before police decided  to raid the home of his girlfriend, Wilson, 
where Terry  frequently stayed.

"If they had arrested him after his first or second  sale like they 
do the white guys that girl would still  be alive today. This police 
officer would not be in the  position he is in today and the 
community wouldn't be  in the state we're in today," he said. "It's 
time for people to wake up."

Pitts further said the police shooting was not the  start of a divide 
along racial lines in the community  it just moved it into the spotlight.

Pitts also was critical of a plan by some Lima police  officers to 
sell bracelets that show support for Sgt.  Joe Chavalia, who fatally 
shot Wilson and wounded her  1-year-old son, Sincere.

The first plan for the bracelets was said to support  the acquittal 
of Chavalia but that has changed to say  something along the lines of 
"Justice for All."

Pitts said he understands police supporting a fellow  officer but it 
shouldn't be done in a public way that  creates an "us against them" 
atmosphere.

"It really goes to show you how they feel about African  Americans in 
this community and they wonder why there  is no trust. This is just 
another reason why there is  no trust," Pitts said. "Where is the 
support in the  police department for this woman who lost her life."

Lima police Maj. Kevin Martin said the sales of  bracelets was 
something the local union had planned,  not the department or the 
police administration. He  suggested getting comment from police 
union representative Scott Leland who declined to comment.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom