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R e S Serving Metropolitan Augusta, South Carolina and the Central Savannah River Area
Shooting sparks protest
B Local businessman
shot four times by police.
Though unarmed, police
are charging him with
attempted murder. The
local NAACP seeks
answers.
By Tawana Lee
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
Community members expressed
outrage and frustration that an un
armed man was shot four times by
Augusta police and then dragged and
beaten. Friends and family of Larry
Roberson, 35, protested his shooting
at a press conference March 28 on the
steps of the Municipal Building. They
carried signs that read “Why did you
shoot Larry?” and “Is there a police
cover-up?”’
“I just want to see justice done,”
said Elizabeth Jones Roberson, the
victim’s spouse. “They were wrong
for shooting Larry and dragging him
through the woods. Are they going to
treat me and everyone in the neighbor
hood the same way?”
According to the police version of
the incident, Mr. Roberson, who oper
ates a small trash-hauling business,
was shot by Deputy Jason Vinson,
after he grabbed a gun from another
deputy who gave chase after he [Mr.
Roberson] fled from the vehicle he
was driving. ,
Friends and family of Mr. Roberson,
however, give a different account of
the incident. Mr. Roberson was shot
while running from police near
Woodman Drive after running his ve
hicle into a mailbox, they say.
Though wounded, Mr. Roberson
continued to run until he collapsed. _
After Mr. Roberson was down, an
officer jumped on him and began beat
ing him in the head with either a pistol
butt or club and attempted to shoot
him in the back, but his gun jammed.
Other officers joining the fray, shot
Mr. Roberson several more times while
he was down. According to an account
Mr. Roberson told his wife, the offic
ers repeatedly called him “nigger” and
continued to beat him while they
dragged him.
Legislative imprint softens
edge of Miller welfare plan
By Russ Bynum
ASSOCIATED PRESS Writer
ATLANTA
As state lawmakers put the fin
ishing touches on a plantorevamp
Georgia’s welfare system, Cathy
Johnson was already reeling from
the impact.
As legislators haggled over
whether Gov. Zell Miller’s welfare
proposal was too tough or too
cushy, Ms. Johnson — who’s de
pended on welfare for eight years
— was out looking for a job and
someone to take care of her chil
dren.
“It’s really had me upset be
cause I can’t understand it,” said
Ms. Johnson, a 36-year-old Atlanta
resident. “It’s hard getting it
started. It seems like they'd give
you some time to get you started.”
When the 1997 Legislature
closed at midnight Friday (Mar.
28), Miller had what he wanted —
a four-year lifetime limit on cash
assistance and immediate work re
quirements for welfare recipients.
Legislators added a few touches
themselves, ing reductions in
recipients’ benefits for trivial rule
Despiéf being unarmed, Mr.
Robersan is charged with aggravated
assault on a police officer and at
tempted murder. He remains jailed.
Police accounts do not mention the
wounds to Mr. Roberson’s head. The
family has asked for a federal investi
gation and the local NAACP will con
duct its own investigation.
“They should have fired a warning
shot first,” said Timothy Grant, Mr.
Roberson’s neighbor. “Larry was un
armed and ended up with four bullets
“They were wrong
for shooting Larry
and dragging him
through the woods.
Are they going
to treat me and
everyone in the
neighborhood the
same way?”
— Elizabeth Roberson
in.his legs.” :
Mr. Roberson has a history of traffic
violations which include repeated cita
tions for driving without a license. That
was the reason he fled, according to Mrs.
Roberson. He has never been charged
with an act of violence, however.
Bert Maxwell, a longtime family
friend, also is skeptical of the police
version of the incident.
“I was concerned by the aggressive
tactics of the Richmond County cops.
I support the police, however, I don’t
support their taking advantage of harm
lesscitizens. The police officers should
gettheir punishmentlike they say Larry
should get his,” Mr. Maxwell said.
On Tuesday, the Augusta area
NAACP met with the Roberson fam
ily and community members.
“We want to make sure the Roberson
family does not walk by themselves,”
said the Rev. Alfred Walker, NAACP
president. “We also want to be sure
Mr. Roberson is not mistreated. At the
conclusion of alocal investigation, the
national office will be contacted to see
if further action is warranted, the Rev.
Walker said.
The family is asking the community
for financial support.
Ms. Johnson said she
was told to enroll her
17-year-old daughter
in GED classes and
find day care for her
two sons — 8 and 12
— as well as her
grandbaby. Plus she’s
having to apply for
40 jobs — an aver
age of two per work
day — before April
18. :
violations, guaranteeing hearings
for grievances and allowing recipi
ents to accumulate some savings
without losing benefits.
Miller insists the final bill strikes
the right balance between helping
people get off welfare and requir
ing.thomhhko‘mouulf respon
“We’re goingto stopit after four
years, but we’re also going to give
you the tools that you need to
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A POLICE SHOOTING has sparked protest among friends and family of Larry
Roberson. Though unarmed, Mr. Roberson was shot four times by police.
Photo by Tawana Lee .
Larke marks first year
M Richmond County’s first
black school superintendent
receives high marks after first
year on thejob.
If the first year of Dr. Charles Larke’s adminis
tration is any indication, the Richmond County
School system is in for some very good years. This
week marks Dr. Larke’s anniversary as leader of
the school system and what a year it has been.
The Georgia Public Policy Foundation has rec
ognized two Richmond County schools for out
standing progress. Davidson Fine Arts School was
named top high school in Georgiaand A.R. Johnson
also cracked the top ten list of schools in the state:
Utilizing the banner “Children First,” Dr. Larke
has not shied away from controversy while adopt
ing a “zero tolerance” stance toward weapons,
drugs and beepers on campus.
Under Dr. Larke’s guidance, animpressive num
berof achievements can be listed. Among them are:
I The adoption of a full 8-hour work day for
teachers and certified staff in order to accommo
~date parent conferencing, professional develop
ment, collegial planning, and student tutoring.
B The return of full-time school counselors to
elementary schools.
become self sufficient,” Miller said.
“We’re going to provide child care.
We’re going to provide transpor
tation. We’re going to provide
training.”
OnJan. 1, Georgia began retool
ing its welfare system from an
endless entitlement for the poor to
a temporary job-search program
designed to move most of the
state’s 305,731 recipients off the
rolls as quickly as possible.
The reality of the welfare over
haul hit home for Ms. Johnson less
than two weeks ago, when case
workers handed her a public-tran
sit card and a list of things to do
over the next month to avoid hav
ing her benefits docked.
Ms. Johnson said she was told to
enroll her 17-year-old daughter in
GED classes and find day care for
her two sons — 8 and 12 — as well
as her grandbaby.
Plus she’s having to apply for
40 jobs — an average of two per
work day — before April 18. So far
she’s applied at a Piggly Wiggly
supermarket and K-Mart and
Woolworth’s department stores
See WELFARE, Page 3A 1
‘~ o 4 - i Dr. Charles
i 3 & L Larke: The motto
. S N for his adminis-
L 0 f tration could be
s A F. Dr. Larke at-
TS & tributes his
i J succes thus far to
‘ s an cutstanding
& team effort.
M The adoption of a new aggressive strategic
plan.
M The resumption of a cooperative partnership
with the chamber of commerce.
B The successful school uniform pilot pro
gram. The conservative reorganization of district
leadership and responsibilities that places teachers
and school leaders at the core of the operation.
Dr. Larke’s mission will be enhanced greatly by
the successful passage of a slls million bond
referendum and his successful lobbying for the 1-
cent sales tax for school improvements.
Dr. Larke bas attributed the past year’s suc
cesses to teamwork — especially among faculty,
staff, parents, students and community supporters.
INSIDE
N
MYBABYLADDY
Boosts B-Rock & The Bizz
: Story on Page 1B
B World/National News ............c.cccecennunnns 24
M Local/Regional News.............cccovureuruinnies SA
B Church News.............ccoousnssiuvcneens 14A-15A
B Classifieds/Employment .................. 68-7 B
Local man
questions
police acts .
B Augustan
Claude Anthony
claims he was
attacked in his
own home by
Augusta police
responding to a
burglar alarm.
By Tawana Lee
AUGUSTA FOCUS Staff Writer
AUGUSTA
What began as a routine
police response to a burglar
alarm resulted in an Augusta
man being roughed up in his
own home by Augusta police
and being charged with do
mestic violence and felony
obstruction of an officer.
Claude Anthony, of 2601 Lin
coln Parkway, wonders why
he spent the night in jail on
December 21, 1996 and why
Officer Jason Vinson — who
responded to the alarm —
~mistook him for a burglar
before even asking him to
identify himself.
Accordingto Mr. Anthony,
on the date in question, his
fiance set off the alarm when
she came home. Shortly af
ter, Officer Vinson showed
up at his door. But when Mr.
Anthony attempted toexplain
what had happened, the of
ficer grabbed him in a choke
hold and slammed him to the
floor. When his fiance asked
what was going on, the of
ficer said she and Mr. An
thony were fighting. When
she told him that was not the
case, he ignored her and pro
ceeded to handcuff Mr. An
thony who was subsequently
hauled off to jail.
“He never asked me for
ID. I am being charged with
domestic violence and ob
structing an officer,” Mr.
Woman accuses
comedian of rape
B Tommy
Davidson named
in lawsuit by 31-
year old Augusta
woman
AUGUSTA, Ga.
(AP) Comedian Tommy
Davidson, co-star of the
film “Booty Call,” has
been accused in a lawsuit
of raping a 31-year-old
Augusta woman,
Thesuit filed Thursday
claims Davidson kid
‘napped, raped, sodomized
and battered the woman
Feb. 8 in a hotel room
following his performance
at the Comedy House
Theatre.
The comedian pulled
the woman into his hotel
room against her will and
forced her to have unpro
tected sex with him, ac
cording to the lawsuit
which seeks unspecified
damages.
“Basically, my client is
in living hell from what
has happened to her and I
will do anything I can to
T - -
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Claude Anthony:
“Police acted
improperly.”
Anthony said. "1 own the
home.”
According to Mr. An
thony, statements by his fi
ance disputing the domestic
violence charge were ig
nored and omitted from po
lice reports.
“In reviewing the police
report, I found the original
statements provided by my
fiance were not included,
The report had been altered
and information that was
given originally was omit
ted.”
His attempts to complain
of Officer Vinson's beha -
ior were also ignored.
“Officer Vinson was sup
posed to be on probation
when this incident occurred.
There have been many com
plaints on his judgement as
an officer in other situa
tions,” Mr. Anthony said.
“He’s dirty. A lot of people
are on his side at the jail
house. He gets away with
everything because his fa
theris big time on the police
force.”,
Augusta Focus contacted
Augusta police, but couid
not get anyone to comment
on the case. The matter is
being handled by the Inter
nal Affairs division, police
sources say.
A court date for Mr. An
thony has not been set. He
has sought legal counsel.
fa e
g |
! L
Davidson :
gether justice,” said Auy
gusta attorney Josephß.
Neal Jr., who is repre
senting the woman.
The Richmond County
Sheriff’s Department is
investigating the
woman'’s complaint but
no charges have been
filed, Chief Deputy
Ronnie Strength said.
“There are some in
consistencies that wedid
not like,” he said.
Neither Davidson nor
his manager Will Fields
were able to be reached.
Davidson is a former
cast member of the Fox
television sitcomln Liv
ing Color.