Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 4

4A RENO MONDAY, AUGUST 26, 2002 case stirs Carson discussion on racial tensions From 1A attention to the issues facing minorities in Carson City. "I like them coming here to support our cause, because it's not the Indians versus the Hispanics. It's the Hispanic gangs that cause all the problems. The Hispanics join gangs for protection because there's a lot of racism here," Boice said. "And racism is much worse for the Hispanics because they're getting all this, 'go back where you came from' stuff," she said.

Boice said tribal unity is quite different from gang membership. "Our kids don't need to form gangs. We're part of the community. We're urban Indians," Boice said. As the trial opens, she said she hopes the peaceful protests outside the courthouse are not misunderstood.

"A lot of people in town won't understand. Some will say they're trying to use their race to get away with this, but I just hope we can present our defense in a way they can understand," she The Resendiz family has declined to be interviewed on the case. Jody Hernandez, who was one of Resendiz's friends, said racism is a reality in Carson City, but she doesn't believe it had anything to do with Resendiz's death. "It was an old, old, old vendetta, an old rivalry," Hernandez said. She said she believes the vendetta won't end with the trials or verdicts.

And although there have been no overt retaliations since the killing four years ago, many believe the tension is far from over. "The rivalries are on ice right now because there's so much added security around town, but the whole community is very edgy right now," she said. Fueling the hostility from the perspective of the Resendiz family is that there have been no apologies from the defendants. "They've admitted to being there, but not one of them has said they were sorry they killed someone. Not one of them has said to Sammy's two kids, 'Hey, I'm sorry that we killed your Hernandez said.

Police conduct questioned Investigators contend the homicide was the result of a gang fight. They have said the group went to the Roundhouse Inn with bats and clubs to seek retribution for a fight earlier that night involving a female member of the Carson Indian Colony. The prosecution contends Resendiz died from massive head injuries after the om fight. Defense lawyers don't deny the defendants were involved in a fight in the motel room that night but have indicated they may try Raiders From 1A could not be reached for comment. Russell is also waiting to find out if he will be tried in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland on charges that he videotaped the rape of a 28-year-old Sunnyvale, woman last January.

Russell has been free on bail since February, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. He was suspended last August for viDA JAIL CRIM TORS Lisa J. Gazette-Journal file protesters outside the Carson release of a grand jury report they could vindicate Rocky Boice, who death of Samuel Resendiz. lante activity will only create more heartache and more grief," Burau said. Security will be beefed up at the courthouse throughout all 10 trials, as it was during recent hearings this year and four years ago, he said.

"Directly after the trials, Ithink it would be prudent to meet with both groups to air differences and keep this type of thing from ever happening again," he said. Another view Another view Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, grew up in the capital city and remembers when times weren't so tense. "In the Carson that I grew up in, there was a little bit of tension among the juveniles. We had trouble off and on with the Native Americans, and we fought sometimes, but it was not the serious concern about it escalating into the violence we see today," Amodei said.

He said he believes today's focus on minority issues is a step forward for the community. "Back then, while there were some tensions, they were not focused on -in a community sense. People used to say, 'Oh, that's Bowler Russell be found guilty of crimes allegedly committed by either of his two friends Na'eem Perry, 25, and Ali Hayes, 27 because he did not intervene. Chief Deputy Scott Burau of the Carson City Sheriff's Department would not comment on Russell's arrest Sunday night because a trooper from the Nevada Highway Patrol arrested him. Deputy Chris Rivera said Russell was peaceful during his SENN PALUMBO MEULEMANS, LLP is pleased to announce the expansion of their firm in Reno and Las Vegas and welcomes: ANNE J.

WILLIAMS, ESQ. to the firm as an associate. Ms. Williams' practice focuses primarily on insurance law, construction defect litigation, and employment law, as well as business litigation. Ms.

Williams is a member of the Washoe County Bar Association and is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts of Nevada, California and Florida. SENN PALUMBO San Francisco MEULEMANS, LLP Irvine 50 W. Liberty Street, Suite 950 Reno Reno, Nevada 89501 Las Vegas Telephone (775) 322-7400 San Diego www.spm-law.com DEMONSTRATION: American Indian City courthouse in July call for the believe contains information that is charged with murder in the 1998 to show that Resendiz died at the hands of deputies rather than any of the defendants. Chief Deputy Scott Burau has declined to address the charges, saying he would not use the media to try the case. "That's why we have a judicial process," Burau said.

Burau said the department is acutely aware of the tensions in the community. "There are cultural differences, communication issues and rivalries. All those things play into the mix and certainly add to an already volatile situation," Burau said. "If you go back into the early '90s when gangs were just coming to the forefront here, there were differences in memberships which became barriers. But certainly, things are more tense now that the trial is on everybody's mind," he said.

"Racial tensions fluctuate in any community, but they're always present and they're on our minds, that's why we monitor all groups here," he said. Burau said conversation about revenge is always disturbing because it incites anger and fuels more violence. "Getting into any kind of Pro olating the National Football League's substance-abuse policy for the second time. Prosecutors charge that Russell, 26, drugged the woman at a San Francisco nightclub with the "date-rape" drug GHB and then held the camera as two friends raped her in the early hours of Jan. 31.

All three men have pleaded innocent to 25 felony counts. Under California law, he could To conform with Nevada Supreme Court Rule 199, Ms. Williams will practice under the firm name of SPM Law, LLP, an affiliate of Senn Palumbo Meulemans, LLP I There's not been much justice for the Resendiz family, but there hasn't been much for the American Indians, either. As I've been trying to understand both sides, I'm finding that there are a lot of human aspects to this Cesar Cruz civil rights activist kids, just being Amodei said. "Now, you have a pretty distinct focus in terms of 'How are we being Thirty years ago, that just wasn't the case," he said.

Amodei called the Resendiz case a "watershed" case in terms of violence with the involvement of the youth element and minorities. "This case involves cultural components, so now, everyone is aware that there is a problem here," he said. Amodei believes the best people to help solve the gang-related problems in the community are those who study and best understand them members oflaw enforcement. "I think they should be able to sit down and say, 'How do we help you meet your objectives without the mentality of violence, or who has the biggest stick or biggest Amodei said. Outside interest The Resendiz case has drawn attention from outside of Carson City because it involves Hispanics and American Indians.

In that regard, it is similar to how civil rights groups have rallied around Mumia Abu-Jamal, an award-winning Pennsylvania journalist who exposed police violence against minority communities. Abu-Jamal has been on death row since 1982, but his supporters believe he was wrongfully sentenced for the shooting of a police officer. And activists also are fighting for a North Dakota man, Leonard Peltier, a citizen of the Anishinabe and Lakota nations, who has spent nearly 26 years in a South Dakota prison for a shootout on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation a wrongful conviction, according to his followers. In the Carson City case, some are watching intently because of the race of the accused. Russ Redner, founder of the American Indian Movement of Northern Nevada and an active participant in many national causes including the Peltier case, has traveled from San Francisco to Carson City many times during the past four years to protest what he called "the rounding up" of Indian people.

"I'm interested in this case bearrested on stay in jail. Russell is serving his NFL suspension after testing positive for the drug Ecstasy last season, according to a number of reports. Russell is scheduled to return to the team Jan. 2. Russell first violated the NFL's substance-abuse policy last season when he said he missed a cause it represents a couple of key points.

One is mass executions of Indians, which tend to be commonplace with regard to the U.S. legal system dating back to 1863," Redner said. "Another thing is that the coverage of this case is terrible. They've only presented the other side, but the victim is a known gang member. With all the issues around police brutality these days, I think that's an important issue," he said.

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"There's not been much justice for the Resendiz family, but there hasn't been much for the American Indians, either. As I've been trying to understand both sides, I'm finding that there are a lot of human aspects to this case," he said. Cruz said he believes it is vital that people become involved in positive movements. "In communities like Carson City, there are difficulties between ethnic communities, and there are no civil rights groups in place, so if you don't answer the call, who will?" he said. Cruz sees the problem between the Hispanic and American Indian communities as age-old.

"You have a climate where two communities don't understand each other here. Some are from the reservation and some are immigrants, but most of them are fighting for the lowerend jobs, so there is a lot of animosity, and many misconceptions," he said. "It appears everyone is quick to DUI charge contact the league on time to take another test. However, the NFL does not disclose details of substance-abuse violations. Russell was the Raiders' firstround draft choice in 1997 and the NFL's second pick overall.

He left the University of Southern California before his senior season to sign a professional conblame these people for a lot of problems. Both sides feel that the police don't respond to their communities," Cruz said. he sees a solution, but knows it won't be easy. "I'd like these two communities to see beyond the pain. Sammy is not coming back, andIwant to see justice, but I believe they all want to heal, that they want to come together," he said.

Common ground Tom Stoneburner, executive director for the state's Alliance for Worker's Rights based in Reno, said although the two minority communities in Carson City are divided right now by the violent death of Resendiz, he sees something deeper American Indians and Hispanics struggling to retain their cultural identities while working on their specific issues. "In many cases, their issues are more similar than different much more similar than we would think, like taking home small paychecks and trying to feed a family," he said. "They're struggling under the same conditions, but their cultural identity is the issue that separates them," he said. Stoneburner said the divisiveness which erupts into violence could be put aside if they could see that the problems they face as minorities could be better addressed if they worked together. "Some of the issues and barriers are already starting to break down.

Native Americans are becoming very sophisticated, and I think the Latino community is going to do the same thing very soon. The leadership just hasn't caught up with the level of growth. They're reexpandin faster than they can organize," he said. "I'm not saying there aren't going to be some bad days in between there are some very emotional issues out there but maybe this case here can cause this 'coming together' to happen," he said. Stoneburner offered ideas for getting the two communities to work together.

"Maybe they can organize around an issue such as law enforcement in their neighborhoods or workers' rights. If they find success in one area, I would expect they could build on that," he said. Boice's trial begins at 9 a.m. today. Trial dates have been set over the next seven months for the remaining nine defendants: Frederick Fred, Lew Dutchy, Jaron Malone, David Moyle, Mike Kizer, Elvin Fred, Julian Contreras, Sylvia Fred and Jessica Evans.

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