OntheWilderSide

Important update from Diane White, as of the afternoon of September 11th:

“When I called my pre-trial supervisor this afternoon, I was told that my hearing was not on the schedule. [for Sept. 12] She said I would be receiving a notification by mail when it has been rescheduled.”

Update: Diane White speaks at Harrisburg City Council

I was glad to see that my friend Diane White, who was recently abused by a police officer at a local block party, received coverage in her local media. It was very brave of Diane to go to her city council meeting tonight, and speak up about the bigger issue of policing in her neighborhood. The last update that I had was that Diane White would have a hearing about the charges brought against her on September 12th. [POSTPONED! See note above] And, last I heard, there was no police report filed about the incident.

Friends and supporters could contact Chief Keller of the Harrisburg City police to ask that the police drop the charges against Diane White: Police Chief Keller (717) 255-3131.

www.pennlive.com

City group calls for investigation into police incident
by JOHN LUCIEW / Of The Patriot-News, 09/11/07 11:52 PM EDT

Members of the community group Harrisburg ACORN called on the City Council Tuesday night to investigate the arrest of one of the group’s officer earlier this month as city police broke up a block party on South 16th Street in Allison Hill.

Diane White, an ACORN officer, local political activist and a former candidate for mayor, told the council she was physically subdued and arrested and faces felony charges stemming from the Sept. 1 incident.

White would not elaborate on details of the incident, citing the pending legal case against her. City spokesman Matthew Coulter referred questions to police Chief Charles Kellar, who could not be reached Tuesday night for comment.

ACORN member Loretta Barbee-Dare described the annual community event as “chicken and food and children and dances” along a blocked-off portion of South 16th Street. She said a police officer was summoned about 9 p.m. by a motorist who was apparently trying to drive down the street that was blocked off by cars, not city barricades.

Barbee-Dare told the council the group had obtained a city permit to hold the event, its fourth annual, and to close a portion of the street until 10 p.m. She said White was attempting to go to her house and get the permit to show the police officer, when the altercation occurred.

Barbee-Dare said the officer subdued White and called for backup.

ACORN, short for the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, opened local chapters in Harrisburg in late 2003. The national group bills itself as the country’s largest community organization of low- and moderate-income families, with more than 175,000 member families in 80 cities.

JOHN LUCIEW:
jluciew@patriot-news.com

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