wfn.org | UCC/World Series 'Chief Wahoo' protestors on trial 4/2

["Barb Powell"<powellb@ucc.org>]

      TITLE:  World Series 'Chief Wahoo' protestors go
      on trial April 2
      March 30, 1998
      Office of Communication
      United Church of Christ
      Hans Holznagel 
      216-736-2214
      holznagh@ucc.org
      Laurie Bartels
      216-736-2213
      bartelsl@ucc.org
      On the Web: http://www.ucc.org
         
      A D V I S O R Y :
      
      World Series 'Chief Wahoo' protestors
      go on trial April 2 in Cleveland
      
        EDITORS AND PRODUCERS:  Unfinished business
      from last year's World Series will get attention in a
      Cleveland courtroom at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 2 in
      the middle of the new baseball season's opening week.
      
        American Indian activists arrested outside Jacobs
      Field while protesting the logo and name of Cleveland's
      Major League Baseball team will face charges in a
      Cleveland Municipal Court jury trial, with Judge
      Kathleen Keough presiding.
      
        Vernon Bellecourt of Minneapolis and Juanita
      Helphrey and Juan Reyna of Cleveland were charged in
      connection with an Oct. 23, 1997, demonstration.  They
      want the team to change its name and "Chief Wahoo"
      logo, which they consider racist and demeaning.
      
        Bellecourt faces charges of criminal endangering
      and resisting arrest in connection with the burning of a
      "Chief Wahoo" effigy.  Helphrey and Reyna face charges
      of aggravated disorderly conduct and criminal trespass on
      allegations that they refused to leave a peaceful
      demonstration when police ordered them to disperse.
      
        For more information or to arrange interviews,
      contact Hans Holznagel (216-736-2214) or Laurie Bartels
      (216-736-2213) at the United Church of Christ's Office
      of Communication; or defense attorney Terry Gilbert
      (216-241-1430).  The UCC's United Church Board for
      Homeland Ministries is helping with defense expenses
      and has started a  Legal Defense Fund for Indigenous
      People Resisting Racism for that purpose.
      
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