fi A surveillance camera is focused on.a cell door at UpstateCorrectional Facility in Malone,, N.Y. Through the windo in thecell door, seen from a distance,two figures dart back and forth.It is difficult to determine what'sgoing on until the voices are ©heard."Say uncle, motherf----er, sayuncle," a man's voice demands.There is a muffled reply. "Say |win," the voice screams oncemore.Again the response os barelyaudible. Then, for the next 15minutes, the two struggle witheach other, their bodies flyingfrom one end of the cell to theother.Finally, a guard arrives andwatches the altercation throughthe window. After severalminutes, he calls another guard,and the two of them witness thefight with no thought of inter-vening. By now, one of theinmates has been beaten to a_. « pulp and is almost unconscious.The cell is splattered with blood.Minutes later, six more guardsarrive, along with a supervisor.. But they-refuse*toTenter-the«cell:until the. victorious inmate slipshis hands through the door to behandcuffed. Like the other twoguards, they are all white. Thefighting inmates are Black.While they await a response totheir order, the don whitesmocks and plastic gloves.. They debate the situation,occasionally laughing about thecarnage on the other side of the- Steel door. When the rumble is-completely over, they move as agroup into the cell, grab thesemi-conscious man and flop-him on a gurney. He is a bloodyCould gmess, and within a few hours hewill be dead. .With the injured man removed,they throw his mattress, pillowand other bloody articles out thedoor. They wait a few minutesand then the other inmate isordered to the door, handcuffed,searched and taken away.- All of this happened on May12, 2000. Last week, viatelephone from the ClintonCorrectional Facility, DonnellBrunson, one voice on thevideotape, told his version of theincident during a conference callwith his lawyer, Earl Rawlins,and the Amsterdam News.The problem started, Brunsonsaid, when he was placed in acell with a hostile inmate doinglife for murder who repeatedlymade sexual advances. "In ourcell, the toiled and shower areopen and you are not allowed tohang anything," Brunson ex-plained. "So each time I usedthe toilet or the shower, hewould comment on my body,telling me I had nice legs and ashapely butt. I knew of hisreputation for stabbing people,so I knew. I had to be carefularound him."The man had often braggedabout his time in "The Box," aspecial housing unit comparableto solitary confinement, Brunsoncontinued. "He had been sentthere for beating one of his bunkmates," he said. oThat is whathe told me and during thehearing following his death,documents were presented toshow what he said was true."He also told me he had been inprison 16 years without awoman, and he wanted me totake care of his sexual needs."In 1938 their was a man namedLuke Jasper Best that was rearednear Ballard Crossroad on a farmOwned by his father. Lukeworked in tobacco, cotton, andcom, He finished grade schooland he wanted a business of hisownSo, on weekends he would go toCrossroad where thereWere four grocery store . At thatsine pearls had few cars, Lukeif wait around the store hi seeanyone needed a ride toGreenville or Farmville. If so, hetook them where they wanted to80 for 35 cents per trip and roundtip for 70 cents. For approxi-' Mately three years this was his18ieoEereenville andBonners Lane| Darden andy area. Later inlife, Luke chose to venture intoCab business. He never finishedhigh school, but thatT neverstopped him from wanting hisown business, Later he purchaseda better cab car. The cab numberwas no.34, He drove for a periodof time and certain areas in thecity he was not allowed. He wasnot allowed in The Riggs House,East Carolina College, and theBus Station, He especially wasnTtallowed to pick up students thatcame in on the 4:30a. m. bus.Finally, Mr. Best consulted alawyer, (Calvin Dish) "his priviledges. His path wasfinally cleared,Luke owned his own cab busi-ness in the name of City Cab,Being the first African Americancab driver in Greenville, he en-. Best,countered several problems, Herefused to give up! Latler hemoved to Bell Cafe on AlbemarleAvenue, where he became estab-lished. Luke's business grew byuards have prevented it?NEW YORK AMSTERDAMby-HERB BOYD isBrunson recalled.T"l told him F |wasn't with that, that I didn't go.tha, way. As time went on hekept making sexual remarks, and:he even touched me a couple oftimes. I told him to keep hishands off of me."When Brunson learned that hehad a time cut and would beleaving soon, completing hisnine-monthj sentence, his cell-mated became more aggressive."He told me he was tired of }being a nice guy," Brunson said, |"and that when the lights went |out, my butt was his. Knowingthis, | decided to keep my lighton until | knew he was asleep."It was about 2:30 in themorning and | had the light onand I was reading a book,"Brunson went on to say. "Thenhe got out of his bed and cut thelight off. The cell has two lights,one big one and one night lightnear my. bunk. Each time he cutmy light off, I cut it back on.Finally, he stood in the middle ofthe room and said, "It's time toget it on." I told him if we haveto fight, he'd have to come tome. He did, and the fight wason." re ac ¢Brunson said that when a fightbreaks out in a cell they don'tcome in until it's over. "Withthis in mind, I knew that if heknocked me unconscious he wasgoing to rape me and possiblygive me AIDS that wiuld kill meanyway. I knew I was fightingfor my life," he said."We were fighting and hepenned me down in the shower,"Brunson related, "and he waschoking me and kicking me. |was able to get free for amoment and then he grabbed meby my hair-l wear dreads-andANAFRCAN ANERICANMANMr Luke JasperBestleaps and bounds and hired manydrivers and high school studentsas dispatchers. The businessexcelled and he bought his ownplace and became known through-out the County. He also hadcontracts with many businesses,such as the airport, and AmericanRed Cross. LukeTs desire was togo foward! He made a greatsuccess!The City Cab is still in businesstoday. They have nine drivers,ten cars and many dispatchers,Residing on the corner ofAlbemarle and Martin LutherKing Drive. Services are 24 hrs aday 7 days a week,LukeTs motto was oA WinnerNever Quits and a Quitter NeverWins!? On September 30, 1993,Mr. Best Thebusiness still goes on aay by hisfamily and one brother,Even a th Luke hadHales mec orathoughts, and greatly missed.Neighbor CouncilT that laterRamada plaza Hotel. At 6:30ft 3 a li tg atid imine Sih de tice Rk ilies i caelbecame the NC Human p.m. to 9:00 p.m., a BanquetC . . Relations Council. He is also "_will be held honoring "The Lifeélebration a former board member of the and Legacey of Dr. Andrew _of the ws of Governors and East od (a sHayth cet Justicei Carolina Univeristy. en e, the Banquepene The planning Speaker. Also, selected par-Legacy of Committee has scheduled on ticipants will provide 3 min-Dr. Andrew A. Best "_"_ March 30, Friday afternoon, utes of presentations of Dr.6:30 p.m. - 9:00p.m. at the Best's achievements of selectedOn March 30, 31 and "-Ramada Plaza Hotel of activities. On April 1, at 4:00April 1, "Friends of Andrew...» Greenville, a teception BOnOt=..c:-PeMs, A MUSICALCOMe giBest", coun fegional state "ING UF DESt'and jany Suc- Ceryreng POEand national health care:par- cesses. Participants will have ; held at Cornerstone Missionaryticipants will honor Dr. the opportunity to say othanks' Baptist Church honoring Dr.Andrew Best. A local family and to share their stories and Best's rel accomplish-practice doctors with 46 years experiences with Dr. Best ments and work,of medical practice. Dr. Best Music and other entertainment ___ Invitations will behas provided the county, state "_"_will be provided. On March mailed to s throughoutand nation with leadership in 31, Saturday morning, 9:00 the country to attend the ban-many human services areas. a.m. - 12:00 noon. The quet. However, the reception =;As a health/medical care Annual A.A. Best . and saicaleedgaous concert isleader, he assisted the former | Comprehensive Commuinity open to the public.chancellor, Dr. Leo Jenkins Health Screening will be con- Contact Persons are :with the establishment of the ducted. Volunteers from dif- Dr. Donald ?,?. Ensley, 744-East Carolina University'smedical school. He is knownthroughout the country as oneof the founding fathers of themedical school.Additionally, Dr. Best servedon the first state "Goodferent public health programsand medical students and localphysicians will assist. Saturdayafternoon at 4:00 p.m., a se-lected exhibit of Dr. Best'smedical and community activi-ties will be on display at the1109 (O), 355-9669 (H), MsGracie Vine, 816-7959 (O),355-6572 (H), Mrs ShonodaBullock, 328-4400 (W), 321-5879 (H)oHUMANITARIAN?A TRIBUTE TOoLillie Reid?Daughter of the late Mr. and became very active during the School were organized, AfterMrs. Wille Monroe, the mother _time that the church was located _ the church moved to its presentof Charetta Walls and the grand- "_ on railroad street and Rev. Tilllet_- location, Lillie got approval frommother of Billie Walls, was born _ was the pastor. She was instru- __ then Pastor Griffin to let her runin the town of Rowland, North mental in helping to organize a day camp to provide a safe ;Carolina in 1934, She is the and maintain the scouting pro- Christian environment for chil-oldest of ten children, three boys gram along with the late Bro. dren that became a great success.and seven girls. She finished James W, and Sis. Magdalene Lillie also got approval to start ahigh school at Southside High Grimes with Mr. Ray Parker as Christian environment for chil-School in Rowland NC and com- the scout master. Lillie worked dren that became a great success.pleted college at Fayetteville hard to help keep the scout min- _Lillie also got approval to start aState University with a BS de- istry in focus. She organized the Christian childcare ministry thatin Elementary Education, girl scouts and provided many would provide services to theShe worked in the Greenville outdoor as well as indoor learn- "_ parents in the church and thecity schools as a teacher and li- . ing experiences that taught the community. She named it oThebrarian for 25 years. students behavior, and survivor ChildrenTs Learning Tree? andBeing a lover and a promoter _ skills many times using her own then it was oBillie After Schoolof children, Lillie always stayed resources. There were times ChildrenTs Center? ngawilling, ready and able to sup- when she along with some of her . She served her family, friends,port and encourage children. friends, would go and visit the church and community well. InShe encouraged them to learn "__ boy scouts during the weekend "_addition to all that above, Lillieand allowed them the opportu- of their camping trips to help out and her husband started a cater-nity to excel in whatever task if needed, This dedication ' service called Occasionalthey tried to undertake. earned her several awards for her ights which was also well re-After marrying the late hard work. ceived by the community, familyCharles Reid, Lillie took it upon Under the pastroship of the late and friends, She has :herself to help raise her neph- Rey. O'Kelly Lawson, in the from teaching due to healthsi eg cena ane plaka a Aa ntenl problems but that has not losing their ts, Under n encouraging a group ! }Taian Ged paidance, cach OF concerned members to attend thethem finished high school and, Nj 'several of them completed theircollege educationsT. hai ess Ceca1 0} aei - Missionary veer Church, one oe