Apartheid. USA 1988

February 12, 1988:

Brooklyn, New York houses more than 30 different ethnic groups. The borough suffers from many of the ethnic and racial problems that have become evident in much of the rest of New York City. A Brooklyn summit was held, described as the start of the first borough-wide effort to ease racial and ethnic discord. The conference broke into seven subcommittees to discuss the problems in five primary areas: the lack of understanding of cultures and traditions of other racial and ethnic groups; the failure of the educational system to provide equal opportunities for all groups; the role of the news media and its portrayal of racial and ethnic issues; the lack of job opportunities for youths of all groups, and the role that housing policies and patterns play in segregating racial and ethnic groups.^215.

Jason Ladone (17) was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison for his part in the attack that led to the death of Michael Griffith (23) in Howard Beach, Queens. Justice Thomas A Demakos acknowledged that the background and character of Mr Ladone had been exemplary prior to the incident.

215. The New York Times, from a report by Tom Morgan

[p. 170]

‘Nevertheless,’ the judge continued ‘that night Jason Ladone was a violent person, who had participated in the reckless death of Mr Griffith and the vicious assault on another black man, Mr Cedric Sandiford (37), who was severely beaten. And this cannot go unpunished.’^216.

216. The New York Times, from a report by Joseph P Fried