Oberlin students fight for justice after April police riot injured many

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Police assault on Oberlin students last April 14 was unprovoked and vicious.

Last April 14, a national conference titled "Education for the People" opened in Oberlin, Ohio. Student activists from a number of colleges came to discuss the impact of rising tuition costs and declining financial aid on working-class youth.

The Student Coalition Against Apartheid and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Union at Oberlin College called a "March Against Bigotry" the evening of April 13. Organizers of the Education for the People conference decided to make this march the official start of their conference.

That evening about 150 students marched to Oberlin College President S. Frederick Starr's house to voice their concerns. For years, the president's house has been a traditional campus protest site.

The students gathered on the president's lawn to listen to speakers discussing problems with access to education and bigotry. As Steve DeCastro, the principal organizer of the Education for the People conference, related his personal difficulty raising money for tuition, the cops moved in to break up the demonstration.

Days later four student leaders-Paul Dalton, Steve DeCastro, Dan Kiss, and Claude Moller-were arrested. Their trial took place on Oct. 11-17 in the Oberlin Municipal Court.

During the trial, the prosecution justified the cops action by claiming the students were trespassing on the president's lawn. They claimed that when police attempted to arrest DeCastro, students began attacking them.

Yet, by the cops' own admission, it was their unprovoked assault which turned a peaceful demonstration into what several witnesses described as "chaos."

Oberlin College Security Chief Richard McDaniel claimed that Steve DeCastro was singled out because there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. Under cross examination, he admitted this warrant was for an expired license sticker. Other cops claimed they arrested DeCastro because they were trained to arrest the "leader."

In order to reach DeCastro, the cops stepped over and on the seated crowd. When they got to where DeCastro was speaking, Patrolman William Wylie placed him in a choke hold, forcing him to the ground, while two other cops jumped on top of him.

Noting the obvious pain DeCastro was in and fearing for his safety, Dan Kiss attempted to pull one of the two cops off DeCastro's back. Sgt. Michael Moorman jumped Kiss, kneeing him in the back and neck. As he pinned Kiss to the ground, he handcuffed him and told him he was taking him to the cruiser.

He never told Kiss he was under arrest. Neither did he read him his constitutional rights. When questioned about this, Oberlin cops insisted they're not required to inform prisoners of their rights at the moment of arrest.

In response to a request for help from the Oberlin cops, police from neighboring communities including canine corps, descended on the area. What followed was a police riot. Moorman admitted to threatening a student, "I'm going to kill you all in two minutes." He also called for the fire department and considered turning high-pressure hoses on the students.

In describing the attack on DeCastro, Dilara Goksel, a Turkish student, said she observed "a lot of police violence in Turkey between 1981 and 1984, but nothing as unprovoked." As she stood behind the cruiser where Kiss was being detained, a cop grabbed her from behind, knocked her to the ground, and dragged her along the sidewalk. She still has a scar from these injuries.

A cop struck student Paul Dalton in the back, saying, "Get the hell out of here. This is none of your business." He was then struck in the abdomen. When he saw Goksel being dragged on the sidewalk, he protested. A cop responded to his complaint by striking him twice in the groin with a heavy metal object and pushed him to the ground. When his injuries persisted several days later, he went to the hospital for medical treatment.

Claude Moller, one of the four arrested student leaders, required medical attention for injuries to his neck and arms after being trampled and clubbed on the right arm and at the base of his skull.

Fearing for the safety of Kiss and two other demonstrators who had been taken to the cruisers, students surrounded the police cars. When Oberlin Police Chief Jones arrived on the scene, he ordered Kiss and the others released.

Over 100 students went to the Oberlin Police Station to protest the police action. Of these, 43 filed formal complaints against police brutality.

Almost a week later, arrest warrants were issued for Dalton, DeCastro, Kiss, and Moller. No one was charged with trespass, the supposed reason the police attacked the demonstration. No cops were arrested or disciplined for their actions.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of police misconduct, the four were found guilty of failure to disperse. Dalton and Kiss were found guilty of obstructing official business. Kiss was also found guilty of assault on a police officer and interfering with an arrest. Sentencing has been set for Dec. 11.

The students and their supporters were shocked by this verdict. They haven't yet decided on their next step. One possibility is to ask for a mistrial based on numerous procedural irregularities allowed by Judge Martin Heberling.

Regardless of what legal course the convicted students decide on, they have all vowed to continue their fight for accessible education. Contributions to help with legal expenses can be sent to: Student Defense Committee, MPU 1045, Oberlin, Ohio 44074.