Police Refer SAMOHI Racial Harassment Investigation to County Sheriff's Department

By Ann K. Williams and Jason Islas
Lookout Staff

June 30, 2011 – After an alleged hate crime at SAMOHI was brought to the Santa Monica Police Department's attention last week, local police have decided to refer the case the the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.

This referral is routine and is meant to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, since the police department works so closely with the school district, police say. Allegations have been made that school administrators broke the law, they say, although the referral doesn't mean police have decided one way or the other.

“Having someone independent is the best way to handle this,” Sgt. Richard Lewis told The Lookout Wednesday.

The case, involving the harassment of an African-American student by his wrestling teammates, has gained national attention.

Virginia Gray, the victim's mother, said her son was cornered by two of his wrestling teammates and locked to a locker while the students allegedly shouted “Slave for sale!” Also, the students allegedly posed a human-sized dummy with a noose.

A school investigation immediately following the incident, however, reports that the victim said he did not hear the slurs.

Police began investigating the incident last week at the instigation of the victim and his mother, who said she was never told by the school what had been done to her son.

Although police say the referral to the County Sheriff's Department is routine in cases like this, last year's investigation of School Board member Oscar de la Torre for allegedly failing to break up a fight between two young men was handled by the Santa Monica Police Department. ("DA Drops de la Torre Investigation," July 23, 2010)

Allegations that the investigating officer was biased blew up into a controversy that wasn't settled until the City directed the Office of Independent Review to conduct a review of the police investigation.

Some national news reports suggest that the recent incident targeting the African-American student was a deliberate racial provocation, but some people closer to the high school question that.

Superintendent Tim Cuneo told The Lookout last week that in the minds of the students who harassed their teammate it may have seemed like a prank. He said they may not have understood the implications of their actions.

Robert Forster, a parent of one of the students on the wrestling team, sent a letter to all the wrestling parents last Wednesday in which said that he believes the events were just a misunderstanding.

“The wrestling community is a very tight knit group and historically we have observed only respect and tolerance for color, creed and religion,” he wrote.

But others, including parent Michael Chwe, say that the use of a noose elevates the incident into the realm of a hate crime, whatever the students may have been thinking.

In 2005, Santa Monica High School was the site of vandalism and student unrest provoked by racial animosity. ("Experts Weigh In On Racial Tensions," April 26, 2005)

Santa Monica police will continue to investigate the allegations against the students who are accused of racial harassment, Lewis said.

Lewis could not comment on allegations against school administrators, saying that is now in the hands of the L.A. County Sheriff's Department.