October 18, 2000
Worcester Telegram & Gazette (MA)
Author: Mary Jo Hill
WORCESTER -- Demetrius ``Missy'' Brinson testified yesterday in U.S. District Court that she and her children have endured racial slurs and assaults for years while living in a public housing complex.
Her testimony is part of a lawsuit she brought against the Winchendon Housing Authority and David Connor, the authority's executive director. Ms. Brinson, who is black, is charging that the authority condoned offensive conduct by several housing authority tenants. She claims she has been deprived of her entitlement to fair housing and has been physically harmed and suffered severe emotional distress.
During her testimony yesterday, Ms. Brinson methodically described incidents from 1994 to 1998 or 1999, sometimes saying she did not get a response when she complained to the housing authority.
Ms. Brinson said that at one point during the alleged harassment in 1994 she could not eat or sleep and was constantly in fear. The housing complex is near the woods in a town that she did not know, and she was concerned about the safety of herself and her children, she said.
"It made me feel real bad,'' Ms. Brinson said about the alleged harassment.
The incidents began the day Ms. Brinson moved into the Winchendon Housing Authority's complex in 1994, she said. She said she had left her children at the apartment complex while she went to a store in town, and when she returned she saw a group of people outside.
Her second youngest daughter, Rosanna, said, "Mommy, Mommy, Fina, they're beating up Fina,'' Ms. Brinson said. Ms. Brinson said several girls were kicking and punching her daughter, Aldofina Hermida. Seven to eight teen-agers, a mix of girls and boys, were on top of Aldofina, Ms. Brinson said.
Aldofina's clothes were ripped off, her hair had been pulled and her face was scratched, Ms. Brinson said.
The incident began when another child became upset with Ms. Brinson's son, Mario, she said. Aldofina stepped in to protect Mario and the fighting started, she said.
Ms. Brinson said she called the housing authority and reported the incident, including that the children referred to Ms. Brinson with a racial slur.
OFFICER
Later that night, Ms. Brinson said, she heard a knock on the door and found a police officer who searched her apartment for a stolen bike. Later, she heard two adults yelling a racial slur, saying a bike was in her apartment and "they do stuff like that,'' she said.
Ms. Brinson said that from 1994 to 1997 teen-agers regularly came by her apartment after school and shouted racial slurs and obscenities. She also said adults sometimes used racial slurs when referring to her and physically assaulted her.
In 1998, Ms. Brinson said, her youngest daughter, Yesenia, went out to play, and other children began spitting on her. The children called the then 7-year-old Yesenia ``nappy head'' and other names and hit her and pulled her hair, Ms. Brinson said.
Ms. Brinson said she reported the situation to Mr. Connor, who said he would get back in touch with her, but nothing happened. At that point, Ms. Brinson said, she filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
GRAFFITI
Later, graffiti that included a racial slur and the name ``Missy'' appeared on a brick wall outside of Ms. Brinson's apartment, she said. Police and the housing authority referred her calls to each other's agency, she said.
The housing authority did not remove the graffiti, Ms. Brinson said.
Ms. Brinson was being questioned by her lawyer, Francisca D. Fajana, who had not finished when court adjourned for the day.
Before Ms. Brinson got on the stand, defense attorney Philip Wysor cross-examined Tracy A. Swenson, a former resident of the complex who had testified on Monday. During cross-examination, Ms. Swenson said tenants were invited to observe board meetings of the housing authority and could get on the agenda if they requested.
And Ms. Swenson, who is white, said some of the same teen-agers who assaulted Aldofina on her first day at the complex also had been verbally assaultive to Ms. Swenson on two or three occasions.
EVICTED
Ms. Swenson said she eventually was evicted from the complex because the housing authority believed she owed back rent. Her wages were being garnished by the authority as recently as 1998, she said.
Over the years, Ms. Swenson said, she received many notices about nonpayment of rent.
During redirect questioning by an attorney for the plaintiff, Ms. Swenson said the teens called her names and used a racial slur.
Copyright (c) 2000 Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp.
Record Number: 0010188846