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Two convicted in 1969 race riot slaying of officer
YORK, Pennsylvania (AP) -- The family of a rookie white officer shot to death during race riots that rankled and divided the city in 1969 feel that justice has been served now that two black men have been convicted in the slaying. On the strength of testimony by one-time neighbors, childhood friends and a brother of one of the defendants, Stephen Freeland and Leon Wright were each convicted Thursday of second-degree murder in the slaying of Patrolman Henry Schaad. Freeland and Wright each face a maximum of 10 to 20 years in prison when they are sentenced April 21. Schaad's older brother, Barry, said outside the York County Courthouse that the family now could visit his officer's grave and "tell him that justice has been done." The verdicts completed a three-year investigation that had forced this central Pennsylvania manufacturing city to take a hard look at the deep racial divide that led up to the riots. Nearly five months ago, two white men were convicted and the city's former mayor was acquitted in the slaying of a young black woman, the other person killed during York's race riots. Schaad, 22, was shot July 18, 1969, the second day of rioting, when he and two other officers in an armored police truck drove through a black neighborhood. He died two weeks later and remains the only York officer killed in the line of duty. Freeland, 51, was accused of firing the bullet that pierced the truck and felled the police officer. Wright, 54, was accused of being among a group of black men who fired at the truck. Freeland testified he was unarmed at the time of the officer's shooting and tried to duck bullets that hit Schaad. Wright declined to testify, but his grand jury testimony was read into the record. In it, he said he was sitting on his porch up to 60 yards away from the intersection where the attackers fired. A jury of 11 whites and one black deliberated for seven hours over two days before reaching a decision that lead prosecutor William Graff called "fair and just." Wright, whom the judge allowed to remain free on bail, declined to comment. His attorney, William Fulton, said they would consider their appeal options. Freeland's attorney, Terry McGowan, said he would appeal. Freeland, who is in state prison serving a seven- to 14-year sentence on an unrelated drug charge, remained behind bars. Freeland's relatives questioned whether he had received a fair trial. "It's just like 1969, nothing's changed," said his nephew, Jerome Kirkland, who maintained Freeland was innocent. Copyright 2003 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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