University of Virginia Library

Conflicting Reports

Mr. Coleman stated that they rt with the
officer and that he told the complete story
except that he stated that the students had
forced a girl off the sidewalk by walking three
abreast.

Mr. Coleman said that he hadn't seen any
girl and that he didn't think the students had
passed any one on their side of the street.

The students then asked the officer why he
had waited until they had gone down the street
to stop them if they had forced the girl into the
street by the Law School. Mr. Coleman stated
that the officer never answered the question.

The students also quoted Mr. Bromwell as
stating that the officer had received a report of
two blacks suspected of robbery in the
dormitories and when he saw the students
walking near the Law School, he remembered
the report and stopped the students.

Esther Houston, the resident advisor for
Webb Dormitory who was present at the
meeting, quoted Mr. Bromwell as saying that
the students were too sensitive and that "even
if the security department bent over backwards
for you, you'd find something wrong."

She also claimed that Mr. Bromwell was
extremely rude to the students.

Mr. Bromwell stated that "as far as I'm
concerned, the meeting was worthwhile." He
added, however, that he was not sure if anyone
had believed him during the meeting.

He also stated that he felt that "the officer
was perfectly justified in stopping the
students."

Mr. Bromwell said that "this is an
educational problem and will be used in the
further training of the police officers."

Miss Houston stated that following the
meeting, she felt that the University officials
"who could do something about the problem,
especially Mr. Bromwell, were not going to
act."