Per spec PACI Fie -' CITIZEN lives M('mb~r hlp Public"lion: J;1pant'!~~ Am,.,lc .. " CIlium, L.. ",q\,l" 1 ~5 Wf' II IlI" St.. Lo, Angel",. Calif 90012; (213) MA 6 6936 Publl!lhtd W l!ekl ~ heepl Fh)1 .nd LA,I Wrt'Io.\ 01 Iht 'l'fI.r Second Clan POitage P.id at Los Angeles, C.lif. B~' JURY ENOMOTO '.1'1. JA L r ..slden l VOL. 69 NO. 3 .'RlD AY, JULY 18, 1969 Subscriptio n Iht. '" V.. , TEN CENTS Sacramento U.S. S5, For.lan $7 Th~ mretin~ 01 our Nation· .1 Board and SIArr in La. An~,,"'l('!' thi!' w(,t'k,mrl InRrk!li. tht" hoUwuy point or lhi~ bi• OFF ICE MANAGER FOR ('nnium In about n ~ .. ·,u· "c FULL·PAGE ADVERTISEMENT TELLS will ns~emblc In Convention l.A, JACL OFFICE SOUGHT HAYAKAWA Nixon view on Title 2 bills at Chicago. Aud anothc-r bien• nium \\ i 11 b('come hislOQ' 1.05 ANGELES - 'The So. \Vhert sr,," Wl~ now OF PLIGHT OF EX·CORONER NOGUCHI Collt. J AC L Reglon,,1 Olrie. PERMANENT PRES. • In ms brio! t,,'porl 10 th~ hos been Rulhorbed an oUiet' "'RtionRI Council at Son Jose, manager 10 lIs slnlt. JUST Committee in ' Plea for Justice', Wun. If OF S.F. STATE sought, hearing requested Appli cations should Include Our Ha lfway Point It ' Happen to One of U. It Can Happen to You' rC5t11nc nnd o d dr('s~ed to Jet• tley MAlou l, J AC L Ollie,', 12~ (Speoill l to 'r'ht PlicUle Cillzen) no requirement ot 8n overt i!, American history, were na• Board of Trustees act. tive-born. When the Korean \I Well er 51., Los Angelo, 90012. whrn ~hi!" bitmnium b(>~an. t LOS ANGU,8S- A lull-pAge lorr it Is sntlstied, would WASHINGTON - Congress• "The accused may have I War began In 1950. I he.@ like to know the nnswers to Appli canl must either be • Vote 16-2 for ('Iff~rcd a l('W recommendo• • d .n!tlled, "A Plen tor Jus• hl~ h man Spark M . Mauunaga or preliminary hearing before same forces of fear and sus .. llc~H thi~ the lo ll owln~ que,lIon., sohool Rrad"ale wllh a t 10l\S under thl' ht)ading of " A "lin hnppen to one Hawaii, who with Congress• an administrative oUlcer, but picion motivated the enact• U~, minimum or :i-yeAr wOl'k e:• Nisei Appointment Call \0 Arllon lor AII Chnp• of it call happen \0 one "I. Prior to dlschnrg,nR Dr man Chel Hollticld 01 Cali• not before a COUI't. He cannot ment 01 the Emegency Delen• of you:' Appeared lnst week Noguchi, why did Ihe Super• pertcmce or which one yenr 18 te-n-" Thc:,~ rt-'C'omn1Cndntion~ in n supel'visory capacIty or a fornia are the principal co· confront his accusers, or know tion Act, which was passed C'~(,1\li811y $pokt: to the need (Jul)' III in the La. Angeles visors instruct Hollingel'. of LOS ANGELES - S. l. Haya• sponsors o( legislation in lhp the lacts againsl him, il the over the vet 0 ot President all persons, lo Inve.tigale college Rrad u .l~ w ith al lea 1 fflr ..lACL to tl·an~latC' its con• Times. which h O!ii about 8 onc year work experien,,·e kawa WO!li named permanent House o( Representatives to Attorncy General decides that Truman. cern as a national orgamz.a• million copies circulating his own charges':' pre§ldcnt of San Francisco repeal Tille Jl 01 the Inle.rnal the accused should not be pro• " It is inconceivable that" dail~' "2. Why did the CounlY nfter receiving the deRlcc. tion into active and ml'anin~ Salary is opcn Stale Co ll e~e by the slale Security Acl 01 1950, has ask• v ided such inCormation. An law should still be on t b e ful progTRmS on the chapter The announcement wos add the Kennedy Aulopsy college board of trustees, last ed Chairman Richard H Ich• appeal may be made to an ad• books tbat permits the rights tC'vcl. in the :lreR or human paid lor by the Japanese eh8rlle 43 days alter discharg• week (J uly 10 ). Vole wao 16- ord oC the Committee on In• ministrative review board, but of U.S. citizenship to be ex• rlJ:hts for QU minority Jttoups. United in Search lor Trulh ing Dr. Noguchi, only lo wllh• 2 for the appointment. ternal Security, to request the not to the courts. The decision tinguished without cause. but draw \I on the dA)' he called i ~ That it do ~('1 W1\S its rna· Committee. the community A cU n ~ president since last necessary department and of this board fin al a! to r alh~r simply on the basis of J!TOup supporting Dr. Thomas his (irst witness, thcreby de• agency reports on the propos· emergency detention. national origin or other in .. Jor concern duriD~ this Bi• priving him 01 Ihe opporlunlty Hirabayashi plans Novembcr, he was praised af· ennium. T. Noguchi in hi' bid lo be terward by Gov, Rcagan as ed measure and to schedule discriminate reasons. to expose the spurious chRr~e'" early public hearings, the "These procedures Bre in Tha t it do 0 W3~ throu~h reinstated as county coroner. "A n example (01 31 relative• f' As would be expected the "3. Wby did I h e Counly, WAshing Ion Olllce 01 the v iolation o( established legal takinr posItions on issues ot It goe$ on to summArize the without having any support• ly small group that has held practices which assure due Japanese American Citizens ('ritical imporbnae ror all dismissal 01 Dr Noguchi as sociological study a fi rm li ne" on campus unrest. J apanese Amer ic an Citizens League is in the vanguaTd of ing evidence. muke the fol• Lcague reported thi!li week. process. There are many other Americans.. c-ot'Oner of Los Angeles Coun• lowing unfounded charges: omewhn. \ subdued as he laws which provide more ct· lhose fighting to repeal thi. I Iccl that the del.gales 10 ly by the Board of Sup e r• ,a' Thai Or NOJ:uchl " fcrl)·ed tbanked the trustees ror 1n th e meantime, Sen. Mark leclively and constitutionally measure. My distinguished the Con\'ention mandated visors on the word of ChieC !~:~ld "~~i:~ ';~~t):;.shath~~O~:~ of Canadian Nisei their sUI)port. Dr. Haynkawa O. Hallield (R-Ore.) bas add• for the safety and protection colleague. Congressman Spark Administrative Officer Lindon .. , Matsunaga of Hawaii, co-• the,e. a' malor JACL obJec• RUehl spoke to emDloyee .. "with acknowlcdr ed the California ed his name as a co-sponsor of the nation in times or war, tives, by their decis.ion~ and S. Hollinger unwllTranted profanit)"" Ie) That state collete! "have turned 01 the bill (S. 1872) inlro• invasion, and insurrection. spo,:, sor of this repeal biD, is rc$('Ilution~. It points out the supportive DT, No,uchl made fun or III path· Seattle·born prof duced by Sen. Daniel K. Furlhermore, in times of true calltng lor speed" aotlon. I They also reiter• nlo,i~t • eomer (but) this dot!! not testimony of eight doctors, who had (lne IeII' Ihorter mean that our troubles are Inouye t D-Hawaii) and other. national emergencY, martial jOin in urgin g ea;ly hearings ated JACL'<; great interest in than the athu. drlvin« Mm to tested WW2 curfew prc::.ening the- culture or Ja• mAny or them coroners them· Quit thl' caron""" oUiee1 id) Tha t fl\ler." His , reatest chal· 10 repeal Tille II. law may be declared to enable before the Committee on In-• ~ehe$. tern al Securi ty." pan, and resolved that the na• on bchaH or Dr. Nogu• Dr Nolt:uchl ··suddC'nlv c.han.ed lenr e. undoubtedly, will oc· the Government to proceed to chi and reminds readers that th~ laDle and .'arted· dlscu"ln. In the Hou:se, Democratic the defense o[ the nation in tional or~aniT.alion w 0 1I Id tOl a ll~ ' unrt!:lated ~uh1e<'t. I\CIv.rtlsem.nt Advlttl"ment A PLEA FOR JUSTICE IF THIS CAN HAPPEN TO ONE OF US, IT CAN HAPPEN TO ONE OF YOU WHAT HAPPENED? J.U.S.T. FORMED A nationally know n doctor and scie nt ist wa s humiliated, disgraced and fired from a civil At. this jun~ture , conc~rned Japanese America ns, form&d a Committee called Japanese.Am· service post without a hearing, amid charges so bizarre yet so degrading and odious that erlcons United In The.r Search For Truth (J .U.S.T.), to offer Dr. Noguchi moral and financial a victim's reputation could be forever ltained by their very publication. ass.istance in his lonely and expensive uphill fight to regain his pasition, professional repu• tahan, personol honor, and human dignity, in the face of determined opposition by thl County, with its almost unlimited resources in manpower and political Influence. WHO WAS FIRED? THOMAS T. NOGUCHI, M. D., CITIZ EN, JAPANESE·AMERICAN, wi th a record of 7 years of HEARING BEGINS dedicated service to the County of las Ang e les, was su mmarily SUSPENDED on Mar. 4, 1969 from his position as CH IE F MEDICAL EXAMINER·CORONER, by the County Board of The hearing began an May 12, 1969 before the County Civil Service Commission, compased Supervisors, composed of Superviso" Frank G. Bonelli, Burton W. Chace, Ernest E. Debs, of COMMISSIONERS: Mr. O. RICHARD CAPEN, President; MR. HARRY ALBERT, and MRS. THELMA MAHONEY. Warren M. Dorn a nd Kenneth Hah n. Two weeks later, Dr. Noguchi was DISCHARGED on the ward of one man, stili without having been given a chance to answer the cha rlles. DR. NOGUCHI'S WITNESSES Many people Willingly testified at the Commission bearing on his behalf, Including a Chief rI Police, homicide officers, doctors, newsmen, prominent citizens, colleagues, experts, and nUo THE CHARGES merous employees of the Coroner's office, whose only interest was in seeing justice done. Dr. Noguchi was accused of being menta lly ill, in need of psychiatric care, and of excessive Medical Experts - Among the medical experts who tastified as to hi, HIGH PROFESo use of drugs, among others. SIONAL STANDING AND CHARACTER wera: Dr. William G. Eckert, Cha irman of the Pathology and Biology Section of the WHO MADE THE CHARGES? American Academy of Forensic Sciences. The man on whose word the Supervisors fire d Dr. Noguchi was LINDON S. HOLLINGER, the Dr. John Burton, Chief Med ical Examiner, Detroit Michigan County's CHIEF ADMINISTRATNE OFF ICER, who testified at a su bsequent Civil Service Cam· Dr. aernard Knight, Forensic Pathologist with a British university In Wales. mission hearing, Dr. Cyril Wecht, Chief Forensic Pathologist for Alleghany County, Penna. 1. Thai he caufd no' remember or did no' know 0/ any 01 'he de'ail, 01 Ih. charge, becou•• the In· Dr. Vidor J. Rosen, Deputy Medical Examiner and Pathologist at Cedars·Sinal Hospital. ve.tigatian was conducted by membe" 01 hi ••taff. (Not one 01 whom took the witn." stand .) Dr. William Sturner, Deputy Med ical Examiner-Cook County, III. 2. That he "though I (Dr. Noguchi) was a sick man," lu"he, ,'a'ing, "I MAY REAC H ANY CONCLUSION Dr. George Schwartz, legal medicine specialist and cardiologist. I CHOOSE," 3. That a. to hi. qual/licolian 10 d.'ermine whelher Dr, Noguchi was .ick M,. Hollinger lurther .estifled, Dr. Isaac Sandars, radiologist at White Memorial Medical Center who testified, "Most rI ''I'M QUALIFIED TO REACH ANY IMPRESSI ON I CHOOSE TO REACH:' us are ordinary men who try to do our jab a little bit better each day• .c. thai he talked to only 6 employe .. 01 th. Coroner's ol~ce and did no. even make nales 01 hi. in· but in every era, there are special people, they have special talent - 1erviews. men who ma ke a definite contribution, who open doors. And Thomal 5. Thot he saw no reason to question the remaining 125 employees in the Coroner's oHice. 6. Thai when he .igned the lener recommending Dr. Noguchi'. di.cha'ge h. did nol personally exam· Noguch i is such a man. And this individual before you now feels that ine any wpporting data because THIS IS NOT AN ORDINARY MAN, BUT A SPECIAL MAN." "I .ign hundreds 01 letle" each week. ond I don't look 01 delailed ma.erial on any • . . It i. SIMPLY ANOTHER ADMINISTRATIV E MAnER:' Ye' h. admiooed he had never belar. sig ned a Thanks to the testimony of the witnesses, and the crusading zeal of ATTY. GODFREY ISAAC, letter recommending di.charge 01 a department head. a turning point was reached in Dr. Noguchi's uphill fight-at lon':l 1<,,1. What did the Supervisors say? County withdraws Kennedy autopsy charge On May 26, the very first day that Dr. Noguchi began to call his witnesses. the County wiih· SUPERVISOR BON ELLI, voting for Dr. Nog uc hi's immed iate SUSPENSION, drew its odious Kennedy autopsy charge, and STIPULATED that Dr. NOGUCHI HAD PER• FORMED THE AUTOP~Y IN A "SUPERIOR" MANNER. "All these ACCUSATIONS are goin g to have Ie be documented BEYOND a SHADOW OF DOUBT. I support the (suspensi on) motion with a qual ification that proof must be provided." 5 MORE CHARGES DISMISSED SUPERVISOR CHACE, voti ng for his DISCHARGE without a prior hearing, The fallowing week, 5 of the remaining charges were DISMISSED by the CommissiOll for stated, "We cannot take the charges le vel ed against Noguchi tao lightly. They are seri• COMPLETE LACK OF PROOF. cus and HAVE SHAKEN PUBLI C CONFIDENCE in the office of the county medical exam- .mer-coroner •••" (During the hearing tha charge that Dr. Noguchi had "sho ke n public confidence" was dis• JUST DECISION AWAITED missed by the Commission for complete lock of proof.) The commission is the first line of defense against arbitrary action by the County against lis some 60,000 emp loyees. Its independence must be preserved. Despite the fact that the SUPERVISOR HAHN, join ing the discharge action called the charges "the mosl Commission obtains legal advice from the Office of County Counsel and d~spite the fact serious ever placed against any couRly em ployee, let alone a department head." Yet the that the Commissioners are appointed by the Supervisors, WE AWAIT THE COMMISSION'S day before the discharge, Supervisor Hahn had said at a Board Meeting, "No other co• JUST AND UNBIASED DECISION. roner in the history of the Un ited States • •• had had the heavy work load in one year's time. On June 5 was the shooting of Sen. Robert Kennedy. Dr. Noguchi had to supervise that aulopsy, whi ch medical experls say was the most Iharough ever made in the United UNANSWERED QUESTIONS States .•. 2 helicopter crashes . . . 2 airline crashes . . . Now the press ure on Ihis man has Supervisor Chace had stated at the time the Board discharged Dr. Noguchi that he will receive been terrific and we 01/ admit he had diffi cvlt surroundings and eqvipmenl." "a full and fair public hearing" before the Commission, and emphasized. '''THE MAnER MUST BE RESOlVED TO THE FUll SATISFACTION OF THE PUBLIC." SUPERVISOR DORN had said: "Certainly this gentleman has been TRIED AL· READY, the way I see it, IN THE PRESS. i feel that it is perhaps the worst handling of •• for. w. or. SAT ISFIED, w. would like ta know. anything I have seen si nce I have been in the County." 1. Prior to di.charging Dr. NoguchI. WHY DID THE SUPERVISORS INSTRUCT HOLLINGER, '" ell pet• Ions, to "investigate" his own charges? 2. WHY DID THE COUNTY ADD THE KENNEDY AUTOPSY CHARGE . .. 3 day. olter di.charging Dr. PUBLICATION OF CHARGES N09uchi. only to WITHDRAW IT on the day h. called hi. first witne .., THERE8Y DEPRIVING HIM OF THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPOSE THE SPURIOUS CHARGE? The degrading and inflammatory charges were published on Mor. 19, 1969. It was not until 7 weeks later that Dr. Noguchi had a chance to answer the charges, by which tim. his re• 3. WHY DID THE COUNTY. WITHOUT HAVING ANY SUPPORTING EVIDENCE, MAKE THE FOLLOW• putation had been seriously undermined and his dignity degraded. ING UNFOUNDED CHARGES: a). That Dr. Noguchi "prayed that Mayor Yorly'. helicopter would Ira"'''? b). That Dr. Noguchi spake 10 employee. "with unwarrant.d profanity"? c). Thai Dr. Noguchi mode fun 01 a patholagi.t who had one 10; lhorter than the other, anving him ADDITIONAL CHARGE to quit the coroner'. ollice. Not confenl wilh Ihe original charges, the County on April 3D, 1969 (10 months after the dl. That Dr. Noguchi "suddenly changed the topic and started diSCI/lllng tatolly unrelated .ubi'cIS" Kennedy autopsy, 43 days after Dr. Noguchi was discharged) ADDED the fallowing charge. during a canlerence 10.' February? e). ThQt h. hod "shaken public confid.nce" in Ihe Coroner'. offi .., "During the KENNEDY AUTOPSY, your eyes were glazed, your behavior was erratic and your diclalion of the events surrounding the autopsy was so disassa• 4. If Dr. Noguchi was 100 ill to handl. autopsies, why did Hollins" and the SupemlOtl offer him, aI cialed that il was all bUl unintel/igibllL" the some .alary, Ih. post of Chi.f Pathologist ot Rancho las AmIgOI' AROUSED JAPANESE·AMERICAN COMMUNITY NEVER HAS THE JAPANESE AMERICAN COMMUNITY BEEN - More Aroused than by the CAllOUS and INHUMAN TREAT· MENT meted out to this sensitive and intelligent human being - More Certain of his COMPLETE INNOCENCE - MORE SOLIDLY UNITED in their determination to seek vindication of his reputation, honor and uman dignity. J.U.S.T. (Japanese United In Search For Truth) Takito Yamaguma, Ken N.kaok. C~Chairman Co-Chairman Sam Shimoguchi Alfred Hatata Dr. Steye Yokoyama Jeffrey Yashio Yamaguchi Henry N. Yamada Katsuma Mukaeda Masua Mitamura Saichi Fukui Kenji Ito Jim Konno 1500 Haga Vidor Ikeda Matsui Don Karimota Wallace Ban Ernest Fukumoto Rev. Howard Tariumi Arthur Katayama George Takei Ko Hashizaki Kats Kunitsugu. "A" BaHery - 442nd Veterans Association of las Angeles American Federation of State Optimist Club Crescent Bay Optimist Club East Los Angeles Gardeners Association. Inc. County and Municipal Employees, local 119 las Angeles Nanka Meiji Club Shizuaka Nanka Fukushima Kenjinkai Japanese Amer icon Citizens League, Pacific Northwest Distrid Ke njin Club Taisha Club of Los Angeles Venice Judo Boys Club Shada·kai Kakufuryu Council Japanese American Citizens League, Son Jose Chapter Japan_ American Shigi n Pomona Shinwa Kai Las Angeles Buddhist Church Federation Crown City Citizens league, North Son Diego County Japanese American Citizens League, East Los Gardeners Association Inc. Aich ikenjin.Yushi Associates San Fernanda Valley Chapter• Angeles Japanese American Citizens leogue, Santa Barbara Chapter Rafu Sekokai Japanese American Citizens League Baido·kai Jado·Shu Y.A.B.C. Backlashers Club Issei Fujinkai Nanka Fukui Kenjin Kai Plaisted Episcopal Church Japa_ Amer. icon Citizens league, Hollywood Pioneer Club-Southem Califomia Flower MarIcet CIci· Santa Manica Nikkei Jin Kai Nanka Fukuaka Kenjinkai Rafu Seinan Kyagikai Nanka Stu~.nt Kanagawa Ke njinkai Nangka Shiga Club Nanka Yamanashi Club Nanka Yamaguchi• nawa Club Nisei Voters league of San Francisco East Los Angeles Japa_ ~.n Club Nanka Miyag i Kenji n Kai las Angeles Free Methodist Church Japanese Am• Association Ikebana Ikebana Society of los Angeles Payallup Valley JaJ'Cll*8 American eric;,n Citizens League, National Headquarters Japanese American Citizens league, Pacific Citizens league Nanka Ken ji n Kyagi Kai Southern California Garde",,:"s ,fed., !nc. . M'ladies Club Commodore Perry Past ,;525 Los Angeles Retail Fish AsIocicdiCIn RiverIicIe Southwest District Council Japanese Chambe r of Commerce, So. Calif. Japanese Amer• ~rca-...,.. Ican Citizens League, Downtown Chapter Council of Oriental Organizations Uptown Japanese American Citizens League Pasadena Landscapa ..
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