D.A.’s Office Studying Data in Grades Case at University

The Los Angeles County district attorney’s office has begun reviewing evidence in the Cal State Northridge investigation of two instructors allegedly involved in a grade-selling scheme.

The district attorney’s special investigations unit agreed Friday to become involved after campus police found their investigation leading into potential criminal activity off campus, Deputy Dist. Atty. Steven Sowders said.

“There is some concern that there are additional crimes beyond the scope of their jurisdiction,” said Sowders, a member of the special investigations division, which looks into allegations against government officials and public employees.

Sowders refused to say what the possible crimes might be. But it is known that the campus police had been scrutinizing the activities of the tax-exempt United Crusade Foundation in Pacoima, which was started in 1982 by Prof. Eleazu Obinna, one of the teachers in the investigation.

Distributed Clothing

The other teacher under investigation is Willie J. Bellamy, a part-time instructor who worked closely with the foundation, which distributed clothing and meals to the poor.

Sowders said he has assigned a staff attorney to review reports submitted by campus police. He said his agency is not yet involved in an investigative capacity, only as an advisory body.

“Whether we join in, or another agency, we don’t know yet,” he said.

Originally, campus police expected to take the results of their inquiry to the city attorney’s office because the case was expected to involve a possible misdemeanor violation, not a more serious felony matter. But Ann Salisbury, acting director of public affairs at Cal State Northridge, said Friday that the “seriousness of it was beyond what the city attorney normally investigates.”

Adverse Publicity

In a related development, a United Crusade Foundation representative said the organization has decided to cancel the raffle that touched off the scandal in the Pan-African Studies department. Attorney Francis Smith said adverse publicity had forced the board of directors to suspend sales this week and to decide to return money to people who had purchased the $5 tickets.

“This is not an admission the foundation has done anything improper,” Smith said.

Campus police are investigating allegations that students in three Pan-African Studies classes were offered “A” grades for selling $100 worth of tickets for the raffle, which would benefit the foundation and offered the prize of a $22,000 sports car.

Smith said money would be returned once purchasers made a request. The process could be difficult. Smith said he did not know how many tickets had been sold. He also said the refunds could be complicated by a campus police decision to confiscate ticket stubs.