[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 3, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E949]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                TRIBUTE TO LAKEVIS COLEMAN: A TRUE HERO

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                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 1995
  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my personal 
congratulations and the thanks of our community to Lakevis Coleman of 
Miami, a young man who is a true American hero.
  In November 1993, Lakevis Coleman heard someone crying and went to 
investigate. He saw that a 5-year-old girl had been assaulted and 
sprang into action, grabbed her attacker, held him until the Metro-Dade 
police arrived and then testified against him in court. Because of his 
efforts, a child molester was convicted of kidnapping and sexual 
battery and sentenced to life in prison.
  Our community is safer today because Mr. Coleman--only 19 years of 
age--cared enough and had the presence of mind to help a defenseless 
child who was totally incapable of helping herself. By doing so, Mr. 
Coleman reaffirmed what is best in our community, and I know that my 
colleagues join me in recognizing his extremely important contribution.
  I want to share with my colleagues an article on Lakevis Coleman that 
appeared in the Miami Herald.
                       Hero Helps Deliver Justice

                           (By Manny Garcia)

       Lakevis Coleman helped send a rapist to prison this week. 
     He is not a police officer or a prosecutor, just a South Dade 
     resident who saw a child being assaulted, grabbed her 
     attacker, held him for police and then testified against him.
       ``A real hero,'' said Windy Johnston, chief of the Dade 
     state attorney's office Sexual Battery Unit.
       Coleman was the only eyewitness who could identify James 
     Thomas as the man who raped the child in a wooded area, after 
     luring her there with offers of candy. The 5-year-old girl, 
     an elementary school student from Goulds, testified in court 
     but could not identify Thomas, even though he sat 20 feet 
     away.
       Without Coleman, ``it would have been hard to win,'' said 
     Johnston, who prosecuted the case with David Shapiro.
       Coleman, 19, downplayed his role.
       ``It could have been my little sister or cousin,'' he said. 
     ``If someone sees a crime, they should get involved and offer 
     a helping hand.''
       It doesn't always happen that way. Just down the block from 
     where the rape occurred, a Naples contractor was shot and 
     paralyzed during a robbery in broad daylight. Only one person 
     initially came forward to testify in that case, but she later 
     backed down. The case remains in limbo.
       ``You have to get involved,'' Coleman said. ``It's the only 
     way to protect your community.''
       Coleman, who waxes cars for a living, helped his community 
     at about 9:30 a.m. on Nov. 19, 1993.
       ``I was laying on the sofa watching TV,'' Coleman said. ``I 
     had a friend over and she heard someone crying. I didn't pay 
     any attention.''
       But the crying did not stop, so Coleman stood up and walked 
     outside. He saw the victim's 7-year-old sister running from 
     the bushes, pointing at the ground and screaming for help. 
     Coleman saw Thomas trying to pull up his pants.
       ``What are you doing?'' Coleman yelled, fast-walking toward 
     Thomas.
       ``Nothing.'' Thomas responded.
       A few feet later, Coleman arrived: ``I saw the little girl. 
     She didn't have anything on but a top.
       ``I looked at him. He looked at me. He tried to run. I 
     grabbed him and threw him on the ground.''
       ``I didn't do anything,'' Thomas insisted.
       ``Then why is she crying?'' asked Coleman. Coleman told his 
     friend to dial 911.
       By then, word of the attack had spread around the 
     neighborhood and an angry crowd surrounded Thomas. They 
     wanted a piece of him before police arrived.
       ``They wanted to hurt him. I wanted to do it myself,'' said 
     Coleman, who shielded Thomas from the crowd, urging them to 
     let justice take its course.
       Metro-Dade officers arrived two minutes later and hauled 
     Thomas away. Paramedics took the girl to Jackson Memorial 
     Hospital's Rape Treatment Center.
       ``He cut me. He cut me,'' she told doctors. Her injuries 
     required surgery.
       On Thursday, Coleman told his story to a four-woman, two-
     man jury. On Friday, the jury ordered lunch and, between 
     bites of their sandwiches, convicted Thomas, 26, of 
     kidnapping and sexual battery on a child under 12. Circuit 
     Judge Fredericks Smith sentenced him to life in prison.
       ``He got what he deserved,'' said Coleman, who hopes to one 
     day become a Dade County corrections officer. ``I wasn't 
     going to let him get away.''
     

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