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Thursday, Aug. 30, 2018
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Monroe County rape case dismissed By Sydney Tomlinson sydtomli@iu.edu | @sydpt
A rape case was dismissed Aug. 23 because a crucial witness couldn’t be found for the trial. The trial was scheduled to start Monday. Judge Marc Kellams of the Monroe County Circuit Court dismissed the case “without prejudice,” meaning it could be refiled later if new evidence emerges. Eugene Ellis, 43, of Bloomington, was charged with rape and criminal confinement in September 2017, according to Bloomington Police. A 17-year-old girl’s mother told police Ellis raped her daughter. The girl’s mother took her to the hospital for a rape kit shortly after reporting the assault, according to the probable cause affidavit. The state filed the motion to dismiss the case Aug. 22 because they couldn’t locate a crucial witness and therefore wouldn’t be able to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt, Monroe County deputy prosecutor Jeff Kehr said in an email. Ellis, who had been in the Monroe County Jail since Sept. 21, 2017, was released Sunday after the dismissal. During his 11 months in jail, Ellis sent nine handwritten letters to the court about his case. He formatted many of these letters like court documents and tried to file motions and make requests. He addressed letters to the “court clerk,” Judge Kellams or Judge Ken Todd, who was not involved in the case. Because he was represented by a public defender, Patrick Schrems, the court did not respond to these requests. In May of this year, Ellis requested and was granted a different public defender. Schrems was replaced by Stuart Baggerly. A protection order, granted to the alleged victim in September 2017, is still in place and prevents Ellis from contacting her.
Global Gifts commemorates 30 years The nonprofit helps provide a market for artisans in developing countries. By Emily Isaacman eisaacma@iu.edu | @ emilyisaacman
Handmade goods from recycled and repurposed materials crowd the small space at 122 N. Woodlawn St. One wall displays journals handmade by Sri Lankans with pages made from cotton and elephant poop. A shelf is lined with colorful elephant statues Kenyan artists created from flip-flops. Each of Global Gifts’ products has been made by artisans paid fair wages in safe working conditions. This Saturday, the nonprofit organization, which has four locations in Indiana and Ohio, marked its 30th year offering fair trade products. The Bloomington storefront celebrated its ninth year in business. For many of its employees and volunteers, the store offers a chance to have a positive impact around the world. “It’s something I can believe in,” executive director Alissa Head said. To receive its fair trade designation, 85 percent of Global Gifts’ products must satisfy fair trade principles set by the World Fair Trade
Organization. They typically carry more than 300 different products from around 230 individual artisan groups. The rest of their products — about 5 percent — are locally handmade goods, books or music. The fair trade movement provides a market for producers who otherwise would not have means to export their products. Goods typically travel from the individual artisan to a cooperative, who sends a combined shipment to a Fair Trade importer that connects with retailers like Global Gifts. Head said the incomes artisans receive through selling fair trade goods have allowed them to send their children to school, build a well for clean water and often avoid sex trafficking. “We say dignity, not charity,” Head said. Because of the Bloomington shop’s limited space, store manager Dave Debikey said they try to work with the most marginalized artisans, the vast majority of which are women. Other producers suffer from disabilities and diseases, or are refugees or
indigineous people. In 2013 Debikey traveled to meet artisans who create some products he sells. A woman referred to as Inaq Sugiani, whose husband produced cat ornaments Global Gifts formerly carried, particularly stood out to him. She had learned silver work through a class offered by the cooperative she and her husband belonged to. She went on to design infinity-shaped earrings that became so popular her income surpassed her husband’s. He became her assistant. “And suddenly, she was the boss," Debikey said. "She was the big bread winner, and she was just glowing with pride. That’s a very uncommon thing to take place.” Global Gifts still sells Sugiani’s earrings, but no longer carries her husband’s wooden cats. It is unclear whether he stopped making them or whether his importer stopped carrying them. The Bloomington store’s most popular category is SEE GLOBAL GIFTS, PAGE 6
PHOTOS BY TY VINSON AND JENNIFER LEE | IDS
Top Gracia Valliant works the main desk at Global Gifts. The fair trade store is located at 122 N. Walnut St. Top Right Ceramics are sold at Global GIfts, located on the Courthouse square. Global Gifts is a fair trade store, meaning it helps producers in developing countries achieve better trading conditions. Bottom Right Global Gifts sells bell chimes made in India. Products from developing countries such as India, Kenya, and Guatemala are sold through fair trade.
New films bring Asian-American representation By Lexi Haskell ldhaskel@iu.edu | @lexi_haskell
After IU lecturer Lisa Kwong saw “Crazy Rich Asians" she watched “Kim’s Convenience,” an AsianCanadian TV show, and remarked at how awesome
it was that both starred Asians. “This must be what a white person feels like,” said Kwong, a lecturer in the Asian-American studies program. In the United States, “Crazy Rich Asians” de-
buted in theaters about two weeks ago. Two days later, “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” dropped on Netflix. The two movies, both romantic comedies, feature Asian-American leads and cast members and have sparked a national discus-
sion in the United States about Asian-American representation in film. That conversation hit home for some students and staff at IU. Growing up as a child of the ‘90s, Kwong said she never saw herself on screen.
As an AppalAsian,” an Asian from Appalachia, she grew up in an even smaller minority group. Although it made her sad, she never knew a life where she had that cultural representation. SEE MOVIES, PAGE 6
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