Philadelphia Daily News from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 48

48 Wednesday. May 9. 1984 Philadelphia Dally New ml cjuiiu IrutJ lllsil I41 Mot the Whole Picture reduction of It Gilbert Kumi from a dignified, respectable human being to a non-entity; the criminal justice system would react to his death in a cold, bureaucratic way that never acknowledged his life. It would leave Judith Dickerson, 34, a city employee who takes evening courses in pursuit of becoming a social worker, appalled and Yesterday, an attorney representing Kumi's brother filed a civil suit, blaming Yellow Cab's negligence for Kumi's death, in not knowing that Fletcher carried a knife, in permitting a dangerously competitive situation to exist between cab drivers by putting too many cabs on the street The suit claims Yellow Cab also should not have hired Fletcher because of his prior run-in with the law: a weapons arrest that was disposed of through a pre-trial program. And yesterday.

Fletcher was sentenced to lVa to five years in prison. Judith Dickerson thought Judge Smith should have given him a far stiffer sentence, but she was not surprised at the outcome. She thanked all of Gilbert's friends and supporters for coming to court "We've done the best we can," she said as they shook their heads and gathered their things to leave. It was the third time many of them had come. Sentencing had been postponed twice before after they had all arrived in court.

"This whole thing has been Just a travesty," Judith Dickerson said. "To me this is the worst kind of racism. This is just another black life. Nothing important has been lost." She had looked forward to yesterday for only one reason. The assistant district attorney said he would try to put her on the witness stand, to testify about Kumi's character.

But the judge wouldn't hear of it. So despite Kumi's ambition and his noble effort to overcome the circumstances of his life, despite what his friends say was a mild-mannered and polite nature, H. Gilbert Kumi will forever be known officially as a cab driver with a hot temper who tried to take advantage of a colleague. Judith Dickerson will never forgive the system for that. Picas Judge Theodore B.

Smith. Jr. convicted him of voluntary manslaughter, acquitting him of murder and weapons charges. But if the system had treated Kumi as a human being. Dickerson says, it would have scoffed at Fletcher's story.

Kumi, she said, was a man devoted to protocol. He was polite and chivalrous when she-worked nights in Norristown, he would take a train there to accompany her home so she would not travel by herself. She feared for his safety driving the cab, so she urged him to carry a weapon: He refused because it was against company rules. He was not the kind of man, she insists, who would butt in front of someone in line. But at no time during the trial could she explain that, she said.

She was forced to listen to Fletcher's story and, in fact, when she began sobbing during his testimony, the judge threatened to throw her out of court. "If you cant control yourself, madam." Judge Smith rebuked her, "you can leave and do so now." When Assistant District Attorney Robert Myers explained who she was, the judge said. "I dont care who she is. Let's go. Outside I don't want to hear that sighing.

If I hear one more sob. out you go." And so, Judith Dickerson. who met Kumi in 1972 and lived with him off and on until his death, shut up. 8t was tbe lack of money and the presence of the kind of ambition that cant be thwarted by circumstance that brought Judith Oickerson to criminal court yesterday. For lack of money.

Judith Dickerson's boyfriend, H. Gilbert Kumi. was driving a Yellow Cab last year. It is a dangerous job and a tedious one, and it is bad enough if yon have no other way to make a living. For 11.

Gilbert Kumi, it was only temporary. He was, primarily, a student, a 41-year-old man who came here from Ghana years ago to better himself. He studied engineering technology at Temple University and spent two years studying computer science at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School. He completed his evening studies at Penn at the end of 1982. and had sent out resumes for full-time work that would end his taxi-driving.

The newspapers didnt describe Kumi that way when he was murdered by another Yellow Cab driver on May 29, 1983. They called him an eight-year employee of Yellow Cab. an erroneous description that angered Judith Dickerson because it classified and dismissed his life and gave no recognition of who he really was. "It isnt that being a cab driver is she said, "but he had struggled so hard to educate himself it hurt me to have the papers characterize him as a cabbie." That would be only the beginning of the You could say, if you felt compassionate, that it was a lack of money and a certain kind of ambition that brought Michael Fletcher, 34, to criminal court yesterday, too. He has four children and his ambition to support them and his ailing mother required that he work two jobs.

He drove for Yellow Cab at night. According to testimony, the day of the murder, another driver said he heard Fletcher had fallen asleep in the cab line at the airport and was acting erratically. Fletcher carried a knife in his glove compartment; that night, he claimed Kumi jumped ahead of him in the cab line at 30th Street Station, threatened him when he confronted him, and an argument followed. Both men left the station and returned later, it was testified. Fletcher resumed the argument, it became physical and Fletcher stabbed Kumi to death.

Fletcher claimed self-defense, but Common Jilt Porter's column appears Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. 'The Gospelers' a Shoutin' Good Time cent Sparks with a vivacious, hip-switchin' street-smartness that must have incubated in the Garden of Eden. As the little strumpet with a big voice, she constantly tests the limits of Christian forgiveness. After a shouting match with the reverend (played with ecclesiastical power by Roosevelt "Teddy" Robinson), she yells, "You ain't my father!" He clenches his fist and his Bible, turns away and bellows: "You'd better thank Jesus I ain't!" There are many stand-up-and-cheer moments. One that brings the house down is rotund Presttonia D.

Brown's Sanctified Sister singing and gospel-steppin. Gospel music and singers have a peculiarly down-to-earth genius that can shout without diminishing musical quality. An operatic soprano is not often found in such musicals. But the slim, gracious Shcryl Wilson Farrar (Mother) hits the rafters with her operatic octaves. Not surprising, she has an M.A.

in voice from Yale. Johnny Thompson, who thumps a mean gospel piano through the whole show with orchestra-sounding fullness, is one of Philadelphia's not fully recognized national treasures. And of course, John Allen has scored another directing triumph. "The Gospelers" will play at Freedom Theater (Broad and Master) until June 10. There are five shows a week: Thursdays (7:30 p.m.); Fridays (8 p.m.); Saturdays (2 and 8 p.m.); and Sundays (3 p.m.) It's one of the liveliest experiences you'll ever have at the theater.

Call Freedom Theater at 765-2793 for reservations and prepare to have yourself one shoutin' good time. (The second act will blow your mind.) And like Ben Verecn says, tell 'em I sent you cause 1 did. Want to swell your chest with pride and boast about the artistic wonders of Philadelphia? Go see "The Gospelers" at Freedom Theater. How so much dazzling talent from one city can be put together in one show is one of the joyful mysteries of the year. From gentle start to rousing finish.

"The Gospelers" romps through its paces with the abundant exuberance and professionalism found only in a Broadway musical. I sat there, clapping and tapping my feet in head-shaking incredulity, reminding myself this was in Philadelphia. Forgive me. Lord, for my paucity of expression, but this is one helluva show! and damnation" is permissible in sermons, but not when the spirit moves you.) And let me warn you, "The Gospelers" revival music will move you. That in itself would be reason enough to see the show.

The cast of 17 makes a bigger "joyful noise unto the Lord" than the combined choirs from the Mormon Tabernacle and Hollywood Bowl. But it's their boundless talent that electrifies the show. By joining forces. Freedom Theater's director John Allen, composer and lyricist Johnny Thompson and choreographer Clayton Strange have come up with one of the happiest serendipities of the season. And a storehouse of surprises.

Listen closely to Thomasina Johnson James (Sister Stay Good) belt out her duet with Leona Duglas (Sister Be Good) and if James' throaty voice is not a spittin' image of Dinah Washington, then grits aint groceries, chicken aint 1: TV r-? -A'i 1 1 t' Start Photography by PranUca Cote "The Gospelers" are performing at Freedom Theater through June 10 A young lady who is pregnant is taken in by one of the church's good sisters and the congregation and the pastor then go about trying to save her while she works just as diligently trying to seduce the choir director. The fallen sister, Nadine. is played by Milll- poultry and Mona Lisa was a man. Earthy wisdom permeates many of the lines. "I aint no psychiatrist or nothin'," sings James, "but if it hurts, then you're in pain.

The story line Is almost Incidental to the fun that pours out of the show. Chuck Stone's column appears Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays..