A YEAR AFTER GOOD HOPE MELEE, WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

In the early morning hours of June 11 of last year, the Good Hope neighborhood became the scene of a civil disturbance. The results: Injured police officers and civilians, a number of arrests and subsequent trials, a federal investigation, enhanced mistrust of police among neighborhood residents and a general smear on the city of Cape Girardeau. A year later, that chapter in the city's history has seemingly come to a close.

Last month, two central figures in the melee went on trial. The results: One acquittal, and one conviction on misdemeanor charges, far less than the serious felony convictions sought by prosecutors.

The verdict on a third main figure involved -- a Cape Girardeau police officer -- remains undetermined. Although the officer wasn't criminally charged and an FBI investigation cleared him and other officers of any civil-rights violations, the trials of the other two men raised serious questions about his role.

A recounting of the undisputed facts

There is a synopsis of facts not in dispute, as presented during testimony in the trials of the two key figures:

Near the Taste Lounge, Greg Campbell and Officer Rollin Roberts became involved in a confrontation, which turned physical. Campbell knocked the officer to the ground. At some point, Campbell's brother, Kenneth, arrived on the scene. Greg Campbell left to be taken to the hospital so a head wound could be treated. Officers, including Roberts, pursued and subdued Kenneth Campbell. A crowd of Taste patrons gathered and hurled rocks and debris at officers who responded to the scene.

Deliberating just 75 minutes, a jury acquitted Greg Campbell of assaulting Roberts and resisting arrest. Both sides gave different accounts of what happened. But to understand why the jury found reasonable doubt of Campbell's guilt, consider the following:

* Campbell flagged down the officer, not the other way around as had been frequently reported. Campbell said Roberts' police cruiser had nearly run him down, probably unintentionally but still with disregard for his safety. Roberts denied this. But why did a citizen pull over a police officer?

* Roberts said he shot pepper spray in Campbell's eyes because Campbell was poised to attack. Another police officer corroborated Campbell's own account that he was sprayed while still in his vehicle. How could Campbell, inside his vehicle, move to attack Roberts?

* Roberts said he placed Campbell under arrest for violating a city noise ordinance by shouting at the officer. No other officer heard Campbell being placed under arrest, and Campbell said he didn't either. How often do police take someone into custody for a minor ordinance violation?

* There were inconsistencies in prosecution testimony, plus Campbell's claim of self-defense against an abusive officer.

Kenneth Campbell, whose trial was heard by a different jury, had a much more difficult trial defense. As the third man in -- coming to the aid of his brother -- Kenneth Campbell couldn't claim self-defense. Indeed, there was no testimony that Roberts ever touched him. Still, the jury took 13 hours to convict, and then on lesser charges, giving the impression they had doubts about the case.

Time to move beyond 'What if...'

As for Roberts, a two-year police veteran at the time, it is doubtful he is the out-of-control cop defense attorneys portrayed him as, and it is unfortunate his reputation has become stained. However, had a more experienced officer with a better understanding of the community he patrolled been on the scene that night, it is possible nothing would have come of the meeting with Greg Campbell.

Now that the court cases have been concluded, it is time for the community to move forward.