But in a telephone interview with The Crimsonyesterday, Shannon contradicted the statements ofRakobane and the other witnesses.

"I felt the security guard was pretty much inhis realm of responsibility," said Shannon, whohad seen McCombe around campus previous-ly.

Although he did not hear the actualconversation that ensued, Shannon said McCombe didnot raise his voice as he approached the student:"[He wasn't loud] when he approached the man. Byno means. There were no histrionics, no wavinghands."

According to Shannon, McCombe was behavingprofessionally. "The man was not gruff; heattempted to be polite," he said. "His attitudewas not feisty; it was within the parameters ofgood behavior."

"It was basically, 'Excuse me, I'm justcurious, was that your car?' That was hisattitude," Shanon said.

A letter submitted to the department by McCombealso disputed the account of Rakobane and thewitnesses. The guard said he questioned Rakobaneonly after a woman in Larsen Hall complained thata man was sitting on his car in the street and"acting weird."

McCombe said in the letter that he askedRakobane whether he needed help and whether he had"any business in the area." McCombe said Rakobanethen accused the guard of questioning him onlybecause he was Black.

After that, McCombe said Helen Snively, afriend of Rakobane's who was walking by, told himthat Rakobane was a student. Assured of that fact,McCombe said he immediately continued with hisguard duties.

'That's Wrong'

When McCombe's account of the incident was readto him yesterday, Rakobane said: "That'swrong....He never asked about help, he simply toldme to leave. And I never talked about my beingBlack."

Rakobane also charged that he was harassed by adifferent guard that same day in September and byMcCombe four days later. But Dale found that boththe guards acted appropriately in those cases.

Although the incident occurred on September 8,Rakobane did not officially file a complaint onthe incident until October 24. The complaint wassent to police officials and security supervisorThomas F. Henaghan, who McCombe has charged withharassment and discrimination in the past.

Dale's report says that Rakobane had written anearlier letter in late September, but policeofficials said they never received it.

Retaliation?

Last fall, McCombe complained that Henaghanwould not let him go directly from his job to thehospital after the guard experienced chest pains.But Dale's report says there was no connectionbetween Rakobane's complaint and Henaghan's pastproblems with McCombe.