Church Community And Others Host Support Dinner For Families Of Murdered Imperial Avenue Victims With CNN Reporters In Attendance

By Kathy Wray Coleman
Editor of the Determiner Weekly.Com and
the Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog and Media Network

Some of the families of the 11 women murdered on Imperial Ave. by suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell gathered with grassroots factions and clergy on Monday for a support meeting and dinner, as CNN reporters in town to profile the murders looked on.

"We are here to support the families and we will have a picnic this summer without the media," said Bishop F.E. Perry, pastor of the Church of God In Christ in Cleveland where the event was held.

Grassroots groups in attendance include the Imperial Women, Black on Black Crime Inc., Survivors and Victims of Tragedy, the Carl Stokes Brigade, the People's Fight Back Center and the Lucasville Uprising Freedom Network. Community Activist Sharon Danann donated sweatshirts from the Imperial Women to each of the families with the names of the murdered women on the back and the slogan "Imperial Women Invisible No More" across the front.

Noticeably present was Stanley Miller, executive director of the Cleveland NACCP, the local group of the nationally renowned Civil Rights organization that has perceived power.

Denise Hunter, sister of murder victim Amelda Hunter and cousin of murder victim Crystal Dozier, read a poem to highlight the community's support around the tragedy that has rocked the predominantly Black major metropolitan city of Cleveland, Oh.

"We will not forget you," said Hunter, in referencing the need to remember the slain women whose remains were found late last year and early this year in and around the home of Sowell, who is now in custody and has pleaded not guilty to more than 80 criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping and rape.

Famed Cleveland area attorney David Malik was also there and explained the potential liability of the city of Cleveland where six of the murdered women went missing after Sowell was released from custody in 2008, and after city officials deemed an attempted rape complaint of a Black woman "not credible." He was indicted on that complaint in November, raising eyebrows further as to why Cleveland Chief Prosecutor Victor Perez, Law Director Robert Triozzi and Cleveland police allegedly released him, though finger pointing is ongoing between police and prosecutors as to the responsible culprits.

CNN reporters have been in town this week to investigate the backgrounds and attributes of the murder victims for a expose by the national news network.

"My editor, who is a Pulitzer prize winning editor, sent us in here so that we can do a positive story on the lives of the 11 women murdered on Imperial Avenue in Cleveland," said CNN Reporter Amy Zerba.

Community Advocate Marcia McCoy, whose group dubbed "Before the Eleven" hosted the event along with Bishop Perry and the church community, told the families of the murdered victims that they they are not alone in their pain and that venues of support exist for them.

"We are not going away as a community and you have support from the activists and the clergy," said McCoy.