Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson is shameful for no appointed Blacks as chief of police, law director, safety director, chief prosecutor writes Cleveland Criminal Defense Attorney Michael Nelson Sr. in an editorial, Nelson says former mayors Carl Stokes, Michael R. White, Jane Campbell had Blacks, Nelson says that Black leaders have given Jackson "a Black pass" to snub his nose at the Black community relative to key law enforcement positions and in a venue where the Black community is most vulnerable as to police brutality, police murders, the courts, prosecutions, etc.
CLEVELAND,Ohio-It's been [nearly three months] since an unarmed [Black]couple died in a hail of bullets with at least 137 shots fired by at least 13 Cleveland police officers. State and local officials continue to investigate, while community leaders, some less than enthusiastically, call for federal intervention.
Yet in spite of the tension that exists between the Black community and the police, [Mayor Frank] Jackson has systematically excluded Blacks from leadership positions of law director, police chief, safety director and city prosecutor. Out of the last six Cleveland mayors since 1967, including Carl B. Stokes, Michael R. White and Jane Campbell, all of whom had Blacks, he is the only mayor to have this dubious distinction. I have to check the administration of Ralph Perk to be sure on whether he had any Blacks. It is therefore no surprise that Blacks are more likely to be victims of police brutality and subject to a higher degree of profiling than any other group in Cleveland.
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| Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson |
Shame on you Mayor Jackson, and a greater shame on those who have given him "a Black pass." A White mayor would have been crucified for this type of racism. (Even when committed by a Black man, it's still racism).
Oh and I can't wait for the next person to attempt to justify the mayor's failure in this area by telling me how many Blacks work at the airport or finance or community development, etc..
While these investigations follow what seems to be a very leisurely pace, an unwelcome spot light has been shone on the administration of Mayor Frank Jackson, and his stewardship of the police and law departments.
Unfortunately, while this incident is getting the attention it deserves, it is not the first outrage committed against citizens by this administration. Thousands of brutality complaints have been filed against the department and yet under this administration none have been found in favor of the complainants. The only relief has been secured in lawsuits filed against the city.
Michael L. Nelson, Sr.
Attorney and Counselor At Law55 Public Square
Suite 1500
(Attorney Michael Nelson Sr. is a former Cleveland schools teacher and a seasoned criminal defense attorney who has been active in the community for decades. He is a former president of the Cleveland Chapter 100 Black Men of America Inc. and is an active member of the Cleveland branch NAACP. Nelson is also a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. He was once a candidate for Cleveland mayor)
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