137 shots police victim attorney Terry Gilbert to join community activists to hold press conference, dialogue on race, violence, murder, discussion on new Cleveland police chief, who is Black, on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at the Chateau Mansion at 4:45 pm, 13124 Euclid Avenue, community activists, elected officials, victims of crime, their families to speak, Imperial Murders, other murders, rape of women, 137 shots Cleveland police shooting of 2 unarmed Blacks also to be addressed
Williams and Russell were killed by police shooting a hail of 137 bullets following a police car chase that began in downtown Cleveland and ended in neighboring East Cleveland. Whether any state criminal indictments will come down will likely depend on the outcome of a pending Cuyahoga County Grand Jury process.
"We will present our positions on the new police chief and what we expect of him," said Samad, who said that he is glad that the majority Black city of Cleveland now has a Black police chief.
Coleman said that community activists want a dialogue with the new police chief and an explanation of what he will do differently to minimize crime, excessive police force and the unprecedented rape and murders of greater Cleveland women across racial lines, among other concerns.
In addition to Terry Gilbert, other speakers include Samad, McKoy, Coleman, Former Plain Dealer and Call and Post Reporter Dick Peery, East Cleveland City Councilman Nate Martin, family members of victims of violence and some victims themselves, and Community Activists Marva Patterson, Roz McAllister, Rev Pamela Pinkney Butts, Christine Wilson, Gilda Malone, Genevieve Mitchell, Bill Swain, Ernest Smith, and Valerie and Dr. Stuart Robinson.
 |
| Community Activist Kathy Wray Coleman, who leads the Imperial Women Activists Group, raises her hand and chants along with some 45 other activists during a 2009 rally she led outside the home of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. The protest was in response to what activists said was police negligence and apathy relative to the murders of 11 Black women on Imperial Avenue on the city's east side. The remains of the women were uncovered beginning in October 2009 and since convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell sits on death row following convictions on 82 of 83 counts, including multiple counts of rape and murder. Activists were also upset because at the time the law enforcement leadership team of the Cleveland Police Department, including the chief of police, law director, safety director, chief prosecutor and EMS commissioner, had no Blacks, though the city is largely Black. On Monday Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson appointed Deputy Police Chief Calvin Williams , who is Black, as police chief. Williams is the third Black city police chief. Photo by John Kuntz, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest newspaper. CLICK THIS LINK HERE TO READ THE CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER NEWSPAPER AT CLEVELAND.COM
Participating grassroots activists groups include the Imperial Women Activists Group, the Carl Stokes Brigade, Communities United, the Cleveland African-American Museum, Peace in the Hood, the National Association for Parental Equality, the Cleveland Chapter of the New Black Panther Party, Ohio Family Rights, Revolution Books, The People's Forum, The Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network, Sister to Sister, Stop Targeting Ohio's Poor, People for the Imperial Act, the Fairfax Business Association , the Oppressed People's Nation, and Black on Black Crime Inc.
|
Comments