By Kathy Wray Coleman: Press release: Community activists hold rally and call for indictments in deadly Cleveland police chase, support Police Chief Williams' new police chase policies, a message from Activist Kathy Wray Coleman, Cleveland NAACP President the Rev Hilton Smith attends rally, new policy bars high speed police chases absent suspected violent felony or OVI
Subject: Press Release on 137 shots aftermath rally coverage by mainstream media..Read below.. A message from journalist and community activist Kathy Wray Coleman (Note: Activists never planned the 137 shots rally in East Cleveland on March 6 for Heritage Middle School where a parent teacher conference was being held. That was some of community activist Art McKoy's slickness for a Channel 5 article with coverage. He is becoming a distraction and a tool for the media, himself and the police, some believe. The rally went forward as planned at the intersection of Lee and Terrace Roads in East Cleveland, a neighboring Black and impoverished suburb of Cleveland, Ohio).
PRESS RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA : FRIDAY, MARCH 7, 2014, COMMUNITY ACTIVISTS APPLAUD NEW CLEVELAND POLICE CHIEF VEHICLE PURSUIT POLICIES (NOTE: The Cleveland urban news.com article on this is coming (WWW.CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM)
Dear Mainstream Media that attended the deadly 137 shots rally in East Cleveland last night (Channels 3, 5, 43. 19 and 8): (Read our coverage up to the rally at www.clevelandurbannews.com)
Thanks for coming to the rally I led, and the coverage. But remember that in addition to seeking police indictments, we for the most part like the new policies put in place by new Black Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams on Cleveland police chases in the wake of the 137 shots deadly shooting in 2012 of unarmed Blacks Malissa Williams and Tim Russell by a group of 13 all non-Black Cleveland police officers. The tragedy followed a police chase that began in downtown Clevland and ended in neighboring East Cleveland. The police chief addressed the new policies at a press conference yesterday afternoon. And we still want any new or old policies complied with. That is a given.
The police killings followed a police chase that began in downtown Cleveland and ended in neighboring East Cleveland, a chase initiated by Cleveland police without either probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
"We want them indicted," said Dorothy Sigelmier, a close aunt of Malissa Williams who attended the rally.
The police killings followed a police chase that began in downtown Cleveland and ended in neighboring East Cleveland, a chase initiated by Cleveland police without either probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
"We want them indicted," said Dorothy Sigelmier, a close aunt of Malissa Williams who attended the rally.
"It was murder," said Ernest Smith at the rally, an East Cleveland activist who leads the East Cleveland grassroots groups the Oppressed People's Nation.
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New Cleveland Police Chief Michael Williams |
As to the new policies, we like all policies that heighten requirements for police to pursue non-violent suspects without excessive force. Other than Art McKoy, including Cleveland NAACP President the Rev Hilton Smith who aslo attended the rally, we made that clear at the rally and I told three mainstream media reporters that in one-on-one interviews yesterday, interviews they pursued, including 19 action news and channels 5 and 3, not to mention channels 8 and 43 at the rally. Please update your morning news (beginning at 4:30 am this morning) where only Channel 3 news with the talented legend Tom Beres got it right yesterday evening.
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Community Activist Art McKoy |
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Cleveland NAACP President the Rev Hilton Smith |
A policy that precludes vehicle pursuits by Cleveland absent a violent felony or suspicion of OVI as one of the new policies reveals saves lives. Do not link all activists to the views of Art McKoy as to his stance and his ignorance in this matter. The Imperial women support the new polices and the new police chief until and unless he fails to measure up. We want the policies he has implemented to be adopted by council and state legislators into local and state laws, local laws among Cuyahoga County's 59 villages, municipalities and townships.
Thanks for your support.
Kathy Wray Coleman, Imperial Women Activists Group, 216-659-0473, www.clevelandurbannews.com
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