Memorial services held for murdered Cleveland teen Alianna DeFreeze, and while activists were there Cleveland Councilman Zack Reed was the only elected official to pay respects....Activist Art McKoy said whoever killed Alianna "should get the death penalty straight out with no trial"....By editor Kathy Wray Coleman of www.clevelandurbannews.com and www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's Black digital news leaders
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| Alianna DeFreeze |
(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com). Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 3.5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief, and who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio. We interviewed former president Barack Obama one-on-one when he was campaigning for president. As to the Obama interview, CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE AT CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM, OHIO'S LEADER IN BLACK DIGITAL NEWS.
By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief
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| Alianna DeFreeze |
CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM-CLEVELAND, Ohio-Family members, friends, community activists and even strangers came out Saturday afternoon for memorial services for murdered 14-year-old Clevelander Alianna DeFreeze.
"There were quite a few community activists there and the services were excellent," said Ada Averyhart, 83, a community activist from the Cleveland based grassroots groups the Carl Stokes Brigade and the Imperial Women Coalition. "The singing was excellent."
Activist Art McKoy of Black on Black Crime Inc was in attendance and said the killer does not deserve a trial, in spite of a constitutional guarantee that requires such if chosen
"Whoever did this should get the death penalty straight out with no trial," said McKoy.
Activist Art McKoy of Black on Black Crime Inc was in attendance and said the killer does not deserve a trial, in spite of a constitutional guarantee that requires such if chosen
"Whoever did this should get the death penalty straight out with no trial," said McKoy.
The Black girl, whose body was discovered by police two weeks ago in a vacant home at the the 9400 block of Fullmer Avenue on Cleveland's majority Black east side, was last seen Jan 26 at the 3400 block of East 149th Street when she was getting off the RTA bus headed to school.
Hundreds turned out Saturday to say farewell to the teen.
Cleveland Ward 2 Councilman Zack Reed was the only elected official there, and rightfully so since the abandoned home where Alianna's body was found sits in his ward.
Cleveland Heights is a neighboring middle-class suburb of Cleveland that is roughly 45 percent Black.
Cleveland Ward 2 Councilman Zack Reed was the only elected official there, and rightfully so since the abandoned home where Alianna's body was found sits in his ward.
Cleveland Heights is a neighboring middle-class suburb of Cleveland that is roughly 45 percent Black.
Police escorted Alianna’s body from Lucas Funeral Home in Garfield Heights to Imani Temple Ministries in Cleveland Heights for the memorial.
Christopher Whitaker of South Euclid, Ohio, a convicted sex offender who served time in prison for sexual battery, among other convictions, has been charged with aggravated murder in Alianna's death, among other crimes, and is being held on a $3 million bond.
He has pleaded not guilty to the gruesome crime.
Police say that DNA links Whitaker to the crime, but cannot put him with the girl at any point to date, other than allegedly through DNA evidence.
Her family says she did not know him.
Tel: (216) 659-0473. Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com
