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Suspected serial killer Michael Madison  From left: Angela Deskins,  Shirellda Terry and  Shetisha Sheeley, the alleged victims of suspected serial killer Michael Madison  By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief,  Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog,  O hio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog, Tel: (216) 659-0473  K athy Wray Coleman is  a community activist and 21- year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper in Cleveland, Ohio.    ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) /   ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty CLEVELAND, Ohio-Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Nancy McDonnell last week set the trial date of accused serial killer Michael Madison for January 12, 2015, and over the objection of County Prosecutor Tim McGinty, who angrily told the judge that prosecutors were ready to go forward this month. The lawyers for Ma

From left, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight CLEVELAND, Ohio-Community activists will hold a Stop Violence Against Women Rally and Vigil at 5 pm on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 at 2207 Seymour Avenue on Cleveland's west side to mark the first year anniversary of the day a year ago that Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were rescued from the home of serial rapist and  kidnapper  Ariel Castro following a decade of captivity. The rally and vigil will be held in front of where Castro's since demolished Seymour Avenue home once stood. For more information contact the Imperial Women Coalition at 216-659-0473. "This is a celebrated case of unprecedented cruelty and  violence   and we intend to address this issue and other issues on violence  against   women and girls  in greater Cleveland, statewide and nationally in a  wholehearted  fashion," said Imperial Women Coalition Leader Kathy Wray Coleman. "And we again  praise  the Ariel Castro vi

Famed Comedian Joan Rivers From left, Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight By Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher, Editor-in-Chief,  Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, O hio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog  K athy Wray Coleman is a community activist and 20 year investigative journalist who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper.  ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ) /   ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com CLEVELAND, Ohio-Famed Hollywood comedian Joan Rivers has refused to apologize for a joke she made on Twitter and the Today Show on Tuesday where the 80-year-old compared living in the guestroom of her  daughter Melissa as part of their reality show  WEtv series “Joan and Melissa: Joan Knows Best?’’     to the captivity and small rooms that serial rapist and kidnapper Ariel Castro held victims Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight in for a decade.  "Those women in the basemen

Governor John Kasich applauds the courage of Ariel Castro victims Amanda Berry (2nd from lt), Gina DeJesus (3rd from lt) and Michele Knight (4th from lt) before honoring them with Ohio courage medals during his fourth State of the State address at the Medina Performing Arts Center in Medina, Ohio Monday evening. The young women were held captive for a decade at Castro's home on Cleveland's west side. The case caught international attention and heightened awareness around the issues of  rape and abduction of women and children nationwide. Berry was nearly 17 when Castro kidnapped her, DeJesus was 14, and Knight was 21. By  Kathy Wray Coleman,  Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog,  O hio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog. Tel: 216-659-0473. (Kathy Wray Coleman is a 20-year investigative and political journalist and legal reporter who trained for 17 years at the Call and Post Newspaper, Ohio's Black press)   ( www.clev

Ariel Castro  By Kathy Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com, Ohio's No 1 and No 2 online Black newspapers  ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com ).  Kathy Wray   Coleman is a former biology teacher and a 20-year investigative Black journalist who trained for some 15 years at the Call and Post Newspaper .  Reach Coleman by phone at 216-659-0473 and by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com    Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, and Michelle Knight CLEVELAND, Ohio- Demolition crews on tomorrow morning will tear down the home on Seymour Avenue on Cleveland's west side where convicted rapist and kidnapper Ariel Castro held  Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry  and Michelle Knight captive for about a decade until they escaped earlier this year. Castro turned the home over to the Cuyahoga County Land Bank as part of a plea deal that got him a sentence last week of life in prison

Ariel Castro CLEVELAND, Ohio- Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Russo sentenced Ariel Castro to life in prison without the possibility of parole on August 1 for kidnapping and raping Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight and holding the three women captive for 10 years at his west side home on Seymour Ave in Cleveland, Oh., a celebrated case that has captured the nation's attention. "Nobody should have to go through what I went through," said Knight in a prepared statement. Knight said that her bond with DeJesus  helped her make it through the unprecedented ordeal that she dubbed "11 years in hell." Addressing Castro in the packed courtroom, Knight said that "I will live on, you will die a little every day."   Neither DeJesus nor Berry spoke at the sentencing.  DeJesus' cousin spoke on her behalf and Berry's sister spoke for her. DeJesus was held captive for nine years against her will, Berry 10, and

Cleveland Ward 2 Councilman Zack Reed, who has been speaking out about violence against women in recent months shortly before the rescue last month from capture of Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry, and Michelle Knight, and following the unrelated rapes and murders of Black women in his east side ward in March of this year.  Earlier this week Reed announced pepper spray, compliments of Walmart, for his women constituents, an act applauded by women's groups such as the Imperial Women, who also call for more resources for city, state and federal authorities to help eradicate violence against women.  From The Metro Desk Of Cleveland Urban News.Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com, Ohio's No 1 and No 2 online Black newspapers  ( www.clevelandurbannews.com )  Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473 CLEVELAND, Ohio- As Ariel Castro was arraigned this week in the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas on a n

                                                                                                        Amanda Berry By Kath y Wray Coleman, Editor, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News  Blog.com ( www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com ) and ( www.clevelandurbannews.com )   Grassroots spokesperson Judy Martin has announced two community rallies on tomorrow, Sat April 21. For more information contact Martin at 216-990-0679 The first rally and march is sponsored by the Oppressed People's Nation, Black on Black Crime and the East Cleveland Police Department under the theme of stop the violence and begins at East Cleveland City Hall, 14340 Euclid Ave., at 11:00 am. It will end at Shaw High School with a performance by the Shaw High School Marching Band. The second rally is for missing Cleveland west side teen Amanda Berry and will be held  at the corner of 110th St and Lorain Ave in Cleveland. It is sponsored by Survivors/Victims of Tragedy  i