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.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com) and (www.clevelandurbannews.com). Reach us by phone at 216-659-0473 and by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Cleveland Ward 2 Councilman Zack Reed (pictured) began his 10 days jail sentence for a third DUI conviction at a Solon, Ohio jail, arrangements made after Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and the judge in the case supported Reed's request not to be housed in Cleveland jail or any of its facilities. This was to allegedly avoid potential harassment, according to Jackson spokesperson Maureen Harper. He will be out in time for the November 5 general election for Cleveland mayor and city council. He faces Marcus Henley after he won the nonpartisan primary earlier this month by a landslide.
A Cleveland Municipal Court jury found Reed guilty last month of a third DUI. His license will remain suspended until 2015, though he can drive with alcohol monitoring devices, court records show. He served 10 days in 2008 for a second DUI but did no jail time for the first occurrence in 2005.
Visiting former Willoughby, Ohio judge Larry Allen, whom Republican Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor personally handpicked out of Lake County, presided over the case after the original judge, Cleveland Judge Pinkey Carr, refused it.
The city lawmaker faced 10 days to six months in jail, and a $350 fine.
"I do have a problem and I am going to do everything I can to show the judge that I am getting help," said Reed in an interview after the verdict with Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's most read online Black newspaper.
Among those at the sentencing were Cleveland Ward 8 Councilman Jeff Johnson and a group of Cleveland area Black clergy, including Greater Love Missionary Baptist Church Bishop Eugene Ward.
Reed, 51, did not take the stand in his own defense at trial.
One of nine Black council persons on the 19- seat Cleveland City Council, Reed represents parts of the impoverished predominantly Black Mount Pleasant and Kinsman neighborhoods on Cleveland's largely Black east side. He has been on city council about a decade and a quarter.





ROCKY RIVER-Ohio- Judith Pugley, a retired professional and supporter of Civil Rights, wrote Cleveland Urban News.Com and The Kathy Wray Coleman online News Blog. Com on what 2011 brought to the community from the convictions of serial killer Anthony Sowell on numerous counts for the murders of 11 Black women to malicious prosecutions of Black women and girls by the predominantly Black city of Cleveland.
COLUMBUS, Ohio-In the wake of two third-degree felony convictions and the jailing earlier this year of an Akron, Oh. Black single mother for lying on school applications to send her children to a neighboring predominantly White suburban school district with the hope of getting them a better education away from the housing projects where the family lives, Republican Gov. John Kasich used his executive clemency authority on Wed and reduced the charges to misdemeanors.
CLEVELAND, Ohio-As grassroots factions such as The Imperial Women Coalition, in cooperation with the Audacity of H.O.P.E Foundation , The Cleveland African-American Museum Cleveland City Council members, and other community affiliates, prepare for a candidate's debate for Cuyahoga County prosecutor on Thurs. Jan. 5 from 5:30 pm. to 8:00 pm at Lil Africa Party Center at 6816 Superior Ave in Cleveland, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio's Largest Newspaper, is fighting with county prosecutor Bill Mason and the Cleveland Call and Post Newspaper on whether the county prosecutor should be appointed rather than elected.




