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By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher
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Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com
By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor, associate publisher
ClevelandUrbanNews.Com and the KathyWrayColemanOnlineNewsBlog.Com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspapers with some 5 million readers on Google Plus alone. Tel: (216) 659-0473. 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 Wwray Coleman, editor-in-chief
CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM- CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINA-The Toledo, Ohio man who killed Heather Heyer (pictured), the 32-year-old Charlottesville, Virginia paralegal and human and civil rights activist, for opposing racism by White nationalists at a contentious rally in the city last August has been charged with a federal hate crime, in addition to a host of other crimes he was charged with last year.
Heyer was run over as suspected murderer James Alex Fields Jr. plowed his Dodge Challenger into a crowd of counter-protesters at a White nationalist rally dubbed the "United the Right" rally, leaving Heather dead and 19 others injured.
Fields, 21, was denied bail at his arraignment last year on charges of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit and run.
He was indicted on 30 additional charges this week, including a federal hate crime
Hundreds gathered at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville last year to celebrate a life taken too soon.
Among them were dignitaries, including Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe, activists, friends, family members, and colleagues.
Holding back tears, Heyer's father, Mark Heyer, said his daughter loved people, and that he is truly proud of her. And he called for peace as tensions mount nationwide following insensitive comments by President Trump on the killing, the president blaming both sides, even the non-violent protesters that appeared at the rally in good faith to call for an end to racism and bigotry in America.
"She wanted to put down hate," Mark Heyer said of his daughter at the memorial. "We need to stop all this stuff and forgive each other and I think that is what the Lord would want us to do."
"She paid attention," said Heather's mother, Susan Bro at the memorial. " She made all of us pay attention."
Her mother said that Heather became a target of White nationalists due to her outspokenness.
"They tried to kill my child to shut her up," said Bro. "Well guess what, you just magnified her."
She went on to say that, regarding racism and bigotry in America, " we must have the uncomfortable dialogue."
And she said that her daughter's untimely death was not in vain
"I'd rather have my child, but by golly if we are going to give her up we are going to make it count," said Bro in garnering a standing ovation.
Heather's mother and father called on activists and others to carry on the fight for equal opportunity and equal justice and to stand up for Civil Rights and against hate groups.
ClevelandUrbanNews.Com and the KathyWrayColemanOnlineNewsBlog.Com, Ohio's most read digital Black newspapers with some 5 million readers on Google Plus alone. Tel: (216) 659-0473. 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.
Pictured are 137 shots unarmed Cleveland police fatal shooting victim Malissa Williams and 137 shots unarmed Cleveland police fatal shooting victim Timothy Russell.Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 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.
CLEVELANDURBANNEWS.COM-EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio-Greater Cleveland community activists will hold a press conference rally today, March 15, 2018, in front of East Cleveland City Hall in response to the city offering five White Cleveland police supervisors prosecuted on misdemeanor charges that they failed to control a 22-mile chase that led to the 137 shots shooting deaths of unarmed Blacks Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell dismissal of charges in exchange for $5,000 each in fines and court costs. (Contact phone numbers for the press conference rally are 216-804-7462 and 216-659-0473).
"We will meet today in front of East Cleveland City Hall on this matter," said activist Art McKoy.
"This offer by the prosecutor of the city of East Cleveland of money in exchange for dismissing this case is an affront to the thousands who have marched, protested, rallied and sat in on many different meetings demanding justice, and we want a trial for the cops at issue before a duly-impaneled jury of their peers," said activist Al Porter of Black on Black Crime Inc.
The supervisors, Randolph Dailey, Patricia Coleman, Michael Donegan, Jason Edens and Paul Wilson, who were indicted in 2014 by a Cuyahoga County grand jury for failure to control, face a single misdemeanor charge of dereliction of duty, the case ultimately transferred form Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to East Cleveland Municipal Court
The charge is a second degree misdemeanor and the supervisors face a possible 90 days in jail and up to a $750 fine.
Henry Hilow, the attorney for the Cleveland supervisors says that his clients reject the city's offer and the city should either dismiss the case or proceed to trial.
Williams, 30, and Russell, 43, both homeless and struggling with drug addiction, were gunned down on November 29, 2012 by 13 non-Black Cleveland cops slinging 137 bullets following a high speed car chase from downtown Cleveland to Heritage Middle School in neighboring East Cleveland, a largely Black impoverished suburb of Cleveland.
Police claim Russell's car backfired and it was mistaken as a shot at police, a scheme, say community activists, to avoid prosecution and to escape accountability for one of Cleveland's most notorious excessive force atrocities.
Last year an arbitrator handed five of the six officers directly involved in the shooting who were fired relative to the incident their jobs back.
A sixth Cleveland police officer, Michael Brelo, whom Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell acquitted of affiliated voluntary manslaughter charges in May 2015 following a bench trial, should not be, the arbitrator ruled..
Brelo was exceptionally callus and shot 49 of the 137 bullets into the windshield of the car Russell had been driving while stationed on the hood of the car, including a 15-round volley.
Russell's 1979 Malibu Classic was cornered and stationary at Heritage school when 137 shots were fired by the Cleveland cops, the duo dying at the scene of an incident that has heightened racial unrest in Cleveland and East Cleveland regarding excessive force by police and what activists say is a lack of adequate redress for the victims families and the Black community.
The city of Cleveland, which settled a wrongful death lawsuits with families of the victims for $3 million, is currently under a court-monitored consent decree for police reforms with the U.S. Department of Justice.
.Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 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.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com
Cleveland has not won an NBA championship since 2016, when megastar LeBron James, who now plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, was a team member.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com are the most-read Black digital newspaper and blog in Ohio. Tel. 216-659-0473. Email-editor@clevelandurbannews.com
Pictured are newly elected Ward 1 Councilman Joe Jones (wearing gold tie), and newly elected Ward 7 Councilman Basheer Jones
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief
CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM-CLEVELAND, Ohio- New elected Cleveland councilmen Joe Jones and Basheer Jones survived recounts by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, election officials announced this week.
Joe Jones defeated Ward 1 Councilman Terrell Pruitt and Activist Basheer Jones won over Ward 7 Councilman TJ Dow via the November runoff election for their seats among all 17 Cleveland City Council seats up for grabs, and three-term Black Mayor Frank Jackson retained his seat, defeating outgoing councilman Zack Reed.
All of the aforementioned are Black Democrats.
A former assistant county prosecutor, Dow lost by 13 votes and Pruitt, by eight votes, the recount revealing no changes in the outcome in either race.
Four other close races, including the loss of Ward 14 Councilman Brian Cummin's seat to Jasmin Santanta, await recounts.
Joe Jones, the husband of Cuyahoga County Domestic Relations Court Judge Tonya Jones, told
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com in a recent interview that God helped him win and that "the Ward 1 community wanted change."
Dow was up against 11th Congressional District Congresswoman Marcia Fudge, who endorsed his opponent, Basheer Jones, and he could not overcome the influence of the powerful Cleveland Clinic that had become annoyed with him.
Clevelandurbannews.com and Kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com, Ohio's most read Black digital newspaper and Black blog with some 5 million views on Google Plus alone.Tel: (216) 659-0473 and Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com. Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief