By Karl Kimbrough, Sportswriter, Cleveland Urban News. Com, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

CLEVELAND, Ohio-The Quicken Loan arena was a buzz Tuesday night. You could tell something special was about to happen. The fans who came to see the Cleveland Cavaliers take on the Los Angeles Lakers were not disappointed as the Cavs would win 100 to 94.

After the game Cavaliers Coach Bryon Scott (pictured) said that his team came through because of excellent defensive strategies, though he acknowledged that Kyrie helped too.

“As much as we talk about Kyrie, as much as we talk about some of the other individuals who had great games, defensively we were great, really, for 48 minutes," said Scott. "We played some of our best defense.”

After three long weeks of absence, Kyrie Irving (pictured) was back, and he brought his awe inspiring skill set with him. Adding spice to this match up between the Lakers and the Cavs was the challenge to a game of one on one basketball made by Kyrie to Kobe Bryant (pictured) of the Lakers during the pre-Olympic training camp last summer. Whether this challenge were the loser will give $40,000 to the winners charity actually happens is yet to be determined. But the match up last night between Kobe and Kyrie, with both superstars trying to deliver a win for their struggling teams, would bring thrills and chills. This was a true example of a game within a game between two of the NBA's great players.

As the game began, Kyrie started the scoring out with one of his signature moves. He faked left with the ball on the dribble, then right behind his back. He finished off the move with a spinning turn around jumper fading away. The ball went in the basket softly, tickling the twine of the net. Kyrie's body language seemed to say let's get it on Kobe as he backed peddled away. Immediately Kobe ran down the court, he jostled for position with Kyrie.

After receiving the ball Kobe showed Kyrie his own turn around fade away jumper that touched nothing but the bottom of the net. This was a message sending shot that implied, okay my young friend, let's do this. The game between the Cavs and Lakers would continue with several dazzling shots by Kobe and Kyrie along with quick slashes to the basket.

There was one possession in the third quarter that brought fans to their feet. Kyrie found himself matched up with Kobe one on one at the top of the key. Kyrie faked left then right and after two more quick dribbles back and forth he settled for a jump shot right in front of Kobe's condor like arms, and he promptly swatted the shot down as the crowd sighed.

Kyrie and the Cavs would win the game. It would come down to the fourth quarter as most NBA games often do. In the last four minutes of the fourth quarter Kobe and Kyrie would continue to make shots.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher, Editor-n-Chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

EAST CLEVELAND,Ohio- East Cleveland city officials, Mayor Gary Norton and police investigating the 137-bullets deadly shootings two weeks ago by a group of White Cleveland police officers in East Cleveland of unarmed Blacks Malissa Williams, 30, and Timothy Ray Russell, 43, will join Cleveland Chapter NAACP  leaders for a community question-and-answer forum on Friday, Dec. 14 at 6 pm at the Shaw High School Main Auditorium in East Cleveland, Cleveland NAACP Interim Executive Director Arlene Anderson said yesterday in a press release to Cleveland Urban News.Com. (Reach the Cleveland Chapter NAACP by phone at 216-231-6260).

"The NAACP has a long and storied history of opposing police misconduct, especially in cases involving  high speed chases and deadly force," said Anderson in the press release. "The greater Cleveland community and the NAACP deserve to have a thorough explanation of the policies of the involvement of the police departments pertaining to high speed pursuits and the use of deadly force."

East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton, who enlisted the Ohio Bureau of  Criminal Identification and Investigation in the case, said that he will be speaking at the forum and that it is designed to inform the community as much as possible around the unprecedented shootings, though the mayor of the impoverished predominantly Black suburb of Cleveland emphasized that it is Cleveland police and not his police force that are at the center of the investigation.

"I will speak at the forum," said Norton.

And at 5:30 pm., shortly before the forum, community activists, led by Art McKoy of Black on Black Crime, Cleveland Mayoral Candidate Donna Walker Brown, Genevieve Mitchell of The Imperial Women and The Carl Stokes Brigade, Oppressed People's Nation Leader Ernest Smith, and Khalid Samad of Peace in the Hood will hold a press conference and protest in front of the school to demand that neither Cleveland officials, the county sheriff's office,  nor  police or East Cleveland officials investigate the shootings. They want an official FBI investigation and intervention by the U.S. Department of Justice in taking total control over the investigation.

Other activist groups that will protest include the faith based organizations United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Shurah Council and the Nation of Islam.

Activists said also that they will address the role of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty, who took campaign contributions and was endorsed by the Cleveland Police Patrolmen's Association earlier this year relative to his win to replace former Democratic county prosecutor Bill Mason. They want McGinty out of any investigation and the possible prosecution by his office of any felony indictment charges that might come against the 13 Cleveland police involved in the deadly shootings, none of whom are Black, and all of whom are on paid administrative leave.

"We request that FBI and  not East Cleveland officials or police be the lead investigator because East Cleveland lacks resources for a thorough and comprehensive investigation and the city and its police department have a history of sweeping viable complaints and alleged police misconduct under the rug," said McKoy, a longtime East Cleveland community activist. "Though we respect the sovereignty of  the City of East Cleveland when it comes to police investigating each other we take issue with that partly because we know that over 4,000 internal complaints against police in Cleveland have all resulted in outcomes favoring police, and East Cleveland is no different."

Activists said that they will call for a special prosecutor in place of McGinty at Friday's press conference

"We  want Tim McGinty to recuse himself and will have a press conference and protest before the rally and  make our concerns known ," said Walker Brown, the first to take petitions out to run next year in Cleveland against popular mayor Frank Jackson, who said that he will seek a third four-year term.

The Ohio ACLU also wants McGinty and local authorities off the case too and sent a letter to the county prosecutor asking that he recuse himself from the matter.

Family members of the victims, who have called the police shootings racist and cold- blooded- murder, have said they will attend the forum.

Ohio Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge, a Warrensville Hts Democrat, whose 11th congressional district includes parts of Cleveland and East Cleveland in its entirety, also chair-elect of the Congressional Black Caucus, sent a letter yesterday to U.S. Justice Department officials requesting an independent and comprehensive investigation around the deadly shootings by its office of Civil Rights as well as an official FBI investigation. The families of the victims want such too and have said publicly that they do not want either East Cleveland or Cleveland officials or police investigating anything, more less themselves, or neighborhood police accused of unnecessary and deadly force against the Black Community.

Fudge has also said that the Cleveland Police Department exhibits a " pattern of unequal treatment that exposes African-Americans to practices and policies by the Cleveland Police Department in egregious violation of their civil rights including the use of excessive force."

By Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher, Editor-n-Chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

WASHINGTON, D.C.-In a letter today to President Barack Obama U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice withdrew her name for consideration for United States secretary of state following criticism by Republican lawmakers of her comments on Islam and her description of the  Sept 11 attacks on the U.S.  diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya which  left four dead, including U.S. ambassador to Libya Chris Stevens.

"I am highly honored to be considered by you for appointment of secretary of state and I am fully confident that I could serve our country ably and effectively in that role," wrote Rice in the one page letter to the president. "However, if nominated, I am now convinced that the confirmation process would be lengthy, disruptive and costly to you and our most pressing national and international priorities. Therefore, I respectfully request that you no longer consider my candidacy at this time."

A Democrat, Obama accepted Rice's withdrawal of consideration of candidacy but complimented her for what he called exemplary service as a public servant. He said that he appreciates that she will remain as ambassador and the president was critical of the attack on Rice by congressional Republicans.

"For two decades Susan has proven to be an extraordinarily capable, patriotic and public servant," said Obama in a press release. "While I deeply regret the unfair and misleading attacks on Susan Rice in recent weeks, her decision demonstrates the strength of her character and her admirable commitment to rise above the politics of the moment to put our national interests first. The American people can be proud to have a public servant of her caliber and character representing our country."

A Brookings Institute fellow and former assistant secretary of state for African Affairs during President Bill Clinton's second term, had Rice, 48,  been nominated by the president to replace current Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and subsequently confirmed by Congress, which Republican lawmakers said would likely have been an uphill battle, she would have been the first Black Democrat, third Black and the second Black female to win the post behind Republicans Colin Powell and Condolezza Rice, both confirmed during the presidency of George W. Bush, also a Republican.

Clinton, who has said that she will stay on until a replacement is confirmed, has acknowledged that the attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi were part of a broader terrorism effort by al-Quaida in the Islamic Magreb working in cooperation with other extremist groups .

Rice came under fire after she publicly blamed the massacre on a mob and said that the Internet video "Innocence of Muslims" inflamed the attacks, comments that insulted the prophet Muhammad of Islam, who is believed by Muslims and Bahais to be a messenger and prophet of God, and "the last prophet of God sent by mankind."

Rice was confirmed as ambassador to the United Nations in 2009 and is the first African-American to hold the post.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher, Editor-n-Chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

WASHINGTON, D.C.-Ohio Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (D-11) (pictured), a Warrensville Hts. Democrat and chairman-elect of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) whose majority Black 11th congressional district includes the east side of Cleveland, its eastern suburbs and a small pocket of Akron and staggering parts of its Summit County suburbs, has called for an independent investigation by the United States Department of Justice and the FBI around the 137-bullets- shooting deaths by a group of White Cleveland police officers  two weeks ago of unarmed Black victims Malissa Russell and Timothy Ray Russell in a letter to U.S. Department of Justice officials dated Dec. 11. It is copied to Steven Dettlebach, the U.S. district attorney for the northern district of Ohio.

"I am writing to request that the special litigation unit of the United States Department of Justice promptly conduct a thorough and independent review of the facts and circumstances leading to the use of deadly force by Cleveland police officers on November 29, 2012 in East Cleveland, Oh.," wrote Fudge  in a letter to Jonathan Smith, chief of the special litigation unit for the office of Civil Rights for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington D.C. "The high speed pursuit of the vehicle from the City of Cleveland culminated with officers firing 137 bullets at the driver and occupant of the vehicle, claiming the lives of both individuals, Malissa Williams and Timothy Russell. At this writing, no evidence has publicly surfaced that either Ms. Williams or Mr. Russell fired a weapon or had a firearm."

Fudge called the firing of 137 rounds of ammunition at Williams and Russell extreme and said also in the letter that "a pattern of unequal treatment exposes African-Americans to practices and policies by the Cleveland Police Department in egregious violation of their civil rights including the use of excessive force."

The congresswoman said in a press release last week to Cleveland Urban News.Com that she supports Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson (pictured in suit) in his call for an internal investigation and a review by the FBI and the U.S. district attorney's office, though community activists and the family members of the victims want more than a review by the FBI. They want the agency to lead, not monitor, the investigation. They argue that some East Cleveland police are former Cleveland police officers, that Russell and Williams will be denied due process and a fair assessment, and that it is ludicrous to think that East Cleveland police can separate themselves from the situation in investigating neighboring police officers relative to criminal allegations of deadly force.

Twelve of the Cleveland police officers involved in the deadly shooting are White, and one Hispanic. And Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson, himself Black like the two gunned down victims, has appointed not one Black as law director, safety director, chief of police, chief city prosecutor or EMS commissioner in the predominantly Black major metropolitan city.

Jackson has previously said that he has no Blacks because his all non-Black law enforcement leadership team appointees are the best qualified, a statement that he may wish he had never spoken in defending his lack of diversity in a venue where the Black community is most vulnerable critics say.

A similar letter to Fudges' that calls for an independent investigation by federal authorities has been sent to the U.S. Department of Justice by Olivet Institutional Baptist Church senior pastor, the Rev. Dr. Jawanza Karriem Colvin.

Some 30 police cars, most from Cleveland and others allegedly from East Cleveland,  were involved in a 25 minute police chase from in front of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in Cleveland of the car Russell was driving with Williams as a passenger that went into East Cleveland near Heritage Middle School at Wymore and Terrace Avenues with police aggressively shooting 137 bullets into the car.

No gun or gun shell casings were found in or near the car at issue and no gun residue surfaced on the bodies of Williams or Russell, sources say. And neither was wanted by the law.

Community activists say that East Cleveland city officials and police should not be investigating Cleveland officials and police on the matter because it is nothing more than "the fox guarding the hen house."

Art McKoy (pictured), who leads Black on Black Crime Inc. and has held community protests over the deadly shootings, said that the Black community is naive if it tolerates police investigating each other in such a high profile deadly force case.

"East Cleveland police should not be leading any investigation," said McKoy. "We want an official FBI investigation led by the FBI and in the absence of police initiatives in Cleveland, East Cleveland or anywhere else."

A community forum on the unprecedented shootings held last week at Greater Abyssinia Baptist Church in Cleveland and sponsored by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and the Cleveland Chapter NAACP got heated. Another forum, also sponsored by the Cleveland Chapter NAACP, is scheduled for 6 pm on Friday, Dec., 14 at the Shaw High School Main Auditorium in East Cleveland. To reach the offices of the Cleveland NAACP by phone call 216-231-6260.

By Kathy Wray Coleman, Publisher, Editor-n-Chief, Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper

TWINSBURG,Ohio- Timothy Ray Russell (pictured), one of two unarmed Black victims gunned down a week and a half ago by a group of anxious White Cleveland police and shot at 137 times after a car chase from Cleveland that ended in tragedy in East Cleveland, was laid to rest on Saturday at the Sanctuary of Praise in Twinsburg, Oh, a Cleveland suburb.

Russell, 43, was driving the car that police say backfired in front of the Cuyahoga County Justice Center on Nov. 29, causing some 30 police cars to chase him and passenger Malissa Williams, 30, for more than 25 minutes until surrounding the car at Wymore and Terrace Avenues in East Cleveland and putting 137 bullets into it.

No gun or gun shell casings were found in or near the car, police said and police union leaders told reporters last week that what happen to Williams and Russell was "a good shooting."

Arrangements for Williams are pending and her family members were among those at the funeral services for Russell.

"We were there for support," said Walter Jackson, an uncle of Williams and a family spokesperson during a segment Sunday night on the Art McKoy University of Common Sense Show, which airs weekly on WERE AM 1490 NewsTalk Radio.

The unprecedented incident has outraged community activists, family members of the victims, and officials of the Cleveland NAACP, who are calling for an examination of police policies by the city of Cleveland on police chases and deadly  police force.

Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com and by phone at 216-659-0473.