Pictured is accused East Cleveland, Ohio serial killer Michael Madison, who was arrested last week and charged on July 22 with 3 counts each of rape and murder of 3 Black women whose bodies were found last week in a fetal position wrapped in plastic bags inside and outside of vacant buildings in East Cleveland. Also pictured is convicted serial killer Anthony Sowell (in eye glasses), who strangled and murdered 11 Black women at his home on Imperial Ave in Cleveland, Ohio between 2008 and 2009. East Cleveland is a neighboring predominantly Black impoverished suburb of Cleveland, a largely Black major American city.
From the Metro Desk of Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's most read online Black newspaper. (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com) and (www.clevelandurbannews.com). Reach Cleveland Urban News.Com by phone at 216-659-0473 and by email at editor@clevelandurbannews.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Community activists, family members of victims of rape and murder in greater Cleveland, and Black elected officials will hold a "Stop Violence Against Women and Find the Missing Rally, Vigil and March" at 5 pm on Wednesday July 24, 2013 at the southwest corner of the intersection of Shaw and Hayden Avenues in East Cleveland near where the bodies of 3 Black women were found last week by police in a fetal position and in plastic bags both inside and outside of vacant buildings. Suspected serial killer Michael Madison, 35, is in police custody and has reportedly said that more missing Black women are his alleged victims.
Only one of the 3 Black women found murdered has been publicly identified by law enforcement authorities and she is Angela Deskins of Cleveland.
For contacts for the rally, vigil, and march call Imperial Women Leader Kathy Wray Coleman at 216-659-0473, Oppressed People's Nation Chairman Ernest Smith at 216-682-5268, Black on Black Crime Founder Art McKoy at 216-253-4070 and Peace in the Hood President Khalid Samad 216-538-4043.
Rally speakers include family members of greater Cleveland rape and murder victims, State Rep. Bill Patmon (D-10), East Cleveland City Councilwoman Chantelle C. Lewis, East Cleveland School Board Candidate Tiffany Fisher, Cleveland Ward 6 Councilwoman Mamie Mitchell , Cleveland Ward 10 City Council Candidate Donna Walker Brown, Betty Mahone of the Federation of Women and owner of The Chateau Mansion, and Community Activists Kathy Wray Coleman of Imperial Women, Judy Martin of Survivors and Victims of Tragedy, Ernest Smith of Oppressed People's Nation, Mary Seawright of Imperial Women, Art McKoy of Black on Black Crime Inc., Khalid Samad of Peace in the Hood, Abdul Qahhar of the Cleveland Chapter of the New Black Panther Party, Don Bryant of the People's Forum and the Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network and Al Porter of Black of Black Crime Inc.
Madison remains in jail on a $ 6 million bond. He was taken into custody on Friday after a police standoff at his mother's home several miles away on Chickasaw Ave. where he reportedly lived. Today the alleged serial killer was charged with 3 counts each of rape and murder of the dead Black women.
East Cleveland Police Chief Ralph Spots called the murders a "worst case scenario."
Police began searching abandoned and vacant buildings and other places for more missing women, and with the help of community activists and volunteers.
"We have been out here helping," said Khalid Samad , president of Peace in the Hood.
Community Activist Ernest Smith, who leads the Oppressed People's Nation of young Black community activists, told Cleveland Urban News.Com. that his grassroots group out of East Cleveland has also been walking the streets with police to find the women.
Longtime East Cleveland Community Activist Art McKoy, founder of Black on Black Crime and the executive producer of The Art McCoy University Show on WERE 1490 AM Radio in Cleveland, said the killings are heartbreaking and troubling, and that he will participate in Wednesday's rally.
East Cleveland is a neighboring predominantly Black and impoverished suburb of Cleveland, a largely Black major metropolitan city where the remains of 11 Black women were uncovered at the home of serial killer Anthony Sowell in 2009. And just two and a half months ago three women, Gina DeJesus, Amanda Berry and Michelle Knight, were freed from captivity after being held kidnapped for over nine years by Arial Castro on Cleveland's majority White west side. Castro is in jail awaiting trial on numerous counts, including multiple counts of rape and kidnapping.
East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton told reporters that Madison, a registered sex offender who spent four years behind bars, allegedly said that he was imitating Sowell, who sits on death row while is aggravated murder and other convictions are on appeal before the Ohio Supreme Court.
Since March, more women have been found raped and murdered on Cleveland's majority Black east side of town, including Christine Malone, 43, Jazmine Trotter, 20, and Ashley Leszynski, 21.
