From the Metro Desk of Cleveland Urban News. Com and The Cleveland Urban News.Com Blog, Ohio's Most Read Online Black Newspaper and Newspaper Blog, Ohio's leaders in Black digital news, Email: editor@clevelandurbannews.com and phone us at (216) 659-0473
(www.clevelandurbannews.com) / (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com)
CLEVELAND, Ohio- Community activist James Box (pictured) will be sentenced before Common Pleas Judge John Sutula on Monday, August 18 at 9:00 am in courtroom 23 at the Cuyahoga County Justice Center in downtown Cleveland relative to a plea deal he took in a pending criminal case involving two women. He had originally pleaded not guilty.
Community activists, including Black on Black Crime Founder Art McKoy, will attend to witness if the proceedings are fair since a Cleveland NAACP commissioned study found conclusively that Blacks, and Black men in particular, get harsher sentences than their similarly situated White counterparts by the largely White judges of the 34-member Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
"I will be there," McKoy told Cleveland Urban News.Com Sunday evening before he began a weekly two-hour radio on Cleveland WERE 1490 radio show dubbed "The Art McKoy University of Common Sense Show."
"While we do not support violence against women in any shape or form and have no problem with men that do it pleading guilty, we object to excessive prosecutions and unnecessary charges that carry a life sentence against Blacks, particularly strong Black men that have been participants in the struggle for equal opportunity and equally justice for Black and other people," said community activist and Imperial Women Coalition leader Kathy Wray Coleman. "Many of our largely White greater Cleveland judges are racist and corrupt, and so is the office of Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty, data show."
Among a host of other charges, Box, 53, is accused of allegedly attempting to rape and abduct two women participants in a now defunct Cleveland Municipal Court diversion program run by NFL football great Jim Brown, who was his supervisor.
Box took a plea deal last month where the prosecution dropped all sex related charges and left attempted abduction and misdemeanor assault and unlawful restraint. He initially faced up to life in prison but, per the plea deal, now faces up to 18 months in prison and a fine, but could get probation, his lawyer said.
One victim, according to news reports, said she invited Box into her apartment on Cleveland's east side after he helped to fix her car. Thereafter, he allegedly tried to kiss her, allegedly showed his penis, and then left after she objected.
A community relations specialist for the city of Cleveland now on administrative leave without pay until the case is resolved, Box worked part time in the program.
The county prosecutor's office has no DNA evidence and his lawyer, Richard Drucker, whom Jim Brown hired, told Cleveland Urban News.Com that the case is flimsy, there are no witnesses or DNA, and attempted rape, though serious if it occurs, is far different than rape.
