Impatient crowd implores NAACP, East Cleveland mayor and police chief for justice in Nov. 29 Cleveland police shooting (Plain Dealer article where community members, victims family attend Cleveland NAACP forum on 137 bullets shooting of Malissa Williams and Timothy Ray Russell (both pictured) at Shaw High School Friday evening. Before the forum community activists, led by Art McKoy, Donna Walker Brown, Imperial Women Representative Genevieve Mitchell and Khalid Samad,  protested in front of Shaw High School demanding that local authorities and police, Cuyahoga County Sheriff Bob Reid, and county prosecutor Tim McGinty step aside to ensure a neutral investigation and allow the FBI to take total control over the case)

Gus Chan, The Plain DealerMartha Williams sobs as she's comforted by Genevieve Mitchell after Williams spoke at a forum against the use of deadly force. The session was put on by the NAACP and the city of East Cleveland December 14, 2012. Williams's daughter, Malissa, and Timothy Russell were killed by Cleveland police in a chase that took them to East Cleveland. (Gus Chan / The Plain Dealer)

By Pat Galbincea, The Plain Dealer

EAST CLEVELAND -- Impatient and irritated citizens, upset that little information has been released in the two weeks since a man and woman died in a police shooting following a high-speed chase, spoke angrily Friday night at a forum sponsored by the NAACP.

Many of the 175 who attended the meeting at Shaw High School in East Cleveland were family members who wondered aloud why information from law officials has been so sparse and slow.

The Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation is assisting the East Cleveland Police Department in unraveling what happened on Nov. 29 in the 26 minutes between when Cleveland officers allegedly heard a gunshot outside the Justice Center and Timothy Russell, 43, and Malissa Williams, 30, died in their car in a hail of bullets in a middle school parking lot in East Cleveland. Thirteen Cleveland police officers fired 137 shots at the car after a high-speed chase.

The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner said Russell was struck 23 times, and Williams 24.

Impatience with the investigation was evident before the start of the 6 p.m. forum as several community leaders held a press conference outside the school to protest the way the case is being investigated.

"Investigators are keeping quiet hoping people will calm down, and down the road the case will be whitewashed," said Earnest Harris, president of Black on Black Crime. "But the truth about this is 13 officers fired 137 shots at two people who didn't have firearms. This is the straw that broke the camel's back...the camel has no more back to break."

At the meeting East Cleveland Mayor Gary Norton, East Cleveland Police Chief Ralph Spotts and NAACP president-elect Rev. Hilton Smith urged patience with the ongoing investigation. But audience members did not want to wait.

The first person to speak, Michelle Russell -- Timothy's sister -- asked if the officer involved in the initial chase of her brother was questioned by investigators, and involved in the shooting. She also asked why gun residue tests are taking so long.

Spotts and East Cleveland Det. Sgt. Scott Gardner said the officer had been questioned, but was not one of the shooters.

Spotts warned that his answer about the medical examiner's work would not be popular but gun residue testing had to be verified several times before final results could be released.

Trina Williams -- Malissa's cousin -- asked why a helicopter was not used to help police.

Spotts said Cleveland's police helicopter was grounded because no one trained to fly it was available at the time. He added that "even if the helicopter had been up in the air, I'm not sure it would have helped."

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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

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

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."