McDonald was also the focus of a WOIO investigation where he was allegedly caught on bodycam video asking for marijuana seized in a traffic stop. We publish narratives intentionally and specifically to enlighten and transform the world. "Neither of us ever dreamed that these cops could be crooked enough to steal money and lie about it, and even if they did, who would believe Kenneth Blackshaw?" In what may be the largest and widest ranging police corruption investigation in the country in recent years, 44 officers from five law-enforcement agencies were charged today with taking money to protect cocaine trafficking operations in Cleveland and northern Ohio, Federal authorities said. Its clear East Cleveland wont be able to clean itself up, said Chris McNeal, an attorney and chief legal officer for the Cleveland Black Lives Matter chapter. IJ produces one-of-a-kind, high-quality research to enhance our effectiveness in court, educate the public, and shape public debate around our key issues. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. He has been involved in local politics for decades and continues to be an advocate for better government. Featured. The election comes two months after East Cleveland officers Brian Stoll, 31, and Tyler Mundson, 30, were indicted on theft in office and tampering with evidence on Sept. 2. Working with the county public defender's office, they've only been able to dismiss convictions for 22 people, Torres said. Six train cars, including two carrying propane, derailed in Manatee County, Florida, on Tuesday, according to the train's operator, Seminole Gulf Railroad. "I have been overcharged for services I never received. In response to the allegations of corruption and police misconduct, the NAACP sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting the federal agency step in to oversee the East Cleveland Police Department by obtaining a consent decree. Represented by the Institute for Justice (IJ), his lawsuit is part of IJs long tradition of protecting free speech. Cleveland Police Chief Scott Gardner has been indicted on theft charges, and former Tracy City . Mike DeWine suffered injury while in East Palestine, Mayfield Heights man convicted of murdering neighbor and her 8-year-old daughter, Climate activist Erin Brockovich returns to East Palestine, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor announces new Cryptocurrency operation, Sentencing for man convicted of 2019 murder of Ashtabula County business owner, Rail worker union representative alleges Norfolk Southern put workers in danger, Closed Captioning/Audio Description Problems. An event was held at Cleveland Police Central Headquarters and provided a welcome opportunity for the student officers from Cohort 4/22 to celebrate with their family and friends. and after he was indicted and convicted on federal charges of racketeering and corruption in 2004. Despite its recent troubles, however, William loves the city. IJ occasionally participates in cases that we arent litigating, but that have important implications for our mission. Activists want the same thing done in East Cleveland. Predominantly black city black political figures involved in corruption in that City from the police to the business owners. ''There is a new form of corruption,'' said William Bratton, the former Police Commissioner in New York City. . Either they provide protection or, as in New York, they would literally steal the drugs and then sell them themselves. Stop handing more money over to the police. These guys I have working for me, we're like a specialty, like a goon squad. The rest either haven't been found or don't want to come forward. Anyone with information regarding the killing of Curtis Bobbitt is asked to immediately call Cleveland police detectives at (216) 623-5464 or Crime Stoppers of Cuyahoga County at (216) 252-7463. Also arrested today were eight other people seven of whom pretended to be law-enforcement officers to take part in the drug-security operation. If you have any information about this matter or other potentially criminal matters involving the East Cleveland Police Department, please contact 216.583.5343 leaving . Eric is an old-school investigative reporter whose 40-year body of editorial work has been demonstrably effective. ''What we're seeing is this pattern of greed and corrupt conduct, and it's happening all over the country, from the Southwest border to New England to California,'' Mr. Brekke said. We had heightened senses to really get involved in this case because this is one of many times you had East Cleveland police using as a pretext theyre going to pull someone over because they said the car is reported stolen, said Kareem Henton, co-founder of the Cleveland Black Lives Matter chapter. East Cleveland is a city in Cuyahoga County, . A consent decree is an agreement entered as a court order between the Department of Justice and a municipality that is enforceable by the court. Third, that the noise ordinance that the city pretextually enforced against William is itself unconstitutional: as the city interpreted it, it impermissibly required William to get the mayors permission to campaign against him. The Blacks. Police Athletic/Activities League East Cleveland PAL P.O. Also what we're seeing is cops as criminals engaging in very significant violence to support their criminal goals.''. "We didn't go all the way to determine whether they were factually innocent or not," Jose Torres, who heads the unit, said. Get and explore breaking Ohio local news alerts & today's headlines geolocated on live map on website or application Metropolitan Museum Cleveland Museum of Art. Cleveland Taco Week returns on Monday, April 10th. We have seen so much corruption, weve seen lawsuit after lawsuit filed against the city, said Kayla Griffin, first vice president of the Cleveland chapter of the NAACP. CLEVELAND, Ohio A Cleveland police officer on Thursday fatally shot a 25-year-old man charged in a homicide, officials said. East Cleveland, Ohio 44112 Hours: M-F 8am - 5pm Contact us: 216-681-5020. Within the NAACPs letter, other cases described include Arnold Black being beaten by East Cleveland police detective in 2012, that resulted Black being awarded $50 million dollars by a jury in a lawsuit he brought against the city. Griffin says the DOJ has not responded to the Cleveland NAACP regarding its letter sent to the department in February. sat in jail, the indictment said, the officers broke into his room at his grandmother's house and took $100,000, keeping a third of it and turning in the rest. The impact is profound. Over the past three decades, the Justice Department has conducted more than 70 investigations of local police departments although the Trump administration did not issue any consent decrees, Pew Charitable Trust reports. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. He previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy against rights and one count of Hobbs Act conspiracy. Crews were dispatched to a fire at the AJ Rose Manufacturing Co. in the 3100 block of West 38th Street at 9:05 a.m., Lt. Mike Norman said. Griffin hopes with more scrutiny under a consent decree, the East Cleveland Police Department can clean up its act. The median household income is $19,592. When the police towed Williams step van for the supposed parking violation, they also gave William a complaint and summons. While in police uniform, Johnson and Harris gave an individual a falsified police reports in exchange for two $200 cash payments outside of the East Cleveland Police Department. EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - The day after news broke that two police officers were arrested in connection with a felony theft charge, residents and . Sign up to receive IJ's biweekly digital magazine, Liberty & Law, along with breaking updates about our fight to protect the rights of all Americans. Without being held to account, East Cleveland will serve as a model to local governments that want to punish political enemies. It has a population of 13,792 and is nearly 89 percent Black according to the latest Census data. The Litigation Team In two separate cases this week, top U.S. cops are facing stiff repercussions for criminal behavior. The Constitution Protects Political Speech and Prohibits Government Officials from Retaliating Against Individuals Like William Who Exercise Their Rights Nothing is more repugnant to the First Amendment. The sheer number of laws on the books in federal, state and municipal codes ensures that government officials can always find one to enforce against any American. The city rose to prominence during Clevelands industrial height in the early 20th century and still has stately neighborhoods and parks developed by John D. Rockefeller, as well as the worlds first industrial park. The Cleveland Black Lives Matter chapter was helpful in drawing attention to the shooting of Belmonte, by Larry McDonald, an East Cleveland police sergeant. Leavitt's Country Bakery Owner Sean Young filed a federal lawsuit against the town of Conway, after town officials demanded he paint over a mural that was created by local high school students last summer. Thats why the First Amendment safeguards peoples rights to participate in the political process, to criticize government officials and to advocate for political change. Featured. In fact, William had used his step van to campaign in just the same way for a school-board election without incident. Allegations against officers in the past two years include murder, extortion, assault . It's also developed a reputation for political corruption and severe police misconduct. EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio April 2020 body camera video gives a glimpse at what some say is a history of corruption in East Cleveland. We are sending a stern warning that public corruption of any kind will not be tolerated in this county. According to an Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation report, McDonald pulled Belmonte over after hearing the 19-year-olds loud muffler. As part of the plea agreement, Von Harris, 53, and Demarkco Johnson, 29, also permanently forfeited their OPOTA certification. Its clear East Cleveland wont be able to clean itself up, said Chris McNeal, an attorney and chief legal officer for the Cleveland Black Lives Matter chapter. IJ fights for the right to speak freely about the issues that matter most to ordinary people and to defend the free flow of information essential to democratic government and free enterprise. According to Cleveland.com: More than 50 Cleveland firefighters responded Wednesday morning to a large blaze with multiple explosions in a warehouse in the city's Clark-Fulton neighborhood. We do all of this because of our fundamental belief that following the Constitution means being held accountable for violating it. Video taken from a witness on East 152nd Street in East Cleveland Wednesday afternoon is making its rounds on social media. IJ defends the right of all Americans to own and enjoy their property free from unjust seizures, searches, and fines. The FBI now has a hotline to report potential public corruption and civil rights violations in East Cleveland. The city of Cleveland and the Justice Department entered into a court enforceable agreement to fix problems within the police department and implement police reforms. The community reacted to the shooting with protests led by the Cleveland Black Lives Matter chapter. In response to the allegations of corruption and police misconduct, the NAACP sent a letter to the Department of Justice requesting the federal agency step in to oversee the East Cleveland Police Department by obtaining a consent decree. It turns out it was wise for William to be cautious about leaving his van within city limits, because the police came to his home again in July to hassle him about using the step van for Gowdys campaign, when the campaigning was firmly underway. That revelation prompted the Conviction Integrity Unit to review all of the officers' work since 2011. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams did not name the officer or the person killed. For a while, he was the managing editor of Scene. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The victims often have criminal records and, if not for the corrupt methods that led to their convictions, may actually have been guilty of a crime. The BCI report says Belmonte ran between a pair of houses to jump a fence, but became caught on the fence, thats when McDonald claimed he saw Belmonte reach for his gun and fatally shot Belmonte. It stems from a 2012 arrest where Black was beat up by police and locked in a storage closet for several . I call him Pac Man because thats what everybody on the street calls him, McNeal said of Vincent Belmonte, 19, who was killed by an East Cleveland police officer on Jan. 5, 2021. In addition to being part of IJs core mission of protecting free speech, the lawsuit is part of IJs Project on Immunity and Accountability, which is devoted to the simple idea that government officials are not above the law; if citizens must follow the law, then government must follow the Constitution. Police officers repeatedly showed up at Williams home and claimed that parking the van there violated an old city ordinancean ordinance that is never enforced against anyone else. Wed 3 Aug 2011 08.51 EDT. Police departments must comply with the measures for several years before the jurisdiction is released from federal oversight, as described by Pew Charitable Trust. King went on to defend the police department which has 46 full-time employees, and its process for handling officer misconduct, at least under its current leadership. The others Willie Warner-Sims, Alfonzo Cole, Tyler Mundson, Brian Stoll, Von Harris and Demarkco Johnson are expected to appear for hearings in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court in the coming weeks. Published: Feb. 27, 2023 at 3:05 PM PST. The Environmental Protection Agency also announced that . McDonald is among several East Cleveland police officers named in the letter the Cleveland NAACP sent to the Justice Department. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. Save your money and tip the pizza . McDonald being named in the letter and allegedly caught on tape suggesting he would take seized drugs. On July 24, Harris and Johnson provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $500 outside of a gas station near Shaw and Euclid Avenues in East Cleveland. On June 13, 2018, Harris and Johnson, in police uniform, provided an individual with falsified police reports in exchange for two cash payments of $200 outside of the East Cleveland Police Department. Our efforts include direct lawsuits against government officials at all stages of litigation (such as our cases on behalf of Sylvia Gonzalez, Erma Wilson, Cassi Pollreis, Hamdi Mohamud and Kevin Byrd), appellate friend-of-the-court briefs in support of individuals who have suffered at the hands of government officials, and outreach to members of the public who want to know more about the difficulties of suing governments and their employees for violating individual rights. They claimed this was for violating a city noise ordinance, even though William had a permit signed by the police chief specifically to use a sound truck to campaign. ''It used to be cops took payoffs to look the other way, for what was usually a more benign activity like gambling, prostitution. In the 1990s, Harlem's 30th Precinct (a.k.a. Personnel reviews, better equipment, updated trainings and a continuum of training and you have a judge oversees that and mandates implementation, Griffin said of hopeful outcomes after a Justice Department intervention. Police Buildings: Women's Bureau HQ/18th Precinct from 1925-1953, 3735 Cedar Avenue. The statements of Officer Joye in the affidavit paint a picture of cocky, brazen officers who were willing to do almost anything for money. William has run his own media company in the Cleveland area for four decades. Subscribe now to get the latest news delivered right to your inbox. Surveillance video shows parts of the pursuit, towards the end of the pursuit, Belmontes car became disabled and came to a stop, thats when the 19-year-old ran on foot. He had an older sister (), a younger brother and a younger sister ().Elliott was later the father of Anna Eleanor Roosevelt who married Theodore's distant . The First Amendment is the foundation of our free and democratic society. Sign up to receive The Atlanta Black Star Newsletter in your inbox. But the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office had just formed a Conviction Integrity Unit, which helped make sure all of the convictions were vacated. IJs tax ID number is 52-1744337. Group exonerations rarely attract much attention outside of the communities where they occur. In 2013, a neighbor complained about a foul order, East Cleveland police attend a search warrant a discovered a . Brian Gerhard is East Cleveland's new police chief. . But in order for that to happen, they or a lawyer representing them needs to appear in court to ask a judge to dismiss the charges. A look at every case we have filed, past and present. But that is beginning to change, thanks in part to the Institute for Justices efforts to hold government officials accountable. Within the NAACPs letter, other cases described include Arnold Black being beaten by East Cleveland police detective in 2012, that resulted Black being awarded $50 million dollars by a jury in a lawsuit he brought against the city. About the Institute for Justice Too conspiracies are spreading online. After paying a fee to the city, William recovered his van from the tow lot only to discover that it had been severely damaged and would require thousands of dollars in repairs. Published: Jul. They came up with dozens of suspect cases. The BCI report says Belmonte ran between a pair of houses to jump a fence, but became caught on the fence, thats when McDonald claimed he saw Belmonte reach for his gun and fatally shot Belmonte.