National

Ohio Officer Charged in 137-Round Shooting Wants Bench Trial

Published

9 years ago

March 24, 2015

In this Dec. 17, 2014, file photo, police ffficer Michael Brelo adjusts his tie before court proceedings in Cleveland. A trial date has been set for Brelo, a Cleveland police officer accused of firing the final rounds of a 137-shot barrage that killed two unarmed civilians inside a car in November 2012. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

MARK GILLISPIE, Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — Allowing a white police officer to have a judge decide his fate for his role in a 137-bullet shooting that killed two unarmed black suspects would be unfair because it excludes blacks from being jurors, prosecutors argued in a motion filed on Monday.

Attorneys for Michael Brelo on Sunday filed a motion asking for a bench trial for his two counts of voluntary manslaughter. Brelo, who was among more than a dozen officers, is accused of firing the final 15 rounds of that barrage into the windshield of a car after a high-speed chase in November 2012. The driver, Timothy Russell, and his passenger, Malissa Williams, were each shot more than 20 times.

Prosecutors said it would be an “injustice” to have a bench trial, noting that all 13 officers who fired into the car that night are white. Brelo was the only officer charged because prosecutors said he waited until after the car had stopped and Russell and Williams were no longer a threat to fire the last of his 49 rounds that night.

Excluding blacks from deciding Brelo’s charges “works against the interest of justice,” prosecutors said.

“There is nothing in Ohio law that would prohibit this court from declining Brelo’s jury waiver,” prosecutors wrote.

Brelo’s attorneys disagreed. Attorney Tom Shaughnessy told Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O’Donnell that the state constitution guarantees a criminal defendant’s right to a bench trial “regardless of race or religion or standing in the community.”

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office said after the hearing that Ohio law states that a judge may accept a defendant’s waiver of a jury but doesn’t have to.

“This is an attempt to end-run African-American participation in a trial about the death of two unarmed African Americans, and we don’t think Judge O’Donnell has to go along,” spokesman Joe Frolik said.

The judge said he would rule on prosecutors’ motion later this week. Brelo’s trial is scheduled to start April 6.

The judge ruled last week that one of Brelo’s attorneys, Patrick D’Angelo, should not be disqualified and removed from Brelo’s defense team. Prosecutors had argued that D’Angelo had a conflict of interest because, as attorney for a Cleveland police union, he represented 68 patrol officers and dispatchers who were interviewed by criminal investigators, including some who testified before a grand jury.

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Barbara Lee

Congresswoman Barbara Lee Issues Statement on Deaths of Humanitarian Aid Volunteers in Gaza 

On April 2, a day after an Israeli airstrike erroneously killed seven employees of World Central Kitchen (WCK), a humanitarian organization delivering aid in the Gaza Strip, a statement was release by Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-12). “This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

By California Black Media

“This is a devastating and avoidable tragedy. My prayers go to the families and loved ones of the selfless members of the World Central Kitchen team whose lives were lost,” said Lee.

The same day, it was confirmed by the organization that the humanitarian aid volunteers were killed in a strike carried out by Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Prior to the incident, members of the team had been travelling in two armored vehicles marked with the WCF logo and they had been coordinating their movements with the IDF. The group had successfully delivered 10 tons of humanitarian food in a deconflicted zone when its convoy was struck.

“This is not only an attack against WCK. This is an attack on humanitarian organizations showing up in the direst situations where food is being used as a weapon of war. This is unforgivable,” said Erin Gore, chief executive officer of World Central Kitchen.

The seven victims included a U.S. citizen as well as others from Australia, Poland, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Palestine.

Lee has been a vocal advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza and has supported actions by President Joe Biden to airdrop humanitarian aid in the area.

“Far too many civilians have lost their lives as a result of Benjamin Netanyahu’s reprehensible military offensive. The U.S. must join with our allies and demand an immediate, permanent ceasefire – it’s long overdue,” Lee said.

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Commentary

Commentary: Republican Votes Are Threatening American Democracy

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We needed to know the blunt truth. The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

Published

2 days ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening. That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

By Emil Guillermo

In many ways, it was great that the Iowa Caucuses were on the same day as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

We needed to know the blunt truth.

The takeaway message after the Iowa Caucuses where Donald Trump finished more than 30 points in front of Florida Gov. De Santis and former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley boils down to this: Our democracy is threatened, for real.

And to save it will require all hands on deck.

It was strange for Iowans to caucus on MLK day. It had a self-cancelling effect. The day that honored America’s civil rights and anti-discrimination hero was negated by evening.

That’s when one of the least diverse states in the nation let the world know that white Americans absolutely love Donald Trump. No ifs, ands or buts.

No man is above the law? To the majority of his supporters, it seems Trump is.

It’s an anti-democracy loyalty that has spread like a political virus.

No matter what he does, Trump’s their guy. Trump received 51% of caucus-goers votes to beat Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who garnered 21.2%, and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who got 19.1%.

The Asian flash in the pan Vivek Ramaswamy finished way behind and dropped out. Perhaps to get in the VP line. Don’t count on it.

According to CNN’s entrance polls, when caucus-goers were asked if they were a part of the “MAGA movement,” nearly half — 46% — said yes. More revealing: “Do you think Biden legitimately won in 2020?”

Only 29% said “yes.”

That means an overwhelming 66% said “no,” thus showing the deep roots in Iowa of the “Big Lie,” the belief in a falsehood that Trump was a victim of election theft.

Even more revealing and posing a direct threat to our democracy was the question of whether Trump was fit for the presidency, even if convicted of a crime.

Sixty-five percent said “yes.”

Who says that about anyone of color indicted on 91 criminal felony counts?

Would a BIPOC executive found liable for business fraud in civil court be given a pass?

How about a BIPOC person found liable for sexual assault?

Iowans have debased the phrase, “no man is above the law.” It’s a mindset that would vote in an American dictatorship.

Compare Iowa with voters in Asia last weekend. Taiwan rejected threats from authoritarian Beijing and elected pro-democracy Taiwanese vice president Lai Ching-te as its new president.

Meanwhile, in our country, which supposedly knows a thing or two about democracy, the Iowa caucuses show how Americans feel about authoritarianism.

Some Americans actually like it even more than the Constitution allows.

About the Author

Emil Guillermo is a journalist and commentator. He does a mini-talk show on YouTube.com/@emilamok1.