Cleveland Heights supports police brutality; ignores community response to case of Carol F : Cleveland IMC (((i)))

Tonight 2/6 we went to the Cleveland Heights City Council to voice our outrage over the abuse Carol Fisher suffered, and to deliver the first few signed petitions to them. More than 25 people came to support Carol, the vast majority being residents of Cleveland Heights and wearing the "Bush Step Down" stickers. More chairs had to be brought into the council chamber. About a dozen people spoke.

The picture of Carol in confrontations was consistent. All these people had only seen her delivering a calm rational response in every confrontation they witnessed. As many stated, she had never been observed to raise her voice in a confrontation, much less her hand. The firm belief, expressed by all, was that Carol committing felony assault was so far out of her character as to be beyond belief.

People spoke with passion and conviction of the need to affirm and strengthen a compassionate and ethical community, and to extend the embrace of this community to Carol. They asked repeatedly that council repudiate the arbitrary and excessive use of force and of untruthfulness, that several of them had experienced directly, by members of the Cleveland Heights police department.

Many connected the conduct of the police to established trends, in national politics (the cavalier disregard for human rights under the Bush Regime-- there was a call to Council to draft a resolution calling for Bush to step down from office), in Religion (the efforts of some religious groups to relegate women to docile subservience), in American history (in the 50's we were all urged to find the Reds hiding under our beds. Clearly those damned pinkos were asking for whatever abuse the police might visit on them), and in psychology (identifying with the aggressors, people who clearly know Carol better than their question might suggest have asked, "well, if you are charged with a felony you must have done something, what did you do?").

This last is clearly what the police counted on when they fabricated these charges. What better way to cover for their own excessive use of force than to accuse their victim of it. Council, the mayor, and the city manager (who commands the police department in this city) compounded the shame of Cleveland Heights by endorsing each and every one of the police department's fabrications in a statement clearly prepared before they heard from those who spoke for Carol. The mayor also delivered,with his prepared statement, the news that the Grand Jury had handed down indictments on both of the felony assault charges against Carol.

There were many calls of "shame, shame on all of you" directed to Council as we left.

With regard to identifying with aggressive police and vigilante acts directed against those accused of crimes (If they are accused they must be criminals, right?)-- does the start of WWII ring a bell with anyone? The Nazi persecutions started, not with Jews, not with Gypsies, not with Catholics and not with homosexuals. The Nazis started by going after criminals. Not much argument from the average German over that. The list of "crimes" grew longer in inverse proportion to the strength of the standards for proof.

--
Best Regards,

Craig Bourne <cbourne@cbourne.com>

CONTACT CITY COUNCIL TO EXPRESS YOUR OUTRAGE!

Edward J. Kelley, Mayor
Term expires December 31, 2009
216-291-4756 (Voice Mail)
216-315-4616 (cell #)
mayorkelley@clvhts.com

Bonita W. Caplan
Term expires December 31, 2009
216-381-8353
bonniecaplan@aol.com

Nancy J. Dietrich
Term expires December 31, 2009
216-371-9379
dietz2350@aol.com

Phyllis L. Evans
Term expires December 31, 2007
216-321-5378
hon_phyllis_evans@msn.com

Kenneth Montlack, Vice Mayor
Term expires December 31, 2007
216-932-0991 (Residence)
216-320-5800 (Business)
ken@montlack.com

Mark A. Tumeo
Term expires December 31, 2009
216-691-7100 Box 951 (Voice Mail)
tumeoforcouncil@att.net

Dennis R. Wilcox
Term expires December 31, 2007
216-691-7100 Box 950 (Voice Mail)
216-522-0272 (Business)
drwilc@climacolaw.com

Robert C. Downey, City Manager
216-291-3737
citymanager@clvhts.com

Why don't City Council act like they got some sense ?

It is my belief that the City is trying to cover its ass so as to not make itself liable in a police brutality lawsuit. If they admit that the cops were acting improperly, they are essentially giving away millions of dollars.

I was one of the few people who was at the meeting, not on Carol's behalf. I was there to complain about the way the Cleveland Heights Police act like the Gestapo coincidentally when they proved to us that they really are acting like Nazis.

I had never seen Carol before the meeting, and I have never spoken to her, but it's hard to believe that she is guilty of what the Police accused her of, while my own experience tells me that the Cleveland Heights Police could have easily done what she alleges.

City council is acting like they don't have any sense because maybe they are making too much money and are just happy putting in their 40 hours a week and chewing the fat at home. Maybe because as long as it's not happening to someone in their family or just maybe they'd rather just side with the police for the sake that they are the police....whatever it is, it's sad.

Cleveland Indy Media Center