71 Arrested in Cleveland Protests Following Not Guilty Verdict of Police Officer Michael Brelo in Shooting Deaths of Timothy Russell & Malissa Williams

IT WAS AS PREDICTABLE AS SUN THE RISING IN THE EAST …

71 people have been arrested in Cleveland, OH following the not guilty verdict of white police officer Michael Brelo. Yesterday, Cuyahoga County Judge John P. O’Donnell declared that Brela, a white police officer, was “not guilty” of voluntary manslaughter and a lesser charge of felonious assault in the shooting deaths of two unarmed, black passengers, Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams. The fact that protests turned violent and individuals were arrested was as predictable as the sun rising in the East and setting in the West. Police Chief Calvin Williams said that most protests were peaceful, later in the day, some people “crossed the line,” assaulting bystanders in a downtown restaurant area, briefly blocking a major highway and disrupting business at a shopping center.

Brelo verdict protesters fight at East 4th Street

The police arrested 71 protesters overnight after demonstrations over the acquittal of an officer who climbed onto the hood of a car after a chase and repeatedly shot at two unarmed black occupants, the Cleveland police chief said.

Chief Calvin D. Williams said at a news conference Sunday that the protesters were arrested mostly on charges of aggravated rioting and obstruction of justice. Those arrested include 39 males, 16 females and a number of juveniles, he said.

The police said on Twitter that three people were arrested after a demonstrator threw a sign through a restaurant window, injuring a patron. Two of them were detained for trying to interfere with the arrest of the person who threw the sign, Chief Williams said.

“We only moved in to make arrests when things got violent and protesters refused to disperse,” he said. “We want people to understand, we’re going to help you in this process, but if things turn violent in this situation we will take action.”

Police block protesters from entering the Justice Center in Cleveland after Brelo verdict

 VIDEO – CNN: Police blocked a group of protesters from entering the Justice Center
in Cleveland where Michael Brelo was found not guilty of all charges for the shooting deaths of two suspects.

Protesters react to Michael Brelo verdict at Justice Center

Sorry folks, you don’t win any one over when you start chanting the made up lie of “Hands Up Don’t Shoot”. It was a fabricated lie made up by cop haters and the trouble making media that never happened. If you are going to protest, at least do it based on something that is not a lie.

14 Year Old Christopher Duran Shot and Killed In The Bronx, NY … Police Say Gang Related

The NY Daily News is reporting that a 14 year old boy, Christopher Duran, was shot dead while walking to school in the Bronx, NY on Friday. According to reports, the 14 year old was peppered with 16 bullets by a gunman wearing a red bandana who shot him multiple times at point-blank range. 14 year old Christopher Duran cried out “Mommy! Mommy!” as he was laying dying outside a Laundromat. Duran was shot once in the head and three times in the torso at Sheridan Avenue near East 167th Street at around 8:30 a.m. in Concourse Village. The authorities believe the shooting was gang related. Duran was no stranger to police, he had already racked-up five previous arrests, including possession of a knife, assault and battery, and robbery.

A baby-faced Bronx teenager was executed on the street Friday by a gunman wearing a red bandana who blasted him multiple times at point-blank range — and without any warning.

Fourteen-year-old Christopher Duran cried out “Mommy! Mommy!” as he was laying dying outside a laundermat, sources said.

“We have video of the shooting,” a police source said. “It’s bad, real bad. The guy runs up to him and just shoots him, bang, bang, bang. It doesn’t look like he says anything to him.”

Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce confirmed the existence of the surveillance video and agreed “it’s pretty gruesome.”

The hoodie-clad gunman may have been trying to “disguise what he looks like” with the bandana, he added.

Where is Rev. Al Sharpton an the rest of the clan protesting this murder?

UPDATE I: A surveillance image of the second suspect was released by police on Friday afternoon.

Police are looking for two suspects who fled southbound on Sheridan Avenue. They are described as a black or dark-skinned Hispanic male wearing all black, and a Hispanic male wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt with dark sleeves, blue jeans and a red bandana covering his face, police said.

A surveillance image of the second suspect was released by police on Friday afternoon. Investigators believe the shooting is gang related, but were not immediately sure if Duran was the intended target, or if the gunmen mistook him for someone else.

“(He’s) trying to disguise what he looks like. It is a red bandana, don’t know what that means just yet. But it’s a very distinctive piece of clothing. I would hope that we put that out and somebody calls,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Robert Boyce said.

Suspect in Bronx, NY shooting – NYPD

If anyone has any information about the incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-577-TIPS. The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website or by texting tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577.

‘A Beautiful Mind’ Mathematician John Nash & His Wife Alicia Killed in Taxi Crash on the NJ Turnpike

A Beautiful Mind has died …

86 year old John Forbes Nash Jr. and his wife, 82 year old Alicia Nash, were killed in a car crash Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike. According to State Police Sgt. Gregory Williams, the two were in a taxi traveling southbound in the left lane of the New Jersey Turnpike in Monroe Township when the driver of the Ford Crown Victoria lost control as he tried to pass a Chrysler in the center lane, crashing into a guard rail. The Nashes were both ejected from the vehicle, sadly, neither were wearing their seat-belts. The crash was reported at 4:30 PM on Saturday. Tragically, the couple were pronounced dead at the scene at 5:18 PM.  John Forbes Nash Jr. was the Princeton University mathematician whose life story was the subject of the the fantastic 2001 movie, “A Beautiful Mind.”  Nash won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1994 and worked as a senior research mathematician at Princeton University.

VIDEO – New York Daily News

John Forbes Nash Jr., the brilliant Princeton University mathematician whose life story was the subject of the film “A Beautiful Mind,” and his wife of nearly 60 years were killed in a car crash Saturday on the New Jersey Turnpike, police said.

Nash was 86. Alicia Nash was 82. The couple lived in Princeton Junction.

The two were in a taxi traveling southbound in the left lane of the New Jersey Turnpike when the driver of the Ford Crown Victoria lost control as he tried to pass a Chrysler in the center lane, crashing into a guard rail, according to State Police Sgt. Gregory Williams.

The Nashes were both ejected from the car, Williams said.

“It doesn’t appear that they were wearing seatbelts,” he said.

John Forbes Nash Jr.

Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber said in a statement:

“We are stunned and saddened by news of the untimely passing of John Nash and his wife and great champion, Alicia. Both of them were very special members of the Princeton University community. John’s remarkable achievements inspired generations of mathematicians, economists and scientists who were influenced by his brilliant, groundbreaking work in game theory, and the story of his life with Alicia moved millions of readers and moviegoers who marveled at their courage in the face of daunting challenges.”

Cleveland Police Officer Michael Brelo Found Not Guilty of Voluntary Manslaughter in Shooting Deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams (VIDEO)

NOT GUILTY …

Cuyahoga County Judge John P. O’Donnell has reached the following verdict … 31 year old police officer Michael Brelo has been found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter and a lesser charge of felonious assault in the shooting deaths of two unarmed passengers, Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams. The shooting took place following the November 29, 2012 police chase.  The not guilty verdict may have ramifications as one again we are presented with a volatile situation as a white police officer killed two black individuals. Hopefully calm will be kept following the verdict.

WATCH LIVE UPDATES

VIDEO – CNN

A Cleveland police officer has been found not guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of two unarmed passengers whose car hood he mounted, firing multiple shots into their windshield.

Michael Brelo, 31, who is white, was charged with killing Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams — both of whom were black — after a car chase in November 2012. He rubbed his face and nodded his head as the judge read the verdict.

“Brelo reasonably perceived a threat,” Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge John O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell said while he found beyond a reasonable doubt that Brelo caused at least one fatal wound to Williams’ chest, he couldn’t determine that the other fatal shots came from his gun.

“One or two other officers inflicted” the others, O’Donnell said, and therefore, he couldn’t find Brelo guilty of Williams’ death.

UPDATE I: Not Guilty on all charges …

The trial was also notable in that it was a bench trial in which the Judge John. P. O’Connell acted as the finder of fact.

Even more unusually, at the close of the trial the judge spent over an hour, prior to announcing the verdict, stepping through his rationale for coming to his conclusion.

The result is Judge O’Connell ruled that:

• The two counts of voluntary manslaughter had not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt;
• The two counts of felonious assault had been proven beyond a reasonable doubt; but
• Brelo escapes legal liability for those assault charges because he proved justification by a preponderance of the evidence.

UPDATE II: Budish says sheriff’s deputies will keep streets safe in wake of Brelo verdict.

Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish announced sheriff’s deputies will join police to keep streets safe following the verdict in Cleveland police officer Michael Brelo’s trial.

At the end of the trial, O’Donnell said he was aware of unrest related to police use of force in other cities, including Baltimore. Mayor Frank Jackson said during a community meeting that the city is tapping residents, activists and even protesters to help make sure demonstrations don’t become violent.

“I firmly believe that the First Amendment gives every citizen a rightful path to speak out and protest against that which they do not like. However, the path to free speech ends at the door to violence.

29 Year Old Police Officer Kerrie Orozco Killed in the Line of Duty by Marcus D. Wheeler, a 26 Year Old Black Male, in Omaha, NE … RIP

Black on White Police officer crime …

29 year old Omaha’s police officer Kerrie Orozco, a 7 year veteran of the police force, has died at Creighton Medical Center following a shooting in Omaha, NE. Officer Orozco was a part of the Omaha Police Department’s fugitive unit who were attempting to serve a felony arrest warrant. The suspect was also shot and killed after a confrontation at North 30th Street and Martin Avenue just before 1 p.m. Wednesday. The suspect was also shot and killed. According to the Omaha Police Department, Marcus D. Wheeler was a convicted felon and a known gang member.

UPDATE I: Omaha Police Chief Todd Schmaderer made the announcement at a news conference Wednesday.

The slain officer was identified as 7-year veteran Kerrie Orozco, 29.

According to Schmaderer, Orozco and other officers with the Metro Area Fugitive Task Force were conducting surveillance on a shooting suspect in the area of Martin Avenue and Read Street just before 1 p.m. Wednesday. The fugitive officers were attempting to locate and arrest Marcus D. Wheeler, 26, who had a felony warrant for first-degree assault as a result of a shooting investigation.

Officers spotted Wheeler in front of a home off nearby Vane Street.

Schmaderer said Wheeler fired several shots at officers and then fled toward a home on Martin Avenue.

Police Chief Todd Schmaderer News Conference

UPDATE II: Reaction to Officer Kerrie Orozco’s death.

Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts

Susanne and I send our prayers and deepest sympathies to the family and colleagues of Officer Orozco. Today’s tragic news is devastating to the law enforcement community and all Nebraskans. We must all ensure that Officer Orozco’s sacrifice will never be forgotten.