The
Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association [CPPA] just concluded a news
conference a few minutes ago. The news event was called in the wake of the
release yesterday’s release by Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine of his
investigative report into the homicides of Timothy Russell and Malinda Williams.
Their deaths followed a dramatic chase through the streets of Cleveland and
resulted from a one-sided shootout in the parking lot of a school in the city
of East Cleveland.
The
CPPA’s position appears to be one of adamant defiance to any conclusion other
than one holding that all of its officers acted with impeccable and
unchallengeable judgment, unquestioned legal authority, and extraordinary heroism
during the chase and the one-sided firing of 137 bullets at two suspects who at
this stage of the proceeding must be presumed to have been unarmed.
Corresponding
to this position, the CPPA today called for the resignation of Police Chief
Michael McGrath, saying that they have “no confidence” in his ability to lead
and that “morale is at an all-time low”.
Further,
the union said that no police officers should be terminated or demoted with
respect to their participation in the chase and its aftermath.
The
news conference was called at 3PM and I didn’t pick up the live feed until the
final few minutes. There appeared to be about eight men standing shoulder to
shoulder in a rough line across the stage, including Jeffrey Follmer, CPPA
president. One sounded as if he might have been a CPPA lawyer.
Only
when one of the policemen standing in front shifted his position did I observe
a short uniformed black man behind the line of officers. He didn't look as if he wanted to be there.
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