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[2]From the Metro Desk of The Kathy Wray Coleman Online News Blog.Com (www.kathywraycolemanonlinenewsblog.com [3])
U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge (D-11) of Warrensville, Oh., whose district includes parts of the city of Cleveland and its eastern suburbs, including Cleveland Hts, has announced that she will support the rally scheduled for Thurs., May 19 at 4:30 p.m. in front of Cleveland Hts. City Hall to bring attention to the need for more training in governmental offices, by police, and elsewhere around the sensitive issue of rape against women. Community activists, including the grssroots group dubbed The Imperial Women, are also seeking answers as to the failure of Cleveland Hts. police to arrest suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell in April 2009 following a rape complaint from a 41 year-old Black woman who said he abducted her in Cleveland Hts, took her to his home, and then repeatedly raped her.
"We will be there," said Linda Matthews, the congresswoman's office manager who said also that she would bring other representatives for Fudge as well as copies of a resolution by the congresswoman to hand to the families of the Imperial Ave. Murder victims at the rally that offers condolences and highlights the epidemic of rape against women in American society.
Five of the 11 Black women murdered on Imperial Ave, whose remains where uncovered on Halloween day in 2009 at Sowell's home, went missing after Cleveland Hts officials failed to arrest him after completing a rape kit from the 41-year old woman, who subsequently got away. Why they did not perform an arrest of Sowell is in question and a basis for Thursday's rally since the issue has been raised by prosecutors relative to pretrials as to the his capital murder trial, which begins June 6 and will be heard by Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Dick Ambrose and a jury of Sowell's peers.
Sowell, 51, spent 15 years in prison on an attempted rape complaint before the Imperial Ave Murders came to light, which activists say gave police, municipal and county officials, and state authorities the opportunity for a forensic database to cross reference his DNA relative to any rape kits undertaken, even if that opportunity was flubbed.
The negligence of Cleveland Hts. police and city leaders follows similar activity by Cleveland police and city officials who released Sowell from police custody on an attempted rape complaint in 2008 by Gladys Wade, who got away. In this instance six of the 11 Black women were murdered thereafter and Sowell is also charged with the alleged rape of Wade, who is Black too. And other municipalities such as Warrensville Hts. and East Cleveland are facing accusations of negligence too but as to Sowell's alleged rape and murder of at least three other Black women that the alleged serial killer will have to answer to at his upcoming trial, one that promises to be lengthy, and will bring in CNN, possibly court television, and other meda within a 45 mile radius, or more.
"We are expecting an array of media and
a large turnout for the rally tomorrow in Cleveland Hts. and we will not rest until the rape and murder of innocent women and others, regardless of race ethnicity or gender, becomes a priority to municipal, county and state officials and police in various cities and villages in Cuyahoga County, " said Kathy Wray Coleman, leader of The Imperial Women, the group sponsoring the rally along with Black on Black Crime Inc., Survivor's and Victims of Tragedy, The Lucasville Uprising Freedom Network, Stop Targeting Ohio's Poor, The People's Forum, The Immigrant Support Network, The Northeast Ohio Poor People's Economic and Human Rights Campaign, Ohio Family Rights, The Sowell 11, and a host of others.--
Posted By Journalist Kathy Wray Coleman to