This week, host Craig Lyndall sat down with Sam Allard, who covered the protests that stemmed from the Brelo verdict on Saturday.
They talk about the timing of the verdict, protestors coming into contact with regular Cleveland nightlife Saturday, nuance amidst the protests, stratification in the groups, the Brelo verdict vs. the DOJ settlement, and how it all comes together as we talk about what comes next.
Download the episode here.
Or stream below.
This article appears in May 20-26, 2015.
This letter is in response to the coverage of the court decision concerning Cleveland Police Officer Michael Brelo.
I listened to Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge John P. O’Donnell read his decision and found his thought process reasonable given the series of events he was required to describe. Whether or not you agree with his decision is immaterial given that the Law has spoken. And certainly people can protest peacefully and
work to improve the system that produced such a catastrophe. Still, there are no innocent parties here. Certainly Mr. Russell should have obeyed the order of a Police Officer to stop. What other lives were placed in harms way because he chose to continue fleeing? But why does it require so many police cruisers to join in a high-speed chase? Given the length of the travel why couldn’t some sort of blockade been set up to stop the person fleeing? Mr. Russell and Ms. Williams did not have to die because the ultimate cause of their death could have been prevented. And what does this say about a potential diversionary tactic that could be
employed by domestic/foreign terrorists on American soil?
For those of you in the African-American community who are tempted to be filled with rage and hatred at every white police officer I can only say that I had a member of my family {Patrolman Hilary Cudnik believed to be the distant cousin of my Uncle Boley Cudnik} who was killed in the act of performing his duty. But he was killed by a African-American. Because of the influence handed down to me from my Paternal Grandfather {Dziadzia} Albert Joseph Bialek and my mother {Eileen Moran Bialek} I did not react to Hilary’s murder like most people did. I never believed that looting and burning down businesses would solve anything and would certainly not bring him back. My African-American brothers and sisters please refrain from
engaging in violence as it will only exacerbate the situation. But rather let our two communities come together in reconciliation and love to make Cleveland once again the best location in the nation if for no other reason than to have achieved racial harmony once and for all.
Joe Bialek
Cleveland, OH
“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted wasonce eccentric.” Bertrand Russel