- The fight looked nothing like this, in case you were wondering.
One of a small group of Tremont residents (“Tremonsters,” as some appropriately call them) who are upset because the whole city aren’t sharing their indignation over a spat between two local residents has brought her high dudgeon to clevescene.com. Lily Miller appended off-topic posts to several recent Scene news stories, attempting to gin up some outrage over this neighborhood food fight.
For the majority of you who couldn’t follow what she was ranting about: Back in early July, hot-headed Sammy Catania (development director for the Tremont West Development Corporation) impulsively headed down to Lincoln Park to confront irritating local pest Guy Templeton Black, who spends most days sitting in a corner of the park with his ill-behaved dog and collection of advocacy signs, about gossip he was allegedly spreading about Catania.
There was a lot of swearing and blustering from Catania; there was passive-aggressive wheedling and whining from Black, who kept a small video camera in Catania’s face the whole time. At one point, Catania appears to shove it away; the taping goes on until Catania storms away.
Black’s neighborhood fan club exploded, posting over and over on the local blog realneo.us that a “disabled elderly man” (no one’s quite clear what Black’s “disability” is) was “physically assaulted.” They attempted to file criminal charges at the county prosecutor’s office without success.
That’s understandable, given that their own video disproves their case: If Black had been “assaulted,” it’s hard to see how he could have continued to film uninterrupted. A few days later, another neighbor, wheeling his bike through the park, also confronted Black and pushed the intrusive camera away.
To Black’s groupies, these two confrontations amounted to a wave of “mob gang violence” directed at the neighborhood’s “elderly, handicapped residents.” “Recent incidents involving reported gunplay and documented violence by TWDC staff and their friends against Guy Templeton Black prove there is a violent organized crime syndicate in Tremont, willing, able, and happy to inflict physical harm upon the weak,” posted one. Another demanded to know why Mayor Frank Jackson had shown no interest in mediating this shouting match.
Blacks supporters are also outraged that councilman Joe Cimperman hasn’t inserted himself into the situation, that neighborhood business owners have supported Catania, and that Tremont West hasn’t fired him. — Anastasia Pantsios
This article appears in Aug 11-17, 2010.
That was pretty funny.
That guy that sits on the corner is annoying as hell and I have to keep my kids away from him and his dog everytime we walk to Lincoln park. Screw that guy.
This totally insensitive and inaccurate article is the real outrage. You are a real arrogant jerk Anastasia, and have no idea what you’re talking about re: Guy. He’s just an old eccentric fellow with very good intentions and has every right to display his idiosyncrasies in the park with his VERY WELL BEHAVED DOG. And from my understanding it is also an outrage that the incident is being ignored only because he is a little more than a bit eccentric (again albeit TOTALLY harmless and in fact very intelligent), and he truly represents that alt-culture feel that’s rapidly disappearing from “Tremont,” the suburb of Cleveland that so many newbies want it to be. I’ve lived down the street from Guy for twenty years and to add insult to injury really, really pisses me off. He outta sue you for libel.
Damn, I still can’t believe you wrote this. How would you like it if someone came and accosted you for taking some pictures of some incident or injustice no one, like a DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION wanted anyone to see? If it weren’t for people like Guy, there wouldn’t be any local color in this neighborhood; there wouldn’t be any real interest in the place for all the new residents because it would too much resemble the mundanity and complacency in the neighborhoods they are trying to escape. Every time I walk to the park I see plenty of people having nice, interesting, civilized conversations with him, and they aren’t AFRAID. If people are so AFRAID of Guy and his dog, just leave. OK? This isn’t Bay Village. TWDC just wants everything rosy, homogenous, and gentrified like they always have.
RealNeo and the 6 people who participate in it are, at best, schoolyard bullies.
Guy Templeton Black is used as their poster boy when they want to cry ” rich people suck” Guy is wonderful AND a nuisance. He carries a gun, and has flashed it to quite a few people in the park. Adult services won’t deal with him because he threatens to call the councilman, the mayor AND Dennis Kucinich. They REFUSED to try and help him. He is a victim of self neglect. He sits in the park constantly without a permit, the CPD wont do anything because he gives them such a hassle. His clothes are frequently dirty and unkempt, he has lost a tremendous amount of weight over the past year or two, and he is flat out crazy. Hey Norm, why don’t you “Disrupt that”?
Please get your story straight.
Sammy Catania assaulted an elderly disabled man who was in a public park and minding his own business. The assault is on tape and can be seen here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrXCwru-XhY.
This is a public park where numerous children play, and Sammy Catania’s behavior is UNACCEPTABLE. He has a pattern of violence and has pulled his verbal rampage on at least four people that I know of personally. He has a severe anger management issue.
The elderly man always has a small recorder around his neck because he is a community activist and stands up against the corrupt Tremont West Development Corporation and their land stealing. The elderly guy also watches out for drug deals in the area. He is always harassed, so he records everything. Criminal charges are going to be filed against Sammy Catania in the near future for this assault that was captured on video. The CITY’S prosecutor’s office, not the county, has already confirmed that criminal charges will be filed in this matter.
The second guy that attacked and assaulted the elderly guy and was also captured on video, appeared to be high as a kite. see the video and judge for yourself
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6AtaqmTW3fw
The attacker in this video had his house raided for drugs a few weeks ago. The attacker, Marc Dorsey, is a CLEVELAND PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER.
follow Marc Dorsey’s criminal felony drug related charge in Cuyahoga County Clerk of Court case no. CR-10-540395-B
Caption: THE STATE OF OHIO vs. MARC DORSEY
And check out his co-defendant in this case, who has already been charged with drug trafficking.
see the co-defendant’s criminal record here:
BO-10-1980AF
CR-06-482284-A
CR-03-440157-ZA
CR-02-424192-ZA
CR-95-321672-C
CR-89-240788-ZA
CR-88-233636-B
CR-85-196603-ZA
CR-83-185647-A
CR-81-166043-C
CR-70-198898-ZA
This is a very serious matter when an elderly and disabled man is attacked and assaulted in a public park by an employee of Tremont West Development Corporation and a Cleveland School teacher, and the teacher later has his home raided for drugs and has a felony drug related charge being presented to the Grand Jury.
Would you want this guy to teach your children?
Also, I am neither a Tremont resident nor a “Tremonster”. You could not pay me to live in Tremont.
I happen to be someone that refuses to allow this to happen to my friend, Guy Templeton Black, or any other elderly disabled person.
Lily Miller
Guy Templeton Black is no more, no less than a citizen and life-long resident of this so call “diverse community.” He sits in the park, he displays his signs and if you don’t like him or what he stand for, I don’t believe that anyone is compelled to wave, eyeball, or converse with either him or his canine service dog.
There are so many others living in this “revitalized” neighborhood that are treated with the same scorn and indignation as Guy Templeton. What if it were your mother that was being attacked or treated as such, regardless of the reason?
People – poor people, elderly, mentally and physically challenged, all minorities, etc., have basic human rights. What many don’t realize is even the homeless have rights – yes, even the right to vote.
As far as permits, we would need some time to discuss “non-compliance.” I’m sure with t he number of bars in this community being permitted to operate off the “free pass” system, why don’t you ask Councilman Cimperman what his thoughts on a permit for Guy?
What is the difference in Guy ‘s signs and all those business A-framed advertisements being splattered on every corner and sidewalk in our “Historic District” without permits?
No one has the right to put their hands on or act in a threatening manner towards another human being, especially in a public park – and for why neither Sammy nor Marc were arrested astounds me.
If you threatened your wife, what would she do?
What do you think Councilman Cimperman or the Mayor would do if Sammy boxed their ears?
Whatever you do, you’ve just GOT to get over to that realneo blog. It’s freakin’ HILLARIOUS! If the nerds from Buffy the Vampire Slayer ever started a blog, it would look just like realneo. Check it out!
I founded realneo.us and if you have a complaint about that email me at norm@realneo.us or go to the contact link at realNEO and email the “board” – I emailed Anastasia Pantsios a request for clarification on whether Catania fired a gun in Tremont – as for parents in Tremont… I have small children… I’ve met Guy and he does not seem dangerous to children… his dog Yogi wouldn’t even attack Mark Dorsey when he attacked Guy so I doubt Yogi is a threat – your children are harmed every day by pollution Cimperman should fight to stop and you should be furious with him and the other leadership deceiving you about that – you should care for your children’s health, and the threat to them in Tremont is Mittal.
In fact, if any of you are friends with Councilman Cimperman – or in fact Cimperman as a troll – please find out why the Cleveland air pollution monitoring at Craig rarely if ever works right and the monitor in your back yard in Tremont at St. Theodos has been taken off line completely since I reported it let through a PM 2.5 reading in Tremont of 316.5 on Memorial day – that is a crisis level of pollution, and I believe you have that level of pollution regularly there, causing irreparable public health damage. The city just won’t answer these questions from citizens… strange!
Read about your Memorial Day Tremont on the Lost Boys site here – http://realneo.us/content/un-sustainable-c…
BTW – regarding the rich – they don’t suck by definition and my family is rich – money does not buy happiness… I’ve seen that from the Taj to the Great Wall, brother.
And, Anastasia, do you think it is cool that Connie Schultz’ husband Senator Sherrod Brown’s brother Robert Brown is the Chairman of the Board of Medical Center Company (MCCO) – a “non-profit Foundation-owned… since like 1932” coal burning steam plant in the middle of University Circle – operated by/for Case and University Hospitals and like 20 UCI institutions – spewing around 5,000 tons of pollution a year into my neighborhood, the Heights and the world – wants a license to keep on burning coal and polluting there at least 5 MORE YEARS – 25,000 tons more pollution – that would be a good story for an impartial reporter at Scene… weren’t you at the EPA hearing… vampires welcome… even the PD picked that up… but not like the Sierra Club did… http://realneo.us/Sierra-Club-Mattie-Reitm… – as did the founder of realNEO.us… http://realneo.us/content/norm-roulet-citi…
Well this whole thing has turned into quite a diverse (and frankly off-topic) converasation. Guy does NOT need a permit and secondly does NOT carry a gun. He’s a passionate animal rights advocate. I don’t really like the disabled/elderly references because I think it’s a tag. The man isn’t that old and has more frenetic energy than I do being at least 20 years his junior. He’s ok, and I appreciate everyone rallying to his defense. I’ve known him for a long time and haven’t always agreed with him on occasion but he’s a good person and extremely passonate for what he believes in and THIS IS AMERICA GODAMMIT AND HE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO DO EXPRESS HIMSELF WHATEVER HIS VIEWS IN A PUBLIC PARK IN A PEACEFUL MANNER! To the person who said they’d never live here, well, I’m not sure what you mean because your letter seemed to be advocating the benefits of the neighborhood. I for one would like to leave to live in a more run-down part of the city where great houses can be had cheap and REAL life is in full force. STOP BEING AFRAID AMERICA! It only makes you meaner. And frankly racist. Everyone needs to stop and think. Put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a min. or 2… I wish someone would pay me to live anywhere. I wouldn’t care where and so would a LOT of other people in this city.
Anastasia’s comment:
“disabled elderly man” (no one’s quite clear what Black’s “disability” is) “
I am not quite sure why Anastasia feels she- or anyone else- is entitled to know what Guy’s disability is. Guy has a handicapped placard that was issued by the BMV. The placard is only issued by the BMV when a person presents a prescription written by a medical doctor stating that the person is handicapped/disabled. Therefore Guy IS disabled. The diagnosis of this disability is no one’s business except Guys.
Guy is 69 years old and is considered a senior citizen.
Anastasia should have a nice chat with her co-worker Mike Gill about the Tremont Mob and how poor people are treated in Tremont. Mike Gill knows the truth.
Guy is a con-artist of disability(ies). Oh I am sure there is a verifiable disability under there somewhere, most likely mental, but for the most part he goes with the whatever will get him wants at the moment. He was legally blind for awhile.
The truth is he’s a resourceful welfare client and an attention whore. Mostly harmless, with a mmm creative sense of reality and morality. Guy can be entertaining to talk to, though communication is difficult and fact, fiction, causal chains of events etc are all up for grabs.
Sorry to burst your bubble Reasonabilism, he frequently carries a gun either on him or in his van. It’s all good though he’s got his conceal carry permit. I wonder whatever happened to the white cane he used to carry.
As for delusionalneo. Well I think Norm said enough and if not I am quite sure their version of Ann Coulture will post again and take away any doubt.
Gill, it’s no better than the PD up here – a bunch of nameless trolls whacking on keyboards. Yawn
I have no horse in this race, nor do I know the backstory between these two individuals. I don’t live in the Tremont neighborhood. However, the Scene reporter is wrong in her claim that the video does not show a crime. The reason county prosecutors wouldn’t be interested in this case is because the county court is for felonies and this would be a misdemeanor case to be brought in Cleveland Municipal Court. I’m not exactly sure what crime he should be charged with as I’d have to check the Ohio Revised Code on that. What happened in the video fits the generic definition of an assault (which doesn’t have to involve physical contact), but I’m not sure how Ohio defines these terms. If it’s not an “assault”, it’s certainly some other misdemeanor (perhaps “menacing” or something — again, I’d have to check).
Look, the guy came up to him all angry, started verbally threatening him, and then took a swing at him. You can criticize Black’s desire to press charges on this attack, but he has every right to. The Scene writer should stop attempting to play lawyer in her articles if she looked at that video and saw no offense. She is simply wrong, and she is clearly putting her biases on display here, not understanding that we are all equal under the law. Hopefully the city will prosecute, and will give this hothead, Catania, a requirement to attend anger management courses as part of his sentence. Without a video camera in his face, I could totally see Catania committing a far more violent offense on someone he’s mad at.
Additionally, the other person who confronted, threatened, and took a swing at Black – MArc Dorsey – has a newly opened case that’s been bound over to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas. This means that a Grand Jury is about to decide whether he should be indicted for a felony. Apparently the charges involve drug tafficking, or something along those lines.
I can’t for the life of me figure out how Mr. Black is doing anything wrong by sitting peacefully in a public park with his beloved dog and exercising his freedom of speech, but i the charges on Dorsey hold up in court, in his case we are most definitely dealing with a menace to the community. BTW, Dorsey has a rather long misdemeanor record, too, including some first degree misdemeanors. Funny that Dorsey feels he must confront others about his dislike for what they are doing in the neighborhood, when he’s actually a criminal.
Guy Templeton Black has every right to sit in a public park with his dog and his signs. Public spaces are for the public, and if you go to a public space you have to be tolerant that there is a diversity of people who have a right to be there. Sammy Catania does not, however, have a right to come up to Black, verbally threaten him with harm, and then take a swing at him. That is a CRIME. And Marc Dorsey does not have a right to do likewise. Marc Dorsey also does not have a right to commit all the other crimes he’s been convicted of over the years, or whatever drug felony the county grand jury is about to consider indicting him on.
Let’s be clear on how stupid Scene Magazine is, because you only have to read the headline to know it: Cuyahoga County prosecutors deal with FELONIES, not misdemeanors.
Thank you, rmoz6699
Catania is going to be charged with Assault. The legal defintion of assault, since Anastasia failed to do her research for her one-sided rant, is:
The definition of assault is described as “the unlawful attempt to violently injure another person.” Different types of behavior are included in the definition of assault – even attempts or threats to harm another person would classify as an assault (provided the alleged assault victim knew about the threat).
On tape, Catania is quoted as saying, “If you even try to F..k me you are dead meat.”
Then he took a swing at Guy and knocked his eyeglasses into his left eye.
And Marc Dorsey is also going to get charges filed against him in the near future. The only reason Dorsey has not had charges filed on him by Guy is because it is now going on seven weeks since Guy initially sought help from the City of Cleveland’s Prosecutor against Catania. It does not give a person much faith in the judicial system when nearly seven weeks have passed since this crime, and the prosecutors have failed to do their job and file these charges. Although they have confirmed that assault charges WILL be filed against Catania this week – finally.
Both Dorsey and Catania approached Guy knowing that Guy always has his recorder, and they were both in HIS face. If they are that stupid to assault someone knowing they are being recorded, they get what they deserve.
A restraining order will also be requested in court to keep both of the menacers away from Guy. It is too bad that Guy has had to wait nearly seven weeks to request a restraining order.
Tremont is at it again. Really, has anyone thought about how to actually help Guy? All is fine and well when people are going out of their way to avoid him – for their own sake…but what about the people around town that the look for people like Guy as an easy victim? Gun or not, its not safe to leave Guy in the Park like that- daylight or midnight…he’s a crazy old kook but he wouldn’t hurt a fly and he’s a person that needs interaction (which is why he goes to the park) and he needs care (obvious to everyone who meets him). If REALNEO wants to be REAL – help your friend so that he’s ok and everyone doesn’t have to worry about him. Or, do you just use him so you can hold him up on your shoulders and say…”Look! Look! See how everyone treats him bad?”
I’m in Austin trying to get Guy some fresh air. All I can offer.
eternal thanks lily – all – for all for your words-
the facts speak for them selves-
please access my blog to read hundreds of post that have very life saving helpfull information and many references and about one million reads – thanks to realneo.us coop – norm roulet and all – as i we speak truth to power in tremont etc.
http://realneo.us/content/guy-templeton-bl…
also
http://realneo.us/blogs/questministries
eternal thanks, yogi and guy
also see a resoltuion from cleveland city council given to rev. guy templeton black
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3075/316900…
eternal thanks, yogi and guy
Sammy Catania, employee of Tremont West Development Corporation, was finally charged with assault and menacing today.
It is a crime to threaten to kill, chew on someone’s nuts, and take a swing at any person.
Guy Templeton Black has a court hearing tomorrow at which time he will request a restraining order against Sammy Catania.
Its time to cool that hothead down, Sammy. I see anger management classes in your future, and kiss that CCW permit goodbye. You are a violent person and have intimidated folks long enough.
AND
Marc Dorsey was indicted for felony drug possession and possession of criminal tools:
CR-10-540395-B
Caption: THE STATE OF OHIO vs. MARC DORSEY
Status: CASE OPEN
Judge Name: ARRAIGNMENT ROOM
PO Name: N/A
Next Event: ARRAIGNMENT SET FOR 08/30/2010 AT 08:30 AM IN ROOM CP ARRAIGNMENT ROOM JC 12FL
Arrested: N/A
CHARGES
Statute Description
2925.11.A DRUG POSSESSION
2923.24.A POSSESSING CRIMINAL TOOLS
2010 CRB 031770 STATE OF OHIO / CITY OF CLEVELAND -VS- CATANIA, SAMMY
CHARGES 1. Menacing 2. Assault
08/17/2010 HEARING SCHEDULED: Event: ARRAIGNMENT – DV/TPO DOCKET Date: 08/18/2010 Time: 9:00 am Judge: CRIMINAL, JUDGE/MAGISTRATE Location: 3RD FLOOR COURTROOM
If you see Sammy, call 911. He has two active WARRANTS issued for his ARREST. Warrant #’s 377075 and 377076.
08/17/2010 IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE FILING OF THIS COMPLAINT, A WARRANT HAS BEEN REGISTERED WITH THE CLEVELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT
yeah, great. a crazy guy with a gun at a park full of children. that sounds harmless to me. I don’t care if he has a concealed carry permit. you guys keep coming to his defense about this issue with TWDC (and really I don’t care either way), thats great. Then you tell me this dude not only has some “eccentricities” but carries a gun while sitting around Lincoln park and frequently flashes it at people? come on.