----- Original Message ----- From: Downwithcapitalism <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2001 10:02 PM Subject: [downwithcapitalism] FW: Crackdown in Cincinnati WSWS. 26 April 2001. Law-and-order crackdown in aftermath of Cincinnati riots. Excerpts. Two weeks after the largest urban disturbance in the US since the 1992 Los Angeles riots, officials in Cincinnati, Ohio are prosecuting hundreds of minority workers and youth involved in four days of protests and rioting that followed the police killing of an unarmed black teenager on April 7. Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen, who denounced participants as law-breaking thugs who should be prosecuted vigorously, announced he is indicting 63 people on felony charges, ranging from aggravated rioting, breaking and entering, weapons possession and inducing panic. If convicted many could face prison sentences of up to a one-and-a-half years in a state penitentiary. A 17-member Riot Prosecution Task Force is also reviewing videotape of the riots subpoenaed from local TV stations in order to identify and prosecute additional suspects. According to family members and lawyers, more than a dozen felony defendants are still behind bars. Judges have set bonds at between $20,000 and $30,000, and have disallowed defendantswho are almost all black, and many poorto post the normal 10 percent of the bond to gain their freedom. Among those being held are several juveniles as young as 15 years old. In addition, nearly 800 people were arrested for violating the four-day curfewimposed by Mayor Charlie Luken when he declared a state of emergency on April 12and other misdemeanor offenses, such as resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. These defendants face up to three months in jail and $1,000 fines. The city prosecutor's office has not released information on how many defendants have been charged, what the charges are, or how many people remain in jail. The vast majority of those arrested had no previous criminal records. Fanon Rucker, the head of the Black Lawyers Association, told the World Socialist Web Site, We are concerned that the laws are not being enforced fairly. The county prosecutor is a public official, but he called these people animals and thugs. He has not gone after policemen who have abused people. SPAM TO FOLLOW Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
