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Photo By Jymi Bolden
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Jene Galvin auditions for a guest spot on Jerry
Springer, heaving a chair at the former mayor during a
Nov. 4 visit.
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Thursday is the second anniversary of the death of Roger Owensby Jr., who died of mechanical asphyxia in the custody of Cincinnati Police officers. Seven officers involved in the arrest face disciplinary charges for misconduct, including excessive force. The Owensby family is suing the city for wrongful death. But the most poignant aftermath of the tragedy that happened Nov. 7, 2000, is the grief experienced by Owensby's 11-year-old daughter, Myisha. She recently wrote this poem, titled "Why My Father?"
What I feel about my father's death.
I am really sad and angry.
I wonder why they did what they did.
I feel it was not right.
I do not wish this on no other kids.
I am so sad.
I do not like police any more.
How would you feel?
Some people do not think before they do some things.
I feel that my father was a good man and a better father.
I loved when my father got me my first puppy, He knew I liked dogs.
I feel the other police should tell what happened to my father.
I feel he did nothing wrong at all.
They should know that we are a good family.
If I could see my father again, I would spend every moment with him.
If he were here I would sing a song for him (Love You Forever)
If I could see you again I would be so grateful,
I would spend every moment with you and only you.
I will love you forever, I will love you forever, forever I will love you.
If you were here I would take you to my best place in the world, in my arms close to my heart.
I will love you for ever.
Until we are together again walking hand in hand with God.
Walking Thursday, signs in hand, will be Citizens Concerned for Justice (CCFJ). After a brief memorial service at the Sunoco station where Owensby died, protesters will drive to Pierce Township to protest. Former Cincinnati Police Officer Robert Jorg, who was indicted for involuntary manslaughter in Owensby's death, is now a Pierce Township cop. A jury last year deadlocked on the manslaughter charge.
The CCFJ and the Owensby family want Jorg retried and are also pressing for prosecution on federal civil rights charges. Victoria Straughn, who planned the protest, says she wants suburban police departments such as Pierce Township to stop employing Cincinnati cops implicated in the death of unarmed African Americans.
When Luken Said 'Change,' He Meant the Small Kind
The line that Mayor Charlie Luken and Vice Mayor Alicia Reece keep peddling out of town is that Cincinnati has learned from its mistakes and change is underway. Their favorite example is the collaborative agreement to end a lawsuit over racial profiling by police. When U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott appointed Alan Kalmanoff to monitor the agreement, Luken hailed the choice as yet another harbinger of the New Cincinnati. That lasted exactly 26 days.
In a statement issued Oct. 10, Luken said, "I am delighted that Dr. Alan Kalmanoff has been appointed the monitor. ... He will play an important role in our city's future and the city looks forward to his leadership."
Then came the first bill, for $55,242. Luken and City Councilman Pat DeWine are now asking Dlott to dump Kalmanoff and appoint a new monitor. DeWine is a Republican. Luken only acts like one.
Then there's City Councilman David Pepper, who wants a law to ban loitering for the purpose of drug dealing. He recommends legislation that would require officers to "ask suspects to explain (their) activity and why it does not display an intent to conduct drug dealing."
Put aside for a moment the matter of the right to remain silent. Even put away the presumption of innocence. With all the civil rights lawsuits and investigations surrounding the Cincinnati Police Department, is it sound policy to have cops profiling people for simply standing on the street?
Jock Taxes and Democrat Showboats
Meanwhile, city council isn't even following its own rules, according to Pepper.
"Our rule is we don't propose without identifying how we're going to pay for it," he said.
The issue of whether to roll back the city's property tax to 4.8 mills, as DeWine wanted, seemed to be exempt from the rules. Pepper wanted to know how the $3 million in revenue that would be lost under DeWine's proposal would be paid for.
"They didn't say," Pepper says. "They had no answer."
Councilman Chris Monzel defended the proposed tax cut.
"This is not an expense," he says. "We are not spending money here. We're giving it back to our citizens, who deserve it for sticking with the city."
If city council can spend $6.6 million to "fix up the shoe racks at Saks," DeWine says, it could manage to give homeowners a tax break.
But unless you own a really expensive house, the rollback wouldn't have amounted to much. The anticipated savings would have been only $18.90 on a $100,000 property, according to Pepper. The majority of the tax relief, he says, would have gone to businesses and apartment owners.
Council instead passed Pepper's plan to roll back the millage to 5.27 mills, which he reported will save taxpayers close to $1 million. Pepper says the cost for this rollback will be made up by collecting taxes from professional athletes and entertainers who, according to the state, should be paying taxes to the city but aren't.
Jerry Springer -- former mayor, former gubernatorial candidate, TV freak-show host and likely future candidate for something or other -- joined the campaign for Dr. Jean Siebenaler as the campaign wound down Nov. 4. But Springer is no Jerry Come Lately. He earlier backed Siebenaler's candidacy for the Hamilton County Board of Commissioners with a $5,000 contribution, used to hire political whiz Jene Galvin.
Porkopolis TIP LINES: 513-665-4700 (ext. 138) or pork@citybeat.com
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