Good morning all. Here’s what’s going on around Cincinnati and beyond today.
Last November, local faith leader and civil rights activist Bishop Bobby Hilton found himself in the middle of activity around Ray Tensing’s first murder trial, and now, with the retrial kicking off this week, he’s expected to once again play a central role in the public drama over the former University of Cincinnati police officer's trial. Hilton served as a spokesman and spiritual advisor for the family of Sam DuBose, who Tensing shot during a traffic stop in Mount Auburn in July, 2015. The leader of Forest Park’s Word of Deliverance church also led a group of more than 30 faith leaders who demanded a retrial after a jury couldn’t reach a verdict in Tensing’s first trial. He was also out in the streets as the trial took place and after the mistrial was announced, attempting to keep the peace. His presence Not everyone is entirely satisfied with Hilton’s role — there has been pressure on Hilton and other faith leaders from some activists, including members of Black Lives Matter, to be more aggressive with local politicians and justice system officials in his calls for justice for DuBose. BLM and groups like the AMOS Project, which is faith-based, have taken a more outspoken tenor than Hilton. Tensing’s retrial starts with jury selection May 25.
• A leader from anti-tax group COAST and a prominent Cincinnati attorney have teamed up to launch a new group today called No More Stadium Taxes. The group, headed by COASTer Jeff Cappell, has formed in response to rumblings that soccer team FC Cincinnati and the owners of U.S. Bank Arena are both looking for taxpayer money to fund building projects for sports stadiums. Cappell will be the group's chairman, according to a news release sent out today. Attorney Tim Mara, meanwhile, who is also in the anti-stadium group, was a part of the pushback more than 20 years ago to the county's stadium deals — one that has since been depicted by national commentators as among the worst in the country. COAST, if you'll remember, stands for citizens opposing additional spending and taxes. The group was vocally, sometimes controversially, against the city's streetcar.
• OK, so, I want you to close your eyes and try to picture Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters wrestling a 400-pound gorilla. That vivid mental image comes courtesy of Deters himself, who told WCPO late last week that he would have jumped into the cage holding Harambe had his child fallen into the gorilla’s enclosure. Deters admitted he wouldn’t have been able to prevail in the fight, however, and probably “would have died that day.” Deters was quoted in an article about the one-year anniversary of Harambe’s May 28, 2016 shooting by Zoo staff after a young boy made his way into the gorilla’s pen. After attempts to call Harambe away from the boy, he began dragging the child, prompting Zoo staff to shoot him. Deters revealed some of the “crazy” response to that incident his office received, including letters with bloody handprints, threats and lots of curse words. Yikes.
• It’s looking more and more like Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel won’t have a serious primary challenger in his quest to unseat U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown next year. Mandel, a Republican, ran for Brown’s seat in 2012 and got thumped, but is trying to ride a wave of support for President Donald Trump into the Senate. And one of his most formidable potential rivals — U.S. Rep. Pat Tiberi, a longtime member of Congress — won’t be running against Mandel in a primary. That’s great for Mandel, but it doesn’t mean he has his party behind him. Tiberi and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, among other party bigwigs, have hedged on whether they’ll endorse Mandel, who is not well-liked by some in the state GOP.
• A conservative Ohio lawmaker has introduced a bill that would lessen criminal charges for concealed carry of a firearm in so-called “gun-free zones.” Republican State Rep. John Becker’s bill would reduce charges for concealed carry license holders bringing guns into schools, government buildings and other areas where weapons are banned. The proposed legislation would stipulate that those carrying weapons first be asked to leave the gun-free zone, and if they didn’t, they would be charged with a minor disorderly conduct misdemeanor. Currently, concealed carry in restricted areas can mean jail time.
• A Kentucky family court judge who has refused to hear adoption cases involving same-sex couples might not have a choice in the matter. Judge W. Mitchell Nance asked the state’s chief justice, John D. Minton Jr., to change court procedures so Nance can avoid hearing adoption cases involving same-sex couples. Nance personally opposes adoption by gay couples. Minton, however, has blocked that request, a move that LGBT activists cheered. As of last Friday, Nance, who presides over courts in Barren and Metcalfe counties in southern Kentucky, had not removed measures that allow him to step aside in cases involving LGTB individuals. Recently, he refused to hear a case involving a transgender individual regarding domestic violence, passing it on to another judge.
