DOES MAPLE HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL NEED ITS OWN ATTORNEY?

What happens when members of a city council feel harassed or threatened by another public official? Who can they go to? 


What if there's a pattern of abuse or intimidation, who do they turn to?


These are questions a city council may want to ask, because it seems it's not quite clear who represents who down at Maple Heights City Hall.


There are federal authorities that do handle what's called "deprivation of rights under color of law" abuses.


As stated regarding "Color of Law Abuses":

"U.S. law enforcement officers and other officials like judges, prosecutors, and security guards have been given tremendous power by local, state, and federal government agencies—authority they must have to enforce the law and ensure justice in our country. These powers include the authority to detain and arrest suspects, to search and seize property, to bring criminal charges, to make rulings in court, and to use deadly force in certain situations.
 

Preventing abuse of this authority, however, is equally necessary to the health of our nation’s democracy. That’s why it’s a federal crime for anyone acting under “color of law” willfully to deprive or conspire to deprive a person of a right protected by the Constitution or U.S. law. “Color of law” simply means that the person is using authority given to him or her by a local, state, or federal government agency.
 

The FBI is the lead federal agency for investigating color of law abuses, which include acts carried out by government officials operating both within and beyond the limits of their lawful authority. Off-duty conduct may be covered if the perpetrator asserted his or her official status in some way.
 

During 2012, 42 percent of the FBI’s total civil rights caseload involved color of law issues—there were 380 color of law cases opened during the year. Most of the cases involved crimes that fell into into five broad areas:

continued HERE


There are also court rulings regarding suits against public employers for retaliation, COERCION OF A PUBLIC SERVANT OR VOTER, etc etc etc


And there are freedom of speech issues.


So again we ask, does a city council need its own special attorney chosen by them; and do individuals on a city council need their own attorney?

Related:

Intimidation (wiki)

Intimidation

City Council moves to hire its own lawyer November 4, 2013

Council Calls For Independent Attorney November 15, 2006
 

ARE MAPLE HEIGHTS POLICE ENGAGED IN PUBLIC INTIMIDATION?

Several residents (who attended) stated  that at the last Maple Hts city council meeting, the police were videotaping the meeting.

 

 

What does this mean if true? Well, police videotapes, we would think, constitute public record and are kept in police departments for various people  to access (especially the police).  Would you feel comfortable talking about police abuse/misconduct/racism/cutting police  salary/benefits at a council meeting knowing the police had your name, face, address, your statements, etc. forever stored? 


We don't have a problem with members of council videotaping for educational purposes, or council for public record; or even the general public videotaping a council meeting.  There does appear to be a big problem when it is done by the police.

 

 

African Americans should be engaged in any discussion of the videotaping of any public meetings (in their community) by the police, and if found unconstitutional/violation of their civil rights/civil liberties  then the videotaping by them (law enforcement)   should be challenged, stopped and if necessary legal remedies sought. 

 

 

As stated in another post, any predominantly African American community (city) where the legal/judicial system (which includes l aw director, council, safety director, law enforcement)  is predominantly white, probably (but not always) means institutional racism is entrenched in your community (city). 

 

 

The law enforcement community   has already been faced with outrage over privacy rights violations, racial profiling, stop and frisk,  murder, excessive force, and now they could possibly face a charge of public or racial intimidation by videotaping at public meetings (?)

 

 

African American communities have allowed institutional racism to continue in their communities sometimes for fear of retribution and/or intimidation by law enforcement and the legal/judicial system.  Well, it seems Maple Heights police may have driven that point home.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CHILD ADVOCACY

Domestic Violence & Child Advocacy Center June 2014  |  Delivered Monthly View this email in your browser

DVCAC's staff spent a restorative day together communing at The Gathering Place. A Day of Retreat DVCAC staff recently spent an entire day focused on self-care and learning techniques to deal with the everyday stress of our work.  We were incredibly fortunate to have Dr. Cyndi Vrabel from Frontline Services sharing information grounded in resiliency, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Julie Tamarkin, a dedicated volunteer, lead the staff in breathing exercises and yoga practices in the beautiful Healing Garden at the Gathering Place. Gretchen Miller,  DVCAC Art Therapist, facilitated a session in creating a self-care journal and artist trading cards. It was a peaceful and informative day and the staff came away feeling recharged and more dedicated to our work. Helping Hands and Supplies Needed DVCAC is proud to announce that it will moving into a new facility later this summer. Our administrative staff, community services and Supervised Visitation Center will be relocating to Payne Ave. and E. 30th in the mid-town corridor of Cleveland. The property consists of two buildings, lots of free parking and will be a great place for victims of abuse to access all of our services. In preparation, the agency is doing lots of remodeling and is in need of both volunteer support and some donations to keep our project within budget. If you can lend your support, please contact Lori Butterfield via email: lbutterfield@dvcac.org Groups large and small are welcome to help out! Supplies •    Cleaning supplies- mops, buckets, sponges, cleaning rags, dish soap, window cleaning solution, bathroom cleaning supplies, paper towels, brooms, etc… •    Facility supplies: paper towels, toilet paper, liquid hand soap, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, garbage bags •    Painting supplies: rollers, brushes, tarps, tape, pans •    Landscaping supplies: garden tools, mulch Volunteer Needs •    Painters •    Landscaping, gardening •    Cleaning •    Carpet Installers Teen Empowerment Group Starting on June 11th for teens 14-19 the group will meet Wednesday’s from 5:00pm-6:30pm. The focus is on healthy relationships, self-care, and strengths. Click here for more information.  Good Luck Lauren Counseling intern, Lauren Tucker will be finishing her year long clinical placement with DVCAC at the end of June. She’s done a great job with clients, and we will miss her!   Congrats Victoria!   Victoria Grant receiving 2014 Eagle Award Benevolent Love Ministries chose Victoria Grant, Coordinator of DVCAC's Ujima Program, as the recipient  of the 2014 Eagle Award. This award is given once a year at the Tri-Conference Luncheon for outstanding service to the greater Cleveland area. They recognized the contributions that Victoria has made and her life-long commitment to the safe, healing and well-being of women in general. Volunteer Spotlight: Julie   Julie leading yoga at DVCAC Staff Retreat Julie Tamarkin has been a dedicated volunteer in the youth program at shelter for five years. Her calming and warm spirit is a welcome addition to any program she is involved in. Recently, Julie committed to our Champions of Childhood Campaign and personally raised over $1,000 for our mission. We could not do this work without volunteers like Julie. Thank you for bringing our mission to life! RFP for Consulting Services Issued  A search committee has been formed to identify consulting services for the planning process of creating a Child Advocacy Center in Cuyahoga County.The goal of the Child Advocacy Center Planning process is to strengthen partnerships among multi-disciplinary professionals and together, develop a plan pertinent to Cuyahoga County that identifies and builds upon models found to be effective elsewhere. Click here for more information. Quick Links: Who We Are  |  Donate  |  Volunteer  |  Events  |  Contact Us

CLEVELAND LAW LIBRARY HONORS LAW DAY MAY 6, 2014

 

The Cleveland Law Library is honoring Law Day this year with free WestlawNext CLE programs for members next week. We are offering two 1-hour sessions of Intermediate Research on WestlawNext from 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6th at the Law Library on the 4th floor of the Cuyahoga County Courthouse. Members can sign up for one of the sessions by calling the Law Library at 216-861-5070 or sending an email to lawlib@clelaw.lib.oh.us. Each attendee will receive 1 hour of free Ohio general CLE credit.

NEED FREE LEGAL ADVICE?

"Get help  with foreclosure and other housing problems, suspended driver's licenses, contracts, divorce, child support, public assistance, special education, employment and immigration problems.

Get free legal advice between 1 and 3 p.m. Friday at The Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland, 12201 Euclid Ave.; 9:45 to 11:45 a.m. Saturday at the Spanish American Committee, 4407 Lorain Ave.; 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Maple Heights Senior Center, 15901 Libby Road."

 

[They do not handle criminal matters.]

 

Free legal advice for low-income Greater Cleveland residents  by Donna Miller, July 11, 2012