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Unnamed Oral History Interview
Interviewer: Today is August 19th, 2015 and this is anonymous – is that correct? Interviewee: Yes Interviewer: OK if you can just tell me the one experience you can think of… Interviewee: One experience is a little over a month ago I just came from the store, and I was walking from 23rd… I did have a beer and I just sat down and opened it and took a sip out of it. A vice car was riding past…and they came to me like “Oh ok, bring your ID” and I was like “ok whatever”, and they said, “You can go ahead and drink it but we’re still going to write you up for this ticket” but I just threw it away.…
Veronica Oral History Interview
Interviewer: Geraci, Noah Interviewee: Veronica NG: What has your experience been with police violence? V: In 2012, on November 29, my cousin was the victim of the police. She was. Her car. Her and her boyfriend’s car was shot up 137 times. The police that jumped on the hood of the car shot through the window. They did his trial in May and they released him. I think that was very wrong. And, Someone else: That was your people’s car? V: Yeah, that was my cousin. And I don’t feel that because when the police talk to me and see me and stuff, I don’t really be bothered with them or they…
Riley, LaShawnna Oral History Interview
My fiancé goes to the Cudell Recreation Center every day except on Wednesdays and it was just, you know, it was just trouble… the way they could do a young child. This mother daughter, she was sending her child to play at the recreation center and I didn’t believe that because I know for a fact that they have a security guard there and I didn’t understand how that could have happened in a place that was already secured… But as far as my personal experiences with the umm [police]… I had a couple of run-ins with my fiancé, and they have come out. They try to come out and talk to you, you know,…
Hudson, Andre Oral History Interview
IV: All right. Go ahead. AH: Yes. All right. What I'm saying with this whole police shooting, with police brutality, that doesn't give you, OK, I got a bad, I'm a person of the law, that doesn't give you the right to, like, hmm, I'm in the mood, I'm going to wake up and just shoot him just because I can, because I got a gun, I have a gun, and I'm paid to shoot. Yes, I'm supposed to be a person, a citizen in society and to protect the law, but what laws are they protecting? If you supposed to be an officer, to protect the law, or protect the citizens, not shoot it. Just because, like, I…
Unnamed Oral History Interview
Interviewer: So, tell me about your experience with police violence here in Cleveland. Interviewee: They constantly come around town..but they don’t pick up the regular people that’s doing stuff. They only pick up the people..like regular people...I don’t get it….it’s like they targeting..you feel what I’m saying...and I don’t like that stuff so that’s why I’m trying to speak out. I just want them to stop targeting people. It seems like they picking on special people instead of getting at the people that’s really doing crimes out here...you know what I’m saying...because they was just shooting…
Simpson, LaToya Oral History Interview
U: Today is August 19, 2015 and you are… A: Latoya Simpson. U: Tell us your story Latoya. A: I was recently at CSU, me and my boyfriend. I would say we experienced racial profiling simply because we were in there doing nothing but watching TV and on our phones. U: Where were you again? A: Cleveland State University. Right across the street. Officers came in. I don’t know if they were called or not. They claimed that they got a call that we were sleeping outside, which was not true. And you know, they saw that we weren’t. They said well do you guys have any ID’s, any you know personal…
Nero, Joyce Oral History Interview
Joyce Nero: Let me know when you’re ready. Elena Colon-Marrero: I am ready. Joyce Nero: In 1994, I drove carpool. Took a co-worker, he asked me to take him to his ex-wife’s house to take money for her and the kids. We got to the ex-wife’s house. I stayed out front, he went around the back to the back door. I stayed out front, sat on the hood of the car. I heard a little bit of a commotion. Mike came out, got in the car, and we drove away. Police stopped us, pulled me out of the car, threw me on the ground, threw him on the ground, and Mike kept saying “She didn’t do anything, she didn’t do…
Carrero, Alec Oral History Interview
Elena Colon-Marrero [0:01] Go ahead Alec Carrero [0:02] It was another incident I had with the police when I was, uh, working, uh, at the homeless shelter a few years back, and all of us was sitting on the wall and they handcuffed all of us. Elena [0:13] Wow Alec [0:14] Yeah. They ended up taking one of the guys, but it was my birthday… but I had handcuffs on me for my 25th birthday. Elena [0:23] Did they give you a reason why they were handcuffing you, or to like – Alec [0:27] It wasn’t a reason, I wouldn’t think, cause I was eating a fruit salad. And we were just sitting right here on – what…
Greenhat, Virgil Oral History Interview
Interviewer: Go ahead. Virgil: Good afternoon. Here in Cleveland, Ohio and we’re talking about police violence and community relations, and I’m a disgruntled person. I’ve had incidents where I feel like the police should have investigated or detectives after filing a report; I feel like it was a dereliction of duty and they were very rude. And in dealing with the public and the community at large and to protecting citizens throughout the city, I think that Bill Jackson is addressing some of the issues of police brutality in the area and abuse. And this part of my story is not so much physical…
Khan, Zahid and Unnamed Oral History Interview
Noah Geraci: We don’t want, like, specific names of the cops, just because sometimes people can get in trouble with that. The cops get mad… Yeah, so, it’s recording now. Unnamed: So we had—there was a situation one day, these three young ladies in the store that had big bags. You know, they previously was in here on a Saturday, this happened on a Sunday. They actually stole on a Saturday, but we didn’t, actually couldn’t catch them, ‘cause by the time we figured it out they were gone. So they came back in Sunday and they had bags, and they were trying to steal but we seen them. Noah…
Chun, Curtis Cortez Oral History Interview
Curtis Cortez Chun Oral History Interviewed by Carol Steiner on August 19, 2015 Chun: About two years ago, I was at [inaudible] library, standing with my mom. And my mom walks away. On that summer day, I was wearing a white t-shirt and had red pants on. They thought I was provoking a fight. They came and grabbed me, and I got arrested. My mother was standing right there, and they say you cannot talk to a minor if a guardian or parent is accompanying you, or around. I still have the charges and have not graduated from high school to this day, because I have charges for a felony four on…
Dunklin, Earl Oral History Interview
Noah: Okay I think it’s going on. Yeah. There it goes. So what is your experience with police violence? Earl: I was assaulted by four Euclid police officers in Euclid, Ohio. And kicked in the mouth, Noah: jeez Earl: excessively tased while in handcuffs. Okay. Then they get in the courtroom and tell the judge and the jury, okay, I took a swing at the officer, I pushed the officer, that they had to wrestle me against the wall and I wrestled three officers at one time to the ground. Noah: jeez Earl: and I got convicted of a felony for it. Noah: Jeez. I am sorry, that’s, yeah it seems like they…
Unnamed Oral History Interview
A: ...Both spectrums, the good spectrum of the police and the bad spectrum of the police in response, as well as enforcement. JD: Mmhmm A: So, you are recording right? JD: Yes A: Ok, you know, the things that I have seen that was good was a response after the effect had taken place. You know, they was having a shootout on the side of my house off of Beckman(??) and my windows had been shot into and shot out...and there were children around...and the only thing...and I asked the people when I came home from work...and this might have been about five years ago you know what I’m saying... so I…
Brady, Kevin and Mitchell, Genevieve Oral History Interview
Participant Kevin Brady (KB): OK, I’m going go ahead and get started. I noticed there is something going on with the police…within the year 2000. It’s like…they never bothered me while I was in my thirties or forties…it’s just until my late forties…it was something that was just going on…I used to live on the west side of Cleveland by metro hospital and it’s like the police were just getting worse and worse. I mean…there was one time I got at least three tickets in a period of less than four months and that’s very unusual because I lived in the neighborhood for eleven years without getting…
Unnamed Oral History Interview
Transcription: Interviewer: Jones, Jasmine (JJ) Interviewee: Unnamed (B) JJ: So, tell me about your stories with police violence or anything you’d like to share with us. B: Okay. Well, what I want to say is that it’s too much double-sided action going on like illegal and legal, you know, coming from police officers in the city…and sheriffs. But let me see if I can think of anymore…false information, and that’s real bad. JJ: What do you think could be done about this, if anything? B: The only thing I could think of that could be done is just hire good officers, you know? JJ: Yeah B: That’s the…
Jones, Krystal Oral History Interview
Jones: Okay, yesterday I had an incident with a police officer inside Cosgrove. I was actually – one of my friends was in line for breakfast – or maybe it was lunch, I don’t remember – but I went over to speak with her, and I was gonna get in front of her in line – like, I was gonna cut, or whatever, but then the police officer made a comment – and I knew that I was wrong – but I was talking with her for a minute and the police officer said, “Get to the back of the line where you belong,” and I just – I took that as very much offense, because, number one – and I don’t try to down anybody else,…
Unnamed Oral History Interview
Interviewee: Anonymous (A) Interviewer: Colon-Marrero, Elena (ECM) A: I was in Louisville Penitentiary for 13 years and I’ve seen police kill inmates in there. And it’s a conspiracy because the warden is mixed up in it, okays it, and the captains. All of them stick together to kill people. That’s all I want to say.
Unnamed Oral History Interview
Interviewer: Colon-Marrero, Elena (ECM) Interviewee: Anonymous (A) ECM: Whenever you’re ready. A: Okay, one time I am driving through Arizona, leaving Arizona, and I was working there. I was driving and a police officer pulls me over from behind ‘cause I had California plates. And he goes “the reason I stopped you is because your windshield is cracked.” I was like “you saw it from behind that my windshield was cracked? That’s impossible.” And he goes, “and your, and your back of your truck is a little unbalanced.” I’m like, “’cause I have all my stuff. I’m going to Minnesota.” He goes, “what’s…