CINCINNATI (FinalCall.com)�A crowd of about 1,500 gathered at a March for Justice rally at Fountain Square here to remember the tragic police shooting of Timothy Thomas. Also, they came to reflect on the four days of violent civil and racial unrest that followed. Speakers included Rev. Damon Lynch III of the Cincinnati Black United Front; Rev. Stephen Scott of the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati; Angela Leisure, mother of Timothy Thomas; and Roger Owensby Sr., father of Roger Owensby Jr., who was also killed at the hands of Cincinnati police.

In an exclusive with The Final Call, Mrs. Leisure, who has been a voice of unity and calm in the community, shared some of her thoughts about the past year after her son�s untimely death.

"I think if they (Police Department) keep their word and not just make hollow promises about ending police brutality, the city can actually start the healing process. But I�m waiting to see some action to back up these words," she said.

Concerning how her family is holding up after the fateful shooting, she said: "I still have a daughter that wakes up in the middle of the night crying for her brother. It�s been a long, long, hard year. It�s still tearing my family apart."

Roger Owensby Sr., whose son was choked to death by police after being mistaken for a wanted suspect, had little hope for change in police behavior when it comes to Blacks.

"It still hasn�t changed because I get stories everyday of police harassment. If the police did their job correctly, there would be no problem. We haven�t received any apology, any explanation or anything from the city concerning our son�s death," he told The Final Call.

The peaceful rally continued with a short march to City Hall and ended the procession where the shooting took place in the alley at 13th and Republic.

The Cincinnati City Council and Police Department recently settled a racial profiling lawsuit brought against them by The Black United Front and the American Civil Liberties Union. Many hoped this would stop the current boycott of the city, but boycotters say they are not satisfied. Already, several major entertainers have canceled performances in the city because of the boycott.

Rally organizers Victoria Straughn, of Coalition of Concerned Citizens for Justice, and Dan LaBatz, professor at Miami University, said the settlement deals with the future behavior of the police, but it has not dealt with the issue of Officers Patrick Caton and Robert Jorg, who were involved in the November 2000 suffocation of Roger Owensby Jr.

"Hamilton County Prosecutor Mike Allen should indict Caton and retry Jorg as the law permits," said Mr. LaBatz. "Equally important, the city has yet to deal with the issues of economic development. During the past 40 years, the federal government has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars for low income neighborhoods, yet much of that money never got there."

"An apology from the mayor must be forthcoming. There can be no reconciliation without a confession that wrong has been done here. The boycott remains in effect until we get true justice, and let no one tell you anything different," said Ms. Straughn.

Photo: Over a thousand people attend rally for justice in Cincinnati, calling for healing and a gesture of remorse from city officials for Black men shot by police.
Credit, Vincent Muhammad