Family and friends of Frank Tyson held a vigil to mark the 1-year anniversary of his death
'This should be known. Like this is sad. This is tragic. This is sad. No person should never go through this,' Laniya Brown-Tyson, Frank Tyson's niece, told Canton Repository news partner News 5 Cleveland.
Tyson, a 53-year-old Black man from Canton Township, died April 18, 2024, following a struggle with Canton police officers inside the AMVETS building on Sherrick Road SE. He had crashed a car into a utility pole outside and entered the building acting erratically. After a confrontation with police, Tyson, who had repeatedly yelled that officers were going to kill him, was handcuffed and left on the floor face down for nearly eight minutes before an officer realized he couldn't feel a pulse.
'Somehow, it's all going to come to life. What really happened to my brother. It's in that whole tape. It's in the tape,' Darren Tyson told News 5 Cleveland. 'There's two men out there that had their hands on my brother's death and they're walking free.'
Canton police officers Beau Schoenegge and Camden Burch have pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of reckless homicide. A final pretrial hearing in Stark County Common Pleas Court is scheduled for April 25.
Tyson's death has attracted national attention, with civil rights figures Ben Crump and Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at his funeral last May. It also sparked protests in Canton, and the national and local NAACP have asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Frank Tyson vigil held in Canton, marking anniversary of his death
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NBC News
2 hours ago
- NBC News
Execution of Tennessee inmate with heart device can go forward despite claims it may shock him
Tennessee can move forward with next week's scheduled execution of a condemned man with a defibrillator after the state's highest court ruled the heart device does not need to be deactivated before he is put to death. Lawyers for inmate Byron Black, 69, had argued to a Davidson County Chancery Court last month that the device, if not disabled, may try to restore his heart and prolong his suffering as he is executed by lethal injection. But the Tennessee Supreme Court on Thursday reversed the lower court's ruling, finding that requiring the implanted heart regulating device to be switched off essentially amounts to a "stay of execution," which the chancery court does not have the authority to implement. The state Supreme Court justices, however, did note that there's nothing preventing the state and Black's legal team from reaching an agreement for a deactivation procedure to be done before his execution Tuesday morning. An implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, is installed in a patient's chest to deliver electric shocks to those with dangerously fast heartbeats and helps restore a regular rhythm. Attorneys for Black filed a request Thursday to the state Supreme Court to temporarily halt the execution, writing that he could otherwise "be subject to the severe pain and suffering of having his heart repeatedly shocked back into rhythm during his execution." One of his lawyers, Kelley Henry, also said she is asking Gov. Bill Lee to grant clemency for her client so that "Tennessee does not move forward with this gruesome spectacle." She also argued that Black is intellectually disabled and that his execution would violate the state Constitution. Black was convicted in the 1988 shooting deaths of his girlfriend, Angela Clay, 29, and her two daughters, Latoya, 9, and Lakeisha, 6. Nashville police said that Black had previously threatened harm to Clay because she was considering ending their relationship, according to her sister. Black previously faced three execution dates but those procedures were delayed, in part, because of a pause in state executions in 2022 due to issues in testing its lethal injection drugs. Tennessee resumed executions in May under a new lethal injection protocol using pentobarbital, a sedative. State Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti said in a statement Thursday that he will "continue fighting to seek justice for the Clay family and to hold Black accountable for his horrific crimes." He added that the state's experts do not believe Black would suffer severe pain during his execution and also rejected the description of him as being intellectually disabled. In testimony last month before the Davidson County Chancery Court, medical experts for the state and Black argued over whether his ICD would, in fact, cause prolonged pain. "Mr. Black will not be feeling the shocks as he will be in a coma" brought on by the lethal injection process, testified Dr. Litsa Lambrakos, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. But Dr. Gail Van Norman, an anesthesiology professor at the University of Washington who specializes in heart surgeries, suggested otherwise. She testified that the use of a potent amount of pentobarbital, which can cause death from respiratory failure, could unnecessarily trigger Black's defibrillator. "ICDs sometimes deliver shocks when they're not needed," she said. "This is devastating to patients." Black's execution is slated for Tuesday at 10 a.m., barring any court intervention or a reprieve from the governor. As the legal process plays out, whether Black would even find a medical professional to disable his device is unclear. At issue is also the timing of when his device would be deactivated — his health could be at risk if it were done too soon and his execution was put on hold at the last minute. Previously, a Tennessee Department of Correction official said that Nashville General Hospital would participate in such a procedure. But hospital spokeswoman Cathy Poole said the facility "has no role in state executions." "The correctional healthcare provider contracted by the Tennessee Department of Correction did not contact appropriate Nashville General Hospital leadership with its request to deactivate the implanted defibrillator," she said in a statement. "Our contract with the correctional healthcare provider is to support the ongoing medical care of its patients," Poole added. "This request is well outside of that agreement and would also require cooperation with several other entities, all of which have indicated they are unwilling to participate." The American Medical Association's code of ethics says physicians should not be forced to determine a prisoner's competency to stand execution or treat an incompetent condemned prisoner "if such activity is contrary to the physician's personal beliefs." "As a member of a profession dedicated to preserving life when there is hope of doing so, a physician must not participate in a legally authorized execution," the code says. While Black's case doesn't involve a doctor or hospital participating in an execution directly, the idea that the procedure is still part of the process would raise ethical questions for medical professionals, said Robin Maher, executive director of the nonprofit Death Penalty Information Center. Black's legal team also says he suffers from other physical ailments, including advanced dementia, brain damage and kidney disease. "I fear we are going to see many more of these situations as this population grows older," Maher said of death row inmates, who can spend decades behind bars appealing their cases before they are put to death. Restoring their health, either mentally or physically, only so they can be executed presents a further moral quandary, she added. "This is the kind of case in which the governor should issue a reprieve that would be the saving grace for Mr. Black," Maher said.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Ohio politicians use Cincinnati fight for their agenda, ignoring tougher issues
Don't be fooled by politicians outraged about the ugly, viral brawl that left Cincinnati with a shiner so big the entire nation noticed. Vice President JD Vance, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Viviek Ramasamy, and U.S. senators Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted of Ohio aren't upset about the incident that also drew criticism to Columbus and other large American cities. The July 26 downtown Cincinnati fight that sent two to the hospital with non-life-threatening but shocking injuries was awful, but it was far from an example of the worst crime problems communities here or around the nation face. You wouldn't know that listening to Vance and the rest. That is by design and follows a very old playbook. The Cincinnati victims are White. The suspects are Black. Our Republican leaders' and possible future governor's collective outrage against it is "smart" but divisive politics that builds on a long tradition of freaking White people out about the scary Black uprising overtaking larger American cities. Hell, it traces back beyond slavery, it is so old. The rhetoric is shameful, but there are more substantial consequences. The political games played by Vance, Ramaswamy, Moreno and Husted distract from the real conversations about violence that should happen in Cincinnati, Columbus and elsewhere in Ohio. Ohio politicians rather finger-wag than put forth real policy Why push for policies that improve the lives of Ohioans when you can race-bait and shake your finger at political opponents at the same time? Crime is an easy target against Democratic mayors of Ohio's large cities, but it isn't the problem of only Democratic mayors of large Ohio cities. Ohio's representatives in Washington — Vance included — should be working for solutions. Ohio Gov.. Mike DeWine, a Republican, gets that complaining about an issue is no solution. Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval has accepted help from the governor's that includes traffic enforcement to free up police, data analysis of where crime happens and the use of a helicopter for criminal suspect searches, and vehicle pursuit mitigation from the Ohio State Highway Patrol. It would be too much like work to push for policies that address the bevy of real problems that impact Ohio communities, big and small. Take gun violence and domestic violence, for instance. As bad as the Cincinnati fight was, no soul was lost. Gun violence is a real issue in Ohio According to Johns Hopkins University, guns were the leading cause of death among children and teens in 2022. There were 1,831 deaths that year, including 102 children. According to the report, 1,046 of those gun deaths were suicides and 738 were homicides. The prior year, there were 155 domestic violence-related homicides in Ohio. Nearly 70% were by firearm. In a press release, Moreno announced that the U.S. attorney general has launched an FBI investigation into the Cincinnati brawl, even though it was already being prosecuted in the Queen City. Wouldn't it be nice if he were as passionate about advocating for gun violence victims? For instance, where was the outrage when 17-year-old Cameron Moore was killed and five others were wounded in a mass shooting at a July 4 house party on Columbus' Southeast Side? So much more could be done to keep guns out of the wrong hands, and people want those in power to do something. Opinion: Are thugs ruining date nights in Columbus? JD Vance says so. What do you say? Poll after poll shows that Ohioans from all political persuasions overwhelmingly support gun policies like mandatory background checks, red flag laws, safe storage laws and training for concealed carry. There are solutions to gun violence but our leaders on the state and national levels do not have the will to push for them. It is easier and smarter to stoke fear. Through their statements and social media posts, they conjure images of "lawless thugs" enabled by Democratic city leaders like Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval, who, according to them, lean so far to the left that they are barely upright. Pureval is considered one of the few stars in Ohio's politically weak Democratic Party. Of course, he's a target. Pureval should have jumped ahead of the scandal. Part of a mayor's responsibility is to create safe environments for people in their cities. People were hurt, and the city's reputation — at least in the short term — was damaged. That doesn't change the fact that Vance, Moreno and the rest are using it to feed fear and score points with online trolls. What's not happening in Columbus Asked about the fight during a press conference in Canton, Vance's memory has to be jogged to remember that Moreno sent him a clip of a video. He then launched into a baseless rant about lawless thugs in great American cities, ignoring the fact that violent crime is down in most Ohio cities. "How many of you all have wanted to go to downtown Akron or downtown Canton or downtown Columbus for a meal, but you're worried because the local authorities in these big cities have allowed lawlessness to run wild? We have got to make great American cities safe again for families and children," Vance said. The Cincinnati resident might as well have said, Black city thugs beat up White people trying to enjoy a night on the town. "They are ruining date night in Columbus." His assertions do not match facts. Opinion: Asking kids about guns in their homes helps save lives Murder and non-negligent manslaughter decreased by 11.6% nationally in 2023 compared to the previous year, according to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Aggravated assaults were down nearly 3%. There have been 45 homicides recorded in Columbus this year as of July 28, the city's lowest homicide rate in at least 12 years. Felony assault cases were half of what they were two years ago on the same date — 454 reports. One case does not make a trend The facts of the fight are far less divisive than the notion that cities are infested with criminals. During the July 26 incident in downtown Cincinnati captured on multiple cameras, a White man was pummeled by multiple Black people after an apparent verbal argument escalated. A White woman seemingly lost consciousness after being punched in the head by a Black male. Cincinnati officials should have addressed the public concerns sooner, but the crime hasn't been swept under the rug. At the writing of this column, five people have been charged in connection with the viral brawl that pushed Cincinnati into the national limelight. Two victims were treated at a hospital and released, according to Cincinnati police. Two victims treated and released won't get you reelected. Stoking the flames is sexier than simply saying "police are investigating." In a video posted to his Instagram page, Husted said the victims were beaten to nearly the "point of death" and decried efforts to defund the police. "Not only did people not intervene and help, but they actually participated in the beating of these victims," Husted said. "I called all three of them — and there may have been more. In conversations with them, they didn't understand why. I know maybe more facts will come out in this situation, but this is the point that's true: This is happening in America, across our cities, like it did in Cincinnati. It's not tolerable." It shouldn't be tolerated, but it is flatly inflammatory to claim it is a common occurrence. There is no mass outbreak of people being beaten up on the streets of America. There are real problems and real solutions. It saddens me that officials with the ability to do good won't do anything but make things worse. It is an outrage that they'd rather divide us with racist tropes than bring us together. Amelia Robinson is The Columbus Dispatch opinion editor. T This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cincinnati fight makes good race-bait for Ohio politicians | Opinion Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cincinnati councilwoman stands by her remarks that white couple ‘begged' for ‘beat down' in viral brawl amid backlash
Councilwoman Victoria Parks was unbothered and unrepentant amid public outrage involving Black suspects whom Vice President JD Vance called 'lawless thugs.' A Cincinnati City Council member is standing by her remarks about a viral brawl involving a white couple, despite outrage and calls for her to resign from community leadership. 'They begged for that beat down! I am grateful for the whole story,' Councilwoman Victoria Parks commented on a video of the violent incident posted on Facebook. The brawl, captured by a camera phone, occurred on July 26 and involved a group of Black people, including men and women, having a dispute with a white man and a white woman who eventually came to his aid. The details of the dispute are not clear; however, the viral brawl ended with the white couple being punched and kicked to the ground. The pair reportedly suffered multiple injuries and a concussion. Parks, a Democrat who has served in office since 2022, sparked public backlash from elected officials and a police union chief–some of whom called for her resignation. Her comments swiftly drew the attention of right-leaning and conservative outlets, with critics airing their grievances. 'It's unconscionable that an elected official would be celebrating violence in the very city she was voted to serve,' Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police President Ken Kober told Fox News Digital. 'This highlights the poor political environment that police officers, residents, and visitors are currently enduring. Thankfully, there's an election in November. I urge voters to vote for change!' Republican State Rep. Phil Plummer also called for Park's resignation, writing, 'Defending violent criminals who viciously beat innocent people is disgusting.' Plummer also appeared to point to the racial aspects of the incident by urging prosecutors to charge the suspects involved with a hate crime. Councilwoman Parks was even criticized by a fellow Democratic Councilwoman, Meeka Owens. 'Making comments that inflame a violent incident is never acceptable,' Owens said in a statement. She said council members should not speculate on the motives of the fight and that Parks' remarks did not reflect the council's sentiments. 'The Councilmember is entitled to her opinion; however, it is not beneficial to the city nor the region when she advocates for violence as a means of retribution,' said Owens. Parks, who had already announced in January that she was not running for re-election, did not appear to be phased by public criticism. She told Cincinnati's The Enquirer, 'In this country, we have freedom of speech; however, you may not run into a crowded theater and scream fire.' The councilwoman told the outlet that someone in the brawl said something akin to screaming fire in a crowded theater. She did not specify what exactly was said, which caused her to say the brawl was justified. 'There are unintended consequences, but that's what happened,' said Parks. 'I'm just going to let people draw their own conclusion.' According to reports, five people were charged in the incident for crimes including felonious assault and aggravated rioting. During a trip to Ohio to promote President Donald Trump's 'Big, Beautiful Bill,' U.S. Vice President JD Vance called the suspects 'lawless thugs.' 'Take the thugs who engaged in that violence and throw their asses in prison,' said Vance, who once refused to acknowledge Donald Trump lost the 2020 election, and downplayed violent threats against Mike Pence during the January 6th insurrection. Harmeet Dhillon, Trump's Assistant Attorney General of the DOJ's Civil Rights Division, suggested the assault on the white couple may have been motivated by race, and that suspects could also be charged with federal hate crimes. More must-reads: 'It is a hot mess': Rep. Jasmine Crockett calls out GOP gerrymandering plot after redrawn map kicks her out of her own district Senate rejects bid to halt sale of bombs and rifles to Israel, but Democratic opposition grows Former Vice President Kamala Harris finally makes decision about her political future—for now
