By ideastream's Brian Bull
Cleveland officials say internal disciplinary letters have been sent to 13 police officers, charging them with administrative violations for their roles in the fatal pursuit of two unarmed suspects in November 2012.
The administrative charges are based on a review by an internal committee formed after Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams, died in a barrage of police gunfire. The two led some 60 law enforcement vehicles on a high-speed chase across Cleveland that ended with the thirteen officers firing 137 bullets, which killed the two suspects.
Those officers – with union representation -- will attend disciplinary hearings in the office of the Director of Public Safety, Michael McGrath.
“We’ve broken it down to four dates in September for the disciplinary hearings," McGrath tells WCPN. "Once completed, then I’ll package it, review everything once again and I imagine somewhere….mid-October we’ll announce our results as far as the disciplinary hearings.”
Discipline could include suspension and written warnings, all the way up to – and including – termination.
Mayor Frank Jackson says the charged officers will also be afforded union representation during those hearings.
“Once the hearings are conducted and the determination is made, then there are legal rights or collective bargaining rights to grieve the conclusions," says Jackson. "And those grievances go to an arbitrator. And those arbitrators then make a decision as to whether or not the decision by the director was correct or not. And if we disagree with the arbitrator, then we have a right to appeal to the court of appeals.”
The Cleveland Police Patrolman’s Association, says they have attorneys reviewing the charges ahead of the hearings.
The November 29, 2012, incident is often referred to as “137 shots” for the number of rounds fired at a car driven by Russell. Though more than 60 law enforcement vehicles chased Russell from downtown to East Cleveland, the thirteen officers facing discipline were the ones who fired at Russell and his passenger, Williams. Both died in the barrage. They were unarmed.
Earlier this year, Officer Michael Brelo was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter charges in the deaths of Russell and Williams. He was the only officer criminally charged in the incident.