The Columbus city attorney and an Ohio election law expert both said the city has no further legal recourse to prevent a ballot initiative that would redirect $87 million in city taxpayers money to a private effort for vague and much-criticized green energy programs.
Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said a recent Ohio Supreme Court decision means the city has only two choices: Adopt an ordinance for ProEnergy Ohio LLC s initiative, which is being propelled by a Columbus resident who has been indicted on felony charges of filing false campaign finance reports, or put the initiative on the ballot.
Because the court s decision involves state law, it can t be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, he said.
When it comes to de-escalating fights between young people, Kay Wilson’s first tactic is to get them talking.
That approach came in handy a couple years ago when Wilson was supervising teens in her Columbus youth leadership organization as they were playing basketball in a park. An argument broke out, and one boy grabbed a knife from his gym bag and proceeded to charge at another.
Wilson and her program manager quickly ran up to them to intervene.
“All I was doing was asking questions,” said Wilson, 50, of Northeast Columbus. “Is it worth going to jail for it? Why are you so mad? Is it because everybody else is around?
Columbus police ran amok during BLM protests last summer, federal judge rules as he orders officers to stop using tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on nonviolent demonstrators
Judge Algenon Marbley issued an 88-page opinion on Friday saying Columbus Police ran amok during last year s BLM protests
Columbus Police have been in the spotlight after a rookie officer shot dead 16-year-old Ma Khia Bryant last month
Marbley s ruling was in response to a federal lawsuit filed by 26 protesters who argued they were targeted by police during George Floyd protests
In his preliminary injunction, Marbley ruled in favor of the protesters
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The judge claimed officer’s have “run amok” in the city during protests.
Published 5 hours ago
Written by Paul Meara
On Friday (May 30), a Columbus judge ruled that the city’s police can no longer use force against nonviolent protesters.
In an opinion rendered and obtained by Judge Algenon L. Marbley of the Southern District of Ohio called officers use of violence, tear gas and pepper spray as “the sad tale of officers, clothed with the awesome power of the state, run amok.”
The use of flash-bang grenades, rubber bullets, body slams or of police forcing and cordoning protesters into a confined area, often called “kettling,” are all now prohibited against nonviolent protesters by Marbley. Additionally, officers must ensure that police vehicle cameras and body cameras are in “good working order” during interactions with protesters.