EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio -Charges have been filed in East Cleveland Municipal Court against five Cleveland police officers involved in the Nov. 29, 2012 police chase and shooting.
Lt. Paul Wilson, Sgt. Patricia Coleman, Sgt. Randolph Dailey, Sgt. Michael Donegan and Sgt. Jason Edens face two counts each of dereliction of duty.
The supervisors were facing the same charges in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Prosecutors say it will now be up to a judge to either transfer the case or look into dismissing the charges in court. In the meantime, East Cleveland prosecutors have filed charges against the supervisors.
“As a citizen of East Cleveland, I believe the charges should be filed and decided here, where it happened,” said Mayor Gary Norton.
The chase took place after an officer in Cleveland thought someone in the suspect’s car fired a shot at him. It ended in East Cleveland when 13 officers fired 137 shots killing two suspects, Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams.
“These supervisors failed to do their duty to limit and manage the chase and thereby endangered both the public and the officers they were supposed to be leading that night,” said Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Tim McGinty.
Officer Michael Brelo was acquitted of voluntary manslaughter charges in May.
Attorneys for the supervisors said they believe it is wrong to move the case to East Cleveland and will take legal action to challenge the move.
An arraignment for the supervisors is expected to be held in the coming weeks.
Continuing coverage of the 2012 chase and shooting here
