Tense Council Meeting

Days after Cincinnati Police officer Steven Roach shot and killed Timothy Thomas, Cincinnati City Council’s Law and Public Safety Committee held it’s meeting at City Hall – it would prove to be a pivotal moment.

IN 2001 -- DAYS AFTERCINCINNATI POLICE OFFICERSTEVEN ROACH SHOT AND KILLEDTIMOTHY THOMAS -- CITYCOUNCIL'S LAW AND PUBLICSAFETY COMMITTEE HELD IT'SMEETING AT CITY HALL.

ITWOULD PROVE TO BE A PIVOTALMOMENT.CITY HALL WAS PACKED THAT DAY.AND ANGELA LEISURE, THOMAS'MOM, WAS THERE.

SHE CAME TOTHE MEETING BECAUSE SHE WANTEDANSWERS.(1:08 ON TAPE 2293COUNCIL MEETING)"even when youtell me why it isn't going tomake it better.

But at leastI'm gonna heard youacknowledge the fact that youtook a part of my life fromme.

So, I demand to know why?"((TRACK))KEN LAWSONREPRESENTED LEISURE.HE SATWITH HER AND REVEREND DAMONLYNCH AT THE SPEAKERS TABLEWHEN LYNCH ASKED HIM...((SOTKEN LAWSON 2:26))He said, Hey,do you want me to have had thepeople locked, lock the doorsand lock city council in untilthey answer Angela's question?And I said, Well, you know,I'm a practicing attorney.

SoI can't tell you to lock inthe council members, but yeah,lock 'em in.

And so so becausewe were dead serious at thatpoint.

I mean, we have beendown there over and overagain.

And she had one simplerequest.

What was his reasonfor telling me for what, whatdid the officer say was hisreason for shooting Timothy?((track ))TOM STREICHER --POLICE CHIEF IN 2001 --REMEMBERS THAT MEETING WELL.LAWSON, LEISURE -- THECOMMUNITY -- HAD QUESTIONS HEJUST COULDN'T ANSWER.(samefile tape 2:54 - LAWSON)"Thefact that we want to know is,when the man came around thecorner, why did you shoot him?That part's missing.

That'swhat we came down here for."((sot Streicher 1:14:40))"i'msitting on live tv being askedabout a criminalinvestigation.

In my head I'mthinking, well, we've got acriminal investigation againstone of our officers.

He'sprobably watching this.

I saythe wrong thing, i compromoisethe investigation.

I blow thewhole thing and he walks awayscot free.

I that a cover up?is that intentional?unintentional?" 1:15:08((track))CHARLIE LUKEN WASMAYOR AT THAT TIME.

HE TOLD MEHE CAN'T FORGET THAT CITY HALLSHOWDOWN.((CHARLIE LUKEN2:06:27 ))"You've got thisplace packed.

You've got themother of timothy thomastestifying.

You've got anadministration saying theycan't give you informationbecause they were trying toget the right information fromthe police officer so theyweren't saying anything.

Sothe black community views thatas a lie.

Now, you'll see thepolice department get theinformation out right away.within a few hours.

Then,days go by and they're going,'eh!

It's underinvestigation'.

:09 well thatjust sounds like you're gonnawait til things die down andthen you're gonna tell yourlies again.

:15 and it wasn'tgonna work this time.((VO))ITWAS LATER THAT NIGHT THAT THEUNREST BEGAN.

CITY HALL,POLICE HEADQUARTERS AND PARTSOF DONWTOWN CINCINNATI DAMAGEDOR IN FLAMES.STEPHEN ROACH WAS ULTIMATELYACQUITTED OF NEGLIGENTHOMICIDE AT A BENCH TRIA