Latest news with #CuyahogaCounty
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why Cuyahoga could be first Ohio county to ban anti-LGBTQ+ conversion therapy
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Northeast Ohio residents are calling on Cuyahoga County leaders to join municipalities across the state in outlawing anti-LGBTQ+ practices known as 'conversion therapy.' The Cuyahoga County Council introduced an ordinance on Tuesday to prohibit healthcare professionals from engaging in conversion therapy with minors and some adults deemed 'vulnerable.' Long considered 'anti-LGBTQ+,' the techniques use talk therapy and occasionally more invasive methods to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity, like reducing or eliminating same-sex attraction. 'I'm casting my voice in favor of this county-wide ban, not just for myself but for the majority of my classmates who did not make it to see this day,' said Otto Tyson, a Cleveland resident and conversion therapy survivor, during the meeting. 'This is your chance to be on the right side of our county's history, to be the trusted adult in the room.' Ohio equal rights amendment would outlaw discrimination, void same-sex marriage ban The proposed ordinance is spearheaded by Brandon West, a 23-year-old Ohioan who championed his home city of Lorain to ban conversion therapy last year and then began advocating for Cuyahoga to do the same. His work is having a ripple effect: After Westerville became the 13th Ohio city to ban the practices earlier this year, the city's mayor joined several municipality leaders in urging other towns to do the same. West previously told NBC4 he is also pushing for prohibitions to be introduced in Vermilion and Oberlin. He said during Tuesday's meeting that the ordinances in other Ohio cities has encouraged youth to seek mental healthcare given it's guaranteed they won't be subjected to conversion therapy. 'After we passed a ban in Lorain, I had many messages come through from families with gay or trans kids, saying how they finally felt protected,' said West. 'Protected enough to get proper mental healthcare. [Lorain's] a city of 60,000-plus people. Imagine the effect it would have on a county with over 1 million.' Stephanie Ash, a director for the National Association of Social Workers' Ohio chapter, said during Tuesday's meeting there is no scientific basis for conversion therapy, calling the techniques 'physiological abuse' and 'rooted in the false and dangerous belief that LGBTQIA+ identities are disorders in need of correction.' She pointed to research that found youth who are subjected to conversion therapy face higher rates of depression, anxiety, self harm, and suicide. 'We know that one supportive adult in a young person's life can reduce the risk of suicide by 40%,' Ash said. 'This ordinance gives us the opportunity to be that supportive adult through our policies, our protections and our values. Banning conversion therapy is not about politics, it's about saving lives.' Ohio House will return this month to consider property tax provision veto overrides Brooks Boron, the president of Cleveland Stonewall Democrats, said conversion therapy is a 'discredited practice based on the false and harmful premise that being LGBTQIA+ is a disorder,' citing condemnations from the American Medical Association, American Psychiatric Association and American Academy of Pediatrics. Boron argued the ban is needed given the practices continue 'to be inflicted upon our community and our youth across the state.' While Democratic legislators at the Ohio Statehouse reintroduced a bill in February to prohibit the practices statewide, the proposal has failed to gain support across the legislative aisle. 'Passing this ban sends a clear and powerful message that Cuyahoga County values its LGBTQIA+ residents, especially its youth, and that we are committed to protecting them from abuse that masquerades as treatment,' said Boron. 'This action would align our country with other municipalities across Ohio and the nation who've taken the stand to protect LGBTQIA+ individuals from this harmful practice.' Cuyahoga's ordinance now heads to the county's Health, Human Services and Aging Committee for review. If approved, practitioners could face civil penalties and the relevant licensing board, commission or entity tasked with review of professional conduct would be notified of violations by the county director of Health and Human Services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Yahoo
He Broke Up With Her — and She Showed Up to His Job 33 Times Before She Was Arrested
Hannah Freeman was sentenced to 7 days in jail after pleading guilty to disorderly conductNEED TO KNOW Hannah Freeman, an Ohio teacher, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after she was accused of following her ex-boyfriend to work on multiple occasions Freeman was sentenced to 18 months probation, with the first seven days to be spent in jail The sentence appeared to come as a surprise to Freeman, who cried following the proceedingsAn Ohio teacher whose boyfriend broke up with her pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct after authorities said she went to his place of work nearly three dozen times in three weeks. Hannah Freeman was sentenced to seven days in jail and 18 months of probation after pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, obstructing justice and possessing criminal tools, according to WKYC, WOIO and WJW reported. The sentence appeared to come as a surprise to both Freeman and her attorney, who, in the hearing that was broadcast by WOIO, referred to a plea agreement with the prosecution. Freeman pleaded guilty in June. During the hearing, Freeman's attorney went back and forth with the Cuyahoga County judge and attempted to have his client's guilty plea withdrawn. The judge admonished her attorney for not having met with him about potential sentencing prior to the hearing and adjourned the hearing with the sentence in place. As the hearing concluded, Freeman began weeping, having learned she would have to spend time behind bars. The outlets report that Freeman had initially been charged with menacing by stalking after she was arrested in November 2024, following incidents involving her reported that Freeman had been accused of stealing two of her ex's backpacks containing computers and his wallet, valued at $1,000. The outlet reported that her ex called police to report that she had followed him to work in Westlake, Ohio. Police reportedly said cameras tracked Freeman's car at her ex's workplace 33 times in 19 days. Freeman had been a fourth-grade teacher prior to her arrest and was placed on leave after she was charged, WJW reported. Her contract with the school district reportedly expired in June. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
2 indicted in man's 2011 murder in Tremont
[See Cleveland murder statistics in the player above.] CLEVELAND (WJW) — Two people were indicted Wednesday, July 16, in the murder of a 21-year-old man in Tremont nearly 14 years ago, the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office announced. Dionte Davis, 36, and Dojuan Nettles, 40, are now facing 10 counts each, including charges of aggravated murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping, among others, according to a news release. Wanted man barricades himself inside Brunswick home with female, police say Prosecutors allege Davis and Nettles went to Brandon Cartellone's apartment near the intersection of Professor and West 10th streets to buy marijuana on July 26, 2011. Once inside, they tied him up with belts and duct tape, assaulted and robbed him, then fled, according to the release. Cartellone's girlfriend found him early the next morning and called police. Cartellone was pronounced dead at the scene. The Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner's Office determined he was strangled and ruled his death was caused by asphyxiation. PHOTOS: Semi-truck hauling trash crashes on I-480 Cartellone was in his third year at the Cleveland Institute of Art, the FOX 8 I-Team learned. The man's mother, Lynn Garvin-Cartellone, issued a statement to the I-Team that read: 'This has been long coming and so surreal. I have used the words 'shocked' and 'elated' a lot the past few days. Agent Andy Burke has been amazing to work with and we are so thankful for his professionalism and drive to follow through with our case. We realize this process may take a while, but we are so glad to finally be heading toward justice.' Investigators determined that Davis and Nettles were at the scene that day. Further DNA testing and investigation linked Davis and Nettles to the crimes. Nettles was arrested on July 9 in Florida. Davis was arrested on July 11 in California. They are expected to be arraigned at a later date. 'This indictment is the result of 14 years of tireless investigative efforts by law enforcement to hold Brandon's killers accountable,' Prosecutor Michael O'Malley is quoted in the release. 'Their persistence proves that no matter how much time passes, we will never stop seeking justice for victims and their families.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former East Cleveland councilman sentenced after being found guilty in corruption case
CLEVELAND (WJW) — East Cleveland Councilman Ernest Smith was sentenced Tuesday after he and former East Cleveland Mayor Brandon King were found guilty on public corruption charges in May. Have children? How the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' could affect you A Cuyahoga County judge sentenced Smith to three years probation and he is no longer allowed to hold a public office position or position of trust in the state. He was also ordered to pay more than $6,700 in restitution to the city of East Cleveland. Smith had previously been found guilty on charges including theft in office, theft, soliciting improper compensation and misuse of credit cards. The theft reportedly amounted to more than $13,500. Three big Powerball winners in Monday's drawing: Here's what we know King — who had been mayor since 2016 and was accused of pushing more than $75,000 in city money toward his own businesses or those owned by family — is set to be sentenced Wednesday. King was found guilty on charges including theft in office, having unlawful interest in a public contract and soliciting improper compensation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Yahoo
Local teen accused of raping mother and daughter
CLEVELAND (WJW) — A 19-year-old has been indicted for sexually assaulting a mother and daughter in East Cleveland. According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, Doyral Wynn, 19, is accused of raping and robbing a 37-year-old mother and her 19-year-old daughter as the two were walking home from a local store. Blood on Travis Decker's truck matches his DNA The incident took place in May 2024 on Hayden Avenue. Officials said, the mother and daughter were approached by an unknown man dressed in all black and wearing a mask. He allegedly pulled out a firearm and ordered them to put everything they were carrying into a bag. Officials said the women complied but were then ordered into a nearby field, forced to the ground, and sexually assaulted at gunpoint. After the assaults, officials said, Wynn fired two shots into the air and told the victims they were free to go. According to a press release, two shell casings were later recovered from the scene, which eventually led investigators to identify Wynn as a suspect. Flat income tax: Who will see tax cuts in Ohio? According to the prosecutor's office, about ten months later, in March 2025, a 34-year-old male was driving with his wife, 31, and their two children, 7 and 3, on East 133rd Street in Cleveland, when a black Jeep Cherokee began to follow their vehicle and fired two shots. No one was hurt, and officials said the 34-year-old was able to identify Wynn as the suspected shooter. A shell casing was recovered from the scene and later determined to match the two shell casings recovered from the sexual assault scene, said officials. 'Doyral Wynn's violence knows no boundaries,' said Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley. 'He is capable of harming anyone at any time.' In April, a search warrant was executed at a residence where Wynn was staying near East 111th Street and Ashbury Avenue in Cleveland. Officials said they discovered seven firearms in a safe with Wynn's Social Security card. 'On April 18, 2025, Doyral Wynn was arrested by the Cleveland Division of Police (CDP) and was found to be in possession of a firearm that matched the casings recovered from the sexual assault scene and the shooting scene. The firearm had been reported stolen in 2023,' read a press release. On July 1, 2025, Doyral Wynn was indicted on the following charges: Seven counts of Rape Four counts of Kidnapping One count of Aggravated Robbery Four counts of Felonious Assault 15 counts of Having Weapons While Under Disability Five counts of Discharge of Firearms On or Near a Prohibited Premise (1 – F3, 4 – M4) Two counts of Gross Sexual Imposition Two counts of Improperly Handling Firearms in a Motor Vehicle One count of Receiving Stolen Property One count of Possessing Criminal Tools One count of Falsification Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
