7 days ago
Jury acquits Cleveland activists of extortion, intimidation
CLEVELAND (WJW) — A Cleveland activist and two of his associates accused in 2024 of 'terrorizing' a local gas station while masked and armed, and demanding protection money, were acquitted on all counts on Monday.
Antoine Tolbert, 34, of Solon, was indicted in March on charges including aggravated robbery, extortion, aggravated riot and witness intimidation, among others, court records show.
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Two codefendants, Rameer Askew, 20, of Bedford, and Austreeia Everson, 39, of Solon, were also acquitted on charges including extortion, witness intimidation and aggravated robbery, court records show.
Rubin Swift, who owns a gas station at the intersection of Lee Road and Harvard Avenue, in 2024 said Tolbert and members of his organization stood in front of their store wearing masks and carrying rifles, the FOX 8 I-Team reported in August 2024.
Swift said Tolbert demanded money to provide protection at the gas station.
'We don't need his protection and we didn't ask for it,' he said. 'They just showed up and took over. They are terrorizing us.'
The I-Team obtained a 911 call made from a gas station employee earlier that month, when the organization showed up and stood in front of the store.
'They got big guns. Half of them got guns,' the caller said. 'They're threatening people. They're scaring people. They won't let nobody in the business.'Tolbert stressed he was just trying to 'protect the community.'
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Tolbert told the I-Team in an interview later that month that felt he had done nothing wrong.'Did we tell them that they couldn't leave the store or did they perceive that they couldn't leave the store? That's exactly the difference,' Tolbert said.
Tolbert, Askew and Everson were seen hugging each other and crying in the courtroom after the not-guilty verdicts were read.
Tolbert's trial lasted 19 days, court records show. Jurors got the case last week.
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