By Steve Rhodes
“A man who spent nearly 40 years in prison for a murder he did not commit filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the city of Cleveland and the police officers whom he says helped frame him in 1975,” AP reports.
Ricky Jackson was convicted at age 18 along with two others because of the testimony of a 12-year-old boy. Jackson, 58, was exonerated in November after that witness, a man now in his early 50s, recanted his testimony.
The witness, Eddie Vernon, said in 2013 that police detectives threatened to put his parents in jail and coerced him into implicating Jackson and brothers Wiley and Ronnie Bridgeman in the slaying of salesman Harold Franks outside a corner store.
Jackson and the Bridgemans received death sentences that were later commuted to life in prison. Jackson’s attorneys say their client is believed to have served the longest prison term in the U.S. for someone wrongfully convicted.
Chicago-based Loevy & Loevy filed the suit.
Illinois & Israel
“The Illinois General Assembly passed a bill that would require the five state-funded retirement systems to divest investment holdings in companies that boycott Israel,” Pensions & Investments reports.
The measure passed the House unanimously Monday, nearly a month after it passed the Senate.
A spokeswoman for Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday the governor “looks forward to signing the bill,” which would make Illinois “the first state in America to divest from companies that boycott Israel.”
The move is a reaction to the burgeoning BDS movement.
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“The bill could impact investments in some 25 to 30 companies, according to one preliminary estimate cited by William R. Atwood, executive director of the Illinois State Board of Investment.”
Andromeda Strain
“Chicago native Kerri River has set off a firestorm as she comes back to the city to speak about the benefits of what she calls a ‘miracle drug‘ that she claims can cure autism,” Jim Bochnowski writes for Chicagoist.
“The drug was invented by Jim Humble, the founder of the ‘Genesis II Church of Health and Healing,’ who calls the chlorine dioxide solution a ‘Miracle Mineral Solution,’ or MMS.
“He claims it can cure a host of diseases, including HIV, malaria, hepatitis and autism.
“He also claims that he is a billion-year-old man from the Andromeda galaxy in some of his videos, but that is neither here nor there.”
Oh, I think it’s very much here – and there!
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Exclusive! Behind The Wrigley Banning
Another Beachwood Special Report.
Local Music Notebook
Featuring: Jim O’Rourke, Lupe Fiasco, Jessica Hopper, John Prine, Kenya, Tavi Gevinson, Chance the Rapper, David Clayton-Thomas, Green Day, and Tom Morello.
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BeachBook
* Police Investigate Theft Of $75,000 In Grateful Dead Memorabilia.
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TweetWood
Dunkin’ Donuts On Golf Road To Add Outdoor Dining To Menu: http://t.co/GP9GYAechK
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 19, 2015
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As this is #Rahm‘s second term, it will be called Rahm Emanuel and the Chamber Of Secrets.
— VoldemortForMayor (@Voldemort4Mayor) May 19, 2015
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ROTFLMAO RT @spielfogel: “On Monday, Emanuel spoke truth to power”, says @MaryMitchellCST http://t.co/XOl7gJLenz
— Beachwood Reporter (@BeachwoodReport) May 19, 2015
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They’re lined up zero-deep at City Hall to shake Rahm’s hand at his Inauguration Day Open House. @wlsam890 pic.twitter.com/ffjnGb8bKY
— Bill Cameron (@billjcameron) May 18, 2015
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Second sight.
Posted on May 19, 2015