Clevelandurbannews.com, Ohio's Black digital news leader

WASHINGTON, D.C- The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument last week on  California’s Proposition 8,  a ban on same-sex marriage.

Proposition 8 was an initiative on California ballots in 2008 that voters approved that banned same sex marriage, and it conflicts with a California Supreme Court ruling made months earlier that allows it. CLICK THIS LINK HERE TO READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST.COM

Cleveland Urban News.Com News Brief: Below is a reprint of a November 14, 2011 article by Cleveland Urban News.Com. Recently Republican Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor (pictured) of the Ohio Supreme Court assigned Willoughby retired judge Larry Allen to the Cleveland Councilman Zack Reed case (pictured in red tie)), a third DUI arrest for the Black councilman, who was charged earlier this month of March 2013. But Ohio Revised Code 1901.10  is a state law that requires that retired visiting judges, such as the one the replaced Cleveland Municipal Court Judge Pinkey Carr  in this last DUI case for Zack after she recused herself and the other Cleveland judges would not take the case, must come from the territorial jurisdiction of the court. In Cleveland the territorial jurisdiction is Cleveland and Bratenahl not Willoughby.  Community activists call for the FEDS that are in town to investigate deadly Cleveland shootings, to investigate the judges, and whether there might be a plethora of impropriety including case fixing as to the handpicking of retired judges by other judges themselves in the Ohio Supreme Court and in common pleas and municipal trial courts throughout the state.

REPRINT OF NOVEMBER 2011 CLEVELAND URBAN NEWS.COM ARTICLE BELOW, WHICH IS STILL RELEVANT

BEREA, Ohio-Berea Municipal Court Judge Mark Comstock (pictured in blue tie), who is now under investigation by the Cleveland Plain Dealer Newspaper for documented impropriety, is under fire.

Among a host of other allegations, Comstock is accused of recruiting out-of-town retired White visiting judges with nothing to lose to replace him in cases previously before him to harass maliciously prosecuted Blacks and women including triple bonds issued without holding a bond forfeiture hearing and without revoking the first bond as required by state law.

And also with the help of these visiting judges, the judge is revoking the bonds put up by Blacks without just cause while leaving similarly situated Whites alone. And, to complicate matters further, data show also that Republican Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, the first female chief justice in Ohio history, is the person sending these unethical and corrupt out-of-the-community judges to assist Comstock, after he quits the case following his own unprecedented harassment of the maliciously prosecuted Black and female defendants.

CLEVELAND,Ohio- Cleveland Urban News.Com, Ohio's most read online Black newspaper

A critique by Cleveland Urban News.Com Editor-in-Chief Kathy Wray Coleman of "My Brother Marvin," the state play on the life of soul icon Marvin Gaye that debuted in Cleveland at the State Theater on March 21 and ran through March 24

By: Cassandra Nist, newsnet5.com

CLEVELAND,Ohio- Cleveland Urban News.Com, By Kathy Wray Coleman, editor-in-chief

CLEVELAND,Ohio-Cleveland Urban News.Com interviewed actor, comedian and director Clifton Powell on Tuesday, just days before the opening this week of the stage production "My Brother Marvin," a play on the celebrated life of soul singer Marvin Gaye that he directs and that debuted Thursday  at the State Theatre in Cleveland and runs through Sunday, March 24.

"Everybody should come out and see "My Brother Marvin and I think people will enjoy it," said Powell, whose acting repertoire includes box office hits "Dead Presidents," 'Brothers," "Rush Hour,""Friday," "Next Friday," "Women Thou Art Loosed," and "Ray."

Ticket prices range from $28.00 to $44.50, plus applicable fees. Tickets can be purchased online at Playhouse Square, by calling 216-241-6000 or 866-546-1353, and at the Playhouse Square Ticket Office (Inside the State Theatre, Mon – Sun from 11 AM – 6 PM)

In Ray,  he co-stars opposite Jamie Fox, who won an Oscar for his leading role in the movie as legendary singer and musician Ray Charles.

"Ray is probably my most memorable performance and Jamie Fox is by far a brilliant actor," said Powell

Powell, 57, also  plays Marvin Gaye's father, Marvin Gay Sr., in the theatrical drama. It was written by play-write Angela Barrow Dunlap and features a star cast including Emmy Award Winner Lynn Whitfield, Keith Washington, Tony Grant, Lia Grant, and Tondy Gallant as Marvin Gaye's sister Geola Gaye, who tells a riveting story of her brother's life, and his death from a gun shot wound inflicted by their father in 1984.