Plain Dealer Coverage of the Colleen Reali Case

Posted August 20th, 2008 by Henry Senyak

Crime and Safety

Case dismissed against teen who threatened neighbor
Posted by Sarena McRae August 19, 2008 22:26PM

A Cleveland teenager who threatened his neighbor, an assistant Cuyahoga County prosecutor, had his case dismissed Tuesday by a Juvenile Court judge.

Neighbors and block clubs in the Tremont neighborhood had been watching the case closely because the victim, assistant prosecutor Colleen Reali, handled criminal cases in the neighborhood and surrounding areas.

Reali said Judge Alison Floyd showed bias against her and other law enforcement officials in her ruling, given the fact that the boy admitted to the charges.

"She singled me out because I'm a prosecutor," she said. "She sent a message to him that I'm fair game, that I can't be a victim of a crime.

"My life's work is helping victims and citizens. Now I'm not afforded the same protection as they are?"

Floyd said in an interview Tuesday that her ruling was appropriate because the 14-year-old has been in a residential program at The House of Emmanuel in Lucas County since April for a separate case, and he has been making improvements.

"He has not been returned to the community, which in the reading of the letters I received was a concern for her as well as the community of Tremont," Floyd said. "It is for an indefinite period of time."

Floyd denied criticism that this case was handled differently because of Reali's profession. She said she considered both sides and accepted recommendations from the Probation Department.

"What does she know about Maurice's life?" Floyd said. "She has not appeared at a single hearing involving this case."

Reali said the teen, who lived a block away from her in Tremont, approached her in February with five of his friends and threatened her because he thought she called the police on him in a prior matter.

The teen has had numerous run-ins with the law going back to age 10. Before this case, he had been arrested six other times.

Attempts to reach the teen's mother were unsuccessful.

Second district police commander Keith Salzer said the community is lucky to have Reali, and he wants to ensure her safety in the home she has lived in for eight years.

"The kid lives in that neighborhood and knows where she lives," he said. "He's been following her around and saying inappropriate things to her. She feels threatened. I can't see how any judge can throw that out."

Re-posted from Cleveland.com

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/08/case_dismissed_against_teen_wh.html

Comments

wOw. Judge Floyd had many

On August 20th, 2008 dbra says:

wOw. Judge Floyd had many other options, a dismissal is pretty radical. And they had an admission??? Holy crap. I mean - so ok recognize that he is trying and improving - make a finding of delinquent on the charge and suspend the sentence pending his successful completion of parole when he is released from Lucas County. If this is the kid I know of - the one that used to hang out in front of the library - he has serious psychological issues that require long term care - not six months inpatient. It definitely sends the wrong message to this kid and every kid he knows and every kid they know and on and on... grEAT job Floyd, what a putz.

Since... You can find

On August 22nd, 2008 desschmitt says:

Since...

You can find Maurice's counterparts in front of the library in the afternoon BRAGGING about their success. I've had to walk by the aggressive bragging twice this week and it is so hard not to say something or confront these minors...

They are children, but they know they can get away with a slap on the wrist and at the same time, inflict harm. As a result, they act accordingly... inflict harm beyond reproach.

I'm Colleen's neighbor and it's really uncomfortable to walk by this collective hostility as they sit on their bikes and glare at Coleen's home, despite the video camera that is pointed in their direction... it does not deter them... they not only feel, they now know they will not be prosecuted. This ruling only enforces the fact.

It makes ME uncomfortable and I'm not the target of the group's hostility. I can only IMAGINE how Coleen feels...

If anyone thinks they do not seek to harm Coleen... that anyone is ignorant.

my house was broken into

On August 26th, 2008 rachel says:

my house was broken into last labor day by who a neighbor described as 3 boys and another boy on jefferson named maurice. i dont know how many young theives named maurice there are in this small neighborhood...but chances are it is the same kid. this is ridiculous. when did juveniles get to run the streets? from what i have heard, maurice is off at some juvi hall and great! maybe he will learn something. or maybe he will come home thinking he is a bad ass. what the hell. kids committing crimes needs to be handled accordingly, not cops saying oh they are juveniles, nothing is going to happen to them. i never thought of breaking into people's houses and stealing their shit when i was a kid. this is such a close knit community but somehow the little assholes still have so much power to vandalize and intimidate adults living here. this is just not right. what to do? i dont know.

Those who use force have no strength. -Tao Te Ching

It is the same kid. They

On August 28th, 2008 Crimewatch says:

It is the same kid. They know that they can get away just about anything and once caught, will be returned to continue the same pattern.

Our problem, collectively, is that we feel so threatened by these kids but feel so guilty about our differences that we shy away when we need to confront.

Maurice comes from a sub culture that takes what they can from you, however they can. Be it, crying injustice, scamming or just plain stealing. You need to realize that not everyone thinks, acts and feels like you do. Once you are open and honest about that, you can take action appropriately, publicly and without regret. Then they will respect you. You can't "rehabilitate" these guys with some half assed juvenile system. Life teaches the lessons and the best lessons are learned the hard way, not by asking them to "pretty please, stop being a nuisance to my beloved community"

Stop bowing down to the people who put labels your commonsense or flat out tell you that what you see is somehow a mistranslation of the truth caused by your own bigotry.

(end rant)

Sorry about the rant but I had an incident the other day that just irks me to no end.

Agreed. And, honestly, a

On August 29th, 2008 slsmith819 says:

Agreed. And, honestly, a thug is a thug is a thug. Age, race, economic status shouldn't matter when someone is menacing a member of our community. And the fact that some of the kids involved in law-breaking activities come from less-than-stellar homes doesn't make them any less of criminals or, in my opinion, deserving of a "break" from judges or residents (especially if they're repeat offenders or habitual offenders). (Though, I have to admit, I know an awful lot of surburban kids who have gotten away with some serious stuff because their parents were able to pay the problem to go away.)

It especially is unfortunate that some parents, like a former resident of my street, ignore, or, worse, support and at times encourage criminal activity by their kids. When her barely legal son was busted with a POUND of crack, my former neighbor ran out of the house yelling, "How are we going to pay the rent?!" as the cops hauled him off to jail. I know the minute that kid gets out of jail, he'll be back selling, because his family expects it and encourages it.

more judge floyd - she let

On September 16th, 2008 dbra says:

more judge floyd - she let the kid involved in friday's murder out on the streets despite the mother and probation officers pleas - 24 hours later another 17 year old was dead: http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2008/09/mother_probation_officer_had_u.html