BY ALLEN HOWARD
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Beginning Tuesday night through the November election, marchers will take to Cincinnati streets to protest the treatment of mental patients and African-Americans by Cincinnati police, attorney Ken Lawson said Sunday.

''We are not going to buy any more caskets for mental patients and African-American citizens killed by Cincinnati police using excessive force,'' Mr. Lawson told about 200 people at a rally on the steps of City Hall.

Mr. Lawson, who is spokesman for the Cincinnati Division of the Rainbow Coalition and Operation PUSH, also represents the family of Lorenzo Collins in a $5 million wrongful death suit against the city.

Mr. Collins, 25, of Avondale, was shot three times Feb. 23 by a Cincinnati police officer and a University of Cincinnati police officer after he allegedly threatened them with a brick. He died six days later.

Mr. Collins had escaped from University Hospital after being taken there by Springdale police for mental evaluation.

Police said they sprayed Mr. Collins with a chemical irritant and told him to drop the brick, but he refused.

The shooting and death triggered protests by local civil rights groups.

The rally Sunday included the Baptist Ministers Conference, the Cincinnati Chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Greater Cincinnati Urban League, the National Coalition of Unity, the Black Marchers Association and the African American Cultural Commission.

''The Collins shooting started this protest, but that is not the only thing we are concerned about,'' said Morris Williams, a member of PUSH. ''We want a full federal investigation into the civil rights violation of African-American citizens in Cincinnati.''

Endure X, minister of defense for the Unity Coalition, said Sunday's action was to bring together a family of organizations to protest violence. ''This isn't about race. It is about the human family,'' Mr. Endure X said.

The groups will meet at Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, 3655 Harvey Ave., Avondale, at 6:30 p.m. today to register people for protest demonstrations.

''They will be given time and place where they will protest,'' Mr. Lawson said. He said the demonstrations will start Tuesday and are planned to disrupt normal activity.

Previous stories

SHOOTING PROTESTERS ALLEGE POLICE BRUTALITY April 17, 1997
DEMONSTRATORS CITE SHOOTING OF MENTAL PATIENT March 24, 1997
BAPTIST MINISTERS PROTEST AGAINST POLICE March 20, 1997
LAWSUIT SEEKS $5 MILLION March 13, 1997
PUNISH POLICE, MARCHERS URGE March 5, 1997
FATAL SHOOTING CONCERNS COMMUNITY March 2, 1997
PROBE: POLICE FIRED FOUR SHOTS AT MAN WITH BRICK Feb. 25, 1997
MAN SHOT BY POLICE AFTER CHASE Feb. 24, 1997