Wednesday, April 22, 1998
For the second day in a row, Cincinnati police on Tuesday cited community activist Nathaniel Livingston Jr. for using a megaphone while protesting outside downtown's Hustler bookstore.
Mr. Livingston, 28, founder of the Black MARCHERS (Men Anxious to Restore Character and Honor through Education, Righteousness and Self-determination), complained that police are trying to squelch his free-speech rights.
He was cited after standing in front of the Sixth Street store, shouting through a bullhorn that the store should not have sold pornographic material to a 14-year-old. Prosecutors allege that the store sold a pornographic video to a teen.
Mr. Livingston said he has been singled out and that police have not cited FACT Marchers (Fighting Against Crack Trafficking) when that group uses megaphones.
Body found in Hamilton alley
Hamilton police found a body in an alley in the 100 block of Webster Avenue Tuesday night after responding to a call reporting a fight. Detectives called it a homicide. The name of the victim was not released pending notification of kin.
Hamilton County to salute volunteers
Hamilton County commissioners will salute volunteers who work for the county in an annual ceremony today.
Volunteers donated 9,942 hours in 1997, which commissioners estimate saved $127,655 in tax money. The volunteer coordinator is Kim Pennekamp.
Commissioners plan to thank in person the most active volunteers: Mattie Armstrong, George Case, Peter Bauer, Avtar Gill, Juanita Harris, Spencer Huang, George Leach, Inell Nash, Evelyn Nickolin, Said Osman, Ilene Poling, Vivian Smith and Gloria Wathel.
Two mothers in court over living conditions
Two women appeared in Hamilton County Municipal Court on Tuesdayon different charges, but their stories were the same: Police say the women left their children in deplorable conditions.
Rhonda Griffin, 30, of Price Hill was being held in jail in lieu of $1,300 bond on child endangering and disorderly conduct charges. Police say they responded to a truancy call Monday and found four children in filthy conditions with no food, no clean clothes and dog feces in two upstairs bedrooms.
Her attorney said that Ms. Griffin was preparing for her biweekly laundry trip and that other people in the building influenced police in making the arrest on four counts of child endangering. The disorderly conduct was an old charge.
Cynthia Thomas, 36, of Evanston was released from jail on the condition that she make her next court appearance on seven counts of child endangering.
Police said every room of her home contained old food, dirty laundry, dirty dishes and dog feces. The bathroom was unusable, and the home was infested with cockroaches, a police report said. Her public defender said she was experiencing depression. Both women pleaded not guilty.
Ms. Griffin's four children and Ms. Thomas' seven have been placed with other family members.
Woman, daughter gone in custody dispute
A 6-year-old Kennedy Heights girl is missing along with her mother in an alleged custody dispute.
Amanda Bouldin, a student at Nativity School in Pleasant Ridge, was last seen with her mother, Shannon Bouldin, 47, on April 10. Her family filed a missing-person report April 13.
Police say Mrs. Bouldin did not have custody of her daughter and failed to return her to a guardian after visitation, though she did return her two sons. Police have filed a warrant to charge her with interference with custody.
Police ask anyone with information about their whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers at 352-3040 or District 2 police at 352-3591.
Owner of pet store faces criminal charges
The owner of a College Hill pet store where police found dozens of dead animals now faces criminal charges.
Robert L. Davis, 31, of Winton Place, owner of Pick-A-Pet, 5930 Hamilton Ave., is charged with four counts of cruelty to animals and possession of endangered species.
Police serving an eviction notice Friday for failure to pay rent found starved animals, including alligators, lizards, fish, birds, gerbils and hamsters. Some were in a freezer.
The Hamilton County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals filed the cruelty charges, SPCA Capt. Jody Abner said. Cincinnati police filed the endangered species charges because they found alligators and caimans, endangered reptiles that are illegal in the city. A caiman is a Central and South American reptile similar to an alligator.
