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CNN Live Saturday

Funeral Service Held Today For Timothy Thomas

Aired April 14, 2001 - 17:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
STEPHEN FRAZIER, CNN ANCHOR: A somber day in Cincinnati. Thousands gathered this afternoon to mourn a young black man shot to death last week by a police officer. His death sparking some of the worst rioting there in decades, forcing officials to enact a city-wide curfew for two nights.

More on the mood there now, from CNN's Bob Franken. Who has spent an awful lot of time in that part of the world -- Bob, how are you?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Fine, Steve.

First of all, I'm standing at the church where the funeral service concluded about an hour ago. Since the funeral service finished, there have been some minor skirmishes -- minor skirmishes, very minor -- between some of the demonstrators in town and police.

You can hear right now sirens that are going past. That's a fire engine and an ambulance accompanied by state patrol. That has been the way it has been for the last couple of days. I trust that you can still hear me -- the fire department and ambulances go around, they are accompanied by police escorts.

Now, all of this, of course, has been the result of violent confrontation that occurred after the shooting death of 19-year-old Timothy Thomas exactly a week ago, just a couple of blocks from here. He was unarmed. The police were chasing him.

The officer said he believed that Thomas was reaching for a gun, and he shot and killed him. That caused violent demonstrations that escalated until the latter part the week when officials clamped a curfew down in Cincinnati, a curfew from 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. which exists to this day.

Now, as for the funeral service, which has been something that has been considered a crucial event in Cincinnati, it began when the mother of Timothy Thomas, Angela Leisure, viewed the casket, paid her last respects to her son and was followed by a whole litany of speakers, including the city's mayor, Charles Luken, the one who imposed the curfew. He apologized to the family for the entire thing, and said he is hoping for change in Cincinnati.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) MAYOR CHARLES LUKEN, CINCINNATI, OHIO: I express my condolences to all of you, and I pledge to you that our city will be better one day. I don't always know how and I don't always know the way, but we will pledge ourselves to that today. God bless all of you. Pray for peace and pray for justice.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now, many of the leaders of the African community have said for decades that there is a big problem -- civil rights problem -- in Cincinnati. That, in fact the police department always exhibited hostility toward African-Americans. Since 1995 there have been 15 shooting deaths among African-Americans at the hands of the police. So there is a promise now that there is going to be ongoing negotiations to finally address these problems -- Stephen.

FRAZIER: Bob, thank you for that report. And we could hear you loud and clear, sirens notwithstanding.

Bob Franken reporting from Cincinnati.

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