Anthony Body spent Monday at the Justice Center. It鈥檚 part of his job as a staffer at the Bail Project, to be there, helping defendants who can鈥檛 afford their bonds.
Afterwards, he chatted with Cleveland Municipal Judge Michelle Earley, who thanked him for his work.
But later that day, police stopped Body twice, eventually arresting him for violating Cleveland鈥檚 curfew order 鈥� even though he鈥檚 a Downtown resident who was heading back to work at the Justice Center.
鈥淚鈥檓 a resident of Downtown Cleveland, and I work in Downtown Cleveland,鈥� Body, a 33-year-old former member of the Community Police Commission, told ideastream by phone Wednesday. 鈥淚 should be able to be given the benefit of the doubt.鈥�
The first time police stopped Body, he was biking across the Detroit-Superior Bridge into Downtown after picking up food from a friend.
An officer called out to him, but he kept riding, saying that he lived Downtown, Body said. Several law enforcement officers then stopped him on the bridge, surrounding the area with their cars, according to a video of the encounter recorded by a coworker.
Body said he gave police his ID, which shows his Downtown address. Police kept him on the bridge as they ran his name.
鈥淚 went in my book bag to even show them that I just got some Chick-fil-A, this is the food I just got,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 work Downtown, I live Downtown.鈥�
Officers issued Body a citation, according to a police report 鈥� even though Cleveland鈥檚 curfew order allows Downtown residents to leave the house for food.
鈥淔rom what I鈥檝e read and what I鈥檝e received from [Mayor] Frank Jackson, the curfew ordinance he set in place was, if you live Downtown, you鈥檙e able to go get food,鈥� Body said. 鈥淏ecause there鈥檚 nothing here open.鈥�
Body went home to eat, he said. Later, he was riding his bike back to the Justice Center to post bail for clients, he said. Not far from his apartment building, officers waved him down again.
Body flashed a badge, said he was going to work and kept pedaling until officers stopped him at East 3rd Street and Superior Avenue, according to a police report. The badge was a consultant badge for the Justice Center, Body said, but police told him it wasn鈥檛 valid.
Officers checked his ID, learned he had received a citation earlier in the day and arrested him at 7:11 p.m. Monday, according to the police report.
鈥淎s I鈥檓 being arrested and so forth, you can see a white lady walking down the street walking the dog,鈥� Body, who is black, told ideastream. 鈥淏ut she wasn鈥檛 bothered. Why should I have been bothered? Why was she given the benefit of the doubt when I wasn鈥檛?鈥�
Cleveland Municipal Court usually accepts bonds 24 hours a day, but has currently cut down to a window from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., according to a spokesman. Body said he wasn鈥檛 aware of that change, even as someone who posts bail for other people on a regular basis.
Police took him to jail, even though court authorities have been trying to minimize holding people as part of the effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Inside, Body saw a familiar face.
鈥淥ne of the individuals that I was going to bail out was on the pod with me, and I joked and laughed with him, said, 鈥楬ey, I got arrested coming to post your bail, it鈥檚 your fault why I鈥檓 in here,鈥� and we got to laughing,鈥� he said.
But Body isn鈥檛 laughing about the arrest. If police can treat him this way, he said, what about someone with less wherewithal and insider knowledge?
鈥淲hat about the folks, that vulnerable population, who doesn鈥檛 have a voice?鈥� Body said. 鈥淗ow are they treating them?鈥�
Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and Police Chief Calvin Williams said they said they weren鈥檛 aware of it when ideastream asked about Body鈥檚 arrest during a Tuesday interview.
鈥淲e don鈥檛 arrest people just because they鈥檙e in violation of the curfew, particularly if they鈥檙e Downtown residents,鈥� Jackson said
Jackson said he鈥檚 seen police talking to residents about the curfew, and he and the chief have done so, too, without much trouble.
鈥淎s long as folks have proper ID, or something that validates they鈥檙e a resident of Downtown, they鈥檙e allowed in and out of Downtown like they normally would,鈥� Williams said.
But Body did show officers his ID, and sent ideastream a photo of his driver鈥檚 license with a Downtown address. The police report lists Body鈥檚 address next to his name and date of birth.
Body spent the night in jail and was released on a no-cost personal bond Tuesday, according to the court docket. He鈥檚 gone back to work at the Justice Center since then, he said, but the fallout from the arrest isn鈥檛 over. He鈥檚 now fighting a first-degree misdemeanor charge for failure to comply, and he has lost a mode of transportation.
Officers confiscated Body鈥檚 bike and took it to the Fourth District headquarters, according to the police report. Body said he鈥檚 been calling the Fourth District to find out what happened the bike, which cost him $1,500.
Body told ideastream he hopes to pick it up Thursday.
