East Cleveland councilman, clerk arraigned on criminal mischief charges filed by mayor

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - An East Cleveland City Council member and the clerk of council pleaded not guilty Thursday to criminal charges filed by Mayor Brandon King.

Councilman Lateek Shabazz, 69, and Clerk of Council Eric Brewer, 70, are charged with one count of criminal mischief and one count of obstructing official business, both first degree misdemeanors, for allegedly removing and destroying city notices regarding a mayoral special city council meeting “without privilege to do so” on Nov. 1.

Brewer, who served as East Cleveland’s mayor from 2006 to 2010, is also charged with an additional count of criminal mischief for allegedly removing city notices again on Nov. 2.

Arrest warrants for Brewer and Shabazz were issued on Nov. 16 and list King as the complainant.

East Cleveland Municipal Court Judge William Dawson set a $2,000 personal bond for each defendant and said he in the process of recusing himself from the case.

King, who has had a notoriously contentious relationship with city council, will face his second recall election next week.

King became mayor in 2016 after residents voted to recall then-mayor Gary Norton and narrowly held on to his position following a close recall vote last fall.

Early in-person voting for the Dec. 5 East Cleveland mayoral recall election is currently underway at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections.

According to the Board of Elections, more than 100 East Cleveland residents have already cast ballots in-person or by mail.