The Ohio 4

John Edwards , Benson Davis, Lenworth Edwards, Alfred Cleveland

August of 1991 a young woman named Marsha Blakely was murdered in Lorain, Ohio. Found in the early morning hours of August 8th, behind the "Gateway Plaza" across from the local projects her neck was broken, fractured ribs, and her throat slit. Hours before Blakely's body was found, Floyd Epps, her roommate was struck by a vehicle, dragged, and had his throat slit. It is documented police believed these crimes were related.

The Ohio 4 : John Edwards, Benson Davis, Lenworth Edwards, and Alfred Cleveland would later be tried and wrongfully convicted of murdering Marsha Blakely. Floyd Epps murder investigation remains open to this day.

All the men provided alibis to the police, which should have exonerated them. John Edwards and Benson Davis are still incarcerated. Lenworth Edwards (29 years incarcerated) and Alfred Cleveland (27 years incarcerated) were paroled in 2020 both maintained their innocence to the parole board.

Today Alfred Cleveland and Lenworth Edwards continue to fight to bring John Edwards and Benson Davis home, while fighting to clear their own names. All men want justice for the victims Marsha Blakely, Floyd Epps, and their families.

In November of this year, Josh Dubin of the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice appeared on The Joe Rogan podcast to raise awareness of this case & explain the political nonsense that occurred during this last election cycle that inhibited then current prosecutor from helping exonerate the four. Lorain County Prosecutor JD Tomlinson was attacked by his political opponents, Tomlinson charged with 3 felonies a week before early voting, to influence the outcome of the 2024 election and push him out of office. You can read the details here in my article " Election Interference in Lorain County".

After losing his election for Lorain County Prosecutor in November, all charges were dismissed against prosecutor Tomlinson. Before leaving office and due to public pressure prosecutor Tomlinson decided to file motions to get The Ohio Four a new trial.

Mean Street News had been following the Tomlinson case and after extensive review of the documents provided by Josh Dubin of the Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice, Katie has come to the same conclusion, that these men are innocent.

Below is a photo gallery of pertinent testimony and all Mean Street News episodes covering the Ohio Four. The article going into greater detail of the case can be found here the defense and Katie have come to the same conclusion, that these men are innocent.

Today I ask you to reach out to the new county prosecutor Tony Cillo, who withdrew defenses motions for new trials upon taking office in January 2025. Let him know our expectation is for him to do the right thing after three decades and Free the Four!

A re-investigation into the murders of Marsha Blakely & Ray Epps needs to be conducted with fresh eyes. We should not be using people's lives for political careers or games.

IT'S TIME TO FREE THE OHIO FOUR!

BAck to 1991: Never before heard interviews of the Ohio 4!

Back to 1991: Willie Mincy Interview

Tonight you will hear the interview of Willie Mincy, Marsha Blakely's longtime boyfriend, father of her two children, and last person to see her alive. Willie Mincy was brought in by Lorain Police the day Marsha Blakely was found. Police arrived at a chaotic scene at Mincy's mothers home. When Mincy saw them, he fled. Later that day he was picked up and questioned... Tonight you will hear that entire interview.

Back to 1991: Willie Mincy 2nd Interview

The second interview of Willie Mincy from the original investigation of Marsha Blakely & Floyd Epps murders that took place in Lorain, Ohio almost 35 years ago. The second interview took place on 8/9/1991 the day after the murders. Willie Mincy was the boyfriend of Marsha Blakely & the last person to be with her before her death.

Back to 1991: Willie Mincy & Gwen Mincy Interviews

The original investigation of Marsha Blakely & Floyd Epps murders that took place in Lorain, Ohio almost 35 years ago.

Willie MIncy is questioned and his sister Gwen Mincy is joining the investigation. The date of this recording is unknown, but sometimes after Marsha's funeral.

The Ohio 4: Back to 1991 - Part 4

The fourth interview of The Ohio 4 Investigation.

Gwen Mincy, sister of Marsha Blakely's long time bf and father of two of her children Willie Mincy from the original investigation of Marsha Blakely & Floyd Epps murders that took place in Lorain, Ohio almost 35 years ago.

This interview took place on 8/15/1991, only 7 days after the murders of Floyd Epps and Marsha Blakely, statements made during this interview are shocking!

The Ohio 4: Speaking of ShaKim

Tonight, for the first time John "Shakim" Edwards, one of the Ohio 4 will listen to evidence never heard by him before. ShaKim is currently incarcerated for the murder of Marsha Blakely which he is innocent of. He has never heard the interviews between investigators & Willie Mincy.

Back to 1991: Mincy & Wallace

In Part 5 of the Back to 1991 series we will be listening to the missing half of Willie Mincy's Interview from 8.9.91. His second interview took place the day after Blakely and Epps Murder.

We will also listen to Herbert Wallace, who was with Willie around 4am the night of and that morning. Although married he was seeing Willie Mincy's sister Gwen. He was very concerned about Willie and his whereabouts the night Epps & Blakely were killed.

The Ohio 4: Framing the 4!

Framing The Ohio 4 for the murders of Floyd Epps & Marsha Blakely was the plan of Lorain Detectives Taliano & Resendez back in 1991. They had a problem on their hands, young men from New York coming into Lorain, Ohio selling crack cocaine. Instead of busting them for trafficking drugs, they decided to pin two murders on the men and were successful pinning one murder, Blakely's on the four.

Associate of the Four, Delphina Guice, was being intimidated by police at this time and somewhat extorted into providing information to Detectives, especially when they said she could be charged with conspiracy to commit murder because they believed her car was used in the crime although initial search of the vehicle provided no physical evidence. You wont want to miss this interview. Wild.

The Ohio 4: Barbara Long

In Part 7 of Mean Street News Investigation in The Ohio 4, we will listen to the interview of Barbara Long. Barbara Long was like a god mother to Marsha Blakely. The night of Marsha's murder Mrs. Long dropped her off at Floyd Epps apartment between 11:00 pm & 11:30pm.

The plan was to pick her back up in the morning at 11am to take her back to her sisters. When they arrived at the apartment the next morning, Marsha was not there, but her purse and one slipper was. She goes on to tell detectives that Marsha did not owe anyone money, of her tumultuous relationship with Willie Mincy, and more...

Ohio 4 Rally's from 2024

Tomlinson Cleared & The Ohio Four

A week before early voting started this year in Lorain County on October 2nd, 2024 our county prosecutor, JD Tomlinson was charged with intimidation tampering with evidence, and bribery. Tomlinson’s Chief of Staff, James Burge, was also charged with intimidation and tampering with evidence. These charges were baseless and politically motivated and last Friday on November 15th, 2024, all charges against both men were dropped. The “victim” never showed up court, to no ones surprise since weeks prior she publicly surmised she would not be apart of the proceedings.

The day the charges were filed Mean Street News came out and stated the belief that these charges were another example of a group of elected / public officials are trying to interfere in the outcome of our election. The officer who filed the charges was Captain Robert Vansant of Lorain County Sheriffs Office, in previous episodes we learned Captain Vansant was sexting the "victim" while trying to persuade her to work with him against her ex boyfriend, prosecutor Tomlinson. Vansant expressed how they could help each other by working together against Tomlinson. Captain Vasant had been requesting a special prosecutor to aide in the Sheriff's office investigation into Comm'r Moore & Riddell rescinding a $7.7 million dollar radio contract. After being denied multiple times due to lack of evidence presented, Tomlinson believing the Sheriff was lying about the purpose of his investigation, and Commissioner Michelle Hung's involvement in the investigation. Prosecutor Tomlinson expressed this all in a letter written to Sheriff Stammitti on April 4th, 2024.

On November 14th, 2024 the Joe Rogan experienced covered the election interference in Lorain County. Joe Rogan's guest, Josh Dubin is the executive Director of Perimutter Center for legal justice, a criminal justice reform an advocate, and civil rights attorney.

Currently representing Edwards one of four men believed to be wrongfully convicted of the murder of Marsha Blakely in Lorain Ohio, Dubin learned about Prosecutor Tomlinson & the political F***kery occurring here in Lorain County Ohio. Durbin compares Tomlinson’s case to the law fare we see being used against President Trump. Katie will be going over the best parts of that interview and explain how interfering with the election cost more than the prosecutors job .

The political persecution of JD Tomlinson could affect the freedom of persons wrongfully convicted, who have waited almost three decades for the opportunity to be exonerated.

The Ohio Four Rally

Four men have spent an combined 120 years (and growing) in prison for a murder they did not commit.

John Edwards & Benson Davis are still incarcerated for the murder of Marsha Blakely in 1991. Alfred Cleveland and Lenworth Edwards have been paroled, but want their names cleared by being exonerated for the murder of Marsha Blakely.

Marsha Blakely's roommate Floyd Epps was murdered the same night as Blakely. Both had their throats cut, Epps found hours before Blakely only miles apart from one another. Floyd Epps murder is still an open case.

The County Prosecutor Rosenbaum who prosecuted The Four originally, later County Prosecutor Dennis Will ignored the blatant facts, using the testimony of a documented liar and drug user as the sole witness to prosecute these men for murder they did not commit.

Watch the Rally & hear from Alfred Cleveland and Lenworth Edwards themselves.

The Ohio Four: Second Rally and More

Katie will be showing you the most important parts of the second rally for The Ohio Four.

Two men still incarcerated, two men paroled all innocent of the murder they have been tried and convicted for. These men have served over 120 years in prison and now we can help exonerate, free, and clear their names : Alfred Cleveland, Lenworth Edwards, John Edwards, and Benson Davis.

After the rally Katie digs into the actual case. Going over important testimony and sharing her theory on what happened to Marsha Blakely & Floyd Epps the night they were murdered in August of 1991. Key evidence not shown to the public.

The Ohio 4

John Edwards , Benson Davis, Lenworth Edwards, Alfred Cleveland

Letter to Prosecutor Tony Cillo- Template