Man's bid dismissed, hoped to have 1991 murder conviction thrown ...

8, 1991, behind Westgate Shopping Center in Lorain. Cleveland had argued during his 1996 trial and in subsequent court filings that he was in New York City at the time Blakely died. Alfred Cleveland. Blakely was stabbed 20 times, had her throat slit and was run ... Cleveland and his attorneys with the Ohio Innocence Project had argued that the shifting story of a key witness in the case, William Avery Jr., cast doubt on whether Cleveland was involved in Blakely's slaying. ...