Preceded by John E. Barnes Jr. Name Michael DeBose Succeeded by John E. Barnes, Jr. Religion Christian | Died April 23, 2012 Role Politician | |
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Profession Baptist minister; politician Education Cleveland State University | ||
Michael DeBose (December 16, 1953 – April 23, 2012) was an African-American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He was first elected to that position on 13 February 2002.
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Biography
DeBose attended Cleveland State University, where he earned a BA in Mass Media Communications. He was an ordained and licensed minister of the Zion Chapel Baptist church. He was married with three children.
He was the primary sponsor of four bills, including one to create a mandatory pink sex offender license plate so people can better identify them, saying "The primary reason they can prey is because they're camouflaged from who they really are."
On 1 May 2007, DeBose was taking a walk around his neighborhood after returning from Columbus when two armed robbers attempted to hold him up. He had in the past voted against concealed weapon legislation, but cited this incident as changing his stance: "I was wrong, I'm going to get a permit and so is my wife. I've changed my mind. You need a way to protect yourself and your family... If more people were packing guns, it might serve as a deterrent." "I don't want to hurt anyone. But I never again want to be in the position where I'm approached by someone with a gun and I don't have one."
Death
DeBose died of complications of Parkinson's disease on April 23, 2012, aged 58. He was survived by his wife and three children, all of Cleveland, as well as three grandsons, four brothers and four sisters.