A YouTube Employee Was Filmed Calling Police On A Black Man Waiting For A Friend
A YouTube employee was filmed calling police on a black man visiting a friend at a San Francisco condo building last week, after the employee suspected the man of trespassing. As the employee made the call his young son cried and urged him to stop.
In video posted to Facebook on July 4 by Wesly Michel, the man in the footage, identified as Christopher Cukor, is seen asking Michel to dial his friend on the callbox outside a residential building on Van Ness Avenue. When Michel refuses, Cukor takes out his phone and calls 911 as his son says, "Daddy, don't, don't, don't."
Michel, who works as a software engineer at Dictionary.com, according to his LinkedIn profile, tells Cukor in the video he's "going to be the next person on TV," a reference to a series of recent incidents in which white people have called the police on people of color for going about their lives.
"You don't need to threaten me you just need to get out of the building," Cukor replies to Michel.
As Cukor talks to dispatchers, his son pleads with him to stop.
"I don't like this. I don't like this," the child says as he begins to cry. "Daddy, I don't like this let's go."
Read more at Buzz Feed
In video posted to Facebook on July 4 by Wesly Michel, the man in the footage, identified as Christopher Cukor, is seen asking Michel to dial his friend on the callbox outside a residential building on Van Ness Avenue. When Michel refuses, Cukor takes out his phone and calls 911 as his son says, "Daddy, don't, don't, don't."
Michel, who works as a software engineer at Dictionary.com, according to his LinkedIn profile, tells Cukor in the video he's "going to be the next person on TV," a reference to a series of recent incidents in which white people have called the police on people of color for going about their lives.
"You don't need to threaten me you just need to get out of the building," Cukor replies to Michel.
As Cukor talks to dispatchers, his son pleads with him to stop.
"I don't like this. I don't like this," the child says as he begins to cry. "Daddy, I don't like this let's go."
Read more at Buzz Feed
Outrage over killing of black teen over rap music complaint
PHOENIX (AP) — Hundreds of people including a presidential candidate spoke out on Twitter this week after a 17-year-old black youth was killed at suburban convenience store, allegedly by a white man charged Tuesday with first-degree murder who has said he felt threatened by the boy's rap music.
Family members have told local media that Elijah Al-Amin would have turned 18 in two weeks and was looking forward to his last year in high school.
Friends and family hugged Monday at the Islamic Community Center in Tempe, where prayers for the teen were held before burial in Maricopa County.
A modest makeshift memorial outside the convenience store where Al-Amin was stabbed was still erected on Tuesday, with a pair of white porcelain angels, fresh flowers and burning calendars — including one dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Catholic patron saint of Mexico.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office said it filed a direct complaint Tuesday charging Michael Adams, 27, in the Thursday morning killing. First-degree murder carries a sentence of life behind bars or death.
Adams is next scheduled to appear in court July 15.
The Twitter hashtag #JusticeForElijah began trending over the Independence Day weekend after police in the suburban Phoenix city of Peoria arrested Adams. He had been released from state prison two days before.
Read more at Yahoo.
Family members have told local media that Elijah Al-Amin would have turned 18 in two weeks and was looking forward to his last year in high school.
Friends and family hugged Monday at the Islamic Community Center in Tempe, where prayers for the teen were held before burial in Maricopa County.
A modest makeshift memorial outside the convenience store where Al-Amin was stabbed was still erected on Tuesday, with a pair of white porcelain angels, fresh flowers and burning calendars — including one dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the Catholic patron saint of Mexico.
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office said it filed a direct complaint Tuesday charging Michael Adams, 27, in the Thursday morning killing. First-degree murder carries a sentence of life behind bars or death.
Adams is next scheduled to appear in court July 15.
The Twitter hashtag #JusticeForElijah began trending over the Independence Day weekend after police in the suburban Phoenix city of Peoria arrested Adams. He had been released from state prison two days before.
Read more at Yahoo.
Sen. Kamala Harris, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Introduce Bill To Help People With Criminal Records Get Housing
It is too often the case that people with criminal records, who have already paid their dues to society, face continued punishment through the system, such as being routinely denied access to education, jobs, and yes, housing.However, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) are looking to fix at least the housing aspect of these issues with their Fair Chance at Housing Act of 2019, introduced on Wednesday.
According to a press release, the legislation seeks to break down the barriers around securing federal housing assistance for people who have criminal records and for their families.
Among a list of initiatives, the bill plans to ban policies which allow tenants to be evicted for any singular incident of criminal activity, regardless of how minuscule the alleged crime, favoring a more holistic view.
The bill also wants to pan “no-fault” policies which permit for entire families to be evicted for the criminal activity of a guest of a tenant, even though no one in the household had any knowledge of the activity.
The Fair Chance at Housing Act of 2019 also calls for tenants who do get evicted due to criminal activity—and applicants who are denied housing due to criminal activity—be given proper written notice of that decision, and the opportunity to appeal it.
Read more at Essence
According to a press release, the legislation seeks to break down the barriers around securing federal housing assistance for people who have criminal records and for their families.
Among a list of initiatives, the bill plans to ban policies which allow tenants to be evicted for any singular incident of criminal activity, regardless of how minuscule the alleged crime, favoring a more holistic view.
The bill also wants to pan “no-fault” policies which permit for entire families to be evicted for the criminal activity of a guest of a tenant, even though no one in the household had any knowledge of the activity.
The Fair Chance at Housing Act of 2019 also calls for tenants who do get evicted due to criminal activity—and applicants who are denied housing due to criminal activity—be given proper written notice of that decision, and the opportunity to appeal it.
Read more at Essence
White Man Attacks And Violently Restrains 13-Year-Old Black Boy At Pittsburgh Playground
A viral video recorded at a children’s playground in Pittsburgh shows an adult white man physically restraining a Black 13-year-old boy and refusing to let him leave.
According to WPXI, the man, who was identified as Thomas D’Andrea, told police he believed the boy was vandalizing the playground and a nearby abandoned truck. However, both the boy and his mother refuted the story.
Shalaya Hasbrouck, who goes by Shalayla McGovern on Facebook, posted two videos on her Facebook page from the incident. In the caption, she explained her 13-year-old son had gone to a park to retrieve his sister’s phone charger when D’Andrea accused the boy of vandalizing a truck.
Hasbrouck said D’Andrea hit her son, which provoked her son to hit him back.
“He got upset because my son hit him back. He thought that because he was an adult he could put his hands on someone and the child wasn’t gonna do anything. The next thing you know, they’re on top of the slide. He pins my son down, threatens my daughter,” Hasbrouck told The Root. “Thankfully my daughter had enough sense to record it.”
In the video, Hasbrouck’s daughter can be heard emotionally begging D’Andrea to get off of her brother. However, the grown man says he is going to restrain the boy until the police arrive.
The boy’s mother and father did not arrive on the scene until after the police arrived. Investigators questioned the child, who said he never vandalized any property and that D’Andrea began attacking him unprovoked.
Read more at BET
According to WPXI, the man, who was identified as Thomas D’Andrea, told police he believed the boy was vandalizing the playground and a nearby abandoned truck. However, both the boy and his mother refuted the story.
Shalaya Hasbrouck, who goes by Shalayla McGovern on Facebook, posted two videos on her Facebook page from the incident. In the caption, she explained her 13-year-old son had gone to a park to retrieve his sister’s phone charger when D’Andrea accused the boy of vandalizing a truck.
Hasbrouck said D’Andrea hit her son, which provoked her son to hit him back.
“He got upset because my son hit him back. He thought that because he was an adult he could put his hands on someone and the child wasn’t gonna do anything. The next thing you know, they’re on top of the slide. He pins my son down, threatens my daughter,” Hasbrouck told The Root. “Thankfully my daughter had enough sense to record it.”
In the video, Hasbrouck’s daughter can be heard emotionally begging D’Andrea to get off of her brother. However, the grown man says he is going to restrain the boy until the police arrive.
The boy’s mother and father did not arrive on the scene until after the police arrived. Investigators questioned the child, who said he never vandalized any property and that D’Andrea began attacking him unprovoked.
Read more at BET
Feeling frustrated and betrayed in Flint
About 100 people filed into UAW Local 659 hall in Flint, Mich., to get a formal update and explanation as to why the new team of prosecutors dropped all criminal charges against city and state officials who had a hand in creating the worst ecological disasters to affect Black people in this country in recent memory.
The officials showed up on a Friday, June 28, to talk to Flint residents who have been without clean and safe drinking water for more than five years, and it’s been three years since those responsible were hit with criminal charges for the decision. But in mid-June, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, led by the newly-elected Dana Nessell, dismissed all criminal charges against those who played a role in the water crisis. A total of 15 state and local officials had been charged with crimes as serious as involuntary manslaughter, with eight still awaiting trial before the legal maneuver was made. Seven others have already taken plea deals.
Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy stood in front of the audience and tried to justify their controversial decision.
“We know that you have concerns. We know that you have questions. And quite frankly we know that you’re angry,” Mrs. Hammoud told the crowd. “We know that there are many deaths out there, yet to be investigated. And it is our obligation—when we accepted this position, when we take an oath to represent the people of the state of Michigan—to investigate those deaths. Those families deserve it.”
Ms. Hammoud said that within a month’s time, their own investigation team uncovered approximately 20 million documents the previous prosecutorial team seemed to have been unable to find in the three years they worked on the case. She blamed Andy Arena, the former director of the FBI’s Detroit office, for failing to properly handle all searches related to critical documents. “We have received information that is absolutely relevant to our investigation that we have never had before ... . There were some phone dumps we never had. And the first thing we said, ‘If we don’t have this, what else don’t we have?’ ” asked Ms. Hammoud.
Representatives of the Michigan Attorney General’s office showed the audience a number of heavily redacted, critical documents related to the case that were uncovered during their review of the previous file. Kym Worthy, who was brought in by Attorney General Nessel to help with jumpstarting the new investigation, told the audience about the newly-discovered documents. “I’ve never seen anything like it. That causes questions. Was this a real investigation?” she asked.
As much as $31 million of taxpayer money has already been spent on the previous investigation and legal proceedings. News of the dropped charges was not only a blow to the people of Flint, but added to a strong feeling of distrust of both city and state political leaders, and a feeling of despair that after their 62-month-long, ongoing struggle, justice may never be served.
Read more at Final Call
The officials showed up on a Friday, June 28, to talk to Flint residents who have been without clean and safe drinking water for more than five years, and it’s been three years since those responsible were hit with criminal charges for the decision. But in mid-June, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, led by the newly-elected Dana Nessell, dismissed all criminal charges against those who played a role in the water crisis. A total of 15 state and local officials had been charged with crimes as serious as involuntary manslaughter, with eight still awaiting trial before the legal maneuver was made. Seven others have already taken plea deals.
Michigan Solicitor General Fadwa Hammoud and Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy stood in front of the audience and tried to justify their controversial decision.
“We know that you have concerns. We know that you have questions. And quite frankly we know that you’re angry,” Mrs. Hammoud told the crowd. “We know that there are many deaths out there, yet to be investigated. And it is our obligation—when we accepted this position, when we take an oath to represent the people of the state of Michigan—to investigate those deaths. Those families deserve it.”
Ms. Hammoud said that within a month’s time, their own investigation team uncovered approximately 20 million documents the previous prosecutorial team seemed to have been unable to find in the three years they worked on the case. She blamed Andy Arena, the former director of the FBI’s Detroit office, for failing to properly handle all searches related to critical documents. “We have received information that is absolutely relevant to our investigation that we have never had before ... . There were some phone dumps we never had. And the first thing we said, ‘If we don’t have this, what else don’t we have?’ ” asked Ms. Hammoud.
Representatives of the Michigan Attorney General’s office showed the audience a number of heavily redacted, critical documents related to the case that were uncovered during their review of the previous file. Kym Worthy, who was brought in by Attorney General Nessel to help with jumpstarting the new investigation, told the audience about the newly-discovered documents. “I’ve never seen anything like it. That causes questions. Was this a real investigation?” she asked.
As much as $31 million of taxpayer money has already been spent on the previous investigation and legal proceedings. News of the dropped charges was not only a blow to the people of Flint, but added to a strong feeling of distrust of both city and state political leaders, and a feeling of despair that after their 62-month-long, ongoing struggle, justice may never be served.
Read more at Final Call
Rapper Nipsey Hussle and accused killer talked about snitching before shooting: media
(Reuters) - Rapper Nipsey Hussle and the man accused of killing him talked about "snitching" before the rap star was shot dead, according to court documents released Thursday, media reports said.
The more than 500 pages of grand jury testimony released by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge contain the first chronology of the March 31 attack in which Hussle, 33, was shot multiple times and two others were wounded by gunfire.
Eric Ronald Holder, 29, pleaded not guilty on April 4 to charges of killing the Grammy Award-nominated rapper, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, and was ordered held on $5 million bail.
After the talk about snitching, Hussle's accused shooter left in a car then returned a half-hour later and shot Hussle outside of his clothing store in south Los Angeles, the court papers said, according to media accounts.
"You got me," Hussle reportedly said after he fell. The gunman then kicked him twice in the head before fleeing.
The Los Angeles Times argued in court for public access to the transcripts while Holder's public defender argued against their disclosure, saying it could jeopardize his client's right to a fair trial, media reported.
According to the papers, Hussle spent part of the afternoon signing autographs and taking photos with fans outside of his store, the Times and other media reported, including taking a selfie with the woman who drove Holder to the parking lot.
Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told a grand jury that Holder approached Hussle and the two had a short conversation, according to media accounts of the documents.
"Apparently, the conversation had something to do with [Hussle] telling Mr. Holder that word on the street was that Mr. Holder was snitching," McKinney said in the court transcripts, adding that snitching was a serious offense among gang members.
Read more at Yahoo.
The more than 500 pages of grand jury testimony released by a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge contain the first chronology of the March 31 attack in which Hussle, 33, was shot multiple times and two others were wounded by gunfire.
Eric Ronald Holder, 29, pleaded not guilty on April 4 to charges of killing the Grammy Award-nominated rapper, whose real name was Ermias Asghedom, and was ordered held on $5 million bail.
After the talk about snitching, Hussle's accused shooter left in a car then returned a half-hour later and shot Hussle outside of his clothing store in south Los Angeles, the court papers said, according to media accounts.
"You got me," Hussle reportedly said after he fell. The gunman then kicked him twice in the head before fleeing.
The Los Angeles Times argued in court for public access to the transcripts while Holder's public defender argued against their disclosure, saying it could jeopardize his client's right to a fair trial, media reported.
According to the papers, Hussle spent part of the afternoon signing autographs and taking photos with fans outside of his store, the Times and other media reported, including taking a selfie with the woman who drove Holder to the parking lot.
Deputy District Attorney John McKinney told a grand jury that Holder approached Hussle and the two had a short conversation, according to media accounts of the documents.
"Apparently, the conversation had something to do with [Hussle] telling Mr. Holder that word on the street was that Mr. Holder was snitching," McKinney said in the court transcripts, adding that snitching was a serious offense among gang members.
Read more at Yahoo.
Suicide rates are rising significantly among African American teens
A large-scale study from The University of Toledo of young African Americans who have attempted or died by suicide suggests there is a greater need for mental health services in urban school districts, and that we need to do a better job in convincing parents and caregivers to safely secure firearms and ammunition in the home. Taking those measures, Dr. James Price said, could save lives.
Price, UToledo professor emeritus of health education and public health at UToledo, recently authored the largest study to date that examines suicidal behaviors of African American adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Community Health, found the rate of suicide deaths among young black males increased by 60 percent from 2001 through 2017. Researchers documented a 182 percent increase in the rate of suicide deaths of young black females during that same time period.
Georgia had the highest rate in the nation, at 5.8 per 100,000 people, between 2015 and 2017. Following that was Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.
"There are far more African American adolescents attempting suicide than has been recognized in the past, and their attempts are starting to be much more lethal," Price said.
Read more at Eurekalert
Price, UToledo professor emeritus of health education and public health at UToledo, recently authored the largest study to date that examines suicidal behaviors of African American adolescents between the ages of 13 and 19.
The study, which was published in the Journal of Community Health, found the rate of suicide deaths among young black males increased by 60 percent from 2001 through 2017. Researchers documented a 182 percent increase in the rate of suicide deaths of young black females during that same time period.
Georgia had the highest rate in the nation, at 5.8 per 100,000 people, between 2015 and 2017. Following that was Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Ohio.
"There are far more African American adolescents attempting suicide than has been recognized in the past, and their attempts are starting to be much more lethal," Price said.
Read more at Eurekalert
Police: Maryland Mom Slapped 13-Year-Old Daughter For Reporting Sex Abuse And Told Her ‘Shut Up’
Recently released court documents reveal the tragic story of a 13-year-old Maryland girl who confided in her mother about sexual abuse involving a family friend.
According to WJLA 7, the teen told social workers in January that in 2016 Mahlik “Moon” Kone would frequently stay in the family’s apartment where he would allegedly sneak into the girl’s bedroom and initiate unwanted touching.
The girl, who remains unnamed because she’s a minor, also told social workers Kone, who was allegedly known to carry a firearm, would threaten her with violence if she reported the abuse.
The girl says she eventually informed her mother about the molestation to seek support, but was slapped and told to “shut up.” The mom, who has since died, also reportedly told Kone what her daughter had confided in her and it reportedly set him off.
"[The victim] advised the next night after she told her mother, Kone threw her against the wall, slapped her and threatened to do something to her if she ever said anything again," an officer with Montgomery County's Special Victims Investigations Division relayed in court documents, obtained by WJLA 7.
Read more at BET.
According to WJLA 7, the teen told social workers in January that in 2016 Mahlik “Moon” Kone would frequently stay in the family’s apartment where he would allegedly sneak into the girl’s bedroom and initiate unwanted touching.
The girl, who remains unnamed because she’s a minor, also told social workers Kone, who was allegedly known to carry a firearm, would threaten her with violence if she reported the abuse.
The girl says she eventually informed her mother about the molestation to seek support, but was slapped and told to “shut up.” The mom, who has since died, also reportedly told Kone what her daughter had confided in her and it reportedly set him off.
"[The victim] advised the next night after she told her mother, Kone threw her against the wall, slapped her and threatened to do something to her if she ever said anything again," an officer with Montgomery County's Special Victims Investigations Division relayed in court documents, obtained by WJLA 7.
Read more at BET.
Oprah Explains Why She Doesn't Want To Be Called 'Auntie'
PSA: You might want to think the next time you decide to add the 5-letter moniker "Auntie" before your favorite celebrities’ name!
In the Black community, it’s not uncommon for someone to earn the label “Auntie” after displaying some serious #BlackGirlMagic and sharing major words of wisdom, but it beckons the question: Is it received as a term of endearment or considered an insult?
The question is raised after When They See Us director Ava DuVernay admitted on Van Lathan's podcast, The Red Pill, that she doesn’t love being called “Auntie Ava" on Twitter.
"Auntie Ava? Why? Am I that old?!" the 46-year-old asked. "Because I don’t feel that old! And it’s not a respect thing…Auntie Ava, like…Aunt Jemima?"
Sparking the debate as to whether calling someone older than you “Auntie” is ageist, OprahMag.com spoke with Ava’s friends Oprah and Gayle King to get their opinion.
Turns out, the media moguls do not like the term either.
"I cringe being called Auntie or Mama by anybody other than my nieces or godchildren," Oprah said. "Except if I’m in Africa, where it’s the custom for everybody to refer to anyone older as 'Sister,' or 'Auntie,' depending on the age difference. And there, no one refers to anyone older by their first name, out of respect."
Read more at BET
In the Black community, it’s not uncommon for someone to earn the label “Auntie” after displaying some serious #BlackGirlMagic and sharing major words of wisdom, but it beckons the question: Is it received as a term of endearment or considered an insult?
The question is raised after When They See Us director Ava DuVernay admitted on Van Lathan's podcast, The Red Pill, that she doesn’t love being called “Auntie Ava" on Twitter.
"Auntie Ava? Why? Am I that old?!" the 46-year-old asked. "Because I don’t feel that old! And it’s not a respect thing…Auntie Ava, like…Aunt Jemima?"
Sparking the debate as to whether calling someone older than you “Auntie” is ageist, OprahMag.com spoke with Ava’s friends Oprah and Gayle King to get their opinion.
Turns out, the media moguls do not like the term either.
"I cringe being called Auntie or Mama by anybody other than my nieces or godchildren," Oprah said. "Except if I’m in Africa, where it’s the custom for everybody to refer to anyone older as 'Sister,' or 'Auntie,' depending on the age difference. And there, no one refers to anyone older by their first name, out of respect."
Read more at BET
'Empire' actor Bryshere Gray, who plays Jussie Smollett's brother, arrested on traffic offense
CHICAGO (AP) — Another “Empire” actor has been arrested in Chicago, but this time on a traffic-related offense.
Police spokeswoman Karie James said Monday that Bryshere Gray, who plays a younger brother of Jussie Smollett’s character on the Chicago-based Fox TV show, was pulled over Thursday because a temporary license plate didn’t match the 2014 Rolls Royce he was driving.
She says he was arrested on a misdemeanor registration charge and ticketed for driving an uninsured vehicle and failure to carry a driver’s license.
James says the 25-year-old Gray isn’t in custody, but it wasn’t immediately clear when he was released.
Smollett was arrested earlier this year on charges alleging that he had lied to police when he claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in January. Prosecutors later dropped the charges.
Police spokeswoman Karie James said Monday that Bryshere Gray, who plays a younger brother of Jussie Smollett’s character on the Chicago-based Fox TV show, was pulled over Thursday because a temporary license plate didn’t match the 2014 Rolls Royce he was driving.
She says he was arrested on a misdemeanor registration charge and ticketed for driving an uninsured vehicle and failure to carry a driver’s license.
James says the 25-year-old Gray isn’t in custody, but it wasn’t immediately clear when he was released.
Smollett was arrested earlier this year on charges alleging that he had lied to police when he claimed he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack in January. Prosecutors later dropped the charges.
News Parkland Shooting Survivor Kyle Kashuv Loses His Place at Harvard After Racist Text Messages Surface
Sometimes, life comes at you fast. And Kyle Kashuv, the pro-gun teen who was among the survivors of the mass shooting at Parkland, Fla.’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, seems to be learning that lesson the hard way.
On Monday, Kashuv shared his astonishment that Harvard had rescinded his admission because of his use of racial slurs in texts he sent two years ago, HuffPost reports.
The texts included repeated use of the word “nigger,” including the uhm, observation: “like im really good at typing nigger ok like practice uhhhhhh makes perfect son??!!”
HuffPost reported last month on the existence of the racist messages, for which Kashuv, now 18, apologized, saying: “We were 16-year-olds making idiotic comments, using callous and inflammatory language in an effort to be as extreme and shocking as possible.”
But in a case where actions seem to have had consequences, Harvard apparently decided to nix Kashuv’s acceptance into the Class of 2023.
Read more at The Root.
On Monday, Kashuv shared his astonishment that Harvard had rescinded his admission because of his use of racial slurs in texts he sent two years ago, HuffPost reports.
The texts included repeated use of the word “nigger,” including the uhm, observation: “like im really good at typing nigger ok like practice uhhhhhh makes perfect son??!!”
HuffPost reported last month on the existence of the racist messages, for which Kashuv, now 18, apologized, saying: “We were 16-year-olds making idiotic comments, using callous and inflammatory language in an effort to be as extreme and shocking as possible.”
But in a case where actions seem to have had consequences, Harvard apparently decided to nix Kashuv’s acceptance into the Class of 2023.
Read more at The Root.
Mom outraged police questioned son, 10, who brought fake money to school: 'My nightmare has come true'
After a 10-year-old boy was confronted by law enforcement for having fake money, his mother is saying her “nightmare has come true.”
Tiffany Kelly’s son has ADHD, non-verbal learning disorder; he may also have autism spectrum disorder. When he expressed excitement about learning to count cash, the 43-year-old mom bought him play money to use from Amazon.
While the bank note looks similar to a U.S. $100 bill, it has bright red Chinese characters near Benjamin Franklin and dark black dashes through the numerals to distinguish it as a phony currency. “I didn’t think it would be a huge problem because there are marks that distinguish it from being real,” Kelly tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
But on the morning of May 14, Kelly’s son boarded the bus to his elementary school with his fake bills. And, as Kelly explained in a Change.org petition, passed out the money to his peers “in an attempt for socialization.”
The bus driver later found one of the faux bank notes at the bus depot. Believing the money to be counterfeit, the driver and the bus supervisor called in local authorities. After reviewing surveillance footage showing the bill belonged to Kelly’s kid, a police officer went to the child’s elementary school to interrogate the fourth-grader.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Tiffany Kelly’s son has ADHD, non-verbal learning disorder; he may also have autism spectrum disorder. When he expressed excitement about learning to count cash, the 43-year-old mom bought him play money to use from Amazon.
While the bank note looks similar to a U.S. $100 bill, it has bright red Chinese characters near Benjamin Franklin and dark black dashes through the numerals to distinguish it as a phony currency. “I didn’t think it would be a huge problem because there are marks that distinguish it from being real,” Kelly tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
But on the morning of May 14, Kelly’s son boarded the bus to his elementary school with his fake bills. And, as Kelly explained in a Change.org petition, passed out the money to his peers “in an attempt for socialization.”
The bus driver later found one of the faux bank notes at the bus depot. Believing the money to be counterfeit, the driver and the bus supervisor called in local authorities. After reviewing surveillance footage showing the bill belonged to Kelly’s kid, a police officer went to the child’s elementary school to interrogate the fourth-grader.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Black Student Protest Leads to Prosecutor in the Central Park 5 Case Quitting Her Columbia Law School Job
Another day, another example of karma coming for folks in the fallout over the wrongful prosecutions of the Central Park Five.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lederer has quit her part-time gig as a professor at Columbia Law School after renewed calls for her ouster by the Black Law Students Association, the New York Daily News reports.
Three decades ago, Lederer, along with Linda Fairstein, led the wrongful prosecution of a group of five black and brown boys in the rape and beating of a white jogger in New York’s iconic Central Park.
Ava DuVernay’s recently released Netflix docudrama about what happened to those boys-turned-men, When They See Us, has renewed interest in the legal travesty, and a backlash has ensued against some of the key players in the case.
On Wednesday, it was apparently Lederer’s turn.
In a statement, Lederer referenced the docudrama in explaining her decision to resign her position as a part-time lecturer at Columbia Law, the Washington Post reports.
“[...] given the nature of the recent publicity generated by the Netflix portrayal of the Central Park case, it is best for me not to renew my teaching application,” Lederer said, according to the Post.
Read more at the Root.
Manhattan Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lederer has quit her part-time gig as a professor at Columbia Law School after renewed calls for her ouster by the Black Law Students Association, the New York Daily News reports.
Three decades ago, Lederer, along with Linda Fairstein, led the wrongful prosecution of a group of five black and brown boys in the rape and beating of a white jogger in New York’s iconic Central Park.
Ava DuVernay’s recently released Netflix docudrama about what happened to those boys-turned-men, When They See Us, has renewed interest in the legal travesty, and a backlash has ensued against some of the key players in the case.
On Wednesday, it was apparently Lederer’s turn.
In a statement, Lederer referenced the docudrama in explaining her decision to resign her position as a part-time lecturer at Columbia Law, the Washington Post reports.
“[...] given the nature of the recent publicity generated by the Netflix portrayal of the Central Park case, it is best for me not to renew my teaching application,” Lederer said, according to the Post.
Read more at the Root.
FBI Joins Probe Into Mysterious Deaths Of Americans At Dominican Republic Resorts
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is helping to investigate the mysterious deaths of at least three American tourists who died suddenly while staying at the same resort in the Dominican Republic.
According to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, officials in the Dominican Republic asked the FBI to assist in conducting toxicology analysis on the bodies and the resorts run by the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts.
"The safety of U.S. citizens that live in, work in, and visit the Dominican Republic remains our highest priority," Robin Bernstein, the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, said in a statement to ABC News. "These incidents are tragic and we offer our deepest condolences to those personally impacted."
FBI officials also said toxicology reports may take up to 30 days.
"We ask everyone to be patient while these investigations run their course," the statement reads.
The FBI's probe began after an engaged Maryland couple and a Pennsylvania woman died in neighboring Grand Bahia Principe resorts within a five-day span in May.
The relatives of Edward Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, want independent autopsies performed on the couple, who Dominican authorities say they died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema.
Read more at BET
According to the U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo, officials in the Dominican Republic asked the FBI to assist in conducting toxicology analysis on the bodies and the resorts run by the Bahia Principe Hotels & Resorts.
"The safety of U.S. citizens that live in, work in, and visit the Dominican Republic remains our highest priority," Robin Bernstein, the U.S. Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, said in a statement to ABC News. "These incidents are tragic and we offer our deepest condolences to those personally impacted."
FBI officials also said toxicology reports may take up to 30 days.
"We ask everyone to be patient while these investigations run their course," the statement reads.
The FBI's probe began after an engaged Maryland couple and a Pennsylvania woman died in neighboring Grand Bahia Principe resorts within a five-day span in May.
The relatives of Edward Nathaniel Holmes, 63, and Cynthia Ann Day, 49, want independent autopsies performed on the couple, who Dominican authorities say they died of respiratory failure and pulmonary edema.
Read more at BET
Oregon Senate passes bill punishing racist 911 callers
Almost a year after Oregon state Rep. Janelle Bynum’s story of being questioned by police after a 911 call on her as she campaigned in her district went viral and sparked the hashtag #CampaigningWhileBlack, Oregon state senators have passed a bill that would allow the victims of frivolous, discriminatory 911 calls to sue the callers.
On Monday, the Oregon state Senate passed House bill 3216, a measure introduced by the state’s three black Democratic legislators, including Bynum. The bill allows victims of these calls to sue a 911 caller for as much as $250 if the victim can prove that the 911 call was racially motivated and that the caller intended to discriminate or harm the reputation of the victim.
The legislation was overwhelmingly supported by state lawmakers of both parties, but it was deeply personal for Bynum, the only black legislator in the Oregon House (the other two black legislators serve in the state Senate.)
”When someone gets the police called on them for just existing in public, it sends a message that you don’t belong here,” Bynum told the Associated Press on Monday. “This creates a legal pathway to justice.”
The bill, which passed the Oregon House in April, will return to that chamber to resolve a minor discrepancy. If the new version of the bill is approved, the measure will be sent to the desk of Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat.
The bill comes as legislators in several cities and states are debating how to best respond to unnecessary 911 calls on black residents after a number of high-profile “Living While Black” incidents have gone viral.
Read more at Vox
On Monday, the Oregon state Senate passed House bill 3216, a measure introduced by the state’s three black Democratic legislators, including Bynum. The bill allows victims of these calls to sue a 911 caller for as much as $250 if the victim can prove that the 911 call was racially motivated and that the caller intended to discriminate or harm the reputation of the victim.
The legislation was overwhelmingly supported by state lawmakers of both parties, but it was deeply personal for Bynum, the only black legislator in the Oregon House (the other two black legislators serve in the state Senate.)
”When someone gets the police called on them for just existing in public, it sends a message that you don’t belong here,” Bynum told the Associated Press on Monday. “This creates a legal pathway to justice.”
The bill, which passed the Oregon House in April, will return to that chamber to resolve a minor discrepancy. If the new version of the bill is approved, the measure will be sent to the desk of Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat.
The bill comes as legislators in several cities and states are debating how to best respond to unnecessary 911 calls on black residents after a number of high-profile “Living While Black” incidents have gone viral.
Read more at Vox
Campground Worker Who Pulled Gun On Black Couple Charged With A Crime Ruby Howell of Starkville, Mississippi, was charged with a single misdemeano
A Mississippi woman has been charged with a crime after she pulled a gun on a black couple having a picnic at the campground where she worked.
Ruby Howell, 70, turned herself in to the Oktibbeha County Jail on Tuesday on a single misdemeanor charge of threatening exhibition of a weapon, The Starkville Daily News reported.
Jessica Richardson and her husband, Franklin Richardson, say they were picnicking by Oktibbeha County Lake on May 26 when Howell, who is white, approached them with a gun, identified herself as the property manager of Kampgrounds of America Starkville and ordered them to leave.
“This lady literally just pulled a gun because we out here and didn’t have reservations for a lake that we didn’t even know we had to have reservation for,” Jessica said in the video.
Kampgrounds of America fired Howell after video of the incident, captured by Jessica on her cellphone and posted to her Facebook page, went viral.
“RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL!!” Jessica posted on her Facebook page with video of the incident from earlier that day.
Read more at HuffPost
Ruby Howell, 70, turned herself in to the Oktibbeha County Jail on Tuesday on a single misdemeanor charge of threatening exhibition of a weapon, The Starkville Daily News reported.
Jessica Richardson and her husband, Franklin Richardson, say they were picnicking by Oktibbeha County Lake on May 26 when Howell, who is white, approached them with a gun, identified herself as the property manager of Kampgrounds of America Starkville and ordered them to leave.
“This lady literally just pulled a gun because we out here and didn’t have reservations for a lake that we didn’t even know we had to have reservation for,” Jessica said in the video.
Kampgrounds of America fired Howell after video of the incident, captured by Jessica on her cellphone and posted to her Facebook page, went viral.
“RACISM IS ALIVE AND WELL!!” Jessica posted on her Facebook page with video of the incident from earlier that day.
Read more at HuffPost
‘Empire’ Star Terrence Howard Under Criminal Investigation for Tax Evasion
“Empire” star Terrence Howard is currently being investigated by the federal government for criminal tax evasion.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the feds are interested in possible financial crimes committed by Howard, his third wife Mira Howard (they got divorced but got re-engaged last December) and Universal Bridges Inc. (a company owned by Mira).
The case stems out of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is still ongoing.
We’ve learned that the actor has hired a high profile white collar criminal attorney to defend him in the investigation. Our sources say within the last few weeks, federal investigators have already had initial discussions with Howard.
Terrence Howard and his fiancée became aware they were under investigation on May 20, 2019.
The actor has had his share of tax issues over the years. As The Blast first reported, he was hit with a tax lien in April by the State of California Franchise Tax Board for a total $143,538.61. The lien stems from taxes Howard reportedly owes from 2010.
Read more at Yahoo.
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the feds are interested in possible financial crimes committed by Howard, his third wife Mira Howard (they got divorced but got re-engaged last December) and Universal Bridges Inc. (a company owned by Mira).
The case stems out of the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is still ongoing.
We’ve learned that the actor has hired a high profile white collar criminal attorney to defend him in the investigation. Our sources say within the last few weeks, federal investigators have already had initial discussions with Howard.
Terrence Howard and his fiancée became aware they were under investigation on May 20, 2019.
The actor has had his share of tax issues over the years. As The Blast first reported, he was hit with a tax lien in April by the State of California Franchise Tax Board for a total $143,538.61. The lien stems from taxes Howard reportedly owes from 2010.
Read more at Yahoo.
Tiffany Haddish Shares Offensive Comments She Recorded in Auditions
Tiffany Haddish revealed the sneaky way she would get real feedback about her auditions during The Hollywood Reporter‘s annual Comedy Actress Roundtable, which was released on Wednesday.
“You know what I’d do? I’d put my phone on voice memo and put it in my bag. I’d do the audition, walk out the room and leave my bag,” Haddish told the group, which included Regina Hall, Maya Rudolph, Jane Fonda, Alex Borstein, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Natasha Lyonne.
“Then I’d come back and be like, ‘Oh, I forgot my purse in there,'” she said.
The Girls Trip star recalled racially biased comments casting directors said when they thought she was out of earshot. She heard things including, “‘She is not as urban as I thought she’d be,’ or ‘She is so ghetto.’ ‘Her boobs aren’t big enough.’ ‘I really think we should just go with a White girl.'”
Haddish left her phone in “a lot” of rooms as a way to grow in her career and to get material for her jokes.
Read more at Ebony.
“You know what I’d do? I’d put my phone on voice memo and put it in my bag. I’d do the audition, walk out the room and leave my bag,” Haddish told the group, which included Regina Hall, Maya Rudolph, Jane Fonda, Alex Borstein, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Natasha Lyonne.
“Then I’d come back and be like, ‘Oh, I forgot my purse in there,'” she said.
The Girls Trip star recalled racially biased comments casting directors said when they thought she was out of earshot. She heard things including, “‘She is not as urban as I thought she’d be,’ or ‘She is so ghetto.’ ‘Her boobs aren’t big enough.’ ‘I really think we should just go with a White girl.'”
Haddish left her phone in “a lot” of rooms as a way to grow in her career and to get material for her jokes.
Read more at Ebony.
Michael K. Williams Speaks Out on Wilding Attack, Guilt Feelings in ‘When They See Us': ‘I’m Sick of the Anger’
Michael K. Williams has complicated emotions about playing the father of Antron McCray, one of five teenagers unjustly accused of the 1989 brutal attack of a woman jogging in Central Park, in Ava DuVernay’s Netflix series, “When They See Us.”
Williams remembers well when the attack and arrests occurred. He remembers feeling like something was off, despite the supposed confessions of the teenagers. And he acutely remembers the panic in New York at the time around “wilding,” packs of young men on the prowl to do violence — because he himself was a victim of this new urban scourge.
“I got wilded on,” said Williams, a 52-year-old distinguished character actor with credits in “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire,” who plays Bobby McCray in the new Netflix series. It was a freak attack one night in New York, he recalled in an emotional conversation with WaxWord.
“I got jumped by a group of African American and Hispanic guys on my 25thbirthday,” he said. “I went out drinking with friends. I had liquid courage in me, I entertained a conversation that I (normally) would have run away from. Guys looking for trouble. I got tired of being picked on. I got jumped viciously.”
He paused, then remembered the violence of that night. “I know what it is to be violated. My life was on the line.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Williams remembers well when the attack and arrests occurred. He remembers feeling like something was off, despite the supposed confessions of the teenagers. And he acutely remembers the panic in New York at the time around “wilding,” packs of young men on the prowl to do violence — because he himself was a victim of this new urban scourge.
“I got wilded on,” said Williams, a 52-year-old distinguished character actor with credits in “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire,” who plays Bobby McCray in the new Netflix series. It was a freak attack one night in New York, he recalled in an emotional conversation with WaxWord.
“I got jumped by a group of African American and Hispanic guys on my 25thbirthday,” he said. “I went out drinking with friends. I had liquid courage in me, I entertained a conversation that I (normally) would have run away from. Guys looking for trouble. I got tired of being picked on. I got jumped viciously.”
He paused, then remembered the violence of that night. “I know what it is to be violated. My life was on the line.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Kahlil Greene Is Yale's 1st Black Student Body President
It’s 2019, but there are still a few ceilings for Black people to shatter and Kahlil Greene, a Maryland native, did just that when he was elected as the first Black student body president at Yale University.
Greene, who is currently getting ready for his junior year at the prestigious school, told Fox5DC that he decided to run to “amplify the voices of the under-served communities on campus, especially students of color.”
“So being the first Black president, I feel like I’m in a position where I can really do that,” he added.
His election, he added “symbolizes the progress the university has made over the years,” but also adds that there’s still much to be done.
“I think that we can be a more diverse and inclusive campus and I’m grateful for the role that I’ll have in making that happen,” Greene added.
Read more at Essence.
Greene, who is currently getting ready for his junior year at the prestigious school, told Fox5DC that he decided to run to “amplify the voices of the under-served communities on campus, especially students of color.”
“So being the first Black president, I feel like I’m in a position where I can really do that,” he added.
His election, he added “symbolizes the progress the university has made over the years,” but also adds that there’s still much to be done.
“I think that we can be a more diverse and inclusive campus and I’m grateful for the role that I’ll have in making that happen,” Greene added.
Read more at Essence.
The Smithsonian Institution has elected Lonnie G. Bunch III as its new secretary, the organization announced in a statement on Tuesday.
Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian’s widely lauded National Museum of African American History and Culture, will be the first black leader in the institution’s 173-year history. He is also set to become the first historian elected to the secretary’s post and the first museum director to assume the role in more than 70 years.
“I have such a profound love of the Smithsonian,” Bunch told The Washington Post, adding that he was “a tad stunned” by his appointment. “I want to help the world see the Smithsonian as I do, as a place that matters, with gifted people who just want to serve their country,” he said.
Bunch, who has worked in the museum field for more than 35 years, joined the Smithsonian in 2005 as the director of the African American history facility, which was then in the planning stages. He helped guide the museum from its inception to its grand opening in 2016, helping compile a collection of some 40,000 objects and raising hundreds of millions of dollars from both federal funds and private donations.
Bunch, 66, will now be responsible for overseeing the Smithsonian’s 19 museums ― with nearly 155 million items in their collections ― along with 21 libraries and Washington’s National Zoo.
As secretary, he will report to the institution’s 17-person board headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Reas more at Huff Post
Bunch, the founding director of the Smithsonian’s widely lauded National Museum of African American History and Culture, will be the first black leader in the institution’s 173-year history. He is also set to become the first historian elected to the secretary’s post and the first museum director to assume the role in more than 70 years.
“I have such a profound love of the Smithsonian,” Bunch told The Washington Post, adding that he was “a tad stunned” by his appointment. “I want to help the world see the Smithsonian as I do, as a place that matters, with gifted people who just want to serve their country,” he said.
Bunch, who has worked in the museum field for more than 35 years, joined the Smithsonian in 2005 as the director of the African American history facility, which was then in the planning stages. He helped guide the museum from its inception to its grand opening in 2016, helping compile a collection of some 40,000 objects and raising hundreds of millions of dollars from both federal funds and private donations.
Bunch, 66, will now be responsible for overseeing the Smithsonian’s 19 museums ― with nearly 155 million items in their collections ― along with 21 libraries and Washington’s National Zoo.
As secretary, he will report to the institution’s 17-person board headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
Reas more at Huff Post
Cop Shooting of Mentally Ill Black Woman An Unjustifiable Execution Say Family, Activists
HOUSTON—“To the city of Baytown, shame on you!” said Tracy Frazier, older sister of Pamela Turner, the 44-year-old Black woman whose last moments of life were captured on video as a Baytown police officer, Juan Delacruz, fatally shot her, in a city about 45 miles east of Houston, Texas.
The mother of two and grandmother of three was walking home when she was approached by Officer Delacruz in her apartment complex, where he also lived. According to authorities, Mr. Delacruz, who was aware of Ms. Turner’s mental illness, attempted to arrest her because he reportedly recognized her as having outstanding warrants, which the family denies.
The May 13 confrontation quickly escalated to Mr. Delacruz using his taser to subdue Ms. Turner, who can be heard on cellphone recorded video, yelling, “I’m pregnant.” When that didn’t work, Mr. Delacruz claimed that Ms. Turner got hold of his taser and tased him which led to him using deadly force. Although Mr. Delacruz shot at Ms. Turner five times while she was on the ground, it was unclear, by Final Call press time, the number of times she was shot.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Turner family says he and many people across America, not just Black people, but all people who have any sense of morals, decency and respect for human life should be outraged. “He literally assaulted and battered an unarmed Black woman for no articulable purpose. When she tried to protect herself from being tased, she told him that she was pregnant. Whether she was pregnant or not, she told him she was pregnant and he still tased her in the stomach area, which means he had no respect for her life or the life that may have been inside her stomach,” he told The Final Call. A second independent autopsy will be conducted, he said.
“He never gave her any verbal commands. There’s nothing on that video that shows that she was a threat to him in any way where he had to use unnecessary, unjustifiable, unimaginable, excessive force like he did in that video when he shot her five times at point blank range while she laid on the ground,” Atty. Crump added. “It is just the most horrific murder that we’ve ever seen by one of these police officers killing an unarmed Black person, much less, an unarmed Black woman, which makes it all the more reprehensible.”
Read more at Final Call
The mother of two and grandmother of three was walking home when she was approached by Officer Delacruz in her apartment complex, where he also lived. According to authorities, Mr. Delacruz, who was aware of Ms. Turner’s mental illness, attempted to arrest her because he reportedly recognized her as having outstanding warrants, which the family denies.
The May 13 confrontation quickly escalated to Mr. Delacruz using his taser to subdue Ms. Turner, who can be heard on cellphone recorded video, yelling, “I’m pregnant.” When that didn’t work, Mr. Delacruz claimed that Ms. Turner got hold of his taser and tased him which led to him using deadly force. Although Mr. Delacruz shot at Ms. Turner five times while she was on the ground, it was unclear, by Final Call press time, the number of times she was shot.
Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who is representing the Turner family says he and many people across America, not just Black people, but all people who have any sense of morals, decency and respect for human life should be outraged. “He literally assaulted and battered an unarmed Black woman for no articulable purpose. When she tried to protect herself from being tased, she told him that she was pregnant. Whether she was pregnant or not, she told him she was pregnant and he still tased her in the stomach area, which means he had no respect for her life or the life that may have been inside her stomach,” he told The Final Call. A second independent autopsy will be conducted, he said.
“He never gave her any verbal commands. There’s nothing on that video that shows that she was a threat to him in any way where he had to use unnecessary, unjustifiable, unimaginable, excessive force like he did in that video when he shot her five times at point blank range while she laid on the ground,” Atty. Crump added. “It is just the most horrific murder that we’ve ever seen by one of these police officers killing an unarmed Black person, much less, an unarmed Black woman, which makes it all the more reprehensible.”
Read more at Final Call
Against All Odds: High School Student Named Valedictorian While Homeless, Gets $3 Million In Scholarships
A Tennessee teen is showing that anything is possible, even in the most difficult of circumstances, after getting accepted into more than 40 schools and racking up some $3 million in scholarships—something that he accomplished while being homeless.
“Never let your current situation, whatever circumstances you’re going through, be a mountain that you can’t climb,” Tupac Mosley told Fox13Memphis.
Mosley, who was named valedictorian of Raleigh Egypt High School’s graduating class maintained a 4.3 GPA all while moving from home to home, often not knowing where he would go, or how he would manage to get to school.
“After my father passed, we fell behind on bills and we ended up getting evicted from our home February 21 of this year,” he explained.
Read more at Essence.
“Never let your current situation, whatever circumstances you’re going through, be a mountain that you can’t climb,” Tupac Mosley told Fox13Memphis.
Mosley, who was named valedictorian of Raleigh Egypt High School’s graduating class maintained a 4.3 GPA all while moving from home to home, often not knowing where he would go, or how he would manage to get to school.
“After my father passed, we fell behind on bills and we ended up getting evicted from our home February 21 of this year,” he explained.
Read more at Essence.
Despite dreams of prosperity, many African Americans not financially ready to retire
The nation’s leading public interest group providing seniors and others with information that empowers them to choose how they live, AARP, regularly publishes a retirement calculator that individuals and families can use to provide a personalized snapshot of what their financial future might look like.
One simply has to answer a few questions about household status, salary and retirement savings (such as an IRA or 401(k)), include information about supplemental retirement income (such as a pension or Social Security), and consider how long they intend to work to generate information that will inform their expected lifestyle as a retiree.
The tool is designed to help potential retirees determine the amount of money they’ll need to retire “when – and how – they want.”
Unfortunately for most African Americans, even the most sophisticated planning tools lead to the same result: retirement has fast become a pie-in-the-sky dream.
“As a whole, Americans are bad savers. But, I believe it’s worse for African American communities because they don’t have access to the right educational opportunities,” said Cory Chapman, the Managing Partner and CEO of EFC Wealth Management.
“Being raised by a single mom with three kids, I understand the struggle of just trying to pay the bills and get food on the table. Growing up, saving money was an afterthought and never discussed,” Chapman said.
A report published earlier this month demonstrated how African Americans, Latinos and other minorities will have a more difficult time calling it quits than white Americans.
The report, published on the financial website The Motley Fool, revealed that the troubling disparity in retirement readiness between white Americans and minoritiescan be explained largely by income and wealth disparities that persist throughout our lives.
“Caucasians didn’t lose as much wealth during the Great Recession and have recovered more of it, so white households now hold close to six times the wealth of African American or Hispanic households,” the report’s authors said.
Median earnings for white households recovered from the recession by 2016, but earning levels for both black and Hispanic households remained below 2007 levels.
Caucasians now earn close to twice as much as minority households do, according to The Motley Fool.
Read more at Atlanta Voice
One simply has to answer a few questions about household status, salary and retirement savings (such as an IRA or 401(k)), include information about supplemental retirement income (such as a pension or Social Security), and consider how long they intend to work to generate information that will inform their expected lifestyle as a retiree.
The tool is designed to help potential retirees determine the amount of money they’ll need to retire “when – and how – they want.”
Unfortunately for most African Americans, even the most sophisticated planning tools lead to the same result: retirement has fast become a pie-in-the-sky dream.
“As a whole, Americans are bad savers. But, I believe it’s worse for African American communities because they don’t have access to the right educational opportunities,” said Cory Chapman, the Managing Partner and CEO of EFC Wealth Management.
“Being raised by a single mom with three kids, I understand the struggle of just trying to pay the bills and get food on the table. Growing up, saving money was an afterthought and never discussed,” Chapman said.
A report published earlier this month demonstrated how African Americans, Latinos and other minorities will have a more difficult time calling it quits than white Americans.
The report, published on the financial website The Motley Fool, revealed that the troubling disparity in retirement readiness between white Americans and minoritiescan be explained largely by income and wealth disparities that persist throughout our lives.
“Caucasians didn’t lose as much wealth during the Great Recession and have recovered more of it, so white households now hold close to six times the wealth of African American or Hispanic households,” the report’s authors said.
Median earnings for white households recovered from the recession by 2016, but earning levels for both black and Hispanic households remained below 2007 levels.
Caucasians now earn close to twice as much as minority households do, according to The Motley Fool.
Read more at Atlanta Voice
Study finds disproportionate number of black people arrested in D.C.
A disproportionate number of black people in the District are arrested for minor violations that include smoking marijuana in public, driving without a license and gambling, a study from two watchdog groups found.
Advocacy groups have reached similar conclusions in past years in Washington and in other cities. But this report’s authors said the new data, covering the years 2013 through 2017, shows the disparities are spread across the entire District and not limited to wards with high crime rates.
The study was done by the D.C. office of the American Civil Liberties Union and a consortium of groups advocating transparency, called Open the Government. It is based on five years of arrest statistics provided by D.C. police after a Freedom of Information Act request.
Disparate arrests “are happening throughout the entire city, which raises serious questions about how this department is policing,” said Michael Perloff, a lawyer with the District’s office of the ACLU.
Perloff said Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s plan to expand the police force should be postponed “until she determines why officers are policing the way they are.” He said the report raises the possibility of whether some arrests “could arise from discriminatory decisions by officers.”
Kevin Donahue, the deputy mayor for public safety and justice, said the District is addressing some issues, such as directing officers to issue citations instead of arrests for more crimes. That includes smoking marijuana in public, illegal even after possession of small amounts of the drug was decriminalized in February 2015.
“That the vast law enforcement and justice system touches the lives of communities of color more than others is not unique to D.C.,” said Donahue, who spoke on behalf of the Democratic mayor’s administration and the police department. He noted that one question is whether there are laws “that no longer reflect our D.C. values that the District should change.”
Read more at BET
Advocacy groups have reached similar conclusions in past years in Washington and in other cities. But this report’s authors said the new data, covering the years 2013 through 2017, shows the disparities are spread across the entire District and not limited to wards with high crime rates.
The study was done by the D.C. office of the American Civil Liberties Union and a consortium of groups advocating transparency, called Open the Government. It is based on five years of arrest statistics provided by D.C. police after a Freedom of Information Act request.
Disparate arrests “are happening throughout the entire city, which raises serious questions about how this department is policing,” said Michael Perloff, a lawyer with the District’s office of the ACLU.
Perloff said Mayor Muriel E. Bowser’s plan to expand the police force should be postponed “until she determines why officers are policing the way they are.” He said the report raises the possibility of whether some arrests “could arise from discriminatory decisions by officers.”
Kevin Donahue, the deputy mayor for public safety and justice, said the District is addressing some issues, such as directing officers to issue citations instead of arrests for more crimes. That includes smoking marijuana in public, illegal even after possession of small amounts of the drug was decriminalized in February 2015.
“That the vast law enforcement and justice system touches the lives of communities of color more than others is not unique to D.C.,” said Donahue, who spoke on behalf of the Democratic mayor’s administration and the police department. He noted that one question is whether there are laws “that no longer reflect our D.C. values that the District should change.”
Read more at BET
Family Says Baytown Texas Police Officer Knew Pamela Turner Had Mental Health Issues
The family of 44-year-old Pamela Turner claims Baytown Texas police knew she was schizophrenic. They also say she had “several bad experiences” with the police officer.
When a CBS News reporter asked Turner's stepdaughter whether the officer knew if her stepmother had schizophrenia, she replied "yeah."
However, the police are blaming Turner for the officer firing five shots. They claim Turner grabbed an officer’s taser on Monday (May 13) and used it on him as she was being arrested. The officer then opened fire. The incident was captured on cell phone video and investigators are urging the person who shot the video to contact them.
In a press conference, Baytown Police Lt. Steve Dorris said an unnamed officer on patrol saw a 44-year-old woman who he knew had outstanding warrants.
“The officer approached the woman and she resisted arrest,” Dorris said.
A struggle between the two ensued and the officer pulled out his Taser to control the woman. This is when, according to Dorris, the woman allegedly grabbed the officer’s Taser and used it on him.
Read more at BET
When a CBS News reporter asked Turner's stepdaughter whether the officer knew if her stepmother had schizophrenia, she replied "yeah."
However, the police are blaming Turner for the officer firing five shots. They claim Turner grabbed an officer’s taser on Monday (May 13) and used it on him as she was being arrested. The officer then opened fire. The incident was captured on cell phone video and investigators are urging the person who shot the video to contact them.
In a press conference, Baytown Police Lt. Steve Dorris said an unnamed officer on patrol saw a 44-year-old woman who he knew had outstanding warrants.
“The officer approached the woman and she resisted arrest,” Dorris said.
A struggle between the two ensued and the officer pulled out his Taser to control the woman. This is when, according to Dorris, the woman allegedly grabbed the officer’s Taser and used it on him.
Read more at BET
Texas police officer shot and killed a woman during arrest attempt
(CNN)A shaky cell phone video captured the moments before a Texas police officer shot and killed a woman who claimed she was pregnant.
Now people on social media are divided over whether the shooting was justified.
The officer was patrolling an apartment complex in the Houston suburb of Baytown late Monday when he saw a woman he knew from previous encounters, Baytown police said.
A family member identified the woman as Pamela Shantay Turner. In a text message Tuesday, police Lt. Steve Dorris said Turner was not pregnant.The officer knew the 45-year-old woman had outstanding warrants and started trying to arrest her, police said.
Police say the officer shot the woman after she grabbed his Taser and fired it at him.
A witness' cell phone video showed the woman yelling at the officer:
"I'm walking! I'm actually walking to my house!" the woman screams at him. She later says the officer is "harassing" her.
The video shows the officer apparently trying to handcuff the woman, but she breaks free. The officer then fires his Taser stun gun, and the woman slowly drops to the ground.
A scuffle ensues. The woman keeps yelling "Why?" but the officer isn't heard answering.
As the officer keeps trying to arrest the woman, she flails her arms and yells, "I'm pregnant!"
The struggle continued, and according to Baytown police, the woman "was able to gain control of the Taser and used it on the officer."
In the video, the woman appears to reach for the officer, who stands back and fires five shots toward her.
Read more at CNN
Now people on social media are divided over whether the shooting was justified.
The officer was patrolling an apartment complex in the Houston suburb of Baytown late Monday when he saw a woman he knew from previous encounters, Baytown police said.
A family member identified the woman as Pamela Shantay Turner. In a text message Tuesday, police Lt. Steve Dorris said Turner was not pregnant.The officer knew the 45-year-old woman had outstanding warrants and started trying to arrest her, police said.
Police say the officer shot the woman after she grabbed his Taser and fired it at him.
A witness' cell phone video showed the woman yelling at the officer:
"I'm walking! I'm actually walking to my house!" the woman screams at him. She later says the officer is "harassing" her.
The video shows the officer apparently trying to handcuff the woman, but she breaks free. The officer then fires his Taser stun gun, and the woman slowly drops to the ground.
A scuffle ensues. The woman keeps yelling "Why?" but the officer isn't heard answering.
As the officer keeps trying to arrest the woman, she flails her arms and yells, "I'm pregnant!"
The struggle continued, and according to Baytown police, the woman "was able to gain control of the Taser and used it on the officer."
In the video, the woman appears to reach for the officer, who stands back and fires five shots toward her.
Read more at CNN
Ayesha Curry Reminds Naysayers About The Power Of Being ‘Vulnerable’ Amid Backlash
Ayesha Curry has responded to criticism she received over her comments touching on insecurities during a recent appearance on “Red Table Talk.”
The CoverGirl spokesperson shared a lengthy message in an Instagram post on Wednesday, saying why she finds it important to share her “feelings and emotions” with the public.
“It brings me pure joy to speak my mind, be vulnerable at times and to know myself inside and out,” she wrote. “Seeing as how it’s mental health awareness month I really want to take the time to encourage everyone to speak their truth regardless of perception, fitting into a mold or offending someone, because it’s YOUR truth.”
Curry, who’s married to NBA star Stephen Curry, appeared on Monday’s episode of Jada Pinkett Smith’s Facebook Watch series “Red Table Talk,” alongside her mother-in-law Sonya Curry, sister-in-law Sydel Curry and brother-in-law Seth Curry’s fiancée, Callie Rivers.
All of the women at the red table, including Pinkett Smith’s co-hosts ― her mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones and her daughter Willow Smith ― spoke honestly and openly about times they have dealt with anxiety, insecurity and struggles in their relationships.
The group’s transparency in the segment was similar in nature to a number of other “Red Table Talk” episodes, where the multigenerational family trio has often aimed to create a safe space for their guests to have emotionally healing conversations.
But Curry was mocked and criticized on social media this week when she admitted on the show that she at times feels insecure that her husband frequently gets attention from other women, while she said she doesn’t have “any of that” from other men.
“Something that really bothers me, and, honestly, has given me a sense of a little bit of an insecurity, is the fact that yeah there are all these women throwing themselves, but me ― for the past 10 years ― I don’t have any of that,” she said. “Like I have zero, this sounds weird, male attention. So then I begin to internalize it, like, ‘Is something wrong with me?’”
Read more at HuffPost
The CoverGirl spokesperson shared a lengthy message in an Instagram post on Wednesday, saying why she finds it important to share her “feelings and emotions” with the public.
“It brings me pure joy to speak my mind, be vulnerable at times and to know myself inside and out,” she wrote. “Seeing as how it’s mental health awareness month I really want to take the time to encourage everyone to speak their truth regardless of perception, fitting into a mold or offending someone, because it’s YOUR truth.”
Curry, who’s married to NBA star Stephen Curry, appeared on Monday’s episode of Jada Pinkett Smith’s Facebook Watch series “Red Table Talk,” alongside her mother-in-law Sonya Curry, sister-in-law Sydel Curry and brother-in-law Seth Curry’s fiancée, Callie Rivers.
All of the women at the red table, including Pinkett Smith’s co-hosts ― her mother Adrienne Banfield-Jones and her daughter Willow Smith ― spoke honestly and openly about times they have dealt with anxiety, insecurity and struggles in their relationships.
The group’s transparency in the segment was similar in nature to a number of other “Red Table Talk” episodes, where the multigenerational family trio has often aimed to create a safe space for their guests to have emotionally healing conversations.
But Curry was mocked and criticized on social media this week when she admitted on the show that she at times feels insecure that her husband frequently gets attention from other women, while she said she doesn’t have “any of that” from other men.
“Something that really bothers me, and, honestly, has given me a sense of a little bit of an insecurity, is the fact that yeah there are all these women throwing themselves, but me ― for the past 10 years ― I don’t have any of that,” she said. “Like I have zero, this sounds weird, male attention. So then I begin to internalize it, like, ‘Is something wrong with me?’”
Read more at HuffPost
White Patients 35 Times More Likely To Receive Addiction Medication Than African-American Ones
White people who are addicted to heroin or other opioids are 35 times more likely to receive treatment with a medication called buprenorphine than are African Americans or other people of color, according to a new study.
For every outpatient appointment where a person of color received a prescription for buprenorphine, also known by the brand name Suboxone, white patients had thirty-five appointments, said researchers from the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System who analyzed national data from 2012-2015.
The findings on the disparity of treatment are especially interesting because research revealed earlier this year showed a spike in the number of African American deaths tied to fentanyl, the ultra powerful opioid that's being cut into heroin, cocaine and other drugs.
While it's true that white people are still most likely to die from a fentanyl overdose, the rate of African American deaths is growing fastest. Between 2011 and 2016, the African American death rate increased 140% each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If that trend continues, African Americans will become most likely to die from fentanyl overdoses.
On top of that, there's a shortage of doctors available to prescribe buprenorphine. Nationally, 96% of the states have more opioid abuse than available treatment options.
Read more at Detroit Free Press
For every outpatient appointment where a person of color received a prescription for buprenorphine, also known by the brand name Suboxone, white patients had thirty-five appointments, said researchers from the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System who analyzed national data from 2012-2015.
The findings on the disparity of treatment are especially interesting because research revealed earlier this year showed a spike in the number of African American deaths tied to fentanyl, the ultra powerful opioid that's being cut into heroin, cocaine and other drugs.
While it's true that white people are still most likely to die from a fentanyl overdose, the rate of African American deaths is growing fastest. Between 2011 and 2016, the African American death rate increased 140% each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If that trend continues, African Americans will become most likely to die from fentanyl overdoses.
On top of that, there's a shortage of doctors available to prescribe buprenorphine. Nationally, 96% of the states have more opioid abuse than available treatment options.
Read more at Detroit Free Press
Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Ice Cube, Tina Knowles and More Attend John Singleton's Funeral
John Singleton‘s funeral was attended by his family and many of his closest friends in Hollywood.
The late director’s funeral was held in Los Angeles on Monday and attended by Tyrese Gibson, who worked with Singleton on the 2003 film 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Gibson, 40, attended the funeral wearing a black suit. Also in attendance was Tina Knowles and her husband Richard Lawson, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, Ice Cube and Ludacris.
Actress Nia Lon, who starred in his 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, also attended.
A larger memorial service for Singleton will be held in the coming weeks, a rep for the late director said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE last week.
Singleton died on April 29 after he was taken off of life support following a stroke. He was 51.
He suffered a “major stroke” after arriving back in the U.S. from a trip to Costa Rica. On April 29, his family announced that they were taking the director off of life support and he died that same day.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton passed away today due to complications from a stroke he suffered last Wednesday,” his family wrote in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Read more at Yahoo.
The late director’s funeral was held in Los Angeles on Monday and attended by Tyrese Gibson, who worked with Singleton on the 2003 film 2 Fast 2 Furious.
Gibson, 40, attended the funeral wearing a black suit. Also in attendance was Tina Knowles and her husband Richard Lawson, U.S. Representative Maxine Waters, Ice Cube and Ludacris.
Actress Nia Lon, who starred in his 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, also attended.
A larger memorial service for Singleton will be held in the coming weeks, a rep for the late director said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE last week.
Singleton died on April 29 after he was taken off of life support following a stroke. He was 51.
He suffered a “major stroke” after arriving back in the U.S. from a trip to Costa Rica. On April 29, his family announced that they were taking the director off of life support and he died that same day.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton passed away today due to complications from a stroke he suffered last Wednesday,” his family wrote in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.
Read more at Yahoo.
Give African Americans equal chance to prosper in marijuana industry
It’s a bitter irony: the black community paid the highest price when the government was waging its misguided war on drugs.
But now that cannabis legalization looks likely, guess who’s in danger of being frozen out of this new opportunity?
That’s right: the black community.
OPINION
Thankfully, we can take some simple steps to correct this injustice and undo some of the damage that’s been done.
Before I get into that, a quick refresher: it goes without saying that the war on drugs was catastrophic for black people. Nearly 80 percent of people in federal prison for drug offenses — and almost 60 percent of people in state prison — are black or Latino, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. A black person was nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person, the ACLU found. And so on.
You might be tempted to say, “Oh, but that’s old news. Things changed when we realized cannabis wasn’t so dangerous.”
Sorry, the facts say otherwise. Between 2013 and 2016, 89 percent of the people convicted in Chicago on marijuana charges were African-Americans, noted the Chicago Sun-Times.
And now, everyone is talking about the legalization of cannabis and what a boon it could be for our cash-strapped state. And that’s great. I fully support it.
This time, though, it’s imperative that we fix some of our past mistakes and make sure communities of color are involved. Instead of harming us, cannabis could help us — as long as we do it the right way:
Read more at Chicago Sun Times
But now that cannabis legalization looks likely, guess who’s in danger of being frozen out of this new opportunity?
That’s right: the black community.
OPINION
Thankfully, we can take some simple steps to correct this injustice and undo some of the damage that’s been done.
Before I get into that, a quick refresher: it goes without saying that the war on drugs was catastrophic for black people. Nearly 80 percent of people in federal prison for drug offenses — and almost 60 percent of people in state prison — are black or Latino, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. A black person was nearly four times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than a white person, the ACLU found. And so on.
You might be tempted to say, “Oh, but that’s old news. Things changed when we realized cannabis wasn’t so dangerous.”
Sorry, the facts say otherwise. Between 2013 and 2016, 89 percent of the people convicted in Chicago on marijuana charges were African-Americans, noted the Chicago Sun-Times.
And now, everyone is talking about the legalization of cannabis and what a boon it could be for our cash-strapped state. And that’s great. I fully support it.
This time, though, it’s imperative that we fix some of our past mistakes and make sure communities of color are involved. Instead of harming us, cannabis could help us — as long as we do it the right way:
- For starters, we should expunge convictions for the cannabis-related offenses that may soon be legal. In a great first step, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx announced plans to expunge past convictions for possession of small amounts of cannabis.
- Also, at the state level, the legislature is currently considering HB 2039 (also known as the Restoring Justice Act), which would lessen the sentencing for a past conviction when the state decriminalizes or lessens the penalty for that same offense.
- On an enterprise level, we need to make sure that African Americans have an equal opportunity to purchase licenses for cannabis businesses.
Read more at Chicago Sun Times
Adrienne Jones elected Maryland's first African-American, female House speaker
Washington (CNN)A Maryland lawmaker made history on Wednesday when she became the first woman and first African-American elected as the state's House speaker.
Del. Adrienne Jones was unanimously voted as speaker after the two Democratic candidates who were vying for the job stepped aside to nominate her.
"Wow, I didn't think I would be here this time when I left out my house this morning," Jones said after she was sworn in, according to video from CNN affiliate WBAL-TV.
Jones, who was the speaker pro tem, had campaigned to replace the late Speaker Michael Busch, but dropped out of the race last week.
Then on Wednesday, during a special session, Democratic Dels. Dereck Davis and Maggie McIntosh both failed to garner the more than 71 votes needed to win the nomination. McIntosh won a vote among the Democratic caucus, 58-40, but Davis had the support of the minority Republican caucus.
After nearly five hours of deliberation among the Democratic caucus in a closed-door meeting, Davis and McIntosh emerged to support Jones for the speakership.
In nominating Jones on Wednesday, McIntosh said that the walls of the House chamber "will never be the same," referring to the portraits of the past House speakers who were all white men, WBAL reported.
Jones thanked Davis and McIntosh, who she said "saw the importance of us as a caucus coming together."
The Republican caucus moved to support Jones for speaker, and said it was proud "to have been a critical piece in this historic election."
Read more at CNN
Del. Adrienne Jones was unanimously voted as speaker after the two Democratic candidates who were vying for the job stepped aside to nominate her.
"Wow, I didn't think I would be here this time when I left out my house this morning," Jones said after she was sworn in, according to video from CNN affiliate WBAL-TV.
Jones, who was the speaker pro tem, had campaigned to replace the late Speaker Michael Busch, but dropped out of the race last week.
Then on Wednesday, during a special session, Democratic Dels. Dereck Davis and Maggie McIntosh both failed to garner the more than 71 votes needed to win the nomination. McIntosh won a vote among the Democratic caucus, 58-40, but Davis had the support of the minority Republican caucus.
After nearly five hours of deliberation among the Democratic caucus in a closed-door meeting, Davis and McIntosh emerged to support Jones for the speakership.
In nominating Jones on Wednesday, McIntosh said that the walls of the House chamber "will never be the same," referring to the portraits of the past House speakers who were all white men, WBAL reported.
Jones thanked Davis and McIntosh, who she said "saw the importance of us as a caucus coming together."
The Republican caucus moved to support Jones for speaker, and said it was proud "to have been a critical piece in this historic election."
Read more at CNN
NYC Reveals Design For Shirley Chisholm Monument
New York City released the renderings of the monument that will honor the life and legacy of Shirley Chisholm.
Chisholm made history when she became the first Black woman ever elected to Congress in 1968, where she served from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, she launched a groundbreaking presidential campaign.
Designed by artists Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous, the 40-foot tall structure fuses a depiction of Chisholm’s iconic portrait with a silhouette of the United States Capitol building, New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs announced this week.
The monument will also include an amphitheater-style seating area.
“This becomes something that’s occupiable,” Williams told The New York Times. “It allows you to be enveloped in a conversation about interacting and bringing others along. This approach to a monument is that it’s an invitation to participate.”
Read more at Essence
Chisholm made history when she became the first Black woman ever elected to Congress in 1968, where she served from 1969 to 1983. In 1972, she launched a groundbreaking presidential campaign.
Designed by artists Amanda Williams and Olalekan Jeyifous, the 40-foot tall structure fuses a depiction of Chisholm’s iconic portrait with a silhouette of the United States Capitol building, New York City’s Department of Cultural Affairs announced this week.
The monument will also include an amphitheater-style seating area.
“This becomes something that’s occupiable,” Williams told The New York Times. “It allows you to be enveloped in a conversation about interacting and bringing others along. This approach to a monument is that it’s an invitation to participate.”
Read more at Essence
Top Chicago prosecutor Kim Foxx subpoenaed over Jussie Smollett case
Chicago’s top prosecutor, Kim Foxx, has been subpoenaed to appear at a hearing over her handling of the Jussie Smollett case, according to a new report.
The Cook County state’s attorney was slapped with the subpoena by a retired judge who’s pushing for the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into how Foxx dealt with the controversial case, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Ex-appellate Judge Sheila O’Brien also subpoenaed Foxx’s top deputy Joseph Magats, and filed a document requesting that Smollett appear at the hearing, the report said.
Foxx came under fire when her office suddenly dropped 16 felony disorderly conduct charges against the “Empire” TV actor. Smollett, who is black and gay, was accused of staging a hate-crime attack on himself for personal gain and lying to cops about it.
O’Brien charged that Foxx’s handling of the case was “plagued with irregularity.
“Foxx’s conflict in this matter is beyond dispute,” O’Brien wrote, adding that Foxx should have sought appointment of a special prosecutor. “Instead, Foxx misled the public into believing that Smollett’s case was handled like any other prosecution and without influence.”
The former judge asked that Foxx and Magats produce all the original documents in the case to prove “that they have not been altered or destroyed and will not be destroyed throughout this case.”
Read more at Page 6
The Cook County state’s attorney was slapped with the subpoena by a retired judge who’s pushing for the appointment of a special prosecutor to look into how Foxx dealt with the controversial case, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
Ex-appellate Judge Sheila O’Brien also subpoenaed Foxx’s top deputy Joseph Magats, and filed a document requesting that Smollett appear at the hearing, the report said.
Foxx came under fire when her office suddenly dropped 16 felony disorderly conduct charges against the “Empire” TV actor. Smollett, who is black and gay, was accused of staging a hate-crime attack on himself for personal gain and lying to cops about it.
O’Brien charged that Foxx’s handling of the case was “plagued with irregularity.
“Foxx’s conflict in this matter is beyond dispute,” O’Brien wrote, adding that Foxx should have sought appointment of a special prosecutor. “Instead, Foxx misled the public into believing that Smollett’s case was handled like any other prosecution and without influence.”
The former judge asked that Foxx and Magats produce all the original documents in the case to prove “that they have not been altered or destroyed and will not be destroyed throughout this case.”
Read more at Page 6
Famed 'Boyz n the Hood' director John Singleton to be taken off life support, family says
Famed 'Boyz n the Hood' director John Singleton to be taken off life support, family says originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com
Academy Award-nominated director John Singleton will be taken off life support later today, his family confirmed to ABC News.
The "Boyz n the Hood" director suffered a stroke and has been hospitalized for over a week.
"It is with heavy hearts we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton will be taken off of life support today," the family said. "This was an agonizing decision, one that our family made, over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John’s doctors."
(MORE: John Singleton, legendary director and screenwriter, suffers a stroke, in the ICU)
"It is, for us, heartbreaking," the family added. "We are grateful to his fans, friends and colleagues for the outpouring of love and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."
Singleton struggled with hypertension, according to his family.
Read more at Yahoo
Academy Award-nominated director John Singleton will be taken off life support later today, his family confirmed to ABC News.
The "Boyz n the Hood" director suffered a stroke and has been hospitalized for over a week.
"It is with heavy hearts we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton will be taken off of life support today," the family said. "This was an agonizing decision, one that our family made, over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John’s doctors."
(MORE: John Singleton, legendary director and screenwriter, suffers a stroke, in the ICU)
"It is, for us, heartbreaking," the family added. "We are grateful to his fans, friends and colleagues for the outpouring of love and prayers during this incredibly difficult time."
Singleton struggled with hypertension, according to his family.
Read more at Yahoo
Teen Suspended For Punching A Student Who Repeatedly Called Him The N-Word
A mother from Missouri is bringing the story of her son’s suspension to the media since the teenager’s school doesn’t seem to be listening.
Margo Boyd’s son Kanye attends West County Middle School in Leadwood, Missouri with his brother. Since transferring to the school in February, the two have been the targets of bullying, which is reportedly 98 percent white and under one percent African American.
“They were being called racial slurs and it’s been ongoing at the school,” Boyd told 5 On Your Side last week. “Nothing but racial slurs and I take it to the principal each and every time but nothing has been done,”
Apparently, the bullying had gone on for months and in an attempt to help end it, Boyd sent an email to Principal Kevin Coffman. “A boy called Kanye a n****r and all this little boys friends heard it,” Boyd wrote about an incident that occurred earlier in the week. “This stuff needs to be taken seriously! This is something that shouldn’t be allowed at the school. Kanye won’t take this much longer. He will defend himself against this.”
Not taking it much longer is what happened. On the following day, the boy ended up getting physical with an unnamed student after Boyd says she didn’t receive an email back from the principal.
“He followed my son into the bathroom and in the bathroom, it was both of them in there, and he continued to throw racial slurs at my son,” Boyd told the local news station. “My son asked him to please stop steadily calling me the N-word. Stop. The boy refused to stop so my son asked him, ‘Where do you want it in the face or chest?’ The boy said, ‘In my chest,’ so my son punched him one time in the chest.”
Read more at BET
Margo Boyd’s son Kanye attends West County Middle School in Leadwood, Missouri with his brother. Since transferring to the school in February, the two have been the targets of bullying, which is reportedly 98 percent white and under one percent African American.
“They were being called racial slurs and it’s been ongoing at the school,” Boyd told 5 On Your Side last week. “Nothing but racial slurs and I take it to the principal each and every time but nothing has been done,”
Apparently, the bullying had gone on for months and in an attempt to help end it, Boyd sent an email to Principal Kevin Coffman. “A boy called Kanye a n****r and all this little boys friends heard it,” Boyd wrote about an incident that occurred earlier in the week. “This stuff needs to be taken seriously! This is something that shouldn’t be allowed at the school. Kanye won’t take this much longer. He will defend himself against this.”
Not taking it much longer is what happened. On the following day, the boy ended up getting physical with an unnamed student after Boyd says she didn’t receive an email back from the principal.
“He followed my son into the bathroom and in the bathroom, it was both of them in there, and he continued to throw racial slurs at my son,” Boyd told the local news station. “My son asked him to please stop steadily calling me the N-word. Stop. The boy refused to stop so my son asked him, ‘Where do you want it in the face or chest?’ The boy said, ‘In my chest,’ so my son punched him one time in the chest.”
Read more at BET
Assistant principal made student use a marker to fill in shaved hairstyle that violated dress code: ‘Unbelievably unacceptable’
A school administrator who told a junior high student to fill in his shaved hairstyle — which violated the school district’s dress code — with a black marker has been placed on leave and could face further repercussions, the Houston Chronicle reports.
The student, identified as “Juelz” in a social media post expressing outrage over the April 17 incident, had an “M” shaved into his hair the day before.
When he arrived for class at Berry Miller Junior High in Pearland, Texas, an assistant principal called him out for violating the dress code, which bans “extreme hairstyles” and “carvings.” The administrator reportedly told the boy he could call his mom, or get in-school suspension (ISS) for the infraction. There was also a third option: Use a black marker to fill in the offending “M.”
As a photo shared online shows, “Juelz” chose the marker option. Traces of the ink could still be seen the next day.
The incident prompted outcry from Angela Washington, who appears to be the boy’s mother.
Her post has sparked outrage.
“Sue the lunch off that school AND the district,” one Facebook commenter wrote.
“This is awful,” agreed another commenter. “Lawyer up.”
“I would’ve put my hands on that principal if that was my kid,” read another response.
Read more at Yahoo.
The student, identified as “Juelz” in a social media post expressing outrage over the April 17 incident, had an “M” shaved into his hair the day before.
When he arrived for class at Berry Miller Junior High in Pearland, Texas, an assistant principal called him out for violating the dress code, which bans “extreme hairstyles” and “carvings.” The administrator reportedly told the boy he could call his mom, or get in-school suspension (ISS) for the infraction. There was also a third option: Use a black marker to fill in the offending “M.”
As a photo shared online shows, “Juelz” chose the marker option. Traces of the ink could still be seen the next day.
The incident prompted outcry from Angela Washington, who appears to be the boy’s mother.
Her post has sparked outrage.
“Sue the lunch off that school AND the district,” one Facebook commenter wrote.
“This is awful,” agreed another commenter. “Lawyer up.”
“I would’ve put my hands on that principal if that was my kid,” read another response.
Read more at Yahoo.
Chicago Activists Say Serial Killer Has Been Targeting Black Women For 20 Years; Demand Action From Cops
After facing increased amounts of pressure from local activists, the Chicago Police Department started a probe into the unsolved killings of 51 women to determine if a serial killer is to blame.
According to a report by the Murder Accountability Project, a Virginia-based nonprofit group that analyzes data from national homicides, all of the 51 women were strangled or asphyxiated and “have characteristics of serial murder.”
In early April 2019, Gregg Greer of Freedom First International spoke at a Police Board meeting about the killings, saying, “We believe that there is a serial killer in Chicago that is on the loose.”
Although Police Supt. Eddie Johnson responded by saying there’s no evidence to suggest a serial killer is responsible for any of the 51 murders, which started in 2011, he did confirm his detectives have opened a new review into the cases, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
The officials with the Murder Accountability Project who finalized the report have been in communication with Chicago detectives. They are now performing an inventory of the evidence collected in the 51 killings, Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Chicago police department, told the Sun-Times.
When the cases were first under investigation, police collected 21 separate DNA profiles of unidentified people on the victims. However, of the 21 DNA profiles, there were no matches or indications that there was a serial killer involved, Guglielmi said.
Guglielmi said the multiple DNA profiles could have occurred because some of the women were sex workers.
Read more at BET
According to a report by the Murder Accountability Project, a Virginia-based nonprofit group that analyzes data from national homicides, all of the 51 women were strangled or asphyxiated and “have characteristics of serial murder.”
In early April 2019, Gregg Greer of Freedom First International spoke at a Police Board meeting about the killings, saying, “We believe that there is a serial killer in Chicago that is on the loose.”
Although Police Supt. Eddie Johnson responded by saying there’s no evidence to suggest a serial killer is responsible for any of the 51 murders, which started in 2011, he did confirm his detectives have opened a new review into the cases, reported the Chicago Sun-Times.
The officials with the Murder Accountability Project who finalized the report have been in communication with Chicago detectives. They are now performing an inventory of the evidence collected in the 51 killings, Anthony Guglielmi, chief spokesman for the Chicago police department, told the Sun-Times.
When the cases were first under investigation, police collected 21 separate DNA profiles of unidentified people on the victims. However, of the 21 DNA profiles, there were no matches or indications that there was a serial killer involved, Guglielmi said.
Guglielmi said the multiple DNA profiles could have occurred because some of the women were sex workers.
Read more at BET
Famed Attorney, Alan Dershowitz Hit With Accusations Tied To A Conviction And Sex Trafficking Ring
MIAMI—A new action was taken in the case of Jeffrey Epstein, a rich financier from West Palm Beach, Fla., who’s been accused of sexually assaulting over 30 under-age girls over a decade ago. But this time, it has to do with his longtime friend, attorney, and Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz.
One of Mr. Epstein’s accusers filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Dershowitz, accusing him of lying when he was previously accused of having sex with her. The suit alleges that Mr. Dershowitz was Mr. Epstein’s co-conspirator, and that he “was also a participant in sex trafficking, including as one of the men to whom Epstein lent out Plaintiff for sex.”
The accuser and plaintiff is Virginia Roberts Giuffre. She previously said in a federal court affidavit in 2015 that Mr. Epstein forced her to have sex with Mr. Dershowitz when she was 16 years old. It was around the same time when Sarah Ransome, another of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, said that she was recruited and trafficked for sex by Mr. Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, in 2006 and 2007. She also alleged that she was directed to have sex with Alan Dershowitz.
Ms. Giuffre’s claims are partially bolstered by an affidavit that was filed by Maria Farmer, which alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell in 1996. Ms. Farmer said she reported her assault to New York police and the FBI but said nothing came of it.
The Miami Herald reported that FBI documents released on April 1 indicate that Ms. Farmer was interviewed in 2006 or 2007. But no action was taken against her accusers.
Read more at Final Call
One of Mr. Epstein’s accusers filed a defamation lawsuit against Mr. Dershowitz, accusing him of lying when he was previously accused of having sex with her. The suit alleges that Mr. Dershowitz was Mr. Epstein’s co-conspirator, and that he “was also a participant in sex trafficking, including as one of the men to whom Epstein lent out Plaintiff for sex.”
The accuser and plaintiff is Virginia Roberts Giuffre. She previously said in a federal court affidavit in 2015 that Mr. Epstein forced her to have sex with Mr. Dershowitz when she was 16 years old. It was around the same time when Sarah Ransome, another of Mr. Epstein’s accusers, said that she was recruited and trafficked for sex by Mr. Epstein and his former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, in 2006 and 2007. She also alleged that she was directed to have sex with Alan Dershowitz.
Ms. Giuffre’s claims are partially bolstered by an affidavit that was filed by Maria Farmer, which alleges that she was sexually assaulted by Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell in 1996. Ms. Farmer said she reported her assault to New York police and the FBI but said nothing came of it.
The Miami Herald reported that FBI documents released on April 1 indicate that Ms. Farmer was interviewed in 2006 or 2007. But no action was taken against her accusers.
Read more at Final Call
Prosecutors Say South Carolina 5th Grader Died Of Natural Causes, Not From Fight
In March, 10-year-old Raniya Wright died two days after getting into a fight at school, which her mother said was an ongoing bullying situation. But on Friday, South Carolina prosecutor Duffie Stone ruled that Raniya died of natural causes, and there was no evidence that the fight contributed to her death.
According to CNN, Stone stated, “There was no evidence of trauma on or inside her body … that would indicate that any fight (of) any magnitude contributed to her death,” Stone said.”There will be no criminal charges brought”.
Raniya’s death sparked outrage in her community and many wondered why the staff at Forest Hills Elementary School didn’t intervene when they received complaints of bullying.
Ashley Wright, Raniya’s mother, spoke to Good Morning America recently and wanted answers.
“I’m very upset with the school system, starting out, only because of the fact that I’ve been complaining about the person that she fought numerous times to them,” Wright said. “That’s what really breaks me down and makes me question to myself why nothing was never done up until now with this happening.”
After the fight in March, Raniya arrived at a local hospital unconscious and was then airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She died two days later.
Read more.
According to CNN, Stone stated, “There was no evidence of trauma on or inside her body … that would indicate that any fight (of) any magnitude contributed to her death,” Stone said.”There will be no criminal charges brought”.
Raniya’s death sparked outrage in her community and many wondered why the staff at Forest Hills Elementary School didn’t intervene when they received complaints of bullying.
Ashley Wright, Raniya’s mother, spoke to Good Morning America recently and wanted answers.
“I’m very upset with the school system, starting out, only because of the fact that I’ve been complaining about the person that she fought numerous times to them,” Wright said. “That’s what really breaks me down and makes me question to myself why nothing was never done up until now with this happening.”
After the fight in March, Raniya arrived at a local hospital unconscious and was then airlifted to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. She died two days later.
Read more.
Pioneering Hip-Hop Journalist Dee Barnes, Now Homeless, Gets a Hand-Up From Wendy Williams
Life has admittedly not been easy for hip-hop media pioneer Dee Barnes, but perhaps things will start to get a little brighter with the help of talk show host Wendy Williams.
Barnes appeared Thursday on Wendy: The Wendy Williams Show, where the talk show host offered to publish the book Barnes has in the works on Williams’ Hunter Publishing imprint. Williams also said she would produce a movie based on the book.
“I would like to publish your book,” Williams told a visibly thrilled Barnes and handing Barnes numbers to call after the show. “I would also like to produce the movie of the book.”
Barnes hosted the influential hip-hop show Pump It Up during the ‘90s and was brutally beaten by Dr. Dre after he took offense about a segment that aired on her show. On Thursday, Barnes revealed that she and her younger daughter were now homeless, staying with friends or at short-term Airbnb rentals and that times had been tough.
Read more at The Root.
Barnes appeared Thursday on Wendy: The Wendy Williams Show, where the talk show host offered to publish the book Barnes has in the works on Williams’ Hunter Publishing imprint. Williams also said she would produce a movie based on the book.
“I would like to publish your book,” Williams told a visibly thrilled Barnes and handing Barnes numbers to call after the show. “I would also like to produce the movie of the book.”
Barnes hosted the influential hip-hop show Pump It Up during the ‘90s and was brutally beaten by Dr. Dre after he took offense about a segment that aired on her show. On Thursday, Barnes revealed that she and her younger daughter were now homeless, staying with friends or at short-term Airbnb rentals and that times had been tough.
Read more at The Root.
A Black Former College Student Faces 12 Years In Prison For ‘Raping’ Girl He Never Had Sex With
A former student at the University of Kansas has been sentenced to 12 years in prison and a lifetime of probation for a September 2016 incident involving another underage student.
Albert N. Wilson attended a bar with a friend and met a girl who was visiting a family member who attended KU. The two were both under 21 at the time and intoxicated when they left the bar to go back to Wilson’s apartment.
According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Wilson was 20 years old and the woman was 17. Both parties agree they met at the popular college spot Jayhawk Cafe while heading to the dance floor. Wilson allegedly lifted up the girl’s skirt and touched her while they kissed. Subsequently, Wilson invited the girl back to his place, which was near the bar. Neither party reportedly asked each other their ages.
The victim claimed Wilson took her back to his place where he raped her. While he admits in engaging in other sexual acts, Wilson claims the two never had sexual intercourse.
Kansas Bureau of Investigation scientists testified that Wilson’s DNA was found on the girl’s chest via Wilson’s saliva when he kissed her, but no DNA from seminal fluid was found. Swabs were collected from the girl the day after the incident from a nurse at a local hospital.
During the trial, Wilson, who is Black, initially said he didn’t remember all of the details of the night, but implied that police were against him from the get go because of his race.
“I don’t know how to explain this, but I come from a different background than you, ma’am,” said Wilson to Judge Sally Pokorny, who is white. “… I just felt like the police [were] against me at that point.”
Read more at BET
Albert N. Wilson attended a bar with a friend and met a girl who was visiting a family member who attended KU. The two were both under 21 at the time and intoxicated when they left the bar to go back to Wilson’s apartment.
According to the Lawrence Journal-World, Wilson was 20 years old and the woman was 17. Both parties agree they met at the popular college spot Jayhawk Cafe while heading to the dance floor. Wilson allegedly lifted up the girl’s skirt and touched her while they kissed. Subsequently, Wilson invited the girl back to his place, which was near the bar. Neither party reportedly asked each other their ages.
The victim claimed Wilson took her back to his place where he raped her. While he admits in engaging in other sexual acts, Wilson claims the two never had sexual intercourse.
Kansas Bureau of Investigation scientists testified that Wilson’s DNA was found on the girl’s chest via Wilson’s saliva when he kissed her, but no DNA from seminal fluid was found. Swabs were collected from the girl the day after the incident from a nurse at a local hospital.
During the trial, Wilson, who is Black, initially said he didn’t remember all of the details of the night, but implied that police were against him from the get go because of his race.
“I don’t know how to explain this, but I come from a different background than you, ma’am,” said Wilson to Judge Sally Pokorny, who is white. “… I just felt like the police [were] against me at that point.”
Read more at BET
Nipsey Hussle’s Gang Protecting the Streets from Counterfeit Merchandise
Nipsey Hussle‘s legacy will long be cherished and protected for years to come, but his image and likeness will also need some protecting, so his old street gang has stepped up.
Sources tell The Blast, many members of the Crips have been keeping an eye out for anybody looking to make a buck off their fallen friend by hawking knockoff merchandise.
Unfortunately when someone dies, many counterfeiters get to work on producing cheap shirts and memorabilia with the late star’s image in order to pass it off like official swag.
Law enforcement sources tell us there’s nothing that can really be done, unless the celebrity has their actual face trademarked. We’re told the reason police are able to crack down on people selling bogus merchandise during sporting events, like the Super Bowl, is because team names are usually trademarked and protected.
Since cops aren’t able to stop the product from hitting the streets, we’re told Nipsey’s friends have taken it upon themselves to shut down anyone trying to exploit the hip-hop star’s image.
During the public memorial, videos were actually made by members of the Crips as a warning to anyone who tried to sell unauthorized merch.
Luckily, there are many of Nipsey’s famous friends, like Meek Mill and The Game, also stepping up and spending big money at his clothing store in the wake of his tragic death.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Sources tell The Blast, many members of the Crips have been keeping an eye out for anybody looking to make a buck off their fallen friend by hawking knockoff merchandise.
Unfortunately when someone dies, many counterfeiters get to work on producing cheap shirts and memorabilia with the late star’s image in order to pass it off like official swag.
Law enforcement sources tell us there’s nothing that can really be done, unless the celebrity has their actual face trademarked. We’re told the reason police are able to crack down on people selling bogus merchandise during sporting events, like the Super Bowl, is because team names are usually trademarked and protected.
Since cops aren’t able to stop the product from hitting the streets, we’re told Nipsey’s friends have taken it upon themselves to shut down anyone trying to exploit the hip-hop star’s image.
During the public memorial, videos were actually made by members of the Crips as a warning to anyone who tried to sell unauthorized merch.
Luckily, there are many of Nipsey’s famous friends, like Meek Mill and The Game, also stepping up and spending big money at his clothing store in the wake of his tragic death.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Suspect in custody in three Louisiana church fires, federal prosecutor says
A suspect in custody in connection with fires at three historically black churches in Louisiana was identified Thursday morning as Holden Matthews, 21, the son of a local sheriff's deputy, a source briefed on the investigation told NBC News.
Federal prosecutors confirmed the arrest Wednesday night and said the suspect was in state custody, but did not name him.
The fires have broken out at the three historically African American churches in St. Landry Parish since late March.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and FBI are working with state and local law enforcement and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the victims and those St. Landry Parish residents affected by these despicable acts," U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph said in a statement.
The statement does not indicate a suspected motive.
ABC station KATC of Lafayette first reported that a suspect was in custody, citing law enforcement sources.
There have been no injuries in the blazes, which were reported at the St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre on March 26, the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2, and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 4, officials have said.
Port Barre is around 11 miles east of Opelousas.
Read more at NBC
Federal prosecutors confirmed the arrest Wednesday night and said the suspect was in state custody, but did not name him.
The fires have broken out at the three historically African American churches in St. Landry Parish since late March.
"The U.S. Attorney’s Office, ATF, and FBI are working with state and local law enforcement and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the victims and those St. Landry Parish residents affected by these despicable acts," U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph said in a statement.
The statement does not indicate a suspected motive.
ABC station KATC of Lafayette first reported that a suspect was in custody, citing law enforcement sources.
There have been no injuries in the blazes, which were reported at the St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre on March 26, the Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 2, and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 4, officials have said.
Port Barre is around 11 miles east of Opelousas.
Read more at NBC
Rebuilding and Buying the Block
The entertainment world, and the Black community at large, collectively felt the loss and pain of the tragic and untimely passing of 33-year-old West Coast hip hop artist Ermias Asghedom, known professionally as Nipsey Hussle.
“Neighborhood Nip,” as he was commonly referred to, was gunned down, shot multiple times on March 31 in the parking lot outside of his clothing store, The Marathon, located in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.
Nipsey Hussle owned the plaza where the business was located, which is situated near the intersection of Slauson Ave. and Crenshaw Blvd., one of the busiest in Los Angeles.
In the 1980’s Crenshaw was one of the most violent sections of L.A. due to the influx of drugs and gangs, most notably the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips.
The shooting occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. PDT, a little more than 30 minutes after Nipsey sent an eerily cryptic tweet that read, “Having strong enemies is a blessing.”
Born in 1985 in Los Angeles to an Eritrean father and a Black mother, Nipsey Hussle rose to prominence in the world of hip-hop in 2005 with his debut mixtape, “Slauson Boy Volume 1.” From there, Nipsey went on to release a bevy of underground mixtapes that quickly established him as next up in a long line of MCs from the Los Angeles area. Nipsey reached the pinnacle of his music career with the release of his “Victory Lap” album which was nominated for a Grammy in 2019. However, in the process of rising up the ranks of hip hop, Nipsey seemed to find a bigger purpose that moved beyond just making music, and that purpose was giving back to the community that raised him and the people who helped shape him.
Nipsey was widely seen as an authentic and relatable person and was true to his stage name.
He was a hustler in every sense of the word. And given the conditions of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw section of Los Angeles, he had to be in order to survive.
Crenshaw has a population of almost 31,00 people, 72 percent of them are Black, and seven out of every 10 people living in the area, are renters. In Crenshaw, the unemployment rate is double the national unemployment at 6.7 percent.
After leaving home at age 14 to begin living on his own, Nipsey learned to turn negatives into positives—and cold hard cash. Some stories are legendary.
In 2013, he made $100,000 selling 1,000 copies of his “Crenshaw” mixtape for $100, something that was unheard of, especially in an era where artists gave mixtapes away for free on the internet. Crenshaw sold out in less than 24 hours, with Jay Z, another rapper who made a name for himself in hip hop as a legendary hustler, buying 100 copies of the tape as a way to show his support.
Read more at Final Call
“Neighborhood Nip,” as he was commonly referred to, was gunned down, shot multiple times on March 31 in the parking lot outside of his clothing store, The Marathon, located in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.
Nipsey Hussle owned the plaza where the business was located, which is situated near the intersection of Slauson Ave. and Crenshaw Blvd., one of the busiest in Los Angeles.
In the 1980’s Crenshaw was one of the most violent sections of L.A. due to the influx of drugs and gangs, most notably the Rollin 60s Neighborhood Crips.
The shooting occurred at approximately 3:20 p.m. PDT, a little more than 30 minutes after Nipsey sent an eerily cryptic tweet that read, “Having strong enemies is a blessing.”
Born in 1985 in Los Angeles to an Eritrean father and a Black mother, Nipsey Hussle rose to prominence in the world of hip-hop in 2005 with his debut mixtape, “Slauson Boy Volume 1.” From there, Nipsey went on to release a bevy of underground mixtapes that quickly established him as next up in a long line of MCs from the Los Angeles area. Nipsey reached the pinnacle of his music career with the release of his “Victory Lap” album which was nominated for a Grammy in 2019. However, in the process of rising up the ranks of hip hop, Nipsey seemed to find a bigger purpose that moved beyond just making music, and that purpose was giving back to the community that raised him and the people who helped shape him.
Nipsey was widely seen as an authentic and relatable person and was true to his stage name.
He was a hustler in every sense of the word. And given the conditions of the Baldwin Hills-Crenshaw section of Los Angeles, he had to be in order to survive.
Crenshaw has a population of almost 31,00 people, 72 percent of them are Black, and seven out of every 10 people living in the area, are renters. In Crenshaw, the unemployment rate is double the national unemployment at 6.7 percent.
After leaving home at age 14 to begin living on his own, Nipsey learned to turn negatives into positives—and cold hard cash. Some stories are legendary.
In 2013, he made $100,000 selling 1,000 copies of his “Crenshaw” mixtape for $100, something that was unheard of, especially in an era where artists gave mixtapes away for free on the internet. Crenshaw sold out in less than 24 hours, with Jay Z, another rapper who made a name for himself in hip hop as a legendary hustler, buying 100 copies of the tape as a way to show his support.
Read more at Final Call
3 dead, 2 police officers injured after day-long hostage standoff in Georgia
Three people are dead, including an alleged hostage taker, after a day-long standoff in Georgia. A pregnant woman and her teenage son were killed, according to Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB.
Two police officers were also injured in the incident, authorities said.
The standoff, which began just before 11 a.m. in Henry County, a southeast suburb of Atlanta, crawled on for 15 hours before police entered the home and found three people dead inside, WSB reported.
The two police officers were shot when they responded to the home Thursday morning. Both are in stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital. One officer was shot in the hand and another was struck in the hip, police said.
Authorities had been hopeful the suspect, who had taken a teenager hostage inside the home, would release him. The sister of the pregnant woman told WSB she had found her dead and called police, triggering the standoff.
"We're hoping he was going release the 16-year-old. He said he would, and we're just standing by waiting," Henry County Police Capt. Joey Smith told WSB while the standoff continued Thursday night.
Police believe the suspect shot himself.
At about 11 p.m., police said the suspect was continuing to surrender and "refused to provide proof of the well-being of a female and 16 year old inside [the] residence." Authorities decided to fire several gas canisters into the home, at which point the suspect fired back at SWAT officers outside the home.
No officers were injured in the evening's events, Smith said.
Two police officers were also injured in the incident, authorities said.
The standoff, which began just before 11 a.m. in Henry County, a southeast suburb of Atlanta, crawled on for 15 hours before police entered the home and found three people dead inside, WSB reported.
The two police officers were shot when they responded to the home Thursday morning. Both are in stable condition at Grady Memorial Hospital. One officer was shot in the hand and another was struck in the hip, police said.
Authorities had been hopeful the suspect, who had taken a teenager hostage inside the home, would release him. The sister of the pregnant woman told WSB she had found her dead and called police, triggering the standoff.
"We're hoping he was going release the 16-year-old. He said he would, and we're just standing by waiting," Henry County Police Capt. Joey Smith told WSB while the standoff continued Thursday night.
Police believe the suspect shot himself.
At about 11 p.m., police said the suspect was continuing to surrender and "refused to provide proof of the well-being of a female and 16 year old inside [the] residence." Authorities decided to fire several gas canisters into the home, at which point the suspect fired back at SWAT officers outside the home.
No officers were injured in the evening's events, Smith said.
Los Angeles police have identified a suspect in the killing of Nipsey Hussle
(CNN)Nipsey Hussle was among four people standing by a car when gunfire erupted outside the rapper's The Marathon Clothing store in Los Angeles, video from a surveillance camera trained on the parking lot shows.
It is not clear which one is Nipsey, but the people appear to be talking. Others are milling about in front of the store. A figure dressed in dark clothing appears to approach the four and then everyone scatters.
Two of the people standing by the car don't get far, however. They fall to the ground. One of them, wearing a white hat and shirt, appears to try to get back up but promptly collapses.
A suspect has been named in Nipsey's shooting death, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Monday night after a memorial to the rapper ended in a stampede that injured multiple people, two critically.
Eric Holder, 29, is wanted for homicide, the LAPD announced early Tuesday.
Read more at CNN
It is not clear which one is Nipsey, but the people appear to be talking. Others are milling about in front of the store. A figure dressed in dark clothing appears to approach the four and then everyone scatters.
Two of the people standing by the car don't get far, however. They fall to the ground. One of them, wearing a white hat and shirt, appears to try to get back up but promptly collapses.
A suspect has been named in Nipsey's shooting death, the Los Angeles Police Department announced Monday night after a memorial to the rapper ended in a stampede that injured multiple people, two critically.
Eric Holder, 29, is wanted for homicide, the LAPD announced early Tuesday.
Read more at CNN
Congresswoman Maxine Waters Says She’s Not Backing Down From Her Goal To Have Trump Impeached
If you thought Congresswoman Maxine Waters had given up her fight to impeach Donald Trump — think again. On Saturday the Democrat from California was honored with the Chairman’s Award during the NAACP Image Awards, and she used the opportunity to make it clear where she stands on the matter.
“I haven’t forgotten about ’45.’ He’s appointed an attorney general who thinks he can hold the special council’s report from the American people,” Waters told attendees at Hollywood, California’s Dolby Theatre. “I still think he needs to be impeached.”
In recent weeks, top Dems have tried to shift the focus off of impeachment, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying “he’s just not worth it.” But Waters is steadfast, and has no issue breaking with leadership, even if it means becoming a target for white supremacists. On Saturday she had a message for them too.
While addressing the detractors who she says have threatened her and her family, Waters expressed to the audience that she is not at all scared by “ultra-right wing white supremacists” and “haters who have threatened to kill me and my family and my staff.” She went on to say that she’s even gotten four of them convicted. “If you come for me, I’m coming for you,” Waters declared to an eruption of applause.
Read more at Essence.
“I haven’t forgotten about ’45.’ He’s appointed an attorney general who thinks he can hold the special council’s report from the American people,” Waters told attendees at Hollywood, California’s Dolby Theatre. “I still think he needs to be impeached.”
In recent weeks, top Dems have tried to shift the focus off of impeachment, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying “he’s just not worth it.” But Waters is steadfast, and has no issue breaking with leadership, even if it means becoming a target for white supremacists. On Saturday she had a message for them too.
While addressing the detractors who she says have threatened her and her family, Waters expressed to the audience that she is not at all scared by “ultra-right wing white supremacists” and “haters who have threatened to kill me and my family and my staff.” She went on to say that she’s even gotten four of them convicted. “If you come for me, I’m coming for you,” Waters declared to an eruption of applause.
Read more at Essence.
African Americans more likely to be misdiagnosed with schizophrenia, Rutgers study finds
African Americans with severe depression are more likely to be misdiagnosed as having schizophrenia than white patients, a new study from Rutgers University found.
The finding builds on years of evidence that clinicians’ racial biases — whether conscious or unconscious — affect the types of mental-health diagnoses African American patients receive. From teens being underdiagnosed for depression to adults being overdiagnosed for schizophrenia, research has demonstrated a persistent trend of misdiagnosis for this community.
“This is rampant and widespread,” said Alfiee Breland-Noble, a professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center who researches depression in African Americans but who was not associated with the Rutgers study. “It is a pervasive problem in the health-care system.”
In the study, which was published in the journal Psychiatric Services, researchers examined the medical records of more than 1,600 people at a community behavioral clinic. About 600 were African American and about 1,000 were non-Latino whites.
The review was done retroactively based on data that are routinely gathered at the clinic, so researchers would not influence clinicians or patients.
They found about 20 percent of African Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia also screened positive for major depression — nearly six times the percentage of white patients with schizophrenia who screened positive for major depression.
That suggests some of the African American patients may have been misdiagnosed, said Michael Gara, coauthor of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Rutgers’ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Schizophrenia is a diagnosis of exclusion, he explained. Clinicians must rule out other potential causes of symptoms first, such as mood disorders, before the diagnosis of schizophrenia is given.
Read more at Philly.com
The finding builds on years of evidence that clinicians’ racial biases — whether conscious or unconscious — affect the types of mental-health diagnoses African American patients receive. From teens being underdiagnosed for depression to adults being overdiagnosed for schizophrenia, research has demonstrated a persistent trend of misdiagnosis for this community.
“This is rampant and widespread,” said Alfiee Breland-Noble, a professor of psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Center who researches depression in African Americans but who was not associated with the Rutgers study. “It is a pervasive problem in the health-care system.”
In the study, which was published in the journal Psychiatric Services, researchers examined the medical records of more than 1,600 people at a community behavioral clinic. About 600 were African American and about 1,000 were non-Latino whites.
The review was done retroactively based on data that are routinely gathered at the clinic, so researchers would not influence clinicians or patients.
They found about 20 percent of African Americans diagnosed with schizophrenia also screened positive for major depression — nearly six times the percentage of white patients with schizophrenia who screened positive for major depression.
That suggests some of the African American patients may have been misdiagnosed, said Michael Gara, coauthor of the study and a professor of psychiatry at Rutgers’ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
Schizophrenia is a diagnosis of exclusion, he explained. Clinicians must rule out other potential causes of symptoms first, such as mood disorders, before the diagnosis of schizophrenia is given.
Read more at Philly.com
10-year-old girl dies after classroom fight.
A 10-year-old girl has died two days after she was injured in a fight with a fellow pupil at her primary school.
RaNiya Wright was found unresponsive by staff at the Forest Hills Elementary School in the South Carolina of Walterboro, after she got into an altercation with another Year 5 student on Monday.
They called the emergency services and RaNiya was taken to hospital where she remained alive, until she passed away on Wednesday.
The other student involved in the fight, who has not been identified, has been suspended from the school, according to NBC News.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation, we ask that the community understands that the information we can share is limited,” district officials said in a statement.
Ash Wright, the 10-year-old’s mother, posted a photograph of the RaNiya in hospital on her Facebook page.
“This is what bullying causes,” she wrote.
She later confirmed her daughter had died. "My baby girl has gained her wings,” she wrote.
Read more at Yahoo.com
RaNiya Wright was found unresponsive by staff at the Forest Hills Elementary School in the South Carolina of Walterboro, after she got into an altercation with another Year 5 student on Monday.
They called the emergency services and RaNiya was taken to hospital where she remained alive, until she passed away on Wednesday.
The other student involved in the fight, who has not been identified, has been suspended from the school, according to NBC News.
“Because this is an ongoing investigation, we ask that the community understands that the information we can share is limited,” district officials said in a statement.
Ash Wright, the 10-year-old’s mother, posted a photograph of the RaNiya in hospital on her Facebook page.
“This is what bullying causes,” she wrote.
She later confirmed her daughter had died. "My baby girl has gained her wings,” she wrote.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Hip-Hop Figure Dee Barnes Reveals She’s Homeless, Turns to GoFundMe
Dee Barnes has always been adamant in speaking her truth, as unpretty as that has often been. On March 15, the hip-hop journalist tweeted a link to a current GoFundMe page titled “Help Dee Barnes,” revealing she is facing homelessness.
Barnes tweeted, “Thank you to everyone for your prayers, your support, your messages, phone calls and positive vibrations, I am profoundly grateful to you all.”
The hip-hop community did not hesitate to pitch in and contribute, with her combined total — up to $28,000, currently — more than five times the initial goal of $5,000. The GoFundMe description begins with the statement: “Standing in our own truth, not the definitions or the expectations, is powerful, and this is my TRUTH.”
The former “Pump It Up!” host made history becoming the first female rap journalist to have a broadcast television show, but things took a left turn when Dr. Dre assaulted her. In 1991, Barnes had wrapped an interview with Ice Cube, who had said negative things about N.W.A at the time.
Read more at Variety
Barnes tweeted, “Thank you to everyone for your prayers, your support, your messages, phone calls and positive vibrations, I am profoundly grateful to you all.”
The hip-hop community did not hesitate to pitch in and contribute, with her combined total — up to $28,000, currently — more than five times the initial goal of $5,000. The GoFundMe description begins with the statement: “Standing in our own truth, not the definitions or the expectations, is powerful, and this is my TRUTH.”
The former “Pump It Up!” host made history becoming the first female rap journalist to have a broadcast television show, but things took a left turn when Dr. Dre assaulted her. In 1991, Barnes had wrapped an interview with Ice Cube, who had said negative things about N.W.A at the time.
Read more at Variety
Charges dropped against 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett
CHICAGO – Prosecutors dropped all charges Tuesday against “Empire” star Jussie Smollett, just weeks after he was indicted on 16 counts of disorderly conduct for filing a false police report about being the victim of an alleged hate crime attack.
"After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," according to a statement from the office of the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, sent to USA TODAY by her spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.
Following a surprise hearing, Smollett and his legal team addressed a crowd of reporters in a courthouse hallway.
“I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since Day 1,” Smollett said. “It’s been an incredibly difficult time. One of the worst of my entire life.... Now I would like nothing more than to just to get back to work and get on with my life.”
Patricia Brown Holmes, one of his lawyers, said her message to Chicago police was simple: Don’t try their cases in the press. She said she doesn't know why police and prosecutors charged Smollett.
"I have nothing to say to police except to investigate and don't try their cases in the press," Brown Holmes told reporters. "Don't jump ahead and utilize the press and convict people before they're tried in a court of law."
Police had charged that Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to carry out the attack in order to raise his profile and TV salary. But Brown Holmes said Smollett has long claimed the check was for nutritional supplements and training.
"That check was for exactly what Jussie said – they were his trainers," Brown Holmes said.
Read more at USA Today
"After reviewing all of the facts and circumstances of the case, including Mr. Smollett’s volunteer service in the community and agreement to forfeit his bond to the City of Chicago, we believe this outcome is a just disposition and appropriate resolution to this case," according to a statement from the office of the Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx, sent to USA TODAY by her spokeswoman, Tandra Simonton.
Following a surprise hearing, Smollett and his legal team addressed a crowd of reporters in a courthouse hallway.
“I have been truthful and consistent on every single level since Day 1,” Smollett said. “It’s been an incredibly difficult time. One of the worst of my entire life.... Now I would like nothing more than to just to get back to work and get on with my life.”
Patricia Brown Holmes, one of his lawyers, said her message to Chicago police was simple: Don’t try their cases in the press. She said she doesn't know why police and prosecutors charged Smollett.
"I have nothing to say to police except to investigate and don't try their cases in the press," Brown Holmes told reporters. "Don't jump ahead and utilize the press and convict people before they're tried in a court of law."
Police had charged that Smollett paid two brothers $3,500 to carry out the attack in order to raise his profile and TV salary. But Brown Holmes said Smollett has long claimed the check was for nutritional supplements and training.
"That check was for exactly what Jussie said – they were his trainers," Brown Holmes said.
Read more at USA Today
Black women and the ugly reality of domestic violence
Last Thanksgiving was a particularly bad holiday for the families of six Black females who died at a time often used to focus on reasons to be grateful.
But advocates say domestic violence and assaults against Black women still draw too little attention, outrage and protest.The five women and one teenager who died in a deadly week last November lost their lives at the hands of their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends in different parts of the country.
“We are in a crisis and the crisis we often talk about is the external—people outside of our community who seek to do us harm—and that is a real danger. But the silent killing of Black women is at the hands of those within our community,” said Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, a licensed psychologist and ordained minister. She has worked nationally and internationally to provide relief and empowerment to marginalized people, including women. She is an associate professor at Pepperdine University and a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women.
For Black women, like other women, threats come most often from people who know, claim to love or claim to have loved them
Dr. Bryant Davis feels silence about domestic abuse toward Black females is multiplied as the media decides which victims deserve to be written or talked about. “Often those are not Black women, but even within our communities when the offender, the perpetrator, the murderer is someone from within our community, then we also are silent about it and so the silence is killing us both outside and inside,” she said.
On November 17, 2018, firefighters found sisters Uniek Atkins, 27, and Sierra Brown, 16, dead with gunshot wounds after extinguishing flames in their Westchester apartment, about 20 miles southwest of Los Angeles. Two days later, police arrested a 17 year old, a boyfriend of one of the victims, on suspicion of murder and another minor as an accessory.
Across the country in Shaker Heights, Ohio, 45-year-old Aisha Fraser Mason’s ex-husband allegedly stabbed her to death in front of their two children, 8 and 11, and her sister. She was a beloved elementary school teacher for 16 years. Her killer, Lance Mason, was a former Cuyahoga County, Ohio judge. He tried to flee when her sister called 911 and was arrested after crashing into a police cruiser. He has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Read more at Final Call
But advocates say domestic violence and assaults against Black women still draw too little attention, outrage and protest.The five women and one teenager who died in a deadly week last November lost their lives at the hands of their husbands, ex-husbands, or boyfriends in different parts of the country.
“We are in a crisis and the crisis we often talk about is the external—people outside of our community who seek to do us harm—and that is a real danger. But the silent killing of Black women is at the hands of those within our community,” said Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, a licensed psychologist and ordained minister. She has worked nationally and internationally to provide relief and empowerment to marginalized people, including women. She is an associate professor at Pepperdine University and a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women.
For Black women, like other women, threats come most often from people who know, claim to love or claim to have loved them
Dr. Bryant Davis feels silence about domestic abuse toward Black females is multiplied as the media decides which victims deserve to be written or talked about. “Often those are not Black women, but even within our communities when the offender, the perpetrator, the murderer is someone from within our community, then we also are silent about it and so the silence is killing us both outside and inside,” she said.
On November 17, 2018, firefighters found sisters Uniek Atkins, 27, and Sierra Brown, 16, dead with gunshot wounds after extinguishing flames in their Westchester apartment, about 20 miles southwest of Los Angeles. Two days later, police arrested a 17 year old, a boyfriend of one of the victims, on suspicion of murder and another minor as an accessory.
Across the country in Shaker Heights, Ohio, 45-year-old Aisha Fraser Mason’s ex-husband allegedly stabbed her to death in front of their two children, 8 and 11, and her sister. She was a beloved elementary school teacher for 16 years. Her killer, Lance Mason, was a former Cuyahoga County, Ohio judge. He tried to flee when her sister called 911 and was arrested after crashing into a police cruiser. He has pleaded not guilty to her murder.
Read more at Final Call
Horrific Video Shows White Dallas Bartender Holding A Gun Brutally Attack Black Woman Over Parking Dispute
A Texas bartender was arrested after he was seen on-camera viciously attacking a woman over a parking lot dispute.
On Wednesday night, witnesses saw the bartender, who was identified as 30-year-old Austin Shuffield, confront a 24-year-old woman who was blocking the exit to a parking lot, reported CBS 11.
According to the unidentified victim, she was driving in the wrong direction when she decided to pull into a parking lot, blocking Shuffield as he tried to leave. He then got out of his truck and told her to move out of his way.
In a video from the incident, Shuffield and the victim argue until Shuffield eventually pulls out what appears to be a gun and holds it behind his back. As the dispute escalates, Shuffield smacks the woman’s cell phone out of her hand when she tried to call 911.
The victim retaliated by slapping Shuffield in the face.
Shuffield then took a fighting stance and punched the victim in the face. He then hit her repeatedly in the face and upper body at least four more times. The woman then bent over as Shuffield kicked her phone to the ground.
Police were called to the scene, where they arrested Shuffield for aggravated assault causing injury, interference with an emergency call and public intoxication.
Read more at BET
On Wednesday night, witnesses saw the bartender, who was identified as 30-year-old Austin Shuffield, confront a 24-year-old woman who was blocking the exit to a parking lot, reported CBS 11.
According to the unidentified victim, she was driving in the wrong direction when she decided to pull into a parking lot, blocking Shuffield as he tried to leave. He then got out of his truck and told her to move out of his way.
In a video from the incident, Shuffield and the victim argue until Shuffield eventually pulls out what appears to be a gun and holds it behind his back. As the dispute escalates, Shuffield smacks the woman’s cell phone out of her hand when she tried to call 911.
The victim retaliated by slapping Shuffield in the face.
Shuffield then took a fighting stance and punched the victim in the face. He then hit her repeatedly in the face and upper body at least four more times. The woman then bent over as Shuffield kicked her phone to the ground.
Police were called to the scene, where they arrested Shuffield for aggravated assault causing injury, interference with an emergency call and public intoxication.
Read more at BET
Homeless 8-year-old refugee wins New York State chess championship, inspiring viral fundraiser
Tanitoluwa Adewumi just said checkmate.
Despite learning the game a little over a year ago, the 8-year-old boy — homeless refugee from Nigeria — was crowned the New York State Primary Chess Champion in the kindergarten-to-third-grade bracket of the 52nd New York State Scholastic Championships. The elementary school student, better known as “Tani,” went undefeated at the championships, where he outsmarted opponents from top private schools with pricey chess tutors.
“I want to be the youngest grandmaster,” Tani told the New York Times.
Tani is well on his way to achieving that goal, as the third-grader has already established an unwavering dedication to improving his chess prowess. His mother, Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.
“He is so driven,” his school chess teacher, Shawn Martinez told the New York Times. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles than the average kid. He just wants to be better.” Martinez estimates that the youngster could achieve the chess master title in one to two years. The youngest chess grandmaster to-date earned the prestigious title at the age of 12.
In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group.
Read more at Yahoo
Despite learning the game a little over a year ago, the 8-year-old boy — homeless refugee from Nigeria — was crowned the New York State Primary Chess Champion in the kindergarten-to-third-grade bracket of the 52nd New York State Scholastic Championships. The elementary school student, better known as “Tani,” went undefeated at the championships, where he outsmarted opponents from top private schools with pricey chess tutors.
“I want to be the youngest grandmaster,” Tani told the New York Times.
Tani is well on his way to achieving that goal, as the third-grader has already established an unwavering dedication to improving his chess prowess. His mother, Oluwatoyin Adewumi, reportedly takes him to free three-hour practice sessions in Harlem every Saturday, while his father, Kayode, allows him to play chess online on his laptop each evening.
“He is so driven,” his school chess teacher, Shawn Martinez told the New York Times. “He does 10 times more chess puzzles than the average kid. He just wants to be better.” Martinez estimates that the youngster could achieve the chess master title in one to two years. The youngest chess grandmaster to-date earned the prestigious title at the age of 12.
In the brief year since Tani was first introduced to the game, the chess whiz has already collected seven trophies, and is one of the top players in the country for his age group.
Read more at Yahoo
Cops called on man accused of sneaking into AMC movie theater: 'Do you know how embarrassing this is?'
Black Lives Matter Arizona will protest outside an AMC movie theater for the “racial profiling, harassment, and mistreatment” of a man incorrectly accused of sneaking into a Captain Marvel screening.
On Friday night, Larry Shelton, 40, a mortgage banker in Ahwatukee, Ariz., was watching the movie at an AMC theater in Phoenix when he got up to use the restroom and re-fill his beverage. “I’m walking back to my seat with my cup when a manager runs up and said I entered the building through an exit door,” Shelton tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “He was very nasty with me and told me to leave.”
Shelton told the employee he was wrong and that he should verify his suspicion on a security camera. He continued to his seat and as he ate popcorn wearing his 3D glasses, a security guard told him to leave. Shelton refused, filming the argument for Facebook.
Shelton recorded another video in the theater lobby, where police officers were standing. “These guys said you didn’t have a ticket,” said an officer, indicating the manager who said, “Sir, you walked in an exit door and my staff warned me they did not sell you a ticket…I am sure. Nobody scanned your ticket.”
Shelton presented his movie ticket and the manager said, “Oh yes, this is a ticket that does look like it was purchased…but you should have shown me the ticket…you walked in [from] the exit door.”
“Do you know how embarrassing this is?” said Shelton. He asked for a refund and the manager said, “You’re not getting a refund. You violated our code of conduct by turning a flashlight on in the theater.”
Read more at Yahoo.
On Friday night, Larry Shelton, 40, a mortgage banker in Ahwatukee, Ariz., was watching the movie at an AMC theater in Phoenix when he got up to use the restroom and re-fill his beverage. “I’m walking back to my seat with my cup when a manager runs up and said I entered the building through an exit door,” Shelton tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “He was very nasty with me and told me to leave.”
Shelton told the employee he was wrong and that he should verify his suspicion on a security camera. He continued to his seat and as he ate popcorn wearing his 3D glasses, a security guard told him to leave. Shelton refused, filming the argument for Facebook.
Shelton recorded another video in the theater lobby, where police officers were standing. “These guys said you didn’t have a ticket,” said an officer, indicating the manager who said, “Sir, you walked in an exit door and my staff warned me they did not sell you a ticket…I am sure. Nobody scanned your ticket.”
Shelton presented his movie ticket and the manager said, “Oh yes, this is a ticket that does look like it was purchased…but you should have shown me the ticket…you walked in [from] the exit door.”
“Do you know how embarrassing this is?” said Shelton. He asked for a refund and the manager said, “You’re not getting a refund. You violated our code of conduct by turning a flashlight on in the theater.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Two Black Women Are Killing It In An Ice Sport You’ve Probably Never Thought About Watching
Morning is just welcoming the light when Auria Moore and Porsche Stephenson step onto the unblemished surface at Skatetown Ice Arena in Roseville, California. The rink has been polished into a clean slate there’s no noise, and no kids underfoot to create distractions. It is a competitor’s utopia.
Moore, 33, and Stephenson, 27, observe a religious dedication to these early practices.
They’re an outgrowth of the shared love the childhood friends turned teammates have for the sport of curling, followed closely by a mutually competitive nature that intensifies just about everything they do as individuals and homegirls. It’s especially important to them in a game that still requires a quick Google search for many folks to recognize, even more especially for two Black women who became fast accustomed to almost always being the only representation of color whenever they’re on the ice.
They discovered curling and their talent for it in June 2015 in what seemed like a coincidence at the time. Moore was recovering from an injury and wanted to find something to do that would help her stay in shape without overexerting her healing body. “I’d seen curling in a Beatles movie—I’m a big Beatles fan—and just on a fluke, I said to Porsche, ‘hey, I wonder if that’s something they do here in the States.’ She Googled it and we saw a Learn to Curl class nearby,” remembers Moore who, like Stephenson, is a native Californian.
Coach Bruce Johnson welcomed the newbies to their first experience in the sport and noticed almost immediately that they were both naturally gifted players. The members of Wine Country Curling Club in Roseville picked up on it too. “They all said, “Oh my God, you have to play this. People take years to even get to this skill level and you two are at the Learn to Curl doing it,” said Stephenson. They threw themselves into the learning process and what started as something new to try for fun has become a consuming passion. Behold, two more brilliant examples of Black girls can do anything.
Read more at Essence
Moore, 33, and Stephenson, 27, observe a religious dedication to these early practices.
They’re an outgrowth of the shared love the childhood friends turned teammates have for the sport of curling, followed closely by a mutually competitive nature that intensifies just about everything they do as individuals and homegirls. It’s especially important to them in a game that still requires a quick Google search for many folks to recognize, even more especially for two Black women who became fast accustomed to almost always being the only representation of color whenever they’re on the ice.
They discovered curling and their talent for it in June 2015 in what seemed like a coincidence at the time. Moore was recovering from an injury and wanted to find something to do that would help her stay in shape without overexerting her healing body. “I’d seen curling in a Beatles movie—I’m a big Beatles fan—and just on a fluke, I said to Porsche, ‘hey, I wonder if that’s something they do here in the States.’ She Googled it and we saw a Learn to Curl class nearby,” remembers Moore who, like Stephenson, is a native Californian.
Coach Bruce Johnson welcomed the newbies to their first experience in the sport and noticed almost immediately that they were both naturally gifted players. The members of Wine Country Curling Club in Roseville picked up on it too. “They all said, “Oh my God, you have to play this. People take years to even get to this skill level and you two are at the Learn to Curl doing it,” said Stephenson. They threw themselves into the learning process and what started as something new to try for fun has become a consuming passion. Behold, two more brilliant examples of Black girls can do anything.
Read more at Essence
Restaurant owner resigns after calling employee the N-word in text message: 'I will never use that word again'
The owner of a Vietnamese restaurant has resigned after calling an employee the N-word in a text message. “I will never use that word again,” Danh Le tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
Domo Schneckenburg, formerly a Pho Shack general manager at locations in Katy and Sugar Land, Texas, posted Facebook screenshots of a group text between co-owner Le, his associate, and herself right after she quit her job of two and a half years on Friday.
“Domo just called and say she quit,” wrote Le. “I said ok. Thank you. Her last day will be Thursday. Ima call her later and tell her her last day will be today. F*** the [N-word]. Don’t like that b**** attitude anyways.”
“Lmaooooooo,” wrote Domo.
Le wrote back, “Leave the key with Wilber for me. If u want your last check. Close tonight out correctly and professionally.”
“The [N-word] says f*** you,” wrote Schneckenburg.
The 26-year-old wrote on Facebook, “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t surprised by [Le]’s reaction because I was. It was a rude awakening that the stereotypes between black and Asians are still true, New generation or not. Regardless of how long you have known them, how hard you have worked, how trustworthy you have been, whether or not the family knows you, etc. You’re still a [N-word] in their eyes. I guess my first sign should have been when the owners would casually say ‘[N-word]’ until I told them it made me uncomfortable…”
Read more at Yahoo
Domo Schneckenburg, formerly a Pho Shack general manager at locations in Katy and Sugar Land, Texas, posted Facebook screenshots of a group text between co-owner Le, his associate, and herself right after she quit her job of two and a half years on Friday.
“Domo just called and say she quit,” wrote Le. “I said ok. Thank you. Her last day will be Thursday. Ima call her later and tell her her last day will be today. F*** the [N-word]. Don’t like that b**** attitude anyways.”
“Lmaooooooo,” wrote Domo.
Le wrote back, “Leave the key with Wilber for me. If u want your last check. Close tonight out correctly and professionally.”
“The [N-word] says f*** you,” wrote Schneckenburg.
The 26-year-old wrote on Facebook, “I won’t lie and say I wasn’t surprised by [Le]’s reaction because I was. It was a rude awakening that the stereotypes between black and Asians are still true, New generation or not. Regardless of how long you have known them, how hard you have worked, how trustworthy you have been, whether or not the family knows you, etc. You’re still a [N-word] in their eyes. I guess my first sign should have been when the owners would casually say ‘[N-word]’ until I told them it made me uncomfortable…”
Read more at Yahoo
Girl Found Dead In Duffle Bag On Hacienda Heights Trail Identified As 9-Year-Old Trinity Love Jones
The young Black girl whose dead body was discovered in a duffel bag at the bottom of a trail in Hacienda Heights last week has been identified by her family.
The 9-year-old victim has been identified as Trinity Love Jones, a Los Angeles resident, her father, Anthony Jones, told KTLA.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, two people have been detained in connection with Jones’ case.
"Investigators have detained two persons of interest in this case and they are actively continuing their investigation," Deputy Tracey Koerner of the Sheriff's Information Bureau said in a written statement.
Police have not yet determined the girl’s cause of the death but they are treating her case as a homicide.
"Although the Coroner’s Office determined the death to be a homicide, the cause of death is being withheld," Koerner said.
"As additional facts are established and verified, investigators anticipate that additional information will be available for release during a press conference later in the week," Koerner added.
Last week, county maintenance workers found Jones, whose body was found partially inside of a duffel bag. Upon first examination of the body, there were no obvious signs of trauma, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Along the trail where the girl’s body was found, family and community members erected a memorial of candles, flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and photos of Jones.
Read more at BET
The 9-year-old victim has been identified as Trinity Love Jones, a Los Angeles resident, her father, Anthony Jones, told KTLA.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, two people have been detained in connection with Jones’ case.
"Investigators have detained two persons of interest in this case and they are actively continuing their investigation," Deputy Tracey Koerner of the Sheriff's Information Bureau said in a written statement.
Police have not yet determined the girl’s cause of the death but they are treating her case as a homicide.
"Although the Coroner’s Office determined the death to be a homicide, the cause of death is being withheld," Koerner said.
"As additional facts are established and verified, investigators anticipate that additional information will be available for release during a press conference later in the week," Koerner added.
Last week, county maintenance workers found Jones, whose body was found partially inside of a duffel bag. Upon first examination of the body, there were no obvious signs of trauma, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.
Along the trail where the girl’s body was found, family and community members erected a memorial of candles, flowers, balloons, stuffed animals and photos of Jones.
Read more at BET
'Pursuit of justice': Sacramento mall shut down as protests continue over Stephon Clark decision
A small group of protesters staged a sit-in that led to the closure of Sacramento’s largest mall Sunday, marking the second day of demonstrations in California’s capital after prosecutors said no charges would be filed in the Stephon Clark killing.
District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced the decision Saturday, saying an investigation revealed the two police officers who gunned down Clark, 22, in his grandparents’ backyard last March had reason to believe their lives were at risk.
Clark did not have a weapon, but the officers -- Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet -- said he was advancing toward them and they mistook the cellphone in his hand for a gun.
“We must recognize that they are often forced to make split-second decisions, and we must recognize that they are under tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving circumstances,” Schubert said.
Several dozen people protested Saturday in Sacramento over the latest police killing of an unarmed black man, and the smaller group gathered at the Arden Fair Mall and held up signs of protest Sunday morning.
Mall officials told the Sacramento Bee they closed down the shopping center out of concern the demonstration could turn into a confrontation. There was “high potential for crowds that the interior of the mall couldn’t accommodate safely,’’ spokesman Nathan Spradlin said.
The leader of the group, Berry Accius, told news reporters forcing the mall to be closed “was the only way for folks to realize what’s going on,” adding that mall visitors will be “inconvenienced, like we are every day having black skin.”
More: Cops who fatally shot Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man, last year will not face criminal charges, Sacramento AG says
Clark’s family called an afternoon news conference with members of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network to press their “pursuit of justice.’’
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, said Sunday on Sharpton’s MSNBC show that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is expected to release the results of his own investigation later this month. Crump said his clients are hoping for a different conclusion than the one reached by local prosecutors.
Read more at Yahoo
District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert announced the decision Saturday, saying an investigation revealed the two police officers who gunned down Clark, 22, in his grandparents’ backyard last March had reason to believe their lives were at risk.
Clark did not have a weapon, but the officers -- Terrence Mercadal and Jared Robinet -- said he was advancing toward them and they mistook the cellphone in his hand for a gun.
“We must recognize that they are often forced to make split-second decisions, and we must recognize that they are under tense, uncertain and rapidly evolving circumstances,” Schubert said.
Several dozen people protested Saturday in Sacramento over the latest police killing of an unarmed black man, and the smaller group gathered at the Arden Fair Mall and held up signs of protest Sunday morning.
Mall officials told the Sacramento Bee they closed down the shopping center out of concern the demonstration could turn into a confrontation. There was “high potential for crowds that the interior of the mall couldn’t accommodate safely,’’ spokesman Nathan Spradlin said.
The leader of the group, Berry Accius, told news reporters forcing the mall to be closed “was the only way for folks to realize what’s going on,” adding that mall visitors will be “inconvenienced, like we are every day having black skin.”
More: Cops who fatally shot Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man, last year will not face criminal charges, Sacramento AG says
Clark’s family called an afternoon news conference with members of the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network to press their “pursuit of justice.’’
Attorney Ben Crump, who represents the family, said Sunday on Sharpton’s MSNBC show that California Attorney General Xavier Becerra is expected to release the results of his own investigation later this month. Crump said his clients are hoping for a different conclusion than the one reached by local prosecutors.
Read more at Yahoo
The Brothers Who Allegedly Helped Stage the Attack on Jussie Smollett Issue Apology
The brothers, who Jussie Smollett allegedly paid to stage a “bogus” hate crime attack against him, have issued a public apology.Abimbola “Abel” and Olabinjo “Ola” Osundairo’s attorney released a statement to CBS Chicago Thursday, saying that the two men felt “tremendous regret” for being involved with the situation.
They also apologized for the negative impact it may have had on people across the country, particularly for those who were victims of hate crimes.
“My clients have tremendous regret over their involvement in this situation, and they understand how it has impacted people across the nation, particularly minority communities and especially those who have been victims of hate crimes themselves,” the statement read.
In the initial report about the alleged hate attack, Smollett claimed to police that he’d been physically attacked on the street in his downtown Chicago neighborhood around 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 29 by two black-clad, masked men who used racist and homophobic slurs, doused him with an “unknown chemical substance” and left him with a rope around his neck.
Abel and Ola — who were seen on surveillance footage the night of the incident and later questioned by police — were arrested two weeks ago but were eventually released after telling them about the alleged hoax.
Read more at Yahoo.
They also apologized for the negative impact it may have had on people across the country, particularly for those who were victims of hate crimes.
“My clients have tremendous regret over their involvement in this situation, and they understand how it has impacted people across the nation, particularly minority communities and especially those who have been victims of hate crimes themselves,” the statement read.
In the initial report about the alleged hate attack, Smollett claimed to police that he’d been physically attacked on the street in his downtown Chicago neighborhood around 2 a.m. local time on Jan. 29 by two black-clad, masked men who used racist and homophobic slurs, doused him with an “unknown chemical substance” and left him with a rope around his neck.
Abel and Ola — who were seen on surveillance footage the night of the incident and later questioned by police — were arrested two weeks ago but were eventually released after telling them about the alleged hoax.
Read more at Yahoo.
Parents Furious After Seeing Video Of Fifth Graders Picking Cotton And Singing 'Slave Song' On School Trip
A group of South Carolina parents were outraged after seeing a video of their fifth-grade students picking cotton and singing a “slave song” during school field trip.
During a Rock Hill School District approved trip to a historical schoolhouse called the Carroll School, which is surrounded by cotton fields, the students learned about how the Great Depression effected the African-American community.
In the video, students can be seen picking cotton while singing: "I like it when you pick like that. I like it when you fill your sack. "I like it when you don't talk back. Make money for me."
Also in the video was an adult who drummed a rhythm while another adult yelled, "I can't hear y'all.”
Erica Poplus, whose daughter attended the field trip in September, said her "jaw dropped” when she saw the clip, reported ABC News.
According to Poplus, her 11-year-old daughter and her classmates spent roughly five to 10 minutes picking cotton. While on the trip, the kids were put in competition to see who could fill up their sack with the most cotton, an incentive that was actually used during slavery.
The Rock Hill School District released a statement saying the point of the trip was to be educational and informative.
Read more at BET
Spike Lee dismisses Trump's 'racist hit' tweet
Spike Lee has responded to President Trump’s calling his acceptance speech at the Academy Awards a “racist hit.”
“Well, it’s okee-doke, you know,” Lee told Entertainment Weekly on Monday night. “They change the narrative.
“They did the same thing with the African-American players who were kneeling, trying to make it into an anti-American thing, an anti-patriotic thing, and an anti-military thing,” Lee continued. “But no one’s going for that.”
On Sunday, Lee took the stage to accept his first competitive Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman” with several pages of prepared remarks. He honored Black History Month and thanked his grandmother — who he said saved up 50 years of Social Security checks to help put him through film school — before turning to politics and the upcoming presidential election.
“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner,” Lee said. “Let’s all mobilize, let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing!”
Trump responded to Lee in a Monday morning tweet, saying it would “be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!”
Lee did not specifically reference the president or the administration. But he has long been critical of Trump, whom he often refers to as “Agent Orange.”
Read more at Yahoo
“Well, it’s okee-doke, you know,” Lee told Entertainment Weekly on Monday night. “They change the narrative.
“They did the same thing with the African-American players who were kneeling, trying to make it into an anti-American thing, an anti-patriotic thing, and an anti-military thing,” Lee continued. “But no one’s going for that.”
On Sunday, Lee took the stage to accept his first competitive Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for “BlacKkKlansman” with several pages of prepared remarks. He honored Black History Month and thanked his grandmother — who he said saved up 50 years of Social Security checks to help put him through film school — before turning to politics and the upcoming presidential election.
“The 2020 presidential election is around the corner,” Lee said. “Let’s all mobilize, let’s all be on the right side of history. Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let’s do the right thing!”
Trump responded to Lee in a Monday morning tweet, saying it would “be nice if Spike Lee could read his notes, or better yet not have to use notes at all, when doing his racist hit on your President, who has done more for African Americans (Criminal Justice Reform, Lowest Unemployment numbers in History, Tax Cuts,etc.) than almost any other Pres!”
Lee did not specifically reference the president or the administration. But he has long been critical of Trump, whom he often refers to as “Agent Orange.”
Read more at Yahoo
Kelly has been indicted, sources say
Chicago (CNN)Musician R. Kelly, who has been associated with accusations of abusing young women for more than two decades, has been indicted, two sources with knowledge of the development tell CNN.
Cook County, Illinois, State's Attorney Kim Foxx will announce charges against Kelly at a news conference at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET), according to a release from her office. CNN is working to obtain the indictment.
A grand jury was convened in Cook County earlier this month in connection with new allegations against Kelly, two sources close to the case told CNN.
That came on the heels of attorney Michael Avenatti announcing he had handed over to the State's Attorney's Office a videotape that he said showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl.
Steve Greenberg, an attorney for Kelly, told CNN earlier this month he had not been notified of a grand jury. After being asked about the new tape, he said separately he and his colleagues were unaware of any new information involving Kelly.
CNN has seen the VHS tape that appears to show Kelly having sex with a girl who refers to her body parts as 14 years old.
The newly unearthed footage, which lasts 42 minutes and 45 seconds, is clear and explicit.
What is on the video mirrors some of the alleged acts for which Kelly was arrested in a child pornography case in 2002 when he was 35 and then acquitted six years later.
Kelly has been associated with accusations of abuse, manipulation and inappropriate encounters with girls and young women for more than two decades.
Read more at CNN
Cook County, Illinois, State's Attorney Kim Foxx will announce charges against Kelly at a news conference at 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET), according to a release from her office. CNN is working to obtain the indictment.
A grand jury was convened in Cook County earlier this month in connection with new allegations against Kelly, two sources close to the case told CNN.
That came on the heels of attorney Michael Avenatti announcing he had handed over to the State's Attorney's Office a videotape that he said showed Kelly having sex with an underage girl.
Steve Greenberg, an attorney for Kelly, told CNN earlier this month he had not been notified of a grand jury. After being asked about the new tape, he said separately he and his colleagues were unaware of any new information involving Kelly.
CNN has seen the VHS tape that appears to show Kelly having sex with a girl who refers to her body parts as 14 years old.
The newly unearthed footage, which lasts 42 minutes and 45 seconds, is clear and explicit.
What is on the video mirrors some of the alleged acts for which Kelly was arrested in a child pornography case in 2002 when he was 35 and then acquitted six years later.
Kelly has been associated with accusations of abuse, manipulation and inappropriate encounters with girls and young women for more than two decades.
Read more at CNN
Jussie Smollett arrested for allegedly making up hate-crime attack
"Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has been arrested for allegedly filing a false police report claiming he was the victim of a hate-crime attack in Chicago, a police spokesman said early Thursday.
Smollett was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct for the allegedly false report he made with Chicago police on Jan. 29, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. In it he claimed he was assaulted by two masked men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs.
The actor, 36, who is black and gay, also said his attackers poured what he believed was bleach over him and put a noose around his neck.
Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Smollett was in the custody of detectives, who had earlier contacted Smollett's legal team "to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest." He could face probation or up to three years in prison if convicted, a Cook County State’s Attorney office spokeswoman told NBC Chicago.
The actor is due in court for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. CT Thursday.
The announcement of charges on Wednesday night came after Smollett's attorneys talked with prosecutors in the morning, according to police.
Read more at NBC
Smollett was charged Wednesday with felony disorderly conduct for the allegedly false report he made with Chicago police on Jan. 29, according to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office. In it he claimed he was assaulted by two masked men who hurled racist and homophobic slurs.
The actor, 36, who is black and gay, also said his attackers poured what he believed was bleach over him and put a noose around his neck.
Chicago Police Department spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Smollett was in the custody of detectives, who had earlier contacted Smollett's legal team "to negotiate a reasonable surrender for his arrest." He could face probation or up to three years in prison if convicted, a Cook County State’s Attorney office spokeswoman told NBC Chicago.
The actor is due in court for a bond hearing at 1:30 p.m. CT Thursday.
The announcement of charges on Wednesday night came after Smollett's attorneys talked with prosecutors in the morning, according to police.
Read more at NBC
6 California Officers Shot At Willie McCoy As He Woke In His Locked Car At Taco Bell
According to a statement released by the police department, the six officers shot "multiple rounds" at the driver, who was identified by his family as Willie McCoy, also known as Willie Bo. All of the rounds were fired in a matter of seconds.
"It seems like an execution," David Harrison, McCoy's cousin and manager, told NBC News Wednesday. "It looks like my baby cousin was executed by a firing squad."
In the past, the Vallejo Police Department has been accused of using excessive force and has been at the center of several civil rights complaints.
The shooting occurred on Saturday when employees called police to report a driver slumped over in his car at the drive-thru. Two patrol cars arrived at the scene around 10:30 p.m.
When the officers examined the car, they reportedly saw a handgun in the driver’s lap and immediately called for backup.
"The two officers decided to hold their position and did not attempt to wake the driver," police said in a statement.
Although the officers discussed attempting to remove the gun from the driver, they realized the doors were locked and the car was in drive. Eventually, another patrol car arrived on the scene and was positioned in front of McCoy’s car "to prevent forward or erratic movement," police said.
When another car arrived to block the rear of McCoy’s vehicle, he woke up.
Police claim McCoy was given "several commands" to put his hands up, but he allegedly did not comply and "quickly" moved his hands down to the gun.
Six police officers in Vallejo, California, opened fired on a local 20-year-old rapper who was caught sleeping in his car at a Taco Bell.
Read more at BET
"It seems like an execution," David Harrison, McCoy's cousin and manager, told NBC News Wednesday. "It looks like my baby cousin was executed by a firing squad."
In the past, the Vallejo Police Department has been accused of using excessive force and has been at the center of several civil rights complaints.
The shooting occurred on Saturday when employees called police to report a driver slumped over in his car at the drive-thru. Two patrol cars arrived at the scene around 10:30 p.m.
When the officers examined the car, they reportedly saw a handgun in the driver’s lap and immediately called for backup.
"The two officers decided to hold their position and did not attempt to wake the driver," police said in a statement.
Although the officers discussed attempting to remove the gun from the driver, they realized the doors were locked and the car was in drive. Eventually, another patrol car arrived on the scene and was positioned in front of McCoy’s car "to prevent forward or erratic movement," police said.
When another car arrived to block the rear of McCoy’s vehicle, he woke up.
Police claim McCoy was given "several commands" to put his hands up, but he allegedly did not comply and "quickly" moved his hands down to the gun.
Six police officers in Vallejo, California, opened fired on a local 20-year-old rapper who was caught sleeping in his car at a Taco Bell.
Read more at BET
Discriminating Against Someone Based On Their Hair Is Now Illegal In NYC
New York City has issued new guidance banning discrimination based on hairstyle.
BuzzFeed News reports the guidance clarifies the existing New York City Human Rights Law, explicitly spelling out New Yorkers have the right to style their hair in ways consistent with their identities.
The ban also contains language meant to help protect Black citizens, noting Black New Yorkers have the right to wear their hair in "locs, cornrows, twists, braids, Bantu knots, fades, Afros and/or the right to keep hair in an uncut or untrimmed state."
Employers, educators and gatekeepers of public spaces can now no longer exclude or fire people based on the appearance of their hair.
The only exception to the ban applies to those who must tie up their hair for sanitation and safety purposes, such as chefs and surgeons. The guidance makes it clear employers requiring the restraining of hair for health and safety reasons must demand it of all employees of all ethnicities.
New York City’s first lady, Chirlane McCray, celebrated the policy Monday, saying it was much-needed because “bias against the curly textured hair of people of African descent is as old as this country and a form of race-based discrimination.”
New York City Human Rights Commissioner and Chair Carmelyn Malalis echoed McCray’s thoughts, telling BuzzFeed News, “We want to make the bold statement that these prohibitions on hairstyles that are closely associated with Black people are a form of race discrimination. They really fail to consider the toll these bans take on Black identity."
Read more at Blavity
Detectives Seeking Follow-Up Interview With Jussie Smollett After Releasing Two Former Suspects
Sources said the brothers are now cooperating with police
Smollett has said two men attacked him while he was walking home around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29. He claimed they yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, poured a chemical on him, and put a rope around his neck.
Sources told CBS 2 News that Smollett paid the two men $3,500 to stage the attack in Streeterville. The brothers, seen on surveillance video near the scene of the alleged attack, told investigators Smollett directed them to buy the rope used in the incident, and paid for the purchase at Crafty Beaver Hardware Store in Ravenswood days before the incident.
The brothers, who were questioned by police last week before being released, were paid $3,500 before leaving for Nigeria and were promised an additional $500 upon their return.
They left for Nigeria later in the day on Jan. 29, after the attack.
Sources said one of the brothers held the rope and poured bleach while the other wore a plain red hat and yelled slurs at Smollett.
The sources say the red hat was bought at an Uptown beauty supply store and that the attack was supposed to happen before Jan. 29. The brothers told detectives the three men rehearsed the attack days prior to it happening.
All three men rehearsed their plan just days before everything played out.
Read more at CBS
Smollett has said two men attacked him while he was walking home around 2 a.m. on Jan. 29. He claimed they yelled racial and homophobic slurs at him, beat him, poured a chemical on him, and put a rope around his neck.
Sources told CBS 2 News that Smollett paid the two men $3,500 to stage the attack in Streeterville. The brothers, seen on surveillance video near the scene of the alleged attack, told investigators Smollett directed them to buy the rope used in the incident, and paid for the purchase at Crafty Beaver Hardware Store in Ravenswood days before the incident.
The brothers, who were questioned by police last week before being released, were paid $3,500 before leaving for Nigeria and were promised an additional $500 upon their return.
They left for Nigeria later in the day on Jan. 29, after the attack.
Sources said one of the brothers held the rope and poured bleach while the other wore a plain red hat and yelled slurs at Smollett.
The sources say the red hat was bought at an Uptown beauty supply store and that the attack was supposed to happen before Jan. 29. The brothers told detectives the three men rehearsed the attack days prior to it happening.
All three men rehearsed their plan just days before everything played out.
Read more at CBS
California Officers Shoot And Kill Local Rapper Who Fell Asleep In Car
Police in Vallejo, California fatally shot a local rapper, Willie Bo (legally known as Willie McCoy) who reportedly fell asleep in a car while in a Taco Bell drive-thru lane on Saturday.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, McCoy’s family is now demanding answers after the shooting, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday night, an employee at the Taco Bell called the police to report a driver slumped over the driver’s seat of a silver Mercedes. When officers arrived, they found McCoy unresponsive with a handgun in his lap. As they continued to observe the situation, McCoy reportedly suddenly moved, and that’s when he was shot and killed.
“The officers told the driver to keep his hands visible, however, the driver quickly reached for the handgun on his lap,” police said in a statement. “In fear for their own safety, the officers discharged their weapons at the driver.”
McCoy, 20, died at the scene.
Vallejo police claimed that McCoy’s handgun was allegedly stolen in Oregon and was functional when officers seized it. It is not clear how McCoy acquired the weapon.
Nonetheless, his family wants to know why he was killed in the first place.
Read more at Essence
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, McCoy’s family is now demanding answers after the shooting, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Saturday night, an employee at the Taco Bell called the police to report a driver slumped over the driver’s seat of a silver Mercedes. When officers arrived, they found McCoy unresponsive with a handgun in his lap. As they continued to observe the situation, McCoy reportedly suddenly moved, and that’s when he was shot and killed.
“The officers told the driver to keep his hands visible, however, the driver quickly reached for the handgun on his lap,” police said in a statement. “In fear for their own safety, the officers discharged their weapons at the driver.”
McCoy, 20, died at the scene.
Vallejo police claimed that McCoy’s handgun was allegedly stolen in Oregon and was functional when officers seized it. It is not clear how McCoy acquired the weapon.
Nonetheless, his family wants to know why he was killed in the first place.
Read more at Essence
Mom says teacher hit 5-year-old daughter in the eye with a ruler
The mother of a 5-year-old in Memphis, Tenn., says that her daughter was hit by a kindergarten teacher back in January. The mom noticed after arriving to pick the student up from school and finding the little girl with a bruise around her eye.
Ciara Morgan, 23, is both angered and confused over the way that Shelby County Schools has handled the incident, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that administrators at Cummings Elementary School had lied to her about what happened to her daughter, Hailey Turner.
According to Morgan, it was Hailey’s aunt who was initially called by the school and notified that the kindergartner was “having an allergic reaction.” When Morgan arrived at the school to pick her daughter up, however, Hailey told her mom that that wasn’t the case.
“Hailey said her teacher had hit her with a ruler and told her not to tell anyone,” Morgan said. “She said that her teacher said she will bring her a ‘LOL Doll’ if she doesn’t tell anyone what happened.”
Hailey explained to her mother that the incident was sparked when she told on another student for being on a computer after the teacher, Tierra Lewis, told students to stop using them.
“She said the teacher reached into her desk, pulled out a ruler, walked over to her and told her ‘no tattletaling’ and popped her,” Morgan told FOX 13 Memphis.
However, Morgan clarified that the school hasn’t verified any of these claims. In fact, she hadn’t heard anything about Lewis’s status with the school since the day of the incident, until her daughter returned home from school on Thursday to say that her teacher was back after being temporarily removed.
Read more at Yahoo
Ciara Morgan, 23, is both angered and confused over the way that Shelby County Schools has handled the incident, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that administrators at Cummings Elementary School had lied to her about what happened to her daughter, Hailey Turner.
According to Morgan, it was Hailey’s aunt who was initially called by the school and notified that the kindergartner was “having an allergic reaction.” When Morgan arrived at the school to pick her daughter up, however, Hailey told her mom that that wasn’t the case.
“Hailey said her teacher had hit her with a ruler and told her not to tell anyone,” Morgan said. “She said that her teacher said she will bring her a ‘LOL Doll’ if she doesn’t tell anyone what happened.”
Hailey explained to her mother that the incident was sparked when she told on another student for being on a computer after the teacher, Tierra Lewis, told students to stop using them.
“She said the teacher reached into her desk, pulled out a ruler, walked over to her and told her ‘no tattletaling’ and popped her,” Morgan told FOX 13 Memphis.
However, Morgan clarified that the school hasn’t verified any of these claims. In fact, she hadn’t heard anything about Lewis’s status with the school since the day of the incident, until her daughter returned home from school on Thursday to say that her teacher was back after being temporarily removed.
Read more at Yahoo
We Built This: Glory Edim Is Building An Empire With Books By Black Women
Glory Edim began building her empire of knowledge at an early age.
The founder of Well-Read Black Girl and author debuted her literary kingdom in the form of a digital book club that ensures black women who love reading, writing or both have a space to connect. With monthly reading selections and Twitter chats based on books by black women authors, the Nigerian-American has not only helped fill a huge void, but nourished a demographic often forgotten or erased by the literary world.
Since its 2015 launch, Edim has developed Well-Read Black Girl into an annual book festival in Brooklyn and an anthology, both of the same name.
Edim’s work empowers black women to feel seen and to start a revolution with their words. Between and beyond the pages, she is an author, a nerd, an advocate and a force. And she has no intention of slowing down.
As a part of HuffPost’s “We Built This” series for Black History Month, Edim talked to us about her passion for literacy, her vision for Well-Read Black Girl and the urgency of protecting black women.
What started your love for reading?
My love of reading started with my mom. She was my biggest champion — and still is — and she read to me as a child. She took me to the library constantly and she really planted the seed of literacy in my mind. I always wanted to emulate her. When I saw her reading the newspaper or reading a book in bed, I was drawn to that experience. We read together constantly, and it’s still something we share. And as I grew older, I wanted to know more about not just reading and the practice of it, but how you could find yourself within a book and how you began to self define.
Read more at HuffPost
The founder of Well-Read Black Girl and author debuted her literary kingdom in the form of a digital book club that ensures black women who love reading, writing or both have a space to connect. With monthly reading selections and Twitter chats based on books by black women authors, the Nigerian-American has not only helped fill a huge void, but nourished a demographic often forgotten or erased by the literary world.
Since its 2015 launch, Edim has developed Well-Read Black Girl into an annual book festival in Brooklyn and an anthology, both of the same name.
Edim’s work empowers black women to feel seen and to start a revolution with their words. Between and beyond the pages, she is an author, a nerd, an advocate and a force. And she has no intention of slowing down.
As a part of HuffPost’s “We Built This” series for Black History Month, Edim talked to us about her passion for literacy, her vision for Well-Read Black Girl and the urgency of protecting black women.
What started your love for reading?
My love of reading started with my mom. She was my biggest champion — and still is — and she read to me as a child. She took me to the library constantly and she really planted the seed of literacy in my mind. I always wanted to emulate her. When I saw her reading the newspaper or reading a book in bed, I was drawn to that experience. We read together constantly, and it’s still something we share. And as I grew older, I wanted to know more about not just reading and the practice of it, but how you could find yourself within a book and how you began to self define.
Read more at HuffPost
The painful problem of Black girls and suicide
It is unthinkable, but happening. Little Black girls are killing themselves.
The causes include disproportionate exposure to violence and traumatic stress, aggressive school discipline, and depression, according to researchers and mental health experts.
Counselors and child advocates believe the disturbing trend can be reversed with love, commitment, and support services.
According to a 2015 study of trends by the Journal of the American Medical Association, children’s suicide rates have significantly doubled for Black children in the last two decades, and decreased for White children.
For Black youth (ages 10-19), the rate of male suicides (5.59 per 100,000) was three times higher than that of young Black females (1.87 per 100,000), according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“We’ve been seeing it over the last number of decades within our communities, because there was a time when it really was rare for African American youth, but unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more common,” said Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Pepperdine University.
“I’m Just Tired. My Life Pointless. I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore,” blared Nakia Venant’s Facebook page in January. The 14 year old allegedly broadcast her death on Facebook Live.
ccording to the Miami Herald, she was a survivor of physical and sexual abuse, and was in and out of foster care since 2009. Attorneys for her mother, Gina Alexis, said Nakia had “hopscotched among 10 different homes and shelters, including a hotel and a child welfare office building,” according to the Herald. Nakia hanged herself in the bathroom of a Miami Gardens foster home.
Read more at Final Call
The causes include disproportionate exposure to violence and traumatic stress, aggressive school discipline, and depression, according to researchers and mental health experts.
Counselors and child advocates believe the disturbing trend can be reversed with love, commitment, and support services.
According to a 2015 study of trends by the Journal of the American Medical Association, children’s suicide rates have significantly doubled for Black children in the last two decades, and decreased for White children.
For Black youth (ages 10-19), the rate of male suicides (5.59 per 100,000) was three times higher than that of young Black females (1.87 per 100,000), according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“We’ve been seeing it over the last number of decades within our communities, because there was a time when it really was rare for African American youth, but unfortunately, it’s becoming more and more common,” said Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis, a clinical psychologist and associate professor at Pepperdine University.
“I’m Just Tired. My Life Pointless. I Don’t Wanna Do This Anymore,” blared Nakia Venant’s Facebook page in January. The 14 year old allegedly broadcast her death on Facebook Live.
ccording to the Miami Herald, she was a survivor of physical and sexual abuse, and was in and out of foster care since 2009. Attorneys for her mother, Gina Alexis, said Nakia had “hopscotched among 10 different homes and shelters, including a hotel and a child welfare office building,” according to the Herald. Nakia hanged herself in the bathroom of a Miami Gardens foster home.
Read more at Final Call
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s Classmate, A Colorado Doctor, Appeared In Blackface In The Same Yearbook
In the same yearbook that Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam allegedly appeared in blackface, a Colorado doctor was also pictured in blackface while dressed as a member of the Supremes.
According to Fox News, Dr. Steven Nafziger, an administrator at Parkview Medical Center, attended the same Virginia medical school as Northam and was pictured with darkened skin on his senior yearbook page, which was directly next to the Virginia governor's.
Since the photo went viral, Northam has faced calls to resign. While he first apologized for the photo, now he’s saying he does not recall appearing in the image.
Dr. Nafziger, who has worked at the Parkview Medical Center for the last three decades, appeared in photos that were taken at the medical school’s Halloween party, reported The Pueblo Chieftain.
Read more at BET
According to Fox News, Dr. Steven Nafziger, an administrator at Parkview Medical Center, attended the same Virginia medical school as Northam and was pictured with darkened skin on his senior yearbook page, which was directly next to the Virginia governor's.
Since the photo went viral, Northam has faced calls to resign. While he first apologized for the photo, now he’s saying he does not recall appearing in the image.
Dr. Nafziger, who has worked at the Parkview Medical Center for the last three decades, appeared in photos that were taken at the medical school’s Halloween party, reported The Pueblo Chieftain.
Read more at BET
‘Young and the Restless’ Actor Kristoff St. John Dies at 52
Young and the Restless star Kristoff St. John was found dead in his California home on Sunday, according to TMZ. He was 52.
Friends of St. John went to his San Fernando Valley home to check on him and found his body, according to law enforcement. A source told TMZ there were no signs of foul play but alcohol may have been involved.
St. John’s ex-wife, boxer Mia St. John, hinted that his death may be related to the death of their son Julian in 2014. Julian died by suicide while being treated at a mental health facility, according to TMZ. The St. Johns sued the facility for negligence and eventually reached a settlement.
“THAT HOSPITAL KILLED OUR SON @TheArtofJulian THEN MY HUSBAND @kristoffstjohn1 THATS WHAT HAPPENED! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY,” Mia tweeted and then deleted on Monday.
Read more at Ebony.
Friends of St. John went to his San Fernando Valley home to check on him and found his body, according to law enforcement. A source told TMZ there were no signs of foul play but alcohol may have been involved.
St. John’s ex-wife, boxer Mia St. John, hinted that his death may be related to the death of their son Julian in 2014. Julian died by suicide while being treated at a mental health facility, according to TMZ. The St. Johns sued the facility for negligence and eventually reached a settlement.
“THAT HOSPITAL KILLED OUR SON @TheArtofJulian THEN MY HUSBAND @kristoffstjohn1 THATS WHAT HAPPENED! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY,” Mia tweeted and then deleted on Monday.
Read more at Ebony.
School apologizes after teacher wore blackface during African history lesson
A school superintendent’s “poor judgment” allowed a teacher to wear blackface during an African history lesson, offending families in the community.
John Huffman, superintendent of the Victory Christian School system in Sacramento, Calif., explained to Yahoo Lifestyle in an email: “Last Thursday our elementary chapel speaker dressed up as a Central African native woman in order to tell the life story of missionary David Livingston and his work in Africa in the late 1800s. In an effort to bring authenticity to her role, she wore a typical native dress and headdress. She also used makeup to darken her skin tone on her arms, shoulders and face.
“I was wrong to allow the use of makeup no matter how innocent the intentions as it has offended some of my students and parents,” he wrote. “I should have anticipated that this could be offensive, and I apologized to my students and parents asking to be forgiven for hurting them.”
On Jan. 24, the teacher visited the district’s lower school to teach about missionary David Livingston, who visited Africa in the late 19th century, and she darkened her skin for the lesson, according to Sacramento news station Fox 40.
Yahoo Lifestyle contacted the teacher in question, but she did not respond.
“I recognize the woman who wore blackface — she is oblivious,” a 19-year-old former student who wants her name kept private, told Yahoo Lifestyle. “It was very upsetting, especially because the kids in that class are so young.”
Read more at Yahoo
John Huffman, superintendent of the Victory Christian School system in Sacramento, Calif., explained to Yahoo Lifestyle in an email: “Last Thursday our elementary chapel speaker dressed up as a Central African native woman in order to tell the life story of missionary David Livingston and his work in Africa in the late 1800s. In an effort to bring authenticity to her role, she wore a typical native dress and headdress. She also used makeup to darken her skin tone on her arms, shoulders and face.
“I was wrong to allow the use of makeup no matter how innocent the intentions as it has offended some of my students and parents,” he wrote. “I should have anticipated that this could be offensive, and I apologized to my students and parents asking to be forgiven for hurting them.”
On Jan. 24, the teacher visited the district’s lower school to teach about missionary David Livingston, who visited Africa in the late 19th century, and she darkened her skin for the lesson, according to Sacramento news station Fox 40.
Yahoo Lifestyle contacted the teacher in question, but she did not respond.
“I recognize the woman who wore blackface — she is oblivious,” a 19-year-old former student who wants her name kept private, told Yahoo Lifestyle. “It was very upsetting, especially because the kids in that class are so young.”
Read more at Yahoo
'Empire' star Jussie Smollett attacked in possible hate crime
(CNN)"Empire" actor Jussie Smollett was attacked in the early morning hours on Tuesday in what Chicago police are calling a possible hate crime.
Smollett was attacked by two people "yelling out racial and homophobic slurs" and "poured an unknown chemical substance on the victim," police said.
According to police, one of Smollett's alleged attackers also put a rope around his neck. Both fled the scene.
Smollett took himself to Northwestern Hospital and "is in good condition," police told CNN.
Later Tuesday, CNN's Don Lemon spoke to Smollett and a mutual friend who was at the hospital with the actor. Smollett confirmed the incident took place.
He was shaken and angry that an attack like this could happen. Smollett told CNN he fought back at the attackers.
"Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime," the police statement said.
Smollett has starred on Fox's "Empire" since 2015. He plays Jamal, a successful singer in the musical Lyon family. Like his character, Smollett identifies as gay.
Read more at CNN
Smollett was attacked by two people "yelling out racial and homophobic slurs" and "poured an unknown chemical substance on the victim," police said.
According to police, one of Smollett's alleged attackers also put a rope around his neck. Both fled the scene.
Smollett took himself to Northwestern Hospital and "is in good condition," police told CNN.
Later Tuesday, CNN's Don Lemon spoke to Smollett and a mutual friend who was at the hospital with the actor. Smollett confirmed the incident took place.
He was shaken and angry that an attack like this could happen. Smollett told CNN he fought back at the attackers.
"Given the severity of the allegations, we are taking this investigation very seriously and treating it as a possible hate crime," the police statement said.
Smollett has starred on Fox's "Empire" since 2015. He plays Jamal, a successful singer in the musical Lyon family. Like his character, Smollett identifies as gay.
Read more at CNN
Black High School Student Told Her Skin Was 'Too Dark' To Perform With The Dance Team
A Black student in Kansas is suing her former school district after her ex high school dance coaches told her she couldn’t perform with the rest of the team because her skin was “too dark,” according to a lawsuit.
Camille Sturdivant filed the suit against the Blue Valley School District, alleging she experienced racial discrimination as a student at Blue Valley Northwest High School, the Kansas City Star reported.
Sturdivant, who graduated from the school in May 2018, said she was one of two Black students on the dance team. During her time on the team, Sturdivant says, she was ostracized from team events after reporting the incidents of racism.
The suit alleges the team’s choreographer, Kevin Murakami, told Sturdivant her dark skin would be a distraction during the performance and “the audience would look at her and not the other dancers.”
“Murakami also told Sturdivant that her skin color clashed with the color of the costumes,” the suit said.
Before she graduated, Sturdivant was using former coach Carley Fine’s phone to play music when she discovered alarming messages about her between the two coaches.
In the alleged text messages, Fine and Murakami said they were in disbelief that Sturdivant was offered a spot on the University of Missouri dance team.
“THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. I’m so mad,” Murakami wrote, according to the suit.
Read more at BET
Camille Sturdivant filed the suit against the Blue Valley School District, alleging she experienced racial discrimination as a student at Blue Valley Northwest High School, the Kansas City Star reported.
Sturdivant, who graduated from the school in May 2018, said she was one of two Black students on the dance team. During her time on the team, Sturdivant says, she was ostracized from team events after reporting the incidents of racism.
The suit alleges the team’s choreographer, Kevin Murakami, told Sturdivant her dark skin would be a distraction during the performance and “the audience would look at her and not the other dancers.”
“Murakami also told Sturdivant that her skin color clashed with the color of the costumes,” the suit said.
Before she graduated, Sturdivant was using former coach Carley Fine’s phone to play music when she discovered alarming messages about her between the two coaches.
In the alleged text messages, Fine and Murakami said they were in disbelief that Sturdivant was offered a spot on the University of Missouri dance team.
“THAT DOESN’T MAKE SENSE. I’m so mad,” Murakami wrote, according to the suit.
Read more at BET
Boy left on school bus for 7 hours
A second grader in Panama City, Fla., who never showed up for class was later discovered sleeping on the school bus, where he had apparently been left alone for hours. Now, the driver who found him — and overlooked him in the first place — has been suspended with pay.
The driver noticed the slumbering student when he boarded the school bus for his late shift at about 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Panama City News Herald. He had dropped off all of the other passengers at school that morning but apparently didn’t notice the he’d left one behind. According to the protocol of Bay District Schools, drivers must conduct a seat-by-seat check of the bus at the end of every route to prevent situations like this.
But apparently the child never got off the bus, and it’s unknown whether the check was even performed. Now, the Department of Children and Families and law enforcement officials are conducting a full investigation.
“Words cannot express how sorry I am that something like this happened,” Bay District Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt told the News Herald. “I simply cannot imagine how this little boy’s mom felt when she got that call, and I just can’t excuse something like this. What I can tell you is that this is an isolated incident, which doesn’t make it any less awful, and I can tell you that our bus drivers work very hard each day to take care of our children, but this is simply inexcusable.”
Despite the scare, the child is safe at home with family now. The school is waiting on the results of the investigation before taking disciplinary action, but according to the News Herald, the unidentified driver could be terminated.
Read more at Yahoo
The driver noticed the slumbering student when he boarded the school bus for his late shift at about 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the Panama City News Herald. He had dropped off all of the other passengers at school that morning but apparently didn’t notice the he’d left one behind. According to the protocol of Bay District Schools, drivers must conduct a seat-by-seat check of the bus at the end of every route to prevent situations like this.
But apparently the child never got off the bus, and it’s unknown whether the check was even performed. Now, the Department of Children and Families and law enforcement officials are conducting a full investigation.
“Words cannot express how sorry I am that something like this happened,” Bay District Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt told the News Herald. “I simply cannot imagine how this little boy’s mom felt when she got that call, and I just can’t excuse something like this. What I can tell you is that this is an isolated incident, which doesn’t make it any less awful, and I can tell you that our bus drivers work very hard each day to take care of our children, but this is simply inexcusable.”
Despite the scare, the child is safe at home with family now. The school is waiting on the results of the investigation before taking disciplinary action, but according to the News Herald, the unidentified driver could be terminated.
Read more at Yahoo
Chris Brown Plans To Sue Rape Accuser For Slander
Singer Chris Brown, who was detained Monday by police in Paris after a woman accused him of rape, is planning to sue the woman, according to his attorney Raphael Chiche.
Shortly after Brown, 29, was released Tuesday night without charges from the prosecutor’s office, Chiche announced that he was preparing to sue the woman for making the claims against the singer.
“Chris Brown is free. No lawsuits were filed against him,” Chiche tweeted. “He vigorously challenges the charges against him. A complaint for slanderous denunciation will be filed tomorrow with the public prosecutor of Paris.”
Brown and two others were placed in police custody on Monday on suspicion of aggravated rape and a drug offense after a woman filed a complaint with Parisian police accusing the group of raping her at the singer’s hotel, according to The New York Times.
The Paris prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press that Brown and his group were released from custody and authorized to leave the country while the investigation was ongoing.
Read more at Huff Post
Shortly after Brown, 29, was released Tuesday night without charges from the prosecutor’s office, Chiche announced that he was preparing to sue the woman for making the claims against the singer.
“Chris Brown is free. No lawsuits were filed against him,” Chiche tweeted. “He vigorously challenges the charges against him. A complaint for slanderous denunciation will be filed tomorrow with the public prosecutor of Paris.”
Brown and two others were placed in police custody on Monday on suspicion of aggravated rape and a drug offense after a woman filed a complaint with Parisian police accusing the group of raping her at the singer’s hotel, according to The New York Times.
The Paris prosecutor’s office told The Associated Press that Brown and his group were released from custody and authorized to leave the country while the investigation was ongoing.
Read more at Huff Post
Comic Kevin Barnett, Co-creator of ‘Rel,’ Dies at 32
Kevin Barnett, stand-up comic and co-creator of Fox series Rel, has suddenly passed away at the age of 32, according to a statement from Fox Entertainment.
“Our hearts are broken, as are those of everyone at Rel, at the news of Kevin Barnett’s passing,” the entertainment company said. “He was an incredibly funny, wildly talented man who had so much more to do and so many more stories to tell. We send our thoughts and prayers to his friends and family during this difficult time.”
His cause of death has yet to be determined.
Friends and fans of Barnett have taken to social media in remembrance of the comic. Rel co-creator Lil Rel Howery had this to say about his collaborator:
“I can’t stop crying on this plane it’s really starting to hit me that he is actually gone… At 32 he accomplished so much in this business and was respected by many… Rest In Peace my brother and my friend… Thank you for the last 6 years of helping make my dreams come true man… #FOTP4Life.”
Read more at Ebony
“Our hearts are broken, as are those of everyone at Rel, at the news of Kevin Barnett’s passing,” the entertainment company said. “He was an incredibly funny, wildly talented man who had so much more to do and so many more stories to tell. We send our thoughts and prayers to his friends and family during this difficult time.”
His cause of death has yet to be determined.
Friends and fans of Barnett have taken to social media in remembrance of the comic. Rel co-creator Lil Rel Howery had this to say about his collaborator:
“I can’t stop crying on this plane it’s really starting to hit me that he is actually gone… At 32 he accomplished so much in this business and was respected by many… Rest In Peace my brother and my friend… Thank you for the last 6 years of helping make my dreams come true man… #FOTP4Life.”
Read more at Ebony
Texas Daycare Worker Fired After Video Showed Her Pulling Child’s Hair
Two daycare workers in Lubbock, Texas have been fired after a viral video showed the mistreatment of a 3-year-old girl at the facility.
In the video recorded by one employee at My Little Playhouse Learning Center, another employee is seen yanking the girl up by her hair and forcing her to stand while she eats. Although the video went viral Thursday, 3-year-old Amyra Wilson’s mother says the incident occurred weeks ago.
Police are now investigating the incident.
Officials with My Little Playhouse Learning Center released the following statement:
The owners and Directors of My Little Playhouse Learning Center LLC were made aware of video footage posted on social media at approximately 11:45 a.m. Staff involved were fired immediately. Local authorities (LPD) has been notified and are investigating accordingly. Texas Department of Childcare Licensing has also been notified.
The grandmother of the child in the video said she saw the video about 20 minutes before she showed up at the daycare to pick up the child on Thursday.
“I was furious. My initial reaction was to come and snatch her head off her body,” Shanna Walker, the grandmother of the child, told KCBD. “It’s very frightening." She says the employees there are “supposed to be people that are taking care of [the kids] that has their well being at heart. “But when you come to find out something like this is happening... I know that everyone thinks that their grandchildren are the best. But this little girl, she is the sweetest little girl that you could ever know.
Read more at BET
In the video recorded by one employee at My Little Playhouse Learning Center, another employee is seen yanking the girl up by her hair and forcing her to stand while she eats. Although the video went viral Thursday, 3-year-old Amyra Wilson’s mother says the incident occurred weeks ago.
Police are now investigating the incident.
Officials with My Little Playhouse Learning Center released the following statement:
The owners and Directors of My Little Playhouse Learning Center LLC were made aware of video footage posted on social media at approximately 11:45 a.m. Staff involved were fired immediately. Local authorities (LPD) has been notified and are investigating accordingly. Texas Department of Childcare Licensing has also been notified.
The grandmother of the child in the video said she saw the video about 20 minutes before she showed up at the daycare to pick up the child on Thursday.
“I was furious. My initial reaction was to come and snatch her head off her body,” Shanna Walker, the grandmother of the child, told KCBD. “It’s very frightening." She says the employees there are “supposed to be people that are taking care of [the kids] that has their well being at heart. “But when you come to find out something like this is happening... I know that everyone thinks that their grandchildren are the best. But this little girl, she is the sweetest little girl that you could ever know.
Read more at BET
Man convicted in the brutal death of Morgan Freeman's granddaughter sentenced
The boyfriend of Morgan Freeman's late granddaughter has been sentenced to 20 years in state prison for her death.
Lamar Davenport, 33, was sentenced Thursday for fatally stabbing E’Dena Hines 25 times outside her New York apartment in August 2015, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. announced in a press release. Prosecutors say Davenport was "under the influence of alcohol (and) drugs" during the crime.
Hines, who is the granddaughter of Freeman's first wife, was 33 at the time of her death.
"Ambitious and driven, E’Dena Hines was deeply loved by family and friends before her life was brought to a horrific and tragic end by her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport," Vance said. He described her slaying as an "extraordinarily violent crime."
On Aug.16, 2015, authorities responded to a 911 call at about 3 a.m. They found Hines lying in the street in front of her apartment on West 162nd Street.
Hines had dozens of stab wounds to the chest and was later pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital.
Read more at Yahoo
Lamar Davenport, 33, was sentenced Thursday for fatally stabbing E’Dena Hines 25 times outside her New York apartment in August 2015, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. announced in a press release. Prosecutors say Davenport was "under the influence of alcohol (and) drugs" during the crime.
Hines, who is the granddaughter of Freeman's first wife, was 33 at the time of her death.
"Ambitious and driven, E’Dena Hines was deeply loved by family and friends before her life was brought to a horrific and tragic end by her boyfriend, Lamar Davenport," Vance said. He described her slaying as an "extraordinarily violent crime."
On Aug.16, 2015, authorities responded to a 911 call at about 3 a.m. They found Hines lying in the street in front of her apartment on West 162nd Street.
Hines had dozens of stab wounds to the chest and was later pronounced dead at Harlem Hospital.
Read more at Yahoo
Restaurant owner meets man who robbed him instead of calling the cops: 'Forgiveness is better'
The owner of a Columbia, S.C., seafood restaurant sent a powerful message about forgiveness this week when he decided not to press charges against the man who broke into his restaurant.
A Facebook post explained that the Mr. Seafood restaurant “got hit” over the weekend and had to close on Sunday. But after neighbors helped identify the man seen stealing from the business in a surveillance video, the owner, Kevin Scott, decided to talk to him before calling the police.
“God inspired me,” Scott told Birmingham, Ala.’s WBRC Fox 6 News. “I talked to the guy, and he said he did it to feed his family, and his story didn’t seem dishonest to me. He apologized and offered to work to pay off what he stole, but I don’t want that. I just don’t want him committing crimes.”
A few days after the break-in, Scott met the man at the restaurant and later posted a photo of them on Facebook. “Forgiveness is better,” he wrote.
Read more at Yahoo.
A Facebook post explained that the Mr. Seafood restaurant “got hit” over the weekend and had to close on Sunday. But after neighbors helped identify the man seen stealing from the business in a surveillance video, the owner, Kevin Scott, decided to talk to him before calling the police.
“God inspired me,” Scott told Birmingham, Ala.’s WBRC Fox 6 News. “I talked to the guy, and he said he did it to feed his family, and his story didn’t seem dishonest to me. He apologized and offered to work to pay off what he stole, but I don’t want that. I just don’t want him committing crimes.”
A few days after the break-in, Scott met the man at the restaurant and later posted a photo of them on Facebook. “Forgiveness is better,” he wrote.
Read more at Yahoo.
Fired black TV news anchor alleges her boss banned her natural hair and pressured her to look like 'a beauty queen'
A fired black television news anchor alleges she was harassed for her “unprofessional” natural hair, pressured to look like “a beauty queen” and told she was a difficult employee.
Brittany Noble-Jones, a former co-anchor for WJTV This Morning in Mississippi, says she was unfairly terminated for filing complaints about her allegedly abusive bosses, in a Monday post on Medium.
After Noble-Jones was named the 2015 Emerging Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for her interview that aired on KMOV-TV, a CBS affiliate in St. Louis, with the mother of police shooting victim Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., she was hired at WJTV to co-host the morning news.
“In the beginning, it was a normal work environment,” Noble-Jones, originally from St. Louis tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “But after I volunteered to appear in a company-wide promo in March 2017, my boss told me, ‘People here think you’re into yourself’ but he wouldn’t give me specific examples.”
The 32-year-old was newly pregnant but after the negative review, she felt uncomfortable telling her boss. She tried harder at work but noticed she was being treated differently than her colleagues. Many of her news pitches — timely stories about race relations in Mississippi — were passed over, allegedly because they “are not for all people.”
“Much later, I pitched a story about a former NFL player who became a doctor and saw on internal company notes that it was for an ‘African-American audience,'” Noble-Jones tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “It was just a sports story.”
Noble-Jones says her boss didn’t allow her to attend a breast cancer awareness event to which she was personally invited and became concerned that her “personal brand” on social media was a distraction.
Read more at Yahoo.
Brittany Noble-Jones, a former co-anchor for WJTV This Morning in Mississippi, says she was unfairly terminated for filing complaints about her allegedly abusive bosses, in a Monday post on Medium.
After Noble-Jones was named the 2015 Emerging Journalist of the Year by the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for her interview that aired on KMOV-TV, a CBS affiliate in St. Louis, with the mother of police shooting victim Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., she was hired at WJTV to co-host the morning news.
“In the beginning, it was a normal work environment,” Noble-Jones, originally from St. Louis tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “But after I volunteered to appear in a company-wide promo in March 2017, my boss told me, ‘People here think you’re into yourself’ but he wouldn’t give me specific examples.”
The 32-year-old was newly pregnant but after the negative review, she felt uncomfortable telling her boss. She tried harder at work but noticed she was being treated differently than her colleagues. Many of her news pitches — timely stories about race relations in Mississippi — were passed over, allegedly because they “are not for all people.”
“Much later, I pitched a story about a former NFL player who became a doctor and saw on internal company notes that it was for an ‘African-American audience,'” Noble-Jones tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “It was just a sports story.”
Noble-Jones says her boss didn’t allow her to attend a breast cancer awareness event to which she was personally invited and became concerned that her “personal brand” on social media was a distraction.
Read more at Yahoo.
Houston, Miami airports close some security checkpoints after TSA officers call out sick in government shutdown
Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport said it shut down one of its security checkpoints on Sunday because of staffing shortfalls in the partial government shutdown, airport staff told travelers.
The airport's decision to close terminal B's security checkpoint and ticketing counters follows a similar measure at Miami International Airport, which shut one of its terminals early over the weekend as more Transportation Security Administration officers call out sick after they missed their first paycheck since the shutdown began on Dec. 22. Houston airport officials said the terminal's checkpoint remained closed on Monday morning.
The TSA workers are among the some 420,000 federal employees deemed essential who are working without pay. Amid the shutdown, which began on Dec. 22 and is now the longest ever, TSA officers missed their first paycheck on Friday.
The shifts show how the impact from the shutdown, the result of an impasse between President Donald Trump and lawmakers over funding for a barrier along the southern U.S. border, are impacting aviation. The shutdown has stalled the required federal approvals for new jets and routes, as well as certifications for new mechanics and other industry employees.
The agency acknowledged that unscheduled absences of the 51,000 TSA officers have been on the rise, but said "security standards remain uncompromised at our nation's airports." About 5.6 percent of officers called out sick on Saturday, up from 3.3 percent a year ago, spokesman Michael Bilello said Saturday.
Airports "may begin exercising consolidation option during peak periods, and these decisions will be made at the local level," TSA said in a statement.
Read more at CNBC
The airport's decision to close terminal B's security checkpoint and ticketing counters follows a similar measure at Miami International Airport, which shut one of its terminals early over the weekend as more Transportation Security Administration officers call out sick after they missed their first paycheck since the shutdown began on Dec. 22. Houston airport officials said the terminal's checkpoint remained closed on Monday morning.
The TSA workers are among the some 420,000 federal employees deemed essential who are working without pay. Amid the shutdown, which began on Dec. 22 and is now the longest ever, TSA officers missed their first paycheck on Friday.
The shifts show how the impact from the shutdown, the result of an impasse between President Donald Trump and lawmakers over funding for a barrier along the southern U.S. border, are impacting aviation. The shutdown has stalled the required federal approvals for new jets and routes, as well as certifications for new mechanics and other industry employees.
The agency acknowledged that unscheduled absences of the 51,000 TSA officers have been on the rise, but said "security standards remain uncompromised at our nation's airports." About 5.6 percent of officers called out sick on Saturday, up from 3.3 percent a year ago, spokesman Michael Bilello said Saturday.
Airports "may begin exercising consolidation option during peak periods, and these decisions will be made at the local level," TSA said in a statement.
Read more at CNBC
Young Black woman attacked by White man fights back
MIAMI—After footage of a young, Black woman being attacked by a White male customer in a St. Petersburg, Fla., McDonald’s went viral, the fast food chain is receiving backlash and action is being taken.
Daniel Taylor, 40, reportedly attacked Yasmine James, 20, because of the restaurant’s policy of only providing straws to customers upon request. The policy came as a result of the city’s new law that limits the use of plastic straws. The law came into effect Jan. 1.
Cell phone video shows Mr. Taylor shouting at Ms. James on New Year’s Eve before reaching across the counter to strike her. Ms. James, who told news outlets that she comes from a boxing family, can be seen defending herself against Mr. Taylor throwing several blows.
Ms. James has been placed on leave. Mr. Taylor was charged with two counts of simple battery—one count for assaulting Ms. Taylor and another for reportedly kicking another employee on his way out of the restaurant. He’s being held in Pinellas County Jail with a $1,000 bail, reported the Tampa Bay Times.
Social media users voiced their frustration with the attack on Ms. James. “Anyone else upset that her Manager assisted this man after he assaulted her instead of escorting him out and calling the police? It’s 2019, the Customer is not “always right” anymore,” posted Twitter user Amber Nicole.
The Bay Area Dream Defenders posted a link to an article about the incident on their Facebook page. “Not only does McDonald’s refuse to pay its mostly Black, Brown, and poor white workers a living wage, they refuse to protect them from violence?! … It is unconscionable that McDonald’s cares so little about the safety of its workers,” the activist group posted.
“How will you handle this @ McDonalds? Will you fire the manager who did nothing and continued to engage racist customer Daniel Taylor? Have you reached out to the victim, Yasmine James? Your response will determine if I ever patronize your stores again. #JusticeForYasmineJames,” posted Twitter user Raquel Liggon Horn.
The staff at the McDonald’s location is unable to comment on the situation and directed inquries to the corporate office. The fast food chain released a statement saying, “Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of our employees and customers at our restaurants. We have been in contact with the police department and are fully cooperating with their investigation.”
Read more at Final Call
Daniel Taylor, 40, reportedly attacked Yasmine James, 20, because of the restaurant’s policy of only providing straws to customers upon request. The policy came as a result of the city’s new law that limits the use of plastic straws. The law came into effect Jan. 1.
Cell phone video shows Mr. Taylor shouting at Ms. James on New Year’s Eve before reaching across the counter to strike her. Ms. James, who told news outlets that she comes from a boxing family, can be seen defending herself against Mr. Taylor throwing several blows.
Ms. James has been placed on leave. Mr. Taylor was charged with two counts of simple battery—one count for assaulting Ms. Taylor and another for reportedly kicking another employee on his way out of the restaurant. He’s being held in Pinellas County Jail with a $1,000 bail, reported the Tampa Bay Times.
Social media users voiced their frustration with the attack on Ms. James. “Anyone else upset that her Manager assisted this man after he assaulted her instead of escorting him out and calling the police? It’s 2019, the Customer is not “always right” anymore,” posted Twitter user Amber Nicole.
The Bay Area Dream Defenders posted a link to an article about the incident on their Facebook page. “Not only does McDonald’s refuse to pay its mostly Black, Brown, and poor white workers a living wage, they refuse to protect them from violence?! … It is unconscionable that McDonald’s cares so little about the safety of its workers,” the activist group posted.
“How will you handle this @ McDonalds? Will you fire the manager who did nothing and continued to engage racist customer Daniel Taylor? Have you reached out to the victim, Yasmine James? Your response will determine if I ever patronize your stores again. #JusticeForYasmineJames,” posted Twitter user Raquel Liggon Horn.
The staff at the McDonald’s location is unable to comment on the situation and directed inquries to the corporate office. The fast food chain released a statement saying, “Our highest priority is always the safety and well-being of our employees and customers at our restaurants. We have been in contact with the police department and are fully cooperating with their investigation.”
Read more at Final Call
Police officers under investigation after man who was denied water in precinct dies of mysterious injuries within 48 hours
1/9/2019 UPDATE: Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes told Yahoo Lifestyle in a statement that a preliminary investigation revealed that Jameek Lowery had called 911 at approximately 2:45 a.m. on Saturday and stated that he had taken ecstasy and was paranoid. Paterson Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Services responded and transported Lowery to “a local area hospital,” but he left “after becoming erratic.” He called 911 again, according to the statement, before entering the Paterson Police Headquarters.
After calling EMS workers, “police used physical force and compliance holds to secure Mr. Lowery in the ambulance.” The statement indicates, “Hospital records indicate no acute trauma” and claims the ride to the hospital took “five to twelve minutes.” The prosecutor’s office claims Lowery entered the hospital unresponsive and “was pronounced dead at the local area hospital in the early morning hours of January 7, 2019.” The State of New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office is still determining the cause and manner of Lowery’s death. ————————————————————————————————————--
A father of three in Paterson, N.J., was captured on video early Saturday morning entering police headquarters hysterical, paranoid and asking for water. Within 48 hours, he had died of injuries from a severe beating. Police officers deny touching him, but several are now under investigation.
Read more at Yahoo.
After calling EMS workers, “police used physical force and compliance holds to secure Mr. Lowery in the ambulance.” The statement indicates, “Hospital records indicate no acute trauma” and claims the ride to the hospital took “five to twelve minutes.” The prosecutor’s office claims Lowery entered the hospital unresponsive and “was pronounced dead at the local area hospital in the early morning hours of January 7, 2019.” The State of New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner’s Office is still determining the cause and manner of Lowery’s death. ————————————————————————————————————--
A father of three in Paterson, N.J., was captured on video early Saturday morning entering police headquarters hysterical, paranoid and asking for water. Within 48 hours, he had died of injuries from a severe beating. Police officers deny touching him, but several are now under investigation.
Read more at Yahoo.
Entrepreneur Aims To Open Only Black-Owned Bookstore In Orlando
n entrepreneur is aiming to create a hub for Black literature in Orlando, Florida. Trenessa L. Williams has plans on expanding her online bookstore Kizzy’s Books & More into a brick-and-mortar store which would make it the only Black-owned bookstore in Orlando, Black News reported.
Williams initially started the online store as an avenue to promote literacy in the Black community, the news outlet writes. She wanted to create a space that sold literature where African Americans could see themselves reflected in the material that they read. Kizzy’s Books & More also sells different products that capture the essence of Black culture. The store’s moniker was inspired by the character Kizzy from Alex Haley’s Roots.
Williams wants the brick-and-mortar store to be built in the historically Black neighborhood of Parramore. The neighborhood—which was hugely impacted by racism that stemmed from the Jim Crow era—is currently being revitalized. Williams believes that it’s essential to have a store like Kizzy’s Books & More in the neighborhood because there is a lack of accessibility to Black literature. She has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to bring her vision to fruition.
Read more at New One
Williams initially started the online store as an avenue to promote literacy in the Black community, the news outlet writes. She wanted to create a space that sold literature where African Americans could see themselves reflected in the material that they read. Kizzy’s Books & More also sells different products that capture the essence of Black culture. The store’s moniker was inspired by the character Kizzy from Alex Haley’s Roots.
Williams wants the brick-and-mortar store to be built in the historically Black neighborhood of Parramore. The neighborhood—which was hugely impacted by racism that stemmed from the Jim Crow era—is currently being revitalized. Williams believes that it’s essential to have a store like Kizzy’s Books & More in the neighborhood because there is a lack of accessibility to Black literature. She has launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to bring her vision to fruition.
Read more at New One
Cyntoia Brown Granted Clemency By Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam
In one of his last acts as Tennessee governor, Bill Haslam on Monday granted executive clemency to Cyntoia Brown, commuting her life sentence for murder and making her eligible for release on Aug. 7.
Brown, a victim of child sex trafficking, was sentenced to life for the killing of 43-year-old Johnny Allen in 2004. She was 16 at the time and living with her 24-year-old boyfriend, a pimp known as “Kut Throat” who forced her into prostitution and raped her. Allen solicited her for sex, and she shot him dead at his home, saying she thought he was reaching for his gun to kill her, according to court documents.
“Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16,” Haslam said in a statement on Monday, according to the Tennessean. “Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.
“Transformation should be accompanied by hope. So, I am commuting Ms. Brown’s sentence, subject to certain conditions.”
Brown was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder, among other charges. She was sentenced to life in 2006.
In December, Tennessee’s Supreme Court ruled that Brown must remain in prison for at least 51 years before she was eligible for release. A lawsuit was filed on her behalf arguing that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles was unconstitutional. The court rejected that contention, leading the Women’s March to announce nationwide protests for Brown and other sex-trafficking victims on Jan. 19.
Read more at Huff Post
Brown, a victim of child sex trafficking, was sentenced to life for the killing of 43-year-old Johnny Allen in 2004. She was 16 at the time and living with her 24-year-old boyfriend, a pimp known as “Kut Throat” who forced her into prostitution and raped her. Allen solicited her for sex, and she shot him dead at his home, saying she thought he was reaching for his gun to kill her, according to court documents.
“Cyntoia Brown committed, by her own admission, a horrific crime at the age of 16,” Haslam said in a statement on Monday, according to the Tennessean. “Yet, imposing a life sentence on a juvenile that would require her to serve at least 51 years before even being eligible for parole consideration is too harsh, especially in light of the extraordinary steps Ms. Brown has taken to rebuild her life.
“Transformation should be accompanied by hope. So, I am commuting Ms. Brown’s sentence, subject to certain conditions.”
Brown was tried as an adult and convicted of first-degree murder, among other charges. She was sentenced to life in 2006.
In December, Tennessee’s Supreme Court ruled that Brown must remain in prison for at least 51 years before she was eligible for release. A lawsuit was filed on her behalf arguing that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles was unconstitutional. The court rejected that contention, leading the Women’s March to announce nationwide protests for Brown and other sex-trafficking victims on Jan. 19.
Read more at Huff Post
Florida Teen Accused Of Cheating After Improving Her SAT Score By 330 Points
Last March, high school senior Kamilah Campbell, who dreams of attending Florida State University, scored a 900 on her first attempt at the SAT. Knowing that the highest score possible is 1600, Campbell decided to retake the exam.
With the help of a tutor, online classes and a copy of a The Princeton Review prep book, Campbell retook the test in October. When she finally got a letter from the testing company, Campbell was shocked to see that instead of revealing her test score, she was accused of cheating, reported CNN.
"We are writing to you because based on a preliminary review, there appears to be substantial evidence that your scores ... are invalid," the letter read. "Our preliminary concerns are based on substantial agreement between your answers on one or more scored sections of the test and those of other test takers. The anomalies noted above raise concerns about the validity of your scores."
Campbell then called the Educational Testing Service, which administered the exam, and was told by a representative that she scored a 1230.
However, the new score has not been released and accepted as valid, meaning Campbell could not use it on her Florida State application, which stopped taking test scores on Jan. 1.
"I did not cheat. I studied, and I focused to achieve my dream," she told reporters Wednesday. "I worked so hard and did everything I could do."
A spokesman for The College Board, the company that creates the SAT, said scored are not usually flagged after improvement.
Read more at Yahoo
With the help of a tutor, online classes and a copy of a The Princeton Review prep book, Campbell retook the test in October. When she finally got a letter from the testing company, Campbell was shocked to see that instead of revealing her test score, she was accused of cheating, reported CNN.
"We are writing to you because based on a preliminary review, there appears to be substantial evidence that your scores ... are invalid," the letter read. "Our preliminary concerns are based on substantial agreement between your answers on one or more scored sections of the test and those of other test takers. The anomalies noted above raise concerns about the validity of your scores."
Campbell then called the Educational Testing Service, which administered the exam, and was told by a representative that she scored a 1230.
However, the new score has not been released and accepted as valid, meaning Campbell could not use it on her Florida State application, which stopped taking test scores on Jan. 1.
"I did not cheat. I studied, and I focused to achieve my dream," she told reporters Wednesday. "I worked so hard and did everything I could do."
A spokesman for The College Board, the company that creates the SAT, said scored are not usually flagged after improvement.
Read more at Yahoo
Mississippi Jail Is Coming Up Crickets On Pregnant Inmate’s Death
Just days before the Christmas holiday, and after several complaints of abdominal pain, a pregnant Lanekia Michelle Brown was found unconscious in her Madison County, Mississippi cell. Now, Brown’s family has hired Attorney Carlos Moore to investigate her death.
In an exclusive interview with WJTV 12, Moore said the “suspicious” death is likely a result of discrimination and has urged Black people to “be on high alert” in Madison County.
In the days leading up to Brown’s death, jail witnesses say the 37-year-old Black woman complained of severe stomach pains and was taken to see the jail nurse on more than one occasion. Brown was never taken outside of the jail to the hospital. A white woman in a similar situation was able to seek outside medical attention.
Read more at Essence
In an exclusive interview with WJTV 12, Moore said the “suspicious” death is likely a result of discrimination and has urged Black people to “be on high alert” in Madison County.
In the days leading up to Brown’s death, jail witnesses say the 37-year-old Black woman complained of severe stomach pains and was taken to see the jail nurse on more than one occasion. Brown was never taken outside of the jail to the hospital. A white woman in a similar situation was able to seek outside medical attention.
Read more at Essence
White Woman Goes On Racist Rant During U.S. Virgin Islands Vacation
A North Dakota woman is coming under fire after she was caught on camera yelling a slew of racist slurs at locals while on vacation in the Virgin Islands.
Last week, Djama Esprit posted three videos of the woman, who was later identified as Mickey Tronson, to a St. Thomas Facebook group page.
“So this happened last week Thursday afternoon water Island dock, thank goodness they left the territory the following day,” Esprit said on Facebook. “I patiently tolerated her to spew her inner anger which made her calm down after she realized no one paid her any attention shortly after she was allowed to board the ferry.”
In the clips, the woman repeatedly used the n-word, while praising Donald Trump and calling President Obama “a motherf–king n—–r.”
Once she realized Esprit was filming her, Tronson levied her attacks against him.
“Are you recording it you mother-f–king n—-r? You’re recording it? Put it all over Facebook,” she snarled. “F–k these motherf–king n—-rs. I hate them. I hate n—-rs.
Read more at Essence
Last week, Djama Esprit posted three videos of the woman, who was later identified as Mickey Tronson, to a St. Thomas Facebook group page.
“So this happened last week Thursday afternoon water Island dock, thank goodness they left the territory the following day,” Esprit said on Facebook. “I patiently tolerated her to spew her inner anger which made her calm down after she realized no one paid her any attention shortly after she was allowed to board the ferry.”
In the clips, the woman repeatedly used the n-word, while praising Donald Trump and calling President Obama “a motherf–king n—–r.”
Once she realized Esprit was filming her, Tronson levied her attacks against him.
“Are you recording it you mother-f–king n—-r? You’re recording it? Put it all over Facebook,” she snarled. “F–k these motherf–king n—-rs. I hate them. I hate n—-rs.
Read more at Essence
African American senators push first federal lynching bill through U.S. Senate
On December 19th, the U.S. Senate finally passed the first anti-lynching bill in history.
The bill, entitled the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018, was passed by a voice vote. Should it become law it would federally criminalize lynching, attempts to lynch and lynching conspiracies.
The legislation was introduced in June 2018 by the three African American members of the U.S. Senate: Senators Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Murder by mob rule and with no due process, typically by hanging, was at its height in America in the late 1800s after the end of the Civil War. The end of slavery in America with the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865, was met with a backlash that sought to enforce white supremacy and intimidate newly freed blacks by way of racial terrorism.
Victims of lynching were often African Americans murdered at the hands of white mobs who would gather and photograph the proceedings and often create postcards of the victims.
There is no count of the number of murders by lynching in the U.S. The Tuskegee Institute has recorded 3,446 blacks and 1,297 whites being lynched between 1882 and 1968. “A five-year study published in 2015 by the Equal Justice Initiative found that nearly 3,959 black men, women, and children were lynched in the twelve Southern states between 1877 and 1950,” according to Wikipedia.
In 2000, a visually jarring book of photography collected by James Allen entitled, “Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America,” documented lynching in the U.S. with 145 photographs. The disturbing book noted that, “between 1882 and 1968, some 4,743 lynchings were recorded throughout the United States.”
Read more at Amsterdam News
The bill, entitled the Justice for Victims of Lynching Act of 2018, was passed by a voice vote. Should it become law it would federally criminalize lynching, attempts to lynch and lynching conspiracies.
The legislation was introduced in June 2018 by the three African American members of the U.S. Senate: Senators Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tim Scott (R-SC) and Cory Booker (D-NJ).
Murder by mob rule and with no due process, typically by hanging, was at its height in America in the late 1800s after the end of the Civil War. The end of slavery in America with the signing by President Abraham Lincoln of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865, was met with a backlash that sought to enforce white supremacy and intimidate newly freed blacks by way of racial terrorism.
Victims of lynching were often African Americans murdered at the hands of white mobs who would gather and photograph the proceedings and often create postcards of the victims.
There is no count of the number of murders by lynching in the U.S. The Tuskegee Institute has recorded 3,446 blacks and 1,297 whites being lynched between 1882 and 1968. “A five-year study published in 2015 by the Equal Justice Initiative found that nearly 3,959 black men, women, and children were lynched in the twelve Southern states between 1877 and 1950,” according to Wikipedia.
In 2000, a visually jarring book of photography collected by James Allen entitled, “Without Sanctuary: Lynching Photography in America,” documented lynching in the U.S. with 145 photographs. The disturbing book noted that, “between 1882 and 1968, some 4,743 lynchings were recorded throughout the United States.”
Read more at Amsterdam News
White Man ‘Hallway Harry’ Harasses Black Neighbor In Upper East Side Building
When Black man who works as a producer was waiting for a Lyft in the lobby of his New York City apartment building, he was approached by a white man he’d never met. Instead of engaging in a friendly conversation between neighbors, the white man accused him of not living in the Upper East Side complex.
“What are you doing in my building?” the white man, nicknamed “Hallway Harry,” asked Chika Okafor, 29.
“You don’t live here,” he continued.
Okafor, who is a producer for Bleacher Report, was waiting in the lobby with a friend, who is also Black, until his Lyft arrived to take him to a company holiday party. While standing in the lobby, Okafor was harassed by the unidentified white man, reported the New York Times.
“I’ve never seen you before,” Okafor’s white neighbor said. “I’ve lived here 27 years.”
Although Okafor has not lived in the East 74th street building for decades, he has been a resident since last year. During the interaction, Okafor pulled out his camera and began recording. He then posted the video to social media, where it went viral, much the like the past videos of “Permit Patty” and “BBQ Becky.”
Read more at BET
“What are you doing in my building?” the white man, nicknamed “Hallway Harry,” asked Chika Okafor, 29.
“You don’t live here,” he continued.
Okafor, who is a producer for Bleacher Report, was waiting in the lobby with a friend, who is also Black, until his Lyft arrived to take him to a company holiday party. While standing in the lobby, Okafor was harassed by the unidentified white man, reported the New York Times.
“I’ve never seen you before,” Okafor’s white neighbor said. “I’ve lived here 27 years.”
Although Okafor has not lived in the East 74th street building for decades, he has been a resident since last year. During the interaction, Okafor pulled out his camera and began recording. He then posted the video to social media, where it went viral, much the like the past videos of “Permit Patty” and “BBQ Becky.”
Read more at BET
The Quiet Crisis Killing Black Women
DALLAS ― Before she died, Delashon Jefferson tacked a certificate to her bedroom wall.
The piece of paper, edged in gold like a diploma, was proof that her boyfriend had completed an anger management program. For Delashon, 20, it was more than that. It was a promise that her boyfriend was getting better.
Lagarius Rainey, 24, wasn’t going to hurt her anymore.
The young Dallas couple were expecting their second child, a sister for their toddler son, whom they called Rayray. A white crib was set up in the corner of the bedroom, ready for the baby. Delashon never got a chance to meet her.
Earlier this fall, police say, Rainey shot Delashon inside her bedroom when she was eight months pregnant. She was killed in front of her son.
Doctors at Baylor University Medical Center performed an emergency cesarean section and rushed her baby to the neonatal intensive care unit. Rainey was arrested and charged with Delashon’s murder.
In death, Delashon became one of the three women killed by their boyfriends, husbands and lovers every day in the United States. Domestic violence does not discriminate, and victims span all races, ages, ethnicities and religions.
The suffering, though, is not equally distributed.
In the U.S., black women face higher rates of domestic violence than do women of all other races, except Native women. In Dallas County, the most likely type of person to be killed by a romantic partner is a black woman, age 20 to 29, just like Delashon. Black women are four times more likely than their white peers to be murdered by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and twice as likely to be killed by a spouse. And they are seven times more likely to be slain while pregnant than white women.
Read more at HuffPost
The piece of paper, edged in gold like a diploma, was proof that her boyfriend had completed an anger management program. For Delashon, 20, it was more than that. It was a promise that her boyfriend was getting better.
Lagarius Rainey, 24, wasn’t going to hurt her anymore.
The young Dallas couple were expecting their second child, a sister for their toddler son, whom they called Rayray. A white crib was set up in the corner of the bedroom, ready for the baby. Delashon never got a chance to meet her.
Earlier this fall, police say, Rainey shot Delashon inside her bedroom when she was eight months pregnant. She was killed in front of her son.
Doctors at Baylor University Medical Center performed an emergency cesarean section and rushed her baby to the neonatal intensive care unit. Rainey was arrested and charged with Delashon’s murder.
In death, Delashon became one of the three women killed by their boyfriends, husbands and lovers every day in the United States. Domestic violence does not discriminate, and victims span all races, ages, ethnicities and religions.
The suffering, though, is not equally distributed.
In the U.S., black women face higher rates of domestic violence than do women of all other races, except Native women. In Dallas County, the most likely type of person to be killed by a romantic partner is a black woman, age 20 to 29, just like Delashon. Black women are four times more likely than their white peers to be murdered by a boyfriend or girlfriend, and twice as likely to be killed by a spouse. And they are seven times more likely to be slain while pregnant than white women.
Read more at HuffPost
Temple University students rally in support of Marc Lamont Hill
PHILADELPHIA—Organized by Temple Students For Justice in Palestine, 17 grassroots organizations participated in a student rally and march held in support of embattled adjunct professor Marc Lamont Hill at Temple University on Dec. 6.
Dr. Hill a former commentator for CNN lost his job following a speech given at the UN in late November where he condemned the 50-year military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the systematic disenfranchisement of Palestinian citizens of Israel through apartheid laws.
He called for a continued effort for global support for Palestinian resistance in their struggle for fundamental human rights. He ended his speech with a call for Palestine to be free from “the river to the sea.” The aftermath of his remarks drew immediate condemnation. His detractors jumped on the esteemed professor like a pack of crazed dogs calling not only for his termination at CNN but also cessation at his day job at Temple University where he is a professor of media studies and urban education in the Klein College of Media and Communication. Jewish groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and Zionist Organization of America condemned the 39-year-old activist, author, entrepreneur and professor.
“Mark Lamont Hill is a dangerous Farrakhan-loving, Israel-hating, racist propagandist who calls for Israel’s destruction to be supplanted by a Hamas-Iran terror state,” Zionist Organization of America national president Mort Klein told JNS,” reported breakingisraelnews.com.
“From the river to the sea” is often used by supporters of Palestinian causes to refer to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, the location of Israel and areas it occupies. Critics call the phrase coded language used by so-called terror groups as a call for the dismantling of the State of Israel. Supporters of Dr. Hill included Jews and non-Jews, and many stated his words were misconstrued as anti-Semitic.
Read more at Final Call
Dr. Hill a former commentator for CNN lost his job following a speech given at the UN in late November where he condemned the 50-year military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza, and the systematic disenfranchisement of Palestinian citizens of Israel through apartheid laws.
He called for a continued effort for global support for Palestinian resistance in their struggle for fundamental human rights. He ended his speech with a call for Palestine to be free from “the river to the sea.” The aftermath of his remarks drew immediate condemnation. His detractors jumped on the esteemed professor like a pack of crazed dogs calling not only for his termination at CNN but also cessation at his day job at Temple University where he is a professor of media studies and urban education in the Klein College of Media and Communication. Jewish groups such as the Anti-Defamation League and Zionist Organization of America condemned the 39-year-old activist, author, entrepreneur and professor.
“Mark Lamont Hill is a dangerous Farrakhan-loving, Israel-hating, racist propagandist who calls for Israel’s destruction to be supplanted by a Hamas-Iran terror state,” Zionist Organization of America national president Mort Klein told JNS,” reported breakingisraelnews.com.
“From the river to the sea” is often used by supporters of Palestinian causes to refer to the territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea, the location of Israel and areas it occupies. Critics call the phrase coded language used by so-called terror groups as a call for the dismantling of the State of Israel. Supporters of Dr. Hill included Jews and non-Jews, and many stated his words were misconstrued as anti-Semitic.
Read more at Final Call
Russians Took Aim at Black Voters to Boost Trump, Reports to Senate Find
WASHINGTON—A Russian influence campaign ahead of the 2016 election used a range of social-media platforms to suppress African-American voter turnout and boost Donald Trump’s presidential bid, while relying more on Instagram than previously known, according to two independent studies released on Monday.
The reports, commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee, are the first to draw from a trove of data provided by Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc., Google’s YouTube and other platforms exploited by Russian trolls during the 2016 campaign.
The new research offers granular detail of efforts by Russian actors, including the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm based in St. Petersburg that is funded by a Kremlin-connected oligarch, to pose as Americans on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and other platforms and inject divisive content into America’s political discourse.
Among other findings, the research highlighted efforts to liken Mr. Trump to Jesus in social-media posts and vilify his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, as demonic. It found efforts to energize conservative voters over immigration and gun rights and to sow distrust in the electoral process to damp enthusiasm among demographic groups like African-Americans that tend to vote Democratic.
Instagram’s use as a favored tool by the Russians to spread disinformation is likely underappreciated, one of the reports concluded, assessing that the Facebook-owned photo-sharing site became more popular in 2017 as public scrutiny focused largely on other platforms.
Russia-linked content was found to have a higher rate of specific mentions of Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton on Instagram than Facebook or Twitter and outperformed other sites in terms of overall engagement. There were 187 million interactions with deceptive content on Instagram compared with 76.5 million on Facebook, the research from New Knowledge, a Texas-based cybersecurity firm, found. That suggested Instagram may be more susceptible to viral influence operations than other social-media services, the researchers said.
While U.S. officials say Russian trolls and hackers seem mostly to have sat on the sidelines during this year’s midterm elections, the researchers say the effort to meddle in U.S. politics continues.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal
The reports, commissioned by the Senate Intelligence Committee, are the first to draw from a trove of data provided by Facebook Inc., Twitter Inc., Google’s YouTube and other platforms exploited by Russian trolls during the 2016 campaign.
The new research offers granular detail of efforts by Russian actors, including the Internet Research Agency, a troll farm based in St. Petersburg that is funded by a Kremlin-connected oligarch, to pose as Americans on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Pinterest and other platforms and inject divisive content into America’s political discourse.
Among other findings, the research highlighted efforts to liken Mr. Trump to Jesus in social-media posts and vilify his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, as demonic. It found efforts to energize conservative voters over immigration and gun rights and to sow distrust in the electoral process to damp enthusiasm among demographic groups like African-Americans that tend to vote Democratic.
Instagram’s use as a favored tool by the Russians to spread disinformation is likely underappreciated, one of the reports concluded, assessing that the Facebook-owned photo-sharing site became more popular in 2017 as public scrutiny focused largely on other platforms.
Russia-linked content was found to have a higher rate of specific mentions of Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton on Instagram than Facebook or Twitter and outperformed other sites in terms of overall engagement. There were 187 million interactions with deceptive content on Instagram compared with 76.5 million on Facebook, the research from New Knowledge, a Texas-based cybersecurity firm, found. That suggested Instagram may be more susceptible to viral influence operations than other social-media services, the researchers said.
While U.S. officials say Russian trolls and hackers seem mostly to have sat on the sidelines during this year’s midterm elections, the researchers say the effort to meddle in U.S. politics continues.
Read more at the Wall Street Journal
NY woman whose baby was ripped from her arms by officers to be released from jail
A mother who had her 1-year-old child snatched from her arms by officers at a Brooklyn social services office will not face charges stemming from that incident and will be released from Rikers Island, where she was being held on an unrelated warrant.
Jazmine Headley, 23, faced possible charges of resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, criminal trespass and obstructing governmental administration after peace officers were called to the Human Resources Administration in Brooklyn for a report of Headley "obstructing the hallway" and causing a disturbance.
Video filmed by an onlooker and posted Friday showed Headley on the floor on her back with several officers surrounding her as one tried to rip her child from her arms.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement that he was "horrified by the violence depicted in the video" and was dropping the case against Headley.
"The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it," the district attorney said in a statement. "Continuing to pursue this case will not serve any purpose and I therefore moved today to dismiss it immediately in the interest of justice."
Later on Tuesday, a judge ordered for Headley to be released, according to a tweet by Brooklyn Defender Services, a nonprofit that provides public defense for Brooklyn residents experiencing financial hardship and which had filed an application requesting that the court release Headley.
She is expected to return home Tuesday night, and has to appear in a Mercer County, New Jersey, court Wednesday morning on an unrelated case.
Read more at NBC
Jazmine Headley, 23, faced possible charges of resisting arrest, acting in a manner injurious to a child, criminal trespass and obstructing governmental administration after peace officers were called to the Human Resources Administration in Brooklyn for a report of Headley "obstructing the hallway" and causing a disturbance.
Video filmed by an onlooker and posted Friday showed Headley on the floor on her back with several officers surrounding her as one tried to rip her child from her arms.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement that he was "horrified by the violence depicted in the video" and was dropping the case against Headley.
"The consequences this young and desperate mother has already suffered as a result of this arrest far outweigh any conduct that may have led to it," the district attorney said in a statement. "Continuing to pursue this case will not serve any purpose and I therefore moved today to dismiss it immediately in the interest of justice."
Later on Tuesday, a judge ordered for Headley to be released, according to a tweet by Brooklyn Defender Services, a nonprofit that provides public defense for Brooklyn residents experiencing financial hardship and which had filed an application requesting that the court release Headley.
She is expected to return home Tuesday night, and has to appear in a Mercer County, New Jersey, court Wednesday morning on an unrelated case.
Read more at NBC
Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison
(CNN)President Donald Trump's former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced Wednesday to three years in prison after saying he took "full responsibility" for his actions while at the same time blaming the President.
His sentence will be the longest thus far for anyone involved with the President or stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
"I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America," Cohen said.
But he also said he was living in a "personal and mental" prison since he started working for Trump.
"Recently the President tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," Cohen said.
"This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life," Cohen added later. "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired."
Inside the courtroom, Cohen's family was visibly emotional. Cohen did not speak to reporters upon leaving the courthouse.
He previously pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts brought by federal prosecutors in New York, and received 36 months for those crimes. Cohen also pleaded guilty to one count of lying to Congress from Mueller's team, for which he was sentenced to two months.
Cohen will serve the sentences concurrently.
Read more at CNN
His sentence will be the longest thus far for anyone involved with the President or stemming from special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 election.
"I take full responsibility for each act that I pled guilty to: The personal ones to me and those involving the President of the United States of America," Cohen said.
But he also said he was living in a "personal and mental" prison since he started working for Trump.
"Recently the President tweeted a statement calling me weak and it was correct but for a much different reason than he was implying. It was because time and time again I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," Cohen said.
"This may seem hard to believe, but today is one of the most meaningful days of my life," Cohen added later. "I have been living in a personal and mental incarceration ever since the day that I accepted the offer to work for a real estate mogul whose business acumen that I deeply admired."
Inside the courtroom, Cohen's family was visibly emotional. Cohen did not speak to reporters upon leaving the courthouse.
He previously pleaded guilty to eight criminal counts brought by federal prosecutors in New York, and received 36 months for those crimes. Cohen also pleaded guilty to one count of lying to Congress from Mueller's team, for which he was sentenced to two months.
Cohen will serve the sentences concurrently.
Read more at CNN
Man Saved His Baby Over His Wife And Now People Want To Know Why He Had To Choose At All
When it comes to complications related to childbirth, Black women are three times more likely than white women to die as a result. After a recent story about a Black woman who died when her husband had to choose between her or her baby went viral, many are wondering why Black women are not being saved in the delivery room.
Keyvonne Connie was supposed to deliver her baby girl in the middle of January; however, when she began hemorrhaging on Nov. 30, the health of her and her unborn baby was at risk. In the end, her husband had to choose between having her deliver the baby before she went into surgery, which would save the baby, or have surgery first, which could have killed her and her baby.
He chose to save the baby, thinking this is what his wife would have wanted.
Now, Keyvonne's story has inspired many BET readers to share their own childbirth stories and debate why Black women keep dying when they give birth.
"That had happened to me. I went to the doctor on Monday with my unborn they said every thing is fine and then that night I went to pee and I lost so much blood that my toilet was full with blood and blood was every where.
Read more at BET
Keyvonne Connie was supposed to deliver her baby girl in the middle of January; however, when she began hemorrhaging on Nov. 30, the health of her and her unborn baby was at risk. In the end, her husband had to choose between having her deliver the baby before she went into surgery, which would save the baby, or have surgery first, which could have killed her and her baby.
He chose to save the baby, thinking this is what his wife would have wanted.
Now, Keyvonne's story has inspired many BET readers to share their own childbirth stories and debate why Black women keep dying when they give birth.
"That had happened to me. I went to the doctor on Monday with my unborn they said every thing is fine and then that night I went to pee and I lost so much blood that my toilet was full with blood and blood was every where.
Read more at BET
Cyntoia Brown Will Serve 51-Year Sentence For Killing Her Alleged Assailant
Cyntoia Brown was 16 and a victim of sex trafficking when she was arrested for killing the man who allegedly solicited her for sex, Johnny Allen. In her defense, she says she believed he was reaching for his gun to kill her. However, Tennessee’s Supreme Court clarified an earlier ruling that she must remain in prison for 51 years before she is eligible for release.
The state Supreme Court’s response comes after a lawsuit was filed claiming Brown’s life sentence is unconstitutional based on a previous Supreme Court ruling that said sentencing a minor to a mandatory life sentence was against the Constitution. Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have banned life without parole for minors. Tennessee is not one of those states; there, people convicted of first-degree murder can only be released from prison after serving at least 51 years of their 60-year sentence. A U.S. District Court in Tennessee noted that her sentence was different because she received a “life sentence, not a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.”
The Women’s March, Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, and LeBron James have all publicly supported Brown’s release, funded legal support, and used her case to shed light on a larger need for prison reform and the systematic racism ingrained in our justice system. “The system has failed. It’s heartbreaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this,” Kardashian tweeted.
Read more at Yahoo
The state Supreme Court’s response comes after a lawsuit was filed claiming Brown’s life sentence is unconstitutional based on a previous Supreme Court ruling that said sentencing a minor to a mandatory life sentence was against the Constitution. Only 20 states and the District of Columbia have banned life without parole for minors. Tennessee is not one of those states; there, people convicted of first-degree murder can only be released from prison after serving at least 51 years of their 60-year sentence. A U.S. District Court in Tennessee noted that her sentence was different because she received a “life sentence, not a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.”
The Women’s March, Kim Kardashian West, Rihanna, and LeBron James have all publicly supported Brown’s release, funded legal support, and used her case to shed light on a larger need for prison reform and the systematic racism ingrained in our justice system. “The system has failed. It’s heartbreaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this,” Kardashian tweeted.
Read more at Yahoo
New Hampshire Students Sing About Killing Blacks in KKK-Themed Jingle
Two high school students in New Hampshire were recorded singing a racist rendition of “Jingle Bells,” which promoted the Ku Klux Klan and encouraged killing “all the Blacks.”
According to The Washington Post, the school district is under investigation for the incident, which reportedly took place at Dover High School during a history class on Friday.
Video of the pair singing “KKK, KKK, let’s kill all the Blacks, burn a cross in their front yard and hope they don’t come back,” was partially uploaded to Snapchat before being reposted on YouTube.
Several students can be heard laughing at the inappropriate lyrics. It was reported that the teacher, who has been placed on paid leave, did not stop the performance.
The racist incident follows recent reports of a Black student punching a White student known to wear Nazi uniforms and a group of students in Wisconsin allegedly mimicking the Nazi salute in a prom photo.
District Superintendent William Harbron explained that the class assignment required students to create a jingle inspired by America’s Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
In a letter to the community, Harbron said the school district is “deeply concerned” about the jingle, calling it “an incident of extreme racial insensitivity.”
“What we are much more concerned about is making sure that we use this opportunity to really learn from it and make sure business is done differently, and that all students are respected and regarded — regardless of their background, their race,” Harbron told The Washington Post. “I think that’s more of a concern for us right now.”
Read more at Ebony
According to The Washington Post, the school district is under investigation for the incident, which reportedly took place at Dover High School during a history class on Friday.
Video of the pair singing “KKK, KKK, let’s kill all the Blacks, burn a cross in their front yard and hope they don’t come back,” was partially uploaded to Snapchat before being reposted on YouTube.
Several students can be heard laughing at the inappropriate lyrics. It was reported that the teacher, who has been placed on paid leave, did not stop the performance.
The racist incident follows recent reports of a Black student punching a White student known to wear Nazi uniforms and a group of students in Wisconsin allegedly mimicking the Nazi salute in a prom photo.
District Superintendent William Harbron explained that the class assignment required students to create a jingle inspired by America’s Reconstruction era following the Civil War.
In a letter to the community, Harbron said the school district is “deeply concerned” about the jingle, calling it “an incident of extreme racial insensitivity.”
“What we are much more concerned about is making sure that we use this opportunity to really learn from it and make sure business is done differently, and that all students are respected and regarded — regardless of their background, their race,” Harbron told The Washington Post. “I think that’s more of a concern for us right now.”
Read more at Ebony
Fifteen migrants die in boat off Libya, Egyptian survivor says
MISRATA, Libya (Reuters) - Fifteen migrants have died in a boat off the Libyan coast after spending 12 days at sea without food or water, an Egyptian survivor said on Tuesday.
Only 10 migrants from the capsized boat survived, all of whom were suffering from severe dehydration, Othman Belbeisi, head of the U.N. migration agency IOM in Libya, said on Twitter.
The owner of a beach chalet found the migrants washing up on the shore near the city of Misrata and called authorities, who brought them to the Red Crescent relief service and hospitals, residents said.
"We were 25 migrants on a boat ... We set off from (the western Libyan town of) Sabratah and we were at sea for 12 days without food and water," the survivor said. "Fifteen have died."
The survivors had been brought to a detention center and doctors and emergency teams are on the way, Belbeisi said.
No more details from authorities were immediately available.
Read more at Yahoo
Only 10 migrants from the capsized boat survived, all of whom were suffering from severe dehydration, Othman Belbeisi, head of the U.N. migration agency IOM in Libya, said on Twitter.
The owner of a beach chalet found the migrants washing up on the shore near the city of Misrata and called authorities, who brought them to the Red Crescent relief service and hospitals, residents said.
"We were 25 migrants on a boat ... We set off from (the western Libyan town of) Sabratah and we were at sea for 12 days without food and water," the survivor said. "Fifteen have died."
The survivors had been brought to a detention center and doctors and emergency teams are on the way, Belbeisi said.
No more details from authorities were immediately available.
Read more at Yahoo
CNN Slammed For Firing Marc Lamont Hill Over Palestine Comment But Allowing Racists On Air
CNN came under fire for terminating commentator Marc Lamont Hill on Thursday after he criticized Israel in a speech delivered at the United Nations.
“Marc Lamont Hill is no longer under contract with CNN,” a network spokesperson said in an email.
While delivering a pro-Palestine address at the U.N. on Wednesday, Hill called for a “free Palestine."
“We have an opportunity to not just offer solidarity in words but to commit to political action, grass-roots action, local action and international action that will give us what justice requires and that is a free Palestine from the river to the sea,” Hill said in the speech.
The statement “from the river to the sea” has often been associated with the the militant group Hamas and refers to extending Palestine’s borders from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Some claimed the comment was as advocating for violence against the Jewish state.
“Those calling for ‘from the river to the sea’ are calling for an end to the State of Israel,” Sharon Nazarian, the Anti-Defamation League’s senior vice president for international affairs, told the Jewish Journal.
Read more at BET
“Marc Lamont Hill is no longer under contract with CNN,” a network spokesperson said in an email.
While delivering a pro-Palestine address at the U.N. on Wednesday, Hill called for a “free Palestine."
“We have an opportunity to not just offer solidarity in words but to commit to political action, grass-roots action, local action and international action that will give us what justice requires and that is a free Palestine from the river to the sea,” Hill said in the speech.
The statement “from the river to the sea” has often been associated with the the militant group Hamas and refers to extending Palestine’s borders from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. Some claimed the comment was as advocating for violence against the Jewish state.
“Those calling for ‘from the river to the sea’ are calling for an end to the State of Israel,” Sharon Nazarian, the Anti-Defamation League’s senior vice president for international affairs, told the Jewish Journal.
Read more at BET
Dad takes legal action against school that banned son's dreadlocks
“My son just got told he cannot attend school with his hair,” Stanley said in a cell phone video he shot outside the classroom. “If that’s not bias, I don’t know what is.” The dad asked administrators if he could braid CJ’s hair as an alternative and was told, “I don’t think so. It’s in our handbook, it has to be above the ear.”
The family’s video got millions of views on social media, with “absolutely infuriating” and “discriminatory” among the comments.
Stanley tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the school policy appears to target students of color. “What are they saying about kids with dreadlocks — that they’re not capable of learning or are unintelligent? It seems to say, ‘We don’t want black people in our school.'”
A father is taking legal action against a school for banning his 6-year-old son for his hairstyle.
Clinton Stanley of Apopka, Fla., filed a complaint against A Book’s Christian Academy for illegal racial discrimination “on behalf of my son and other Black children in my community,” he wrote in a Thursday blog post for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida.
In August, Stanley walked his 6-year-old son CJ to his first day at the private Christian school, the boy proudly wearing a tie and sporting dreadlocks which he had painstakingly grown for the previous two years. But when the family arrived, they were not allowed inside, because of the school dress code on hairstyles, which states, “All boys hair must be a tapered cut, off the collar and ears. There are to be no dreads, Mohawks, designs, unnatural color, or unnatural designs.”
“My son just got told he cannot attend school with his hair,” Stanley said in a cell phone video he shot outside the classroom. “If that’s not bias, I don’t know what is.” The dad asked administrators if he could braid CJ’s hair as an alternative and was told, “I don’t think so. It’s in our handbook, it has to be above the ear.”
The family’s video got millions of views on social media, with “absolutely infuriating” and “discriminatory” among the comments.Stanley tells Yahoo Lifestyle that the school policy appears to target students of color. “What are they saying about kids with dreadlocks — that they’re not capable of learning or are unintelligent? It seems to say, ‘We don’t want black people in our school.'”
Read more at Yahoo
Marvin Gaye, Gregory Hines to Appear on Postage Stamps in 2019
Legendary soul singer Marvin Gaye and iconic dancer, actor and singer Gregory Hines will be immortalized on Forever stamps by the U.S. Postal Service, according to The Philadelphia Tribune.
The stamps, which will be released in 2019, are part of the Postal Service’s entertainment, historical and cultural figures series.
Gaye is featured as the “Prince of Soul” in the Music Icon series. His picture was designed by art director Derry Noyes, who was inspired by historic photographs of the crooner.
Ron Brewington, executive director for the Los Angeles chapter of the Motown Alumni Association, launched a global campaign for a commemorative stamp, according to BlackAmericaWeb.
“Brewington has been spearheading a worldwide campaign (‘A Stamp For Marvin’) since June 2003 to get a commemorative U.S. postage stamp for singer Marvin Gaye,” according to the site. “He also conducted a concurrent campaign of celebrities along with the unanimous support of a resolution by the Los Angeles City Council, former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to get this unique and special honor for the deceased singer.”
According to the Postal Service, the “stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye’s legacy, and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo.”
Read more at Ebony
The stamps, which will be released in 2019, are part of the Postal Service’s entertainment, historical and cultural figures series.
Gaye is featured as the “Prince of Soul” in the Music Icon series. His picture was designed by art director Derry Noyes, who was inspired by historic photographs of the crooner.
Ron Brewington, executive director for the Los Angeles chapter of the Motown Alumni Association, launched a global campaign for a commemorative stamp, according to BlackAmericaWeb.
“Brewington has been spearheading a worldwide campaign (‘A Stamp For Marvin’) since June 2003 to get a commemorative U.S. postage stamp for singer Marvin Gaye,” according to the site. “He also conducted a concurrent campaign of celebrities along with the unanimous support of a resolution by the Los Angeles City Council, former Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to get this unique and special honor for the deceased singer.”
According to the Postal Service, the “stamp pane is designed to resemble a vintage 45 rpm record sleeve. One side of the pane includes the stamps, brief text about Gaye’s legacy, and the image of a sliver of a record seeming to peek out the top of the sleeve. Another portrait of Gaye appears on the reverse along with the Music Icons series logo.”
Read more at Ebony
Prayers Up: 13-Year-Old Girl Fatally Shot In Her Bedroom Wrote Award Winning Essay On Gun Violence
A young girl was killed in Milwaukee after a stray bullet hit her in her bedroom.
13-year-old Sandra Parks died last Thursday night (November 15). According to Pix 11, she wrote an award-winning essay about gun violence in her hometown just two years ago.
“We shall overcome has been lost in lies of who we are. Who we have become,” she wrote in that essay, in part. “We need to rewrite our story so that faith and hope for a better tomorrow is not only within us. But we believe it and we put it into action.”
At the time of the essay, Parks was just 11 and the main focus of it was about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It took third place in her school district and called for more empathy and less negativity. It also stressed the importance of education and using it to make the world a better place.
On Friday night, family and friends came together to remember bright young girl. Bernice Parks, her mother, told the news station just how special her daughter was.
Read more at BET
13-year-old Sandra Parks died last Thursday night (November 15). According to Pix 11, she wrote an award-winning essay about gun violence in her hometown just two years ago.
“We shall overcome has been lost in lies of who we are. Who we have become,” she wrote in that essay, in part. “We need to rewrite our story so that faith and hope for a better tomorrow is not only within us. But we believe it and we put it into action.”
At the time of the essay, Parks was just 11 and the main focus of it was about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It took third place in her school district and called for more empathy and less negativity. It also stressed the importance of education and using it to make the world a better place.
On Friday night, family and friends came together to remember bright young girl. Bernice Parks, her mother, told the news station just how special her daughter was.
Read more at BET
Chipotle Manager Fired After Viral Video Shows Her Telling Black Men To Pay Before Ordering
Video recorded in a Minnesota Chipotle location showed one of the company’s managers refusing to serve a group of Black men unless they agreed to pay up front. After the video went viral, the manager was fired by the chain restaurant; however, now the company is having second thoughts.
In the video, the unidentified female manager of a Chipotle restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, smile while telling the young men, “You gotta pay because you never have money when you come in here.”
Another worker in the video later tells the group, “We’re not gonna make food unless you guys actually have money.”
The five Black men began telling other workers they were being “stereotyped.”
Masud Ali, the customer who posted a series of videos of the incident to his Twitter account, accused the manager of racism.
“It sounded really racist — the way she said it was racist,” Ali, 21, told The Star Tribune. . “She asked for proof of income as if I’m getting a loan.”
Chipotle quickly released a statement saying the manager was terminated.
“Regarding what happened at the St. Paul restaurant, the manager thought these gentlemen were the same customers from Tuesday night who weren’t able to pay for their meal,” the chain said in a statement. “Regardless, this is not how we treat our customers and as a result, the manager has been terminated and the restaurant has been retrained to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
After the manager was fired, other people on Twitter began re-posting past tweets from Ali’s wherein he talked about “dining and dashing” or ordering food at a restaurant and leaving before paying.
The revelation apparently prompted Chipotle to reconsider its hasty firing of the manager.
Read more at BET
In the video, the unidentified female manager of a Chipotle restaurant in St. Paul, Minnesota, smile while telling the young men, “You gotta pay because you never have money when you come in here.”
Another worker in the video later tells the group, “We’re not gonna make food unless you guys actually have money.”
The five Black men began telling other workers they were being “stereotyped.”
Masud Ali, the customer who posted a series of videos of the incident to his Twitter account, accused the manager of racism.
“It sounded really racist — the way she said it was racist,” Ali, 21, told The Star Tribune. . “She asked for proof of income as if I’m getting a loan.”
Chipotle quickly released a statement saying the manager was terminated.
“Regarding what happened at the St. Paul restaurant, the manager thought these gentlemen were the same customers from Tuesday night who weren’t able to pay for their meal,” the chain said in a statement. “Regardless, this is not how we treat our customers and as a result, the manager has been terminated and the restaurant has been retrained to ensure something like this doesn’t happen again.”
After the manager was fired, other people on Twitter began re-posting past tweets from Ali’s wherein he talked about “dining and dashing” or ordering food at a restaurant and leaving before paying.
The revelation apparently prompted Chipotle to reconsider its hasty firing of the manager.
Read more at BET
Diddy Shares Memorial for Kim Porter & Promises to 'Raise Our Family Just Like You Taught Me'
Sean “Diddy” Combs is working through his grief after the death of his ex-girlfriend Kim Porter.
Porter, who raised four children with Combs, was found dead on Thursday at age 47.
After breaking his silence with a video of the former couple dancing and canoodling for the camera while the model was pregnant, Combs shared a peek at a private memorial he held for Porter on Sunday afternoon. A source tells PEOPLE mourners included Pharrell Williams and Kourtney Kardashian, while TMZ reports Mary J. Blige and French Montana were also in attendance.
In the Instagram story videos, Combs surveyed six glamorous photos of Porter set up on easels outside a home. On the ground, candles burned.
He added three more Instagram posts, including a slideshow of pictures of time he spent with Porter and their brood. “I’ll raise our family just like you taught me to. Love you forever!!!!” he said. “I CANT BELIEVE THIS S—!!!!!! F—!!!!!! Smfh.”
“Words can’t explain,” he captioned a stylish photo of Porter in a beaded gold dress. “FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!! Infinity and BEYOND!!!!”
Read more at Yahoo.
Porter, who raised four children with Combs, was found dead on Thursday at age 47.
After breaking his silence with a video of the former couple dancing and canoodling for the camera while the model was pregnant, Combs shared a peek at a private memorial he held for Porter on Sunday afternoon. A source tells PEOPLE mourners included Pharrell Williams and Kourtney Kardashian, while TMZ reports Mary J. Blige and French Montana were also in attendance.
In the Instagram story videos, Combs surveyed six glamorous photos of Porter set up on easels outside a home. On the ground, candles burned.
He added three more Instagram posts, including a slideshow of pictures of time he spent with Porter and their brood. “I’ll raise our family just like you taught me to. Love you forever!!!!” he said. “I CANT BELIEVE THIS S—!!!!!! F—!!!!!! Smfh.”
“Words can’t explain,” he captioned a stylish photo of Porter in a beaded gold dress. “FOREVER AND EVER AND EVER!!! Infinity and BEYOND!!!!”
Read more at Yahoo.
Georgia Legislator, Arrested At Work, Says She Was ‘Singled Out As A Black Female Senator'
Georgia state Sen. Nikema Williams (D-Atlanta) was arrested along with more than a dozen other protesters at the Georgia State Capitol on Tuesday afternoon at a demonstration asking the state to “count every vote” from last week’s gubernatorial election. Protesters shouted “Let her go!” as Williams was handcuffed while the General Assembly was in session.
Williams, a civil rights advocate who organized domestic workers for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, was charged with misdemeanor obstruction of justice and spent about six hours at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
“There are countless Georgians who cast their ballots and still don’t feel like their voices are heard,” she said in a statement after being released. “I joined them down on the floor, and I was singled out as a Black female senator standing in the rotunda with constituents.”
One of Williams’ white male colleagues, state Rep. David Dreyer (D-Atlanta), went to the same protest with Williams for the same reason and was not arrested. He stood outside the jail after her arrest and spoke out about Williams’ unfair treatment by Capitol police.
Dreyer said he went down to the Capitol about the same time as Williams, “but for some reason, Sen. Williams was treated differently than I was treated.”
Dreyer noted the statistic that one in three black men and one in 18 black women will be incarcerated at some time in their lives.
“Because of our system, because of the bias and the way that our laws are enforced, just like I went down with Sen. Williams to try to de-escalate the situation, Sen. Williams was taken away,” he said. “We understand she’s been left in a van for a very long time on a cold and rainy day.”
Dreyer added: “For some reason, I saw Capitol police lined up three abreast, row after row after row, looking like they were trying to stop a riot, when we were standing up for people’s right to vote. So this is not democracy; this looks a lot more like an authoritarian government. And it seems like that’s happening a lot these days, doesn’t it?”
Read more at HuffPost
Williams, a civil rights advocate who organized domestic workers for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams, was charged with misdemeanor obstruction of justice and spent about six hours at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
“There are countless Georgians who cast their ballots and still don’t feel like their voices are heard,” she said in a statement after being released. “I joined them down on the floor, and I was singled out as a Black female senator standing in the rotunda with constituents.”
One of Williams’ white male colleagues, state Rep. David Dreyer (D-Atlanta), went to the same protest with Williams for the same reason and was not arrested. He stood outside the jail after her arrest and spoke out about Williams’ unfair treatment by Capitol police.
Dreyer said he went down to the Capitol about the same time as Williams, “but for some reason, Sen. Williams was treated differently than I was treated.”
Dreyer noted the statistic that one in three black men and one in 18 black women will be incarcerated at some time in their lives.
“Because of our system, because of the bias and the way that our laws are enforced, just like I went down with Sen. Williams to try to de-escalate the situation, Sen. Williams was taken away,” he said. “We understand she’s been left in a van for a very long time on a cold and rainy day.”
Dreyer added: “For some reason, I saw Capitol police lined up three abreast, row after row after row, looking like they were trying to stop a riot, when we were standing up for people’s right to vote. So this is not democracy; this looks a lot more like an authoritarian government. And it seems like that’s happening a lot these days, doesn’t it?”
Read more at HuffPost
A Black Security Guard Was Killed By Police As He Tried To Stop A Shooting
A black security guard was shot dead by a police officer as he held down a suspect in a shooting at the bar where he worked.
Jemel Roberson, 26, was working early Sunday at Manny’s Blue Room ― a bar in the predominantly black Chicago suburb of Robbins, Illinois ― when a patron who was part of a drunken group that had been kicked out returned with a gun at 4 a.m. and opened fire, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Several people were shot.
Roberson, who was armed at the time, grabbed one of the men, held him down and waited for police, according to witnesses.
“He had somebody on the ground with his knee in back, with his gun in his back like, ‘Don’t move,’” Adam Harris told WGN-TV.
But witnesses said Roberson became the victim as soon as police arrived. A responding officer with the Midlothian Police Department immediately shot Roberson, who later died at a hospital.
Harris said the officer shot an innocent man and that people on the scene tried to warn police that Roberson was a security guard.
“Everybody was screaming out, ‘Security!’ He was a security guard ... and they still did their job, and saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him,” Harris said.
Midlothian Police Chief Dan Delaney confirmed the shooting, telling reporters, “A Midlothian officer encountered a subject with a gun and was involved in an officer-involved shooting.” The department said the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force would investigate the shooting in order to “ensure transparency and maintain public trust.”
Roberson was known as a musician at local churches who had dreams of becoming a police officer, people who knew him told ABC-7 and WGN-TV.
“How in the world does the security guard get shot by police?” asked Walter Turner, the pastor at New Spiritual Light Baptist Church, where Roberson played the organ. “A young man that was literally doing his job and now he’s gone.”
Read more at HuffPost
Jemel Roberson, 26, was working early Sunday at Manny’s Blue Room ― a bar in the predominantly black Chicago suburb of Robbins, Illinois ― when a patron who was part of a drunken group that had been kicked out returned with a gun at 4 a.m. and opened fire, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Several people were shot.
Roberson, who was armed at the time, grabbed one of the men, held him down and waited for police, according to witnesses.
“He had somebody on the ground with his knee in back, with his gun in his back like, ‘Don’t move,’” Adam Harris told WGN-TV.
But witnesses said Roberson became the victim as soon as police arrived. A responding officer with the Midlothian Police Department immediately shot Roberson, who later died at a hospital.
Harris said the officer shot an innocent man and that people on the scene tried to warn police that Roberson was a security guard.
“Everybody was screaming out, ‘Security!’ He was a security guard ... and they still did their job, and saw a black man with a gun, and basically killed him,” Harris said.
Midlothian Police Chief Dan Delaney confirmed the shooting, telling reporters, “A Midlothian officer encountered a subject with a gun and was involved in an officer-involved shooting.” The department said the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force would investigate the shooting in order to “ensure transparency and maintain public trust.”
Roberson was known as a musician at local churches who had dreams of becoming a police officer, people who knew him told ABC-7 and WGN-TV.
“How in the world does the security guard get shot by police?” asked Walter Turner, the pastor at New Spiritual Light Baptist Church, where Roberson played the organ. “A young man that was literally doing his job and now he’s gone.”
Read more at HuffPost
Ferguson activist wants the truth about the death of her son and vows to get it
SPANISH LAKE, Mo.—Two weeks after the troubling death of 24-year-old Danye Dion Jones, his family and friends were seeking answers to questions about what actually happened to him.
Mr. Jones was found hung in the backyard of his mother’s home in the north county community of Spanish Lake, Missouri, just five miles away from Ferguson where 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed in 2014. The St. Louis County Police Department is investigating the death as a suicide and say a 911 call about a “suicide” was made by a family member, who used that specific word, according to reports.
But Melissa McKinnies, Mr. Jones’ mother, and other family members aren’t convinced and lack confidence in police handling of the death and subsequent investigation.
“I don’t know who said my son committed suicide,” Ms. McKinnies told The Final Call. “Of course, when you first see someone hanging, your first thought is that. But I know my son and none of us said he killed himself. The police were standing there, and I said to both of them, ‘this needs to be investigated, do you hear me?’ I know my son and none of this adds up, not at all.”
St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire, during a press conference, said there were no signs of struggle or trauma to the body.
Ms. McKinnies found her son hanging by a bed sheet early Wednesday, Oct. 17, at approximately 5:45 a.m. As photos of Mr. Jones’ lifeless body circulated online many people expressed their suspicions via social media. Some questioned whether someone else could have been involved in causing the young man’s death.
“The knots that were used in the sheets he was hung with, everybody I talked to that’s been in the military, know about these knots. My nephew was not in the military, militia or boy scouts,” said Daniel (Kashif) Muhammad, Danye Jones’ maternal uncle.
Photos showed an arm chair that Mr. Jones allegedly used to stand on, lying approximately three feet away from where he was hanging. The family believes this was staged to make it appear like he hanged himself. How did he get up there and tie a military-type noose around the branch of the tree and his neck? they asked.
Mr. Jones was about 6 feet and 1 inch tall. His feet were eight inches from the ground, his pants were rolled down to his ankles and both of his fists were clenched. He had abrasions on his face and blood on his shirt.
“He was too happy with his life and the possibilities of being successful. He had just written in his notebook the night before, about his plans with his new real estate business. So why would he take his life? He wouldn’t, and we will find out who did this to him,” vowed his mother.
Mr. Jones was found hung in the backyard of his mother’s home in the north county community of Spanish Lake, Missouri, just five miles away from Ferguson where 18-year-old Michael Brown was killed in 2014. The St. Louis County Police Department is investigating the death as a suicide and say a 911 call about a “suicide” was made by a family member, who used that specific word, according to reports.
But Melissa McKinnies, Mr. Jones’ mother, and other family members aren’t convinced and lack confidence in police handling of the death and subsequent investigation.
“I don’t know who said my son committed suicide,” Ms. McKinnies told The Final Call. “Of course, when you first see someone hanging, your first thought is that. But I know my son and none of us said he killed himself. The police were standing there, and I said to both of them, ‘this needs to be investigated, do you hear me?’ I know my son and none of this adds up, not at all.”
St. Louis County police spokesman Shawn McGuire, during a press conference, said there were no signs of struggle or trauma to the body.
Ms. McKinnies found her son hanging by a bed sheet early Wednesday, Oct. 17, at approximately 5:45 a.m. As photos of Mr. Jones’ lifeless body circulated online many people expressed their suspicions via social media. Some questioned whether someone else could have been involved in causing the young man’s death.
“The knots that were used in the sheets he was hung with, everybody I talked to that’s been in the military, know about these knots. My nephew was not in the military, militia or boy scouts,” said Daniel (Kashif) Muhammad, Danye Jones’ maternal uncle.
Photos showed an arm chair that Mr. Jones allegedly used to stand on, lying approximately three feet away from where he was hanging. The family believes this was staged to make it appear like he hanged himself. How did he get up there and tie a military-type noose around the branch of the tree and his neck? they asked.
Mr. Jones was about 6 feet and 1 inch tall. His feet were eight inches from the ground, his pants were rolled down to his ankles and both of his fists were clenched. He had abrasions on his face and blood on his shirt.
“He was too happy with his life and the possibilities of being successful. He had just written in his notebook the night before, about his plans with his new real estate business. So why would he take his life? He wouldn’t, and we will find out who did this to him,” vowed his mother.
The Latest: Abrams campaign says it will fight on
ATLANTA (AP) — The Latest on the race for Georgia governor (all times local):
12:25 p.m.
Stacey Abrams' campaign says it will continue to fight to get all outstanding votes counted in the Georgia governor's race and won't accept former Secretary of State Brian Kemp's declaration of victory.
At a news conference Thursday, Abrams' campaign manager Allegra Lawrence-Hardy said that the campaign demands that the secretary of state's office "release all the data, all the numbers, and they need to count every single vote."
The announcement came shortly after Kemp announced he was stepping down as secretary of state and moving forward with the transition to become the state's next governor.
___
10:30 a.m.
Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Brian Kemp says only about 20,000 provisional ballots remain uncounted in the race.
He says even if his opponent Democrat Stacey Abrams "got 100 percent of those votes, we still win."
Kemp's statement came at a news conference Thursday with outgoing Republican Gov. Nathan Deal. Kemp also announced that he was stepping down as secretary of state as of 11:59 a.m. An interim secretary will oversee the rest of the vote counting.
That announcement came as a federal court hearing was being held on a lawsuit from five Georgia residents who asked a judge to block Kemp from having any further role in overseeing the election.
Read more at Yahoo.
12:25 p.m.
Stacey Abrams' campaign says it will continue to fight to get all outstanding votes counted in the Georgia governor's race and won't accept former Secretary of State Brian Kemp's declaration of victory.
At a news conference Thursday, Abrams' campaign manager Allegra Lawrence-Hardy said that the campaign demands that the secretary of state's office "release all the data, all the numbers, and they need to count every single vote."
The announcement came shortly after Kemp announced he was stepping down as secretary of state and moving forward with the transition to become the state's next governor.
___
10:30 a.m.
Georgia Republican gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Brian Kemp says only about 20,000 provisional ballots remain uncounted in the race.
He says even if his opponent Democrat Stacey Abrams "got 100 percent of those votes, we still win."
Kemp's statement came at a news conference Thursday with outgoing Republican Gov. Nathan Deal. Kemp also announced that he was stepping down as secretary of state as of 11:59 a.m. An interim secretary will oversee the rest of the vote counting.
That announcement came as a federal court hearing was being held on a lawsuit from five Georgia residents who asked a judge to block Kemp from having any further role in overseeing the election.
Read more at Yahoo.
Tamera Mowry-Housley’s Niece Among Victims of Thousand Oaks Shooting
The niece of actress Tamera Mowry-Housley and former baseball player and Fox News correspondent Adam Housley was among the victims of the shooting at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks.
“Our hearts are broken. We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time,” the couple said in a statement via their representatives.
Earlier on Thursday, Mowry-Housley and Housley were searching for their niece, who was at the time missing. Mowry-Housley was in communication with a young woman named Ashley, who identifies herself as a suite mate to Mowry-Housley’s niece Alaina. Ashley had posted several images on Twitter saying that Alaina was still missing. The “Sister, Sister” star Mowry-Housley had exchanged several messages with Ashley asking for updates.
Read more at The Wrap
“Our hearts are broken. We just learned that our niece Alaina was one of the victims of last night’s shooting at Borderline bar in Thousand Oaks. Alaina was an incredible young woman with so much life ahead of her and we are devastated that her life was cut short in this manner. We thank everyone for your prayers and ask for privacy at this time,” the couple said in a statement via their representatives.
Earlier on Thursday, Mowry-Housley and Housley were searching for their niece, who was at the time missing. Mowry-Housley was in communication with a young woman named Ashley, who identifies herself as a suite mate to Mowry-Housley’s niece Alaina. Ashley had posted several images on Twitter saying that Alaina was still missing. The “Sister, Sister” star Mowry-Housley had exchanged several messages with Ashley asking for updates.
Read more at The Wrap
Georgia Domestic Workers Mobilize For Stacey Abrams In The Birthplace Of Their Movement
ATLANTA ― Gwinnett County, Georgia, is one of the most diverse counties in the country, but you wouldn’t know it from the houses on this particular block. Aside from a couple of political signs and the occasional overzealous Halloween decorator, this street in the city of Duluth is a stretch of similar two-story cream-and-brick homes, all facing similarly well-manicured lawns.
On a Thursday in October, six black women wearing bright orange T-shirts and jeans pull into this squeaky-clean north Atlanta suburb just before sundown, after what should have been a half-hour drive from the city took more than twice as long in traffic. They are domestic workers by day ― nannies, housekeepers and home care workers ― but they spend their evenings knocking on doors for Stacey Abrams, who would be the first black female governor in the history of the nation.
The plan is to skip over the houses inhabited by white people and target the voters of color. The women have a canvassing app, MiniVAN, that helps them to know which are which. Just over half of this immigrant-heavy county is non-white, but they are rare and sporadic voters ― so turning out the vote here could be crucial to Abrams’ election in what is now a razor-thin race against Republican Brian Kemp.
The work can be dangerous, so the women always keep each other in eye-shot while canvassing. Occasionally their app fails them, and they encounter a house with a Confederate flag or some other white supremacist symbol. Sometimes there’s a run-in with their fellow Georgians — an older white couple, for instance, backing their white Ford pickup out of their driveway and pulling up next to the women I’ve accompanied today. A Kemp sign pokes out of the couple’s yard in the distance, and a large German shepherd pants in the backseat. The wife rolls down her window and asks the women what they’re doing there, while the husband snaps pictures of one of them and the license plate of their car.
Read more at HuffPost
On a Thursday in October, six black women wearing bright orange T-shirts and jeans pull into this squeaky-clean north Atlanta suburb just before sundown, after what should have been a half-hour drive from the city took more than twice as long in traffic. They are domestic workers by day ― nannies, housekeepers and home care workers ― but they spend their evenings knocking on doors for Stacey Abrams, who would be the first black female governor in the history of the nation.
The plan is to skip over the houses inhabited by white people and target the voters of color. The women have a canvassing app, MiniVAN, that helps them to know which are which. Just over half of this immigrant-heavy county is non-white, but they are rare and sporadic voters ― so turning out the vote here could be crucial to Abrams’ election in what is now a razor-thin race against Republican Brian Kemp.
The work can be dangerous, so the women always keep each other in eye-shot while canvassing. Occasionally their app fails them, and they encounter a house with a Confederate flag or some other white supremacist symbol. Sometimes there’s a run-in with their fellow Georgians — an older white couple, for instance, backing their white Ford pickup out of their driveway and pulling up next to the women I’ve accompanied today. A Kemp sign pokes out of the couple’s yard in the distance, and a large German shepherd pants in the backseat. The wife rolls down her window and asks the women what they’re doing there, while the husband snaps pictures of one of them and the license plate of their car.
Read more at HuffPost
24-Year-Old Danye Jones’ Activist Mom Says He Was Lynched After Finding His Body Hanging From Tree
Two weeks ago, a Ferguson protester found her son hanging from a tree in the backyard of their home. Although police have said the death appears to be the result of a suicide, his mother insists there was foul play.
After finder her son, 24-year-old Danye Jones, Melissa McKinnies, who actively demonstrated after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, posted a message to Facebook which read, "They lynched my baby."
Although the message has since been removed, many people are demanding answers from the police about the death of Jones.
In a message posted early Tuesday, McKinnies says she is "sick with grief but ready to get up and fight for my baby."
Jones’ body was found on October 17 in Spanish Lake, in St. Louis County, reports CBS St. Louis affiliate KMOV-TV.
In a police report, “suicide” was listed as the cause of death and they noted a chair was close to his body.
McKinnies’ post showed pictures of Jones hanging from what appeared to be bed sheets. She also said her son had bruises on his face.
Read more at bet.com
After finder her son, 24-year-old Danye Jones, Melissa McKinnies, who actively demonstrated after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in 2014, posted a message to Facebook which read, "They lynched my baby."
Although the message has since been removed, many people are demanding answers from the police about the death of Jones.
In a message posted early Tuesday, McKinnies says she is "sick with grief but ready to get up and fight for my baby."
Jones’ body was found on October 17 in Spanish Lake, in St. Louis County, reports CBS St. Louis affiliate KMOV-TV.
In a police report, “suicide” was listed as the cause of death and they noted a chair was close to his body.
McKinnies’ post showed pictures of Jones hanging from what appeared to be bed sheets. She also said her son had bruises on his face.
Read more at bet.com
Troubling rise in Black children pushed into adult court
Mass incarceration could be likened to a disease that has fractured, ravaged and weakened Black communities for decades. Critics of the criminal justice system point to the 1.5 million Black men who have been locked up, the increasing number of women being jailed, the long-term and lasting effects on those who are incarcerated, their families and the wider community, as well as the decimation of Black communities nationwide.
Studies show that the children of incarcerated parents face pro-found and complex threats to their emotional, physical, educational, and financial well-being. Because of imprisonment, families are torn apart, children grow up without their fathers and mothers; children generally fall behind in school, experience anxiety, and according to a number of studies, exhibit other problems, such as depression, shame, guilt, withdrawal and hypervigilance.
Yet another part of the problem affecting Blacks is the overwhelming number of Black children who are sent to adult prisons and jails.
A new report, “The Color of Youth Transferred to the Adult Criminal Justice System: Policy and Practice Recommendations,” discusses “how the egregious practice of prosecuting and incarcerating Black youth as adults— which is rooted in our nation’s past and ongoing racism—has had a devastating impact on Black children and young adults and the Black community.”
Jeree Thomas, co-author of the report with Mel Wilson, said she continues to be troubled by the fact that while juvenile arrest rates have fallen sharply in recent years, Black youth are disproportionately sent to adult court by judges at some of the highest percentages seen in 30 years.
“We’re seeing it in the numbers. The disproportionality has gone up, the percentage of Black kids has gone up,” said Ms. Thomas, policy director of the Campaign for Youth Justice. “Looking at 30 years’ worth of data, the percentage of those being transferred who are Black has gone up. It is compounded by more Black children being arrested by law enforcement and being treated as adults.”
Read more at The Final Call
Studies show that the children of incarcerated parents face pro-found and complex threats to their emotional, physical, educational, and financial well-being. Because of imprisonment, families are torn apart, children grow up without their fathers and mothers; children generally fall behind in school, experience anxiety, and according to a number of studies, exhibit other problems, such as depression, shame, guilt, withdrawal and hypervigilance.
Yet another part of the problem affecting Blacks is the overwhelming number of Black children who are sent to adult prisons and jails.
A new report, “The Color of Youth Transferred to the Adult Criminal Justice System: Policy and Practice Recommendations,” discusses “how the egregious practice of prosecuting and incarcerating Black youth as adults— which is rooted in our nation’s past and ongoing racism—has had a devastating impact on Black children and young adults and the Black community.”
Jeree Thomas, co-author of the report with Mel Wilson, said she continues to be troubled by the fact that while juvenile arrest rates have fallen sharply in recent years, Black youth are disproportionately sent to adult court by judges at some of the highest percentages seen in 30 years.
“We’re seeing it in the numbers. The disproportionality has gone up, the percentage of Black kids has gone up,” said Ms. Thomas, policy director of the Campaign for Youth Justice. “Looking at 30 years’ worth of data, the percentage of those being transferred who are Black has gone up. It is compounded by more Black children being arrested by law enforcement and being treated as adults.”
Read more at The Final Call
All About the White Man Who Shot and Killed Two Black People at a Kentucky Kroger
On Wednesday, October 24, a 51-year-old man drove to a Kroger in Jeffersontown, Kentucky, where he shot and killed two black people whom police believe he did not know: Maurice E. Stallard and Vickie Lee Jones. The suspect, a white man named Gregory Bush, is facing multiple counts of murder and wanton endangerment for his crime; police say they are still investigating his motive. After the shooting, he reportedly told a white bystander, “Whites don’t kill whites.”
On Thursday, police said that Bush had stopped somewhere just minutes before the supermarket: a nearby, predominantly black church. Bush yanked on the church’s front doors, as captured by surveillance video, but the secured entrances remained locked, and Bush gave up after ten minutes. Then, he drove to Kroger.
Police are still investigating the shooting. Here’s what we know so far.
On Wednesday, 51-year-old Gregory Bush of Louisville, Kentucky, traveled to Jeffersontown, which is about a 25-minute drive. In the afternoon, sometime before 3 p.m., police say he tried to enter First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown during a midweek service. According to the church administrator, Billy Williams, somewhere between eight and ten people were inside the church when Bush started pulling on the front doors, which alarmed a church member who was in the parking lot. After ten minutes, Bush got back in his car and headed to Kroger, where police say he fired multiple rounds at Maurice E. Stallard, and later struck Vickie Lee Jones multiple times in the parking lot.
According to court records, Bush has been convicted of domestic assault, and has a history of making racist remarks, such as speaking about “black death” and calling his wife the N-word.
Readmore at Yahoo.
On Thursday, police said that Bush had stopped somewhere just minutes before the supermarket: a nearby, predominantly black church. Bush yanked on the church’s front doors, as captured by surveillance video, but the secured entrances remained locked, and Bush gave up after ten minutes. Then, he drove to Kroger.
Police are still investigating the shooting. Here’s what we know so far.
On Wednesday, 51-year-old Gregory Bush of Louisville, Kentucky, traveled to Jeffersontown, which is about a 25-minute drive. In the afternoon, sometime before 3 p.m., police say he tried to enter First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown during a midweek service. According to the church administrator, Billy Williams, somewhere between eight and ten people were inside the church when Bush started pulling on the front doors, which alarmed a church member who was in the parking lot. After ten minutes, Bush got back in his car and headed to Kroger, where police say he fired multiple rounds at Maurice E. Stallard, and later struck Vickie Lee Jones multiple times in the parking lot.
According to court records, Bush has been convicted of domestic assault, and has a history of making racist remarks, such as speaking about “black death” and calling his wife the N-word.
Readmore at Yahoo.
Suspect arrested after explosive devices sent to Trump critics and CNN
When mail bomb suspect Cesar Altieri Sayoc had his electricity turned off in 2002, he grew frustrated with his efforts to convince the power company to turn it back on, his longtime attorney recalled Friday.
“I bet if I threatened to blow up your office you’d turn it back on quickly,” Sayoc’s then-attorney, Ronald S. Lowy, quoted him as saying.
Lowy, who represented Sayoc in the case in Miami, Florida, told CNN his client never intended to make good on the threat. He said he was sentenced to a year’s probation “and allowed to continue with his life.”
Lowy said he represented Sayoc in several subsequent matters, but nothing involving violence or threats of violence.
He described Sayoc, 56, as someone who had “trouble conforming” and “didn’t fit in.”
Lowy said he was not surprised that the devices he is suspected of assembling and mailing to past and current politicians and the Manhattan offices of CNN did not explode. He questioned his former client’s ability to successfully devise and execute such a scheme.
He described Sayoc as a man involved in petty offenses spread out over time.
In one case, Lowy said, Sayoc altered his driver’s license to make himself appear younger because he remained single and thought his age may be hurting him on the dating scene.
“He was embarrassed about his age,” the lawyer said.
Lowy said he recalled Sayoc frequenting the gym and working as a personal trainer at one point.
Lowy said he was in consultation with Sayoc’s family and discussing the possibility of representing him in connection with Friday’s arrest.
Read more at CNN
“I bet if I threatened to blow up your office you’d turn it back on quickly,” Sayoc’s then-attorney, Ronald S. Lowy, quoted him as saying.
Lowy, who represented Sayoc in the case in Miami, Florida, told CNN his client never intended to make good on the threat. He said he was sentenced to a year’s probation “and allowed to continue with his life.”
Lowy said he represented Sayoc in several subsequent matters, but nothing involving violence or threats of violence.
He described Sayoc, 56, as someone who had “trouble conforming” and “didn’t fit in.”
Lowy said he was not surprised that the devices he is suspected of assembling and mailing to past and current politicians and the Manhattan offices of CNN did not explode. He questioned his former client’s ability to successfully devise and execute such a scheme.
He described Sayoc as a man involved in petty offenses spread out over time.
In one case, Lowy said, Sayoc altered his driver’s license to make himself appear younger because he remained single and thought his age may be hurting him on the dating scene.
“He was embarrassed about his age,” the lawyer said.
Lowy said he recalled Sayoc frequenting the gym and working as a personal trainer at one point.
Lowy said he was in consultation with Sayoc’s family and discussing the possibility of representing him in connection with Friday’s arrest.
Read more at CNN
Shocking video shows savage Florida cop repeatedly punching 14-year-old girl and pinning her to the ground with his knee after she 'back talked him'
This is the horrific moment a Florida cop repeatedly punches a teenage girl sprawled on the ground as he tries to arrest her.
The shocking video was posted on Instagram and shows a 14-year-old black girl being punched by a Coral Springs officer in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon.
The cops allegedly told the girl and her friends to leave Coral Square Mall where they were hanging out after receiving a call about 30 unruly teenagers.
She reportedly 'back talked him' leading to the physical confrontation and arrest.
A friend recorded the terrifying moment two Coral Springs officers bring the girl to the ground and one pummels her with punches.
The nine-second clip starts with the victim lying on the grass with her face to the ground as the two officers hold her down. A male Coral Springs cop pins her down with his knee on her upper back.
Then he throws three punches into her rib cage.
The girl's legs are seen slightly kicking upon the impact as passerby shout horrified with the blows.
After the punches are thrown the girl behind the camera screams: 'Why are you hitting her? She can't do it. She can't do that. Her head's underneath her. The f*** you hitting her for?'
Read More at Daily Mail
The shocking video was posted on Instagram and shows a 14-year-old black girl being punched by a Coral Springs officer in Fort Lauderdale on Thursday afternoon.
The cops allegedly told the girl and her friends to leave Coral Square Mall where they were hanging out after receiving a call about 30 unruly teenagers.
She reportedly 'back talked him' leading to the physical confrontation and arrest.
A friend recorded the terrifying moment two Coral Springs officers bring the girl to the ground and one pummels her with punches.
The nine-second clip starts with the victim lying on the grass with her face to the ground as the two officers hold her down. A male Coral Springs cop pins her down with his knee on her upper back.
Then he throws three punches into her rib cage.
The girl's legs are seen slightly kicking upon the impact as passerby shout horrified with the blows.
After the punches are thrown the girl behind the camera screams: 'Why are you hitting her? She can't do it. She can't do that. Her head's underneath her. The f*** you hitting her for?'
Read More at Daily Mail
'Potential explosive devices' sent to Obama, Clinton homes; CNN building evacuated
The U.S. Secret Service said on Wednesday that it had intercepted a pair of suspicious packages addressed to former President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
A third suspicious package found in the mailroom of Time Warner Center in New York City forced the evacuation of the building, which houses CNN’s New York bureau.
The package addressed to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s home in Chappaqua, N.Y., was recovered late Tuesday, the Secret Service said in a statement to Yahoo News. A second package addressed to Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington, D.C., early Wednesday. The Secret Service screens all mail addressed to its protectees; the Clintons and Obamas have had Secret Service detail since serving in the White House.
“The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such,” the statement read. “The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.”
Read more at Yahoo
A third suspicious package found in the mailroom of Time Warner Center in New York City forced the evacuation of the building, which houses CNN’s New York bureau.
The package addressed to Bill and Hillary Clinton’s home in Chappaqua, N.Y., was recovered late Tuesday, the Secret Service said in a statement to Yahoo News. A second package addressed to Obama was intercepted by Secret Service personnel in Washington, D.C., early Wednesday. The Secret Service screens all mail addressed to its protectees; the Clintons and Obamas have had Secret Service detail since serving in the White House.
“The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such,” the statement read. “The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them.”
Read more at Yahoo
School suspends, calls police on black student who stood up for herself after classmate allegedly called her the N-word
A teen who was reportedly called the N-word repeatedly at school was suspended and had the police called on her after standing up for herself.
On Wednesday, Chanese Knox, a junior at Greendale High School in Wisconsin, led her friends in protest, alleging that her suspension in September was the result of a racially charged environment on campus that the school has failed to address.
Knox and her friends were walking to class on Sept. 12 when a white female classmate referred to the group using the N-word. “My daughter was upset, particularly because the girl said it loudly and none of her peers intervened,” Knox’s mother, Diannia Merriett, 43, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
The 16-year-old reported the incident to the school guidance counselor, and Merriett met with the principal the following day. But the conversation went nowhere, the mom says.
Walking to class with friends the following day, the same student again called Knox the N-word. “This time, my daughter responded by saying, ‘Why are you walking away?’ — and there were profanities,” Merriett says. “There was no physical contact.”
Read more at Yahoo.
On Wednesday, Chanese Knox, a junior at Greendale High School in Wisconsin, led her friends in protest, alleging that her suspension in September was the result of a racially charged environment on campus that the school has failed to address.
Knox and her friends were walking to class on Sept. 12 when a white female classmate referred to the group using the N-word. “My daughter was upset, particularly because the girl said it loudly and none of her peers intervened,” Knox’s mother, Diannia Merriett, 43, tells Yahoo Lifestyle.
The 16-year-old reported the incident to the school guidance counselor, and Merriett met with the principal the following day. But the conversation went nowhere, the mom says.
Walking to class with friends the following day, the same student again called Knox the N-word. “This time, my daughter responded by saying, ‘Why are you walking away?’ — and there were profanities,” Merriett says. “There was no physical contact.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Facebook takes down ads mentioning African-Americans and Hispanics, calling them political
SAN FRANCISCO – A Facebook advertisement celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month from a health insurance company. A professional women's club showcasing black dolls so children can see "beautiful reflections of themselves." Prostate cancer screenings for African-American men in Colorado and cervical cancer screenings for Hispanic women in Ohio. A pledge in Spanish for fast loan pre-approval from a mortgage company.
Dozens of advertisements removed from Facebook for being political ahead of the November midterm elections did not appear to express any political view, a USA TODAY analysis showed. The Facebook ads from businesses, universities, nonprofits and other organizations did seem to have something in common: They mentioned "African-American," "Latino," "Hispanic," "Mexican," "women," "LGBT" or were written in Spanish.
Even offers of free delivery from Chipotle Mexican Grill were mislabeled as political until an inquiry from USA TODAY. Laurie Schalow, the restaurant chain's chief communications officer, said Facebook "corrected the error" after being alerted.
Facing a flood of criticism over its failure to stop foreign interference during the 2016 presidential election, Facebook this year adopted stricter advertising disclosures for political campaigns and for contentious national issues. In addition to deploying artificial intelligence to sift through ads, Facebook said it would add thousands more moderators to manually review the text, images and targeting of ads and it would create an online archive of political ads.
Read more at USA Today
Dozens of advertisements removed from Facebook for being political ahead of the November midterm elections did not appear to express any political view, a USA TODAY analysis showed. The Facebook ads from businesses, universities, nonprofits and other organizations did seem to have something in common: They mentioned "African-American," "Latino," "Hispanic," "Mexican," "women," "LGBT" or were written in Spanish.
Even offers of free delivery from Chipotle Mexican Grill were mislabeled as political until an inquiry from USA TODAY. Laurie Schalow, the restaurant chain's chief communications officer, said Facebook "corrected the error" after being alerted.
Facing a flood of criticism over its failure to stop foreign interference during the 2016 presidential election, Facebook this year adopted stricter advertising disclosures for political campaigns and for contentious national issues. In addition to deploying artificial intelligence to sift through ads, Facebook said it would add thousands more moderators to manually review the text, images and targeting of ads and it would create an online archive of political ads.
Read more at USA Today
New York Post Calls Black Rhodes Scholar And Harvard Law Grad ‘Rapping Dem’
The New York Post appeared to steal a page from state Republicans’ playbooks with a story this week headlined: “Rapping Dem raised $3.8M for campaign against Republican.”
Briefly, the “rapping Dem” is Antonio Delgado, who is running as a Democrat to represent New York state’s 19th district in Congress. He received a prestigious Rhodes scholarship to attend the University of Oxford in England, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy and political science after completing undergraduate studies at New York’s Colgate University. Then he went to Harvard Law School, where he met his wife.
The $3.8 million his campaign raised was “eye-popping,” as the Post put it, considering that his opponent, incumbent Republican Rep. John Faso, only collected around $1 million in the same period.
Also eye-popping, though, was the Post’s headline, which narrowed in on perhaps the least consequential aspect of Delgado’s resume: That time he tried to make it as a rapper.
The headline is oddly in line with messaging from New York Republicans, who have exhibited a mild obsession with the lyrics that Delgado, who is black, wrote in the mid-aughts.
Read more at HuffPost
Briefly, the “rapping Dem” is Antonio Delgado, who is running as a Democrat to represent New York state’s 19th district in Congress. He received a prestigious Rhodes scholarship to attend the University of Oxford in England, where he earned a master’s degree in philosophy and political science after completing undergraduate studies at New York’s Colgate University. Then he went to Harvard Law School, where he met his wife.
The $3.8 million his campaign raised was “eye-popping,” as the Post put it, considering that his opponent, incumbent Republican Rep. John Faso, only collected around $1 million in the same period.
Also eye-popping, though, was the Post’s headline, which narrowed in on perhaps the least consequential aspect of Delgado’s resume: That time he tried to make it as a rapper.
The headline is oddly in line with messaging from New York Republicans, who have exhibited a mild obsession with the lyrics that Delgado, who is black, wrote in the mid-aughts.
Read more at HuffPost
The Kanye West controversy
Kanye West’s recent visit to the White House ignited a predictable firestorm of outrage, exasperation and in some corners, support.
Mr. West was invited, along with NFL great Jim Brown by President Donald Trump, ostensibly to discuss criminal justice reform. It’s unclear if anything will develop beyond rhetoric, but Mr. West used his stage to embark on what has been described by the media as a 20-minute rant, incoherent and disjointed and a “stream of consciousness” soliloquy.
Some Blacks were repulsed at his supportive expressions of the president, and disgusted that Mr. West has tied his fortunes so closely to a man deemed a racist and overt supporter of White nationalists, as someone who has been assailed from Black Americans for his bigotry, his crassness and his need to belittle all around him.
Others called for looking a little deeper into what the singer, producer and hip hop entrepreneur said and the issues he raised and whether they had merit, instead of rejecting any and all engagement with a president widely seen as an enemy of Black people.
During the Oct. 10 press availability, Mr. West expressed admiration for his friend President Trump, referred to him as a father figure of sorts and shared pushback he’s gotten from friends and foes for associating with the proponent of Make America Great Again.
He called Mr. Trump and American entrepreneurs, not politicians, his inspiration for business success. In his four-dimensional way of self-expression, Mr. West started by talking about the incarceration of Larry Hoover, legendary founder of the Gangster Disciple street organization in Chicago, and the need for his release. Mr. Hoover, who was trying to move and move others in a positive direction, is jailed but could help turn lives around and has a curriculum to change young lives, said Mr. West. Mr. Hoover is a nonconventional leader in the Black community and his incarceration and the jailing of others is tied to the lack of opportunity in inner cities, he said. America needs reinvestment with companies like Adidas coming back to the cities to build factories and create jobs, he said.
“Really the reason why they imprisoned (Mr. Hoover) is because he was doing positive for the community. He started showing that he actually had power, that he wasn’t just one of a monolithic voice, but he could wrap people around,” said Mr. West.
“And I have to go and get him free because he was doing positive [things] inside of Chicago, just like how I’m moving back to Chicago and it’s not just about, you know, getting on stage and being an entertainer and having a monolithic voice that’s forced to be a specific party,” he said.
Read more at Final Call
Mr. West was invited, along with NFL great Jim Brown by President Donald Trump, ostensibly to discuss criminal justice reform. It’s unclear if anything will develop beyond rhetoric, but Mr. West used his stage to embark on what has been described by the media as a 20-minute rant, incoherent and disjointed and a “stream of consciousness” soliloquy.
Some Blacks were repulsed at his supportive expressions of the president, and disgusted that Mr. West has tied his fortunes so closely to a man deemed a racist and overt supporter of White nationalists, as someone who has been assailed from Black Americans for his bigotry, his crassness and his need to belittle all around him.
Others called for looking a little deeper into what the singer, producer and hip hop entrepreneur said and the issues he raised and whether they had merit, instead of rejecting any and all engagement with a president widely seen as an enemy of Black people.
During the Oct. 10 press availability, Mr. West expressed admiration for his friend President Trump, referred to him as a father figure of sorts and shared pushback he’s gotten from friends and foes for associating with the proponent of Make America Great Again.
He called Mr. Trump and American entrepreneurs, not politicians, his inspiration for business success. In his four-dimensional way of self-expression, Mr. West started by talking about the incarceration of Larry Hoover, legendary founder of the Gangster Disciple street organization in Chicago, and the need for his release. Mr. Hoover, who was trying to move and move others in a positive direction, is jailed but could help turn lives around and has a curriculum to change young lives, said Mr. West. Mr. Hoover is a nonconventional leader in the Black community and his incarceration and the jailing of others is tied to the lack of opportunity in inner cities, he said. America needs reinvestment with companies like Adidas coming back to the cities to build factories and create jobs, he said.
“Really the reason why they imprisoned (Mr. Hoover) is because he was doing positive for the community. He started showing that he actually had power, that he wasn’t just one of a monolithic voice, but he could wrap people around,” said Mr. West.
“And I have to go and get him free because he was doing positive [things] inside of Chicago, just like how I’m moving back to Chicago and it’s not just about, you know, getting on stage and being an entertainer and having a monolithic voice that’s forced to be a specific party,” he said.
Read more at Final Call
Woman fired after video shows her stopping black man from entering apartment building
A Missouri woman was dismissed from her job Sunday, just days after video surfaced showing her trying to stop a black man from entering the apartment building where he lives.
The company that fired her, Tribeca Luxury Apartments, said in a statement to KMOV4, a local CBS affiliate, that the incident was "disturbing" and that it will not stand for "racism or racial profiling at our company."
“The Tribeca-STL family is a minority-owned company that consists of employees and residents from many racial backgrounds,” the company said. “We are proud of this fact and do not and never will stand for racism or racial profiling at our company. After a review of the matter the employee has been terminated and is no longer with our company.”
The statement stemmed from an encounter between D’Arreion Toles and the woman, Hilary Brooke Mueller, on Friday night as he tried to enter his apartment complex in St. Louis.
The woman can be seen standing in the doorway of the apartment complex in video that Toles taped on his cellphone. She repeatedly asks Toles what unit he lives in as Toles asks her to move out of his way.
"To Be A Black man in America, & Come home," Toles wrote in a Facebook post that was accompanied by video of the interaction.
Read more at The Hill
The company that fired her, Tribeca Luxury Apartments, said in a statement to KMOV4, a local CBS affiliate, that the incident was "disturbing" and that it will not stand for "racism or racial profiling at our company."
“The Tribeca-STL family is a minority-owned company that consists of employees and residents from many racial backgrounds,” the company said. “We are proud of this fact and do not and never will stand for racism or racial profiling at our company. After a review of the matter the employee has been terminated and is no longer with our company.”
The statement stemmed from an encounter between D’Arreion Toles and the woman, Hilary Brooke Mueller, on Friday night as he tried to enter his apartment complex in St. Louis.
The woman can be seen standing in the doorway of the apartment complex in video that Toles taped on his cellphone. She repeatedly asks Toles what unit he lives in as Toles asks her to move out of his way.
"To Be A Black man in America, & Come home," Toles wrote in a Facebook post that was accompanied by video of the interaction.
Read more at The Hill
'Babysitting while black': Woman calls police on male babysitter with white children
A black babysitter says a woman called the police on him while two white children were in his care.
On Sunday, while babysitting for the 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son of his friends Dana Mango and David Parker, Corey Lewis of Marietta, Ga., treated the kids to lunch at a Subway inside Walmart. Afterward, the 27-year-old, who runs the youth mentoring program Inspired by Lewis, was standing with the kids outside his car while the boy finished eating when he noticed a white woman sitting in her car, staring.
“She pulled up alongside us and asked, ‘Are the kids OK?'” Lewis tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “I answered, ‘Why wouldn’t they be?’ She just smirked and drove off.”
The woman circled the parking lot and returned to Lewis’s car, saying, “Can I ask the little girl if she knows who you are?” and Lewis answered, “No, you cannot.” The woman then said, “OK, I will take down your license plate,” and left.
“I asked a few white witnesses if it looked suspicious that I was caring for two white children, and they said ‘Kind of,'” says Lewis. “But the kids were goofing around and eating, and there was no sign of danger.”
Lewis headed to a service station, and while he was pumping gas, he noticed the woman’s car again. Concerned about the children’s safety, he drove to his house, and when he arrived, so did the woman — and a police car.
On Sunday, while babysitting for the 10-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son of his friends Dana Mango and David Parker, Corey Lewis of Marietta, Ga., treated the kids to lunch at a Subway inside Walmart. Afterward, the 27-year-old, who runs the youth mentoring program Inspired by Lewis, was standing with the kids outside his car while the boy finished eating when he noticed a white woman sitting in her car, staring.
“She pulled up alongside us and asked, ‘Are the kids OK?'” Lewis tells Yahoo Lifestyle. “I answered, ‘Why wouldn’t they be?’ She just smirked and drove off.”
The woman circled the parking lot and returned to Lewis’s car, saying, “Can I ask the little girl if she knows who you are?” and Lewis answered, “No, you cannot.” The woman then said, “OK, I will take down your license plate,” and left.
“I asked a few white witnesses if it looked suspicious that I was caring for two white children, and they said ‘Kind of,'” says Lewis. “But the kids were goofing around and eating, and there was no sign of danger.”
Lewis headed to a service station, and while he was pumping gas, he noticed the woman’s car again. Concerned about the children’s safety, he drove to his house, and when he arrived, so did the woman — and a police car.
Alvin Kamara wears 'Make Africa Home Again' hat, Colin Kaepernick jersey in Saints locker room
Monday night in the NFL was all about Drew Brees‘ record-setting statement on the field.
In the victorious locker room, running back Alvin Kamara had his own powerful message.
Alvin Kamara takes on Trump, props up Kaepernick
The New Orleans Saints running back stepped out for interviews after a win over the Washington Redskins wearing a San Francisco 49ers jersey and a hat reading “Make Africa Home Again,” posing for an image shared by The New Orleans Times Picayune’s Josh Katzenstein.
Why the 49ers jersey? It was a Colin Kaepernick jersey, of course.
In a season where sideline protests of social injustice during the national anthem have been fewer alongside dampened controversy over the subject, Kamara’s is one of the most powerful statements yet.
Kamara’s statement follows Eric Reid’s
It comes on the same week that Eric Reid returned to the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and took a knee during the anthem. Reid was a teammate of Kaepernick’s in San Francisco and the first player to join his quarterback in kneeling during the anthem.
A 26-year-old safety who started 69 of his 70 career games with the 49ers, Reid had trouble finding a job in the wake of the anthem controversy.
About that hat
Kamara’s bright red hat obviously wasn’t just to match his jersey, but to take on the “Make America Great Again” hats popular among supporters of President Donald Trump.
Trump has bullied protesting players and pressured owners to punish those who kneel, famously urging owners to “get that son of a bitch off the field.”
Read more at Yahoo.
In the victorious locker room, running back Alvin Kamara had his own powerful message.
Alvin Kamara takes on Trump, props up Kaepernick
The New Orleans Saints running back stepped out for interviews after a win over the Washington Redskins wearing a San Francisco 49ers jersey and a hat reading “Make Africa Home Again,” posing for an image shared by The New Orleans Times Picayune’s Josh Katzenstein.
Why the 49ers jersey? It was a Colin Kaepernick jersey, of course.
In a season where sideline protests of social injustice during the national anthem have been fewer alongside dampened controversy over the subject, Kamara’s is one of the most powerful statements yet.
Kamara’s statement follows Eric Reid’s
It comes on the same week that Eric Reid returned to the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and took a knee during the anthem. Reid was a teammate of Kaepernick’s in San Francisco and the first player to join his quarterback in kneeling during the anthem.
A 26-year-old safety who started 69 of his 70 career games with the 49ers, Reid had trouble finding a job in the wake of the anthem controversy.
About that hat
Kamara’s bright red hat obviously wasn’t just to match his jersey, but to take on the “Make America Great Again” hats popular among supporters of President Donald Trump.
Trump has bullied protesting players and pressured owners to punish those who kneel, famously urging owners to “get that son of a bitch off the field.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Nikki Haley To Step Down As United Nations Ambassador
Nikki Haley, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has offered her resignation to President Donald Trump.
Haley will step down at the end of the year, Trump said during a Tuesday morning meeting with the ambassador in the Oval Office. She had told him six months ago that she wanted to leave after serving two years in the role, the president said.
“Nikki Haley, ambassador to the United Nations, has been very special to me,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “She’s a fantastic person, very importantly, but she is also somebody who gets it.”
Trump said Tuesday that Haley has “done an incredible job” as ambassador, adding that he would be happy to have her back in any capacity.
Haley was confirmed as U.N. ambassador in January 2017. Previously, she was the governor of South Carolina. Haley had been an early critic of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, calling him “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president” in February 2016. Trump had publicly fired back at her jabs, tweeting in March 2016 that “the people of South Carolina are embarrassed” by her.
Read more at HuffPost
Haley will step down at the end of the year, Trump said during a Tuesday morning meeting with the ambassador in the Oval Office. She had told him six months ago that she wanted to leave after serving two years in the role, the president said.
“Nikki Haley, ambassador to the United Nations, has been very special to me,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “She’s a fantastic person, very importantly, but she is also somebody who gets it.”
Trump said Tuesday that Haley has “done an incredible job” as ambassador, adding that he would be happy to have her back in any capacity.
Haley was confirmed as U.N. ambassador in January 2017. Previously, she was the governor of South Carolina. Haley had been an early critic of Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign, calling him “everything a governor doesn’t want in a president” in February 2016. Trump had publicly fired back at her jabs, tweeting in March 2016 that “the people of South Carolina are embarrassed” by her.
Read more at HuffPost
Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke found guilty of second-degree murder in Laquan McDonald killing
(CNN)Chicago police Officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty Friday of second-degree murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald.
Van Dyke, who was also found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery, sat impassively in a dark suit -- his shoulders slumped -- as the verdicts were read in the high-profile case. At one point, he sipped water from a bottle. He was found not guilty of official misconduct.
His bond was revoked and sentencing was scheduled for October 31. Van Dyke was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
Though he was originally charged with first -degree murder, jurors were instructed Thursday that they also could consider second-degree murder.
The panel of eight women and four men -- seven white, one black, three Hispanic and one Asian -- began deliberations Thursday afternoon.
Van Dyke was the first Chicago police officer to be charged with first-degree murder since 1980.
Video of the shooting led to protests, a Justice Department civil rights investigation, criticism of the city's mayor and eventually the ouster of the police superintendent.
The prosecution said Van Dyke fired unnecessarily within six seconds after arriving at the scene, striking McDonald 16 times.
Read more at CNN
Van Dyke, who was also found guilty of 16 counts of aggravated battery, sat impassively in a dark suit -- his shoulders slumped -- as the verdicts were read in the high-profile case. At one point, he sipped water from a bottle. He was found not guilty of official misconduct.
His bond was revoked and sentencing was scheduled for October 31. Van Dyke was led out of the courtroom in handcuffs.
Though he was originally charged with first -degree murder, jurors were instructed Thursday that they also could consider second-degree murder.
The panel of eight women and four men -- seven white, one black, three Hispanic and one Asian -- began deliberations Thursday afternoon.
Van Dyke was the first Chicago police officer to be charged with first-degree murder since 1980.
Video of the shooting led to protests, a Justice Department civil rights investigation, criticism of the city's mayor and eventually the ouster of the police superintendent.
The prosecution said Van Dyke fired unnecessarily within six seconds after arriving at the scene, striking McDonald 16 times.
Read more at CNN
Suge Knight Claims Dr. Dre Is the Reason He's Behind Bars
Suge Knight was sentenced on Thursday to 28 years in prison for the manslaughter of a man on the Straight Outta Compton set after striking a plea deal in his 2015 murder case last week. But in a conversation with The Blast, the controversial legend claimed Dr. Dre is the only reason he’s behind bars.
The beef between the two is legendary and dates back to their falling out in the 90s. The Death Row exec says the current trouble stems from his attempt to collect 30 percent of Dre’s $3 billion deal with Apple, which he claims is subject to the “deal a lifetime” he made with Dre decades ago. Because of this, Knight believes Dre put a hit out on him, something he also claimed a year ago.
Suge says this purported hit was supposed to go down on the same day (January 29, 2015) that he ran over and killed a man in a Tam's Burgers parking lot. He also says this murder attempt followed a previous attempt in 2014 at a nightclub.
“They also got the paper trail with all the checks and proof of when they talked to the witnesses saying that Dre came to them first and asked the two guys how much it cost to get rid of me,” Knight told The Blast. “And they said, ‘What you mean by get rid of?’ And they said, ‘Kill him.'”
Knight also explained to The Blast why he decided to take the plea deal instead of fighting his case. “So when they gave me an attorney,” Suge said, “he seen me two times in eight months and told me he went to the court and said he needed help and other attorneys. And they told him no. He said no way he can do my trial because he really don’t know the case and he won’t win.”
Read more at Yahoo
The beef between the two is legendary and dates back to their falling out in the 90s. The Death Row exec says the current trouble stems from his attempt to collect 30 percent of Dre’s $3 billion deal with Apple, which he claims is subject to the “deal a lifetime” he made with Dre decades ago. Because of this, Knight believes Dre put a hit out on him, something he also claimed a year ago.
Suge says this purported hit was supposed to go down on the same day (January 29, 2015) that he ran over and killed a man in a Tam's Burgers parking lot. He also says this murder attempt followed a previous attempt in 2014 at a nightclub.
“They also got the paper trail with all the checks and proof of when they talked to the witnesses saying that Dre came to them first and asked the two guys how much it cost to get rid of me,” Knight told The Blast. “And they said, ‘What you mean by get rid of?’ And they said, ‘Kill him.'”
Knight also explained to The Blast why he decided to take the plea deal instead of fighting his case. “So when they gave me an attorney,” Suge said, “he seen me two times in eight months and told me he went to the court and said he needed help and other attorneys. And they told him no. He said no way he can do my trial because he really don’t know the case and he won’t win.”
Read more at Yahoo
H&M Slammed After Humiliated Black Woman Was Accused Of Stealing Earrings She Just Purchased
H&M is in hot water after a security officer falsely accused a Black woman shoplifting from a Miami location.
Daniela Taylor visited an H&M store at Pembroke Lakes Mall on Tuesday to return a pair of earrings. While she was at the store, she decided to buy another pair; however, when she exited the store, she was immediately approached by two loss prevention officers, reported CBS News.
“It was a Black thing. Period. I wasn’t the only person in there. Why me?” Taylor told CBS News.
Daniela said the officer accused her of stealing in front of everyone.
“He’s like, ‘That’s it. You’re going to jail.’ I’m like, ‘but for what?’” asked Daniela.
Daniela, who was very upset by the allegation, says she was most upset that one of the officers was also Black.
“I’m cursing because obviously I have already told him I didn’t do anything. I said, ‘You should understand where I’m coming from. If you were on the other end of the table, you should understand how they do us these days.’ He said, ‘Don’t pull the race card on me,’” said Taylor.
Eventually, the loss prevention officers watched the security footage and determined Daniela had not stolen anything.
Read more at BET
Daniela Taylor visited an H&M store at Pembroke Lakes Mall on Tuesday to return a pair of earrings. While she was at the store, she decided to buy another pair; however, when she exited the store, she was immediately approached by two loss prevention officers, reported CBS News.
“It was a Black thing. Period. I wasn’t the only person in there. Why me?” Taylor told CBS News.
Daniela said the officer accused her of stealing in front of everyone.
“He’s like, ‘That’s it. You’re going to jail.’ I’m like, ‘but for what?’” asked Daniela.
Daniela, who was very upset by the allegation, says she was most upset that one of the officers was also Black.
“I’m cursing because obviously I have already told him I didn’t do anything. I said, ‘You should understand where I’m coming from. If you were on the other end of the table, you should understand how they do us these days.’ He said, ‘Don’t pull the race card on me,’” said Taylor.
Eventually, the loss prevention officers watched the security footage and determined Daniela had not stolen anything.
Read more at BET
Man Accused of Throwing Four-Year-Old Brother Off Roof of Brooklyn Building, Killing Him
Months before he allegedly threw his 4-year-old brother off a Brooklyn roof to his death, Shawn Smith was showing signs of trouble.
Smith, 20, was planning to immigrate to New York with his family last December but mental health issues forced him to stay at a hospital in his native Guyana before he was able to join the rest of his family, relatives said Sunday.
And months after arriving in New York, Smith broke down a heavy door in his family’s Flatlands apartment, prompting his frightened mother to call 911. He landed in Kings County Hospital for more psychiatric treatment.
But other relatives could tell something remained seriously wrong.
“You could see in his eyes, he was deteriorating,” said Robin Frith, who is married to Smith’s grandfather. “He was a sick person — you could see it!”
On Saturday, Smith finally snapped.
He flagged down cops around 3:30 a.m. near his family’s home and led them to little Shimron Smith’s broken body in the courtyard of their seven-story building on Nostrand Ave. near Avenue K.
Authorities say he calmly told the cops he had tossed his brother from the roof about 45 minutes earlier. He confessed to the shocking crime a second time while in police custody, according to police sources.
Smith, 20, was planning to immigrate to New York with his family last December but mental health issues forced him to stay at a hospital in his native Guyana before he was able to join the rest of his family, relatives said Sunday.
And months after arriving in New York, Smith broke down a heavy door in his family’s Flatlands apartment, prompting his frightened mother to call 911. He landed in Kings County Hospital for more psychiatric treatment.
But other relatives could tell something remained seriously wrong.
“You could see in his eyes, he was deteriorating,” said Robin Frith, who is married to Smith’s grandfather. “He was a sick person — you could see it!”
On Saturday, Smith finally snapped.
He flagged down cops around 3:30 a.m. near his family’s home and led them to little Shimron Smith’s broken body in the courtyard of their seven-story building on Nostrand Ave. near Avenue K.
Authorities say he calmly told the cops he had tossed his brother from the roof about 45 minutes earlier. He confessed to the shocking crime a second time while in police custody, according to police sources.
Panthers sign S Eric Reid, who protested with Colin Kaepernick
The Carolina Panthers announced Thursday that they have signed safety Eric Reid, the second player to kneel during the national anthem after Colin Kaepernick, to a one-year contract.
Reid, 26, became a free agent this offseason after five years with the San Francisco 49ers. He was the first player to protest during the national anthem alongside Kaepernick in 2016 — demonstrations that they and others have described as a means of protesting police brutality and racial inequality.
"Eric has been a starting safety in the NFL and has played at a high level throughout his career," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a statement. "After we put (safety) Da’Norris Searcy on injured reserve, Ron (Rivera) and I discussed our options, and Eric was at the top of our list. He is a physical safety with good ball skills and play-making ability."
Reid, like Kaepernick, has previously filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging that league owners had colluded to keep him out of the NFL in the wake of his decision to protest.
Read more at USA Today
Reid, 26, became a free agent this offseason after five years with the San Francisco 49ers. He was the first player to protest during the national anthem alongside Kaepernick in 2016 — demonstrations that they and others have described as a means of protesting police brutality and racial inequality.
"Eric has been a starting safety in the NFL and has played at a high level throughout his career," Panthers general manager Marty Hurney said in a statement. "After we put (safety) Da’Norris Searcy on injured reserve, Ron (Rivera) and I discussed our options, and Eric was at the top of our list. He is a physical safety with good ball skills and play-making ability."
Reid, like Kaepernick, has previously filed a grievance against the NFL, alleging that league owners had colluded to keep him out of the NFL in the wake of his decision to protest.
Read more at USA Today
White Detroit Cop Fired After Posting ‘Another Night To Rangel Up These Zoo Animals’ On Snapchat
A Detroit police officer who only recently graduated from the academy was terminated after posting an offensive Snapchat post about “zoo animals.”
Rookie Sean Bostwick, 27, posted a photo of himself to Snapchat on Saturday with a caption that read, “another night to Rangel [sic] up these zoo animals,” the Detroit News reports.
During a news conference, Detroit Police Chief James Craig told reporters Bostwick is no longer with the department.
“This is his last day on our payroll,” Chief Craig said. “Tomorrow, he will no longer be a Detroit police officer. He is clear on that.”
Craig also emphasized that the officer’s comment is “not reflective” of the department.
“We expect a high level of professionalism when we’re serving the public,” Craig added.
According to Craig, Bostwick immediately admitted to making the post and said he was apologetic.
“He took responsibility for it,” Craig said. “He admitted that he did this. He said he didn’t mean it the way it came off.”
Bostwick had been out of the police academy for just two months, despite being on the force for roughly 18 months. He spent the bulk of his time in the academy due to low test scores, Craig said.
Although Bostwick showed remorse, Craig said the viral post sealed his fate.
Read more at BET
Rookie Sean Bostwick, 27, posted a photo of himself to Snapchat on Saturday with a caption that read, “another night to Rangel [sic] up these zoo animals,” the Detroit News reports.
During a news conference, Detroit Police Chief James Craig told reporters Bostwick is no longer with the department.
“This is his last day on our payroll,” Chief Craig said. “Tomorrow, he will no longer be a Detroit police officer. He is clear on that.”
Craig also emphasized that the officer’s comment is “not reflective” of the department.
“We expect a high level of professionalism when we’re serving the public,” Craig added.
According to Craig, Bostwick immediately admitted to making the post and said he was apologetic.
“He took responsibility for it,” Craig said. “He admitted that he did this. He said he didn’t mean it the way it came off.”
Bostwick had been out of the police academy for just two months, despite being on the force for roughly 18 months. He spent the bulk of his time in the academy due to low test scores, Craig said.
Although Bostwick showed remorse, Craig said the viral post sealed his fate.
Read more at BET
Chicago police ‘torture commander’ leaves legacy of pain and abuse
CHICAGO—It seems the dark cloud hovering over the Chicago Police Department in the midst of the murder trial of Officer Jason Van Dyke just keeps getting darker. On September 19—the third day of the Van Dyke trial— the police union announced that 70-year-old Jon Burge, a former commander with the CPD who was tried, convicted and served more than four years in prison for torturing approximately 120 people—the majority of whom were Black—and coercing them into admitting guilt for crimes, died in Apollo Beach, Florida.
While Mr. Burge was never officially charged with torturing anyone—he was only prosecuted for lying about what he and his men did, not for the actions themselves. He repeatedly denied the allegations.
The tactics he introduced to the department and oversaw being carried out on victims during a reign of terror included: suffocation, electric shock, Russian roulette and brutal beatings, occurred for the better part of two decades and were a thing of legend on Chicago’s South and West sides. All told, the city paid out more than $120 million to settle lawsuits filed against the Chicago Police Department due to Burge’s actions.
Mr. Burge himself served less than his sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina before being transferred to a halfway house in Florida, the state where he spent the remainder of his life while still collecting a police pension.
In 2003, then Governor George Ryan, pardoned four death row inmates whose sentences were handed down due to them being forced to admit guilt as a result of Burge’s torture tactics and issued a moratorium on all executions in Illinois. Gov. Ryan, a Republican, commuted the sentences for all of the state’s prisoners sentenced to death. In 2015, a reparations fund was established in the amount of $5.5 million for other victims who had not received any money as a result of those settlements.
Read more at Final Call
While Mr. Burge was never officially charged with torturing anyone—he was only prosecuted for lying about what he and his men did, not for the actions themselves. He repeatedly denied the allegations.
The tactics he introduced to the department and oversaw being carried out on victims during a reign of terror included: suffocation, electric shock, Russian roulette and brutal beatings, occurred for the better part of two decades and were a thing of legend on Chicago’s South and West sides. All told, the city paid out more than $120 million to settle lawsuits filed against the Chicago Police Department due to Burge’s actions.
Mr. Burge himself served less than his sentence at a federal prison in North Carolina before being transferred to a halfway house in Florida, the state where he spent the remainder of his life while still collecting a police pension.
In 2003, then Governor George Ryan, pardoned four death row inmates whose sentences were handed down due to them being forced to admit guilt as a result of Burge’s torture tactics and issued a moratorium on all executions in Illinois. Gov. Ryan, a Republican, commuted the sentences for all of the state’s prisoners sentenced to death. In 2015, a reparations fund was established in the amount of $5.5 million for other victims who had not received any money as a result of those settlements.
Read more at Final Call
Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for sexual assault conviction
Bill Cosby on Tuesday was sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for his conviction on charges of drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University women's basketball administrator Andrea Constand at his suburban Philadelphia mansion in 2004. He was declared a "sexually violent predator," and will appear as such on a sex-offender registry for the rest of his life, reports The Associated Press.
The former comedian's defense lawyer argued that Cosby was no longer a threat to the public due to his age, 81, and the fact that he is legally blind. Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill decided that prosecutors had presented "clear and convincing" proof otherwise.
Constand submitted a victim impact statement in support of a strong sentence for Cosby. "Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it," she wrote. "He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in myself and others." Cosby opted not to make a statement when the judge gave him a chance to speak in court Tuesday.
Read more at The Week
The former comedian's defense lawyer argued that Cosby was no longer a threat to the public due to his age, 81, and the fact that he is legally blind. Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill decided that prosecutors had presented "clear and convincing" proof otherwise.
Constand submitted a victim impact statement in support of a strong sentence for Cosby. "Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy young spirit and crushed it," she wrote. "He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in myself and others." Cosby opted not to make a statement when the judge gave him a chance to speak in court Tuesday.
Read more at The Week
LeBron James Says He Wouldn’t Be Where He Is Today Without His Wife
We all know superstar NBA player LeBron James loves his wife, Savannah.
He regularly calls her “his queen” on social media, and he continually gives his better half props for being an awesome wife and mother. But in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, James admitted he wouldn’t be the man he is today without Savannah.
“We have been down since high school,” he said at Harlem’s Fashion Row gala earlier this month. “I listen to a lot of rap music, and a good friend of mine said, ‘You wasn’t with me shooting in the gym. But in all actuality, Savannah was with me shooting in the gym when I [had] absolutely nothing.”
While some saw James’ comments as a sly jab at Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa — the subject of the original Drake line — James told The Hollywood Reporter he merely wanted to explain that Savannah has had his back since the beginning.
“I do know that when [Drake] said it, it was about Kobe Bryant, but Kobe Bryant wasn’t even in my thoughts,” James explained. “[Savannah] was down when I was at my high school, no cameras, no lights.”
Read more at Essence
He regularly calls her “his queen” on social media, and he continually gives his better half props for being an awesome wife and mother. But in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, James admitted he wouldn’t be the man he is today without Savannah.
“We have been down since high school,” he said at Harlem’s Fashion Row gala earlier this month. “I listen to a lot of rap music, and a good friend of mine said, ‘You wasn’t with me shooting in the gym. But in all actuality, Savannah was with me shooting in the gym when I [had] absolutely nothing.”
While some saw James’ comments as a sly jab at Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa — the subject of the original Drake line — James told The Hollywood Reporter he merely wanted to explain that Savannah has had his back since the beginning.
“I do know that when [Drake] said it, it was about Kobe Bryant, but Kobe Bryant wasn’t even in my thoughts,” James explained. “[Savannah] was down when I was at my high school, no cameras, no lights.”
Read more at Essence
4 Dead In Shooting At Maryland Rite Aid Facility
Three people were killed and three others wounded when a 26-year-old woman opened fire at the Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County, Maryland, where she worked Thursday morning, authorities confirmed.
The three injured people are expected to survive, police said.
The shooter was taken to an area hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her head, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said during a press conference. She died after arriving at the hospital in critical condition.
No shots were fired by any law enforcement officials, the sheriff said.
The shooter was a temporary employee at the facility and reported to work as usual Thursday morning, carrying a 9mm Glock handgun registered in her name and “multiple” magazines, according to Gahler. She opened fire both inside and outside the facility shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern time.
The shooter’s motivation is not yet known, but Gahler noted that there was no additional threat to the community. She was believed to be a resident of Baltimore County. Her identity has not yet been released.
Authorities responded at 9:09 a.m. Eastern Time to the intersection of Spesutia and Perryman Roads in Perryman, Maryland, a semirural spot in a small town around 30 miles northeast of Baltimore.
The shooting took place on a three-building campus where Rite Aid employs around 1,300 people, Harford County spokeswoman Cindy Mumby told HuffPost. Mumby did not know how many employees were present at the time of the shooting.
Four injured people were transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore with gunshot wounds needing urgent attention. Trauma director Raymond Fang could not comment on their identities.
Read more at HuffPost
The three injured people are expected to survive, police said.
The shooter was taken to an area hospital with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to her head, Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler said during a press conference. She died after arriving at the hospital in critical condition.
No shots were fired by any law enforcement officials, the sheriff said.
The shooter was a temporary employee at the facility and reported to work as usual Thursday morning, carrying a 9mm Glock handgun registered in her name and “multiple” magazines, according to Gahler. She opened fire both inside and outside the facility shortly after 9 a.m. Eastern time.
The shooter’s motivation is not yet known, but Gahler noted that there was no additional threat to the community. She was believed to be a resident of Baltimore County. Her identity has not yet been released.
Authorities responded at 9:09 a.m. Eastern Time to the intersection of Spesutia and Perryman Roads in Perryman, Maryland, a semirural spot in a small town around 30 miles northeast of Baltimore.
The shooting took place on a three-building campus where Rite Aid employs around 1,300 people, Harford County spokeswoman Cindy Mumby told HuffPost. Mumby did not know how many employees were present at the time of the shooting.
Four injured people were transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore with gunshot wounds needing urgent attention. Trauma director Raymond Fang could not comment on their identities.
Read more at HuffPost
Mother Turns In Teen Son After Seeing Him On TV As A Carjacking Suspect Sparking Debate On Loyalty
A teenage boy in Georgia was arrested in connection with a carjacking that resulted in the death of a 24-year-old father. The suspect was turned into authorities after his mother recognized him on the news and called police.
East Point Detective Ebony Johnson said the unnamed 15-year-old male surrendered just 24 hours after Channel 2 Action News played a surveillance video of three suspects accused of the carjacking.
Police say two men were in a car at an apartment complex when three men approached the car with guns. Terrick Matthews, 24, was asleep in the passenger seat when the suspects approached the car. Although Matthews woke up and tried to comply with the suspects, one of the men shot him in the neck. He later died from his injuries. The car's owner survived.
"It wasn't necessary for them to take his life," Johnson said. "They were in compliance. They were getting out of the vehicle at that point."
The suspects then drove to a nearby gas station where they filled a soda bottle with gasoline. Afterwards, they drove to a parking lot and torched the car. The three suspects were caught on the Exxon's surveillance cameras. All three suspects will face murder charges, police said.
Read more at BET
East Point Detective Ebony Johnson said the unnamed 15-year-old male surrendered just 24 hours after Channel 2 Action News played a surveillance video of three suspects accused of the carjacking.
Police say two men were in a car at an apartment complex when three men approached the car with guns. Terrick Matthews, 24, was asleep in the passenger seat when the suspects approached the car. Although Matthews woke up and tried to comply with the suspects, one of the men shot him in the neck. He later died from his injuries. The car's owner survived.
"It wasn't necessary for them to take his life," Johnson said. "They were in compliance. They were getting out of the vehicle at that point."
The suspects then drove to a nearby gas station where they filled a soda bottle with gasoline. Afterwards, they drove to a parking lot and torched the car. The three suspects were caught on the Exxon's surveillance cameras. All three suspects will face murder charges, police said.
Read more at BET
Not Your Brother - Black Christians challenge the racism, hypocrisy of White Christian evangelicals
WASHINGTON—Twenty-four years ago, Horatio Fenton and his wife Jackie joined a non-denominational church in southern New Jersey that became their spiritual home. Mr. Fenton, who serves as an elder at the church, said over the years, the couple forged a deep spiritual connection and developed friendships with fellow congregants.
Everything appeared to be fine, he said, until Donald Trump became president.
“Trump has caused division in every institution and in families everywhere in the U.S.,” Mr. Fenton said soberly. “He has caused division across the board, across all spectrums. My stance is that I go to church to worship and fellowship. What has happened is that the fellowship is now tainted with regards to people’s political views, which has caused a divide. Personal relationships have been broken. We’re just not as close. In one instance, people sent out text messages about welfare claiming that the majority of those on welfare is Black, which happens to be a lie. It was circulated by people who should know better.”
“The church is no place for that type of material. I spoke to the person who sent it and he apologized. I didn’t know this person held such a view. Before there was a Trump, they (White parishioners) were more cautious in their speech. They were more covert but they have become emboldened and have revealed their true selves. I can’t associate or fellowship with such people.”
Mr. Fenton said he wonders how White Christians and evangelicals who profess to follow Jesus Christ and the tenets of the Bible are so comfortable supporting a man who is open and unashamed about his support of White nationalists and an agenda that promotes racism and discrimination and xenophobia.
“Trump has used the n-word. How come they don’t condemn him? How come there’s silence on this? How can they support a person who supports White supremacy? Racism has no room in Christianity. That’s not what Christianity looks like,” Mr. Fenton said.
Read more at Final Call
Everything appeared to be fine, he said, until Donald Trump became president.
“Trump has caused division in every institution and in families everywhere in the U.S.,” Mr. Fenton said soberly. “He has caused division across the board, across all spectrums. My stance is that I go to church to worship and fellowship. What has happened is that the fellowship is now tainted with regards to people’s political views, which has caused a divide. Personal relationships have been broken. We’re just not as close. In one instance, people sent out text messages about welfare claiming that the majority of those on welfare is Black, which happens to be a lie. It was circulated by people who should know better.”
“The church is no place for that type of material. I spoke to the person who sent it and he apologized. I didn’t know this person held such a view. Before there was a Trump, they (White parishioners) were more cautious in their speech. They were more covert but they have become emboldened and have revealed their true selves. I can’t associate or fellowship with such people.”
Mr. Fenton said he wonders how White Christians and evangelicals who profess to follow Jesus Christ and the tenets of the Bible are so comfortable supporting a man who is open and unashamed about his support of White nationalists and an agenda that promotes racism and discrimination and xenophobia.
“Trump has used the n-word. How come they don’t condemn him? How come there’s silence on this? How can they support a person who supports White supremacy? Racism has no room in Christianity. That’s not what Christianity looks like,” Mr. Fenton said.
Read more at Final Call
Nike stock closes at all-time high in aftermath of Colin Kaepernick ad campaign
It appears Nike is doing just fine in the wake of one of the most predictably divisive marketing campaigns in recent memory.
Ten days after Nike announced that Colin Kaepernick would be the face of its “Just Do It” 30th anniversary ad campaign, the sports apparel behemoth’s stock price closed at an all-time high on Thursday at $83.47, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Nike had previously faced a noticeable dip in its stock price in the immediate aftermath of its Kaepernick announcement, dropping nearly 3 percent in the next day of trading at the New York Stock Exchange. That fall has since been made up and more, with the current price slightly besting the company’s previous high of $83.00 from Wednesday and an earlier peak of $82.95 on Aug. 21, 2018.
LeBron James, who signed a lifetime contract with Nike a few years ago, happily greeted the news.
The ad made its television debut on Sep. 5 during the NFL’s Thursday night opener and immediately faced both very loud applause and a very loud backlash.
How Nike and Kaepernick’s big move has been received
Nike likely knew what it was getting into with its decision to feature what is probably the most politically divisive athlete in the world today as one of the faces of the company, and the result hasn’t disappointed.
Boycotts were planned, people burned their Nike gear even though Nike already had their money and one mayor of a Louisiana town even tried to ban the gear from being sold at public facilties before pulling back.
Read more at Yahoo
Ten days after Nike announced that Colin Kaepernick would be the face of its “Just Do It” 30th anniversary ad campaign, the sports apparel behemoth’s stock price closed at an all-time high on Thursday at $83.47, according to a report from Bloomberg.
Nike had previously faced a noticeable dip in its stock price in the immediate aftermath of its Kaepernick announcement, dropping nearly 3 percent in the next day of trading at the New York Stock Exchange. That fall has since been made up and more, with the current price slightly besting the company’s previous high of $83.00 from Wednesday and an earlier peak of $82.95 on Aug. 21, 2018.
LeBron James, who signed a lifetime contract with Nike a few years ago, happily greeted the news.
The ad made its television debut on Sep. 5 during the NFL’s Thursday night opener and immediately faced both very loud applause and a very loud backlash.
How Nike and Kaepernick’s big move has been received
Nike likely knew what it was getting into with its decision to feature what is probably the most politically divisive athlete in the world today as one of the faces of the company, and the result hasn’t disappointed.
Boycotts were planned, people burned their Nike gear even though Nike already had their money and one mayor of a Louisiana town even tried to ban the gear from being sold at public facilties before pulling back.
Read more at Yahoo
Racist Driver To Asian Woman: ‘You’re Illegals Crossing The Border’
A racist encounter in Portland, Oregon, has left people on social media outraged.
Facebook user Selina Cairel, who’s Asian-American, shared a video she took of a driver who shouted several racist insults at her earlier this week. Cariel alleges that the woman spoke to her in a mock Asian accent saying “She’s Asian, she can’t see ― that’s why she can’t drive” before launching into the tirade that Cariel recorded.
“Before you say anything you might wanna make sure you’re actual legals,” the woman can be heard saying in the clip that was posted to Facebook on Wednesday. “And then call the cops and let them know.”
“About what?” Cairel responds.
“That you’re illegals crossing the border and your parents probably had to work for fuckin’ dirt just to get here,” the woman responds.
The video has since racked up more than 1.3 million views on Facebook with thousands of shares. According to local outlet KOIN 6, social media users identified the driver, however, the outlet has not published her name. The driver’s mother had reached out to the station and said her daughter is “sorry” and had “made a mistake.”
Cairel said in a Facebook post that she’d just left the popular Voodoo Doughnut shop and was parked next to the other driver who she claims had instigated the argument. The woman had allegedly pulled out her phone first, saying “this should go on instagram,” before Cairel returned the favor.
Read more and see the video at HuffPost
Facebook user Selina Cairel, who’s Asian-American, shared a video she took of a driver who shouted several racist insults at her earlier this week. Cariel alleges that the woman spoke to her in a mock Asian accent saying “She’s Asian, she can’t see ― that’s why she can’t drive” before launching into the tirade that Cariel recorded.
“Before you say anything you might wanna make sure you’re actual legals,” the woman can be heard saying in the clip that was posted to Facebook on Wednesday. “And then call the cops and let them know.”
“About what?” Cairel responds.
“That you’re illegals crossing the border and your parents probably had to work for fuckin’ dirt just to get here,” the woman responds.
The video has since racked up more than 1.3 million views on Facebook with thousands of shares. According to local outlet KOIN 6, social media users identified the driver, however, the outlet has not published her name. The driver’s mother had reached out to the station and said her daughter is “sorry” and had “made a mistake.”
Cairel said in a Facebook post that she’d just left the popular Voodoo Doughnut shop and was parked next to the other driver who she claims had instigated the argument. The woman had allegedly pulled out her phone first, saying “this should go on instagram,” before Cairel returned the favor.
Read more and see the video at HuffPost
Claims by Dallas Officer Who Killed Man in His Own Home Raise New Questions
An off-duty Dallas police officer who fatally shot her neighbor in his apartment, claiming she mistook the unit for her own, told the authorities that the door was already ajar when she entered and that she shot him after he ignored verbal commands, according to court records released on Monday.
The officer, Amber R. Guyger, 30, who has been charged with manslaughter, could face additional charges in a case that has led to accusations that the officer received preferential treatment and debate about whether race may have played a role in the deadly encounter between a white police officer and a black man in his home.
On Monday, the Dallas County district attorney, Faith Johnson, insisted that the investigation into the death of the neighbor, Botham Shem Jean, 26, had not ended and that her office could seek charges “including anything from murder to manslaughter.”
“We’ll present a thorough case to the grand jury so that a right decision can be made,” Ms. Johnson said at a news conference.
Dallas has been gripped by rising tensions since Thursday night, when, the police said, Officer Guyger returned to her apartment complex after a shift in full uniform at about 10 p.m. and shot Mr. Jean in his home.
Officer Guyger, who lives in a unit directly underneath Mr. Jean’s, parked her car on the wrong floor of the parking garage and walked to what she thought was her apartment, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She inserted her electronic key into the door, which was already ajar, according to the affidavit. Inside the dark apartment, she saw a “large silhouette” that she believed to be a burglar, the affidavit said.
Read more at NY Times
The officer, Amber R. Guyger, 30, who has been charged with manslaughter, could face additional charges in a case that has led to accusations that the officer received preferential treatment and debate about whether race may have played a role in the deadly encounter between a white police officer and a black man in his home.
On Monday, the Dallas County district attorney, Faith Johnson, insisted that the investigation into the death of the neighbor, Botham Shem Jean, 26, had not ended and that her office could seek charges “including anything from murder to manslaughter.”
“We’ll present a thorough case to the grand jury so that a right decision can be made,” Ms. Johnson said at a news conference.
Dallas has been gripped by rising tensions since Thursday night, when, the police said, Officer Guyger returned to her apartment complex after a shift in full uniform at about 10 p.m. and shot Mr. Jean in his home.
Officer Guyger, who lives in a unit directly underneath Mr. Jean’s, parked her car on the wrong floor of the parking garage and walked to what she thought was her apartment, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She inserted her electronic key into the door, which was already ajar, according to the affidavit. Inside the dark apartment, she saw a “large silhouette” that she believed to be a burglar, the affidavit said.
Read more at NY Times
Nike’s online sales jumped 31% after company unveiled Kaepernick campaign, data show
Talk of Nike Inc. sales taking a hit from the company’s decision to put ex–NFL player Colin Kaepernick at the center of its latest “Just Do It” campaign is looking overblown, based on data from a Silicon Valley digital commerce research company.
After an initial dip immediately after the news broke, Nike’s NKE, +0.62% online sales actually grew 31% from the Sunday of Labor Day weekend through Tuesday, as compared with a 17% gain recorded for the same period of 2017, according to San Francisco–based Edison Trends.
“There was speculation that the Nike/Kaepernick campaign would lead to a drop in sales, but our data over the last week does not support that theory,” said Hetal Pandya, co-founder of Edison Trends.
Don’t miss: Here’s what Twitter data say about the Nike boycott
Nike’s stock has also held up after its initial slump. The stock rallied 2.2% on Monday and has retraced 93% of the decline to a three-week low that it suffered on Sept. 4, immediately after the campaign was revealed. It has gained 31% in 2018, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.41% , which since 2013 has counted Nike as a member, has gained 5%, as the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.36% has risen about 8%.
The news generated plenty of online buzz, with social engagement around Nike and Kaepernick rising sharply this week, according to 4C Insights, a marketing technology company. Mentions of and comments about Nike on social-media platforms rose 1,678% on Sunday and Monday, according to 4C data. Mentions of Kaepernick spiked 362,280%, the data showed.
Read more at Marketwatch
After an initial dip immediately after the news broke, Nike’s NKE, +0.62% online sales actually grew 31% from the Sunday of Labor Day weekend through Tuesday, as compared with a 17% gain recorded for the same period of 2017, according to San Francisco–based Edison Trends.
“There was speculation that the Nike/Kaepernick campaign would lead to a drop in sales, but our data over the last week does not support that theory,” said Hetal Pandya, co-founder of Edison Trends.
Don’t miss: Here’s what Twitter data say about the Nike boycott
Nike’s stock has also held up after its initial slump. The stock rallied 2.2% on Monday and has retraced 93% of the decline to a three-week low that it suffered on Sept. 4, immediately after the campaign was revealed. It has gained 31% in 2018, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, +0.41% , which since 2013 has counted Nike as a member, has gained 5%, as the S&P 500 index SPX, +0.36% has risen about 8%.
The news generated plenty of online buzz, with social engagement around Nike and Kaepernick rising sharply this week, according to 4C Insights, a marketing technology company. Mentions of and comments about Nike on social-media platforms rose 1,678% on Sunday and Monday, according to 4C data. Mentions of Kaepernick spiked 362,280%, the data showed.
Read more at Marketwatch
Here's How Geoffrey Owens Feels About Tyler Perry's Job Offer
Former Cosby Show star Geoffrey Owens has been receiving a slew of praise and support from his thespian peers, one of whom is famed director and producer Tyler Perry.
Most recently, Perry took to Twitter to personally offer the veteran actor a job on one of his dramas on the OWN network, and now, Owens is sharing what he thinks of the noble gesture.
As many may already know, Owens was unfairly scrutinized for working as a Trader Joe's crew member after a photo of him working at the establishment was posted online. Fox News ran a story disparaging his honest job, which led to the public overwhelmingly rallying behind him.
Since then, Perry took to Twitter to offer him a gig, writing, "#GeoffreyOwens I'm about to start shooting OWN's number one drama next week! Come join us!!! I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist."
After the accomplished Hollywood heavyweight's comment gained significant traction across social media, Owens shared his thoughts during an appearance on Entertainment Tonight.
Read more at BET
Most recently, Perry took to Twitter to personally offer the veteran actor a job on one of his dramas on the OWN network, and now, Owens is sharing what he thinks of the noble gesture.
As many may already know, Owens was unfairly scrutinized for working as a Trader Joe's crew member after a photo of him working at the establishment was posted online. Fox News ran a story disparaging his honest job, which led to the public overwhelmingly rallying behind him.
Since then, Perry took to Twitter to offer him a gig, writing, "#GeoffreyOwens I'm about to start shooting OWN's number one drama next week! Come join us!!! I have so much respect for people who hustle between gigs. The measure of a true artist."
After the accomplished Hollywood heavyweight's comment gained significant traction across social media, Owens shared his thoughts during an appearance on Entertainment Tonight.
Read more at BET
LeBron James pledges support for Colin Kaepernick campaign: 'I stand with Nike'
In his closing remarks at the New York fashion show where he revealed his latest shoe, NBA superstar LeBron James said in reference to the 30th anniversary “Just Do It” ad campaign built around ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, “I stand with Nike, all day, every day,” according to the Associated Press.
“I stand with anyone who believes in change,” James added on Tuesday night, via the Hollywood Reporter, after receiving the Icon360 award from Harlem’s Fashion Row in New York City and unveiling his Nike shoe line’s first ever female-oriented basketball sneaker, the HFR x LeBron Nike 16.
James previously pledged his support for Kaepernick in an Instagram post on Tuesday:
“Believe in something,” the Nike advertisement read. “Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
In making Kaepernick the face of the campaign, Nike drew a clear line in the sand on where it stood on the controversy surrounding the former San Francisco 49ers QB. Some people, from country singers to UFC fighters and shoe-burning football fans, took issue with Nike’s stance, believing Nike does not respect the American flag or the U.S. military because Kaepernick elected to kneel during the national anthem in protest of social injustice and racial inequality. Others, from a former CIA director to tennis star Serena Williams and shoe-buying football fans, pledged their support for Nike and Kaepernick.
Read more at Yahoo
“I stand with anyone who believes in change,” James added on Tuesday night, via the Hollywood Reporter, after receiving the Icon360 award from Harlem’s Fashion Row in New York City and unveiling his Nike shoe line’s first ever female-oriented basketball sneaker, the HFR x LeBron Nike 16.
James previously pledged his support for Kaepernick in an Instagram post on Tuesday:
“Believe in something,” the Nike advertisement read. “Even if it means sacrificing everything.”
In making Kaepernick the face of the campaign, Nike drew a clear line in the sand on where it stood on the controversy surrounding the former San Francisco 49ers QB. Some people, from country singers to UFC fighters and shoe-burning football fans, took issue with Nike’s stance, believing Nike does not respect the American flag or the U.S. military because Kaepernick elected to kneel during the national anthem in protest of social injustice and racial inequality. Others, from a former CIA director to tennis star Serena Williams and shoe-buying football fans, pledged their support for Nike and Kaepernick.
Read more at Yahoo
Ayanna Pressley Upsets Capuano in Massachusetts House Race
BOSTON — Ayanna Pressley upended the Massachusetts political order on Tuesday, scoring a stunning upset of 10-term Representative Michael Capuano and positioning herself to become the first African-American woman to represent the state in Congress.
Ms. Pressley’s triumph was in sync with a restless political climate that has fueled victories for underdogs, women and minorities elsewhere this election season, and it delivered another stark message to the Democratic establishment that newcomers on the insurgent left were unwilling to wait their turn. Ms. Pressley propelled her candidacy with urgency, arguing that in the age of Trump, “change can’t wait.”
Her victory carried echoes of the surprise win in June by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who trounced a longtime House incumbent, Joseph Crowley, in New York. Ms. Pressley is also among several African-American progressives who beat expectations, and in some cases performed far better than polling projections; they include Stacey Abrams of Georgia, Andrew Gillum of Florida and Ben Jealous of Maryland, who each won the Democratic Party’s nominations for governor.
There is no Republican on the November ballot in this storied Boston-based district, which was once represented by John F. Kennedy and is one of the most left leaning in the country.
Read more at NY Times
Ex-Texas police officer sentenced to 15 years for murder of unarmed black teen Jordan Edwards
Ex-Texas police officer sentenced to 15 years for murder of unarmed black teen Jordan Edwards originally appeared on abcnews.go.com
A former Texas police officer on Wednesday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the 2017 shooting death of an unarmed black teenager -- and the victim's family said the punishment was too light.
Ex-Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver, who is white, also was fined $10,000, a day after a jury convicted him of murdering 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.
Speaking with reporters at a press conference late Wednesday, the teen’s stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, said she had hoped for a sentence of "25 to 30 [years] or more."
"We're thankful for the verdict that we received, although we wanted more years," she said. "This is a start for us, and we can get some kind of closure. So we're thankful. He actually can see life again after 15 years. And that's not enough because Jordan can't see life again."
She said Jordan was a bright kid and a football player at Mesquite High School in Balch Springs, about 15 miles southeast of Dallas.
A Dallas County jury deliberated for nearly five hours before recommending the sentence on Wednesday evening, ending a long and emotional trial over the honor student's death.
Oliver, who joined the force in 2011, will be eligible for parole after seven-and-a-half years in prison.
Daryl Washington, an attorney representing the Edwards family, celebrated the conviction and said he hoped it would bring on a sense of closure.
Read more at Yahoo
A former Texas police officer on Wednesday was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the 2017 shooting death of an unarmed black teenager -- and the victim's family said the punishment was too light.
Ex-Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver, who is white, also was fined $10,000, a day after a jury convicted him of murdering 15-year-old Jordan Edwards.
Speaking with reporters at a press conference late Wednesday, the teen’s stepmother, Charmaine Edwards, said she had hoped for a sentence of "25 to 30 [years] or more."
"We're thankful for the verdict that we received, although we wanted more years," she said. "This is a start for us, and we can get some kind of closure. So we're thankful. He actually can see life again after 15 years. And that's not enough because Jordan can't see life again."
She said Jordan was a bright kid and a football player at Mesquite High School in Balch Springs, about 15 miles southeast of Dallas.
A Dallas County jury deliberated for nearly five hours before recommending the sentence on Wednesday evening, ending a long and emotional trial over the honor student's death.
Oliver, who joined the force in 2011, will be eligible for parole after seven-and-a-half years in prison.
Daryl Washington, an attorney representing the Edwards family, celebrated the conviction and said he hoped it would bring on a sense of closure.
Read more at Yahoo
Andrew Gillum is smart not to take Ron DeSantis' 'monkey this up' bait
(CNN)White people linking black people to monkeys has been a racist trope for centuries.
That's why when Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis, the Republican nominee for governor, used the phrase "monkey this up" when talking about the handling of the economy by his black Democratic opponent, it was hard to believe that the word choice was an accident.
Andrew Gillum, the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission, and the current mayor of the city, would be the state's first black governor if elected. Every Sunshine State voter knows this. So why would DeSantis -- a Yale and Harvard graduate -- make such a well-documented, racially-charged remark on the opening day of the gubernatorial competition?
One school of thought is that it's a dog whistle to rally white nationalists to the polls. Clearly this is what Dems believe, as illustrated by the party's swift response to DeSantis' remarks.
"It's disgusting that Ron DeSantis is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement. The sentiment was echoed by David Turner, the Democratic Governors Association deputy communications director, who said that "resorting to dog-whistle politics within hours of winning the GOP nomination shows a desperate candidate who will stoop to new lows in order to court and give voice to fringe elements of society."
To Gillum's credit, he didn't spend a great deal of time chatting about the racial implications of DeSantis' remark, saying, "I'm not going to get down in the gutter with DeSantis and Trump. There's enough of that going on."
Read more at CNN
That's why when Florida Rep. Ron DeSantis, the Republican nominee for governor, used the phrase "monkey this up" when talking about the handling of the economy by his black Democratic opponent, it was hard to believe that the word choice was an accident.
Andrew Gillum, the youngest person ever elected to the Tallahassee City Commission, and the current mayor of the city, would be the state's first black governor if elected. Every Sunshine State voter knows this. So why would DeSantis -- a Yale and Harvard graduate -- make such a well-documented, racially-charged remark on the opening day of the gubernatorial competition?
One school of thought is that it's a dog whistle to rally white nationalists to the polls. Clearly this is what Dems believe, as illustrated by the party's swift response to DeSantis' remarks.
"It's disgusting that Ron DeSantis is launching his general election campaign with racist dog whistles," Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Terrie Rizzo said in a statement. The sentiment was echoed by David Turner, the Democratic Governors Association deputy communications director, who said that "resorting to dog-whistle politics within hours of winning the GOP nomination shows a desperate candidate who will stoop to new lows in order to court and give voice to fringe elements of society."
To Gillum's credit, he didn't spend a great deal of time chatting about the racial implications of DeSantis' remark, saying, "I'm not going to get down in the gutter with DeSantis and Trump. There's enough of that going on."
Read more at CNN
Body left to rot in funeral home 3 years leads to charges
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two South Carolina funeral home workers have been indicted after authorities say they left a body to rot in an unrefrigerated room surrounded by air-fresheners for nearly three years because the woman's family owed them money.
Lawrence Robert Meadows and Roderick Mitchell Cummings, both 40, were charged Friday by a state grand jury with desecration of human remains. A conviction on the charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years in prison.
They were supposed to cremate 63-year-old Mary Alice Pitts Moore after her funeral in Greenwood in March 2015, but instead left her remains in a locked room under blankets and "surrounded by fragrant items," and even moved her body from one funeral home to another 65 miles (105 kilometers) away, according to a lawsuit filed by Moore's family.
Moore's remains were so badly decomposed when found in February at First Family Funeral Home in Spartanburg it took two weeks of reviewing medical records to confirm her identity, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said.
Cummings and Meadows kept the body because Moore's family didn't pay their entire bill, according to arrest warrants from the State Law Enforcement Division.
The state Board of Funeral Service revoked the license of First Family Funeral Home earlier this month after complaints from Moore's family and others.
Meadows lost his funeral director's license in April 2015 in an unrelated matter after he forged the signature and other information on a life insurance document when the person with control of the policy refused to use it to pay for funeral services, according to state records.
Read more at FoxNews
Lawrence Robert Meadows and Roderick Mitchell Cummings, both 40, were charged Friday by a state grand jury with desecration of human remains. A conviction on the charge carries a sentence of one to 10 years in prison.
They were supposed to cremate 63-year-old Mary Alice Pitts Moore after her funeral in Greenwood in March 2015, but instead left her remains in a locked room under blankets and "surrounded by fragrant items," and even moved her body from one funeral home to another 65 miles (105 kilometers) away, according to a lawsuit filed by Moore's family.
Moore's remains were so badly decomposed when found in February at First Family Funeral Home in Spartanburg it took two weeks of reviewing medical records to confirm her identity, Spartanburg County Coroner Rusty Clevenger said.
Cummings and Meadows kept the body because Moore's family didn't pay their entire bill, according to arrest warrants from the State Law Enforcement Division.
The state Board of Funeral Service revoked the license of First Family Funeral Home earlier this month after complaints from Moore's family and others.
Meadows lost his funeral director's license in April 2015 in an unrelated matter after he forged the signature and other information on a life insurance document when the person with control of the policy refused to use it to pay for funeral services, according to state records.
Read more at FoxNews
Andrew Gillum could be Florida’s first black Governor — but he needs people to vote today
Andrew Gillum is on the verge of making history. Gillum, 39, is the mayor of Tallahassee, a husband, a father of three, a FAMU grad– and he’s vying to be the Democratic candidate in Florida’s gubernatorial race.
If he wins the general election, he’d be the first Black Governor in the state’s history.
For the son of a construction worker and a school bus driver, it’s a classic tale of the American dream, and a new chapter in Gillum’s ambitious political career (he became the youngest person elected to Tallahassee’s City Commission when he was just 23-years-old).
Gillum is also endorsed by The Collective PAC, a Black political action committee, which has succeeded in helping other Black candidates win their elections.
But Gillum’s journey in politics hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. An FBI investigation connected to one of Gillum’s associates, affected his fundraising efforts early on, as some donors tried to avoid controversy at all costs. Nevertheless, Gillum has gained momentum in a new poll in the final days leading up to the race, and earned the endorsement of former Democratic Presidential contender, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Gillum spoke with theGrio about taking on the Stand Your Ground law, being a non-traditional Democratic candidate (which includes bumping the latest Migos track for inspiration) and why getting Black people out to the polls is an urgent civil rights issue.
Read more at The Grio
If he wins the general election, he’d be the first Black Governor in the state’s history.
For the son of a construction worker and a school bus driver, it’s a classic tale of the American dream, and a new chapter in Gillum’s ambitious political career (he became the youngest person elected to Tallahassee’s City Commission when he was just 23-years-old).
Gillum is also endorsed by The Collective PAC, a Black political action committee, which has succeeded in helping other Black candidates win their elections.
But Gillum’s journey in politics hasn’t been entirely smooth sailing. An FBI investigation connected to one of Gillum’s associates, affected his fundraising efforts early on, as some donors tried to avoid controversy at all costs. Nevertheless, Gillum has gained momentum in a new poll in the final days leading up to the race, and earned the endorsement of former Democratic Presidential contender, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
Gillum spoke with theGrio about taking on the Stand Your Ground law, being a non-traditional Democratic candidate (which includes bumping the latest Migos track for inspiration) and why getting Black people out to the polls is an urgent civil rights issue.
Read more at The Grio
John McCain Requested Barack Obama Speak At His Funeral And Didn’t Even Send Trump An Invite
Whether or not you agreed with the policies of John McCain, there’s no doubt that the late senator was well-respected across the aisle. During his battle with brain cancer over the last year, McCain, who died Saturday at the age of 81, spent a considerable amount of time planning his own funeral—a luxury few are awarded—and as part of his arrangements, the Arizona Republican requested former presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama speak at his ceremony. As for Donald Trump, his invite was never sent.
According to CBS News, Obama and Bush will deliver their remarks during a service at the National Cathedral. McCain will also have a service in Arizona, where former Vice President Joe Biden will speak. Biden, who lost his son Beau to the same form of cancer, was a longtime friend of the McCain’s.
When it comes to the sitting president, "Mr. McCain quietly declared before his death that he did not want Mr. Trump to take part in his funeral," reported the New York Times. Vice President Mike Pence is likely to attend in place of the president.
Read more at BET
According to CBS News, Obama and Bush will deliver their remarks during a service at the National Cathedral. McCain will also have a service in Arizona, where former Vice President Joe Biden will speak. Biden, who lost his son Beau to the same form of cancer, was a longtime friend of the McCain’s.
When it comes to the sitting president, "Mr. McCain quietly declared before his death that he did not want Mr. Trump to take part in his funeral," reported the New York Times. Vice President Mike Pence is likely to attend in place of the president.
Read more at BET
Muslim Woman Says TSA Forced Her To Show Her Bloody Pad During Private Body Search
A Muslim woman, who has a lengthy history of being stopped and searched by the Transportation Security Administration, said she was forced to show her bloody pad during a recent search at a Boston airport.
Zainab Merchant, 27, is a graduate student at Harvard University. She was recently flying from Boston to D.C. for a speaking engagement when she was singled out by a TSA agent, reported HuffPost.
During the pat down, an officer began to touch Merchant’s genital area, and felt something that required they take a “deeper look.” Merchant, who wanted to keep the search in public to avoid an unnecessary cavity searching, attempted to explain that she was menstruating and was wearing a pad.
Although she wanted to stay in the view of witnesses, Merchant was allegedly coerced into going into following two TSA officers to a private office. In this location, Merchant was allegedly asked to pull down her pants and underwear.
She obliged and revealed her bloodied pad to the officers, whom declined to give her their names and badge numbers. According to Merchant, the TSA officials left the room while covering their badges with their hands.
Read more at BET.COM
Zainab Merchant, 27, is a graduate student at Harvard University. She was recently flying from Boston to D.C. for a speaking engagement when she was singled out by a TSA agent, reported HuffPost.
During the pat down, an officer began to touch Merchant’s genital area, and felt something that required they take a “deeper look.” Merchant, who wanted to keep the search in public to avoid an unnecessary cavity searching, attempted to explain that she was menstruating and was wearing a pad.
Although she wanted to stay in the view of witnesses, Merchant was allegedly coerced into going into following two TSA officers to a private office. In this location, Merchant was allegedly asked to pull down her pants and underwear.
She obliged and revealed her bloodied pad to the officers, whom declined to give her their names and badge numbers. According to Merchant, the TSA officials left the room while covering their badges with their hands.
Read more at BET.COM
Georgia Superintendent Caught on Tape Using N-Word
Buford City Schools Superintendent Geye Hamby is at the center of a federal racial discrimination lawsuit filed by Mary Ingram. The paraprofessional of the school district was allegedly fired without cause last year and cited prejudices and audio of Hamby using the n-word in her case.
According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, two audio recordings were included in the court filing as evidence of Hamby’s alleged racism. On one tape a person, who is believed to be the school official said, “Can you get me a, show me our general conditions how many of these deadbeat n*****s we employ?” The person continued, “Have you got more of these big n***ers than the ones from the temp service?”
The second recording Hamby allegedly expressed his frustration with the Black works by stating he would shoot or kill them. “F*** that n******! I will kill these g**damned – shoot that motherf****** if they let me,” he said. “All right. Well, check out what’s going on with all the n****** down here.”
Read more at Ebony
According to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, two audio recordings were included in the court filing as evidence of Hamby’s alleged racism. On one tape a person, who is believed to be the school official said, “Can you get me a, show me our general conditions how many of these deadbeat n*****s we employ?” The person continued, “Have you got more of these big n***ers than the ones from the temp service?”
The second recording Hamby allegedly expressed his frustration with the Black works by stating he would shoot or kill them. “F*** that n******! I will kill these g**damned – shoot that motherf****** if they let me,” he said. “All right. Well, check out what’s going on with all the n****** down here.”
Read more at Ebony
The Whistleblower Cops Exposing Corruption and Racial Profiling in the NYPD
Since 2010, police quotas for arrests and summonses have been illegal in New York. And yet, recent years have seen a series of rank and file cops—mostly black and Latino—come forward to share stories of prejudice within their departments for low numbers.
It was these accounts that inspired Stephen Maing, the director of the cogent new documentary Crime + Punishment, to embark on a years-long study of the crooked policing practices plaguing New York City and the torment they have inflicted upon minority officers, civilians, and communities. The crime here is not occurring on the streets of New York but within the walls of those who purport to enforce the peace. And the punishment is reserved for the brave dissenters who know that peace can only come after serious reform.
As it was for Dostoevsky, the crime is unforgivable; the punishment profound and psychological. But how do you fix something that’s broken when the criminals are not the punished but the punishers?
For Maing, the answer required collectivity and big-picture thinking. Swinging between various officers, investigators, and civilians, Maing pieces together a portrait of the justice system that blends and builds, eliciting compassion and adrenaline in equal measure. If a divide exists between community and police—especially when it comes to race—it will take more than just one story to bridge it. With the film, Maing amplifies a faction of voices who, when speaking in chorus, are as robust and resilient as a marching battalion.
Read more at the Daily Beast
It was these accounts that inspired Stephen Maing, the director of the cogent new documentary Crime + Punishment, to embark on a years-long study of the crooked policing practices plaguing New York City and the torment they have inflicted upon minority officers, civilians, and communities. The crime here is not occurring on the streets of New York but within the walls of those who purport to enforce the peace. And the punishment is reserved for the brave dissenters who know that peace can only come after serious reform.
As it was for Dostoevsky, the crime is unforgivable; the punishment profound and psychological. But how do you fix something that’s broken when the criminals are not the punished but the punishers?
For Maing, the answer required collectivity and big-picture thinking. Swinging between various officers, investigators, and civilians, Maing pieces together a portrait of the justice system that blends and builds, eliciting compassion and adrenaline in equal measure. If a divide exists between community and police—especially when it comes to race—it will take more than just one story to bridge it. With the film, Maing amplifies a faction of voices who, when speaking in chorus, are as robust and resilient as a marching battalion.
Read more at the Daily Beast
Murder trial opens: Dallas cop killed Black youth in car driving from scene
"What we desire only second to having our beloved Jordan back, is JUSTICE FOR JORDAN," said his in a statement issued a year, after the fatal police shooting of Black teenager Jordan Edwards.
They are hoping the day for justice has arrived with the Aug. 16 opening of the murder trial of a former Balch Springs, Texas cop who fired bullets into the car of Black teens that included 15-year-old Jordan.
Ex-officer Roy Oliver killed Jordan April 29, 2017 while the teen, his two brothers and a friend were leaving a house party the cop and his partner were breaking up.
Mr. Oliver shot the teen with a rifle and the death-dealing bullet flew through the passenger's side window. The medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide.
During the 15 months leading up to the trial, police accounts of what happened changed, including a public recanting of the original story by Balch Springs police chief Johnathan Haber. Initially Mr. Oliver claimed the car was driving toward him and refused the commands to stop. After reviewing bodycam footage, Chief Haber said that was a lie, and the car was moving away from the cop.
Last summer, along with murder Mr. Oliver was charged with four counts of assault for each of the other persons in the vehicle. The shooting occurred in a Dallas suburb.
Read more at Final Call
They are hoping the day for justice has arrived with the Aug. 16 opening of the murder trial of a former Balch Springs, Texas cop who fired bullets into the car of Black teens that included 15-year-old Jordan.
Ex-officer Roy Oliver killed Jordan April 29, 2017 while the teen, his two brothers and a friend were leaving a house party the cop and his partner were breaking up.
Mr. Oliver shot the teen with a rifle and the death-dealing bullet flew through the passenger's side window. The medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide.
During the 15 months leading up to the trial, police accounts of what happened changed, including a public recanting of the original story by Balch Springs police chief Johnathan Haber. Initially Mr. Oliver claimed the car was driving toward him and refused the commands to stop. After reviewing bodycam footage, Chief Haber said that was a lie, and the car was moving away from the cop.
Last summer, along with murder Mr. Oliver was charged with four counts of assault for each of the other persons in the vehicle. The shooting occurred in a Dallas suburb.
Read more at Final Call
Man sentenced to 148 years in prison for forcing motel couples to have sex at gunpoint
ELIZABETH, N.J. — A woman stood and stared straight at the man who tainted her world and made it dark when he terrorized, robbed and sexually assaulted her and her male companion while at a motel six years ago and suggested his sentence should be execution.
"I hope you don't have the option to see daylight again," she said, adding she hopes his sentence would make him cry as much as his victims have.
The woman, one of eight victims, four women and four men, called Rasheed Powell a "monster" as she spoke in the crowded courtroom where Powell was sentenced to 148 years in state prison during the nearly two-hour proceeding.
The woman was one of four victims who spoke at the sentencing for Powell who was convicted in March of 60 counts, including 24 counts of aggravated sexual assault, in connection with forcing his way into motel rooms and forcing the couples to have sex at gunpoint, then locking the men in bathrooms and sexually assaulting the women.
The woman who addressed the court said the attack has made her a fearful person, robbing her of the young, social butterfly she once was.
"I'm afraid of people and what they are doing. I focus on work, family and I go straight home," said the woman, who was attacked March 2012 at the Swan Motel in Linden, New Jersey.
Another woman sent a letter read by the judge explaining how the brutal assault on Easter Sunday 2012 changed her life forever by taking away her dignity and self-worth. She became suicidal and suffers from panic attacks, self mutilation and nightmares. She said Powell threatened to kill her and go after her family if she told anyone. She asked the judge to sentence Powell to life in prison.
Read more at USA Today
"I hope you don't have the option to see daylight again," she said, adding she hopes his sentence would make him cry as much as his victims have.
The woman, one of eight victims, four women and four men, called Rasheed Powell a "monster" as she spoke in the crowded courtroom where Powell was sentenced to 148 years in state prison during the nearly two-hour proceeding.
The woman was one of four victims who spoke at the sentencing for Powell who was convicted in March of 60 counts, including 24 counts of aggravated sexual assault, in connection with forcing his way into motel rooms and forcing the couples to have sex at gunpoint, then locking the men in bathrooms and sexually assaulting the women.
The woman who addressed the court said the attack has made her a fearful person, robbing her of the young, social butterfly she once was.
"I'm afraid of people and what they are doing. I focus on work, family and I go straight home," said the woman, who was attacked March 2012 at the Swan Motel in Linden, New Jersey.
Another woman sent a letter read by the judge explaining how the brutal assault on Easter Sunday 2012 changed her life forever by taking away her dignity and self-worth. She became suicidal and suffers from panic attacks, self mutilation and nightmares. She said Powell threatened to kill her and go after her family if she told anyone. She asked the judge to sentence Powell to life in prison.
Read more at USA Today
Queen of Soul' Aretha Franklin dead at age 76
NEW YORK (AP) — Aretha Franklin, the undisputed "Queen of Soul" who sang with matchless style on such classics as "Think," ''I Say a Little Prayer" and her signature song, "Respect," and stood as a cultural icon around the globe, has died at age 76 from pancreatic cancer.
Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn tells The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit. The statement said "Franklin's official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute" in Detroit.
The family added: "In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds."
The statement continued:
"We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
Read more at the Missoulian
Publicist Gwendolyn Quinn tells The Associated Press through a family statement that Franklin died Thursday at 9:50 a.m. at her home in Detroit. The statement said "Franklin's official cause of death was due to advanced pancreatic cancer of the neuroendocrine type, which was confirmed by Franklin's oncologist, Dr. Philip Phillips of Karmanos Cancer Institute" in Detroit.
The family added: "In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we are not able to find the appropriate words to express the pain in our heart. We have lost the matriarch and rock of our family. The love she had for her children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins knew no bounds."
The statement continued:
"We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love and support we have received from close friends, supporters and fans all around the world. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. We have felt your love for Aretha and it brings us comfort to know that her legacy will live on. As we grieve, we ask that you respect our privacy during this difficult time."
Funeral arrangements will be announced in the coming days.
Read more at the Missoulian
Florida man threatened people 3 different times before shooting man in 'stand your ground' case
(CNN)The man charged with manslaughter after shooting another man in a Clearwater, Florida, convenience store parking lot has a history of threatening drivers, according to documents from the Pinellas County Circuit Court.
Michael Drejka, 47, fatally shot Markeis McGlockton in July after McGlockton shoved him to the ground during a dispute over a handicapped-accessible spot. Drejka claimed he feared for his life and said he fired in self-defense. Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri previously said Florida's "stand your ground" laws prevented him from arresting Drejka.
Drejka was ultimately charged and will make his first appearance in court Tuesday afternoon. CNN has tried contacting Drejka multiple times, but has not heard back and it was not clear whether he has an attorney.
Court documents show that the July incident wasn't the first time Drejka aggressively confronted drivers over parking spots or what he perceived to be traffic infractions. In one incident, he caused a traffic accident by "brake checking" a car behind him, according to reports.
About three months ago, Richard Kelly told a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office detective he was confronted by Drejka at Circle A Food Store, the same store where he shot McGlockton. Drejka, documents said, was upset because Kelly parked in a handicapped-accessible spot. The exchange between the two became very loud and Kelly said at some point during the argument Drejka told him he was going to shoot him, documents said.
Read more at CNN
Donald Trump Sparks Outrage After Calling Omarosa A ‘Dog’
President Donald Trump faced backlash Tuesday morning after he called his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman “that dog” on Twitter.
Trump was seemingly responding to Newman’s release of conversations that she secretly recorded during her time in the White House when he posted this tweet:
@realDonaldTrump
When you give a crazed, crying lowlife a break, and give her a job at the White House, I guess it just didn’t work out. Good work by General Kelly for quickly firing that dog!
Trump didn’t specifically name Newman in the post, but he praised the White House chief of staff for “quickly firing” her, indicating it was about the former aide.
Newman released another new tape to CBS News on Tuesday morning.
Newman is currently on a media tour promoting Unhinged, her new tell-all book about her time working for the Trump administration. She has faced accusations of hypocrisy and cashing in, given that she didn’t speak out against Trump while working for him.
Many Twitter users felt Trump’s insulting language in his latest rant ― particularly the sexist and racist term “dog” ― went a step too far:
Read more at HuffPost
Police confronted over alleged 'bait truck' of Nike shoes left in black Chicago community
Community members confronted a circle of police in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood over a "bait truck" allegedly filled with Nike shoes and left open by police aiming to lure potential thieves and make arrests.
"Y'all dirty, man," a man tells officers in an online video of the incident published Thursday. "Y'all see kids playing ball and you pull a f----- Nike truck into the ghetto."
Charles McKenzie, an anti-crime activist who put the video on Facebook, told Vox that the truck appeared next to a basketball court frequented by young people in the largely black neighborhood in the South Side of Chicago.
And while both local and federal agencies conduct such "bait" operations, the site reported, neither Chicago police nor the FBI offered comment on the truck.
Authorities use everything from fake drugs and modified cars to GPS-affixed packages and bikes to weed out thieves nationwide. Theft of in-transit property, known as cargo theft, caused nearly $27 million in losses in 2016, according to FBI data.
But some community members perceived an alleged bait truck, left in an impoverished neighborhood near a basketball court, as an obvious attempt to target black youth as racially lopsided arrests unfold nationwide.
"The police parked a truck with boxes of Nike shoes in front of kids, lifted up," McKenzie, the activist, said on Facebook, "and when people hop in the truck, the police hopping out on them."
Read more at USA Today
"Y'all dirty, man," a man tells officers in an online video of the incident published Thursday. "Y'all see kids playing ball and you pull a f----- Nike truck into the ghetto."
Charles McKenzie, an anti-crime activist who put the video on Facebook, told Vox that the truck appeared next to a basketball court frequented by young people in the largely black neighborhood in the South Side of Chicago.
And while both local and federal agencies conduct such "bait" operations, the site reported, neither Chicago police nor the FBI offered comment on the truck.
Authorities use everything from fake drugs and modified cars to GPS-affixed packages and bikes to weed out thieves nationwide. Theft of in-transit property, known as cargo theft, caused nearly $27 million in losses in 2016, according to FBI data.
But some community members perceived an alleged bait truck, left in an impoverished neighborhood near a basketball court, as an obvious attempt to target black youth as racially lopsided arrests unfold nationwide.
"The police parked a truck with boxes of Nike shoes in front of kids, lifted up," McKenzie, the activist, said on Facebook, "and when people hop in the truck, the police hopping out on them."
Read more at USA Today
Woman Tells Cop She Shouldn’t Be Arrested For DUI Because She’s A ‘Clean Thoroughbred White Girl’
A drunk South Carolina woman was pulled over last Saturday for speeding past a stop sign at 60 mph. When she faced possible arrest from officers, she told them she shouldn’t be taken in because she’s a “very clean, thoroughbred, white girl,” according to a police report.
Lauren Elizabeth Cutshaw was pulled over around 1:45 a.m. after a Bluffton police officer saw her drive through a four way stop sign. When Cutshaw was questioned by officers, she told them she just had two glasses of wine, according to the police report obtained by the Island Packet.
“I mean I was celebrating my birthday,” Cutshaw told the cops, according to the report.
According to the New York Post, Cutshaw’s excuses didn’t stop her from being charged with speeding, disregarding a stop sign, simple possession of marijuana, driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
When it became clear that her arrest was imminent, Cutshaw gave the officers other excuses including: she had perfect grades in school, was a cheerleader and a member of a sorority, and her partner is a cop.
“I’m a white, clean girl,” Cutshaw said.
When the officers asked what she meant she replied, “You’re a cop, you should know what that means.”
The police officer believe Cutshaw’s remarks made it even clearer how under the influence she was.
Read more at BET
Lauren Elizabeth Cutshaw was pulled over around 1:45 a.m. after a Bluffton police officer saw her drive through a four way stop sign. When Cutshaw was questioned by officers, she told them she just had two glasses of wine, according to the police report obtained by the Island Packet.
“I mean I was celebrating my birthday,” Cutshaw told the cops, according to the report.
According to the New York Post, Cutshaw’s excuses didn’t stop her from being charged with speeding, disregarding a stop sign, simple possession of marijuana, driving under the influence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
When it became clear that her arrest was imminent, Cutshaw gave the officers other excuses including: she had perfect grades in school, was a cheerleader and a member of a sorority, and her partner is a cop.
“I’m a white, clean girl,” Cutshaw said.
When the officers asked what she meant she replied, “You’re a cop, you should know what that means.”
The police officer believe Cutshaw’s remarks made it even clearer how under the influence she was.
Read more at BET
LeBron James Trolls Fox News’ Laura Ingraham With New Docu-Series Title
Fox News’ Laura Ingraham took some heat last February for instructing NBA superstar LeBron James to just “shut up and dribble” after he called out President Donald Trump for not giving “a fuck about the people.”
The “Ingraham Angle” host also said that James should “keep the political commentary to yourself.” Ingraham’s words are now coming back to haunt her, with the announcement that James is producing a new Showtime docu-series that looks at “the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.”
The program’s title? “Shut Up And Dribble.”
“If being a star athlete is inherently a political experience, ‘Shup Up And Dribble’ tells that complex and dramatic story from the past to the present and from the inside out,” Showtime CEO David Nevins said in a press release.
The news, which was released after Trump used Twitter to attack both James and CNN anchor Don Lemon on Friday, excited fans on the social media platform:
Read more at HuffPost
The “Ingraham Angle” host also said that James should “keep the political commentary to yourself.” Ingraham’s words are now coming back to haunt her, with the announcement that James is producing a new Showtime docu-series that looks at “the changing role of athletes in our fraught cultural and political environment, through the lens of the NBA.”
The program’s title? “Shut Up And Dribble.”
“If being a star athlete is inherently a political experience, ‘Shup Up And Dribble’ tells that complex and dramatic story from the past to the present and from the inside out,” Showtime CEO David Nevins said in a press release.
The news, which was released after Trump used Twitter to attack both James and CNN anchor Don Lemon on Friday, excited fans on the social media platform:
Read more at HuffPost
Eric Benét on Ignorant Rappers & White Supremacy: You’re Being Used to Destroy Us!
R&B crooner Eric Benét is the latest celeb to call out the more ignorant of hip hop artists for promoting negativity within the Black community and inadvertently supporting White supremacy.
The soul singer took to Instagram to share a scathing critique of MCs who rap about certain subjects, including murder, drug abuse, degrading Black women and materialism. According to the meme, these aren’t artists, but “a Blackface for White Supremacy.”
It goes on, “You are being USED to help destroy your own people.”
Benet didn’t create the meme, but confirmed his agreement with the caption, “Inconvenient truth to some of the rich and famous.”
Although the meme didn’t call out all rappers, certain wordsmiths still took exception with its message. Young Money rapper Jae Millz responded with a jab at the “Spend My Life With You” singer’s past relationship with ex-wife, Halle Berry, according to Rolling Out.
“Eric Benét giving me rap advice is like me giving him advice on how he could’ve saved his marriage. And I’m not married. #payattentionitsfree.”
Read more at Ebony
The soul singer took to Instagram to share a scathing critique of MCs who rap about certain subjects, including murder, drug abuse, degrading Black women and materialism. According to the meme, these aren’t artists, but “a Blackface for White Supremacy.”
It goes on, “You are being USED to help destroy your own people.”
Benet didn’t create the meme, but confirmed his agreement with the caption, “Inconvenient truth to some of the rich and famous.”
Although the meme didn’t call out all rappers, certain wordsmiths still took exception with its message. Young Money rapper Jae Millz responded with a jab at the “Spend My Life With You” singer’s past relationship with ex-wife, Halle Berry, according to Rolling Out.
“Eric Benét giving me rap advice is like me giving him advice on how he could’ve saved his marriage. And I’m not married. #payattentionitsfree.”
Read more at Ebony
Black man wears 'Caucasian' shirt to expose the hypocrisy of white privilege
A man who launched a social experiment by wearing a T-shirt with a “Caucasian” logo to mimic that of the Washington Redskins says the effort has revealed racial bias.
Frederick Joseph is the 29-year-old founder of the New York City-based marketing agency We Have Stories, which represents marginalized groups. Earlier this year, the activist went viral for creating the #BlackPantherChallenge, which raised more than $950,000 to purchase Black Panther movie tickets for members of the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The project received support from Chelsea Clinton, Snoop Dogg, and Ellen DeGeneres, and in June, Joseph received a humanitarian award from Comic-Con for his work.
Joseph’s newest endeavor was more low-key. On Tuesday, he tweeted a photo of himself wearing a red T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Caucasian.” The shirt mimics the logo for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, whose name and emblem of a Native American character has been called “racist” and “offensive” by both players and fans.
Read more at Yahoo
Frederick Joseph is the 29-year-old founder of the New York City-based marketing agency We Have Stories, which represents marginalized groups. Earlier this year, the activist went viral for creating the #BlackPantherChallenge, which raised more than $950,000 to purchase Black Panther movie tickets for members of the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. The project received support from Chelsea Clinton, Snoop Dogg, and Ellen DeGeneres, and in June, Joseph received a humanitarian award from Comic-Con for his work.
Joseph’s newest endeavor was more low-key. On Tuesday, he tweeted a photo of himself wearing a red T-shirt emblazoned with the word “Caucasian.” The shirt mimics the logo for the NFL’s Washington Redskins, whose name and emblem of a Native American character has been called “racist” and “offensive” by both players and fans.
Read more at Yahoo
Murder charges reduced in deadly Center City stabbing
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- It was a packed courtroom Wednesday morning for the preliminary hearing of the 21-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing a real estate developer in Center City.
At the hearing, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner withdrew the First Degree Murder charge against Michael White.
White now faces 3rd Degree Murder and Voluntary Manslaughter charges in connection with the death of 37-year-old Sean Schellenger.
The downgraded charges mean White, who had been imprisoned since turning himself in, could now be released on $15,000 bail and placed on house arrest.
White is accused of fatally stabbing 37-year-old Sean Schellenger in the chest during an altercation near Rittenhouse Square on July 12th.
White was delivering food on his bicycle before the fatal stabbing. He surrendered to police days later.
Read more at Channel 6
At the hearing, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner withdrew the First Degree Murder charge against Michael White.
White now faces 3rd Degree Murder and Voluntary Manslaughter charges in connection with the death of 37-year-old Sean Schellenger.
The downgraded charges mean White, who had been imprisoned since turning himself in, could now be released on $15,000 bail and placed on house arrest.
White is accused of fatally stabbing 37-year-old Sean Schellenger in the chest during an altercation near Rittenhouse Square on July 12th.
White was delivering food on his bicycle before the fatal stabbing. He surrendered to police days later.
Read more at Channel 6
George Zimmerman Charged With Stalking Private Investigator Of Jay-Z's Trayvon Martin Doc
The Trayvon Martin documentary that is headed by the collaboration of Jay-Z and the Paramount Channel has George Zimmerman feeling some type of way. The Blast reports the killer of Trayvon recently stalked the private investigator who contacted victims that participated in the documentary and now the victims are fearful of a retaliation.
George Zimmerman was charged with stalking private investigator Dennis Warren who had contact with alleged victims of the shooter. Zimmerman was attempting to find out who the investigator spoke to, as expected the investigator would not provide details on who the participants were. Warren is also legally bound by a non-disclosure agreement while working on the show.
Zimmerman pled not guilty to the charges but court reports state he sent over 60 texts, nearly 30 emails and numerous other methods of attempting to contact Warren over a nine-day period.
Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story premieres on July 30.
Story via Source
George Zimmerman was charged with stalking private investigator Dennis Warren who had contact with alleged victims of the shooter. Zimmerman was attempting to find out who the investigator spoke to, as expected the investigator would not provide details on who the participants were. Warren is also legally bound by a non-disclosure agreement while working on the show.
Zimmerman pled not guilty to the charges but court reports state he sent over 60 texts, nearly 30 emails and numerous other methods of attempting to contact Warren over a nine-day period.
Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story premieres on July 30.
Story via Source
'Mission: Impossible' actor Ving Rhames says police pulled a gun on him in his own home
“Mission: Impossible - Fallout” actor Ving Rhames says California police officers pulled their guns on him inside his own home after a neighbor reported a “large black man” breaking in.
Rhames, 59, recalled the harrowing experience at his Santa Monica home on The Clay Cane Show on Sirius XM Friday when asked about racism.
“I open the door … there’s a red dot pointed at my face from a 9 mm, and they say, ‘Put up your hands!’ ” the actor said during the interview.
The incident, which occurred on July 29, 2016, started when his neighbor called 911, thinking a burglary was taking place, the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed.
The actor was home watching ESPN in nothing but basketball shorts before he came face to face with a gun, he said.
Rhames followed police instructions and opened his front door with one hand as they pointed a firearm at him. The actor, who kept his hands in the air, was escorted outside and surrounded by two additional police officers, the captain of police and a police dog.
The standoff ended after one of the officers recognized Rhames – not for his Golden Globe Award-winning work, but because their sons played basketball against each other in high school.
Rhames said the officers apologized, but he still had unanswered questions on why this happened.
"Santa Monica Public Safety Dispatch received several calls from residents of a possible residential burglary," Santa Monica police said Saturday in a statement. "The reporting parties indicated a black male was seen entering a residence and did not live there."
Rhames went across the street with police to confront the neighbor, who denied it, he said.
Read more at USA Today
Rhames, 59, recalled the harrowing experience at his Santa Monica home on The Clay Cane Show on Sirius XM Friday when asked about racism.
“I open the door … there’s a red dot pointed at my face from a 9 mm, and they say, ‘Put up your hands!’ ” the actor said during the interview.
The incident, which occurred on July 29, 2016, started when his neighbor called 911, thinking a burglary was taking place, the Santa Monica Police Department confirmed.
The actor was home watching ESPN in nothing but basketball shorts before he came face to face with a gun, he said.
Rhames followed police instructions and opened his front door with one hand as they pointed a firearm at him. The actor, who kept his hands in the air, was escorted outside and surrounded by two additional police officers, the captain of police and a police dog.
The standoff ended after one of the officers recognized Rhames – not for his Golden Globe Award-winning work, but because their sons played basketball against each other in high school.
Rhames said the officers apologized, but he still had unanswered questions on why this happened.
"Santa Monica Public Safety Dispatch received several calls from residents of a possible residential burglary," Santa Monica police said Saturday in a statement. "The reporting parties indicated a black male was seen entering a residence and did not live there."
Rhames went across the street with police to confront the neighbor, who denied it, he said.
Read more at USA Today
Kanye West’s Dad Allegedly Diagnosed with Prostate Cancer
Kanye West’s father, Ray West, has reportedly been diagnosed with prostate cancer and is being treated in Los Angeles, according to TMZ.
On July 29, the tabloid news site debunked rumors that Ray West was battling stomach cancer. Sources close to the rap star’s father claim he is responding well to treatment.
Kanye is said to have dropped everything to help his dad since learning of the diagnosis. He and his wife, Kim Kardashian, and their children live in a Calabasas home just an hour outside of Los Angeles. In June, Ray West was seen sitting next to his son during the entertainer’s birthday celebration.
Although Kanye’s career is often credited to the influence of his late mother, Donda West, the rapper has spoken about his dad’s career. During a 2013 interview with Zane Lowe, he spoke about his father being a Black Panther and photojournalist.
“My father was a Black Panther. My father was a journalist, a paparazzi, a photojournalist. He was a paparazzi. We had a dark room in our house. Like seven years ago, he lived in a homeless shelter,” Ye told Lowe. “Not because he was homeless, because he wanted to help the ex-drug addicts. He wanted to get that close. He started a foundation called Good Water, and moved to the Dominican Republic to help right there, to help with the prostitution, to help with the extortion, to help right there; he stays in the Dominican Republic right now.”
Read more at Ebony
On July 29, the tabloid news site debunked rumors that Ray West was battling stomach cancer. Sources close to the rap star’s father claim he is responding well to treatment.
Kanye is said to have dropped everything to help his dad since learning of the diagnosis. He and his wife, Kim Kardashian, and their children live in a Calabasas home just an hour outside of Los Angeles. In June, Ray West was seen sitting next to his son during the entertainer’s birthday celebration.
Although Kanye’s career is often credited to the influence of his late mother, Donda West, the rapper has spoken about his dad’s career. During a 2013 interview with Zane Lowe, he spoke about his father being a Black Panther and photojournalist.
“My father was a Black Panther. My father was a journalist, a paparazzi, a photojournalist. He was a paparazzi. We had a dark room in our house. Like seven years ago, he lived in a homeless shelter,” Ye told Lowe. “Not because he was homeless, because he wanted to help the ex-drug addicts. He wanted to get that close. He started a foundation called Good Water, and moved to the Dominican Republic to help right there, to help with the prostitution, to help with the extortion, to help right there; he stays in the Dominican Republic right now.”
Read more at Ebony
Anne Hathaway calls out white privilege in passionate post about 'unspeakable' murder of Nia Wilson
Outraged by the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Nia Wilson by a white man, the Oscar-winning actress dedicated an Instagram post to honoring the young black woman. Wilson and her sister, who survived the attack, were stabbed at the BART MacArthur Station in Oakland, Calif., on July 22.
But Hathaway’s post was more than a passive tribute to Wilson — it was a call to arms and condemnation of those who hide behind their “white privilege” and fail to take action in the face of violence and racism.
Describing Wilson’s murder as “unspeakable,” the Ocean’s 8 star acknowledged her own privilege while calling for white people to step up.
“White people — including me, including you — must take into the marrow of our privileged bones the truth that ALL black people fear for their lives DAILY in America and have done so for GENERATIONS,” she wrote. “White people DO NOT have equivalence for this fear of violence. Given those givens, we must ask our (white) selves — how ‘decent’ are we really? Not in our intent, but in our actions? In our lack of action?”
She ended the message with the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, as well as #AntiRacist, #NoExcuse,
#SayHerName, and #EarnTheRightToSayHerName.
Hathaway shut off the comments for the post, but that hasn’t stopped fans from responding. Many are now praising her as an ally.
Read more at Yahoo
But Hathaway’s post was more than a passive tribute to Wilson — it was a call to arms and condemnation of those who hide behind their “white privilege” and fail to take action in the face of violence and racism.
Describing Wilson’s murder as “unspeakable,” the Ocean’s 8 star acknowledged her own privilege while calling for white people to step up.
“White people — including me, including you — must take into the marrow of our privileged bones the truth that ALL black people fear for their lives DAILY in America and have done so for GENERATIONS,” she wrote. “White people DO NOT have equivalence for this fear of violence. Given those givens, we must ask our (white) selves — how ‘decent’ are we really? Not in our intent, but in our actions? In our lack of action?”
She ended the message with the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag, as well as #AntiRacist, #NoExcuse,
#SayHerName, and #EarnTheRightToSayHerName.
Hathaway shut off the comments for the post, but that hasn’t stopped fans from responding. Many are now praising her as an ally.
Read more at Yahoo
President Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame star was smashed to pieces
Los Angeles (CNN)President Donald Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was destroyed by a man with a pickax early Wednesday, according to Los Angeles police Officer Ray Brown.
Hollywood division officers responded to a call at 3:33 a.m. (6:33 a.m. ET) to the tourist area.
Patricia Cox, a witness, told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS that she saw a man "going to town" on the ground "like it was his business just to be tearing up the ground," she said. "I thought it was work going on over here."
Police later arrested Austin Clay, 24, on suspicion of felony vandalism. Brown said Clay did not reveal a motive for the alleged vandalism, and the investigation continues. He's being held on $20,000 bail.
Video from KCAL/KCBS shows tourists taking photos of the defaced star in front of the Hollywood & Highland center, a major tourist spot in Hollywood.
Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that the Walk of Fame is "an institution celebrating the positive contributions of the inductees.
"When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark," Gubler said. "Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property."
Read more at CNN
Hollywood division officers responded to a call at 3:33 a.m. (6:33 a.m. ET) to the tourist area.
Patricia Cox, a witness, told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS that she saw a man "going to town" on the ground "like it was his business just to be tearing up the ground," she said. "I thought it was work going on over here."
Police later arrested Austin Clay, 24, on suspicion of felony vandalism. Brown said Clay did not reveal a motive for the alleged vandalism, and the investigation continues. He's being held on $20,000 bail.
Video from KCAL/KCBS shows tourists taking photos of the defaced star in front of the Hollywood & Highland center, a major tourist spot in Hollywood.
Leron Gubler, president and CEO of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that the Walk of Fame is "an institution celebrating the positive contributions of the inductees.
"When people are unhappy with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark," Gubler said. "Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a difference by voting and not destroying public property."
Read more at CNN
Man won’t face charges after shooting father in Florida parking lot because of 'stand your ground' law
CLEARWATER, Fla.— A recent decision not to charge a man who shot and killed another man in a convenience store parking lot because of Florida’s “stand your ground” law prompted protest Sunday night.
Protesters gathered at the Circle A store on Sunset Point in Clearwater — the scene of the shooting — to express their frustration on how the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office handled the case.
It all started when Markeis McGlockton's girlfriend drove into a parking spot while he walked into the Circle A store.
During a press conference Friday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri mentioned that a regular customer of the convenience store was frustrated when he saw McGlockton's girlfriend illegally parked in the handicapped spot.
The customer and the girlfriend started yelling at each other after the customer complained to her about parking there, according to deputies.
Another customer went inside to tell the manager about a disturbance outside. McGlockton walked outside and shoved the customer to the ground.
Read more at USA Today.
Protesters gathered at the Circle A store on Sunset Point in Clearwater — the scene of the shooting — to express their frustration on how the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office handled the case.
It all started when Markeis McGlockton's girlfriend drove into a parking spot while he walked into the Circle A store.
During a press conference Friday, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri mentioned that a regular customer of the convenience store was frustrated when he saw McGlockton's girlfriend illegally parked in the handicapped spot.
The customer and the girlfriend started yelling at each other after the customer complained to her about parking there, according to deputies.
Another customer went inside to tell the manager about a disturbance outside. McGlockton walked outside and shoved the customer to the ground.
Read more at USA Today.
Survivor who lost nine relatives in duck boat sinking recalls final words
“Grab the baby!”
Those were the last words Tia Coleman recalls her sister-in-law yelling before the tourist boat they were on sank into a Missouri lake, killing 17 people, including nine of Coleman’s family members.
A huge wave hit, scattering passengers on the vessel, known as a duck boat, into Table Rock Lake near Branson, Coleman said, recounting the ordeal from a hospital bed.
When the Indianapolis woman came up for air, she was alone, Coleman told television station KOLR on Saturday.
She spotted a rescue boat and swam as fast as she could.
Coleman’s husband and three children, ages nine, seven and one; her 45-year-old sister-in-law and two-year-old nephew; her mother-in-law and father-in-law and her husband’s uncle all died on Thursday night in the deadliest accident of its kind in nearly two decades.
Read more at Yahoo.
Those were the last words Tia Coleman recalls her sister-in-law yelling before the tourist boat they were on sank into a Missouri lake, killing 17 people, including nine of Coleman’s family members.
A huge wave hit, scattering passengers on the vessel, known as a duck boat, into Table Rock Lake near Branson, Coleman said, recounting the ordeal from a hospital bed.
When the Indianapolis woman came up for air, she was alone, Coleman told television station KOLR on Saturday.
She spotted a rescue boat and swam as fast as she could.
Coleman’s husband and three children, ages nine, seven and one; her 45-year-old sister-in-law and two-year-old nephew; her mother-in-law and father-in-law and her husband’s uncle all died on Thursday night in the deadliest accident of its kind in nearly two decades.
Read more at Yahoo.
McCoy Saga Continues: Police Release Call He Made Last Summer
BUFFALO (WBEN) - Last week, Milton Police released the 9-1-1 call made by Delicia Cordon after an apparent home invasion at LeSean McCoy's house. This week, police released a separate 9-1-1 call, made by McCoy in July of 2017. "I have a young lady that, she's stealing stuff out of my home, she won't leave," started McCoy. "We were together for a little bit - like five or six months - I let her go like two weeks ago. I'm just trying to be cordial with her...she's trying to pick a fight...I don't want no fights." It was reported that Cordon officially moved out of McCoy's house on Monday, which came more than a full year after this call. Last Tuesday, Cordon was attacked by an intruder during a home invasion, and in her 911 call, said she believed McCoy had something to do with it, even though he was in Florida at the time of the incident.
Read more at Yahoo
Read more at Yahoo
Aramis Ayala, Florida’s first elected African-American state attorney, endorses Andrew Gillum for governor
Aramis Ayala, the state's first elected African-American state attorney who unsuccessfully sued Gov. Rick Scott last year over her stance to not seek the death penalty, endorsed Tallahassee Mayor Andrew Gillum for governor at a campaign stop in Orlando Tuesday afternoon.
Though the Orlando-based prosecutor's stance at the time conflicted with Gillum's — he has said he is not opposed to the death penalty but would use it sparingly — she praised his progressive record in Tallahassee and said she planned to campaign with him ahead of the Aug. 28 primary.
"He's shown true courage in this race — from speaking truth to power, to standing up for our most important values of inclusion and decency," said Ayala in a statement.
Ayala made headlines just months after she took office last year when she said she would not seek the death penalty in any case — including that of Markeith Loyd, who had been accused of murdering an Orlando police officer and his pregnant ex-girlfriend. Though she did not explicitly campaign against the death penalty, Ayala, a Democrat, asserted it was within her prosecutorial discretion to decide how to pursue punishment for cases in her purview.
Scott disagreed and signed an executive order later that day, taking her off the Loyd case and assigning it to Brad King, state attorney for Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. Ayala sued King and Scott — who ultimately reassigned away more than two dozen additional cases — in a dispute that reached the state Supreme Court.
Read more at TampaBay.com
Though the Orlando-based prosecutor's stance at the time conflicted with Gillum's — he has said he is not opposed to the death penalty but would use it sparingly — she praised his progressive record in Tallahassee and said she planned to campaign with him ahead of the Aug. 28 primary.
"He's shown true courage in this race — from speaking truth to power, to standing up for our most important values of inclusion and decency," said Ayala in a statement.
Ayala made headlines just months after she took office last year when she said she would not seek the death penalty in any case — including that of Markeith Loyd, who had been accused of murdering an Orlando police officer and his pregnant ex-girlfriend. Though she did not explicitly campaign against the death penalty, Ayala, a Democrat, asserted it was within her prosecutorial discretion to decide how to pursue punishment for cases in her purview.
Scott disagreed and signed an executive order later that day, taking her off the Loyd case and assigning it to Brad King, state attorney for Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. Ayala sued King and Scott — who ultimately reassigned away more than two dozen additional cases — in a dispute that reached the state Supreme Court.
Read more at TampaBay.com
Barack Obama Breaks His Silence
Less than 24 hours after an astonishing joint news conference between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, in which Trump sided with Putin over his own intelligence agencies, former President Barack Obama finally did what his supporters have waited for him to do since he left the Oval Office.
He spoke up, forcefully, with a dire warning about the direction of global politics. “I am not being alarmist, I’m simply stating the facts,” Obama said in a closely watched speech in South Africa.
“Look around,” he said. “Strongman politics are ascendant, suddenly, whereby elections and some pretense of democracy are maintained, the form of it, where those in power seek to undermine every institution or norm that gives democracy meaning.”
“The free press is under attack,” he added. “Censorship and state control of media is on the rise. Social media, once seen as a mechanism to promote knowledge and understanding and solidarity, has proved to be just as effective promoting hatred and paranoia and propaganda and conspiracy theories.”
The occasion for Obama’s remarks was the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Lecture, and though he did not mention his successor by name, President Trump loomed large in the speech. Trump, in contrast to Obama, has rebuked America’s Western allies while offering kind words to the world’s strongmen—from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who is perhaps a category unto himself. But Trump’s warmest words have been reserved for Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader.
Read more at the Atlantic
He spoke up, forcefully, with a dire warning about the direction of global politics. “I am not being alarmist, I’m simply stating the facts,” Obama said in a closely watched speech in South Africa.
“Look around,” he said. “Strongman politics are ascendant, suddenly, whereby elections and some pretense of democracy are maintained, the form of it, where those in power seek to undermine every institution or norm that gives democracy meaning.”
“The free press is under attack,” he added. “Censorship and state control of media is on the rise. Social media, once seen as a mechanism to promote knowledge and understanding and solidarity, has proved to be just as effective promoting hatred and paranoia and propaganda and conspiracy theories.”
The occasion for Obama’s remarks was the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Lecture, and though he did not mention his successor by name, President Trump loomed large in the speech. Trump, in contrast to Obama, has rebuked America’s Western allies while offering kind words to the world’s strongmen—from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who is perhaps a category unto himself. But Trump’s warmest words have been reserved for Vladimir Putin, the Russian leader.
Read more at the Atlantic
Kellen Winslow Jr. faces additional charge of raping unconscious 17-year-old in 2003
Kellen Winslow Jr. is charged with a new count of rape in San Diego in addition to the two counts of rape, two counts of kidnapping with intent to commit rape and one count of forcible sodomy he was already facing.
The 34-year-old former NFL tight end was arraigned for the new charge Thursday afternoon in a Vista, California courtroom, accused of forcibly raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl in 2003 when he was 19 years old, USA Today reports.
Winslow Jr. facing three rape charges spanning 15 years
Winslow was already facing trial for the alleged rape of two women ages 54 and 58 in the San Diego suburb of Encinitas between March and June of this year. Police arrested Winslow twice in June, with the second arrest on the rape charges.
Winslow also faces a pair of misdemeanor trespassing charges for entering the homes of women he intended to rape, the prosecution alleges. Winslow’s first arrest occurred after he allegedly entered a woman’s home in an Encinitas trailer park, prompting a neighbor to call the police.
The 58-year-old accuser, a homeless woman, testified in court Thursday morning that Winslow picked her up in his car and offered to take her for coffee when he allegedly took her to a secluded area, raped her and threatened to kill her, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Read more at Yahoo.com
The 34-year-old former NFL tight end was arraigned for the new charge Thursday afternoon in a Vista, California courtroom, accused of forcibly raping an unconscious 17-year-old girl in 2003 when he was 19 years old, USA Today reports.
Winslow Jr. facing three rape charges spanning 15 years
Winslow was already facing trial for the alleged rape of two women ages 54 and 58 in the San Diego suburb of Encinitas between March and June of this year. Police arrested Winslow twice in June, with the second arrest on the rape charges.
Winslow also faces a pair of misdemeanor trespassing charges for entering the homes of women he intended to rape, the prosecution alleges. Winslow’s first arrest occurred after he allegedly entered a woman’s home in an Encinitas trailer park, prompting a neighbor to call the police.
The 58-year-old accuser, a homeless woman, testified in court Thursday morning that Winslow picked her up in his car and offered to take her for coffee when he allegedly took her to a secluded area, raped her and threatened to kill her, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Study Finds That Black Women Graduate With The Most Student Loan Debt
A new study has found that Black women are the demographic burdened the most by the student loan debt crisis in the United States — taking on the biggest debt load for the longest amount of time.
While Black women are the most educated demographic in America, this acclaim comes with a major its own set of consequences. The new “Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans” study shows that Black women have by far the most outstanding student debt after college graduation compared with both white men and white women.
The report by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) found that African-American women amass an average of $30,400 of debt by college graduation, compared with $22,000 held against white women and $19,500 held against white men.
The reports also found that women overall owe almost double the country’s student loan debt at $890 billion, compared to $490 billion owed by men. Women, who account for 56 percent of enrolled college students, are far more likely than men to graduate owing money at 71 percent for female graduates and 66 percent for male graduates, CBS News reports.
“Student debt levels have reached an all-time high, with women carrying a bigger burden of debt than men,” said Kim Churches, the chief executive officer of AAUW. “This debt is an albatross for many women as they embark on careers and work to support their households and families. And, it only gets worse over time when coupled with the gender pay gap.”
The problem is further compounded by the nation’s gender and racial pay gap. Indeed, for every dollar a white man makes, a Black woman makes 63 cents, forcing Black women to take years longer to pay off their student loan debt.
Read more at Essence
While Black women are the most educated demographic in America, this acclaim comes with a major its own set of consequences. The new “Deeper in Debt: Women and Student Loans” study shows that Black women have by far the most outstanding student debt after college graduation compared with both white men and white women.
The report by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) found that African-American women amass an average of $30,400 of debt by college graduation, compared with $22,000 held against white women and $19,500 held against white men.
The reports also found that women overall owe almost double the country’s student loan debt at $890 billion, compared to $490 billion owed by men. Women, who account for 56 percent of enrolled college students, are far more likely than men to graduate owing money at 71 percent for female graduates and 66 percent for male graduates, CBS News reports.
“Student debt levels have reached an all-time high, with women carrying a bigger burden of debt than men,” said Kim Churches, the chief executive officer of AAUW. “This debt is an albatross for many women as they embark on careers and work to support their households and families. And, it only gets worse over time when coupled with the gender pay gap.”
The problem is further compounded by the nation’s gender and racial pay gap. Indeed, for every dollar a white man makes, a Black woman makes 63 cents, forcing Black women to take years longer to pay off their student loan debt.
Read more at Essence
Woman on oxygen machine dies after power company cuts off electricity
A New Jersey woman who relied on an electric-powered oxygen tank to breathe died just hours after her utility company cut service to her home because she hadn’t paid her bills.
Linda Daniels, 68, died of heart failure Thursday, the same day PSE&G cut the electricity to her Newark home, according to her daughter, Desiree Washington, the Associated Press reported.
PSE&G said in a statement that it turned off the power due to outstanding payments over the course of several months.
“While there will be a complete investigation of this matter, our records indicate that this account was severely in arrears and we made at least 15 attempts to notify the customer since January 2018, including two visits to the residence prior to the disconnection,” PSE&G said.
Washington said her mom paid $500 to the electric company just two days before her death and that her family had notified the electric company of her mother’s medical issues, according to the AP.
But PSE&G claims that it had no knowledge of Daniels’ medical condition.
“We have reviewed our records dating back to 2016 and there is no indication by the customer of a medical condition in the home prior to disconnection,” the company said, adding: “When notified of a medical situation, PSE&G carefully follows all procedures and regulations to ensure the safety of the customer. We never would have disconnected service had we been informed of the circumstances.”
“When we were contacted after service had been disconnected and were notified that the customer had medical issues, we began the process to restore service,” said PSE&G.
Read more at NY Post
Linda Daniels, 68, died of heart failure Thursday, the same day PSE&G cut the electricity to her Newark home, according to her daughter, Desiree Washington, the Associated Press reported.
PSE&G said in a statement that it turned off the power due to outstanding payments over the course of several months.
“While there will be a complete investigation of this matter, our records indicate that this account was severely in arrears and we made at least 15 attempts to notify the customer since January 2018, including two visits to the residence prior to the disconnection,” PSE&G said.
Washington said her mom paid $500 to the electric company just two days before her death and that her family had notified the electric company of her mother’s medical issues, according to the AP.
But PSE&G claims that it had no knowledge of Daniels’ medical condition.
“We have reviewed our records dating back to 2016 and there is no indication by the customer of a medical condition in the home prior to disconnection,” the company said, adding: “When notified of a medical situation, PSE&G carefully follows all procedures and regulations to ensure the safety of the customer. We never would have disconnected service had we been informed of the circumstances.”
“When we were contacted after service had been disconnected and were notified that the customer had medical issues, we began the process to restore service,” said PSE&G.
Read more at NY Post
African-American family finds racist note in hotel room, businessman says
An African-American millionaire and his Manhattan consultant son were victims of a July 4th hate crime in their hotel room during a Florida vacation.
A racist creep apparently snuck into Frank and Michael Davis’ room at the upscale Art Ovation Hotel in Sarasota and left a 2-by-5 post-it note reading, “You’re a N—-R.”
After returning to their sixth-floor room from breakfast, the Davises found the sickening message placed on a globe-shaped bedside lamp.
“I was stone cold for 30 to 40 seconds when I read the note,” Michael Davis, 27, a consultant for a financial firm, told The Post.
“My first thought was, what did we do to deserve this? We tipped well, we were beyond nice to all the staff.”
Fearing for their lives, Michael and his parents called the police and the front desk. The Sarasota Police Department responded, but no suspects have been named.
Read more at Fox News
A racist creep apparently snuck into Frank and Michael Davis’ room at the upscale Art Ovation Hotel in Sarasota and left a 2-by-5 post-it note reading, “You’re a N—-R.”
After returning to their sixth-floor room from breakfast, the Davises found the sickening message placed on a globe-shaped bedside lamp.
“I was stone cold for 30 to 40 seconds when I read the note,” Michael Davis, 27, a consultant for a financial firm, told The Post.
“My first thought was, what did we do to deserve this? We tipped well, we were beyond nice to all the staff.”
Fearing for their lives, Michael and his parents called the police and the front desk. The Sarasota Police Department responded, but no suspects have been named.
Read more at Fox News
Gangbangers arrested for killing teen getting protection in jail
The eight gangbangers accused of butchering innocent teen Lesandro “Junior Guzman-Feliz” are getting special treatment in jail, according to law enforcement sources. The men — all variously charged with murder in the 15-year-old’s grisly mistaken-identity slaying — have been moved out of the general population at Rikers Island because they are getting threats, sources said. Each time one of them is moved, all other inmate transfers are put on hold — and the suspects are accompanied by several correction officers and a captain who film the transfer, the source said. It was not immediately clear where the suspects are being held.
Two of the accused were arrested in the Bronx, while six others were Two of the accused were arrested in the Bronx, while six others were busted during a raid of a New Jersey flophouse.
All eight have pleaded not guilty.
NY POST
Two of the accused were arrested in the Bronx, while six others were Two of the accused were arrested in the Bronx, while six others were busted during a raid of a New Jersey flophouse.
All eight have pleaded not guilty.
NY POST
The Gag Is! White Lady Calls 911 On Black Boy For Mowing Lawns But Now His Business Is Booming
12-year-old Reginald Fields is known in his Ohio neighborhood as the owner of Mr. Reggie’s Lawn Cutting Service. One day when Reggie was mowing the lawn of a women in the neighborhood, a white neighbor called the police for cutting grass on their property line. After a video of the incident went viral, Reggie’s business has doubled and the white couple have been called out for their intolerance.
At the end of June, Lucille Holt-Colden posted a video to Facebook titled “This is RIDICULOUS!!!” In the video, a police vehicle can be seen in the background after a neighbor called to complain that Reggie had cut the grass on his side of the property line.
Holt-Colden told the New York Times Reggie and his siblings had only been working for about 30 minutes when the police showed up.
“I thought they were going to punish me for cutting the grass,” Reggie told the Times.
Read more at BET
At the end of June, Lucille Holt-Colden posted a video to Facebook titled “This is RIDICULOUS!!!” In the video, a police vehicle can be seen in the background after a neighbor called to complain that Reggie had cut the grass on his side of the property line.
Holt-Colden told the New York Times Reggie and his siblings had only been working for about 30 minutes when the police showed up.
“I thought they were going to punish me for cutting the grass,” Reggie told the Times.
Read more at BET
Woman On Trial For Fatally Starving And Burning 10-Year-Old Stepdaughter Says She’s Relying On God
A Georgia woman on trial for allegedly starving her stepdaughter to death and burning the body in a trashcan has decided to go without the help of a lawyer and represent herself.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Tiffany Moss, who is accused of starving 10-year-old Emani Moss to death and then burning her body in 2013. When Emani’s body was found in a dumpster outside the apartment where she lived with her father and Tiffany, she weighed only 32 pounds, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Although nearly everyone associated with the case has advised Tiffany Moss to use an attorney, she has insisted it's God’s will for her to proceed alone. As a result, Gwinnett County judge hearing the case decided to delay the trial until the state’s highest court can review his decision to allow Moss to be her own lawyer.
Instead of preparing legal documents, filing motions, and reviewing evidence, Moss has decided to prepare for her case “in a more spiritual way than, you know, a physical way,” according to the AJC.
An example of Moss’ lack of preparation was witnessed when the state sought to admit hearsay testimony from Moss’s son at trial. During the hearing, Moss asked Superior Court Judge George Hutchinson III not to allow the testimony. When the judge asked her to give him a legal basis for her objection, Moss responded: “Legal basis, I don’t know.”
Read more at BET
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Tiffany Moss, who is accused of starving 10-year-old Emani Moss to death and then burning her body in 2013. When Emani’s body was found in a dumpster outside the apartment where she lived with her father and Tiffany, she weighed only 32 pounds, reported the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Although nearly everyone associated with the case has advised Tiffany Moss to use an attorney, she has insisted it's God’s will for her to proceed alone. As a result, Gwinnett County judge hearing the case decided to delay the trial until the state’s highest court can review his decision to allow Moss to be her own lawyer.
Instead of preparing legal documents, filing motions, and reviewing evidence, Moss has decided to prepare for her case “in a more spiritual way than, you know, a physical way,” according to the AJC.
An example of Moss’ lack of preparation was witnessed when the state sought to admit hearsay testimony from Moss’s son at trial. During the hearing, Moss asked Superior Court Judge George Hutchinson III not to allow the testimony. When the judge asked her to give him a legal basis for her objection, Moss responded: “Legal basis, I don’t know.”
Read more at BET
Joe Jackson, Michael and Janet Jackson's father, dead at 89
Joe Jackson, the father of late Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson and the mastermind behind The Jackson 5, has died at age 89. Carlos Keyes, representative for Jackson's son, Tito Jackson, confirmed Joe Jackson's death. The legendary stage parent and music manager was reportedly battling terminal cancer.
A Jackson family source told "Entertainment Tonight" that the family's patriarch was hospitalized with terminal cancer Friday in Las Vegas. The source also said that he had been battling cancer for some time, with doctors telling the family that he had a limited amount of time left to live, and that the illness was untreatable.
His Twitter account posted a cryptic tweet Sunday that said, "I have seen more sunsets than I have left to see. The sun rises when the time comes and whether you like it or not the sun sets when the time comes."
However, Paris Jackson later tweeted that her grandfather did not post the tweet, saying, "My grandfather did not tweet this. I'm not sure if he's ever used this account."
Joe Jackson had been struggling with his health for the past several years. He was hospitalized in 2016 after a high fever, and in 2015, he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke.
Jackson engineered the careers of The Jackson 5 and then the solo careers of Michael and Janet Jackson. Though his children accused their controversial father of abuse, he was quoted as saying of Michael's accusations, "I never beat him. I whipped him with a stick and a belt. I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick." Jackson had a difficult relationship with his troubled son. People who knew Michael said that the two became closer after Michael became a father of three, but when the King of Pop died, he cut his father out of his will.
Read more at CBS
A Jackson family source told "Entertainment Tonight" that the family's patriarch was hospitalized with terminal cancer Friday in Las Vegas. The source also said that he had been battling cancer for some time, with doctors telling the family that he had a limited amount of time left to live, and that the illness was untreatable.
His Twitter account posted a cryptic tweet Sunday that said, "I have seen more sunsets than I have left to see. The sun rises when the time comes and whether you like it or not the sun sets when the time comes."
However, Paris Jackson later tweeted that her grandfather did not post the tweet, saying, "My grandfather did not tweet this. I'm not sure if he's ever used this account."
Joe Jackson had been struggling with his health for the past several years. He was hospitalized in 2016 after a high fever, and in 2015, he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke.
Jackson engineered the careers of The Jackson 5 and then the solo careers of Michael and Janet Jackson. Though his children accused their controversial father of abuse, he was quoted as saying of Michael's accusations, "I never beat him. I whipped him with a stick and a belt. I never beat him. You beat someone with a stick." Jackson had a difficult relationship with his troubled son. People who knew Michael said that the two became closer after Michael became a father of three, but when the King of Pop died, he cut his father out of his will.
Read more at CBS
Rapper Meek Mill's petition for retrial after 2008 conviction denied by judge
A Philadelphia judge has denied rapper Meek Mill a new trial stemming from the decade-old gun and drug charges against him — despite new information that shows credibility issues with the arresting officer.
Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinley said in a 47-page opinion released Monday that Mill's attorneys "failed to meet his burden of proof" to have his conviction overturned, and questioned the thoroughness of Philadelphia prosecutors reviewing allegations of corruption against the officer.
The decision — the latest in a case that has put a spotlight on the justice system and sentencing — was blasted by the defense.
"We are not at all surprised by Judge Brinkley's decision today. Despite the agreement of the District Attorney's office on the need for a new trial, and the granting of new trials to other identically situated defendants, Judge Brinkley made clear during the hearing on June 18th that she had already decided the matter," Mill's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, said in a statement.
Read more at NBC
Common Pleas Court Judge Genece Brinley said in a 47-page opinion released Monday that Mill's attorneys "failed to meet his burden of proof" to have his conviction overturned, and questioned the thoroughness of Philadelphia prosecutors reviewing allegations of corruption against the officer.
The decision — the latest in a case that has put a spotlight on the justice system and sentencing — was blasted by the defense.
"We are not at all surprised by Judge Brinkley's decision today. Despite the agreement of the District Attorney's office on the need for a new trial, and the granting of new trials to other identically situated defendants, Judge Brinkley made clear during the hearing on June 18th that she had already decided the matter," Mill's lawyer, Joe Tacopina, said in a statement.
Read more at NBC
Permit Patty: Woman 'calls police' on eight-year-old for selling water
People have been using the hashtag #PermitPatty after a video was shared showing a woman reporting a child to police in East Oakland, California, for selling water outside her home.
Eight-year-old Jordan Austin was selling water without an official licence.
Alison Ettel contacted the authorities to report Jordan's actions.
A video of the incident was shared on Instagram by Jordan's mum Erin, and was also shared on Twitter by her cousin Raje Lee - both using the #PermitPatty hashtag.
"[Jordan] was selling water bottles when [Alison] just rudely approached her, like: 'I need to see your permit'," Raje told The Huffington Post.
"Erin stepped in and told her to leave her kid alone. That's when the lady proceeded to call the police."
Raje's video has been viewed nearly 7 million times in just two days on Twitter. Another 1.1 million have watched Erin's video on Instagram.
Alison is reportedly the CEO of a medicinal marijuana company and at least one organisation in the state, where the drug is legal, say they will no longer sell her products.
Some Twitter users said that the situation highlighted a lack of equality in America between black and white individuals.
Read more at BBC
Eight-year-old Jordan Austin was selling water without an official licence.
Alison Ettel contacted the authorities to report Jordan's actions.
A video of the incident was shared on Instagram by Jordan's mum Erin, and was also shared on Twitter by her cousin Raje Lee - both using the #PermitPatty hashtag.
"[Jordan] was selling water bottles when [Alison] just rudely approached her, like: 'I need to see your permit'," Raje told The Huffington Post.
"Erin stepped in and told her to leave her kid alone. That's when the lady proceeded to call the police."
Raje's video has been viewed nearly 7 million times in just two days on Twitter. Another 1.1 million have watched Erin's video on Instagram.
Alison is reportedly the CEO of a medicinal marijuana company and at least one organisation in the state, where the drug is legal, say they will no longer sell her products.
Some Twitter users said that the situation highlighted a lack of equality in America between black and white individuals.
Read more at BBC
Trump Dragged After Disgusting Border Patrol Video Shows Immigrant Children Living In Cages
Amid accusations of improperly detaining children who crossed the border with undocumented adults, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released a video on Monday which seems to prove the rumors were true.
Government released footage of an immigration detention center in McAllen, Texas, showed children, who have been separated from their parents as part of the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy, corralled in cages and sleeping on the floor.
The footage was released a day after several reporters and Democratic lawmakers given a tour of the processing facility near the U.S.-Mexico border, reported the Associated Press.
See more at BET
Government released footage of an immigration detention center in McAllen, Texas, showed children, who have been separated from their parents as part of the Trump administration's zero tolerance policy, corralled in cages and sleeping on the floor.
The footage was released a day after several reporters and Democratic lawmakers given a tour of the processing facility near the U.S.-Mexico border, reported the Associated Press.
See more at BET
Kirk Franklin Mourns His Sister’s 30 Year Prison Sentence
Gospel artist Kirk Franklin is facing difficult times this week when he announced that his sister was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
He revealed the news in an Instagram post saying “I now feel the weight of wondering if I could’ve done more…”
It’s not clear what caused his sister’s long sentence.
However, Kirk has been pretty public about the struggles she’s faced, including an addiction to crack-cocaine. In a 2015 interview, Kirk said, “For over ten years, my younger sister was incarcerated in a facility here in Texas. She was in love with a young man who was drug dealer. He introduced her to not only selling drugs, but using as well. When he was arrested for drug trafficking, she was arrested along with him. After she served her time, she was brought before the review board who determined she was ready to be released and brought back into society. The documents were signed and she was set free… but only on paper.”
Kirk continued, “After a few months back into the free world, it became obvious to me rather quickly that my sister was still in prison. It’s what they call being institutionalized. She quickly started using again, becoming very reckless with her body, which turned into her using it as a means to pay for her habit.”
Read more at Global Grind
He revealed the news in an Instagram post saying “I now feel the weight of wondering if I could’ve done more…”
It’s not clear what caused his sister’s long sentence.
However, Kirk has been pretty public about the struggles she’s faced, including an addiction to crack-cocaine. In a 2015 interview, Kirk said, “For over ten years, my younger sister was incarcerated in a facility here in Texas. She was in love with a young man who was drug dealer. He introduced her to not only selling drugs, but using as well. When he was arrested for drug trafficking, she was arrested along with him. After she served her time, she was brought before the review board who determined she was ready to be released and brought back into society. The documents were signed and she was set free… but only on paper.”
Kirk continued, “After a few months back into the free world, it became obvious to me rather quickly that my sister was still in prison. It’s what they call being institutionalized. She quickly started using again, becoming very reckless with her body, which turned into her using it as a means to pay for her habit.”
Read more at Global Grind
Akon Is Jumping Into Cryptocurrency With ‘Akoin’
Akon is continuing to help the continent of Africa by launching a new cryptocurrency called Akoin, which will go on sale in two weeks, according to Page Six. The Senegal born star made the announcement during the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on June 19.
Akoin will be used to support the singer’s Lighting Africa initiative, a project with a mission to improve Africa’s living conditions through the use of renewable energy.
“I think that blockchain and crypto could be the savior for Africa in many ways because it brings the power back to the people and brings the security back into the currency system and also allows the people to utilize it in ways where they can advance themselves and not allow government to do those things that are keeping them down,” the “I’m So Paid” singer said during a panel.
The digital currency’s website, icoimpact.co/akoin, states an “Akon Crypto City” is currently being developed on 2,000 acres of land that was “gifted to Akon from the President of Senegal.” The smart city will reportedly function with 100 percent of the transactions occurring through the use of the Akoin.
Read more at Ebony
Akoin will be used to support the singer’s Lighting Africa initiative, a project with a mission to improve Africa’s living conditions through the use of renewable energy.
“I think that blockchain and crypto could be the savior for Africa in many ways because it brings the power back to the people and brings the security back into the currency system and also allows the people to utilize it in ways where they can advance themselves and not allow government to do those things that are keeping them down,” the “I’m So Paid” singer said during a panel.
The digital currency’s website, icoimpact.co/akoin, states an “Akon Crypto City” is currently being developed on 2,000 acres of land that was “gifted to Akon from the President of Senegal.” The smart city will reportedly function with 100 percent of the transactions occurring through the use of the Akoin.
Read more at Ebony
African-American teachers push messages of affirmation, success at Philadelphia school
PHILADELPHIA — "You're great!" That's what every student hears from teacher Herman Douglas when they enter his seventh-grade class at Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary School in a neighborhood of North Philadelphia plagued with crime, violence and poverty.
"I'm great," each student responds.
Douglas’ strong positive message is meant to counter the negativity so many students pass by in the streets on their way to school. He also bestows titles on his students, referring them as “king” and “queen" as reminders that they're descendants of African royalty.
In addition to Douglas, 12 other African-American male educators work at this school — that's nearly 30 percent of the staff at a school where the students are primarily black and Hispanic. That number stands in contrast to the rest of the nation, where only 2 percent of teachers are African-American men.
For the past few years, this school has been trying to change the face of teaching to address what’s seen as a fundamental problem facing students in this part of Philadelphia.
"We have a lot of children where they have mom at home, they have grandma, but they don’t have dad, uncle’s not around," said principal Jamina Clay-Dingle, who has made it a point to recruit black men to her classrooms. "It was a deliberate decision that we wanted to put representation in front of our students who looked like them."
Studies show that minority children perform better in school when their teachers are diverse. If a black boy has even just one black teacher in grade school, recent research predicts he has a significantly improved chance to graduate high school and consider college. Many minority educators also believe teaching students of various ethnic backgrounds breaks down stereotypes and generates tolerance.
As the school year winds down at Bethune, educators say students face higher expectations, attendance is up, and they expect test scores and graduate rates to soon follow.
Read more at NBC News
"I'm great," each student responds.
Douglas’ strong positive message is meant to counter the negativity so many students pass by in the streets on their way to school. He also bestows titles on his students, referring them as “king” and “queen" as reminders that they're descendants of African royalty.
In addition to Douglas, 12 other African-American male educators work at this school — that's nearly 30 percent of the staff at a school where the students are primarily black and Hispanic. That number stands in contrast to the rest of the nation, where only 2 percent of teachers are African-American men.
For the past few years, this school has been trying to change the face of teaching to address what’s seen as a fundamental problem facing students in this part of Philadelphia.
"We have a lot of children where they have mom at home, they have grandma, but they don’t have dad, uncle’s not around," said principal Jamina Clay-Dingle, who has made it a point to recruit black men to her classrooms. "It was a deliberate decision that we wanted to put representation in front of our students who looked like them."
Studies show that minority children perform better in school when their teachers are diverse. If a black boy has even just one black teacher in grade school, recent research predicts he has a significantly improved chance to graduate high school and consider college. Many minority educators also believe teaching students of various ethnic backgrounds breaks down stereotypes and generates tolerance.
As the school year winds down at Bethune, educators say students face higher expectations, attendance is up, and they expect test scores and graduate rates to soon follow.
Read more at NBC News
For The Kids: Killer Mike Is Offering Free Back-To-School Haircuts In Atlanta
Killer Mike has long been known as a man who loves him some charitable deeds, and his latest is going to be a huge blessing for a lot of children as they make their way back to school this fall.
The Atlanta emcee, in collaboration with The Atlanta Hawks, Volcom and his Run The Jewels counterpart El-P, will open his own chain of Atlanta barbershops to students to provice free back-to-school haircuts at the end of the summer. Named The S.W.A.G. Shop, barbers will be compensated for both cuts and shaves given to children between the ages of 5-17 during the two-day span of the event.
Mike posted the announcement on Instagram, tagging his wife Shay, who co-owns the shops with him saying, “Me and @shaybigga making sure we doing our part. Thank u to all our customers, staff and the community’s we serve!”
The first special will be held at the barbershop on Edgewood Avenue on Saturday, July 28, while the event on Roosevelt Highway is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 4. Both will start at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m.
ATLiens, bring your kids on over to The S.W.A.G. Shops as summer wraps up for a free cut before school. Salute to Killer Mike for the good deed.
Read more at Global Grind
The Atlanta emcee, in collaboration with The Atlanta Hawks, Volcom and his Run The Jewels counterpart El-P, will open his own chain of Atlanta barbershops to students to provice free back-to-school haircuts at the end of the summer. Named The S.W.A.G. Shop, barbers will be compensated for both cuts and shaves given to children between the ages of 5-17 during the two-day span of the event.
Mike posted the announcement on Instagram, tagging his wife Shay, who co-owns the shops with him saying, “Me and @shaybigga making sure we doing our part. Thank u to all our customers, staff and the community’s we serve!”
The first special will be held at the barbershop on Edgewood Avenue on Saturday, July 28, while the event on Roosevelt Highway is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 4. Both will start at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:00 p.m.
ATLiens, bring your kids on over to The S.W.A.G. Shops as summer wraps up for a free cut before school. Salute to Killer Mike for the good deed.
Read more at Global Grind
Life-changing text alert puts Penn State student on path to success
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brian Davis found out that he was accepted to Penn State while practicing parallel parking in his hometown of Philadelphia.
“I received an alert on my phone and it said, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been accepted at Penn State University Park,’ and I started crying — it was a dream come true,” said Davis.
“At 13, I told my friends that no matter how I did in high school, my grades, my SAT scores, I’m going to Penn State. I didn’t even look at any other schools; it was Penn State or I wasn’t going to college,” he said, laughing.
Now 21, Davis, a soft-spoken, confident young man with a sparkle in his eye, is ready for the next step: He graduated this spring from the University with a bachelor's degree in African-American studies, with minors in international studies, civic and community engagement, and sociology. He’s ready for his new job as an elementary school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area through Teach for America.
He’s ready for anything, he said, because of his experiences at Penn State.
“Penn State has impacted my life in so many ways,” said Davis. “Where I come from in Philadelphia, there was a lot of violence while I was growing up. I don’t like to say I made it out, but I feel like — this is what happens when a person is put in the right place at the right time, with the right resources.
“I feel very powerful, and Penn State has helped me find that confidence in myself,” he added. “To take advantage of opportunities for myself, but also to create opportunities for others.”
Starting the journey
The beginning of his college journey wasn’t a smooth one, however. Although he excelled in high school, he nearly failed most of his freshman courses. He was overwhelmed and had trouble identifying the resources that would have helped him to adjust. At the end of his first semester he was thinking about leaving the University he had so longed to attend.
“I didn’t know where to start. I’d never been in a place with so many resources before, and it was actually an obstacle because I had trouble navigating a path. I was eager and excited, but had poor studying and writing skills in spite of earning straight As in high school,” he said. “It made me reflect on my experiences in inner-city Philadelphia and how it prepared me for college.”
Read more at News.psu.edu
“I received an alert on my phone and it said, ‘Congratulations, you’ve been accepted at Penn State University Park,’ and I started crying — it was a dream come true,” said Davis.
“At 13, I told my friends that no matter how I did in high school, my grades, my SAT scores, I’m going to Penn State. I didn’t even look at any other schools; it was Penn State or I wasn’t going to college,” he said, laughing.
Now 21, Davis, a soft-spoken, confident young man with a sparkle in his eye, is ready for the next step: He graduated this spring from the University with a bachelor's degree in African-American studies, with minors in international studies, civic and community engagement, and sociology. He’s ready for his new job as an elementary school teacher in the San Francisco Bay Area through Teach for America.
He’s ready for anything, he said, because of his experiences at Penn State.
“Penn State has impacted my life in so many ways,” said Davis. “Where I come from in Philadelphia, there was a lot of violence while I was growing up. I don’t like to say I made it out, but I feel like — this is what happens when a person is put in the right place at the right time, with the right resources.
“I feel very powerful, and Penn State has helped me find that confidence in myself,” he added. “To take advantage of opportunities for myself, but also to create opportunities for others.”
Starting the journey
The beginning of his college journey wasn’t a smooth one, however. Although he excelled in high school, he nearly failed most of his freshman courses. He was overwhelmed and had trouble identifying the resources that would have helped him to adjust. At the end of his first semester he was thinking about leaving the University he had so longed to attend.
“I didn’t know where to start. I’d never been in a place with so many resources before, and it was actually an obstacle because I had trouble navigating a path. I was eager and excited, but had poor studying and writing skills in spite of earning straight As in high school,” he said. “It made me reflect on my experiences in inner-city Philadelphia and how it prepared me for college.”
Read more at News.psu.edu
Barack Obama pays emotional tribute to Anthony Bourdain with photo of celebrated Hanoi lunch.
Barack Obama has paid his own, personal tribute to Anthony Bourdain, recalling their celebrated lunch in a Hanoi eatery, and praising the chef and boulevardier’s ability to “bring us together”.
In the spring of 2016, the then president ate a $6 lunch with Bourdain at Bun Cha Huong Lien, a traditional roadside joint where most local people had little idea who either man was. Bourdain was filming for Parts Unknown season 8 while Mr Obama was negotiating a deal with Vietnam that ended a ban on selling military equipment to the single-party nation.
“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer,” wrote the former president following the death of Bourdain, 61, in Kaysersberg, France.
“This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him.”
Current President Donald Trump called Bourdain's death - which French prosecutors are treating as a suicide - as “very shocking.”
“I enjoyed his show, he was quite a character,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.
Bourdain worked his way up to become executive chef at a top New York restaurant, and would later talk extensively about his use of drugs and addiction to heroin earlier in his life.
Read more at Yahoo
In the spring of 2016, the then president ate a $6 lunch with Bourdain at Bun Cha Huong Lien, a traditional roadside joint where most local people had little idea who either man was. Bourdain was filming for Parts Unknown season 8 while Mr Obama was negotiating a deal with Vietnam that ended a ban on selling military equipment to the single-party nation.
“Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer,” wrote the former president following the death of Bourdain, 61, in Kaysersberg, France.
“This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food — but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him.”
Current President Donald Trump called Bourdain's death - which French prosecutors are treating as a suicide - as “very shocking.”
“I enjoyed his show, he was quite a character,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House.
Bourdain worked his way up to become executive chef at a top New York restaurant, and would later talk extensively about his use of drugs and addiction to heroin earlier in his life.
Read more at Yahoo
Chicago Police Superintendent Defends Cops Who Handcuffed 10-Year-Old Boy In Case Of Mistaken Identity
A terrified 10-year-old Chicago boy was handcuffed outside of his grandmother’s house by a Chicago police officer on Friday (June 1). The police mistakenly identified Michael Thomas Jr. of being a juvenile runaway with a gun, the Chicago Sun-Times reports.
On Wednesday, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that police “followed all of the rules and protocols” during the arrest and cuffed Thomas “for safety reasons.”
“Keep in mind, this is difficult for an officer to tell right off the bat if you’re 10 years old, 12 years old [or] 14,” Johnson said. “So they handcuffed the kid for safety reasons because he did match that description. They followed all the rules and protocols that we have in place. So I’m not concerned about that at all.”
A viral video that surfaced online shows that while the unidentified officers detained Thomas, who had wet his pants, bystanders swiftly came to the scared boy’s defense and claimed him as a child of their community. “That’s our kid,” one person can be heard saying in the clip.
The cops justified their actions by saying that Thomas ran when they tried to arrest him. “Listen, we got a call about a person who broke out of juvenile hall in blue,” one cop said. “We get out the car; that’s when he starts running, that’s why he’s in handcuffs.”
Read more at Essence
On Wednesday, Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson said that police “followed all of the rules and protocols” during the arrest and cuffed Thomas “for safety reasons.”
“Keep in mind, this is difficult for an officer to tell right off the bat if you’re 10 years old, 12 years old [or] 14,” Johnson said. “So they handcuffed the kid for safety reasons because he did match that description. They followed all the rules and protocols that we have in place. So I’m not concerned about that at all.”
A viral video that surfaced online shows that while the unidentified officers detained Thomas, who had wet his pants, bystanders swiftly came to the scared boy’s defense and claimed him as a child of their community. “That’s our kid,” one person can be heard saying in the clip.
The cops justified their actions by saying that Thomas ran when they tried to arrest him. “Listen, we got a call about a person who broke out of juvenile hall in blue,” one cop said. “We get out the car; that’s when he starts running, that’s why he’s in handcuffs.”
Read more at Essence
The Last Surviving Witness To The Tulsa Race Riot Of 1921 Shares Her Story: 'It Was A Horrifying Thing'
A black female centenarian from Oklahoma may now be the last surviving witness of the deadly Tulsa Race Riot of 1921.
Olivia Hooker was only six years old on May 31, 1921, when a white mob entered her black middle-class neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa and terrorized the community for the next 24 hours.
Hooker's mother hid her and her three siblings under the dining room table when a group of white men entered her home, she told Radio Diaries in a new radio series called “Last Witness", which features portraits of the last surviving witnesses to major historical events.
“It was a horrifying thing for a little girl who's only six years old,” she said. “Trying to remember to keep quiet, so they wouldn't know we were there.”
The root of the unrest was the arrest of Dick Rowland, a young black man accused of assaulting a young white woman in an elevator. News quickly spread that a white mob was rising up and coming to lynch him. The mob was met by an armed group of African-American men, many of whom were World War I veterans.
According to NPR, an armed standoff ensued, and “the white mobs destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses. They set fire to schools, churches, libraries, and movie theaters, leveling entire city blocks.” Up to an estimated 300 people were killed, though the exact death toll is unknown.
For Hooker, she witnessed them tear down items in her home, as well as the complete destruction of her father’s clothing business. Her family picked up soon after and moved to Topeka, Kan. as their once thriving neighborhood was now lost.
Read moreat Essence
Olivia Hooker was only six years old on May 31, 1921, when a white mob entered her black middle-class neighborhood of Greenwood in Tulsa and terrorized the community for the next 24 hours.
Hooker's mother hid her and her three siblings under the dining room table when a group of white men entered her home, she told Radio Diaries in a new radio series called “Last Witness", which features portraits of the last surviving witnesses to major historical events.
“It was a horrifying thing for a little girl who's only six years old,” she said. “Trying to remember to keep quiet, so they wouldn't know we were there.”
The root of the unrest was the arrest of Dick Rowland, a young black man accused of assaulting a young white woman in an elevator. News quickly spread that a white mob was rising up and coming to lynch him. The mob was met by an armed group of African-American men, many of whom were World War I veterans.
According to NPR, an armed standoff ensued, and “the white mobs destroyed more than 1,000 homes and businesses. They set fire to schools, churches, libraries, and movie theaters, leveling entire city blocks.” Up to an estimated 300 people were killed, though the exact death toll is unknown.
For Hooker, she witnessed them tear down items in her home, as well as the complete destruction of her father’s clothing business. Her family picked up soon after and moved to Topeka, Kan. as their once thriving neighborhood was now lost.
Read moreat Essence
Kentucky Crowd Cheers Trump Quote, Then Finds Out It’s Actually From Obama
A valedictorian graduating from high school in Kentucky got the audience to cheer an “inspirational quote” from President Donald Trump.
As it turned out, the audience at Bell County High School ― a county where Trump won 79.9 percent of the vote in 2016 ― unwittingly cheered a line from President Barack Obama.
“Don’t just get involved,” Ben Bowling said in the footage posted online by the Louisville Courier Journal. “Fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table.”
He cited Trump as the source, and the crowd cheered.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Bowling said, interrupting the cheers. “That was Barack Obama.”
Many of the cheers stopped. Some laughed, some clapped, and least one loud “boo” could be heard.
Bowling told the Courier Journal he was trying to be funny when he cited the line from Obama’s 2012 commencement speech at Barnard College.
“I just thought it was a really good quote,” Bowling said. “Most people wouldn’t like it if I used it, so thought I’d use Donald Trump’s name. It is southeastern Kentucky after all.”
The newspaper said he graduated with a 4.216 grade point average and will attend University of Kentucky, and hopes to pursue a degree in medicine.
Read more at Huff Post
As it turned out, the audience at Bell County High School ― a county where Trump won 79.9 percent of the vote in 2016 ― unwittingly cheered a line from President Barack Obama.
“Don’t just get involved,” Ben Bowling said in the footage posted online by the Louisville Courier Journal. “Fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table.”
He cited Trump as the source, and the crowd cheered.
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding,” Bowling said, interrupting the cheers. “That was Barack Obama.”
Many of the cheers stopped. Some laughed, some clapped, and least one loud “boo” could be heard.
Bowling told the Courier Journal he was trying to be funny when he cited the line from Obama’s 2012 commencement speech at Barnard College.
“I just thought it was a really good quote,” Bowling said. “Most people wouldn’t like it if I used it, so thought I’d use Donald Trump’s name. It is southeastern Kentucky after all.”
The newspaper said he graduated with a 4.216 grade point average and will attend University of Kentucky, and hopes to pursue a degree in medicine.
Read more at Huff Post
Pro-Incest White Supremacist Congressional Candidate Admits to Being a Pedophile and Raping Ex-Wife
In the era of Trump, it seems that nothing is bad enough to disqualify someone from running for office, not even openly admitting to being a white supremacist, pedophile, rapist.
Nathan Larson has not only advocated for all of the above offenses, but he’s also a convicted felon who spent time in prison for threatening to kill the president. Despite all of this, the 37-year-old accountant from Charlottesville is running for Congress.
Larson is running as an independent in Virginia's 10th congressional district, which also has six Democrats hoping to take on Republican Incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock. IN the primaries, Comstock is challenged by Republican financial planner Shak Hill
In addition to eliminating all regulations on firearms purchases, Larson’s platform includes drug legalization and "putting an end to U.S. involvement in foreign wars arising from our country's alliance with Israel,” according to USA Today.
In 2008, Larson sent a letter to the Secret Service in which he threatened to kill the president — either George W. Bush or Barack Obama — and in 2009 he pleaded guilty, resulting in a 16-month federal prison stay, reported The Washington Post.
In his "campaign manifesto," Larson admitted to being an admirer of Adolf Hitler and said he wants to restore "benevolent white supremacy," rebuild the patriarchy, eliminate child labor laws.
He also wants to legalize early marriage, incest and child pornography.
When the HuffPost asked Larson on Thursday if he is a pedophile or just wrote about pedophiliac sex fantasies, he responded, "It’s a mix of both.”
Read more at BET
Nathan Larson has not only advocated for all of the above offenses, but he’s also a convicted felon who spent time in prison for threatening to kill the president. Despite all of this, the 37-year-old accountant from Charlottesville is running for Congress.
Larson is running as an independent in Virginia's 10th congressional district, which also has six Democrats hoping to take on Republican Incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock. IN the primaries, Comstock is challenged by Republican financial planner Shak Hill
In addition to eliminating all regulations on firearms purchases, Larson’s platform includes drug legalization and "putting an end to U.S. involvement in foreign wars arising from our country's alliance with Israel,” according to USA Today.
In 2008, Larson sent a letter to the Secret Service in which he threatened to kill the president — either George W. Bush or Barack Obama — and in 2009 he pleaded guilty, resulting in a 16-month federal prison stay, reported The Washington Post.
In his "campaign manifesto," Larson admitted to being an admirer of Adolf Hitler and said he wants to restore "benevolent white supremacy," rebuild the patriarchy, eliminate child labor laws.
He also wants to legalize early marriage, incest and child pornography.
When the HuffPost asked Larson on Thursday if he is a pedophile or just wrote about pedophiliac sex fantasies, he responded, "It’s a mix of both.”
Read more at BET
Here's what happened when Starbucks closed all of its US stores for racial bias training
Coffee behemoth Starbucks (SBUX) closed all of its 8,000-plus U.S. stores for four hours on Tuesday afternoon so its 175,000 employees could participate in company-wide racial-bias training.
“I don’t know of another company in the history of American business that’s done anything remotely like this,” executive chairman Howard Schultz said.
Closing all U.S. stores comes at a price. Bloomberg estimates it could result in $16.7 million in lost sales, which compares to $22.4 billion in revenues the company had in fiscal 2017. Starbucks will also be paying all employees participating in the training.
“[It’s] quite expensive,” Schultz said. “We’re a public company and we’ve had certain shareholders call and say, ‘How much is this going to cost and how do you justify this?’… My answer to them was, ‘We don’t view it as on an expense. We view it as an investment in our people and the longterm culture and values of Starbucks.’”
Some customers took to Twitter to share their frustration at not having access to their afternoon caffeine fix, while others watched in amusement as people attempted to enter the closed locations.
The training comes in the aftermath of the arrest of two black men, Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, in a Philadelphia store in early April. They were waiting for a friend without purchasing anything when a manager called the police resulting in their arrests.
Right away, Starbucks’s leadership went on an apology tour and called the situation “reprehensible.”
The manager whose phone call resulted in the arrests has since left the company. Starbucks settled with Robinson and Nelson for an undisclosed sum.
Following the Philadelphia incident, Starbucks also announced that it would close its stores for racial-bias training. The company also altered its bathroom policy, opening the stores to nonpaying customers.
Read more at Yahoo
Wanda Sykes quits 'Roseanne' before ABC cancels show
Comedian Wanda Sykes says she won't be working on the second season of ABC's "Roseanne," a decision she made public after the show's outspoken star went on a racist rant Tuesday morning on Twitter.
"I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC," Sykes wrote in a tweet.
Sykes had been a consulting producer on the most recent season of the revived ABC comedy starring Roseanne Barr.
On Tuesday, Barr ruffled feathers when she made racist comments about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to president Obama.
She later apologized and claimed to be "leaving Twitter."
In describing her work on "Roseanne" to Metro Boston last month, Sykes said she typically helped the show's full-time writers "punch up stories and jokes" twice a week, a job she took on because she was "a fan of the show."
"Extreme anything is nuts. Extreme left is just as nuts as the extreme right," she said. "The only way that we're going to patch things up in this country is the people in the middle got to start talking to each other instead of just battling it out on Twitter."
Read more at CNN
"I will not be returning to @RoseanneOnABC," Sykes wrote in a tweet.
Sykes had been a consulting producer on the most recent season of the revived ABC comedy starring Roseanne Barr.
On Tuesday, Barr ruffled feathers when she made racist comments about Valerie Jarrett, a former aide to president Obama.
She later apologized and claimed to be "leaving Twitter."
In describing her work on "Roseanne" to Metro Boston last month, Sykes said she typically helped the show's full-time writers "punch up stories and jokes" twice a week, a job she took on because she was "a fan of the show."
"Extreme anything is nuts. Extreme left is just as nuts as the extreme right," she said. "The only way that we're going to patch things up in this country is the people in the middle got to start talking to each other instead of just battling it out on Twitter."
Read more at CNN
Video of police using a stun gun on Bucks' Sterling Brown 'concerns' Milwaukee's mayor
The video of the January arrest of Sterling Brown, guard for the Milwaukee Bucks, could be released as early as Wednesday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Tuesday.
Brown was tased during the arrest, which did not lead to any charges, but resulted in an internal investigation at the Milwaukee Police Department.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has seen the video, and he told the Journal Sentinel that he’s concerned about police officers’ actions during the interaction.
WISN 12 News and the Journal Sentinel each reported that Brown planned on filing a lawsuit.
Why was Brown arrested?
The incident happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 26. Officers were doing a business check at a Walgreens, and spotted Brown’s car parked across two handicapped spots. The officers went to investigate and spoke with Brown, but what happened after that isn’t clear, and the statement from the police was vague.
It read: “Officers spoke with a 22-year-old male and during the incident an electronic control device was deployed and the man was arrested.”
Brown was arrested for resisting or obstructing an officer, but after the police department conducted an internal review and looked at body camera footage from the arrest, he was not charged.
Why is the mayor worried about the video?
The video of Brown’s arrest hasn’t been released publicly yet, but the Journal Sentinel spoke to several sources who had seen it. According to them, Brown wasn’t threatening, provocative or combative during the interaction, yet it ended with him being tased and arrested.
During a news conference, Mayor Tom Barrett expressed his concerns about the video and the incident that led to Brown’s arrest.
“I’m going to let the release of that speak for itself, but yes, I definitely have concerns after watching that video.”
Barrett also said that police chief Alfonso Morales shares his concerns about the video.
Read more at Yahoo
Brown was tased during the arrest, which did not lead to any charges, but resulted in an internal investigation at the Milwaukee Police Department.
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett has seen the video, and he told the Journal Sentinel that he’s concerned about police officers’ actions during the interaction.
WISN 12 News and the Journal Sentinel each reported that Brown planned on filing a lawsuit.
Why was Brown arrested?
The incident happened in the early morning hours of Jan. 26. Officers were doing a business check at a Walgreens, and spotted Brown’s car parked across two handicapped spots. The officers went to investigate and spoke with Brown, but what happened after that isn’t clear, and the statement from the police was vague.
It read: “Officers spoke with a 22-year-old male and during the incident an electronic control device was deployed and the man was arrested.”
Brown was arrested for resisting or obstructing an officer, but after the police department conducted an internal review and looked at body camera footage from the arrest, he was not charged.
Why is the mayor worried about the video?
The video of Brown’s arrest hasn’t been released publicly yet, but the Journal Sentinel spoke to several sources who had seen it. According to them, Brown wasn’t threatening, provocative or combative during the interaction, yet it ended with him being tased and arrested.
During a news conference, Mayor Tom Barrett expressed his concerns about the video and the incident that led to Brown’s arrest.
“I’m going to let the release of that speak for itself, but yes, I definitely have concerns after watching that video.”
Barrett also said that police chief Alfonso Morales shares his concerns about the video.
Read more at Yahoo
10 killed in shooting at Texas' Santa Fe High School, official says
(CNN)[Breaking news update, published at 2:07 p.m. ET]
A second person, 18, in police custody, is believed to be a possible accomplice in Friday's shooting, a law enforcement official says.
[Original story, published at 1:40 p.m. ET]
Ten people were killed and several others injured in a shooting Friday morning at a high school in the southeastern Texas city of Santa Fe, a law enforcement official said on condition of anonymity.
Gunfire erupted at Santa Fe High School, about 20 miles outside Galveston, not long after classes began around 7:30 a.m. CT, officials said. Authorities later found explosive devices -- including pipe bombs and pressure cookers -- in and near the school, the law enforcement official said.
A male suspect, believed to be a student, has been arrested in the shooting, and a second person -- also believed to be a student -- has been detained as well, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Live updates on the school shooting
Two law enforcement officers are among the injured, according to the source who spoke anonymously.
One man is in critical condition with a gunshot wound in one of his arms, said David Marshall, chief nursing officer for University of Texas Medical Branch hospital.
Read more at CNN
A second person, 18, in police custody, is believed to be a possible accomplice in Friday's shooting, a law enforcement official says.
[Original story, published at 1:40 p.m. ET]
Ten people were killed and several others injured in a shooting Friday morning at a high school in the southeastern Texas city of Santa Fe, a law enforcement official said on condition of anonymity.
Gunfire erupted at Santa Fe High School, about 20 miles outside Galveston, not long after classes began around 7:30 a.m. CT, officials said. Authorities later found explosive devices -- including pipe bombs and pressure cookers -- in and near the school, the law enforcement official said.
A male suspect, believed to be a student, has been arrested in the shooting, and a second person -- also believed to be a student -- has been detained as well, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said.
Live updates on the school shooting
Two law enforcement officers are among the injured, according to the source who spoke anonymously.
One man is in critical condition with a gunshot wound in one of his arms, said David Marshall, chief nursing officer for University of Texas Medical Branch hospital.
Read more at CNN
Racist lawyer ripped by colleagues a day after meltdown
The Midtown lawyer caught yelling racist comments at Spanish-speaking restaurant workers in a viral video was treated like a pariah by fellow attorneys at a Queens court Thursday, lawyers there told The Post.
“I noticed him because of that clip online,” one attorney at the Supreme Court in Long Island City said of Aaron Schlossberg.
“I was taken aback that he would have the balls to come to court in front of all of his colleagues after his crazy outburst.”
Another legal eagle added: “Why would he do that? His reputation will be shot. What a dope!”
Schlossberg was there representing Queens medical center Aimes Enterprises Inc. — a day after footage emerged of the lawyer threatening to have workers at a Manhattan eatery “kicked out of my country.”
Aimes Enterprises chief Tom Major later told The Post he was totally unaware of Schlossberg’s viral rant — and had never heard the attorney say anything racist.
“This is the first time I’m aware of something like this,” he said.
Schlossberg has at least four other cases pending in the state civil court system, records show — three of them for film producer and real estate investor Todd Courtney.
Courtney, who is listed as an executive producer for 2015’s “Beasts of No Nation,” said Thursday morning he was also unaware of Schlossberg’s outburst and didn’t have any immediate comment on whether he will continue using his services.
Read more at NY Post
“I noticed him because of that clip online,” one attorney at the Supreme Court in Long Island City said of Aaron Schlossberg.
“I was taken aback that he would have the balls to come to court in front of all of his colleagues after his crazy outburst.”
Another legal eagle added: “Why would he do that? His reputation will be shot. What a dope!”
Schlossberg was there representing Queens medical center Aimes Enterprises Inc. — a day after footage emerged of the lawyer threatening to have workers at a Manhattan eatery “kicked out of my country.”
Aimes Enterprises chief Tom Major later told The Post he was totally unaware of Schlossberg’s viral rant — and had never heard the attorney say anything racist.
“This is the first time I’m aware of something like this,” he said.
Schlossberg has at least four other cases pending in the state civil court system, records show — three of them for film producer and real estate investor Todd Courtney.
Courtney, who is listed as an executive producer for 2015’s “Beasts of No Nation,” said Thursday morning he was also unaware of Schlossberg’s outburst and didn’t have any immediate comment on whether he will continue using his services.
Read more at NY Post
Yara Shahidi Calls for Prison Reform in the U.S., Urges Young People to Vote
Actress and activist Yara Shahidi is no stranger to using her platform to educate others and bring attention to major issues.
In a new video for NowThisNews, the grown-ish actress talks about the prison industrial complex and criminal reform.
“America has the largest prison population in the world,” she says. “They call America ‘the land of opportunity.’ They talk about ‘the American dream.’ But for the 2.3 million people behind bars, it doesn’t feel that way.”
Shahidi partnered with Eighteen x18, an initiative that helps get the current generation active in political issues and out to vote.
“Your vote sends the clearest message. You can change the system if you support the people who believe what you believe, who believe in change,” she says. “If you think your tax money is better spent on prevention, treatment, and rehab programs rather than locking up non-violent drug offenders, your vote can say that.”
The 18-year-old calls for people to vote in local elections if they want issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline or the recidivism rates addressed. She also mentions that people of color make up 67 percent of the prison population, despite making up 37 percent of the country’s population.
Check out the video on Ebony
In a new video for NowThisNews, the grown-ish actress talks about the prison industrial complex and criminal reform.
“America has the largest prison population in the world,” she says. “They call America ‘the land of opportunity.’ They talk about ‘the American dream.’ But for the 2.3 million people behind bars, it doesn’t feel that way.”
Shahidi partnered with Eighteen x18, an initiative that helps get the current generation active in political issues and out to vote.
“Your vote sends the clearest message. You can change the system if you support the people who believe what you believe, who believe in change,” she says. “If you think your tax money is better spent on prevention, treatment, and rehab programs rather than locking up non-violent drug offenders, your vote can say that.”
The 18-year-old calls for people to vote in local elections if they want issues such as the school-to-prison pipeline or the recidivism rates addressed. She also mentions that people of color make up 67 percent of the prison population, despite making up 37 percent of the country’s population.
Check out the video on Ebony
Police officer chokes young black man who took his sister to prom outside Waffle House
Police in North Carolina are under fire after a video emerged of an officer choking and slamming an African-American man.
In a video posted to Facebook, an officer in a tactical vest can be seen pushing a young African-American man in formal attire against a wall, choking him and then hurling him on the ground in front of a Waffle House.
“Get your hands off me”, the man repeatedly shouts.
The town of Warsaw, North Carolina’s chief of police told the Raleigh News & Observerthat his department was investigating the incident, as was district attorney Ernie Lee.
“We are currently investigating the whole incident, interviewing witnesses and gathering additional video”, police chief Eric Southerland said in a statement.
Anthony Wall had taken his 16-year-old sister out for food after she attended prom and got into an argument with Waffle House employees, the 22-year-old Mr Wall told ABC11. When the police arrived, he said, things turned violent.
“I was pretty much trying to scream for air and trying to breathe because he was holding my throat and that's when I got aggressive with him because you are choking me”, Mr Wall said.
He was charged with resisting arrest and with disorderly conduct relating to his altercation with the restaurant staff.
See more at Yahoo
In a video posted to Facebook, an officer in a tactical vest can be seen pushing a young African-American man in formal attire against a wall, choking him and then hurling him on the ground in front of a Waffle House.
“Get your hands off me”, the man repeatedly shouts.
The town of Warsaw, North Carolina’s chief of police told the Raleigh News & Observerthat his department was investigating the incident, as was district attorney Ernie Lee.
“We are currently investigating the whole incident, interviewing witnesses and gathering additional video”, police chief Eric Southerland said in a statement.
Anthony Wall had taken his 16-year-old sister out for food after she attended prom and got into an argument with Waffle House employees, the 22-year-old Mr Wall told ABC11. When the police arrived, he said, things turned violent.
“I was pretty much trying to scream for air and trying to breathe because he was holding my throat and that's when I got aggressive with him because you are choking me”, Mr Wall said.
He was charged with resisting arrest and with disorderly conduct relating to his altercation with the restaurant staff.
See more at Yahoo
Disturbing Dash Cam Catches Cops Dragging A 65-Year-Old Black Woman From Her Car
Rose Campbell was pulled over by Alpharetta police on May 4. During the traffic stop, the situation escalated to multiple officers pulling on Campbell and one officer screaming expletives at her, reported WSB-TV.
"I just panicked. I felt like my heart exploded," Rose Campbell told WSB. "I didn't expect that in America. I didn't expect that in Atlanta. I didn't expect that, especially in Alpharetta."
In the 17-minute long video, Campbell is berated by an officer named James Legg, who yells, "You're not in charge! Shut the f**k up and get out of the car!"
When Campbell asked the officer his name, he violently grabs her arm, prompting the grandmother to scream.
The police department shared the full dashcam video to their YouTube page.
The video begins with a message from Public Safety Chief John Robison:
"There are aspects of this video that you're likely about to watch that simply do not represent who we are as an organization," Robison said. "Once a detailed investigation is completed, I can assure that there will be a decisive and appropriate outcome."
Campbell was pulled over after she allegedly swerved into an officer's lane. Once he pulled her over, the officer issues a citation and ordered Campbell to sign.
See more at BET
"I just panicked. I felt like my heart exploded," Rose Campbell told WSB. "I didn't expect that in America. I didn't expect that in Atlanta. I didn't expect that, especially in Alpharetta."
In the 17-minute long video, Campbell is berated by an officer named James Legg, who yells, "You're not in charge! Shut the f**k up and get out of the car!"
When Campbell asked the officer his name, he violently grabs her arm, prompting the grandmother to scream.
The police department shared the full dashcam video to their YouTube page.
The video begins with a message from Public Safety Chief John Robison:
"There are aspects of this video that you're likely about to watch that simply do not represent who we are as an organization," Robison said. "Once a detailed investigation is completed, I can assure that there will be a decisive and appropriate outcome."
Campbell was pulled over after she allegedly swerved into an officer's lane. Once he pulled her over, the officer issues a citation and ordered Campbell to sign.
See more at BET
Jada Pinkett Smith regrets dating Will Smith while he was still married: 'I probably should have fell back'
Jada Pinkett Smith just debuted her brand-new Facebook talk show, Red Table Talk, with a frank and emotional interview with her husband Will Smith’s ex-wife, Sheree Fletcher.
Pinkett Smith started dating Will Smith when he was still technically married to Fletcher and openly told her that she regrets this.
“Because I did not understand marriage, I did not understand divorce,” said Pinkett Smith. “I probably should have fell back.” Fletcher quipped in return, “You think?”
But if that comes across as snarky or potentially awkward, the two women chatted jovially throughout the discussion, even during prickly moments from their past.
Will Smith and Fletcher share a son, Trey Smith, and Fletcher talked about one time when she tried to call Trey. Unfortunately for her, Pinkett Smith picked up, said she didn’t like the tone of her voice, and hung up.
“I called back and I happened to say, ‘Bitch, you’re living in a house I picked out,’” said Fletcher. “You said, ‘It’s my house now.’”
At that point, Pinkett Smith reacted with the appropriate “oh s***!” and both women rocked back in their chairs with laughter.
Read more at Yahoo.
Pinkett Smith started dating Will Smith when he was still technically married to Fletcher and openly told her that she regrets this.
“Because I did not understand marriage, I did not understand divorce,” said Pinkett Smith. “I probably should have fell back.” Fletcher quipped in return, “You think?”
But if that comes across as snarky or potentially awkward, the two women chatted jovially throughout the discussion, even during prickly moments from their past.
Will Smith and Fletcher share a son, Trey Smith, and Fletcher talked about one time when she tried to call Trey. Unfortunately for her, Pinkett Smith picked up, said she didn’t like the tone of her voice, and hung up.
“I called back and I happened to say, ‘Bitch, you’re living in a house I picked out,’” said Fletcher. “You said, ‘It’s my house now.’”
At that point, Pinkett Smith reacted with the appropriate “oh s***!” and both women rocked back in their chairs with laughter.
Read more at Yahoo.
Zimmerman charged with stalking Trayvon film investigator
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) -- Authorities say George Zimmerman threatened a private investigator working for a documentary filmmaker.
Court records show Zimmerman was issued a summons for a May 30 arraignment on a charge of misdemeanor stalking.
A sheriff's report says the investigator contacted Zimmerman in September on behalf of Michael Gasparro, who is making a documentary on Trayvon Martin. The series is being produced by rapper Jay-Z.
Court records show the private investigator received 55 phone calls, 67 text messages, 36 voicemails and 27 emails from Zimmerman in December.
The records don't list an attorney for Zimmerman.
Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic. The former neighborhood watch volunteer fatally shot the 17-year-old Martin in 2012 in the central Florida city of Sanford. He was acquitted of all charges. Martin was black.
Yahoo.
Court records show Zimmerman was issued a summons for a May 30 arraignment on a charge of misdemeanor stalking.
A sheriff's report says the investigator contacted Zimmerman in September on behalf of Michael Gasparro, who is making a documentary on Trayvon Martin. The series is being produced by rapper Jay-Z.
Court records show the private investigator received 55 phone calls, 67 text messages, 36 voicemails and 27 emails from Zimmerman in December.
The records don't list an attorney for Zimmerman.
Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic. The former neighborhood watch volunteer fatally shot the 17-year-old Martin in 2012 in the central Florida city of Sanford. He was acquitted of all charges. Martin was black.
Yahoo.
Black coffee shops pulling in the green
CHICAGO—The situation involving Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, two Black men arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks for behaving like any other coffee shop patron would, outraged many in the Black community already fed up with the racial bias presently faced in daily life.
The question of what caused a White employee to call the police on the men who were in the establishment waiting to take a business meeting, and then detained, although not yet charged, for trespassing, has never been answered.
However, some good has come out of this situation, primarily the promotion of and continued push to support Black-owned businesses, especially coffee shops.
“In this day and age, I saw what happened as a series of teachable moments. One is, you never know who’s watching and you never know who you’re messing with,” Trez Pugh, Black entrepreneur and owner of Sip & Savor coffee shop in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, told The Final Call. “As a business owner I looked at it as an opportunity for people to see that there’s other options out there. I never want to rise off someone else’s demise—and I don’t think Starbucks is going to fall off because of this. But when that door cracked, I wanted to kick it open and let people know there’s alternatives, and good ones available. We base everything off of what I call the five Cs: Crisp, clean, classy, consistent customer service. We, as Black people, deserve the best of everything.”
The sign outside of Sip & Savor reads, “Great Coffee. Great Conversation. Great Community.” Three ideals the establishment openly promotes to create a positive work environment for employees, a warm, cozy feel for patrons and, according to Mr. Pugh, serves as an incubator for other Black entrepreneurs who oftentimes conduct informal meetings there.
“I used to work at Starbucks for years, but the people who come in seem to enjoy the feel of it,” Venus, manager of Sip & Savor, told The Final Call. “They like that it’s community based. From what I’ve seen, a lot of the people who come in here know each other, and they love the ambiance, the art on the walls, and of course the fact that it’s Black-owned.”
Read more at Final Call
The question of what caused a White employee to call the police on the men who were in the establishment waiting to take a business meeting, and then detained, although not yet charged, for trespassing, has never been answered.
However, some good has come out of this situation, primarily the promotion of and continued push to support Black-owned businesses, especially coffee shops.
“In this day and age, I saw what happened as a series of teachable moments. One is, you never know who’s watching and you never know who you’re messing with,” Trez Pugh, Black entrepreneur and owner of Sip & Savor coffee shop in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, told The Final Call. “As a business owner I looked at it as an opportunity for people to see that there’s other options out there. I never want to rise off someone else’s demise—and I don’t think Starbucks is going to fall off because of this. But when that door cracked, I wanted to kick it open and let people know there’s alternatives, and good ones available. We base everything off of what I call the five Cs: Crisp, clean, classy, consistent customer service. We, as Black people, deserve the best of everything.”
The sign outside of Sip & Savor reads, “Great Coffee. Great Conversation. Great Community.” Three ideals the establishment openly promotes to create a positive work environment for employees, a warm, cozy feel for patrons and, according to Mr. Pugh, serves as an incubator for other Black entrepreneurs who oftentimes conduct informal meetings there.
“I used to work at Starbucks for years, but the people who come in seem to enjoy the feel of it,” Venus, manager of Sip & Savor, told The Final Call. “They like that it’s community based. From what I’ve seen, a lot of the people who come in here know each other, and they love the ambiance, the art on the walls, and of course the fact that it’s Black-owned.”
Read more at Final Call
Black Men Arrested in Philly Starbucks Settle With City for $1 and City Pledge of $200,000 for Young Entrepreneurs
The two black men arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks while they were simply waiting on a friend to arrive have settled with the city, the AP reports.
The award? Just $1 and a pledge from the city of Philadelphia that it would set up a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.
For perspective, the mayor’s proposed city budget for 2019 is $4.69 billion. Of that amount, $709 million will go to policing and $256 million to prisons.
The high-profile arrest occurred last month as Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, both real estate agents, waited for a friend to join them to go over a potential deal at the popular coffee chain. A Starbucks store manager called police, presumably because the men hadn’t purchased anything yet. Customers who witnessed the arrest questioned the police as they came to cuff the men, protesting that the men hadn’t done anything and hadn’t been waiting long.
Read more at The Root
The award? Just $1 and a pledge from the city of Philadelphia that it would set up a $200,000 program for young entrepreneurs.
For perspective, the mayor’s proposed city budget for 2019 is $4.69 billion. Of that amount, $709 million will go to policing and $256 million to prisons.
The high-profile arrest occurred last month as Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson, both real estate agents, waited for a friend to join them to go over a potential deal at the popular coffee chain. A Starbucks store manager called police, presumably because the men hadn’t purchased anything yet. Customers who witnessed the arrest questioned the police as they came to cuff the men, protesting that the men hadn’t done anything and hadn’t been waiting long.
Read more at The Root
Police called on former Obama staffer for 'moving while black'
A former White House staffer who served under President Obama was swarmed by six police officers while moving into his New York apartment after a neighbor reported a “burglary in progress.”
Darren Martin, who works for the city’s Department of Social Services, tweeted the entire ordeal on Friday night, along with a video of his interaction with the officers. “Can’t go nowhere without the cops following me. You know how it is,” Martin says in the footage. At one point, a 911 dispatcher is heard over the radio saying that “Somebody was trying to break in the door” with a “possible weapon.”
Martin described the moment of “pre-arrest when your fate is not in your hands” and how the “lingering pit in my stomach came from how my neighbors viewed me. How they officially welcomed me into the building. Call the police on this Black man who DEFINITELY doesn’t live here. The man who worked for President Obama and now serves his fellow New Yorkers.”
On Tuesday, the incident trended on Twitter and inspired the hashtag #MovingWhileBlack.
Martin did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
On Thursday, Amber Phillips, a black woman, was questioned by police after her seatmate on an American Airlines flight from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., reported her for assault because their arms touched during the flight
Read more at Yahoo
Darren Martin, who works for the city’s Department of Social Services, tweeted the entire ordeal on Friday night, along with a video of his interaction with the officers. “Can’t go nowhere without the cops following me. You know how it is,” Martin says in the footage. At one point, a 911 dispatcher is heard over the radio saying that “Somebody was trying to break in the door” with a “possible weapon.”
Martin described the moment of “pre-arrest when your fate is not in your hands” and how the “lingering pit in my stomach came from how my neighbors viewed me. How they officially welcomed me into the building. Call the police on this Black man who DEFINITELY doesn’t live here. The man who worked for President Obama and now serves his fellow New Yorkers.”
On Tuesday, the incident trended on Twitter and inspired the hashtag #MovingWhileBlack.
Martin did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
On Thursday, Amber Phillips, a black woman, was questioned by police after her seatmate on an American Airlines flight from North Carolina to Washington, D.C., reported her for assault because their arms touched during the flight
Read more at Yahoo
Bill Cosby guilty on all three counts in indecent assault trial
Norristown, Pennsylvania (CNN)The jury in Bill Cosby's retrial found the TV icon guilty of all three counts of aggravated indecent assault on Thursday for drugging and sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his home in a Philadelphia suburb in 2004.
The 80-year-old comedian faces up to 10 years in prison on each count, but is likely to serve them concurrently. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, and he remains out on bail.
Cosby did not have an audible reaction to his conviction, but erupted shortly afterward. Minutes after the verdict, prosecutors asked the judge to revoke Cosby's bail because they say he is a flight risk and has a private plane.
Cosby, who did not testify in the trial and has sat quietly throughout the proceedings, then stood up and yelled in a loud, booming voice: "He doesn't have a plane, you asshole."
Judge Steven O'Neill ruled that Cosby should not leave his Pennsylvania home, and that he would need to be fitted with a GPS tracking device.
The case was the first celebrity sexual assault trial since the #MeToo movement began last fall, and as such, represented a test of how the cultural movement translates into a courtroom arena.
Read more at CNN
The 80-year-old comedian faces up to 10 years in prison on each count, but is likely to serve them concurrently. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled, and he remains out on bail.
Cosby did not have an audible reaction to his conviction, but erupted shortly afterward. Minutes after the verdict, prosecutors asked the judge to revoke Cosby's bail because they say he is a flight risk and has a private plane.
Cosby, who did not testify in the trial and has sat quietly throughout the proceedings, then stood up and yelled in a loud, booming voice: "He doesn't have a plane, you asshole."
Judge Steven O'Neill ruled that Cosby should not leave his Pennsylvania home, and that he would need to be fitted with a GPS tracking device.
The case was the first celebrity sexual assault trial since the #MeToo movement began last fall, and as such, represented a test of how the cultural movement translates into a courtroom arena.
Read more at CNN
Paramount Teases Coming to America 2 at CinemaCon 2018
Paramount teased their upcoming movie slate at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, and one of those movies will stand out to fans of comedy classics: Coming to America 2. The reality of a sequel to the 1988 film was first mentioned by Eddie Murphy himself last March, and moved forward last Fall with a script written by Blackish creator Kenya Barris.
Now, it looks like we could be seeing the movie sooner rather than later, as it was the first amongst several upcoming films teased by Paramount with a series of images, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Pet Sematary remake (they still haven’t corrected the spelling error, sadly), and sequels to Top Gun and World War Z.
Bleeding Cool Ace Reporter Kaitlyn Booth is on the scene at the Paramount presentation at Cinemacon, sending us breaking stories, and you can follow along with our live blog here.
Now, it looks like we could be seeing the movie sooner rather than later, as it was the first amongst several upcoming films teased by Paramount with a series of images, including Clifford the Big Red Dog, Sonic the Hedgehog, the Pet Sematary remake (they still haven’t corrected the spelling error, sadly), and sequels to Top Gun and World War Z.
Bleeding Cool Ace Reporter Kaitlyn Booth is on the scene at the Paramount presentation at Cinemacon, sending us breaking stories, and you can follow along with our live blog here.
Who Will Stand Up for Chikesia Clemons?
While watching the video of 25-year-old Chikesia Clemons at a Waffle House in Saraland, Alabama, I realized Chikesia could have easily been me, my friends, or my cousins.
The clip, which circulated on social media yesterday, shows Chikesia sitting in a chair clutching her purse, while three white male police officers surround her, yelling and leaning over her before she’s wrestled to the ground with her breasts exposed. Throughout the incident, she repeatedly asks what she did wrong. “You’re not going to grab on me like that, no,” Chikesia says to one officer. “What are you doing?” Chikesia asks another. “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do,” one responds. The other patrons of the Waffle House, mostly white, continue to quietly eat their food.
According to Chikesia’s mother, who spoke with Alabama Local, her daughter and her friend Canita Adams — who filmed the incident — had requested plastic flatware for their to-go meals. They were reportedly told it would cost them an additional 50 cents, and requested the number for their corporate offices to complain. Then, the police were called.
Just like Chikesia and Canita were trying to, I’ve enjoyed many a late night at the Waffle House near my childhood home, just a few miles from Ferguson, MO. Heading to the Waffle House after a long night is practically a tradition in the South and Midwest. Black women I know would drive miles to taste the famous diner’s breakfast meals after a long night of dancing. Waffle House is a gathering place for many people of color, who long for a taste of southern home cooking in the hustle and bustle of life.
Read more at The Cut
The clip, which circulated on social media yesterday, shows Chikesia sitting in a chair clutching her purse, while three white male police officers surround her, yelling and leaning over her before she’s wrestled to the ground with her breasts exposed. Throughout the incident, she repeatedly asks what she did wrong. “You’re not going to grab on me like that, no,” Chikesia says to one officer. “What are you doing?” Chikesia asks another. “I’ll break your arm, that’s what I’m about to do,” one responds. The other patrons of the Waffle House, mostly white, continue to quietly eat their food.
According to Chikesia’s mother, who spoke with Alabama Local, her daughter and her friend Canita Adams — who filmed the incident — had requested plastic flatware for their to-go meals. They were reportedly told it would cost them an additional 50 cents, and requested the number for their corporate offices to complain. Then, the police were called.
Just like Chikesia and Canita were trying to, I’ve enjoyed many a late night at the Waffle House near my childhood home, just a few miles from Ferguson, MO. Heading to the Waffle House after a long night is practically a tradition in the South and Midwest. Black women I know would drive miles to taste the famous diner’s breakfast meals after a long night of dancing. Waffle House is a gathering place for many people of color, who long for a taste of southern home cooking in the hustle and bustle of life.
Read more at The Cut
Meek Mill Has Been Released From Prison
After being incarcerated since November 2017 for violating his probation, the Supreme Court has granted Meek Mill bail.
In a statement to Billboard, Meek said the following: “I’d like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time," began Meek.
"While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive. To the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, I’m grateful for your commitment to justice -- not only for my case, but for others that have been wrongfully jailed due to police misconduct," he continued.
"Although I’m blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don’t have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues. In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career.”
Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin posted a picture on Instagram celebrating Meek's release from prison. "@meekmill is FREE!!! Just left visiting Meek with @kevinhart4real and I’m on the way back to pick him up as we speak! #MeekisFree #GoSixers," he wrote.
In a statement to Billboard, Meek said the following: “I’d like to thank God, my family, my friends, my attorneys, my team at Roc Nation including JAY-Z, Desiree Perez, my good friend Michael Rubin, my fans, The Pennsylvania Supreme Court and all my public advocates for their love, support and encouragement during this difficult time," began Meek.
"While the past five months have been a nightmare, the prayers, visits, calls, letters and rallies have helped me stay positive. To the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, I’m grateful for your commitment to justice -- not only for my case, but for others that have been wrongfully jailed due to police misconduct," he continued.
"Although I’m blessed to have the resources to fight this unjust situation, I understand that many people of color across the country don’t have that luxury and I plan to use my platform to shine a light on those issues. In the meantime, I plan to work closely with my legal team to overturn this unwarranted conviction and look forward to reuniting with my family and resuming my music career.”
Philadelphia 76ers co-owner Michael Rubin posted a picture on Instagram celebrating Meek's release from prison. "@meekmill is FREE!!! Just left visiting Meek with @kevinhart4real and I’m on the way back to pick him up as we speak! #MeekisFree #GoSixers," he wrote.
Men say they were arrested within minutes after arriving at Philadelphia Starbucks
The two black men arrested at a Philadelphia Starbucks last week say they were handcuffed within minutes of entering the store.
Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday and described their arrest. They said they went to Starbucks for a business meeting that they believed would change their lives.
Nelson said he asked to use the restroom shortly after walking in and was told it was only for paying customers. The two men were waiting for a third person when a white store employee called 911 minutes later.
"I was thinking, they can't be here for us," Robinson said of the police. "It didn't really hit me what was going on, that it was real, till I was being double-locked with my hands behind my back."
Nelson and Robinson were arrested for trespassing. No charges were filed. Video of the incident went viral and ignited protests and calls for boycotts.
Nelson said they had been working on the meeting for months. "We're days away from changing our whole entire situation, our lives, and you about to sit here telling me I can't do that? You're not doing that."
"I understand that rules are rules, but what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong," Robinson said.
On Monday, the two men met with Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, who apologized.
"I want to make sure that this situation doesn't happen again," Robinson said. "What I want is for a young man, young men, to not be traumatized by this and instead motivated, inspired."
Read more at Money CNN
Rashon Nelson and Donte Robinson appeared on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday and described their arrest. They said they went to Starbucks for a business meeting that they believed would change their lives.
Nelson said he asked to use the restroom shortly after walking in and was told it was only for paying customers. The two men were waiting for a third person when a white store employee called 911 minutes later.
"I was thinking, they can't be here for us," Robinson said of the police. "It didn't really hit me what was going on, that it was real, till I was being double-locked with my hands behind my back."
Nelson and Robinson were arrested for trespassing. No charges were filed. Video of the incident went viral and ignited protests and calls for boycotts.
Nelson said they had been working on the meeting for months. "We're days away from changing our whole entire situation, our lives, and you about to sit here telling me I can't do that? You're not doing that."
"I understand that rules are rules, but what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong," Robinson said.
On Monday, the two men met with Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, who apologized.
"I want to make sure that this situation doesn't happen again," Robinson said. "What I want is for a young man, young men, to not be traumatized by this and instead motivated, inspired."
Read more at Money CNN
Chadwick Boseman to Give Commencement Speech At Howard University
Howard University alum Chadwick Boseman will soon return to his alma mater to recognize the class of 2018, as the Black Panther star is scheduled to deliver the commencement speech during their upcoming graduation ceremony.
Howard University President, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick shared the good news Wednesday in a official statement.
“It is an incredible honor and privilege for the Howard University community to welcome back home one of its native sons, Chadwick Boseman, to deliver the 2018 commencement address. He has played some of the most iconic African Americans that have transformed history, including Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Howard’s own Thurgood Marshall. His recent role in the blockbuster film “Black Panther” reminds us of the excellence found in the African diaspora and how Howard continues to be a gem that produces the next generation of artist-scholars, humanitarians, scientists, engineers, and doctors. Mr. Boseman exemplifies the monumental heights and levels Howard graduates can achieve by using the skills and knowledge they acquired at the university.”
Read more at Ebony
Howard University President, Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick shared the good news Wednesday in a official statement.
“It is an incredible honor and privilege for the Howard University community to welcome back home one of its native sons, Chadwick Boseman, to deliver the 2018 commencement address. He has played some of the most iconic African Americans that have transformed history, including Jackie Robinson, James Brown and Howard’s own Thurgood Marshall. His recent role in the blockbuster film “Black Panther” reminds us of the excellence found in the African diaspora and how Howard continues to be a gem that produces the next generation of artist-scholars, humanitarians, scientists, engineers, and doctors. Mr. Boseman exemplifies the monumental heights and levels Howard graduates can achieve by using the skills and knowledge they acquired at the university.”
Read more at Ebony
Bill Cosby defense hammers at witness who claims he raped her in 1982
Bill Cosby's lawyers sought to raise doubts Thursday about the allegations of a woman who testified that the 80-year-old comedian knocked her out with pills and raped her during a 1982 encounter in Nevada.
Janice Baker-Kinney returned to the witness stand after punctuating the first two hours of her testimony at Cosby's sexual assault retrial in suburban Philadelphia with a firm declaration: "I was raped." Baker-Kinney was a 24-year-old casino bartender in Reno when she says Cosby gave her pills she suspected to be quaaludes and had sex with her in 1982.
During cross examination, Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau suggested that Baker-Kinney was motivated to distort the facts of a fun evening when she heard about a possible $100-million windfall from Cosby. She came forward in April 2015, a few months after lawyer Gloria Allred proposed that Cosby set aside a chunk of his fortune to compensate accusers. Cosby never agreed to that.
Baker-Kinney told the jury she was motivated by a desire to help other accusers, and that she's only relied on Allred as a media advisor and point of contact "to make sure I didn't get tripped up." She said she's never paid Allred, hasn't been paid by the lawyer and hasn't been involved litigation against Cosby.
Read more at LA Times
Janice Baker-Kinney returned to the witness stand after punctuating the first two hours of her testimony at Cosby's sexual assault retrial in suburban Philadelphia with a firm declaration: "I was raped." Baker-Kinney was a 24-year-old casino bartender in Reno when she says Cosby gave her pills she suspected to be quaaludes and had sex with her in 1982.
During cross examination, Cosby lawyer Tom Mesereau suggested that Baker-Kinney was motivated to distort the facts of a fun evening when she heard about a possible $100-million windfall from Cosby. She came forward in April 2015, a few months after lawyer Gloria Allred proposed that Cosby set aside a chunk of his fortune to compensate accusers. Cosby never agreed to that.
Baker-Kinney told the jury she was motivated by a desire to help other accusers, and that she's only relied on Allred as a media advisor and point of contact "to make sure I didn't get tripped up." She said she's never paid Allred, hasn't been paid by the lawyer and hasn't been involved litigation against Cosby.
Read more at LA Times
White Neighbor Who Called Police Before Stephon Clark Shooting Says He Never Wants To Call 911 Again
The white neighbor who made the call to Sacramento police which resulted in the fatal shooting of Stephon Clark said he wishes he never called and is hesitant to dial 911 in the future.
According to the Sacramento Bee, Dave Reiling was watching TV when he heard the windows to his two trucks get broken. When he looked outside, he saw a man with a hoodie standing near the vehicles.
Reiling then did what any person whose property is being destroyed would do and he called 911.
However, when his phone call turned into a deadly attack, leaving a young father of two dead in his backyard, Reiling re-evaluated the efficiency of the police in his community.
“It worries me to call 911 because you may get another cop out here and shoot somebody else. They got to get more training in,” Reiling told the Bee.
“It makes me never want to call 911 again,” he added. “They shot an innocent person.”
Although Reiling didn’t know Clark personally, he knew of his family.
Read more at BET
According to the Sacramento Bee, Dave Reiling was watching TV when he heard the windows to his two trucks get broken. When he looked outside, he saw a man with a hoodie standing near the vehicles.
Reiling then did what any person whose property is being destroyed would do and he called 911.
However, when his phone call turned into a deadly attack, leaving a young father of two dead in his backyard, Reiling re-evaluated the efficiency of the police in his community.
“It worries me to call 911 because you may get another cop out here and shoot somebody else. They got to get more training in,” Reiling told the Bee.
“It makes me never want to call 911 again,” he added. “They shot an innocent person.”
Although Reiling didn’t know Clark personally, he knew of his family.
Read more at BET
Uber Is Adding A Panic Button, 3 Years After Rolling One Out In India
If your Uber ride lands you in an emergency situation, you’ll soon be able to alert 911 from within the app.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the addition in a blog Thursday morning as part of what the company is calling a “safety center” that will live on the home screen during rides.
Critically, the 911 feature will display the car’s real-time location so riders can pass the information along to dispatchers. Uber will eventually provide that information directly to 911 dispatchers automatically, but for now, the ability only exists in Denver, where it’s being beta tested.
In addition to calling the cops, the safety center will let riders share their location and trip data with up to five contacts. Uber will share the company’s process for driver background checks and insurance information in that part of the app, as well as the community guidelines ― Uber’s list of actions that will result in riders getting banned.
Uber customers in India have had access to a similar panic button since 2015 after an Uber driver raped a woman in New Delhi. At the time, Uber said it had no intention of bringing the feature in the U.S.
Read more at HuffPost
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced the addition in a blog Thursday morning as part of what the company is calling a “safety center” that will live on the home screen during rides.
Critically, the 911 feature will display the car’s real-time location so riders can pass the information along to dispatchers. Uber will eventually provide that information directly to 911 dispatchers automatically, but for now, the ability only exists in Denver, where it’s being beta tested.
In addition to calling the cops, the safety center will let riders share their location and trip data with up to five contacts. Uber will share the company’s process for driver background checks and insurance information in that part of the app, as well as the community guidelines ― Uber’s list of actions that will result in riders getting banned.
Uber customers in India have had access to a similar panic button since 2015 after an Uber driver raped a woman in New Delhi. At the time, Uber said it had no intention of bringing the feature in the U.S.
Read more at HuffPost
Black Parkland Students Want Peers To 'Share The Mic'
Black students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School are calling out the March for Our Lives movement ― at once commending the teens leading it for their efforts to be inclusive and pushing them to go a step further by sharing the spotlight with their own black peers.
“We’re saying you don’t see much of us at the forefront,” 17-year-old junior Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, who is black, told HuffPost earlier this week.
Ho-Shing’s classmates at the front of the student-led anti-gun violence movement, like David Hogg and Emma González, have been rightfully celebrated for their moves toward inclusivity. They’ve met with young activists of color from communities where gun violence is more pervasive, featured a diverse array of speakers at their rally in D.C., and used their massive Twitter platforms to highlight issues like black communities being disproportionately affected by gun violence. In many ways, they mark a new generation of activists aiming to be fiercely intersectional.
Still, some black students at the school in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in February, contend that the student activists haven’t quite practiced this inclusivity in their own backyards, and have not gone far enough to include black teens from their own school, and nearby areas where gun violence is more prevalent, at the center of their movement.
“It hurts, because they went all the way to Chicago to hear these voices when we’re right here,” Ho-Shing said, referring to a gathering last month where March for Our Lives leaders met with teens of color from a Chicago school to discuss gun violence. “We go to school with you every day.”
Read more at Yahoo.
“We’re saying you don’t see much of us at the forefront,” 17-year-old junior Mei-Ling Ho-Shing, who is black, told HuffPost earlier this week.
Ho-Shing’s classmates at the front of the student-led anti-gun violence movement, like David Hogg and Emma González, have been rightfully celebrated for their moves toward inclusivity. They’ve met with young activists of color from communities where gun violence is more pervasive, featured a diverse array of speakers at their rally in D.C., and used their massive Twitter platforms to highlight issues like black communities being disproportionately affected by gun violence. In many ways, they mark a new generation of activists aiming to be fiercely intersectional.
Still, some black students at the school in Parkland, Florida, where a gunman killed 17 people in February, contend that the student activists haven’t quite practiced this inclusivity in their own backyards, and have not gone far enough to include black teens from their own school, and nearby areas where gun violence is more prevalent, at the center of their movement.
“It hurts, because they went all the way to Chicago to hear these voices when we’re right here,” Ho-Shing said, referring to a gathering last month where March for Our Lives leaders met with teens of color from a Chicago school to discuss gun violence. “We go to school with you every day.”
Read more at Yahoo.
New York Attorney General Launches Investigation Into Police Killing Of Black Man
The New York attorney general’s office is opening an investigation into the police killing of a black man in Brooklyn that occurred Wednesday afternoon.
Four New York City Police Department officers confronted the man, 34-year-old Saheed Vassell, after receiving 911 calls about a man possibly holding a gun. It was later found he was holding only a pipe.
After officers arrived, “the suspect then took a two-handed shooting stance and pointed an object at the approaching officers,” Police Chief Terence A. Monahan said in a news briefing Wednesday.
Ten rounds were fired from the four officers, striking Vassell, who died on his way to Kings County Hospital Center.
Read more at Huff Post
Four New York City Police Department officers confronted the man, 34-year-old Saheed Vassell, after receiving 911 calls about a man possibly holding a gun. It was later found he was holding only a pipe.
After officers arrived, “the suspect then took a two-handed shooting stance and pointed an object at the approaching officers,” Police Chief Terence A. Monahan said in a news briefing Wednesday.
Ten rounds were fired from the four officers, striking Vassell, who died on his way to Kings County Hospital Center.
Read more at Huff Post
Atlanta Teacher Tells Students That Their Ancestors Killed ‘Millions Upon Millions’
A middle school teacher in Georgia is under fire after telling her students that their ancestors came to the country and killed millions in an apparent rebuke to President Donald Trump’s immigration policy.
In February, sixth-grader Josie Orihuela, a former student at Hampton Middle School, recorded her teacher Johnetta Benton’s rant during a lesson on Black History Month, the Atlanta Black Star reports.
Orihuela told Fox News that Benton criticized Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and recorded the teacher’s rant.
“He must be talking about when it was great for Europeans… Because when it comes to minorities, America has never been great for minorities,” the teacher can be heard saying on the recording. “Cuz when I examine history, I can’t remember a time when it was great for anybody other than Europeans.”
Orihuela said that she and other students pushed back at the teacher’s claims before she said that they’re the descendants of people who killed millions.
“Before you talk about somebody else look at yourself in the mirror, look at your ancestry in the mirror before you start saying, ‘You’re bad, and you’re bad and you’re bad, so you can’t come ’cause you happened to have killed a few people. Well, guess what? My people have killed millions, not a few. Millions upon millions upon millions – babies and children,” she said.
Orihuela said her mom was shocked over the incident but was glad her daughter and other’s stood up to Benton. She was eventually pulled out of the school by her mother, according to the article.
Read more at Ebony
In February, sixth-grader Josie Orihuela, a former student at Hampton Middle School, recorded her teacher Johnetta Benton’s rant during a lesson on Black History Month, the Atlanta Black Star reports.
Orihuela told Fox News that Benton criticized Trump’s “Make America Great Again” slogan and recorded the teacher’s rant.
“He must be talking about when it was great for Europeans… Because when it comes to minorities, America has never been great for minorities,” the teacher can be heard saying on the recording. “Cuz when I examine history, I can’t remember a time when it was great for anybody other than Europeans.”
Orihuela said that she and other students pushed back at the teacher’s claims before she said that they’re the descendants of people who killed millions.
“Before you talk about somebody else look at yourself in the mirror, look at your ancestry in the mirror before you start saying, ‘You’re bad, and you’re bad and you’re bad, so you can’t come ’cause you happened to have killed a few people. Well, guess what? My people have killed millions, not a few. Millions upon millions upon millions – babies and children,” she said.
Orihuela said her mom was shocked over the incident but was glad her daughter and other’s stood up to Benton. She was eventually pulled out of the school by her mother, according to the article.
Read more at Ebony
Nevest Coleman, wrongfully jailed for 23 years, gets old job back with White Sox
Nevest Coleman officially started as a Chicago White Sox groundskeeper Monday after spending more than two decades behind bars for crimes he didn't commit. Coleman, 49, reflected on returning to his old job, reuniting with his family and his championship hopes for the White Sox.
"I was proud to come back here," Coleman told CBS News in phone interview. "I love the atmosphere."
Coleman's day began with power-washing the entrance to Guaranteed Rate Field where the team's 2005 World Series commemoration plaza and sculpture are located, CBS Chicago reports.
His situation now is vastly different than it was over the last 23 years, when he was sitting in jail as an innocent man. He kept out of trouble, spent most of his time reading books, such as those in the popular series "Game of Thrones" and "Harry Potter," and tried to avoid the "routine" of television.
When asked what kept him going, he replied, "My family."
"I know I didn't do it," he said. "My family was always behind me. My goal was to see everybody."
In November, Coleman was released from prison after DNA evidence led prosecutors to vacate his conviction in a 1994 rape and murder. A county judge granted him a certificate of innocence this month.
Read more at CBS
"I was proud to come back here," Coleman told CBS News in phone interview. "I love the atmosphere."
Coleman's day began with power-washing the entrance to Guaranteed Rate Field where the team's 2005 World Series commemoration plaza and sculpture are located, CBS Chicago reports.
His situation now is vastly different than it was over the last 23 years, when he was sitting in jail as an innocent man. He kept out of trouble, spent most of his time reading books, such as those in the popular series "Game of Thrones" and "Harry Potter," and tried to avoid the "routine" of television.
When asked what kept him going, he replied, "My family."
"I know I didn't do it," he said. "My family was always behind me. My goal was to see everybody."
In November, Coleman was released from prison after DNA evidence led prosecutors to vacate his conviction in a 1994 rape and murder. A county judge granted him a certificate of innocence this month.
Read more at CBS
Family’s S.U.V. Plunges Off Cliff, and Death Toll Is Feared to Be 8
They were the portrait of a modern family: a married female couple and their six adopted children. And in 2014, they were thrust in front of the world for all to see.
One of those children — Devonte Hart, who is black — was photographed hugging a white police sergeant in Portland, Ore., during a 2014 demonstration to protest police violence. In the photograph, Devonte clung to the officer, a mix of fear and anguish in his eyes.
But the intense news media coverage that followed may have been the reason the Hart family decided to flee to Washington State, the authorities said on Wednesday.
Then, the unthinkable: The family’s sport utility vehicle plunged off a 100-foot cliff in Northern California and was discovered on Monday — upside down, engulfed by the waves of the Pacific Ocean.
Both parents were found dead inside the S.U.V.; three of their children were discovered dead outside it; and the three other children, including Devonte, were still missing on Wednesday evening and feared dead, law enforcement officials said.
“We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there, however only three bodies have been recovered,” said Sheriff Tom Allman of Mendocino County. “We have no evidence and no reason to believe this was an intentional act. Certainly people are wondering what caused this.”
Read more at NY Post
One of those children — Devonte Hart, who is black — was photographed hugging a white police sergeant in Portland, Ore., during a 2014 demonstration to protest police violence. In the photograph, Devonte clung to the officer, a mix of fear and anguish in his eyes.
But the intense news media coverage that followed may have been the reason the Hart family decided to flee to Washington State, the authorities said on Wednesday.
Then, the unthinkable: The family’s sport utility vehicle plunged off a 100-foot cliff in Northern California and was discovered on Monday — upside down, engulfed by the waves of the Pacific Ocean.
Both parents were found dead inside the S.U.V.; three of their children were discovered dead outside it; and the three other children, including Devonte, were still missing on Wednesday evening and feared dead, law enforcement officials said.
“We have every indication to believe that all six children were in there, however only three bodies have been recovered,” said Sheriff Tom Allman of Mendocino County. “We have no evidence and no reason to believe this was an intentional act. Certainly people are wondering what caused this.”
Read more at NY Post
No charges to be filed against officers in Alton Sterling death, Louisiana attorney general says
(CNN)No charges will be filed against two Baton Rouge police officers in the 2016 shooting death of Alton Sterling after an investigation determined the officers acted in a "reasonable and justifiable manner," Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said Tuesday.
Police shootings: Trials, convictions are rare for officers
Landry's announcement in Baton Rouge -- coming 10 months after federal prosecutors determined they wouldn't file civil rights charges against the officers -- was made moments after he met Tuesday morning with Sterling's relatives to tell them of his decision.
Members of Sterling's family were visibly upset after meeting with Landry. Sterling's aunt Veda Washington-Abusaleh wiped tears from her face as she left.
"They're not going to bring charges on anybody. Why would they do that? This is white America," Washington-Abusaleh said.
Attorneys for Sterling's family slammed what they called a biased decision -- and urged the public to hold Landry accountable.
"It takes courage ... to fight for justice; we didn't see that in this situation," Sterling family attorney Chris Stewart said.
"But that's fine, because ... we know what the repercussion is: Getting you out of office."
Outrage over Sterling's death and two cell phone videos that showed the shooting led to renewed "Black Lives Matter" protests across the nation.
Sterling, 37, was shot and killed by one of two police officers who confronted him outside a convenience store in July 2016. Cell phone video showed Sterling, a black man, pinned to the ground by the white Baton Rouge police officers before he was shot; police said Sterling was shot because he was reaching for a gun.
Read more at CNN
Police shootings: Trials, convictions are rare for officers
Landry's announcement in Baton Rouge -- coming 10 months after federal prosecutors determined they wouldn't file civil rights charges against the officers -- was made moments after he met Tuesday morning with Sterling's relatives to tell them of his decision.
Members of Sterling's family were visibly upset after meeting with Landry. Sterling's aunt Veda Washington-Abusaleh wiped tears from her face as she left.
"They're not going to bring charges on anybody. Why would they do that? This is white America," Washington-Abusaleh said.
Attorneys for Sterling's family slammed what they called a biased decision -- and urged the public to hold Landry accountable.
"It takes courage ... to fight for justice; we didn't see that in this situation," Sterling family attorney Chris Stewart said.
"But that's fine, because ... we know what the repercussion is: Getting you out of office."
Outrage over Sterling's death and two cell phone videos that showed the shooting led to renewed "Black Lives Matter" protests across the nation.
Sterling, 37, was shot and killed by one of two police officers who confronted him outside a convenience store in July 2016. Cell phone video showed Sterling, a black man, pinned to the ground by the white Baton Rouge police officers before he was shot; police said Sterling was shot because he was reaching for a gun.
Read more at CNN
Unarmed black man fatally shot at 20 times by police
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Relatives, activists and Sacramento officials are questioning why police shot at an unarmed black man 20 times, killing him, when he turned out to be holding only a cellphone in his grandparents’ back yard.
Relatives have identified the man as Stephan Alonzo Clark, 22, according to the Sacramento Bee. His fiancee, Salena Manni, the mother of his sons, ages 1 and 3, said his first name was Stephon.
“We’re mourning right now and so we need our time to mourn,” she said Wednesday as the family gathered in his grandparents’ home.
Police say the man was spotted breaking at least three vehicle windows Sunday night. Sheriff’s deputies in a helicopter say they saw him break a neighbor’s sliding glass door.
Two arriving officers chased him into the back yard of his grandparents’ home, where he was staying. The department says he refused orders to stop and show his hands. He advanced toward the officers holding an object extended in front of him, the department said. The officers thought he was pointing a handgun and opened fire, fearing for their safety, the department said.
No gun was found and only the cellphone was found near his body when more officers arrived and approached him about five minutes after the shooting, the department said.
“He was at the wrong place at the wrong time in his own back yard?” Clark’s grandmother, Sequita Thompson, told the Sacramento Bee. “C’mon now, they didn’t have to do that.”
Read more at NY Post
Relatives have identified the man as Stephan Alonzo Clark, 22, according to the Sacramento Bee. His fiancee, Salena Manni, the mother of his sons, ages 1 and 3, said his first name was Stephon.
“We’re mourning right now and so we need our time to mourn,” she said Wednesday as the family gathered in his grandparents’ home.
Police say the man was spotted breaking at least three vehicle windows Sunday night. Sheriff’s deputies in a helicopter say they saw him break a neighbor’s sliding glass door.
Two arriving officers chased him into the back yard of his grandparents’ home, where he was staying. The department says he refused orders to stop and show his hands. He advanced toward the officers holding an object extended in front of him, the department said. The officers thought he was pointing a handgun and opened fire, fearing for their safety, the department said.
No gun was found and only the cellphone was found near his body when more officers arrived and approached him about five minutes after the shooting, the department said.
“He was at the wrong place at the wrong time in his own back yard?” Clark’s grandmother, Sequita Thompson, told the Sacramento Bee. “C’mon now, they didn’t have to do that.”
Read more at NY Post
Austin bomber kills himself with explosive device
(CNN)A suspect in a wave of bombing attacks in Austin killed himself inside his car with an explosive device early Wednesday as authorities closed in, police said.
Read more at CNN
- Since the bombings started on March 2, investigators frantically searched for clues, calling the attacks the work of a"serial bomber" who increasingly changed tactics. The bombings killed two people and left the Texas capital terrorized with fear for 19 days.
- Latest developments...
- In the past 36 hours, law enforcement received information directing them to a person of interest, who ultimately became a suspect.
- Surveillance teams tracked the suspect's vehicle to a hotel in Round Rock, north of Austin. As police waited on tactical units, the vehicle left the hotel.
- SWAT approached the vehicle and the suspect detonated a bomb, killing himself and knocking back and injuring a SWAT member.
- A SWAT officer fired his weapon at the suspect. It's unclear whether the officer shot the suspect.
- The suspect is a 24-year-old white man, and authorities don't know whether he acted alone or what his motive was.
- He is responsible for all the incidents in Austin, Austin Police Chief Brian Manley said.
- "This is the culmination of three very long weeks in our community," Manley said.
- He urged residents to be vigilant, saying they don't know where the bomber has been for the past 24 hours and if he sent additional packages.
- "Austin bombing suspect is dead. Great job by law enforcement and all concerned!," President Donald Trump tweeted.
Read more at CNN
Mom Of Black And White Twin Babies Faces Ignorant Criticism On Facebook For Calling Them Identical
A pair of twins in Spring, Texas, is turning heads when they’re introduced to strangers because although they have the same parents, one is white and the other is Black.
Amy Keller, 36, says her son Holden inherited her light complexion and blonde hair while his brother, Hayden, takes after his African-American father with a darker complexion and dark brown hair, reported the Daily Mail.
According to Keller, the 15-month-old boys’ father is no longer in the picture, and she is raising them on her own. In addition to being the sole provider, Keller is the only one experiencing bouts of cyber bullying and criticism from strangers.
“In public people sometimes stop us and completely avoid the fact that they look so different. Others are amazed by it,” she told the Daily Mail. “Some people ask me really rude questions like ‘Are you sure they have the same dad?’ I've had some abuse in Facebook mum groups.”
Keller said she has received hurtful comments from people in Facebook groups when she has posted pictures of Holden and Hayden.
“I once posted a photo in one of them of the boys with the caption ‘Their features are starting to look identical,’ and people started commenting, ‘They're not identical,’ ‘How can you say they're identical?’ ‘Are they even twins?’”
Read more at BET
Amy Keller, 36, says her son Holden inherited her light complexion and blonde hair while his brother, Hayden, takes after his African-American father with a darker complexion and dark brown hair, reported the Daily Mail.
According to Keller, the 15-month-old boys’ father is no longer in the picture, and she is raising them on her own. In addition to being the sole provider, Keller is the only one experiencing bouts of cyber bullying and criticism from strangers.
“In public people sometimes stop us and completely avoid the fact that they look so different. Others are amazed by it,” she told the Daily Mail. “Some people ask me really rude questions like ‘Are you sure they have the same dad?’ I've had some abuse in Facebook mum groups.”
Keller said she has received hurtful comments from people in Facebook groups when she has posted pictures of Holden and Hayden.
“I once posted a photo in one of them of the boys with the caption ‘Their features are starting to look identical,’ and people started commenting, ‘They're not identical,’ ‘How can you say they're identical?’ ‘Are they even twins?’”
Read more at BET
Package Bombs Are Killing People in Texas but Donald Trump Hasn’t Said a Thing. There’s a Reason for That.
I’VE WRITTEN THIS story before – many times, in fact. It’s a story of white privilege and black pain. It’s a story of Islamophobia and bigotry. It’s a story about the United States of America.
On Monday, bombs went off in Austin, Texas.
That’s a big deal, right? Bombs – actual improvised explosive devices – going off in the middle of a major American city is a big fucking deal.
They weren’t found by a bomb squad and safely disposed of by a brave crew or a high-tech robot. Nah, they were left on the doorsteps of people’s homes all over Austin. Made to look like mail, the packages were then picked up by a mix of everyday people – black and Latino, young and old – who were then torn to bits by explosive shrapnel.
A report from ABC News outlined the level of sophistication of the explosives: The bombs had been designed by a “highly skilled” bomb maker – or makers —who used pieces of metal to generate shrapnel and set triggers that detonated the bombs with motion.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s a huge deal. Strangely, though, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, who campaigned on being tough on crime and terrorism, hasn’t said a word. He hasn’t tweeted concerns or condolences. Instead, he’s tweeting pictures of himself surveying border wall prototypes. Hours after the bombs were detonated in Austin on Monday, Trump was terminating his secretary of state on Twitter.
A full 10 days before most of the nation heard about the deadly bombs that were set off this past Monday, one tore through Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old African-American project manager, ripping his body to shreds.
“It didn’t sound like an explosion or what I think of an explosion. It sounded like a metal dumpster getting hit by a truck,” said a neighbor who rushed outside and found House with shrapnel embedded in his body. “His clothes were torn up and his face was torn up.”
House was pronounced dead an hour later.
What happened next is hard to process. Police initially called the death a homicide, but then changed that because they said House could have killed himself with a package bomb on the doorstep of his own home. According to the cops, the death was simply “suspicious” and “an isolated incident and that there is no continuing threat to the community.”
Then, this past Monday, a full 10 days after House was apparently murdered, virtually the same thing that happened to House happened at two additional homes in Austin.
One of the exploding packages was brought into a family home and exploded in the kitchen, killing 17-year-old Draylen Mason and critically wounding his mother. Mason, we have since learned, was a brilliant, African-American musician and young scholar who had been accepted into prestigious music programs across the country.
Read more at The Intercept
On Monday, bombs went off in Austin, Texas.
That’s a big deal, right? Bombs – actual improvised explosive devices – going off in the middle of a major American city is a big fucking deal.
They weren’t found by a bomb squad and safely disposed of by a brave crew or a high-tech robot. Nah, they were left on the doorsteps of people’s homes all over Austin. Made to look like mail, the packages were then picked up by a mix of everyday people – black and Latino, young and old – who were then torn to bits by explosive shrapnel.
A report from ABC News outlined the level of sophistication of the explosives: The bombs had been designed by a “highly skilled” bomb maker – or makers —who used pieces of metal to generate shrapnel and set triggers that detonated the bombs with motion.
Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s a huge deal. Strangely, though, Donald Trump, the president of the United States, who campaigned on being tough on crime and terrorism, hasn’t said a word. He hasn’t tweeted concerns or condolences. Instead, he’s tweeting pictures of himself surveying border wall prototypes. Hours after the bombs were detonated in Austin on Monday, Trump was terminating his secretary of state on Twitter.
A full 10 days before most of the nation heard about the deadly bombs that were set off this past Monday, one tore through Anthony Stephan House, a 39-year-old African-American project manager, ripping his body to shreds.
“It didn’t sound like an explosion or what I think of an explosion. It sounded like a metal dumpster getting hit by a truck,” said a neighbor who rushed outside and found House with shrapnel embedded in his body. “His clothes were torn up and his face was torn up.”
House was pronounced dead an hour later.
What happened next is hard to process. Police initially called the death a homicide, but then changed that because they said House could have killed himself with a package bomb on the doorstep of his own home. According to the cops, the death was simply “suspicious” and “an isolated incident and that there is no continuing threat to the community.”
Then, this past Monday, a full 10 days after House was apparently murdered, virtually the same thing that happened to House happened at two additional homes in Austin.
One of the exploding packages was brought into a family home and exploded in the kitchen, killing 17-year-old Draylen Mason and critically wounding his mother. Mason, we have since learned, was a brilliant, African-American musician and young scholar who had been accepted into prestigious music programs across the country.
Read more at The Intercept
College Student Who Smeared Bodily Fluids on Black Roommate’s Belongings Receives Special Probation to Avoid Criminal Record. How Not Shocking
Brianna Brochu will not be facing any real punishment for smearing her bodily fluids all over, and tampering with, her black roommate’s belongings.
In fact, quite the opposite. Brochu, who was expelled from the University of Hartford in Connecticut following the incident, was granted a special type of probation on Monday that would allow her to avoid a criminal record altogether ... as if systematically contaminating another person’s living space were no big deal.
According to the Hartford Courant, the victim in this scenario, Brochu’s former roommate Chennell “Jazzy” Rowe—who attended the hearing—did not oppose the request for accelerated rehabilitation. So now Brochu will have to perform a cushy 200 hours of community service, with 50 of those hours at a literacy organization in Greater Hartford and another 50 at a social services group.
If Brochu manages to not be disgusting stay out of trouble and complete those requirements, the charges she faced—breach of peace and criminal mischief—will be tossed out after two years.
Brochu will be forbidden from having contact with Rowe and will have to submit to a mental health evaluation.
Brochu, you might remember, was arrested after boasting about rubbing her used tampons on her roommate’s bag, as well as contaminating her eating utensils, toothbrush and other beauty products.
“Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!! After 1 1/2 month of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons [on] her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie,” Brochu wrote in the caption for photos posted on Instagram.
Read more at The Root
In fact, quite the opposite. Brochu, who was expelled from the University of Hartford in Connecticut following the incident, was granted a special type of probation on Monday that would allow her to avoid a criminal record altogether ... as if systematically contaminating another person’s living space were no big deal.
According to the Hartford Courant, the victim in this scenario, Brochu’s former roommate Chennell “Jazzy” Rowe—who attended the hearing—did not oppose the request for accelerated rehabilitation. So now Brochu will have to perform a cushy 200 hours of community service, with 50 of those hours at a literacy organization in Greater Hartford and another 50 at a social services group.
If Brochu manages to not be disgusting stay out of trouble and complete those requirements, the charges she faced—breach of peace and criminal mischief—will be tossed out after two years.
Brochu will be forbidden from having contact with Rowe and will have to submit to a mental health evaluation.
Brochu, you might remember, was arrested after boasting about rubbing her used tampons on her roommate’s bag, as well as contaminating her eating utensils, toothbrush and other beauty products.
“Finally did it yo girl got rid of her roommate!! After 1 1/2 month of spitting in her coconut oil, putting moldy clam dip in her lotions, rubbing used tampons [on] her backpack, putting her toothbrush places where the sun doesn’t shine and so much more I can finally say goodbye Jamaican Barbie,” Brochu wrote in the caption for photos posted on Instagram.
Read more at The Root
Craig Mack, New York rapper on Diddy's Bad Boy label, dead at 46
Craig Mack, the Long Island rapper who found fame on Sean "Diddy" Combs' Bad Boy Records in the mid-1990s, has died at age 46, his producer confirmed to the Daily News.
Mack — who launched to hip-hop acclaim with the platinum hit “Flava in Ya Ear” in 1994 before being overshadowed by fellow artists such as the Notorious B.I.G. — died of heart failure at a hospital near his Walterboro, S.C., home Monday.
“God bless my friend. He was a good friend of mine,” said Alvin Toney, who produced Mack’s debut album “Project: Funk Da World” and his "Get Down Remix."
Toney saw his dear friend a final time last week.
He visited the former emcee at the Overcomer Ministry church he attends in Walterboro to film a documentary about Mack, and his decision to pass on fame for a life of deep religious conviction.
“Nobody got to understand his story,” Toney said. “I wanted the world to know the talent he had. It was something I wanted people to enjoy, but it was cut short because he was very religious and wanted to go to church.”
Tony said Mack told him during his visit that he had been ill for some time and knew he wouldn’t live long.
Read more at NY Daily News
Mack — who launched to hip-hop acclaim with the platinum hit “Flava in Ya Ear” in 1994 before being overshadowed by fellow artists such as the Notorious B.I.G. — died of heart failure at a hospital near his Walterboro, S.C., home Monday.
“God bless my friend. He was a good friend of mine,” said Alvin Toney, who produced Mack’s debut album “Project: Funk Da World” and his "Get Down Remix."
Toney saw his dear friend a final time last week.
He visited the former emcee at the Overcomer Ministry church he attends in Walterboro to film a documentary about Mack, and his decision to pass on fame for a life of deep religious conviction.
“Nobody got to understand his story,” Toney said. “I wanted the world to know the talent he had. It was something I wanted people to enjoy, but it was cut short because he was very religious and wanted to go to church.”
Tony said Mack told him during his visit that he had been ill for some time and knew he wouldn’t live long.
Read more at NY Daily News
Meek Mill’s Key To Freedom Is Inside Philadelphia’s Public 'Secret Corrupt Cops' List
Since his sentencing rocked social media back in November, many fans have climbed off of Meek Mill’s roller-coaster ride of a court case––one that threatens to lock him away in an eight-by-nine prison cell until 2021.
Developments spinning both in and out of his favor are plenty: several articles of presiding judge Genece Brinkley’s dirty laundry have been aired out, revealing a stench of personal biases against Meek. Less than a month later, fingers were crossed tightly for a bail request on his behalf. Judge Brinkley turned him away, citing Meek as a “flight risk” and “danger” to the very community that rallied by the hundreds and turned up over 300,000 signatures demanding his release.
More lawlessness from the courts was unveiled when Wanda Chavarria, Brinkley’s appointed court clerk, was dismissed from duty after slipping the Philly rap star a note pleading that he pay her son’s tuition. After more protests, petitions and pressure on the entire Philadelphia Common Court of Common Pleas, there is still no promise of freedom nor justice for 30-year-old Robert Rihmeek Williams. But, the latest discovery by lawyer Joe Tacopina and the rest of Meek’s defense team places faith back within reach: a “secret corrupt cops list,” featuring the name of Meek’s 2008 arresting and testifying officer Reginald Graham.
Read more at BET
Developments spinning both in and out of his favor are plenty: several articles of presiding judge Genece Brinkley’s dirty laundry have been aired out, revealing a stench of personal biases against Meek. Less than a month later, fingers were crossed tightly for a bail request on his behalf. Judge Brinkley turned him away, citing Meek as a “flight risk” and “danger” to the very community that rallied by the hundreds and turned up over 300,000 signatures demanding his release.
More lawlessness from the courts was unveiled when Wanda Chavarria, Brinkley’s appointed court clerk, was dismissed from duty after slipping the Philly rap star a note pleading that he pay her son’s tuition. After more protests, petitions and pressure on the entire Philadelphia Common Court of Common Pleas, there is still no promise of freedom nor justice for 30-year-old Robert Rihmeek Williams. But, the latest discovery by lawyer Joe Tacopina and the rest of Meek’s defense team places faith back within reach: a “secret corrupt cops list,” featuring the name of Meek’s 2008 arresting and testifying officer Reginald Graham.
Read more at BET
'F**k the blacks': Investigation launched into students' 'racist chant in halls of residence'
Two men have been arrested after a video of racist chants in a university’s halls circulated online.
On Wednesday Nottingham Trent University student Rufaro Chisango tweeted a video of male voices chanting ‘we hate blacks’ and ‘oh, ah, f**k the blacks’ outside her room, which she says was recorded on Monday night.
The video shows Ms Chisango, who says she is the only black student in her corridor, being subjected to a barrage of racial slurs before a second woman can be heard telling the men to ‘leave her alone.’
Despite saying she reported the incident to accommodation managers on Tuesday morning, Ms Chisango said she had not heard from university authorities by 7pm the following day.
Two 18-year-old men have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences.
Nottingham Trent responded to the video on Thursday morning, stating they had opened an investigation into the incident and that the suspected offenders had been suspended immediately.
When contacted by Yahoo News UK, the university said it didn’t know how many students had been suspended.
A tweet from its official account read: ‘We are shocked and appalled to see the video of racist chanting posted yesterday evening. This kind of vile behaviour will not be tolerated at NTU. Those suspected perpetrators have been suspended immediately pending a full investigation.’
Read more at Yahoo
On Wednesday Nottingham Trent University student Rufaro Chisango tweeted a video of male voices chanting ‘we hate blacks’ and ‘oh, ah, f**k the blacks’ outside her room, which she says was recorded on Monday night.
The video shows Ms Chisango, who says she is the only black student in her corridor, being subjected to a barrage of racial slurs before a second woman can be heard telling the men to ‘leave her alone.’
Despite saying she reported the incident to accommodation managers on Tuesday morning, Ms Chisango said she had not heard from university authorities by 7pm the following day.
Two 18-year-old men have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order offences.
Nottingham Trent responded to the video on Thursday morning, stating they had opened an investigation into the incident and that the suspected offenders had been suspended immediately.
When contacted by Yahoo News UK, the university said it didn’t know how many students had been suspended.
A tweet from its official account read: ‘We are shocked and appalled to see the video of racist chanting posted yesterday evening. This kind of vile behaviour will not be tolerated at NTU. Those suspected perpetrators have been suspended immediately pending a full investigation.’
Read more at Yahoo
Oprah Says She Would Run For President Under One Condition
Oprah Winfrey has already shot down talk of running for president in 2020, but now she’s revealing the one thing that could make her reconsider.
After the media mogul’s powerful speech at the Golden Globes in January, rumors swirled that she would run for office.
“I had people ― wealthy, billionaires ― calling me up and saying, ‘I can get you a billion dollars. I can run your campaign,”’ she said in a new interview with People magazine. “That many people saying something made me think, ‘Am I at least supposed to look at the question?’”
Oprah said she “went into prayer.”
″‘God, if you think I’m supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it.’ And I haven’t gotten that,” she told the magazine.
As Oprah has already said, running for president is something she’s just not interested in doing.
“I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” Oprah said in an interview with InStyle, conducted three weeks before her Globes speech. “And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it. ... That’s not for me.”
Even Oprah’s best friend, CBS co-host Gayle King, knows a 2020 campaign isn’t the right move.
Read more at Yahoo.
After the media mogul’s powerful speech at the Golden Globes in January, rumors swirled that she would run for office.
“I had people ― wealthy, billionaires ― calling me up and saying, ‘I can get you a billion dollars. I can run your campaign,”’ she said in a new interview with People magazine. “That many people saying something made me think, ‘Am I at least supposed to look at the question?’”
Oprah said she “went into prayer.”
″‘God, if you think I’m supposed to run, you gotta tell me, and it has to be so clear that not even I can miss it.’ And I haven’t gotten that,” she told the magazine.
As Oprah has already said, running for president is something she’s just not interested in doing.
“I’ve always felt very secure and confident with myself in knowing what I could do and what I could not,” Oprah said in an interview with InStyle, conducted three weeks before her Globes speech. “And so it’s not something that interests me. I don’t have the DNA for it. ... That’s not for me.”
Even Oprah’s best friend, CBS co-host Gayle King, knows a 2020 campaign isn’t the right move.
Read more at Yahoo.
91-Year-Old Actress Caught Her Big Break in ‘Black Panther’
.Ninety-one-year-old Dorothy Steel is living proof that it’s never too late to chase your dreams.
When she was 88, Steel decided to pursue her interest in acting. Last year, the Atlanta resident caught her big break when she was cast as the Merchant Tribal Elder in the Black Panther film.
“If anyone would have told me I would be an actor, I would’ve said you got to be out of your mind,” Steel told WSB-TV.
She received a callback just an hour after sending in her audition tape for the Marvel film.
“We sent it in and an hour later they said, “Who is that old lady? We want her,'” she recalled.
While filming the movie, Steele gained the affections of one actor in particular.
“Chadwick [Boseman] the King. Every day, he would make sure if I was on the set he would come by and make sure he gave me a big ol’ hug and kiss,” she said.
Just like the rest of us.
Read more at Ebony
When she was 88, Steel decided to pursue her interest in acting. Last year, the Atlanta resident caught her big break when she was cast as the Merchant Tribal Elder in the Black Panther film.
“If anyone would have told me I would be an actor, I would’ve said you got to be out of your mind,” Steel told WSB-TV.
She received a callback just an hour after sending in her audition tape for the Marvel film.
“We sent it in and an hour later they said, “Who is that old lady? We want her,'” she recalled.
While filming the movie, Steele gained the affections of one actor in particular.
“Chadwick [Boseman] the King. Every day, he would make sure if I was on the set he would come by and make sure he gave me a big ol’ hug and kiss,” she said.
Just like the rest of us.
Read more at Ebony
Ensa Cosby, daughter of Bill Cosby, dies at 44
Bill Cosby's daughter Ensa has died from renal disease, Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt told CNN.
She was 44.
"The Cosby Family thanks many people for their prayers for their beloved and beautiful Ensa," read a statement from the family obtained by CNN.Renal disease is a condition that impairs kidney function.
Ensa Cosby voiced strong support for her father after he was accused of sexual assault, saying she believed he was innocent.
Last May, Ensa and her sister Erinn released audio statements in support of their famous father.
"I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal," Ensa Cosby wrote.
"My father has been publicly lynched in the media," she said. "My family, my young daughter, my young niece and nephew have had to stand helplessly by and watch the double standards of pretending to protect the rights of some, but ignoring the rights of others and exposing innocent children to such appalling accusations about someone they love dearly and who has been so loving and kind to them is beyond cruel."
Read more at CNN
She was 44.
"The Cosby Family thanks many people for their prayers for their beloved and beautiful Ensa," read a statement from the family obtained by CNN.Renal disease is a condition that impairs kidney function.
Ensa Cosby voiced strong support for her father after he was accused of sexual assault, saying she believed he was innocent.
Last May, Ensa and her sister Erinn released audio statements in support of their famous father.
"I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal," Ensa Cosby wrote.
"My father has been publicly lynched in the media," she said. "My family, my young daughter, my young niece and nephew have had to stand helplessly by and watch the double standards of pretending to protect the rights of some, but ignoring the rights of others and exposing innocent children to such appalling accusations about someone they love dearly and who has been so loving and kind to them is beyond cruel."
Read more at CNN
Former Trump campaign aide Rick Gates will plead to conspiracy, lying
WASHINGTON — Former campaign aide Rick Gates has agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy and making a false statement, becoming the third associate of President Donald Trump to make a deal with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Gates, who was indicted with former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort in October on conspiracy and other charges related to their lobbying work in Ukraine, arrived at federal court in Washington Friday afternoon for a 2 p.m. plea hearing.
A criminal information filed ahead of the plea hearing says that between 2006 and 2007, gates and others "conspired to defraud the United States by impeding impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful governmental functions of a government agency, namely the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury."
In addition, it says he lied about a March 19, 2013, meeting attended by Manafort, an unidentified lobbyist, and a member of Congress, and that he falsely denied that Ukraine was discussed and that he was preparing a report for Ukraine’s leadership.
The development comes a day after Mueller filed a new 32-count indictment against Gates and Manafort, hitting them with new charges of tax and bank fraud, and a day after Gates changed lawyers. It also follows a guilty plea by a Russia-linked lawyer who admitted he lied to investigators about his contacts with Gates.
Both pleaded not guilty, but in recent weeks there were signs that Gates had flipped and agreed to provide evidence to the investigation.
Read more at NBC News.
Gates, who was indicted with former Trump campaign chair Paul Manafort in October on conspiracy and other charges related to their lobbying work in Ukraine, arrived at federal court in Washington Friday afternoon for a 2 p.m. plea hearing.
A criminal information filed ahead of the plea hearing says that between 2006 and 2007, gates and others "conspired to defraud the United States by impeding impairing, obstructing, and defeating the lawful governmental functions of a government agency, namely the Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury."
In addition, it says he lied about a March 19, 2013, meeting attended by Manafort, an unidentified lobbyist, and a member of Congress, and that he falsely denied that Ukraine was discussed and that he was preparing a report for Ukraine’s leadership.
The development comes a day after Mueller filed a new 32-count indictment against Gates and Manafort, hitting them with new charges of tax and bank fraud, and a day after Gates changed lawyers. It also follows a guilty plea by a Russia-linked lawyer who admitted he lied to investigators about his contacts with Gates.
Both pleaded not guilty, but in recent weeks there were signs that Gates had flipped and agreed to provide evidence to the investigation.
Read more at NBC News.
BP Employee Fired After Reportedly Telling Black Woman 'We Usually Charge N****rs More' And Trying To Overcharge Her Brother
A resident of Prince George's County, MD, and other members of the community are pushing for a boycott of a BP gas station after an employee used a racial slur.
Last Thursday, Rachel Sherman was at a BP service station in Largo questioning an employee about the cost of vehicle inspections. Sherman said the employee was trying to overcharge her brother, reported WJLA.
“My brother called me and said well the guy is telling me it’s 100 dollars and it’s cash only I said that didn’t sound right," Sherman told the news station.
The cost of inspection is normally $30.
“And as I turned to walk away, his exact words to me were ‘And we usually charge n****rs more,'" Sherman added.
Right after the racial slur was hurled, Sherman discussed her experience in a video that she shared on Facebook. The viral video has been viewed more than half a million times, and Sherman is gaining support from her community.
"And to see the entire community come behind me and say we are not going to let this happen to you or anybody else, it empowered me," Sherman said.
The day after the incident, the employee was fired.
Now Sherman and local activists such as LaTasha Ward have called for a boycott of this business.
Read more at BET
Last Thursday, Rachel Sherman was at a BP service station in Largo questioning an employee about the cost of vehicle inspections. Sherman said the employee was trying to overcharge her brother, reported WJLA.
“My brother called me and said well the guy is telling me it’s 100 dollars and it’s cash only I said that didn’t sound right," Sherman told the news station.
The cost of inspection is normally $30.
“And as I turned to walk away, his exact words to me were ‘And we usually charge n****rs more,'" Sherman added.
Right after the racial slur was hurled, Sherman discussed her experience in a video that she shared on Facebook. The viral video has been viewed more than half a million times, and Sherman is gaining support from her community.
"And to see the entire community come behind me and say we are not going to let this happen to you or anybody else, it empowered me," Sherman said.
The day after the incident, the employee was fired.
Now Sherman and local activists such as LaTasha Ward have called for a boycott of this business.
Read more at BET
Fla. school officer waited outside building for 4 minutes as killings happened, sheriff says
A Marjory Stoneman Douglas school resource officer has been suspended without pay after Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel said video shows him taking up a defensive position during the shooting but never entering the school.
Israel announced Thursday that the decision to suspend Deputy Scot Peterson was made after reviewing video from the shooting and taking statements from witnesses and Peterson himself, Israel said.
“He should have went in, addressed the killer, killed the killer,” Israel said.
Peterson was armed and on campus during the shooting, Israel said. Since he met the requirements for retirement, Peterson opted to resign after he was told he was being suspended, Israel said.
Israel said that the video shows Peterson arrived at the west side of Building 12, where most of the killing happened. He then took up a position but "never went in."
The video shows that Peterson remained outside the building for upward of four minutes during the shooting, which lasted about six minutes, Israel said. Aside from getting "on his radio," Peterson did "nothing" while standing outside the building, Israel said.
Read more at Yahoo!
Israel announced Thursday that the decision to suspend Deputy Scot Peterson was made after reviewing video from the shooting and taking statements from witnesses and Peterson himself, Israel said.
“He should have went in, addressed the killer, killed the killer,” Israel said.
Peterson was armed and on campus during the shooting, Israel said. Since he met the requirements for retirement, Peterson opted to resign after he was told he was being suspended, Israel said.
Israel said that the video shows Peterson arrived at the west side of Building 12, where most of the killing happened. He then took up a position but "never went in."
The video shows that Peterson remained outside the building for upward of four minutes during the shooting, which lasted about six minutes, Israel said. Aside from getting "on his radio," Peterson did "nothing" while standing outside the building, Israel said.
Read more at Yahoo!
‘Black Panther’ Smashes Box Office Records and Hollywood Myths
LOS ANGELES — Hail, King T’Challa.
The Disney-Marvel movie “Black Panther,” which finds the superheroic T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returning to his remote African kingdom to assume the throne, roared into theaters over the weekend as a full-blown cultural event, breaking box office records and shattering a myth about the overseas viability of movies rooted in black culture. Global ticket sales by Monday will total an estimated $387 million, according to comScore.
“Black Panther” instantly became the top-grossing film in history by a black director (Ryan Coogler) and featuring a largely black cast. The previous record-holder was “Straight Outta Compton,” which collected $214 million worldwide in 2015 — over its entire run — after adjusting for inflation.
[ Did you see “Black Panther” this weekend? Talk about spoilers here. ]
Disney, which supported “Black Panther” with a lavish nine-month marketing campaign, said on Sunday that ticket sales for the film in North America will total roughly $218 million between Friday and Monday. Theaters scrambled to add show times to accommodate crowds; AMC Southlake 24 in suburban Atlanta squeezed in 84 show times on Friday alone. In many cities, moviegoers arrived in outfits inspired by the film.
Analysts had expected “Black Panther” to arrive to about $165 million in North American ticket sales, which would itself have been an astounding result for a release outside the holiday and summer corridors. The previous domestic record-holder for a February release was “Deadpool,” which collected an adjusted $159 million over Presidents’ Day weekend in 2016.
North American audiences appeared to love “Black Panther” as much as critics, signaling a strong run ahead. The euphorically reviewed film received a rare A-plus grade from ticket buyers in CinemaScore exit polls. Black viewers made up about 37 percent of the domestic turnout, according to PostTrak, fueled by large numbers of church and school groups, not to mention pent-up demand for a superhero film led by black actors.
Read more at NY Post
The Disney-Marvel movie “Black Panther,” which finds the superheroic T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) returning to his remote African kingdom to assume the throne, roared into theaters over the weekend as a full-blown cultural event, breaking box office records and shattering a myth about the overseas viability of movies rooted in black culture. Global ticket sales by Monday will total an estimated $387 million, according to comScore.
“Black Panther” instantly became the top-grossing film in history by a black director (Ryan Coogler) and featuring a largely black cast. The previous record-holder was “Straight Outta Compton,” which collected $214 million worldwide in 2015 — over its entire run — after adjusting for inflation.
[ Did you see “Black Panther” this weekend? Talk about spoilers here. ]
Disney, which supported “Black Panther” with a lavish nine-month marketing campaign, said on Sunday that ticket sales for the film in North America will total roughly $218 million between Friday and Monday. Theaters scrambled to add show times to accommodate crowds; AMC Southlake 24 in suburban Atlanta squeezed in 84 show times on Friday alone. In many cities, moviegoers arrived in outfits inspired by the film.
Analysts had expected “Black Panther” to arrive to about $165 million in North American ticket sales, which would itself have been an astounding result for a release outside the holiday and summer corridors. The previous domestic record-holder for a February release was “Deadpool,” which collected an adjusted $159 million over Presidents’ Day weekend in 2016.
North American audiences appeared to love “Black Panther” as much as critics, signaling a strong run ahead. The euphorically reviewed film received a rare A-plus grade from ticket buyers in CinemaScore exit polls. Black viewers made up about 37 percent of the domestic turnout, according to PostTrak, fueled by large numbers of church and school groups, not to mention pent-up demand for a superhero film led by black actors.
Read more at NY Post
Jury In Korryn Gaines Civil Trial Awards Her Family $37M In Damages
BALTIMORE (WJZ)– A jury in the wrongful death civil trial of Korryn Gaines has awarded her family $37 million.
The jury found Friday that the first shot Baltimore County Cpl. Royce Ruby fired at Gaines was not objectively reasonable.
Gaines was killed during an hours-long standoff in 2016 at her Randallstown apartment after pointing a shotgun at officers trying to serve an arrest warrant stemming from a traffic stop that included disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Attorneys for Gaines’ family claimed officers used excessive force when they fatally shot her and injured her 5-year-old son, Kodi Gaines. They also say Baltimore County police were reckless, irresponsible and violated her rights by illegally entering her apartment.
Gaines’ son will receive $32 million of the $37 million.
Read more at CBS Baltimore
The jury found Friday that the first shot Baltimore County Cpl. Royce Ruby fired at Gaines was not objectively reasonable.
Gaines was killed during an hours-long standoff in 2016 at her Randallstown apartment after pointing a shotgun at officers trying to serve an arrest warrant stemming from a traffic stop that included disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
Attorneys for Gaines’ family claimed officers used excessive force when they fatally shot her and injured her 5-year-old son, Kodi Gaines. They also say Baltimore County police were reckless, irresponsible and violated her rights by illegally entering her apartment.
Gaines’ son will receive $32 million of the $37 million.
Read more at CBS Baltimore
Black Lives Matter Activist Who Snatched Confederate Flag Killed In New Orleans
A Black Lives Matter activist who made headlines last year when he leaped through police tape to grab a Confederate flag away from a protester was fatally shot in New Orleans early Tuesday morning.
Muhiyidin Moye, also known as Muhiyidin d’Baha, was riding his bike in New Orleans when he was shot in the leg by an unknown assailant around 1 a.m., WCSC reports.
Moye’s niece, Camille Weaver, told the station that her 32-year-old uncle rode more than five blocks after being shot to get medical help.
“He was transported to a hospital and subsequently died of his wounds,” New Orleans Police spokesman Beau Tidwell said in a statement to WCSC. “The incident is the subject of an active and ongoing investigation.”
Moye was a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement in Charleston, South Carolina, and close to the family of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man who was shot and killed by then-officer Michael Slager in 2015.
“I thank God for placing him here to be the soldier that he is, that he was,” Walter Scott’s brother, Anthony Scott, said to the station about Moye.
In February of last year, as a WCSC reporter was broadcasting, Moye took an impressive running leap through police tape to snatch a Confederate flag in Charleston. He was charged with disorderly conduct for his actions, but was hailed as a hero online.
His death has been ruled a homicide.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
Muhiyidin Moye, also known as Muhiyidin d’Baha, was riding his bike in New Orleans when he was shot in the leg by an unknown assailant around 1 a.m., WCSC reports.
Moye’s niece, Camille Weaver, told the station that her 32-year-old uncle rode more than five blocks after being shot to get medical help.
“He was transported to a hospital and subsequently died of his wounds,” New Orleans Police spokesman Beau Tidwell said in a statement to WCSC. “The incident is the subject of an active and ongoing investigation.”
Moye was a leader of the Black Lives Matter movement in Charleston, South Carolina, and close to the family of Walter Scott, an unarmed black man who was shot and killed by then-officer Michael Slager in 2015.
“I thank God for placing him here to be the soldier that he is, that he was,” Walter Scott’s brother, Anthony Scott, said to the station about Moye.
In February of last year, as a WCSC reporter was broadcasting, Moye took an impressive running leap through police tape to snatch a Confederate flag in Charleston. He was charged with disorderly conduct for his actions, but was hailed as a hero online.
His death has been ruled a homicide.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
High School Casts White Girl As Esmeralda For "Hunchback of Notre Dame" And Student Backlash Results In Musical Getting Canceled
A spring production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame was axed after students at Ithaca High School, in the state of New York, pushed back against the lack of diversity in the casting of the female lead.
During the casting of the production, which was announced last fall, a white student was cast in the role of Esmeralda, a Romani gypsy. This decision inspired Maddi Carroll, a Black 17-year-old senior, to leave her role as an ensemble member of the production, reported the Ithaca Journal.
Members of Student United Ithaca penned a letter demanding changes be made to the casting or a new show be chosen for the spring musical
“Esmeralda is accurately depicted in the Disney musical, and is written for, a young woman of color. Esmeralda is a Roma, part of an oppressed class of people,” they wrote in the letter.
“The young woman who was cast in this role has hazel eyes, blonde hair, and is the epitome of whiteness. This is an unfair position to put her in. At best, this is cultural appropriation. At worst, it is whitewashing, a racist casting practice which has its roots in minstrelsy. It also reinforces the damaging narrative that only white power structures can save oppressed people, rather than people of color having the fortitude to do so themselves,” the letter stated.
On Wednesday, the school canceled the spring production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Read more at BET
During the casting of the production, which was announced last fall, a white student was cast in the role of Esmeralda, a Romani gypsy. This decision inspired Maddi Carroll, a Black 17-year-old senior, to leave her role as an ensemble member of the production, reported the Ithaca Journal.
Members of Student United Ithaca penned a letter demanding changes be made to the casting or a new show be chosen for the spring musical
“Esmeralda is accurately depicted in the Disney musical, and is written for, a young woman of color. Esmeralda is a Roma, part of an oppressed class of people,” they wrote in the letter.
“The young woman who was cast in this role has hazel eyes, blonde hair, and is the epitome of whiteness. This is an unfair position to put her in. At best, this is cultural appropriation. At worst, it is whitewashing, a racist casting practice which has its roots in minstrelsy. It also reinforces the damaging narrative that only white power structures can save oppressed people, rather than people of color having the fortitude to do so themselves,” the letter stated.
On Wednesday, the school canceled the spring production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Read more at BET
A Protest Divided
Forty-niners safety Eric Reid's instincts were buzzing as if he were anticipating a screen pass. Increasingly, they were telling him to expect the worst. For weeks during the fall of 2017, tension had been brewing within the Players Coalition, a collection of NFL players committed to addressing issues of social justice. Under scrutiny from fans, owners and even the president of the United States over recent protests during the singing of the national anthem, the players found themselves fluctuating between solidarity and fracture as they struggled to unify their message and leverage their position for change.
On Nov. 29, Reid received a text from one of the leaders of the coalition, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, about Jenkins' discussions with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's player liaison, Troy Vincent. At issue was how the players could partner with owners on initiatives within the African-American community. The two sides had discussed the league making a huge donation to social justice causes. Jenkins' text to the group concluded with: "If they were to agree to this, do you think you'd be more comfortable with ending the demonstrations?" Reid believed that Jenkins -- without consent of the group -- had volunteered to end their protest in exchange for a financial commitment from the NFL.
"My head was ready to explode," Reid recalls. "I was already drifting from the coalition, and this confirmed why."
To Jenkins, financial commitment from the owners was a positive step, a pathway to putting real resources toward fighting the injustice that fueled their demonstrations. But to Reid, who had been kneeling during the national anthem since the protests began in September 2016, alongside former teammate Colin Kaepernick, the deal felt like a payoff to stop kneeling -- the final betrayal in what had been a tense season. Not long after receiving Jenkins' text, feeling sold out, Reid released a statement that he was quitting the coalition.
A few days later, the NFL said it would pledge $89 million over seven years to grassroots social justice groups, to be matched by the players. Jenkins said the NFL's money did not preclude other players from protesting if they chose, but he would no longer be demonstrating during the anthem. Yet while former player Anquan Boldin, a key member of the coalition, told the New York Daily News that "I think the NFL got it right," the deal served as a breaking point for others.
Dolphins safety Michael Thomas, who had continued to kneel during the anthem, followed Reid out of the group. Chargers lineman Russell Okung called the deal a "farce."
For Reid and other defecting players, the coalition had become the NFL's hand-picked safe alternative to Kaepernick and the kneeling players; the league had lured them with promises of social commitment and big money to cover for the real purpose of sabotaging their movement and ending the protests. The coalition, meanwhile, was insulted by the idea it had sold out, and there was heavy sentiment within the coalition and the union that Kaepernick had squandered his opportunity. They also believed that his allies, while admirable in their idealism, were impractical about how to get things done. "It's unrealistic to think everyone was going to see eye to eye, but I am encouraged the coalition is alive and well," Jenkins says. "We have a ton of players that are super interested and excited to get to work to highlight the work they've already been doing."
With the season now nearly over, a group of socially committed players remains at odds -- with Kaepernick as the dividing line. Interviews over four months with multiple players, representatives and league insiders show how the cause Kaepernick started has been slowly fractured by frustrations, unreconciled resentments and missed opportunities to fight for real change -- a potentially unifying movement that fell apart for reasons that to some observers seem inevitable in retrospect.
"The players had real leverage," an NFL owner says. "But we knew we could sit back and watch them implode."
Read more at ESPN
On Nov. 29, Reid received a text from one of the leaders of the coalition, Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, about Jenkins' discussions with NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the league's player liaison, Troy Vincent. At issue was how the players could partner with owners on initiatives within the African-American community. The two sides had discussed the league making a huge donation to social justice causes. Jenkins' text to the group concluded with: "If they were to agree to this, do you think you'd be more comfortable with ending the demonstrations?" Reid believed that Jenkins -- without consent of the group -- had volunteered to end their protest in exchange for a financial commitment from the NFL.
"My head was ready to explode," Reid recalls. "I was already drifting from the coalition, and this confirmed why."
To Jenkins, financial commitment from the owners was a positive step, a pathway to putting real resources toward fighting the injustice that fueled their demonstrations. But to Reid, who had been kneeling during the national anthem since the protests began in September 2016, alongside former teammate Colin Kaepernick, the deal felt like a payoff to stop kneeling -- the final betrayal in what had been a tense season. Not long after receiving Jenkins' text, feeling sold out, Reid released a statement that he was quitting the coalition.
A few days later, the NFL said it would pledge $89 million over seven years to grassroots social justice groups, to be matched by the players. Jenkins said the NFL's money did not preclude other players from protesting if they chose, but he would no longer be demonstrating during the anthem. Yet while former player Anquan Boldin, a key member of the coalition, told the New York Daily News that "I think the NFL got it right," the deal served as a breaking point for others.
Dolphins safety Michael Thomas, who had continued to kneel during the anthem, followed Reid out of the group. Chargers lineman Russell Okung called the deal a "farce."
For Reid and other defecting players, the coalition had become the NFL's hand-picked safe alternative to Kaepernick and the kneeling players; the league had lured them with promises of social commitment and big money to cover for the real purpose of sabotaging their movement and ending the protests. The coalition, meanwhile, was insulted by the idea it had sold out, and there was heavy sentiment within the coalition and the union that Kaepernick had squandered his opportunity. They also believed that his allies, while admirable in their idealism, were impractical about how to get things done. "It's unrealistic to think everyone was going to see eye to eye, but I am encouraged the coalition is alive and well," Jenkins says. "We have a ton of players that are super interested and excited to get to work to highlight the work they've already been doing."
With the season now nearly over, a group of socially committed players remains at odds -- with Kaepernick as the dividing line. Interviews over four months with multiple players, representatives and league insiders show how the cause Kaepernick started has been slowly fractured by frustrations, unreconciled resentments and missed opportunities to fight for real change -- a potentially unifying movement that fell apart for reasons that to some observers seem inevitable in retrospect.
"The players had real leverage," an NFL owner says. "But we knew we could sit back and watch them implode."
Read more at ESPN
Baltimore Cops Kept Toy Guns to Plant Just in Case They Shot an Unarmed Person
In April 2016, a 13-year-old boy was shot by officers of the Baltimore Police Department. The boy ran when faced with the police, so they gave chase. During the chase, the police spotted the boy holding a gun, and when he turned, they shot the teenager. The youngster wasn’t critically injured, and it seemed like an open-and-shut case of a justifiable use of force.
Now people are wondering.
The Baltimore Police Department is currently in court over one of the biggest scandals in the history of American law enforcement. The corruption case is replete with intrigue as police reveal secrets that sound like something out of an urban-fiction novel or a lost season of The Wire. It has revealed how one of America’s largest cities just happened to be filled with crooked cops, but no one seems to be talking about it outside of Baltimore.
According to the Baltimore Sun, it started when a 19-year-old woman from New Jersey overdosed in 2011 and authorities began tracing the origin of the drugs. It led them to a Baltimore drug crew and the discovery that a Baltimore police officer was involved. By the time they finished investigating, eight members of the elite Gun Trace Task Force had been charged with crimes ranging from racketeering to robbery.
You want robbery? How about the story of the corrupt squad stopping a drug dealer during a traffic stop and robbing him of $6,500, then going to the man’s home without a warrant and taking another $100,000 out of a safe? Sgt. Wayne Jenkins would ask suspected drug dealers, “If you could put together a crew of guys and rob the biggest drug dealer in town, who would it be?”
Read more at The Root
Now people are wondering.
The Baltimore Police Department is currently in court over one of the biggest scandals in the history of American law enforcement. The corruption case is replete with intrigue as police reveal secrets that sound like something out of an urban-fiction novel or a lost season of The Wire. It has revealed how one of America’s largest cities just happened to be filled with crooked cops, but no one seems to be talking about it outside of Baltimore.
According to the Baltimore Sun, it started when a 19-year-old woman from New Jersey overdosed in 2011 and authorities began tracing the origin of the drugs. It led them to a Baltimore drug crew and the discovery that a Baltimore police officer was involved. By the time they finished investigating, eight members of the elite Gun Trace Task Force had been charged with crimes ranging from racketeering to robbery.
You want robbery? How about the story of the corrupt squad stopping a drug dealer during a traffic stop and robbing him of $6,500, then going to the man’s home without a warrant and taking another $100,000 out of a safe? Sgt. Wayne Jenkins would ask suspected drug dealers, “If you could put together a crew of guys and rob the biggest drug dealer in town, who would it be?”
Read more at The Root
'Black Panther' premiere has fans super excited
(CNN)Welcome to Wakanda.
"Black Panther" held its star-studded world premiere Monday night in Los Angeles, and based on social media, it was all fans hoped it would be.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the Marvel movie starring Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Michael B. Jordan is one of this year's most eagerly awaited films and an expected blockbuster.
Boseman plays T'Challa, a prince of the fictitious African nation of Wakanda and a superhero known as Black Panther.
The action in the film takes place after the story in "Captain America: Civil War."
In "Black Panther," T'Challa must return to his homeland to take the throne following the death of his father.
Photos from the red carpet (which in this case was purple, the color of royalty) quickly spread on Twitter and Instagram.
Early reviews indicate "Black Panther" is both political and a worth entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dubbed MCU.
Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango, tweeted that it's "the James Bond of the MCU. "
"You've seen nothing like this in a superhero movie - it's bold, beautiful & intense, but there's a depth & spiritualness that is unlike anything Marvel has ever done," he wrote. "It's 100% African & it is dope ..
Read more at CNN
"Black Panther" held its star-studded world premiere Monday night in Los Angeles, and based on social media, it was all fans hoped it would be.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, the Marvel movie starring Chadwick Boseman, Lupita Nyong'o and Michael B. Jordan is one of this year's most eagerly awaited films and an expected blockbuster.
Boseman plays T'Challa, a prince of the fictitious African nation of Wakanda and a superhero known as Black Panther.
The action in the film takes place after the story in "Captain America: Civil War."
In "Black Panther," T'Challa must return to his homeland to take the throne following the death of his father.
Photos from the red carpet (which in this case was purple, the color of royalty) quickly spread on Twitter and Instagram.
Early reviews indicate "Black Panther" is both political and a worth entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, dubbed MCU.
Erik Davis, managing editor of Fandango, tweeted that it's "the James Bond of the MCU. "
"You've seen nothing like this in a superhero movie - it's bold, beautiful & intense, but there's a depth & spiritualness that is unlike anything Marvel has ever done," he wrote. "It's 100% African & it is dope ..
Read more at CNN
Martin Lawrence's Fiancee Says 'Martin' Reboot Might Be in the Works
Martin Lawrence's 90's sitcom Martin was a classic. It assisted in launching the comedian's professional acting career and propelled him into leading roles in movies such as Bad Boys, Blue Streak, A Thin Line Between Love & Hate, and Life.
The show starred Tisha Campbell as Gina, who co-starred alongside Martin in the 1990 coming-of-age comedy House Party. The show also co-starred Carl Anthony Payne II as Cole, Tichina Arnold as Pam, and Thomas Mikal Ford as Tommy, who died on October 12, 2016, after an aneurysm in his abdomen burst open.
Lawerence's fiance, Roberta Moradfar, announced via social media that her husband-to-be might be returning as the titular character. A second run of the show could revamp Martin's career after several years of relative obscurity.
Read more at Vlad TV
The show starred Tisha Campbell as Gina, who co-starred alongside Martin in the 1990 coming-of-age comedy House Party. The show also co-starred Carl Anthony Payne II as Cole, Tichina Arnold as Pam, and Thomas Mikal Ford as Tommy, who died on October 12, 2016, after an aneurysm in his abdomen burst open.
Lawerence's fiance, Roberta Moradfar, announced via social media that her husband-to-be might be returning as the titular character. A second run of the show could revamp Martin's career after several years of relative obscurity.
Read more at Vlad TV
Teacher Tells Students Playing Tupac Song to ‘Turn the N**ger Tunes Off’
Students in Teddie Butcher’s nutrition and food class are typically allowed to play music while doing their work. But AL.com reports when Tupac’s “Dear Mama” began emitting from a student’s device, she instructed the high school senior to “turn the n**ger tunes off.”
Several students captured the video on Snapchat but students said the school’s assistant principal told them to delete the videos. A number of students relayed the incident to their parents, discussed the matter at a school board meeting.
“After meeting with [Butcher], it’s just baffling to me how someone does not understand the severity of the weight of that word,” Shenita Morrow, the mother of the student who played the song, told AL.com.
Butcher confirmed she made the statement and apologized to students on Monday. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave.
see more at EBONY
Several students captured the video on Snapchat but students said the school’s assistant principal told them to delete the videos. A number of students relayed the incident to their parents, discussed the matter at a school board meeting.
“After meeting with [Butcher], it’s just baffling to me how someone does not understand the severity of the weight of that word,” Shenita Morrow, the mother of the student who played the song, told AL.com.
Butcher confirmed she made the statement and apologized to students on Monday. The teacher has been placed on administrative leave.
see more at EBONY
Cop Instructed Recruit to Shoot Black Minors Caught Smoking Weed
Directions given to a Kentucky police recruit from a former assistant police chief have been making headlines for its astounding levels of maniacal bigotry.
WDRB reports former assistant police chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department Todd Shaw instructed a police recruit to kill Black minors caught smoking marijuana during a 2016 Facebook exchange.
The recruit reportedly reached out to Shaw for assistance with an essay prompt which asked recruits to share what they believe would be the “right thing to do” upon seeing three juveniles smoking weed.
“F**k the right thing,” Shaw, a police veteran of over two decades, allegedly wrote. “If black shoot them.”
He then expanded on his response with guidance as to how to “handle the juvenile’s parents.”
“…if mom is hot then f**k her,” the former assistant police chief reportedly wrote. “…if dad is hot then handcuff him and make him s**k my d**k…Unless daddy is black…Then shoot him…”
Read more at EBONY
WDRB reports former assistant police chief of the Louisville Metro Police Department Todd Shaw instructed a police recruit to kill Black minors caught smoking marijuana during a 2016 Facebook exchange.
The recruit reportedly reached out to Shaw for assistance with an essay prompt which asked recruits to share what they believe would be the “right thing to do” upon seeing three juveniles smoking weed.
“F**k the right thing,” Shaw, a police veteran of over two decades, allegedly wrote. “If black shoot them.”
He then expanded on his response with guidance as to how to “handle the juvenile’s parents.”
“…if mom is hot then f**k her,” the former assistant police chief reportedly wrote. “…if dad is hot then handcuff him and make him s**k my d**k…Unless daddy is black…Then shoot him…”
Read more at EBONY
Black unemployment is at a record low. But there's a lot more to the story.
The unemployment rate for African American workers has never been lower — another sign of the strength of the economy.
Still, at 6.8%, black unemployment remains well above the rate for white people, at 3.7%. That disparity is deeply rooted and a continuing cause of concern for economists and advocates.
Take Columbia, Missouri. It has long had one of the lowest overall unemployment rates in the country. It's now down to 2.5%, but black unemployment is far higher. In 2016, the last year for which such Census Bureau data is available, African American unemployment locally stood at 8%.
Mike Matthes, the city manager in Columbia, is acutely aware of the problem. African Americans make up 10% of Columbia's population.
"We create the jobs, but never worry about how to get them to the people who need them the most," Matthes said.
To try to narrow the gap, Columbia has worked to connect unemployed individuals with jobs. The city sends cops out on the beat with an app on their phones that can put struggling families into an employer database. Matthes has asked employers expanding in the area, like Aurora Organic Dairy, to make sure its new workforce fits the diversity of the city.
"They didn't blink an eye," Matthes said. An Aurora spokeswoman says the company "will plan to do our best to hire qualified employees who mirror the Columbia community, which would include both gender and racial diversity."
Columbia's projects reflect the larger challenge of making sure people of color, who suffered disproportionately through the Great Recession, share equally in an economy that appears to be picking up steam.
Read more at Money CNN
Still, at 6.8%, black unemployment remains well above the rate for white people, at 3.7%. That disparity is deeply rooted and a continuing cause of concern for economists and advocates.
Take Columbia, Missouri. It has long had one of the lowest overall unemployment rates in the country. It's now down to 2.5%, but black unemployment is far higher. In 2016, the last year for which such Census Bureau data is available, African American unemployment locally stood at 8%.
Mike Matthes, the city manager in Columbia, is acutely aware of the problem. African Americans make up 10% of Columbia's population.
"We create the jobs, but never worry about how to get them to the people who need them the most," Matthes said.
To try to narrow the gap, Columbia has worked to connect unemployed individuals with jobs. The city sends cops out on the beat with an app on their phones that can put struggling families into an employer database. Matthes has asked employers expanding in the area, like Aurora Organic Dairy, to make sure its new workforce fits the diversity of the city.
"They didn't blink an eye," Matthes said. An Aurora spokeswoman says the company "will plan to do our best to hire qualified employees who mirror the Columbia community, which would include both gender and racial diversity."
Columbia's projects reflect the larger challenge of making sure people of color, who suffered disproportionately through the Great Recession, share equally in an economy that appears to be picking up steam.
Read more at Money CNN
13 Siblings, Some Shackled to Beds, Were Held Captive by Parents, Police in California Say
A 17-year-old girl who said she was being held captive by her parents in her home about two hours southeast of Los Angeles escaped on Sunday and alerted the authorities, who then rescued her 12 siblings — several of whom were found shackled to their beds and malnourished — the authorities said on Monday.
The 17-year-old used a cellphone she found in the home to call the police with her startling claim about her siblings being held against their will, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said. Officers found the girl’s 12 siblings — who range in age from 2 to 29 — in the foul-smelling house in Perris, Calif., living in the dark without access to adequate food or water, the department said.
Some of the children were restrained with chains and padlocks. “The parents were unable to immediately provide a logical reason why their children were restrained in that manner,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
The officers did not immediately recognize that seven of the 13 siblings were adults because they were emaciated. The sheriff’s office said that the 17-year-old girl who called 911 looked to be 10 years old.
Their parents, David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49, were both arrested on nine counts each of torture and child endangerment. They were being held in jail with bail set at $9 million each, the authorities said.
Read more at NY Times
The 17-year-old used a cellphone she found in the home to call the police with her startling claim about her siblings being held against their will, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said. Officers found the girl’s 12 siblings — who range in age from 2 to 29 — in the foul-smelling house in Perris, Calif., living in the dark without access to adequate food or water, the department said.
Some of the children were restrained with chains and padlocks. “The parents were unable to immediately provide a logical reason why their children were restrained in that manner,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.
The officers did not immediately recognize that seven of the 13 siblings were adults because they were emaciated. The sheriff’s office said that the 17-year-old girl who called 911 looked to be 10 years old.
Their parents, David Allen Turpin, 57, and Louise Anna Turpin, 49, were both arrested on nine counts each of torture and child endangerment. They were being held in jail with bail set at $9 million each, the authorities said.
Read more at NY Times
Booker slams DHS secretary's 'amnesia' on Trump's reported 'shithole' comment
(CNN)Sen. Cory Booker slammed the homeland security secretary in a speech Tuesday morning for claiming ignorance to the President's slander of African countries.
The impassioned remarks came toward the end of an often testy oversight hearing in which Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen denied hearing President Donald Trump say the words "shithole" or "shithouse" in a White House meeting on immigration last week.
Evoking the words of Martin Luther King and the "greatest heroes in this country who spoke out about people who have convenient amnesia or who are bystanders," Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said Nielsen was complicit in the damage done by Trump's reported insult.
"The commander in chief in an Oval Office meeting referring to people from African countries and Haitians with the most vile and vulgar language, that language festers. When ignorance and bigotry is allied with power it is a dangerous force in our country. Your silence and your amnesia is complicity," Booker said.
At times visibly upset, Booker said he was "seething with anger" and recalled the "tears of rage" he shed when he first learned of the quote attributed to the President.
"For you not to feel that hurt and that pain and to dismiss some of the questions of my colleagues, saying, 'I've already answered that line of questions,' when tens of millions of Americans are hurting right now because of what they're worried about happened in the White House, that's unacceptable to me," Booker said.
The impassioned remarks came toward the end of an often testy oversight hearing in which Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen denied hearing President Donald Trump say the words "shithole" or "shithouse" in a White House meeting on immigration last week.
Evoking the words of Martin Luther King and the "greatest heroes in this country who spoke out about people who have convenient amnesia or who are bystanders," Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, said Nielsen was complicit in the damage done by Trump's reported insult.
"The commander in chief in an Oval Office meeting referring to people from African countries and Haitians with the most vile and vulgar language, that language festers. When ignorance and bigotry is allied with power it is a dangerous force in our country. Your silence and your amnesia is complicity," Booker said.
At times visibly upset, Booker said he was "seething with anger" and recalled the "tears of rage" he shed when he first learned of the quote attributed to the President.
"For you not to feel that hurt and that pain and to dismiss some of the questions of my colleagues, saying, 'I've already answered that line of questions,' when tens of millions of Americans are hurting right now because of what they're worried about happened in the White House, that's unacceptable to me," Booker said.
NYU Alum Raises Over $25,000 For Kids In Harlem To Go See 'Black Panther'
Mother of black child in H&M ad reportedly says critics are 'crying wolf'
The mother of a black child featured in a photo shoot slammed as racist has said that those outraged by the image of her son are “crying wolf,” according to reports.
Swedish clothing giant H&M was forced to issue repeated apologies after the page for a hoodie available in Europe featured an image of the boy with the words “coolest monkey in the jungle” on his chest.
Social media users took note that a white child in a similar hoodie was a “survival expert” and decried the company as insensitive to the history of “monkey” being used as a slur against black people.
“Stop crying wolf all the time, unnecessary issue here ......... get over it,” a woman who said she was the mother of the boy claimed in Facebook messages published on social media.
H&M slammed for racism over ‘coolest monkey in the jungle’ hoodie
She said that she was at the shoot and that everyone is entitled to have an opinion about it, but that outrage was “not my way of thinking.”
The comments were reported by multiple news outlets, though the woman connected to the account, who lives in Sweden, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily News.
Read more at NY Daily News
Swedish clothing giant H&M was forced to issue repeated apologies after the page for a hoodie available in Europe featured an image of the boy with the words “coolest monkey in the jungle” on his chest.
Social media users took note that a white child in a similar hoodie was a “survival expert” and decried the company as insensitive to the history of “monkey” being used as a slur against black people.
“Stop crying wolf all the time, unnecessary issue here ......... get over it,” a woman who said she was the mother of the boy claimed in Facebook messages published on social media.
H&M slammed for racism over ‘coolest monkey in the jungle’ hoodie
She said that she was at the shoot and that everyone is entitled to have an opinion about it, but that outrage was “not my way of thinking.”
The comments were reported by multiple news outlets, though the woman connected to the account, who lives in Sweden, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily News.
Read more at NY Daily News
Take A Look At David Letterman’s New Netflix Show, With Barack Obama As First Guest
He’s back!
Legendary talk show host David Letterman’s new Netflix show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” debuts Jan. 12, and former President Barack Obama is slated to be the first guest.
The streaming service said the interview will mark Obama’s “first television talk show appearance since leaving office.”
Netflix shared a sneak peek at the six-part series on Thursday:
“I had a show for a long time and then I didn’t have a show for a long time, and I can’t tell you how great it is to be out of the damn house,” Letterman jokes in the trailer.
The host is set to interview Hollywood stars George Clooney and Tina Fey, Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and radio host Howard Stern in subsequent episodes that will be released on a monthly basis.
Read more at HuffPost
Legendary talk show host David Letterman’s new Netflix show, “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction,” debuts Jan. 12, and former President Barack Obama is slated to be the first guest.
The streaming service said the interview will mark Obama’s “first television talk show appearance since leaving office.”
Netflix shared a sneak peek at the six-part series on Thursday:
“I had a show for a long time and then I didn’t have a show for a long time, and I can’t tell you how great it is to be out of the damn house,” Letterman jokes in the trailer.
The host is set to interview Hollywood stars George Clooney and Tina Fey, Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai, hip-hop mogul Jay-Z and radio host Howard Stern in subsequent episodes that will be released on a monthly basis.
Read more at HuffPost
African-American unemployment hits record low
WASHINGTON -- Years of steady hiring and economic growth have delivered a cumulative benefit for at least one group that hasn't always shared in America's prosperity. The unemployment rate for African-Americans fell to 6.8 percent in December, the lowest level since the government began tracking such data in 1972.
The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from.
"The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News!" President Donald Trump said in a tweet Saturday.
Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages.
Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017 -- the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. The U.S. economy gained a hefty 5.7 million jobs in 2014 and 2015 alone.
Read more at CBS
The reasons range from a greater number of black Americans with college degrees to a growing need for employers in a tight job market to widen the pool of people they hire from.
"The African American unemployment rate fell to 6.8 percent, the lowest rate in 45 years. I am so happy about this News!" President Donald Trump said in a tweet Saturday.
Still, the rate for black workers remains well above those for whites and some other groups, something experts attribute in large part to decades of discrimination and disadvantages.
Robust job creation has lowered unemployment for all Americans. U.S. employers added nearly 2.1 million jobs in 2017 -- the seventh straight year that hiring has topped 2 million. The U.S. economy gained a hefty 5.7 million jobs in 2014 and 2015 alone.
Read more at CBS
Aaron Maybin Stands Up for Baltimore Students on the Brink
Former Penn State standout Aaron Maybin had to play in the frigid temperatures of Buffalo during his time in the NFL. Now, as a Baltimore-area schoolteacher, he’s raising awareness for the cold temperatures that his elementary school students have to learn in.
Maybin, a Baltimore native, is looking to raise awareness and money for the Baltimore City Public Schools that are without heat and light. On Wednesday, Maybin posted a series of tweets describing the tough conditions that he and his kids were facing in their classroom at Matthew A. Henson Elementary School.
One tweet included a video of him having a discussion with his students about the extreme conditions in the classroom. In the video, in which some of the kids are seen wearing winter coats, Maybin asks his students how their day has been. One student responded, “Very, very, very, very, very, very cold.” Along with the video, Maybin wrote “This is unacceptable.”
Read more at Onward State
Maybin, a Baltimore native, is looking to raise awareness and money for the Baltimore City Public Schools that are without heat and light. On Wednesday, Maybin posted a series of tweets describing the tough conditions that he and his kids were facing in their classroom at Matthew A. Henson Elementary School.
One tweet included a video of him having a discussion with his students about the extreme conditions in the classroom. In the video, in which some of the kids are seen wearing winter coats, Maybin asks his students how their day has been. One student responded, “Very, very, very, very, very, very cold.” Along with the video, Maybin wrote “This is unacceptable.”
Read more at Onward State
Alabama officials dismiss Moore claims of voter fraud; Jones certified as winner
Alabama’s secretary of state laughed off the assertion by Roy Moore campaign spokeswoman Janet Porter that there is an incredibly high probability there was voter fraud in the state’s special U.S. Senate election this month.
“People are entitled to their own opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts,” Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said on CNN.
Merrill was responding to Porter’s comments in an earlier CNN interview in which she defended the Republican candidate’s 11th-hour attempt to block certification of Moore’s historic loss to Democrat Doug Jones in the traditionally deep-red state.
“Whether you’re a Republican or whether you’re a Democrat; whether you like Roy Moore or whether you like Doug Jones, you ought to care about the fact that the people of Alabama should be making that choice,” Porter said. “The chances that this was not fraud? One in 15 billion.”
Read more at Yahoo
“People are entitled to their own opinion, but they are not entitled to their own facts,” Alabama Secretary of State John Merrill said on CNN.
Merrill was responding to Porter’s comments in an earlier CNN interview in which she defended the Republican candidate’s 11th-hour attempt to block certification of Moore’s historic loss to Democrat Doug Jones in the traditionally deep-red state.
“Whether you’re a Republican or whether you’re a Democrat; whether you like Roy Moore or whether you like Doug Jones, you ought to care about the fact that the people of Alabama should be making that choice,” Porter said. “The chances that this was not fraud? One in 15 billion.”
Read more at Yahoo
This Is What James Harden Had To Say About Visiting Meek Mill In Prison
Colin Kaepernick said he spoke with Meek Mill last month and commented that the imprisoned rapper was "humbled" by the outpouring of his support. Philadelphia 76ers' star center Joel Embiid and the team's owner, Michael Rubin, visited Meek in prison last month as well.
And you can add James Harden to the list of Meek's supporters.
The Houston Rockets' All-Star shooting guard took to his Snapchat yesterday and revealed that he visited Meek in prison and that the rapper's "spirit is high," while hoping that he could be released "by February."
And Harden isn't stopping there.
According to Sports Illustrated, Harden will rock these special "Free Meek" Adidas tomorrow night when his Rockets visit the Boston Celtics in a nationally televised game on TNT.
And you can add James Harden to the list of Meek's supporters.
The Houston Rockets' All-Star shooting guard took to his Snapchat yesterday and revealed that he visited Meek in prison and that the rapper's "spirit is high," while hoping that he could be released "by February."
And Harden isn't stopping there.
According to Sports Illustrated, Harden will rock these special "Free Meek" Adidas tomorrow night when his Rockets visit the Boston Celtics in a nationally televised game on TNT.
Damage Control! News Anchor Apologizes For Dismissing Diddy's Interest In Buying An NFL Team
On Sunday, Carolina Panthers owner Jerry Richardson, announced that he would be putting the team up for sale. The announcement came late in the evening amid allegations of inappropriate workplace behavior by Richardson.
As reported by Sports Illustrated, in addition to sexual misconduct, Richardson was accused of using a racial slur that led to a settlement with a scout, making a comment about Black players' appearances and threatening to discipline players who addressed social issues.
Soon after his announcement Sean "P. Diddy" Combs — the music and media mogul who's worth $820 million according to Forbes— tweeted that he'd be interested in buying the team.
Read more at Essence
As reported by Sports Illustrated, in addition to sexual misconduct, Richardson was accused of using a racial slur that led to a settlement with a scout, making a comment about Black players' appearances and threatening to discipline players who addressed social issues.
Soon after his announcement Sean "P. Diddy" Combs — the music and media mogul who's worth $820 million according to Forbes— tweeted that he'd be interested in buying the team.
Read more at Essence
Boy, 5, calls 911 to report Grinch stealing Christmas, police make arrest
(UPI) -- A 5-year-old Mississippi boy called police to prevent the Grinch from stealing Christmas -- and police made an arrest. TyLon Pittman saw a video clip of How the Grinch Stole Christmas and decided to call his local police department in Byram, Miss. on Saturday to report the green Dr. Seuss character's intentions. A 911 dispatcher eventually got TyLon's father on the phone, who scolded his son. "Boy, you better stop watching so many cartoons!" he said as the dispatcher laughed. But instead of blowing off the call as a prank, police showed up to TyLon's house to let him know that his Christmas won't be stolen. "I can NOT make this up!!! My 5 year old brother called the police and said that the Grinch is stealing people Christmas and he don't want him to steal his so they really came to our house!" TeDera Dwayne Graves II wrote in a post on Facebook.
Read more at UPI
Read more at UPI
Officer's Wife Investigated Over 'Filthy N*****s' 'Send Them Back To Africa' Facebook Post On Viral Video Of Toddler Caught In A Mall Fight
After a shocking video showing a large brawl at the Edison Mall in Fort Myers, Florida, went viral, the wife of a lieutenant came under fire for allegedly posting a racist comment.
The video shows a group of people engaging in a fight at the mall and at one point, a girl comes up with a baby stroller, kicks a woman to the ground, then leaves the stroller off to the side to keep fighting.
The Florida Department of Children and Families said they have opened an investigation into what happened at Edison Mall, reported WBBH-TV.
When the video was posted to Facebook, Linda Deverso-Pakulis, the wife of Lt. Chip Pakulis, allegedly commented “filthy n*****s" and "send them back to Africa."
Deverso-Pakulis later posted that her account was "compromised" and someone else was responsible for posting the comments, reported NBC New York 4.
"I am appalled about the comments that were made, neither I nor my family share these beliefs," she wrote before deleting her account.
LCSO officials say they will conduct an internal investigation; however, they don't believe the wife of Lt. Pakulis was involved in posting the message, according to NBC New York 4.
When it comes to the mall fight, two victims involved in the fight were identified as 20-year-old Marlesha Williams and 18-year-old Verdasia Eleaby, according to a police report.
The two women allege they were punched, kicked, spit on and had their hair pulled during the fight. Williams and Eleaby both sustained injuries as a result and wish to press charges.
Read more at BET.
The video shows a group of people engaging in a fight at the mall and at one point, a girl comes up with a baby stroller, kicks a woman to the ground, then leaves the stroller off to the side to keep fighting.
The Florida Department of Children and Families said they have opened an investigation into what happened at Edison Mall, reported WBBH-TV.
When the video was posted to Facebook, Linda Deverso-Pakulis, the wife of Lt. Chip Pakulis, allegedly commented “filthy n*****s" and "send them back to Africa."
Deverso-Pakulis later posted that her account was "compromised" and someone else was responsible for posting the comments, reported NBC New York 4.
"I am appalled about the comments that were made, neither I nor my family share these beliefs," she wrote before deleting her account.
LCSO officials say they will conduct an internal investigation; however, they don't believe the wife of Lt. Pakulis was involved in posting the message, according to NBC New York 4.
When it comes to the mall fight, two victims involved in the fight were identified as 20-year-old Marlesha Williams and 18-year-old Verdasia Eleaby, according to a police report.
The two women allege they were punched, kicked, spit on and had their hair pulled during the fight. Williams and Eleaby both sustained injuries as a result and wish to press charges.
Read more at BET.
Let’s Keep It 100: If Keaton Jones Was A Bullied Black Kid, America Wouldn’t Care
As America ran rampant over the viral video of an emotional young white boy named Keaton Jones, it felt like déjà vu all over again. Jones, a teary-eyed middle schooler from Tennessee, became the instant face of a conversation on bullying after his mother taped his personal account on social media over the weekend. In only a few short days, Jones has received countless celebrity shout-outs and invitations to red carpet movie premieres, free gifts and a GoFundMe account that has raised thousands of dollars for him.
Now there is speculation that his mother might actually be a proud Confederate flag waving racist, but that still hasn’t stopped the outpour of support and love many have had for him online.
As some began to question why haven’t other children of color who have been bullied over the years not been elevated to the extent of Jones. I made it plain for them on Twitter:
That’s right: If Jones was Black, America wouldn’t give a damn.
A long history of the school-to-prison pipeline could easily dispel any notions that all children in America are treated equally. Young Black boys and girls in public schools are suspended and disciplined at exponential rates that are higher than their white peers. Culturally, when many of them are bullied, they aren’t given declarations of empathy, but told to “get over it,” which often belittles their sentiments and escalates more fatal ways of dealing with trauma.
Read more at BET.com
Now there is speculation that his mother might actually be a proud Confederate flag waving racist, but that still hasn’t stopped the outpour of support and love many have had for him online.
As some began to question why haven’t other children of color who have been bullied over the years not been elevated to the extent of Jones. I made it plain for them on Twitter:
That’s right: If Jones was Black, America wouldn’t give a damn.
A long history of the school-to-prison pipeline could easily dispel any notions that all children in America are treated equally. Young Black boys and girls in public schools are suspended and disciplined at exponential rates that are higher than their white peers. Culturally, when many of them are bullied, they aren’t given declarations of empathy, but told to “get over it,” which often belittles their sentiments and escalates more fatal ways of dealing with trauma.
Read more at BET.com
Doug Jones counting on Alabama's African American voters
Alabama's Democratic Senate candidate Doug Jones arrived to greet diners at Martha’s Place Buffet and Catering around lunch time on the eve of election day and found the largely African-American crowd at the Montgomery restaurant pleased he had stopped by.
“I think it was really nice for him to come in, he didn’t look over nobody,” she told ABC News Monday.
Wingard said she was voting for Jones the first chance she had and would take a “boatload” of people with her.
“We are going to do this. We are going to win this,” Wingard said, predicting a Jones victory. “We are going to make history. It is time for a change.”
Jones has been working hard over the last few months to rally Alabama's African-American voters like Wingard, who tend to vote Democratic. He has enjoyed support on the ground from African American leaders such as former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.
Former President Barack Obama recorded a robocall for Jones that the campaign put to work in the final days.
"Doug Jones is a fighter for equality, for progress," Obama says in the robocall, as first reported by CNN. "Doug will be our champion for justice. So get out and vote, Alabama."
Read more at ABC News
“I think it was really nice for him to come in, he didn’t look over nobody,” she told ABC News Monday.
Wingard said she was voting for Jones the first chance she had and would take a “boatload” of people with her.
“We are going to do this. We are going to win this,” Wingard said, predicting a Jones victory. “We are going to make history. It is time for a change.”
Jones has been working hard over the last few months to rally Alabama's African-American voters like Wingard, who tend to vote Democratic. He has enjoyed support on the ground from African American leaders such as former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker.
Former President Barack Obama recorded a robocall for Jones that the campaign put to work in the final days.
"Doug Jones is a fighter for equality, for progress," Obama says in the robocall, as first reported by CNN. "Doug will be our champion for justice. So get out and vote, Alabama."
Read more at ABC News
Jada Pinkett Smith is Not Here for ‘Girls Trip’s Golden Globes Snub
The nominees for the 2018 Golden Globes comes as no surprise though it did not deter folks from sharing their grievances.
The conservative “seats at the table” overruled Get Out‘s expected nominations, leaving them with a limited few and people were not happy. But Jordan Peele’s breakout film wasn’t the only snub of Monday’s (December 11) reveal.
Girls Trip, the comedy smash of 2017, didn’t pick up any nominations –at all–including Tiffany Haddish, who’s on-screen performance received astounding reviews. Jada Pinkett Smith, Haddish’s Co-star, took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the Hollywood Foreign Press’ (who vote for Golden Globes nominees and winners) total disregard for the film. She shared that the committee refused to watch Girls Trip and also noted the deep-seated issues of racism in Hollywood and how the system “must learn to expand its concepts of race, gender equality, and inclusion in regard to its perceptions of art across the board.”
Read more at EBONY
The conservative “seats at the table” overruled Get Out‘s expected nominations, leaving them with a limited few and people were not happy. But Jordan Peele’s breakout film wasn’t the only snub of Monday’s (December 11) reveal.
Girls Trip, the comedy smash of 2017, didn’t pick up any nominations –at all–including Tiffany Haddish, who’s on-screen performance received astounding reviews. Jada Pinkett Smith, Haddish’s Co-star, took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the Hollywood Foreign Press’ (who vote for Golden Globes nominees and winners) total disregard for the film. She shared that the committee refused to watch Girls Trip and also noted the deep-seated issues of racism in Hollywood and how the system “must learn to expand its concepts of race, gender equality, and inclusion in regard to its perceptions of art across the board.”
Read more at EBONY
White ex-cop gets 20 years for Walter Scott slaying
One by one, relatives of the late Walter Scott urged a judge to mete out a significant punishment for Michael Slager, the white former police officer who fatally shot Scott, an unarmed black man, in the back after a 2015 traffic stop.
Through tears, Scott's family told Slager they felt sorrow for him and the loss his young children would feel in his absence. In the end, a judge sentenced Slager to 20 years in prison, giving the Scott family the justice they had sought ever since a stranger came to them with the shocking video of Scott being killed.
"I forgive Michael Slager. I forgive you," Scott's mother, Judy, said as she turned toward her son's killer. "I pray for you, that you would repent and let Jesus come in your life."
Sitting just a few feet away, Slager wiped tears from his eyes and mouthed: "I'm sorry."
The punishment wrapped up a case that became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Slager, 36, is one of only a few police officers to go to prison for a fatal shooting, and his sentence is by far the stiffest since the shootings came under extra scrutiny in recent years.
Attorneys for the former North Charleston officer said he shot the 50-year-old Scott in self-defense after the two fought and Scott grabbed Slager's stun gun. They said race didn't play a role in the shooting and Slager never had any "racial animus" toward minorities.
Still, Slager pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Scott's civil rights. As part of a plea agreement reached in May, prosecutors dropped state murder charges.
Read more at ABC
Through tears, Scott's family told Slager they felt sorrow for him and the loss his young children would feel in his absence. In the end, a judge sentenced Slager to 20 years in prison, giving the Scott family the justice they had sought ever since a stranger came to them with the shocking video of Scott being killed.
"I forgive Michael Slager. I forgive you," Scott's mother, Judy, said as she turned toward her son's killer. "I pray for you, that you would repent and let Jesus come in your life."
Sitting just a few feet away, Slager wiped tears from his eyes and mouthed: "I'm sorry."
The punishment wrapped up a case that became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement. Slager, 36, is one of only a few police officers to go to prison for a fatal shooting, and his sentence is by far the stiffest since the shootings came under extra scrutiny in recent years.
Attorneys for the former North Charleston officer said he shot the 50-year-old Scott in self-defense after the two fought and Scott grabbed Slager's stun gun. They said race didn't play a role in the shooting and Slager never had any "racial animus" toward minorities.
Still, Slager pleaded guilty in federal court to violating Scott's civil rights. As part of a plea agreement reached in May, prosecutors dropped state murder charges.
Read more at ABC
Michael Flynn Pleads Guilty to Lying to the F.B.I.
WASHINGTON — President Trump’s former national security adviser, Michael T. Flynn, pleaded guilty on Friday to lying to the F.B.I. about conversations with the Russian ambassador last December during the presidential transition, bringing the special counsel’s investigation into the president’s inner circle.
Mr. Flynn, who appeared in federal court in Washington, acknowledged that he was cooperating with the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russian interference in the 2016 election. His plea agreement suggests that Mr. Flynn provided information to prosecutors, which may help advance the inquiry.
The development came at a particularly sensitive moment for the White House, just as Mr. Trump and Republican congressional leaders are toiling to hold together a tenuous coalition to push through a large tax cut plan. It marked an unwelcome headline at a time when the president’s team is hoping to focus public attention on what they argue is an impressive list of accomplishments in his first year.
Read more at NY Times
Mr. Flynn, who appeared in federal court in Washington, acknowledged that he was cooperating with the investigation by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, into Russian interference in the 2016 election. His plea agreement suggests that Mr. Flynn provided information to prosecutors, which may help advance the inquiry.
The development came at a particularly sensitive moment for the White House, just as Mr. Trump and Republican congressional leaders are toiling to hold together a tenuous coalition to push through a large tax cut plan. It marked an unwelcome headline at a time when the president’s team is hoping to focus public attention on what they argue is an impressive list of accomplishments in his first year.
Read more at NY Times
African refugees bought, sold and murdered in Libya
Hundreds of African refugees are being bought and sold in "slave markets" across Libya every week, a human trafficker has told Al Jazeera, with many of them held for ransom or forced into prostitution and sexual exploitation to pay their captors and smugglers.
Many of them ended up being murdered by their smugglers in the open desert or die from thirst or car accidents in the vast Libyan desert, said Salman*, the human trafficker.
A morgue in the southern city of Sabha - an entry point for many refugees coming from Africa - is overflowing with corpses, with faulty refrigerator making the situation worse, according to a Libyan health official.
The official in Sabha, 650km south of the capital Tripoli, described horrendous scenes of bodies dumped in threes, fives or more at the gates of the Sebha health facility by smugglers.
The refugees who died are never identified and many ended being buried without names or proper graves, he said.
The health official, who declined to give his name for security reasons, said Sabha's morgue has only one dysfunctional refrigerator that can hold bodies for up to three days but end up keeping them for months and on.
"Bodies end up being decomposed inside the refrigerator and often give off foul stench.
Read more at Al Jazeera
Many of them ended up being murdered by their smugglers in the open desert or die from thirst or car accidents in the vast Libyan desert, said Salman*, the human trafficker.
A morgue in the southern city of Sabha - an entry point for many refugees coming from Africa - is overflowing with corpses, with faulty refrigerator making the situation worse, according to a Libyan health official.
The official in Sabha, 650km south of the capital Tripoli, described horrendous scenes of bodies dumped in threes, fives or more at the gates of the Sebha health facility by smugglers.
The refugees who died are never identified and many ended being buried without names or proper graves, he said.
The health official, who declined to give his name for security reasons, said Sabha's morgue has only one dysfunctional refrigerator that can hold bodies for up to three days but end up keeping them for months and on.
"Bodies end up being decomposed inside the refrigerator and often give off foul stench.
Read more at Al Jazeera
'Buying Black' during the holidays is a community investment
As consumers invest hours and hours of searching for the best deals on holiday gifts for their loved ones, black business owners are asking consumers to invest that same time and money with them.
'Buying black,' said black business owners, is an investment not just for the businesses, but the entire black community.
“Black business owners have their ear to the street. They pour into the communities in which they reside,” Eldredge E. Washington, co-founder of Spendefy, told NBC News. “They play a role in building the communities in which they reside. By supporting them the way we do, we help to empower them.”
Washington and his friend Antwon Davis, created Spendefy two years ago to help small black businesses achieve success by providing them with resources needed to be successful.
A lack of resources, said Washington, is at the core of what plagues most communities today, especially the black community.
“Nationwide there are more than 2.6 million black-owned businesses,” Davis told NBC News. “But eight out of 10 fail within the first year and a half because of a lack of exposure, a lack of capital, and a lack of business acumen.”
Read more at NBCNews
'Buying black,' said black business owners, is an investment not just for the businesses, but the entire black community.
“Black business owners have their ear to the street. They pour into the communities in which they reside,” Eldredge E. Washington, co-founder of Spendefy, told NBC News. “They play a role in building the communities in which they reside. By supporting them the way we do, we help to empower them.”
Washington and his friend Antwon Davis, created Spendefy two years ago to help small black businesses achieve success by providing them with resources needed to be successful.
A lack of resources, said Washington, is at the core of what plagues most communities today, especially the black community.
“Nationwide there are more than 2.6 million black-owned businesses,” Davis told NBC News. “But eight out of 10 fail within the first year and a half because of a lack of exposure, a lack of capital, and a lack of business acumen.”
Read more at NBCNews
Ikea recalls dresser again after death of 8th child
Ikea is recalling again a number of its dressers after an eighth child was killed by one of them.
The latest victim was a 2-year-old California boy who was crushed by a Malm dresser after being put down for a nap in his bedroom in May.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said today that Ikea has received 186 reports of incidents with Malm style chests and dressers. More than 90 children have been injured from them, the CPSC said.
Ikea is recalling Malm three-drawer, four-drawer, five-drawer and six-drawer models, as well as some non-Malm dressers.
Ikea said last month in a statement that "the initial investigation indicates that the chest involved in this incident had not been properly attached to the wall." It has recalled Malm chests and dressers "due to serious tip-over hazard."
The Swedish furniture brand first issued a recall in June 2016, which reportedly included roughly 29 million chests and dressers.
Read more at Yahoo
The latest victim was a 2-year-old California boy who was crushed by a Malm dresser after being put down for a nap in his bedroom in May.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said today that Ikea has received 186 reports of incidents with Malm style chests and dressers. More than 90 children have been injured from them, the CPSC said.
Ikea is recalling Malm three-drawer, four-drawer, five-drawer and six-drawer models, as well as some non-Malm dressers.
Ikea said last month in a statement that "the initial investigation indicates that the chest involved in this incident had not been properly attached to the wall." It has recalled Malm chests and dressers "due to serious tip-over hazard."
The Swedish furniture brand first issued a recall in June 2016, which reportedly included roughly 29 million chests and dressers.
Read more at Yahoo
African Americans Disproportionately Arrested For Pot Possession In Buffalo: Study
A new study has found that African Americans in Buffalo, New York are disproportionately arrested for low-level cannabis possession offences.
The research by advocacy group Partnership for the Public Good adds to the breadth of recent studies identifying racial disparities in cannabis possession arrests.
In this most recent study, researchers analyzed cannabis arrest data for Erie County, New York for the years 2012 to 2016. Across the county, African Americans made up 71 percent of all low-level cannabis offenders, despite making up only 13.5 percent of the population.
Within the city of Buffalo, 86 percent of those arrested for minor cannabis possession were either African American (80 percent) or Hispanic (six percent.) These two demographics represent fewer than 50 percent of the city’s population.
“Legalizing marijuana would reduce low-level drug arrests by ten percent, and help reduce racial disparities in overall arrest numbers.”
Read more at Civilized Life
The research by advocacy group Partnership for the Public Good adds to the breadth of recent studies identifying racial disparities in cannabis possession arrests.
In this most recent study, researchers analyzed cannabis arrest data for Erie County, New York for the years 2012 to 2016. Across the county, African Americans made up 71 percent of all low-level cannabis offenders, despite making up only 13.5 percent of the population.
Within the city of Buffalo, 86 percent of those arrested for minor cannabis possession were either African American (80 percent) or Hispanic (six percent.) These two demographics represent fewer than 50 percent of the city’s population.
“Legalizing marijuana would reduce low-level drug arrests by ten percent, and help reduce racial disparities in overall arrest numbers.”
Read more at Civilized Life
'Abusive' Father Accused Of Shooting His Son To Death As The Teen Protected His Mother, Who Was Also Killed
Early Saturday morning, Renita Wells and 15-year-old Jaishaun Williams, of Henrico Country, were killed inside their home. Family members of the victims believe William was attempting to protect Wells from his historically abusive father, Derrell Williams, reported WTVR.
"I just told her the other day to get a restraining order on him because she was afraid," Renita's mother Rachelle Wells told WTVR.
Less than an hour after the shooting, Derrell, who was also married to Wells, was arrested on charges not related to the murders.
Derrell, 33, was arraigned on charges including felony eluding police, possession of drugs and gun charges. While he is not charged with the homicides, police confirmed they were not looking for any suspects at this time.
Read more at BET
"I just told her the other day to get a restraining order on him because she was afraid," Renita's mother Rachelle Wells told WTVR.
Less than an hour after the shooting, Derrell, who was also married to Wells, was arrested on charges not related to the murders.
Derrell, 33, was arraigned on charges including felony eluding police, possession of drugs and gun charges. While he is not charged with the homicides, police confirmed they were not looking for any suspects at this time.
Read more at BET
Half of US adults have high blood pressure in new guidelines
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — New guidelines lower the threshold for high blood pressure, adding 30 million Americans to those who have the condition, which now plagues nearly half of U.S. adults.
High pressure, which for decades has been a top reading of at least 140 or a bottom one of 90, drops to 130 over 80 in advice announced Monday by a dozen medical groups.
The change means an additional 14 percent of U.S. adults have the problem, but only 2 percent of these newly added people need medication right away; the rest should try healthier lifestyles, which get much stronger emphasis in the new advice. Poor diets, lack of exercise and other bad habits cause 90 percent of high blood pressure.
"I have no doubt there will be controversy. I'm sure there will be people saying 'We have a hard enough time getting to 140,'" said Dr. Paul Whelton, a Tulane University physician who led the guidelines panel.
But the risk for heart disease, stroke and other problems drops as blood pressure improves, and the new advice "is more honest" about how many people have a problem, he said.
Currently, only half of Americans with high blood pressure have it under control.
Read more at Yahoo
Colin Kaepernick Calls Out The ‘Radicalized Injustice’ Surrounding Meek Mill’s Harsh Prison Sentence
News of Meek Mill receiving a 2-4 year prison sentence for violating his 2009 probation order took the entertainment industry by storm. The circumstances surrounding his sentence drew the support of many of Meek’s peers, including NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick, who believed he was issued an unfair judgement.
Kaepernick took to Twitter in Meek’s defense writing, “Sadly there are Black folks going through the same radicalized injustice(s) within the justice system that Meek Mill has experienced for over a decade EVERY SINGLE DAY.”
Offering what he believes to be a solution, Kaepernick concluded, “This requires more than just gradual reform in laws —It requires a swift overhaul.”
Colin Kaepernick’s comments days after a judge ruled that Meek’s involvement in a St. Louis airport fight and being arrested for reckless driving in New York violated the terms of his 2009 probation order despite both cases being dropped.
Read more at BET
Kaepernick took to Twitter in Meek’s defense writing, “Sadly there are Black folks going through the same radicalized injustice(s) within the justice system that Meek Mill has experienced for over a decade EVERY SINGLE DAY.”
Offering what he believes to be a solution, Kaepernick concluded, “This requires more than just gradual reform in laws —It requires a swift overhaul.”
Colin Kaepernick’s comments days after a judge ruled that Meek’s involvement in a St. Louis airport fight and being arrested for reckless driving in New York violated the terms of his 2009 probation order despite both cases being dropped.
Read more at BET
Before Maxine Waters (D-CA) ever went viral for reclaiming her time at a congressional hearing this summer, she was advocating for constituents domestically and globally.
That’s what makes her rise to popularity within social media feel familiar — she’s been about this life, battling injustice, inequality and systematic silencing for over 40 years. So when she delivered the now-famous line in a House Financial Services committee hearing in August after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin attempted to filibuster her, it was business as usual.
“It’s [the] regular order of business,” she told political commentator Angela Rye in ESSENCE’s Dec/Jan issue. “I think it was important for me to let him know that he couldn’t get away with that.”
For millennials — who affectionately call the California Congresswoman “Auntie” — that kind of no-nonsense advocacy has inspired memes and movements that position Waters’ words as bible for those looking to stand their ground, organize and activate. Recently, “Reclaiming Our Time” became the theme for the Women’s March Convention in Detroit.
For those who remember when Waters took on apartheid in South Africa through divestment in the 1980s, or who are familiar with her creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998, it’s clear that she has no plans to slow down or to give up on the communities she represents.
Read more at Essence.
That’s what makes her rise to popularity within social media feel familiar — she’s been about this life, battling injustice, inequality and systematic silencing for over 40 years. So when she delivered the now-famous line in a House Financial Services committee hearing in August after Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin attempted to filibuster her, it was business as usual.
“It’s [the] regular order of business,” she told political commentator Angela Rye in ESSENCE’s Dec/Jan issue. “I think it was important for me to let him know that he couldn’t get away with that.”
For millennials — who affectionately call the California Congresswoman “Auntie” — that kind of no-nonsense advocacy has inspired memes and movements that position Waters’ words as bible for those looking to stand their ground, organize and activate. Recently, “Reclaiming Our Time” became the theme for the Women’s March Convention in Detroit.
For those who remember when Waters took on apartheid in South Africa through divestment in the 1980s, or who are familiar with her creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative in 1998, it’s clear that she has no plans to slow down or to give up on the communities she represents.
Read more at Essence.
Meek Mill sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison
A Philadelphia judge on Monday sentenced the rapper Meek Mill to two to four years in prison for again violating his probation from a 2008 drug and gun case, putting his career on hold for at least the next two years.
The 30-year-old, Philadelphia-born Mill seemed stunned at the sentence from Common Pleas Court Judge Genece E. Brinkley, as were the dozen or so supporters who gasped at her decision.
“I gave you break after break, and you basically just thumbed your nose at this court,” Brinkley told Mill. She said Mill’s sentence would be served in state prison, where he would be eligible for state parole supervision after two years.
“Then I’ll be done with you,” Brinkley added.
The judge ordered Mill immediately taken into custody, and he quickly started removing his gold watch and other personal items and handing them to his lawyer, Brian J. McMonagle, before sheriff’s deputies escorted him from the courtroom.
McMonagle, who earlier this year represented Bill Cosby in his sexual assault trial, declined to comment on the hearing or Brinkley’s decision. When asked whether he would appeal the sentence, he shot back: “You’re godd—ed right I am.”
Before he was sentenced, Mill addressed the judge for 40 minutes, pleading for mercy and insisting that his “technical probation violations” were mistakes and not disrespect.
Read more at Philly.com
Father Kills 14 Year-Old Son: 'He Would Rather Have a Dead Son Than a Gay Son'
A Nevada father shot and killed his 14-year-old son because he couldn’t accept his son's sexual orientation, according to the son's former foster mom.
On Thursday afternoon, 53-year-old Wendell Melton shot his son, Giovanni Melton, in the apartment where Giovanni lived alone. According to Sonja Jones, Giovanni’s former foster mom, Wendell caught Giovanni with his boyfriend before he pulled out a gun.
According to the Henderson Police Department, Giovanni was initially transported to St. Rose Dominican Hospital—Siena Campus in critical condition.
“As a result of their investigation, Henderson Police detectives determined that Melton discharged a firearm that fatally struck his son,” the police department said in a statement on Facebook. He was arrested at the scene on felony charges of open murder, child abuse, firearms possession and other various charges, and was booked into the Henderson Detention Center.
"Giovanni was abused physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years," Jones told News 3 Las Vegas.
Jones said other family members told her the argument that led to Giovanni's death was over Giovanni’s sexual orientation. She said Wendell had threatened Giovanni before.
Read more at Yahoo
On Thursday afternoon, 53-year-old Wendell Melton shot his son, Giovanni Melton, in the apartment where Giovanni lived alone. According to Sonja Jones, Giovanni’s former foster mom, Wendell caught Giovanni with his boyfriend before he pulled out a gun.
According to the Henderson Police Department, Giovanni was initially transported to St. Rose Dominican Hospital—Siena Campus in critical condition.
“As a result of their investigation, Henderson Police detectives determined that Melton discharged a firearm that fatally struck his son,” the police department said in a statement on Facebook. He was arrested at the scene on felony charges of open murder, child abuse, firearms possession and other various charges, and was booked into the Henderson Detention Center.
"Giovanni was abused physically and mentally and spiritually for many, many years," Jones told News 3 Las Vegas.
Jones said other family members told her the argument that led to Giovanni's death was over Giovanni’s sexual orientation. She said Wendell had threatened Giovanni before.
Read more at Yahoo
Mueller’s First Indictments Send a Message to Trump
WASHINGTON — Shortly after his former campaign chairman marched into an F.B.I. office to face criminal charges on Monday, President Trump took to Twitter to dismiss their relevance: “There is NO COLLUSION!”
Yet even as his message went out to more than 41 million followers, news emerged that the authorities were unsealing another case that described how a young foreign policy adviser spent months seeking to connect Mr. Trump’s campaign with Russians offering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton.
The first charges filed by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, did not implicate Mr. Trump but collectively amounted to a political body blow to a president who has spent months insisting that Mr. Mueller’s investigation was nothing more than a “witch hunt” based on a “hoax” invented by Democrats and the news media.
The indictment of Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, suggested that the president’s top lieutenant for part of last year was a highly paid agent for pro-Russian foreign interests. And the guilty plea extracted from George Papadopoulos, the foreign policy adviser, confirmed the second known attempt by Mr. Trump’s team to tap Moscow for damaging information on Mrs. Clinton, coming months before his son Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer for the same purpose.
Read more at the Washington Post
Yet even as his message went out to more than 41 million followers, news emerged that the authorities were unsealing another case that described how a young foreign policy adviser spent months seeking to connect Mr. Trump’s campaign with Russians offering “dirt” on Hillary Clinton.
The first charges filed by Robert S. Mueller III, the special counsel, did not implicate Mr. Trump but collectively amounted to a political body blow to a president who has spent months insisting that Mr. Mueller’s investigation was nothing more than a “witch hunt” based on a “hoax” invented by Democrats and the news media.
The indictment of Paul Manafort, the former Trump campaign chairman, suggested that the president’s top lieutenant for part of last year was a highly paid agent for pro-Russian foreign interests. And the guilty plea extracted from George Papadopoulos, the foreign policy adviser, confirmed the second known attempt by Mr. Trump’s team to tap Moscow for damaging information on Mrs. Clinton, coming months before his son Donald Trump Jr. met with a Russian lawyer for the same purpose.
Read more at the Washington Post
Police Officer's 'Racist' Colin Kaepernick Costume Did Not Go Over Well
A police officer at the University of Nevada, Reno, came under fire this week for a costume some described as racist.
The officer dressed as Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback ― and UNR grad ― who helped to ignite the NFL’s “take a knee” protests during the national anthem.
Adam Garcia, assistant vice president and director of police services at the school, offered “sincere apologies” for the officer’s costume.
“Members of our profession are held to a higher standard and denigrating another ― on- or off-duty ― is insensitive for its lack of respect and lack of understanding on how others may negatively view their actions and may be impacted,” Garcia said in a statement.
“At a time when officers should be heightened in their attentiveness to perception by our community, this act seems extremely out of touch with those sentiments and reflects poorly on all of us,” Garcia continued.
Despite the apology, the officer will not face discipline.
Read more at Yahoo.
The officer dressed as Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback ― and UNR grad ― who helped to ignite the NFL’s “take a knee” protests during the national anthem.
Adam Garcia, assistant vice president and director of police services at the school, offered “sincere apologies” for the officer’s costume.
“Members of our profession are held to a higher standard and denigrating another ― on- or off-duty ― is insensitive for its lack of respect and lack of understanding on how others may negatively view their actions and may be impacted,” Garcia said in a statement.
“At a time when officers should be heightened in their attentiveness to perception by our community, this act seems extremely out of touch with those sentiments and reflects poorly on all of us,” Garcia continued.
Despite the apology, the officer will not face discipline.
Read more at Yahoo.
Mother Jailed Up to 5 Years for Brutally Beating Daughter Who Incorrectly Recited Bible Verses
A Pennsylvania mother who made headlines after allegations arose that she brutally beat her young daughter who incorrectly recited Bible verses will serve time in prison.
Rhonda Shoffner was sentenced last week to between two and a half and five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including aggravated assault of her daughter, who was younger than 13.
Watch: Cops Find Gun Stashed Inside Hollowed-Out Bible
She will reportedly also serve five years of probation after she's released from prison.
Cops say Shoffner, 41, was drunk when she ordered her daughter to get on her knees in the bathroom and recite verses.
Shoffner allegedly slammed her daughter's head into the wall each time she made a mistake.
Shoffner choked her daughter, cutting off her airway and biting her forearm before digging her teeth into the girl’s left shoulder, police told PennLive.com.
All the while, the girl fought back and begged her mother to stop, she said.
Read more at Yahoo.
Rhonda Shoffner was sentenced last week to between two and a half and five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including aggravated assault of her daughter, who was younger than 13.
Watch: Cops Find Gun Stashed Inside Hollowed-Out Bible
She will reportedly also serve five years of probation after she's released from prison.
Cops say Shoffner, 41, was drunk when she ordered her daughter to get on her knees in the bathroom and recite verses.
Shoffner allegedly slammed her daughter's head into the wall each time she made a mistake.
Shoffner choked her daughter, cutting off her airway and biting her forearm before digging her teeth into the girl’s left shoulder, police told PennLive.com.
All the while, the girl fought back and begged her mother to stop, she said.
Read more at Yahoo.
Kellogg’s Promises to Remove ‘Racist’ Corn Pops Cereal Box Packaging
Cereal giant Kellogg's has promised to immediately remove artwork from its Corn Pops cereal boxes after receiving a complaint on Twitter about a racially insensitive game on its packaging.
Writer and graphic novelist Saladin Ahmed noticed the offending cartoon on a Corn Pops box and tweeted a complaint to Kellogg's. The cartoon game asked kids to find corn pops engaged in various activities in a crowded mall, with characters taking a selfie, jumping rope or sunbathing.
Related: FBI Allows Informant to Testify in Russia Bribery Probe Into Clintons—and Democrats Are Starting to Sound Scared
Trending: Trump and Kim Jong Un Are Both Sucking Up to China's Xi Jinping Amid Nuclear Tensions
But Ahmed discovered the only brown-skinned Corn Pop in the image—and he was the mall’s janitor.
“Hey @KelloggsUS why is literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor?” Ahmed asked. “This is teaching kids racism” he added.
Read more at Yahoo.
Writer and graphic novelist Saladin Ahmed noticed the offending cartoon on a Corn Pops box and tweeted a complaint to Kellogg's. The cartoon game asked kids to find corn pops engaged in various activities in a crowded mall, with characters taking a selfie, jumping rope or sunbathing.
Related: FBI Allows Informant to Testify in Russia Bribery Probe Into Clintons—and Democrats Are Starting to Sound Scared
Trending: Trump and Kim Jong Un Are Both Sucking Up to China's Xi Jinping Amid Nuclear Tensions
But Ahmed discovered the only brown-skinned Corn Pop in the image—and he was the mall’s janitor.
“Hey @KelloggsUS why is literally the only brown corn pop on the whole cereal box the janitor?” Ahmed asked. “This is teaching kids racism” he added.
Read more at Yahoo.
Mother of Cop Killed During Vegas Shooting Dies After Son’s Funeral
The mother of a Las Vegas police officer killed during the Oct .1 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Music Festival has passed away according to Fox 5 Vegas. The funeral for officer and U.S. Army veteran Charleston Hatsfield was held on Friday. Just hours after the ceremony, his mother Sheryl Stiles suffered a heart attack and died on Sunday. The family suspects Stiles died of a broken heart.
“I talked to the chaplain of Metro,” Stiles’ cousin Cecil Ralston told Fox 5 Vegas while discussing her relative. “He told me she kept saying, ‘Oh I want to stay, I want to be with Charleston,’ that she wanted to die.”
Stiles was on an elevator when she experienced the heart attack and fell off once the doors opened. She sustained brain injuries from the fall and was taken off of life support by family members on Sunday.
“No one expected anything like this to happen,” she continued. “It’s kind of devastating.”
Read more at EBONY
“I talked to the chaplain of Metro,” Stiles’ cousin Cecil Ralston told Fox 5 Vegas while discussing her relative. “He told me she kept saying, ‘Oh I want to stay, I want to be with Charleston,’ that she wanted to die.”
Stiles was on an elevator when she experienced the heart attack and fell off once the doors opened. She sustained brain injuries from the fall and was taken off of life support by family members on Sunday.
“No one expected anything like this to happen,” she continued. “It’s kind of devastating.”
Read more at EBONY
NAACP Issues Travel Advisory For American Airlines; Company Agrees To Meeting
The NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, has issued an advisory warning black travelers to be cautious about flying on American Airlines. The airline's chairman, in response, says the company does not "and will not tolerate discrimination of any kind."
The advisory was issued on Tuesday, and American Airlines responded on Wednesday.
The NAACP described "a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines." They cited four incidents in particular as examples that "suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias on the part of American Airlines."
"An African-American man was required to relinquish his purchased seats aboard a flight from Washington, D.C. to Raleigh-Durham, merely because he responded to disrespectful and discriminatory comments directed toward him by two unruly white passengers," the NAACP said of one incident.
In another case, a black woman with first-class tickets was switched to coach while her white companion remained in first class; two other incidents involved black women removed from flights after making routine complaints or requests.
The advisory was issued on Tuesday, and American Airlines responded on Wednesday.
The NAACP described "a pattern of disturbing incidents reported by African-American passengers, specific to American Airlines." They cited four incidents in particular as examples that "suggest a corporate culture of racial insensitivity and possible racial bias on the part of American Airlines."
"An African-American man was required to relinquish his purchased seats aboard a flight from Washington, D.C. to Raleigh-Durham, merely because he responded to disrespectful and discriminatory comments directed toward him by two unruly white passengers," the NAACP said of one incident.
In another case, a black woman with first-class tickets was switched to coach while her white companion remained in first class; two other incidents involved black women removed from flights after making routine complaints or requests.
Wannabe Tulsa, Okla., Cop Who Killed Unarmed Black Man Released From Prison After Serving Less Than Half His 4-Year Sentence
Well, if you wanted evidence as to how little this country values black lives, look no further than Tulsa, Okla., where a white former reserve deputy (aka a wannabe cop) walked out of prison, scot-free, after serving less than half of his already meager four-year sentence for killing an unarmed black man.
Robert Bates, 76, was released from North Fork Correction Center in Sayre, Okla., Thursday morning after serving 497 days, that’s a little more than 16 months, for killing Eric Harris. Bates is expected to serve probation for the remainder of his sentence, according to the Associated Press.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesperson Matt Elliot said that Bates earned earlier release through good behavior, not because his case was given precedence over others.
“He’s still serving his entire sentence because he’s going on probation supervision, and he’ll have to check in just like any other released inmate,” Elliott said.
Read more at The Root
Robert Bates, 76, was released from North Fork Correction Center in Sayre, Okla., Thursday morning after serving 497 days, that’s a little more than 16 months, for killing Eric Harris. Bates is expected to serve probation for the remainder of his sentence, according to the Associated Press.
Oklahoma Department of Corrections spokesperson Matt Elliot said that Bates earned earlier release through good behavior, not because his case was given precedence over others.
“He’s still serving his entire sentence because he’s going on probation supervision, and he’ll have to check in just like any other released inmate,” Elliott said.
Read more at The Root
Trump's border wall models take shape in San Diego
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The last two of eight prototypes for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall took shape Thursday at a construction site in San Diego.
The prototypes form a tightly packed row of imposing concrete and metal panels, including one with sharp metal edges on top. Another has a surface resembling an expensive brick driveway.
Companies have until Oct. 26 to finish the models but Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said the last two came into profile, with crews installing a corrugated metal surface on the eighth model on a dirt lot just a few steps from homes in Tijuana, Mexico.
As the crews worked, three men and two women from Nepal, ages 19 to 30, jumped a short rusted fence from Tijuana into the construction site and were immediately stopped by agents on horseback.
Francisco said there have been four or five other illegal crossing attempts at the site since work began Sept. 26.
The models, which cost the government up to $500,000 each, were spaced 30 feet (9.1 meters) apart. Slopes, thickness and curves vary. One has two shades of blue with white trim. The others are gray, tan or brown — in sync with the desert.
Read more at Yahoo.
The prototypes form a tightly packed row of imposing concrete and metal panels, including one with sharp metal edges on top. Another has a surface resembling an expensive brick driveway.
Companies have until Oct. 26 to finish the models but Border Patrol spokesman Theron Francisco said the last two came into profile, with crews installing a corrugated metal surface on the eighth model on a dirt lot just a few steps from homes in Tijuana, Mexico.
As the crews worked, three men and two women from Nepal, ages 19 to 30, jumped a short rusted fence from Tijuana into the construction site and were immediately stopped by agents on horseback.
Francisco said there have been four or five other illegal crossing attempts at the site since work began Sept. 26.
The models, which cost the government up to $500,000 each, were spaced 30 feet (9.1 meters) apart. Slopes, thickness and curves vary. One has two shades of blue with white trim. The others are gray, tan or brown — in sync with the desert.
Read more at Yahoo.
School District Issues Apology For Photoshopping Black Homecoming Queen's Hair To Look Brown Instead Of Purple
A school district in the Houston area recently issued an apology after an altered photo of a high school homecoming queen published to the website received much backlash.
Ebony Smith of North Shore Senior High School was crowned homecoming queen last month. However, her photo was only placed on the Galena Park ISD website last week. When Ebony saw the photo of herself, homecoming king Kasson Abdullah and Principal Joe Coleman, she noticed her hair color had been Photoshopped, reported KHOU-TV.
Ebony had purple hair for the photograph. In the image posted to the site, the teen appeared with brown hair.
"It's embarrassing," Ebony told KHOU-TV. "It wasn't even Photoshopped correctly. You can still see purple outlining. It's just very embarrassing."
According to the district’s handbook, the purple hair is unacceptable for the classroom. However, Ebony planned to dye her hair brown immediately after homecoming.
Read more at BET
Ebony Smith of North Shore Senior High School was crowned homecoming queen last month. However, her photo was only placed on the Galena Park ISD website last week. When Ebony saw the photo of herself, homecoming king Kasson Abdullah and Principal Joe Coleman, she noticed her hair color had been Photoshopped, reported KHOU-TV.
Ebony had purple hair for the photograph. In the image posted to the site, the teen appeared with brown hair.
"It's embarrassing," Ebony told KHOU-TV. "It wasn't even Photoshopped correctly. You can still see purple outlining. It's just very embarrassing."
According to the district’s handbook, the purple hair is unacceptable for the classroom. However, Ebony planned to dye her hair brown immediately after homecoming.
Read more at BET
QB Colin Kaepernick files grievance for collusion against NFL owners
Free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick has filed a grievance under the latest collective bargaining agreement against NFL owners for collusion, according to his attorney, Mark Geragos.
Kaepernick is not going through the NFL Players Association but has instead hired Geragos, who has represented several high-profile clients, including Michael Jackson, former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield and musician Chris Brown.
The filing, which demands an arbitration hearing on the matter, says the NFL and its owners "have colluded to deprive Mr. Kaepernick of employment rights in retaliation for Mr. Kaepernick's leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice and his bringing awareness to peculiar institutions still undermining racial equality in the United States."
Kaepernick's attorney sent a copy of the complaint to the NFLPA, as well as the NFL and all 32 teams. He tweeted out a statement Sunday saying he filed the grievance "only after pursuing every possible avenue with all NFL teams and their executives.''
"If the NFL (as well as all professional sports teams) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest -- which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago -- should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government," Geragos said in a statement. "Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation. Protecting all athletes from such collusive conduct is what compelled Mr. Kaepernick to file his grievance.
Read more at ESPN
Kaepernick is not going through the NFL Players Association but has instead hired Geragos, who has represented several high-profile clients, including Michael Jackson, former NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield and musician Chris Brown.
The filing, which demands an arbitration hearing on the matter, says the NFL and its owners "have colluded to deprive Mr. Kaepernick of employment rights in retaliation for Mr. Kaepernick's leadership and advocacy for equality and social justice and his bringing awareness to peculiar institutions still undermining racial equality in the United States."
Kaepernick's attorney sent a copy of the complaint to the NFLPA, as well as the NFL and all 32 teams. He tweeted out a statement Sunday saying he filed the grievance "only after pursuing every possible avenue with all NFL teams and their executives.''
"If the NFL (as well as all professional sports teams) is to remain a meritocracy, then principled and peaceful protest -- which the owners themselves made great theater imitating weeks ago -- should not be punished and athletes should not be denied employment based on partisan political provocation by the Executive Branch of our government," Geragos said in a statement. "Such a precedent threatens all patriotic Americans and harkens back to our darkest days as a nation. Protecting all athletes from such collusive conduct is what compelled Mr. Kaepernick to file his grievance.
Read more at ESPN
Nelly Rape Accuser Refuses To Testify, Halts Charges
TMZ reports:
Nelly’s attorney Scott Rosenblum tells us …the accuser’s “reckless accusation, once investigated thoroughly, was exposed for what it was-a fabrication. A fabrication that has caused Nelly and his family to suffer emotionally and financially.”
He’s not satisfied though, and says he wants a public apology from the woman, and will recommend Nelly consider taking legal action against her.
The woman’s attorney, Karen Koehler, says her client has told the Auburn PD in Washington State, and the King County D.A. to “put a halt to the criminal investigation of [Nelly]. She will not testify further in a criminal proceeding against him.”
Koehler says the young woman feels the system has failed her and she can’t stand up to a celebrity. “Who will believe her. People are saying horrible things already. She cannot handle this. She is about to break.”
Nelly’s attorney Scott Rosenblum tells us …the accuser’s “reckless accusation, once investigated thoroughly, was exposed for what it was-a fabrication. A fabrication that has caused Nelly and his family to suffer emotionally and financially.”
He’s not satisfied though, and says he wants a public apology from the woman, and will recommend Nelly consider taking legal action against her.
The woman’s attorney, Karen Koehler, says her client has told the Auburn PD in Washington State, and the King County D.A. to “put a halt to the criminal investigation of [Nelly]. She will not testify further in a criminal proceeding against him.”
Koehler says the young woman feels the system has failed her and she can’t stand up to a celebrity. “Who will believe her. People are saying horrible things already. She cannot handle this. She is about to break.”
Attorney Says This Video Is Proof DeAndre Harris Did Not Strike White Supremacist
After a Virginia magistrate issued an arrest warrant for DeAndre Harris on Monday, his attorney spoke out against the charges and provided video disputing the report.
Harris was charged with unlawful wounding in connection to the assault of white “Southern nationalist” Harold Ray Crews at the “Unite The Right” rally in Charlottesville, reported The Root. Although Crews claims he was injured by Harris, attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said his client had nothing to do with Crews injuries.
Merritt also said Harris was in the hospital receiving treatment for his own injuries during the time of the attack.
“[Crews] was struck in the head with what seemed to be a metal pipe, and he fell to the ground. He did receive those injuries, but it appeared to be from a separate attack that occurred while Deandre was in the hospital,” Merritt told The Root.
Merritt also posted video and photos which show Crews being struck in the back of his head by what appears to be a white, male, anti-fascist member who has on a disguise.
Read more and see the video at BET
Harris was charged with unlawful wounding in connection to the assault of white “Southern nationalist” Harold Ray Crews at the “Unite The Right” rally in Charlottesville, reported The Root. Although Crews claims he was injured by Harris, attorney, S. Lee Merritt, said his client had nothing to do with Crews injuries.
Merritt also said Harris was in the hospital receiving treatment for his own injuries during the time of the attack.
“[Crews] was struck in the head with what seemed to be a metal pipe, and he fell to the ground. He did receive those injuries, but it appeared to be from a separate attack that occurred while Deandre was in the hospital,” Merritt told The Root.
Merritt also posted video and photos which show Crews being struck in the back of his head by what appears to be a white, male, anti-fascist member who has on a disguise.
Read more and see the video at BET
African-American Unemployment Rate Falls to 17-year Low
The unemployment rate for African-Americans fell to a 17-year low in September, and the rates for all other major racial and ethnic groups also dropped.
The jobless rate for people in their prime working years — defined as ages 25 through 54 — fell to 3.6 percent, the lowest level since June 2007, a few months before the Great Recession began. And for Americans with only a high school diploma, unemployment fell to a 10-year low of 4.3 percent.
All told, the unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in September, from 4.4 percent in August. Employers shed 33,000 jobs, a decline driven by the damage inflicted on Texas and Florida by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Economists expect hiring should rebound in the coming months.
The data for demographic groups came from a survey of households that is part of the Labor Department's monthly jobs report.
Read more here
The jobless rate for people in their prime working years — defined as ages 25 through 54 — fell to 3.6 percent, the lowest level since June 2007, a few months before the Great Recession began. And for Americans with only a high school diploma, unemployment fell to a 10-year low of 4.3 percent.
All told, the unemployment rate fell to 4.2 percent in September, from 4.4 percent in August. Employers shed 33,000 jobs, a decline driven by the damage inflicted on Texas and Florida by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. Economists expect hiring should rebound in the coming months.
The data for demographic groups came from a survey of households that is part of the Labor Department's monthly jobs report.
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Trump's Exorbitant Travel Costs Could Pay to Send Puerto Rico 128 Cargo Ships With Aid
Donald Trump complained to Puerto Rican hurricane victims this week that their suffering is throwing his budget "out of whack," but for the same cost as the first family's exorbitant travel, the government could have sent nearly 130 cargo ships to the island, a new analysis shows.
The president and first family have reportedly spent an unprecedented $32 million on trips to Mar-a-Lago and other exclusive Trump properties across the country — so much, in fact, that the online document company FormSwift decided to convert the extravagent budget into its equivalent in humanitarian aide.
Estimating the cost of fuel and the length of the trip, the numbers-crunchers discovered that the president's estimated travel bills would equal 128 cargo ship trips from Florida to Puerto Rico. When FormSwift included the entire first family's travels, the amount of aid ships increased to 130.
Trending: White Man Used 4chan to Threaten Black Students at Howard University in 2015: DOJ
The company says it was motivated to examine the travel expenditures because of how Trump responded to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
"Trump's statement on the 'very large ocean' between the US and Puerto Rico made us interested in seeing just how difficult it is to get cargo ships of supplies to these victims," FormSwift CEO Vik Tantry told Newsweek.
A trip on a fully loaded U.S. cargo ship from Florida's ports to Puerto Rico's would cost an estimated $249,899 in fuel to make the 1,149-mile trip, according to the study.
Read more at Yahoo
The president and first family have reportedly spent an unprecedented $32 million on trips to Mar-a-Lago and other exclusive Trump properties across the country — so much, in fact, that the online document company FormSwift decided to convert the extravagent budget into its equivalent in humanitarian aide.
Estimating the cost of fuel and the length of the trip, the numbers-crunchers discovered that the president's estimated travel bills would equal 128 cargo ship trips from Florida to Puerto Rico. When FormSwift included the entire first family's travels, the amount of aid ships increased to 130.
Trending: White Man Used 4chan to Threaten Black Students at Howard University in 2015: DOJ
The company says it was motivated to examine the travel expenditures because of how Trump responded to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
"Trump's statement on the 'very large ocean' between the US and Puerto Rico made us interested in seeing just how difficult it is to get cargo ships of supplies to these victims," FormSwift CEO Vik Tantry told Newsweek.
A trip on a fully loaded U.S. cargo ship from Florida's ports to Puerto Rico's would cost an estimated $249,899 in fuel to make the 1,149-mile trip, according to the study.
Read more at Yahoo
Cam Newton apologizes for sexist remark made to female reporter
(CNN)Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton said the "joke is on me" as he apologized for a sexist remark he made to a female reporter.
The 28-year-old has lost a sponsor, been condemned by the NFL and attracted intense criticism from around the world for the comments he made at a news conference Wednesday when a reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Charlotte Observer, asked the player about the passing routes of receiver Devin Funchess.
"It's funny to hear a female talk about routes," was Newton reply, laughing and smiling before repeating that it was "funny."
Rodrigue said later on Twitter: "I don't think it's 'funny' to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job."
One of Newton's sponsors Oikos yogurt said Thursday in a statement that it was "shocked and disheartened" by the quarterback's behavior and would no longer be working with him, while the NFL said Newton's comments were "plain wrong and disrespectful."
In a video posted on his Twitter account, Newton -- the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 400 yards on his debut -- addressed his comments, describing his choice of words as "extremely degrading and disrespectful."
"I'm a man who tries to be a positive role model to my community and tries to use my platform to inspire others. I take ownership everything that comes with that," said Newton, who in 2015 signed a contract extension worth more than $100 million with the Panthers.
"What I did was extremely unacceptable. I'm a father to two beautiful daughters and, at their age, I try to instil in them that they can do an be anything that they want to be.
Read more at CNN
The 28-year-old has lost a sponsor, been condemned by the NFL and attracted intense criticism from around the world for the comments he made at a news conference Wednesday when a reporter, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Charlotte Observer, asked the player about the passing routes of receiver Devin Funchess.
"It's funny to hear a female talk about routes," was Newton reply, laughing and smiling before repeating that it was "funny."
Rodrigue said later on Twitter: "I don't think it's 'funny' to be a female and talk about routes. I think it's my job."
One of Newton's sponsors Oikos yogurt said Thursday in a statement that it was "shocked and disheartened" by the quarterback's behavior and would no longer be working with him, while the NFL said Newton's comments were "plain wrong and disrespectful."
In a video posted on his Twitter account, Newton -- the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for more than 400 yards on his debut -- addressed his comments, describing his choice of words as "extremely degrading and disrespectful."
"I'm a man who tries to be a positive role model to my community and tries to use my platform to inspire others. I take ownership everything that comes with that," said Newton, who in 2015 signed a contract extension worth more than $100 million with the Panthers.
"What I did was extremely unacceptable. I'm a father to two beautiful daughters and, at their age, I try to instil in them that they can do an be anything that they want to be.
Read more at CNN
‘Rush Hour 4’ On The Way, Under One Condition!
It’s been over 10 years since Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker joined forces for the hit Rush Hour franchise, and according to Chan, the pair may be reuniting for a fourth installment.
The martial arts pro said scripts for both Karate Kid and Rush Hour sequels were lacking, but the latter’s latest draft has everyone excited.
“There was supposed to be a Karate Kid 2, but the script isn’t right. Several years later, they want to do it and I say, ‘You still want to do Karate Kid? No, Karate Men.‘ They’re taller than me now,” he shared on Power 106.
He added, “Rush Hour you can do any time … Next year! For the last seven years, we’ve been turning down the script, turning down the script. Yesterday, we just agreed. The script, probably at the end of this month, will have a second draft and next year, [we’ll] probably start.”
Read more at Ebony
The martial arts pro said scripts for both Karate Kid and Rush Hour sequels were lacking, but the latter’s latest draft has everyone excited.
“There was supposed to be a Karate Kid 2, but the script isn’t right. Several years later, they want to do it and I say, ‘You still want to do Karate Kid? No, Karate Men.‘ They’re taller than me now,” he shared on Power 106.
He added, “Rush Hour you can do any time … Next year! For the last seven years, we’ve been turning down the script, turning down the script. Yesterday, we just agreed. The script, probably at the end of this month, will have a second draft and next year, [we’ll] probably start.”
Read more at Ebony
Las Vegas Shooting: 50 Killed and 406 Hurt Near Mandalay Bay
A lone gunman released a rapid-fire barrage of bullets from a 32nd-floor Las Vegas hotel room late Sunday, killing at least 50 people and injuring more than 400 others at an outdoor country music festival, police said.
It was the worst mass shooting in modern American history.
The shooter, who was identified by law enforcement officials as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, fired shot after shot from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino down on the crowd of about 22,000, sending terrified concertgoers running for their lives.
“We heard what sounded like firecrackers going off. Then all of a sudden we heard what sounded like a machine gun. People started screaming that they were hit," witness Meghan Kearney told MSNBC. "When we started running out, there were probably a couple hundred [people] on the ground.
She added: "People kept dropping and dropping … People were getting shot one foot away from us. People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot, too.”
Police responded to reports of the shooting just after 10 p.m. (1 a.m. ET). Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters Monday morning that authorities believe Paddock killed himself before police entered his room.
Earlier, officials had said police fatally shot Paddock.
The suspect is believed to have checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sept. 28, Lombardo said, and had an "excess of ten rifles" in his hotel room.
Read more at MSNBC
It was the worst mass shooting in modern American history.
The shooter, who was identified by law enforcement officials as Stephen Craig Paddock, 64, of Mesquite, Nevada, fired shot after shot from the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino down on the crowd of about 22,000, sending terrified concertgoers running for their lives.
“We heard what sounded like firecrackers going off. Then all of a sudden we heard what sounded like a machine gun. People started screaming that they were hit," witness Meghan Kearney told MSNBC. "When we started running out, there were probably a couple hundred [people] on the ground.
She added: "People kept dropping and dropping … People were getting shot one foot away from us. People were trying to save their friends. There were gunshots everywhere. Helping them would’ve meant that we got shot, too.”
Police responded to reports of the shooting just after 10 p.m. (1 a.m. ET). Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Sheriff Joseph Lombardo told reporters Monday morning that authorities believe Paddock killed himself before police entered his room.
Earlier, officials had said police fatally shot Paddock.
The suspect is believed to have checked into the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on Sept. 28, Lombardo said, and had an "excess of ten rifles" in his hotel room.
Read more at MSNBC
Now even money is running out in hurricane-hit Puerto Rico
The aftermath of the powerful storm has resulted in a near-total shutdown of the U.S. territory's economy that could last for weeks and has many people running seriously low on cash and worrying that it will become even harder to survive on this storm-ravaged island.
There are long lines at the banks that are open with reduced hours or the scattered ATMs that are operational amid an islandwide power outage and near total loss of telecommunications. Many people are unable to work or run their businesses because diesel to run generators is in short supply or they can't spend all day waiting for gas to fill their car.
Engineer Octavio Cortes predicts it will only get worse because so many of the problems are inter-connected and cannot be easily resolved.
"I don't know how much worse it's going to get," Cortes said as he joined other motorists stopping on a bridge over a river in northern Puerto Rico to catch a faint cellphone signal. "Right now it's manageable, but I don't know about next week or after that."
The father of six typically works from home or travels around the world for his job, but neither approach is possible now because the power is still out for nearly all 3.4 million people in Puerto Rico and flights off the island are down to only a few each day.
While Cortes is OK for the moment, others don't have nearly the same resources.
Read more at Yahoo.
There are long lines at the banks that are open with reduced hours or the scattered ATMs that are operational amid an islandwide power outage and near total loss of telecommunications. Many people are unable to work or run their businesses because diesel to run generators is in short supply or they can't spend all day waiting for gas to fill their car.
Engineer Octavio Cortes predicts it will only get worse because so many of the problems are inter-connected and cannot be easily resolved.
"I don't know how much worse it's going to get," Cortes said as he joined other motorists stopping on a bridge over a river in northern Puerto Rico to catch a faint cellphone signal. "Right now it's manageable, but I don't know about next week or after that."
The father of six typically works from home or travels around the world for his job, but neither approach is possible now because the power is still out for nearly all 3.4 million people in Puerto Rico and flights off the island are down to only a few each day.
While Cortes is OK for the moment, others don't have nearly the same resources.
Read more at Yahoo.
Missouri bar owner creates offensive doormat using Marshawn Lynch, Colin Kaepernick jerseys
A Missouri bar owner taped two NFL jerseys side-by-side on the ground for his customers to use as a doormat outside his establishment's front door.
The jerseys' side-by-side display -- Marshawn Lynch's Oakland Raiders jersey and Colin Kaepernick's San Francisco 49ers jersey -- together read "Lynch" "Kaepernick."
Jason Burle, owner of the Lake of the Ozarks S.N.A.F.U. Bar, told KOMU-TV that "it's not a race thing." He later rearranged the jerseys so that Kaepernick's was placed before Lynch's.
A call to Burle by USA TODAY Sports went unanswered.
Burle, who said he is an Air Force veteran, told the TV station he ordered both jerseys to be used as doormats after NFL players started kneeling during the national anthem.
“I commend (NFL players) for what they’re doing, as far as the right (to protest) goes," Burle said. "I fought for that right. The same thing that gives them that right gives me the right to place these (jersey-concocted doormats) out here.”
Read more at USA Today
The jerseys' side-by-side display -- Marshawn Lynch's Oakland Raiders jersey and Colin Kaepernick's San Francisco 49ers jersey -- together read "Lynch" "Kaepernick."
Jason Burle, owner of the Lake of the Ozarks S.N.A.F.U. Bar, told KOMU-TV that "it's not a race thing." He later rearranged the jerseys so that Kaepernick's was placed before Lynch's.
A call to Burle by USA TODAY Sports went unanswered.
Burle, who said he is an Air Force veteran, told the TV station he ordered both jerseys to be used as doormats after NFL players started kneeling during the national anthem.
“I commend (NFL players) for what they’re doing, as far as the right (to protest) goes," Burle said. "I fought for that right. The same thing that gives them that right gives me the right to place these (jersey-concocted doormats) out here.”
Read more at USA Today
O.J. Simpson Could Be Released On Parole As Early As Monday
The "Juice" is about to be loose. A little over two months since the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners voted to grant O.J. Simpson parole, the Associated Press is reporting that he will tentatively be released as early as Monday.
According to the AP, there's a plan for Simpson, 70, to be released from a facility near Las Vegas as early as Monday, although a Nevada Department of Corrections spokesperson, Brooke Keast, told the news organization yesterday that documents haven't been finalized for his release just yet.
Simpson is still at Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada, but Keast told the AP that he would be transferred to High Desert State Prison near Vegas for purposes of his release.
When Simpson was granted parole in July, Nevada's parole board set October 1 as his eligible parole date. Since that falls on a Sunday, Monday would be the first business day in which Simpson could be released, according to the AP.
Read more at BET
Video: Cornell Student ‘Bloodied Up’ in alleged Racially Motivated Attack
Cornell University’s campus has been tense lately. A little less than two weeks ago, someone took to the grounds near the school’s Latino Living Center to chant, “Build a wall, build a wall.”
Now, the university’s student population is reeling after a White student was arrested in connection with an assault of a Black student in front of his residence.
According to the Huffington Post, hundreds of students recently gathered in protest of the racial climate, prompting the university’s president to establish an anti-bigotry task force.
“I will not tell you this is not who we are, as the events of the past few weeks belie that,” Cornell President Martha Pollack wrote in a statement earlier this week. “But it is absolutely not who we want to be.”
John Greenwood, 19, was arrested Friday in connection with the assault and was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault in the off-campus beating of the African-American student.
Read more at EBONY
Now, the university’s student population is reeling after a White student was arrested in connection with an assault of a Black student in front of his residence.
According to the Huffington Post, hundreds of students recently gathered in protest of the racial climate, prompting the university’s president to establish an anti-bigotry task force.
“I will not tell you this is not who we are, as the events of the past few weeks belie that,” Cornell President Martha Pollack wrote in a statement earlier this week. “But it is absolutely not who we want to be.”
John Greenwood, 19, was arrested Friday in connection with the assault and was charged with misdemeanor third-degree assault in the off-campus beating of the African-American student.
Read more at EBONY
13 dead, hundreds rescued after Hurricane Maria pummels Puerto Rico
San Juan (AFP) - Puerto Rico was on Friday battling dangerous flooding after Hurricane Maria ravaged the island, as the death toll there jumped to 13 and authorities rescued nearly 700 people from high waters.
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called Maria the most devastating storm in a century after it destroyed the US territory's electricity and telecommunications infrastructure.
"Part of the island is lacking communications so what we have are some preliminary assessments about 13 deaths at this juncture," he told CNN early Friday.
"We're 24 hours post-hurricane warning and right now our efforts are to make sure we have everybody safe, that we can rescue people. Our efforts have already produced almost 700 rescues so we're clearly focused on that."
The National Hurricane Center said some areas in Puerto Rico could see 40 inches (more than a meter) of rain from Maria, and Rossello warned of dangerous mudslides brought on by the deluge.
"We have a lot of flooding, we have reports of complete devastation of vulnerable housing. Of course it's still raining over here."
Maria was blamed for at least 33 deaths, including 15 in Dominica, three in Haiti and two in Guadeloupe.
"Puerto Rico is absolutely obliterated," US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday after declaring the territory of 3.4 million people a disaster area, a move that will free up emergency relief funding.
"Puerto Rico is in a very, very, very tough shape," he said.
- 'Worst night of our lives' -
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello called Maria the most devastating storm in a century after it destroyed the US territory's electricity and telecommunications infrastructure.
"Part of the island is lacking communications so what we have are some preliminary assessments about 13 deaths at this juncture," he told CNN early Friday.
"We're 24 hours post-hurricane warning and right now our efforts are to make sure we have everybody safe, that we can rescue people. Our efforts have already produced almost 700 rescues so we're clearly focused on that."
The National Hurricane Center said some areas in Puerto Rico could see 40 inches (more than a meter) of rain from Maria, and Rossello warned of dangerous mudslides brought on by the deluge.
"We have a lot of flooding, we have reports of complete devastation of vulnerable housing. Of course it's still raining over here."
Maria was blamed for at least 33 deaths, including 15 in Dominica, three in Haiti and two in Guadeloupe.
"Puerto Rico is absolutely obliterated," US President Donald Trump told reporters on Thursday after declaring the territory of 3.4 million people a disaster area, a move that will free up emergency relief funding.
"Puerto Rico is in a very, very, very tough shape," he said.
- 'Worst night of our lives' -
Suge Knight Thinks Tupac Shakur May Be Alive
Fox is hitting everyone with its new Who Shot Biggie and Tupac? special this Sunday. The two-hour event, which promises a closer look at the unsolved murders of two of music's most influential artists, is hosted by Ice-T and Soledad O'Brien and will most assuredly set the timeline on fire. Ahead of this weekend's premiere, TMZ dropped an exclusive clip Thursday featuring Suge Knight and some pretty outlandish claims.
"When Pac died, if he really did, you know?" Knight, calling in from jail in L.A. county, tells the hosts in the brief clip. "I mean, when I left that hospital, me and Pac was laughing and joking. So I don't see how somebody can turn from doing well to doing bad." Asked by O'Brien if he was saying he seriously thought 2Pac might still be alive, Knight claimed that was somehow a possibility. "I'm gonna tell you that, with Pac, you never know," he says.
These comments, of course, are a direct contradiction to Knight's previous claims of knowing who killed 2Pac. Back in April, a signed affidavit from attorney Thaddeus Culpepper revealed that Knight thought his ex-wife Sharitha and former Death Row security boss Reggie Wright, Jr. were behind the 1996 killing, adding that they were actually hoping to take down Knight, not 2Pac.
Read more at Yahoo
"When Pac died, if he really did, you know?" Knight, calling in from jail in L.A. county, tells the hosts in the brief clip. "I mean, when I left that hospital, me and Pac was laughing and joking. So I don't see how somebody can turn from doing well to doing bad." Asked by O'Brien if he was saying he seriously thought 2Pac might still be alive, Knight claimed that was somehow a possibility. "I'm gonna tell you that, with Pac, you never know," he says.
These comments, of course, are a direct contradiction to Knight's previous claims of knowing who killed 2Pac. Back in April, a signed affidavit from attorney Thaddeus Culpepper revealed that Knight thought his ex-wife Sharitha and former Death Row security boss Reggie Wright, Jr. were behind the 1996 killing, adding that they were actually hoping to take down Knight, not 2Pac.
Read more at Yahoo
123 arrested in St. Louis in 3rd night of protests over ex-cop's acquittal
As St. Louis braces for a fourth night of demonstrations, the final arrest total in the city from the protest that began on Sunday night over last week’s acquittal of a former police officer involved in a 2011 shooting of a black motorist rose to 123 people, the city’s police said Monday evening.
After three nights of protests, more than 160 people have now been now arrested, as police have been aggressively arresting more people to curb property destruction and police assaults.
The protests began peacefully on Friday after St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson found Jason Stockley, 36, not guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. On Dec. 20, 2011, the then-police officer shot 24-year-old Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase and crash.
Police said the demonstrations were “no longer peaceful” as of late Saturday night, and five weapons were confiscated, according to the St. Louis Police Department. At least 32 people were arrested earlier in the weekend as demonstrators blocked highways, damaged property and threw rocks at the mayor's house and bricks at police officers, police said.
“People setting out do damage are being arrested and these criminals we've arrested should be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” St. Louis Interim Police Chief Lawrence O’Toole said in a early-morning briefing on Monday.
“We're in control. This is our city and we're going to protect it,” he added.
Read more at Yahoo
After three nights of protests, more than 160 people have now been now arrested, as police have been aggressively arresting more people to curb property destruction and police assaults.
The protests began peacefully on Friday after St. Louis Circuit Judge Timothy Wilson found Jason Stockley, 36, not guilty of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. On Dec. 20, 2011, the then-police officer shot 24-year-old Lamar Smith five times after a high-speed chase and crash.
Police said the demonstrations were “no longer peaceful” as of late Saturday night, and five weapons were confiscated, according to the St. Louis Police Department. At least 32 people were arrested earlier in the weekend as demonstrators blocked highways, damaged property and threw rocks at the mayor's house and bricks at police officers, police said.
“People setting out do damage are being arrested and these criminals we've arrested should be held accountable and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” St. Louis Interim Police Chief Lawrence O’Toole said in a early-morning briefing on Monday.
“We're in control. This is our city and we're going to protect it,” he added.
Read more at Yahoo
Whites Have Huge Wealth Edge Over Blacks (but Don’t Know It)
Psychologists at Yale recently asked hundreds of Americans these two questions:
For every $100 earned by an average white family, how much do you think is earned by an average black family?
For every $100 in wealth accumulated by an average white family, how much wealth has the average black family accumulated?
The Yale researchers suspected that many people would not get the answers right.
“I’m a person who studies inequality, who should really know how inequality looks,” said one of the psychologists, Michael Kraus, who researches the behaviors and beliefs that help perpetuate inequality. “And I look at the black-white gap, and I’m shocked at the magnitude.”
Black families in America earn just $57.30 for every $100 in income earned by white families, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. For every $100 in white family wealth, black families hold just $5.04.
If Mr. Kraus, of all people, is taken aback by these numbers, what are the odds that most Americans have a good understanding of them? The answer, he and his colleagues fear, has broad implications for how we understand our society and what we’re willing to do to make it fairer.
Americans, and higher-income whites in particular, vastly overestimate progress toward economic equality between blacks and whites, the psychologists reported Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Americans believe that blacks and whites are more equal today than they truly are on measures of income, wealth, wages and health benefits. And they believe more historical progress has occurred than is the case, suggesting “a profound misperception of and unfounded optimism” regarding racial equality.
Read more at NY Times
For every $100 earned by an average white family, how much do you think is earned by an average black family?
For every $100 in wealth accumulated by an average white family, how much wealth has the average black family accumulated?
The Yale researchers suspected that many people would not get the answers right.
“I’m a person who studies inequality, who should really know how inequality looks,” said one of the psychologists, Michael Kraus, who researches the behaviors and beliefs that help perpetuate inequality. “And I look at the black-white gap, and I’m shocked at the magnitude.”
Black families in America earn just $57.30 for every $100 in income earned by white families, according to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey. For every $100 in white family wealth, black families hold just $5.04.
If Mr. Kraus, of all people, is taken aback by these numbers, what are the odds that most Americans have a good understanding of them? The answer, he and his colleagues fear, has broad implications for how we understand our society and what we’re willing to do to make it fairer.
Americans, and higher-income whites in particular, vastly overestimate progress toward economic equality between blacks and whites, the psychologists reported Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Americans believe that blacks and whites are more equal today than they truly are on measures of income, wealth, wages and health benefits. And they believe more historical progress has occurred than is the case, suggesting “a profound misperception of and unfounded optimism” regarding racial equality.
Read more at NY Times
White House Calls Jemele Hill's Trump Comment A "Fireable Offense'
Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Hill's remarks were "outrageous."
According to The Washington Post, Sanders told reporters, "That's one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN."
On Monday, Hill issued a series of tweets in which she stated, "Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists."
The network quickly came under fire with many believing ESPN had decided to take a conservative approach to Trump's presidency.
Read more at Essence
According to The Washington Post, Sanders told reporters, "That's one of the more outrageous comments that anyone could make and certainly something that I think is a fireable offense by ESPN."
On Monday, Hill issued a series of tweets in which she stated, "Donald Trump is a white supremacist who has largely surrounded himself w/ other white supremacists."
The network quickly came under fire with many believing ESPN had decided to take a conservative approach to Trump's presidency.
Read more at Essence
Police: 12 people "involved in some way" in death of Kenneka Jenkins
CHICAGO -- Police investigating the death of a teen whose body was found in a hotel freezer say they have interviewed 12 people who were "involved in some way."
Kenneka Jenkins, 19, was found dead in a walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois, at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. She had been reported missing by family members about 24 hours before.
After mounting public pressure, police on Wednesday released a statement on the status of their investigation. The Rosemont Public Safety Department said police are conducting "an active death investigation" and detectives have been in daily contact with Tereasa Martin, Jenkins' mother.
Dozens of protesters demanded police provide more information about Jenkins' death on Wednesday, CBS Chicago reports.
Police are analyzing video from 47 hotel cameras as well as "certain videos related to this investigation." On Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reported that police are examining a Facebook Live video that appeared to show Jenkins sitting on a hotel bed with other people in a 9th-floor room.
Police have "located and interviewed" 12 people as part of the investigation, the department said, eight of whom were at the hotel Friday night or early Saturday morning. Police are trying to locate and interview four others who were present that night.
Read more at CBS
Kenneka Jenkins, 19, was found dead in a walk-in freezer at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel & Conference Center in Rosemont, Illinois, at about 12:30 a.m. Sunday. She had been reported missing by family members about 24 hours before.
After mounting public pressure, police on Wednesday released a statement on the status of their investigation. The Rosemont Public Safety Department said police are conducting "an active death investigation" and detectives have been in daily contact with Tereasa Martin, Jenkins' mother.
Dozens of protesters demanded police provide more information about Jenkins' death on Wednesday, CBS Chicago reports.
Police are analyzing video from 47 hotel cameras as well as "certain videos related to this investigation." On Wednesday, the Chicago Tribune reported that police are examining a Facebook Live video that appeared to show Jenkins sitting on a hotel bed with other people in a 9th-floor room.
Police have "located and interviewed" 12 people as part of the investigation, the department said, eight of whom were at the hotel Friday night or early Saturday morning. Police are trying to locate and interview four others who were present that night.
Read more at CBS
Irate Mother Stabs Boyfriend 6 Times After Finding Him Naked On Top Of Her 12-Year-Old Daughter
Police in Cleveland are investigating a possible rape case after a woman repeatedly stabbed her boyfriend when she found him naked on top of her 12-year-old daughter, according to police records.
According to Cleveland.com, neither the woman nor man has yet been charged in connection with the incident.
Police were called to the home of the woman around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. When police arrived, she the unidentified woman came outside and said that "her boyfriend tried touching her daughter and she stabbed him."
The 31-year-old unidentified man was stabbed five times in his chest and once in the back of his head, according to a police report. He was treated at MetroHealth.
While talking with police, the man said his girlfriend may have attacked him because she thought her unnamed daughter had feelings for him. However, both the woman and her daughter told police an entirely different story.
The woman told police that she was headed to bed when she spotted the man naked on top of the girl, the report says.
"In a fit of rage, [she] grabbed her pocket knife and attacked him," the police report says.
Read more at BET
According to Cleveland.com, neither the woman nor man has yet been charged in connection with the incident.
Police were called to the home of the woman around 2:30 a.m. on Tuesday. When police arrived, she the unidentified woman came outside and said that "her boyfriend tried touching her daughter and she stabbed him."
The 31-year-old unidentified man was stabbed five times in his chest and once in the back of his head, according to a police report. He was treated at MetroHealth.
While talking with police, the man said his girlfriend may have attacked him because she thought her unnamed daughter had feelings for him. However, both the woman and her daughter told police an entirely different story.
The woman told police that she was headed to bed when she spotted the man naked on top of the girl, the report says.
"In a fit of rage, [she] grabbed her pocket knife and attacked him," the police report says.
Read more at BET
Detroits Lions Ban Racist Fan From Stadium
A Lions fan who recently posted a Snapchat video of two black fans who sat for the national anthem during the Lions’ home opener with the caption “ignorant niggers” has relinquished his season tickets, per the Detroit News.
The Lions began an investigation into the incident after an image from the video went viral, and after identifying the fan, banned him from games at Ford Field. Realistically, stadium bans are unenforceable, but ostensibly this means he will not be able to purchase tickets directly from the Lions under his real name.
When asked about the Lions’ handling of the incident, head coach Jim Caldwell told the Detroit News:
We do have a fan behavior standard, a code of standards, and I think, without question, our organization followed up, found out who the individual was and he no longer has season tickets in our stadium. I think it was handled appropriately, and those things happen sometimes.
Read more at Deadspin
The Lions began an investigation into the incident after an image from the video went viral, and after identifying the fan, banned him from games at Ford Field. Realistically, stadium bans are unenforceable, but ostensibly this means he will not be able to purchase tickets directly from the Lions under his real name.
When asked about the Lions’ handling of the incident, head coach Jim Caldwell told the Detroit News:
We do have a fan behavior standard, a code of standards, and I think, without question, our organization followed up, found out who the individual was and he no longer has season tickets in our stadium. I think it was handled appropriately, and those things happen sometimes.
Read more at Deadspin
Michael Bennett Sr. Speaks Out After His Son's Detainment: "This Is Why You're Kneeling"
The phone at the Bennett residence rang at 4:30 on the morning of Sunday Aug. 27, resounding through the house like an alarm bell. Michael Bennett Sr. had been asleep beside his wife, Pennie, when he was jarred out of his dreams and into a nightmare. He knows that when the phone rings in the middle of the night, something bad has happened.
“You don’t want to answer the phone because you don’t want to find out [what happened], but you know you got to,” Michael Sr. says. “So I answered it. And it was Michael.”
A few hours earlier, Michael Sr. and Pennie were watching the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor at a friend’s house near their home in Katy, Texas. Their son, Michael Jr., a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks, was in Las Vegas, watching the fight ringside. His parents’ biggest worry at the time was whether or not they would be able to drive back to their house that night—parts of Houston were already under water as a result of the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. But they made it home, and a few hours later received a phone call.
“Dad,” Michael said, his voice audibly shaking through the phone’s speaker. “I need to tell you what just happened…”
Michael Jr. would go on to tell his father what he would tell the public a week and a half later, in a tweet he sent at 10:01 a.m. on Wednesday morning. How, as he was leaving the fight in Las Vegas, he heard what sounded like gunshots and, like dozens of people around him, fled the area. How a group of police officers pointed their guns at him “for doing nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time.” How they ordered him to the ground, how he complied with their commands to not move, how one officer put a gun near his head and told him he’d “blow his f***ing head off,” and how another jammed a knee into his back. How they cinched handcuffs on him so tight his fingers went numb. How all he could think about was his kids and his wife, and how he thought he was going to die for no other reason than for being black.
Read more at Yahoo.
“You don’t want to answer the phone because you don’t want to find out [what happened], but you know you got to,” Michael Sr. says. “So I answered it. And it was Michael.”
A few hours earlier, Michael Sr. and Pennie were watching the fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor at a friend’s house near their home in Katy, Texas. Their son, Michael Jr., a defensive end for the Seattle Seahawks, was in Las Vegas, watching the fight ringside. His parents’ biggest worry at the time was whether or not they would be able to drive back to their house that night—parts of Houston were already under water as a result of the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. But they made it home, and a few hours later received a phone call.
“Dad,” Michael said, his voice audibly shaking through the phone’s speaker. “I need to tell you what just happened…”
Michael Jr. would go on to tell his father what he would tell the public a week and a half later, in a tweet he sent at 10:01 a.m. on Wednesday morning. How, as he was leaving the fight in Las Vegas, he heard what sounded like gunshots and, like dozens of people around him, fled the area. How a group of police officers pointed their guns at him “for doing nothing more than simply being a black man in the wrong place at the wrong time.” How they ordered him to the ground, how he complied with their commands to not move, how one officer put a gun near his head and told him he’d “blow his f***ing head off,” and how another jammed a knee into his back. How they cinched handcuffs on him so tight his fingers went numb. How all he could think about was his kids and his wife, and how he thought he was going to die for no other reason than for being black.
Read more at Yahoo.
Boardroom Power: Blacks on the Board of Directors
This year we’ve expanded the universe of companies from the top 300 companies listed on the Standard & Poor’s 500 to the full S&P 500 to gain a more complete picture of corporate America’s performance when it to comes to diversity at the highest level.
So why should you or the average person care about the 292 blacks sitting on the board of directors of 303 companies? Or about the 197 companies who have boards without a single black director?
The answer is simple: The decisions made in these boardrooms affect us all. Based on the guidance these directors provide to CEOs and senior management, the entire black community stands to gain—or lose.
The power of the board of directors
The role of the corporate director is ensuring the creation of shareholder value, and their impact—specifically when it comes to diversity—has traditionally focused on three areas: people, procurement, and philanthropy.
People is about employees and managers; boards have a say in the policies that determine which people companies choose to hire, train, promote, and fire.
Procurement is focused on suppliers; boards have oversight of corporate expenditures which includes guidelines that determine which businesses will provide services ranging from major construction projects to asset management.
And philanthropy is about corporate giving; boards have a large say in what causes companies support.
So if you care about jobs for African Americans, contracting opportunities for black-owned businesses, or the allocation of dollars to support nonprofit organizations in our communities, then you must care about diversity on the board of directors.
“Companies in the Fortune 500 spend trillions of dollars buying goods and services. What we want to do is influence those companies to spend those dollars with black-owned companies,” explains Bruce Gordon, who joined the board of directors of CBS Corp. in 2006.
“Companies also spend billions of dollars in communities around a whole range of philanthropic issues. Think of our arts institutions. Think of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture—one of the most important cultural projects in the history of our country. I know for a fact that directors across the country, particularly African American directors, were influential in getting their companies to support the construction of that institution.”
“Having an African American at the table means they can influence policy. If we use our voices appropriately, then our communities are the beneficiaries of what we do,” Gordon continues. “People need to understand how important this is. Our people in our community should care about that.”
Read more at Black Enterprise
So why should you or the average person care about the 292 blacks sitting on the board of directors of 303 companies? Or about the 197 companies who have boards without a single black director?
The answer is simple: The decisions made in these boardrooms affect us all. Based on the guidance these directors provide to CEOs and senior management, the entire black community stands to gain—or lose.
The power of the board of directors
The role of the corporate director is ensuring the creation of shareholder value, and their impact—specifically when it comes to diversity—has traditionally focused on three areas: people, procurement, and philanthropy.
People is about employees and managers; boards have a say in the policies that determine which people companies choose to hire, train, promote, and fire.
Procurement is focused on suppliers; boards have oversight of corporate expenditures which includes guidelines that determine which businesses will provide services ranging from major construction projects to asset management.
And philanthropy is about corporate giving; boards have a large say in what causes companies support.
So if you care about jobs for African Americans, contracting opportunities for black-owned businesses, or the allocation of dollars to support nonprofit organizations in our communities, then you must care about diversity on the board of directors.
“Companies in the Fortune 500 spend trillions of dollars buying goods and services. What we want to do is influence those companies to spend those dollars with black-owned companies,” explains Bruce Gordon, who joined the board of directors of CBS Corp. in 2006.
“Companies also spend billions of dollars in communities around a whole range of philanthropic issues. Think of our arts institutions. Think of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture—one of the most important cultural projects in the history of our country. I know for a fact that directors across the country, particularly African American directors, were influential in getting their companies to support the construction of that institution.”
“Having an African American at the table means they can influence policy. If we use our voices appropriately, then our communities are the beneficiaries of what we do,” Gordon continues. “People need to understand how important this is. Our people in our community should care about that.”
Read more at Black Enterprise
Hurricane Harvey: What Happened and What’s Next
Overwhelmed by the news from Texas since Hurricane Harvey made landfall? Here is an overview of coverage by The New York Times that will be updated as events continue.
The latest can be found in Tuesday’s live storm briefing.
What’s happening on the ground
At least 13 people are dead, with many more injured, as parts of the Houston area were inundated with more than 40 inches of rain, according to forecasters. They say totals could reach 50 inches as rainfall continues through Wednesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, calling the storm “one of the largest disasters America has ever faced,” said the region would not recover anytime soon.
Some residents struggled with whether to stay in their homes, after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner made the difficult decision not to issue a mandatory evacuation order.
Houston’s hospitals struggled to treat victims and the upheaval closed schools across Texas. The brutal storm also put the brakes on the area’s recent economic upswing.
Here is a map showing how long it took for 50 inches of rain to fall in your area and here are some of the most powerful photos of the devastation. If you can do so safely, please share your own photos and videos here, or leave us a voicemail message. Listen to Tuesday’s episode of “The Daily” podcast to hear from some people who fled the storm.
Read more at NY Times
The latest can be found in Tuesday’s live storm briefing.
What’s happening on the ground
At least 13 people are dead, with many more injured, as parts of the Houston area were inundated with more than 40 inches of rain, according to forecasters. They say totals could reach 50 inches as rainfall continues through Wednesday.
Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas, calling the storm “one of the largest disasters America has ever faced,” said the region would not recover anytime soon.
Some residents struggled with whether to stay in their homes, after Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner made the difficult decision not to issue a mandatory evacuation order.
Houston’s hospitals struggled to treat victims and the upheaval closed schools across Texas. The brutal storm also put the brakes on the area’s recent economic upswing.
Here is a map showing how long it took for 50 inches of rain to fall in your area and here are some of the most powerful photos of the devastation. If you can do so safely, please share your own photos and videos here, or leave us a voicemail message. Listen to Tuesday’s episode of “The Daily” podcast to hear from some people who fled the storm.
Read more at NY Times
Chicago Cop Found Guilty Of Shooting Two Black Teens In 16-Bullet Barrage
(Hip Hop Wired) Marco Proano, an officer with the Chicago Police Department, was found guilty of using excessive force in a 2013 shooting where he shot his service weapon 16 times and wounded two Black teenagers. Proano maintained that he was doing his job in trying to curtail a car theft in the city’s notorious South Side neighborhood but jurors saw a police officer using his authority in a criminal manner.
Chicago Tribune reports:
In an unprecedented verdict, the jury deliberated about four hours before convicting Proano of two felony counts of using excessive force in violating the victims’ civil rights. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each count but likely will get far less because he has no prior criminal history.
Dressed in a dark gray suit and glasses, the 11-year veteran kept his hands clasped in front of him on the defense table and showed no emotion as the verdict was announced in U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman’s hushed courtroom.
Feinerman scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20. But federal prosecutors indicated they will seek next week to detain Proano as a danger to the community.
Proano is the first Chicago cop in memory to be convicted in federal court of criminal charges stemming from an on-duty shooting. He also was the first officer to go to trial in any shooting case since the court-ordered release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video in November 2015 sparked heated protests, political turmoil and promises of systemic change from Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Proano, 42, might also lose his job if the Chicago Police Department has their way.
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Photo: CPD screen capture
Chicago Tribune reports:
In an unprecedented verdict, the jury deliberated about four hours before convicting Proano of two felony counts of using excessive force in violating the victims’ civil rights. He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison on each count but likely will get far less because he has no prior criminal history.
Dressed in a dark gray suit and glasses, the 11-year veteran kept his hands clasped in front of him on the defense table and showed no emotion as the verdict was announced in U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman’s hushed courtroom.
Feinerman scheduled sentencing for Nov. 20. But federal prosecutors indicated they will seek next week to detain Proano as a danger to the community.
Proano is the first Chicago cop in memory to be convicted in federal court of criminal charges stemming from an on-duty shooting. He also was the first officer to go to trial in any shooting case since the court-ordered release of the Laquan McDonald shooting video in November 2015 sparked heated protests, political turmoil and promises of systemic change from Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
Proano, 42, might also lose his job if the Chicago Police Department has their way.
--
Photo: CPD screen capture
Next rally for Colin Kaepernick plans to deliver message to NFL's doorstep
NEW YORK – On Wednesday, the NFL will come face to face with the storyline that has come to define it over the past six months. The “United We Stand” rally for Colin Kaepernick – organized by nearly two dozen activists and organizations in New York – will occur right on Roger Goodell’s doorstep, and the unemployed quarterback’s message will be front and center at NFL headquarters in Midtown Manhattan.
The rally comes on the heels of an event this past weekend, where dozens of current and retired NYPD officers gathered across the East River in Brooklyn to show support for Kaepernick, whose silent protest of the “Star-Spangled Banner” became a topic of national discussion last season.
“I think [Kaepernick’s message is] important for this nation,” New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams told Yahoo Sports. “Kaepernick was trying to bring this to everyone’s attention and now you can’t ignore it. If folks had done this before, we’d be in a different position.”
Williams, who donned a Kaepernick jersey at Saturday’s event and hopes to be in attendance at Wednesday’s rally, joined the former 49ers quarterback’s protest last September when he sat for the Pledge of Allegiance during a city council meeting.
Read more at Yahoo
The rally comes on the heels of an event this past weekend, where dozens of current and retired NYPD officers gathered across the East River in Brooklyn to show support for Kaepernick, whose silent protest of the “Star-Spangled Banner” became a topic of national discussion last season.
“I think [Kaepernick’s message is] important for this nation,” New York City Councilman Jumaane Williams told Yahoo Sports. “Kaepernick was trying to bring this to everyone’s attention and now you can’t ignore it. If folks had done this before, we’d be in a different position.”
Williams, who donned a Kaepernick jersey at Saturday’s event and hopes to be in attendance at Wednesday’s rally, joined the former 49ers quarterback’s protest last September when he sat for the Pledge of Allegiance during a city council meeting.
Read more at Yahoo
Charlottesville was painful. But it wasn’t a surprise to black people.
Last Friday, portraits of angry white men, their faces glowing in the light of a fiery mob, began circulating on Twitter. These images, taken in Charlottesville, Va., were promptly followed by a steady stream of white people making jokes about the fact that the torches in question were of the standard home-and-garden store variety.
A lot of us, frankly, didn’t see the humor. These images were disturbingly similar to photos from Ku Klux Klan rallies in the Confederate States of America, down south, during the civil rights movement. Amongst those not laughing were many black, brown and Jewish people, who deal with white supremacy every single day. As a black woman, I rely on social media for memes, GIFs and junk news, fodder to survive the treachery that is our current political climate.
However, when a race-related event such as this happens, thanks to Facebook’s algorithm, I’m suddenly thrust into an endless stream of violent photographs and horrifying news, with little to no warning. Sprinkled in between these images is usually commentary from marginalized groups who are justifiably saddened, triggered, exhausted or flat out angry. But right next to them are “shocked” — and often oblivious — white allies.
As an act of self-preservation, many black people are increasingly becoming numb to these hate crimes. Brittany Mobley is among those who wasn’t shocked by the news out of Charlottesville. Although she graduated from Howard Law School, she attended the University of Virginia as an undergrad.
“I wish it were more surprising,” said Mobley, who graduated in 2008 and no longer lives in Charlottesville.
Read more at The Lilly
A lot of us, frankly, didn’t see the humor. These images were disturbingly similar to photos from Ku Klux Klan rallies in the Confederate States of America, down south, during the civil rights movement. Amongst those not laughing were many black, brown and Jewish people, who deal with white supremacy every single day. As a black woman, I rely on social media for memes, GIFs and junk news, fodder to survive the treachery that is our current political climate.
However, when a race-related event such as this happens, thanks to Facebook’s algorithm, I’m suddenly thrust into an endless stream of violent photographs and horrifying news, with little to no warning. Sprinkled in between these images is usually commentary from marginalized groups who are justifiably saddened, triggered, exhausted or flat out angry. But right next to them are “shocked” — and often oblivious — white allies.
As an act of self-preservation, many black people are increasingly becoming numb to these hate crimes. Brittany Mobley is among those who wasn’t shocked by the news out of Charlottesville. Although she graduated from Howard Law School, she attended the University of Virginia as an undergrad.
“I wish it were more surprising,” said Mobley, who graduated in 2008 and no longer lives in Charlottesville.
Read more at The Lilly
Virginia Police Have Issued Four Arrest Warrants Against 'Nazi Crybaby' Christopher Cantwell
Four arrest warrants have been issued by the Albemarle County (Virginia) Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office for neo-Nazi Christopher Cantwell. Cantwell was featured in Vice’s infamous documentary about the events in Charlottesville, Virginia.
According to the New York Times, the now-dubbed “Nazi Crybaby” faces four felony warrants related to the “illegal use of gases, and injury by caustic agent or explosive.” It stems from a photo captured of him spraying pepper spray in a man’s face.
“I thought that spraying that guy was the least damaging thing I could do,” he told the newspaper. “In my left hand I had a flashlight. My other option, other than the pepper spray, was to break this guy’s teeth. OK? And I didn’t want to do that. I just wanted him to not hurt me.”
You didn’t want to get hurt, so you pepper sprayed someone? Interesting.
Anyway, Cantwell went on to reiterate that he didn’t do anything wrong and that he’s not scared of anyone trying to attack him even though we saw that video of him crying like a little snowflake.
Read more at BET
According to the New York Times, the now-dubbed “Nazi Crybaby” faces four felony warrants related to the “illegal use of gases, and injury by caustic agent or explosive.” It stems from a photo captured of him spraying pepper spray in a man’s face.
“I thought that spraying that guy was the least damaging thing I could do,” he told the newspaper. “In my left hand I had a flashlight. My other option, other than the pepper spray, was to break this guy’s teeth. OK? And I didn’t want to do that. I just wanted him to not hurt me.”
You didn’t want to get hurt, so you pepper sprayed someone? Interesting.
Anyway, Cantwell went on to reiterate that he didn’t do anything wrong and that he’s not scared of anyone trying to attack him even though we saw that video of him crying like a little snowflake.
Read more at BET
Heather Heyer, Charlottesville Victim, Is Recalled as ‘a Strong Woman’
Heather D. Heyer died standing up for what she believed in.
Friends described her as a passionate advocate for the disenfranchised who was often moved to tears by the world’s injustices. That sense of conviction led her to join demonstrators protesting a rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday.
“We were just marching around, spreading love — and then the accident happened,” a friend, Marissa Blair, said. “In a split second you see a car, and you see bodies flying.”
The authorities said Ms. Heyer, 32, was killed when a car driven by a man from Ohio plowed into the crowd.
“Heather was such a sweet soul, and she did not deserve to die,” Ms. Blair said on Sunday.
Others said Ms. Heyer, who lived in Charlottesville, spoke out against inequality and urged co-workers to be active in their community.
“Heather was a very strong woman,” said Alfred A. Wilson, manager of the bankruptcy division at the Miller Law Group in Charlottesville, where Ms. Heyer worked as a paralegal. She stood up against “any type of discrimination,” he said. “That’s just how she’s always been.”
Read more at NY Times
Friends described her as a passionate advocate for the disenfranchised who was often moved to tears by the world’s injustices. That sense of conviction led her to join demonstrators protesting a rally of white nationalists in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday.
“We were just marching around, spreading love — and then the accident happened,” a friend, Marissa Blair, said. “In a split second you see a car, and you see bodies flying.”
The authorities said Ms. Heyer, 32, was killed when a car driven by a man from Ohio plowed into the crowd.
“Heather was such a sweet soul, and she did not deserve to die,” Ms. Blair said on Sunday.
Others said Ms. Heyer, who lived in Charlottesville, spoke out against inequality and urged co-workers to be active in their community.
“Heather was a very strong woman,” said Alfred A. Wilson, manager of the bankruptcy division at the Miller Law Group in Charlottesville, where Ms. Heyer worked as a paralegal. She stood up against “any type of discrimination,” he said. “That’s just how she’s always been.”
Read more at NY Times
Obama's Former Photographer Reminds Trump What It Looks Like to Respect Women
Pete Souza is known for his skillful art of criticizing President Trump with pictures, and his latest move is receiving attention for all the right reasons. Following Trump's verbal attacks on MSNBC's Morning Joe host Mika Brzezinski — in which he called her "dumb as a rock" and tweeted about her appearance — the former White House photographer decided to remind Trump what it looks like when a president treats women as equals. Souza uploaded a series of photos on his Instagram page, captioned "respect for women," that will remind you that Trump's bullying and sexism are not normal behavior from a president. Read on to relive all the times Barack Obama showed women the respect they deserve.
See the photos at PopSugar
See the photos at PopSugar
Bruno Mars Donates $1M To Flint Water Crisis
Over the weekend, Grammy Award-winning musician, Bruno Mars, performed in Auburn Hills, Michigan. During his performance, the “24K Magic”singer announced plans to donate $1 million to aid the victims of the Flint water crisis.
Mars, along with Live Nation reportedly redirected proceeds from the night’s performance to benefit The Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
“Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and it’s important that we don’t forget our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster,” he said in a statement sent to Pitchfork. “As people, especially as Americans, we need to stand together to make sure something like this never happens in any community ever again.”
Read more at Jet Mag
Mars, along with Live Nation reportedly redirected proceeds from the night’s performance to benefit The Community Foundation of Greater Flint.
“Ongoing challenges remain years later for Flint residents, and it’s important that we don’t forget our brothers and sisters affected by this disaster,” he said in a statement sent to Pitchfork. “As people, especially as Americans, we need to stand together to make sure something like this never happens in any community ever again.”
Read more at Jet Mag
Charlotte man hopes to cash in his chips for a $1 million prize
Charles Wesley Pope Sr. was a quiet man, but when he was out in his Macon, Ga., backyard it was a different story.
“He wasn’t a man of many words, but once he was showing us his garden, he would really open up,” said his grandson, Greg Pope of Charlotte.
The younger Pope spent a lot of time in that plot of vegetables when he visited his grandparents’ home in Macon.
Granddad, who had worked for the Bibb County school system, grew tomatoes, okra and collards that were taller than some of the kids.
“I just remember as a kid going into the backyard and looking at the things in the garden,” Pope said Thursday while visiting his grandmother, Lillian. “My grandparents never wanted us to leave the house without taking something.”
Pope’s father, also known as Greg, often would bring home a sack of green tomatoes and fry them up on the stove.
“I’d take ’em, wash ’em up real good and slice ’em to a nice size, and I mix up batter and fry ’em up real golden brown crispy,” the elder Greg Pope said.
His namesake son is savoring those family feasts as he competes for a million dollar prize in the Lay’s potato chip “Do us a Flavor” contest.
Mouth-watering memories led Greg Pope to submit his entry for fried green tomato flavored potato chips.
Read more at the Charlotte Observer
“He wasn’t a man of many words, but once he was showing us his garden, he would really open up,” said his grandson, Greg Pope of Charlotte.
The younger Pope spent a lot of time in that plot of vegetables when he visited his grandparents’ home in Macon.
Granddad, who had worked for the Bibb County school system, grew tomatoes, okra and collards that were taller than some of the kids.
“I just remember as a kid going into the backyard and looking at the things in the garden,” Pope said Thursday while visiting his grandmother, Lillian. “My grandparents never wanted us to leave the house without taking something.”
Pope’s father, also known as Greg, often would bring home a sack of green tomatoes and fry them up on the stove.
“I’d take ’em, wash ’em up real good and slice ’em to a nice size, and I mix up batter and fry ’em up real golden brown crispy,” the elder Greg Pope said.
His namesake son is savoring those family feasts as he competes for a million dollar prize in the Lay’s potato chip “Do us a Flavor” contest.
Mouth-watering memories led Greg Pope to submit his entry for fried green tomato flavored potato chips.
Read more at the Charlotte Observer
Family of Eric Garner to Receive Nearly $4 Million From New York City
Eric Garner’s family is reportedly slated to receive almost $4 million in payments from the city of New York, according to the Garner family's lawyer's new claims from the case.
The family was previously approved a $5.9 million settlement in July 2015, and the New York Post is reporting that those payments are starting to be distributed to some of Garner’s closest family members.
Garner's widow, Esaw Snipes, is set to get $1.4 million, while Garner’s 3-year-old daughter, Legacy Jayleen Garner-Miller, will be awarded next to $1.3 million. The payment made out to Garner’s daughter reportedly had the family’s attorneys pleased.
"I'm very happy that Legacy is going to be getting an increase in funds from that was originally proposed," Lorraine Coyle, the lawyer representing Garner-Miller, said recently. "The big issue is what the attorneys' fees are."
Read more at BET
The family was previously approved a $5.9 million settlement in July 2015, and the New York Post is reporting that those payments are starting to be distributed to some of Garner’s closest family members.
Garner's widow, Esaw Snipes, is set to get $1.4 million, while Garner’s 3-year-old daughter, Legacy Jayleen Garner-Miller, will be awarded next to $1.3 million. The payment made out to Garner’s daughter reportedly had the family’s attorneys pleased.
"I'm very happy that Legacy is going to be getting an increase in funds from that was originally proposed," Lorraine Coyle, the lawyer representing Garner-Miller, said recently. "The big issue is what the attorneys' fees are."
Read more at BET
Study Finds Black Women In The U.S. Killed At Higher Rate Than That Of Other Races.
A new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that Black and indigenous women are murdered at a rate higher than that of any other race. The report by the Center For Disease Control and Prevention found that across 18 states Black women were murdered at drastically higher rates than women of other races.
According to the CDC study, which was conducted from 2003 to 2014, Black women are killed at a rate of 4.4 per 100,000 people and indigenous women at a rate of 4.3. Other races are killed at a rate of 1 or 2 per 100,000 people. A 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that Black women are four times more likely than White women to be killed as a result of domestic violence. Although Black women constitute only 13% of the U.S. population, they comprise half of the homicides against women in America.
Police findings from Dallas, Texas provide accurate micro-level representations of these findings. In August 2012, of the 12 incidents of domestic violence were reported in the city, half of the victims were Black women. More recently, in April, a domestic violence case involving a Black school teacher made national headlines when Karen Elaine Smith was fatally shot 10 times by her abusive husband while she was teaching a class. Smith had plans of divorcing him.
Read more at EBONY
According to the CDC study, which was conducted from 2003 to 2014, Black women are killed at a rate of 4.4 per 100,000 people and indigenous women at a rate of 4.3. Other races are killed at a rate of 1 or 2 per 100,000 people. A 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics reports that Black women are four times more likely than White women to be killed as a result of domestic violence. Although Black women constitute only 13% of the U.S. population, they comprise half of the homicides against women in America.
Police findings from Dallas, Texas provide accurate micro-level representations of these findings. In August 2012, of the 12 incidents of domestic violence were reported in the city, half of the victims were Black women. More recently, in April, a domestic violence case involving a Black school teacher made national headlines when Karen Elaine Smith was fatally shot 10 times by her abusive husband while she was teaching a class. Smith had plans of divorcing him.
Read more at EBONY
Atlanta Hawks Security Faces Lawsuit For Allegedly Treating Black Celebs Like Criminals
Black artists are under heavy surveillance at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, according to a former security manager. Home to the Atlanta Hawks, the Philips Arena draws many celebrities and musicians to perform. However, while some stars are able to bypass security, others are not, and race might play a big part.
Sam Hayes was the security manager for the Atlanta Hawks and he ran event security at Philips Arena. Now, he’s suing the team for wrongfully firing him after he brought up claims of discrimination against Black celebrities at the arena. Hayes says that since he started working for the Hawks, who runs the arena, he’s noticed Black celebs go through more rigorous security checks than White celebs.
On August 26, Drake and Future performed at Philips Arena and asked to bypass metal detectors, but they were denied. A week later, rock band AC/DC made the same request when they were entering the venue. Their request was granted. The pattern continued with folks like Kanye West, Migos, 2 Chainz, Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffen, and Tyler Perry having to go through metal detectors. On the other hand, folks like Bon Jovi, Amy Schumer, Ariana Grande and the WWE Live Tour were able to bypass the metal detectors.
Read more at Global Grind
Sam Hayes was the security manager for the Atlanta Hawks and he ran event security at Philips Arena. Now, he’s suing the team for wrongfully firing him after he brought up claims of discrimination against Black celebrities at the arena. Hayes says that since he started working for the Hawks, who runs the arena, he’s noticed Black celebs go through more rigorous security checks than White celebs.
On August 26, Drake and Future performed at Philips Arena and asked to bypass metal detectors, but they were denied. A week later, rock band AC/DC made the same request when they were entering the venue. Their request was granted. The pattern continued with folks like Kanye West, Migos, 2 Chainz, Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Griffen, and Tyler Perry having to go through metal detectors. On the other hand, folks like Bon Jovi, Amy Schumer, Ariana Grande and the WWE Live Tour were able to bypass the metal detectors.
Read more at Global Grind
50 Cent Threatens to Take ‘Power’ Away From Starz in Heated Instagram Post
50 Cent lashed out on Instagram Monday over what he claims is inadequate treatment by Starz, following Sunday night’s explosive new episode. The rapper, who executive produces the series and stars as Kanan, said he feels “a little different about ‘Power'” and threatened to leave the show, which is one of Starz’s highest-rated series and is currently in its fourth season. Sunday’s episode, which saw the deaths of two major characters played by Anika Noni Rose and J.R. Ramirez, was originally planned to be a two-parter to include some additional storylines. However, according to showrunner Courtney Kemp, Starz didn’t agree to extend the episode order, resulting in just one packed episode.
Read more at Variety
Read more at Variety
International African American Museum receives $500k donation from Michelin
When last we spoke with International African American Museum president Michael Moore earlier this month, he promised a few six- and seven-figure donations would soon be announced. And the man tasked with raising $25 million in private funding for the museum wasn’t lying.
On Monday, the museum announced a $500,000 corporate investment from the Michelin Corporate Foundation. According to a statement released by the museum, there now remains $12.5 million in private fundraising left to go before they reach their goal.
“Michelin has long exercised its leadership in South Carolina since opening its first plant here more than four decades ago,” said Moore. “This generous gift fortifies and expands Michelin’s commitment to our state and further demonstrates its value for diversity.”
Set for construction at Gadsden’s Wharf, the $75 million museum has already cleared Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. In July, Moore announced the launch of the museum’s Center for Family History, which will be dedicated to the study of African-American ancestry, providing genealogy education, original research, archiving efforts, as well as DNA testing.
Tentatively scheduled to open in 2020, Charleston County and the city have already pledged $25 million to the museum. Previous state budgets have set aside a total of $14 million for the museum, but funding was pulled from this year’s budget, with state lawmakers holding off on contributing any more money until the $25 million in private funding is secured.
Read more at Charleston City Paper
On Monday, the museum announced a $500,000 corporate investment from the Michelin Corporate Foundation. According to a statement released by the museum, there now remains $12.5 million in private fundraising left to go before they reach their goal.
“Michelin has long exercised its leadership in South Carolina since opening its first plant here more than four decades ago,” said Moore. “This generous gift fortifies and expands Michelin’s commitment to our state and further demonstrates its value for diversity.”
Set for construction at Gadsden’s Wharf, the $75 million museum has already cleared Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review. In July, Moore announced the launch of the museum’s Center for Family History, which will be dedicated to the study of African-American ancestry, providing genealogy education, original research, archiving efforts, as well as DNA testing.
Tentatively scheduled to open in 2020, Charleston County and the city have already pledged $25 million to the museum. Previous state budgets have set aside a total of $14 million for the museum, but funding was pulled from this year’s budget, with state lawmakers holding off on contributing any more money until the $25 million in private funding is secured.
Read more at Charleston City Paper
Legally Blind Black Woman Forced to Sit in the Back of Church Because of Service Dog Even After She Got Permission to Bring Him
A Black woman who is legally blind says she was discriminated against while visiting a new church in Georgia.
Although Cynthia Coleman, 58, has not named the church involved, she has detailed her reaction to being told she and her service dog would have to move to the back of the church.
“They just left me no choice. It was like, either you move to that back pew or you leave their church,” she told WLTX.
In addition, Coleman says she received permission from the church to bring her dog prior to her arrival. Coleman is legally blind with no vision in her right eye and no peripheral vision in her left eye, meaning she must sit in the very front of the church to see the pastor. When she called the church and explained the situation, she was told it would be OK.
However, after she and her dog, Hook, took their seats at the front, she started to feel very unwelcomed.
“Sitting down for about five or 10 minutes and about four or five deacons approached me in a way that made me feel very uncomfortable. Somewhat aggressive,” she told WLTX. “I explained to them that if I sat in the back pew then it was just really not an option because I wouldn't be able to see. I could only hear.”
Yet the church did not allow Coleman to stay at the front because they did not want Hook to become agitated and disrupt the service. Although their complaint is fair, Coleman believes they should have handled it with a completely different approach.
Read more at BET
Michelle Obama Addresses Racist Attacks She Endured As First Lady
Michelle Obama has opened up in front of a crowd of about 8,500 at the Women’s Foundation of Colorado’s 30th anniversary event in Denver about her experience as America’s first black first lady.
Obama spoke about smashing the glass ceiling as she was interviewed Tuesday by WFCO President and CEO Lauren Casteel at the Pepsi Center ― the same venue where she addressed thousands at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Casteel asked which of the falling glass shards cut the deepest, according to the Denver Post.
“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut,” Obama said. “Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin color.”
Obama referenced racist attacks she endured, including being called an ape and disparaging references made about her body.
The former first lady faced an onslaught of racist insults while her husband, former President Barack Obama, was in office. Even after the 2016 presidential election, two West Virginia officials lost their jobs for referring to Obama as an “ape in heels” in a Facebook post celebrating President Donald Trump’s victory.
Throughout Obama’s two terms, she shared during commencement addresses and in some interviews how she coped with the racist attacks she had to face.
“When they go low, I go high,” Obama told graduates of the historically black Jackson State University in April 2016. “That’s the choice Barack and I have made. That’s what’s kept us sane over the years.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Obama spoke about smashing the glass ceiling as she was interviewed Tuesday by WFCO President and CEO Lauren Casteel at the Pepsi Center ― the same venue where she addressed thousands at the 2008 Democratic National Convention.
Casteel asked which of the falling glass shards cut the deepest, according to the Denver Post.
“The shards that cut me the deepest were the ones that intended to cut,” Obama said. “Knowing that after eight years of working really hard for this country, there are still people who won’t see me for what I am because of my skin color.”
Obama referenced racist attacks she endured, including being called an ape and disparaging references made about her body.
The former first lady faced an onslaught of racist insults while her husband, former President Barack Obama, was in office. Even after the 2016 presidential election, two West Virginia officials lost their jobs for referring to Obama as an “ape in heels” in a Facebook post celebrating President Donald Trump’s victory.
Throughout Obama’s two terms, she shared during commencement addresses and in some interviews how she coped with the racist attacks she had to face.
“When they go low, I go high,” Obama told graduates of the historically black Jackson State University in April 2016. “That’s the choice Barack and I have made. That’s what’s kept us sane over the years.”
Read more at Yahoo.
New transplant rules help more African Americans get kidneys
As an African American physician specializing in kidney diseases, Jerry McCauley is keenly aware of racial gaps that have plagued his field. Compared with white people, blacks are far more likely to develop kidney disease and wind up on dialysis, yet are less likely to be evaluated and listed for a lifesaving transplant.
McCauley is proud to report, however, that a longstanding disparity in actual kidney transplants has been eliminated. Thanks to improvements in allocation policies that he helped to bring about — and an increase in African American organ donors — blacks on the waiting list now get their fair share of kidneys from deceased donors. So do whites, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians.
“It’s been clear for many years that African Americans don’t get transplanted as often as everyone else,” said McCauley, director of the nephrology division at Thomas Jefferson University. “I’m happy to say that is no longer true.”
The achievement is heartening, given that racial disparities in health care are a well-documented and persistent problem in Philadelphia and across the United States. In general, minorities face inequities in getting insurance, accessing care, and sustaining that care during chronic illness.
Read more at Philly.com
McCauley is proud to report, however, that a longstanding disparity in actual kidney transplants has been eliminated. Thanks to improvements in allocation policies that he helped to bring about — and an increase in African American organ donors — blacks on the waiting list now get their fair share of kidneys from deceased donors. So do whites, Hispanics, Asians, and American Indians.
“It’s been clear for many years that African Americans don’t get transplanted as often as everyone else,” said McCauley, director of the nephrology division at Thomas Jefferson University. “I’m happy to say that is no longer true.”
The achievement is heartening, given that racial disparities in health care are a well-documented and persistent problem in Philadelphia and across the United States. In general, minorities face inequities in getting insurance, accessing care, and sustaining that care during chronic illness.
Read more at Philly.com
OJ Simpson granted early release.
OJ Simpson who has been incarcerated since 2008 for an armed robbery, was unanimously granted parole today. The now 70 year old Simpson could be seen with a large smile as the decision was made. He has been a model citizen since being an inmate at Lovelock Correctional Center. He has coached a few of the sports teams at the correction center, as well as given advice on Fantasy Football. Although the decision was made today to release him, the realistic release date is probably around October. His daughter Arnelle Simpson, as well as one of the victims in the robbery spoke on behalf of OJ. Stating that 9 years is "too much time" for this type of crime. Hopefully he can enjoy the later days of his life.
Why are African Americans more likely to develop Alzheimer's?
Researchers know that African Americans are at a much higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than white Americans. But a new series of studies explores the reasons behind this, analyzing socioeconomic and psychological factors that may play a role.
At the moment, Alzheimer's disease ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with 1 in 3 seniors dying with this condition or another form of dementia.
In total, the illness is estimated to affect more than 5 million U.S. adults, but African Americans are thought to be twice as likely to develop the condition than their white counterparts.
Until now, it was not known whether these disparities continue over the age of 90. The reasons for these discrepancies in incidence rates have also not been sufficiently explored.
Now, four new studies - presented at the 2017 Alzheimer's Association International Conference, held in London, United Kingdom - confirm that these racial disparities do persist into old age. They also shed light on some previously under-investigated risk factors for the illness.
Researchers jointly led by Rachel Whitmer, Ph.D., from the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California (KPNC) health center, and Dr. Maria M. Corrada, of the University of California, Irvine, set out to examine whether there are any racial differences in the incidence and risk of Alzheimer's disease among the so-called oldest-old.
Read more at Medical News Today
At the moment, Alzheimer's disease ranks as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, with 1 in 3 seniors dying with this condition or another form of dementia.
In total, the illness is estimated to affect more than 5 million U.S. adults, but African Americans are thought to be twice as likely to develop the condition than their white counterparts.
Until now, it was not known whether these disparities continue over the age of 90. The reasons for these discrepancies in incidence rates have also not been sufficiently explored.
Now, four new studies - presented at the 2017 Alzheimer's Association International Conference, held in London, United Kingdom - confirm that these racial disparities do persist into old age. They also shed light on some previously under-investigated risk factors for the illness.
Researchers jointly led by Rachel Whitmer, Ph.D., from the Kaiser Permanente of Northern California (KPNC) health center, and Dr. Maria M. Corrada, of the University of California, Irvine, set out to examine whether there are any racial differences in the incidence and risk of Alzheimer's disease among the so-called oldest-old.
Read more at Medical News Today
Racist 'Black Lives Don't Mean S**t' Facebook Post Taunts Teen Forced to Share Valedictorian With White Classmate
The Black valedictorian in Mississippi who was forced to share the title with a white classmate has been the target of racist and bigoted messages on Facebook.
Jasmine Shepard was her school’s first Black valedictorian and her family was disappointed to learn she would have to share the stage with a classmate. According to the school, Jasmine and the student had the same grades, yet Jasmine was in more Advanced Placement classes, which should have meant she was given the title outright.
Jasmine’s family started a Justice for Jasmine Facebook page in order to rally behind her and encourage the school to give her the full title. However, the page has quickly become a place for hate speech.
Read more at BET
Jasmine Shepard was her school’s first Black valedictorian and her family was disappointed to learn she would have to share the stage with a classmate. According to the school, Jasmine and the student had the same grades, yet Jasmine was in more Advanced Placement classes, which should have meant she was given the title outright.
Jasmine’s family started a Justice for Jasmine Facebook page in order to rally behind her and encourage the school to give her the full title. However, the page has quickly become a place for hate speech.
Read more at BET
Mayweather-McGregor betting 'potentially bigger than the Super Bowl'
The Super Bowl is annually the biggest betting event of the year in the U.S. This year, though, it may be eclipsed by a boxing match.
Kevin Bradley, the sports book manager of Bovada.lv, said betting on Mayweather-McGregor has been massive already.
“We knew this fight would be big, potentially even bigger than the Super Bowl, but now we are almost certain it will be,” Bradley said. “The recent trash talking and promotional tour is only encouraging bets and at this rate we cannot even imagine how much we will take on it. One thing is for sure thought, we will need Mayweather huge. A McGregor early round KO as he promised would be a potential disaster and is partly a reason we are giving a great price on Mayweather at the moment.”
Bovada released a slew of wagering possibilities, but the odds on McGregor have dropped significantly. Mayweather is down to minus-500, while McGregor is now at plus-350.
Amazingly, a prop bet on whether Mayweather will be knocked down or out is only at plus-350. Mayweather is 49-0 and has only been down once in his career, and that came when he intentionally touched the canvas with his glove in the final round of a fight he was winning big because his hand was injured and he wanted a brief break.
Read more at Yahoo Sports
Kevin Bradley, the sports book manager of Bovada.lv, said betting on Mayweather-McGregor has been massive already.
“We knew this fight would be big, potentially even bigger than the Super Bowl, but now we are almost certain it will be,” Bradley said. “The recent trash talking and promotional tour is only encouraging bets and at this rate we cannot even imagine how much we will take on it. One thing is for sure thought, we will need Mayweather huge. A McGregor early round KO as he promised would be a potential disaster and is partly a reason we are giving a great price on Mayweather at the moment.”
Bovada released a slew of wagering possibilities, but the odds on McGregor have dropped significantly. Mayweather is down to minus-500, while McGregor is now at plus-350.
Amazingly, a prop bet on whether Mayweather will be knocked down or out is only at plus-350. Mayweather is 49-0 and has only been down once in his career, and that came when he intentionally touched the canvas with his glove in the final round of a fight he was winning big because his hand was injured and he wanted a brief break.
Read more at Yahoo Sports
Mistrial declared for third time for ex-cop accused of killing daughter's black boyfriend
TULSA, Okla. -- For the third time in less than a year a jury deadlocked on Friday and forced a mistrial in the murder case of a white former Oklahoma police officer accused of killing his daughter's black boyfriend, astonishing prosecutors and frustrating the boyfriend's family.
Judge Sharon Holmes declared the mistrial after four hours of jury deliberations over the fate of former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler. He was accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in August 2014, not long after Lake started dating Kepler's then-18-year-old daughter, Lisa.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he was shocked that a mistrial was declared after such short jury deliberations.
"I've never encountered a dynamic like this in 25 years of practice," Kunzweiler said after the mistrial was declared. "In my opinion, there should be some compulsion placed on jurors to reach a verdict."
Kepler and his attorneys cheered loudly in the elevator leaving the courthouse, CBS affiliate KOTV reports.
"It's a six-six mistrial," Kepler's attorney Richard O'Carroll told KOTV "And these jurors specifically told the court and the state and the defense that they needed more evidence."
O'Carroll said he is prepared to defend Kepler five more times.
Read more at CBS
Judge Sharon Holmes declared the mistrial after four hours of jury deliberations over the fate of former Tulsa police officer Shannon Kepler. He was accused of fatally shooting 19-year-old Jeremey Lake in August 2014, not long after Lake started dating Kepler's then-18-year-old daughter, Lisa.
Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler said he was shocked that a mistrial was declared after such short jury deliberations.
"I've never encountered a dynamic like this in 25 years of practice," Kunzweiler said after the mistrial was declared. "In my opinion, there should be some compulsion placed on jurors to reach a verdict."
Kepler and his attorneys cheered loudly in the elevator leaving the courthouse, CBS affiliate KOTV reports.
"It's a six-six mistrial," Kepler's attorney Richard O'Carroll told KOTV "And these jurors specifically told the court and the state and the defense that they needed more evidence."
O'Carroll said he is prepared to defend Kepler five more times.
Read more at CBS
DMX Charged with Tax Evasion, Facing More Than 40 Years in Prison
DMX and the IRS have major beef ... the feds just slapped the rapper with 14 counts of tax evasion, and he's already surrendered to law enforcement.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in NYC says DMX has concealed his income for several years and is now about $1.7 million in the red to the IRS. According to the indictment, X had cash pouring in during the early 2000s from a slew of hits. The feds even name checked "X Gon' Give It to Ya" in the docs.
They say he was avoiding using personal bank accounts, using accounts of surrogates -- including business managers -- and lived mostly on cash.
According to the docs, when DMX appeared on 'Couples Therapy' he was supposed to be paid $125,000 -- but when he got his initial check the proper taxes had been withheld ... which didn't sit well with him. The feds say he went back to producers and demanded a new check for the full amount ... which he got.
Read more at TMZ
The U.S. Attorney's Office in NYC says DMX has concealed his income for several years and is now about $1.7 million in the red to the IRS. According to the indictment, X had cash pouring in during the early 2000s from a slew of hits. The feds even name checked "X Gon' Give It to Ya" in the docs.
They say he was avoiding using personal bank accounts, using accounts of surrogates -- including business managers -- and lived mostly on cash.
According to the docs, when DMX appeared on 'Couples Therapy' he was supposed to be paid $125,000 -- but when he got his initial check the proper taxes had been withheld ... which didn't sit well with him. The feds say he went back to producers and demanded a new check for the full amount ... which he got.
Read more at TMZ
Congresswoman's Phone Hacked and Nude Photos and Videos Leaked by Staffer and Former 'I Love New York' Contestant
Two former staffers to a member of Congress have been charged in connection to the distribution of nude images and videos taken from her cellphone, federal prosecutors and the U.S. Capitol Police announced Thursday in Washington.
According to the Washington Post, Juan R. McCullum, 35, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of cyberstalking, and a co-worker, Dorene Browne-Louis, 45, was indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice, said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips and Capitol Police Chief Matthew R. Verderosa in a statement.
In 2015 McCullum was named fifth on the “50 Most Beautiful” people in politics by the Hill. He also appeared as “Pretty” on VH1’s “I Love New York.”
Both McCullum and Browne-Louis worked for Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett (D), who released a statement on Thursday which read: “Last year, my privacy was invaded, which was followed by an organized smear campaign and defamatory press reports concerning both me and my family.”
According to the indictment, McCullum worked from April 2015 until June 2016 in the House member’s legislative office in Washington. McCullum worked as a legislative counsel and Browne-Lewis was a scheduler.
Based on reports, McCullum took a House member’s phone to the Apple store for repair in March 2016. Later that year in July, personal photos of Plaskett appeared on Facebook and were sent through emails.
Read more at BET
According to the Washington Post, Juan R. McCullum, 35, was indicted by a grand jury on two counts of cyberstalking, and a co-worker, Dorene Browne-Louis, 45, was indicted on two counts of obstruction of justice, said U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Channing D. Phillips and Capitol Police Chief Matthew R. Verderosa in a statement.
In 2015 McCullum was named fifth on the “50 Most Beautiful” people in politics by the Hill. He also appeared as “Pretty” on VH1’s “I Love New York.”
Both McCullum and Browne-Louis worked for Virgin Islands Del. Stacey Plaskett (D), who released a statement on Thursday which read: “Last year, my privacy was invaded, which was followed by an organized smear campaign and defamatory press reports concerning both me and my family.”
According to the indictment, McCullum worked from April 2015 until June 2016 in the House member’s legislative office in Washington. McCullum worked as a legislative counsel and Browne-Lewis was a scheduler.
Based on reports, McCullum took a House member’s phone to the Apple store for repair in March 2016. Later that year in July, personal photos of Plaskett appeared on Facebook and were sent through emails.
Read more at BET
The NRA finally commented on Philando Castile
More than a year after the death of black motorist — and lawful gun owner — Philando Castile at the hands of a Minnesota police officer, the National Rifle Association finally has something to say. NRA representative Dana Loesch addressed Castile's killing during a contentious appearance Monday on CNN, confirming her comments were made on the organization's behalf.
Castile's death was "absolutely awful" and "a terrible tragedy that could have been avoided," she said before pivoting to a discussion of NRA programming:
I don't agree with every single decision that comes out from courtrooms of America. There are a lot of variables in this particular case, and there were a lot of things that I wish would have been done differently. Do I believe that Philando Castile deserved to lose his life over his [traffic] stop? I absolutely do not. I also think that this is why we have things like NRA Carry Guard, not only to reach out to the citizens to go over what to do during stops like this, but also to work with law enforcement so that they understand what citizens are experiencing when they go through stops like this.
As eyewitness testimony and dashcam footage have confirmed, Castile did know "what to do during stops like this;" he calmly informed the officer about his firearm and explained he was not attempting to access it.
Loesch recently appeared in an NRA ad calling conservatives to fight critics of President Trump with "the clenched fist of truth." Critics argued the clip's dramatic "us vs. them" rhetoric was a coded call to violence or at least antagonism of racial tensions.
Read more at The Week.com
Castile's death was "absolutely awful" and "a terrible tragedy that could have been avoided," she said before pivoting to a discussion of NRA programming:
I don't agree with every single decision that comes out from courtrooms of America. There are a lot of variables in this particular case, and there were a lot of things that I wish would have been done differently. Do I believe that Philando Castile deserved to lose his life over his [traffic] stop? I absolutely do not. I also think that this is why we have things like NRA Carry Guard, not only to reach out to the citizens to go over what to do during stops like this, but also to work with law enforcement so that they understand what citizens are experiencing when they go through stops like this.
As eyewitness testimony and dashcam footage have confirmed, Castile did know "what to do during stops like this;" he calmly informed the officer about his firearm and explained he was not attempting to access it.
Loesch recently appeared in an NRA ad calling conservatives to fight critics of President Trump with "the clenched fist of truth." Critics argued the clip's dramatic "us vs. them" rhetoric was a coded call to violence or at least antagonism of racial tensions.
Read more at The Week.com
Wisconsin's only black-owned bookstore closes, leaving memories — and a void
Carla Allison stood behind the cash register of her bookstore, smiling warmly as she rang up customers, fielded questions and greeted old friends.
She didn't show it, but occasionally she mentioned that she really didn't warm to the spotlight.
"This day is unbelievable," she said during a community question-and-answer session held outside the store. "I have never had so many cameras in front of me — that's not who I am."
After 28 years, Allison is retiring and with her, the last black-owned bookstore in Wisconsin closed on Saturday. The Reader's Choice was far from easy to run, she said, and not every day brought reward.
"It has been a bit of work — more than a bit of work," she said. "But I'm here. I have been here when I was supposed to be here. So to see the community come back on this last day and express gratitude is surprising to me. It's very heartfelt."
In the nearly three decades Allison, 74, ran the bookstore at 1950 N. King Drive, she did so quietly, suggesting books to customers and encouraging children to read. Lydia Besley, who has shopped at the store for 15 years, recalled Allison's role in her grandson's love of reading.
"I said, 'I can't get him to start reading books. Could you help him?' " Besley said. "She puts her arm around him and they go to the back and he comes back with three books. And as I'm talking to her he reads half of a book while we're just standing there.
"Just that quick she inspired him, and just for the rest of his life, he's going to remember that," she said. "He's going to remember it forever."
Read more at JS Online
She didn't show it, but occasionally she mentioned that she really didn't warm to the spotlight.
"This day is unbelievable," she said during a community question-and-answer session held outside the store. "I have never had so many cameras in front of me — that's not who I am."
After 28 years, Allison is retiring and with her, the last black-owned bookstore in Wisconsin closed on Saturday. The Reader's Choice was far from easy to run, she said, and not every day brought reward.
"It has been a bit of work — more than a bit of work," she said. "But I'm here. I have been here when I was supposed to be here. So to see the community come back on this last day and express gratitude is surprising to me. It's very heartfelt."
In the nearly three decades Allison, 74, ran the bookstore at 1950 N. King Drive, she did so quietly, suggesting books to customers and encouraging children to read. Lydia Besley, who has shopped at the store for 15 years, recalled Allison's role in her grandson's love of reading.
"I said, 'I can't get him to start reading books. Could you help him?' " Besley said. "She puts her arm around him and they go to the back and he comes back with three books. And as I'm talking to her he reads half of a book while we're just standing there.
"Just that quick she inspired him, and just for the rest of his life, he's going to remember that," she said. "He's going to remember it forever."
Read more at JS Online
Video of Cop Beating Homeless Woman Prompts Second Investigation
Cellphone video footage showing a Georgia cop repeatedly striking a homeless woman with his baton as she lay on the ground has prompted another investigation into the incident, Huffington Post reports.
Authorities made the announcement on Monday.
The video is close to two minutes long and was recorded on June 4. It shows the DeKalb County officer beating the woman and threatening to shoot her as she struggles inside of a local convenience store.
The woman was reportedly unarmed, but can be seen attempting to kick the officer. There’s at least one instance where she doesn’t appear to struggle at all, but is still repeatedly struck.
The investigation will be the second one into the incident and comes in response to the video resurfacing on social media over the weekend.
“It’s more we’re looking at the video to see if it aligns with the officer’s statement,” DeKalb County Police Spokeswoman, Shiera Campbell, told HuffPost on Tuesday. “Right now, what he put in his report is consistent with the video.”
An initial police report does not identify the officer. It states that he was responding to a complaint of a woman asking for money from customers inside a local store. When he approached her, she presented herself as a federal agent and gave a random badge number.
Read more at EBONY
Authorities made the announcement on Monday.
The video is close to two minutes long and was recorded on June 4. It shows the DeKalb County officer beating the woman and threatening to shoot her as she struggles inside of a local convenience store.
The woman was reportedly unarmed, but can be seen attempting to kick the officer. There’s at least one instance where she doesn’t appear to struggle at all, but is still repeatedly struck.
The investigation will be the second one into the incident and comes in response to the video resurfacing on social media over the weekend.
“It’s more we’re looking at the video to see if it aligns with the officer’s statement,” DeKalb County Police Spokeswoman, Shiera Campbell, told HuffPost on Tuesday. “Right now, what he put in his report is consistent with the video.”
An initial police report does not identify the officer. It states that he was responding to a complaint of a woman asking for money from customers inside a local store. When he approached her, she presented herself as a federal agent and gave a random badge number.
Read more at EBONY
Police Say Venus Williams Not at Fault for Crash Causing Fatality
Police in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, announced Friday that Venus Williams entered an intersection legally before she was involved in a fatal car accident last month.
According to ESPN.com, police said surveillance video showed Williams "was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car."
"Based on the evidence obtained in the ongoing investigation, it has been determined the vehicle driven by Venus Williams lawfully entered the intersection on a circular green traffic signal and attempted to travel north through the intersection to BallenIsles Drive," police said in a statement, per the Palm Beach Post's Sarah Peters.
Video of the crash, which resulted in the death of 78-year-old Jerome Barson, was published Friday by TMZ: Read more at Bleacher Report
According to ESPN.com, police said surveillance video showed Williams "was cut off by another car, setting off a chain of events that seconds later resulted in a fatal crash with a third car."
"Based on the evidence obtained in the ongoing investigation, it has been determined the vehicle driven by Venus Williams lawfully entered the intersection on a circular green traffic signal and attempted to travel north through the intersection to BallenIsles Drive," police said in a statement, per the Palm Beach Post's Sarah Peters.
Video of the crash, which resulted in the death of 78-year-old Jerome Barson, was published Friday by TMZ: Read more at Bleacher Report
Some Americans discuss why they don’t celebrate July Fourth holiday
Augusta, GA (WJBF) – A poll from debate.org showed that more than 50% of African Americans are NOT celebrating the fourth. We spoke with a few people that say; this one nation, still feels divided.
Most Americans will be celebrating this day with family, food, and fun, while others say this day means so much more than to them than that.
“And people celebrate the fourth of July now as a holiday, per say holiday, enjoyment pleasure, drinking, fun, picnicing — and they may take a brief moment to pause and realize it’s the celebration of the birth of our country,” said Professor Robert L. Jones, Assistant History Professor at Paine College.
Robert Jones is a history professor at Paine College and a Vietnam Combat Veteran. He wanted to touch on why he does share a passion for patriotism, but also why he felt he didn’t want to celebrate the fourth like most.
“Of course given the current environment in America and the mean spiritedness, and the racial profiling, African Americans feel somewhat detached from the celebratory nature that the Fourth of July and patriotism is all about,” said Professor Robert L. Jones, Assistant History Professor at Paine College.
“Sometimes there’s a lot of bitterness when it comes to the patriotism, because we have not been fairly treated and so that raises some concern,” said Reverand Herman Skip Mason, Jr., Pastor of Trinity CME Church of Augusta.
Reverend Mason says this day is -not- a day for a party, at least not for him.
Read more at WJBF
Most Americans will be celebrating this day with family, food, and fun, while others say this day means so much more than to them than that.
“And people celebrate the fourth of July now as a holiday, per say holiday, enjoyment pleasure, drinking, fun, picnicing — and they may take a brief moment to pause and realize it’s the celebration of the birth of our country,” said Professor Robert L. Jones, Assistant History Professor at Paine College.
Robert Jones is a history professor at Paine College and a Vietnam Combat Veteran. He wanted to touch on why he does share a passion for patriotism, but also why he felt he didn’t want to celebrate the fourth like most.
“Of course given the current environment in America and the mean spiritedness, and the racial profiling, African Americans feel somewhat detached from the celebratory nature that the Fourth of July and patriotism is all about,” said Professor Robert L. Jones, Assistant History Professor at Paine College.
“Sometimes there’s a lot of bitterness when it comes to the patriotism, because we have not been fairly treated and so that raises some concern,” said Reverand Herman Skip Mason, Jr., Pastor of Trinity CME Church of Augusta.
Reverend Mason says this day is -not- a day for a party, at least not for him.
Read more at WJBF
Exploitation of Innocence - Report: Perceptions, policies hurting Black girls
She could have a baby doll in one hand and crayons in the other, but a Black girl as young as five-years-old is seen as less innocent and more adult-like than her White peers, according to a new study.
“Girlhood Interrupted,” released by the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, indicated that perception is of Black girls age 5 through age 14.
Adults from various racial, ethnic and educational backgrounds surveyed on-line said they felt Black girls need less nurturing, less protection, and need to be supported and comforted less than White girls their age.
Further, they viewed Black girls as more independent, and believed the girls knew more about adult topics and more about sex.
Thalia González, lead author of the report and associate professor and chair of the Politics Department at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said researchers were very struck by perceptions despite the ages of the Black female children.
“What does that mean? That’s kindergarten, 1st grade. That means what we’re seeing is that adults view girls as young as five-years- old as needing less protection, less support, or less nurturing than their White classmates, and that’s really shocking,” Prof. González told The Final Call.
The survey builds on similar results found in a 2014 study of Black boys, which found those views are coming across at age 10, the visiting researcher at the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality noted.
Prof. González attributed the views to dominant paradigms and stereotypes of Black women and Black femininity, which began as early slavery and persist today.
“This idea of Black feminists, angry Black women, for example, or very sexual, hyper-sexualized, seductive women, and those stereotypes that are present in the media, for example, or in other forms and venues are being associated with young girls,” she stated.
Read more at Final Call
“Girlhood Interrupted,” released by the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality, indicated that perception is of Black girls age 5 through age 14.
Adults from various racial, ethnic and educational backgrounds surveyed on-line said they felt Black girls need less nurturing, less protection, and need to be supported and comforted less than White girls their age.
Further, they viewed Black girls as more independent, and believed the girls knew more about adult topics and more about sex.
Thalia González, lead author of the report and associate professor and chair of the Politics Department at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said researchers were very struck by perceptions despite the ages of the Black female children.
“What does that mean? That’s kindergarten, 1st grade. That means what we’re seeing is that adults view girls as young as five-years- old as needing less protection, less support, or less nurturing than their White classmates, and that’s really shocking,” Prof. González told The Final Call.
The survey builds on similar results found in a 2014 study of Black boys, which found those views are coming across at age 10, the visiting researcher at the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality noted.
Prof. González attributed the views to dominant paradigms and stereotypes of Black women and Black femininity, which began as early slavery and persist today.
“This idea of Black feminists, angry Black women, for example, or very sexual, hyper-sexualized, seductive women, and those stereotypes that are present in the media, for example, or in other forms and venues are being associated with young girls,” she stated.
Read more at Final Call
Professor fired after defending blacks-only event to Fox News. ‘I was publicly lynched,’ she says.
Earlier this month, political commentator Lisa Durden gave a fiery interview with Tucker Carlson on Fox News, defending a Black Lives Matter chapter’s decision to host a Memorial Day event exclusively for black people.
“Boo-hoo-hoo,” Lisa Durden, who is also an adjunct professor at Essex County College in Newark, said in the June 6 television appearance. “You white people are angry because you couldn’t use your ‘white privilege’ card to get invited to the Black Lives Matter’s all-black Memorial Day celebration.”
In the heated exchange, Carlson responded by calling her “hostile and separatist and crazy.”
“You’re demented actually,” he said. “You’re sick and what you’re saying is disgusting and if you were a Nazi I would say the same thing to you.”
Durden’s remarks spurred both criticism and praise on social media. But what happened less than 48 hours later prompted an even stronger reaction.
On June 8, with about a week left of her summer session of teaching, Durden’s employers at Essex County College suspended her. About two weeks later, Durden was fired from the community college.
The college’s president announced the decision in a lengthy statement Friday, days after Durden met with school officials in a community forum.
Anthony E. Munroe, Essex County College president, said the administration was “immediately inundated with feedback from students, faculty and prospective students and their families expressing frustration, concern and even fear that the views expressed by a College employee (with influence over students) would negatively impact their experience on the campus.”
Read more at Washington Post
“Boo-hoo-hoo,” Lisa Durden, who is also an adjunct professor at Essex County College in Newark, said in the June 6 television appearance. “You white people are angry because you couldn’t use your ‘white privilege’ card to get invited to the Black Lives Matter’s all-black Memorial Day celebration.”
In the heated exchange, Carlson responded by calling her “hostile and separatist and crazy.”
“You’re demented actually,” he said. “You’re sick and what you’re saying is disgusting and if you were a Nazi I would say the same thing to you.”
Durden’s remarks spurred both criticism and praise on social media. But what happened less than 48 hours later prompted an even stronger reaction.
On June 8, with about a week left of her summer session of teaching, Durden’s employers at Essex County College suspended her. About two weeks later, Durden was fired from the community college.
The college’s president announced the decision in a lengthy statement Friday, days after Durden met with school officials in a community forum.
Anthony E. Munroe, Essex County College president, said the administration was “immediately inundated with feedback from students, faculty and prospective students and their families expressing frustration, concern and even fear that the views expressed by a College employee (with influence over students) would negatively impact their experience on the campus.”
Read more at Washington Post
African American students thrive with high graduation rates at UC Riverside
The graduates wore traditional caps and gowns, but they didn't sit quietly awaiting their diplomas or form a solemn processional to the strains of “Pomp and Circumstance.”
They strutted, showcasing dance moves to a rap beat. They cheered Nigerian and Abyssinian dance troupes. They got to their feet for a rousing spoken word performance. They whooped as speaker after speaker reminded them of what they’d just accomplished.
“The statistics were against you, but you prevailed and I am so, so proud of you,” Sharee Hughes of the school’s African Student Programs told them.
The 76 participants in the recent Black Graduation ceremony at UC Riverside exemplified a striking achievement: The campus has one of the smallest racial achievement gaps in the nation. African Americans at Riverside graduate at rates similar to those of whites and Latinos and just below Asian Americans.
The six-year graduation rate in 2015 for students who started and finished at UC Riverside was 73% for blacks, 71% for whites, 69% for Latinos and 77% for Asian Americans, according to campus data.
Other UC campuses have higher black graduation rates. But in a study this year of 676 public and private campuses, UC Riverside ranked first in California and sixth in the nation in outperforming universities with similar student populations. The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said UC Riverside showed consistent success, with a 69.5% graduation rate averaged over three years (2012-2014), compared with an average of 48.4% at comparable universities, such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of North Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Read more at LA Times
They strutted, showcasing dance moves to a rap beat. They cheered Nigerian and Abyssinian dance troupes. They got to their feet for a rousing spoken word performance. They whooped as speaker after speaker reminded them of what they’d just accomplished.
“The statistics were against you, but you prevailed and I am so, so proud of you,” Sharee Hughes of the school’s African Student Programs told them.
The 76 participants in the recent Black Graduation ceremony at UC Riverside exemplified a striking achievement: The campus has one of the smallest racial achievement gaps in the nation. African Americans at Riverside graduate at rates similar to those of whites and Latinos and just below Asian Americans.
The six-year graduation rate in 2015 for students who started and finished at UC Riverside was 73% for blacks, 71% for whites, 69% for Latinos and 77% for Asian Americans, according to campus data.
Other UC campuses have higher black graduation rates. But in a study this year of 676 public and private campuses, UC Riverside ranked first in California and sixth in the nation in outperforming universities with similar student populations. The Education Trust, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit, said UC Riverside showed consistent success, with a 69.5% graduation rate averaged over three years (2012-2014), compared with an average of 48.4% at comparable universities, such as the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of North Carolina and Virginia Commonwealth University.
Read more at LA Times
Philando Castile's family reaches $3 million settlement with city of St. Anthony
(CNN)The family of Philando Castile, who was shot and killed last year by a St. Anthony, Minnesota police officer, has reached a $3 million settlement with the city, according to a statement from the city and lawyers for the family.
Jeronimo Yanez, who is leaving the force, was acquitted June 16 of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of intentional discharge of a firearm that endangers safety. Castile was killed July 6 during a traffic stop, and his girlfriend streamed the shooting's aftermath on Facebook Live.
"The death of Philando Castile is a tragedy for his family and for our community," the statement said. "The parties moved expeditiously to resolve potential civil claims resulting from this tragedy in order to allow the process of healing to move forward for the Castile family, for the people of St. Anthony Village, and for all those impacted by the death of Philando Castile throughout the United States."
"No amount of money could ever replace Philando. With resolution of the claims the family will continue to deal with their loss through the important work of the Philando Castile Relief Foundation."
The announcement comes a week after the family of Michael Brown, who was shot and killed in 2014 by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, reached a settlement in its wrongful death lawsuit against that city.
Brown, who was black, was killed by then-Officer Darren Wilson, who is white. The incident sparked outrage and protest across the country. An investigation by the Justice Department into the incident brought no charges against Wilson, who argued he shot Brown in self-defense as Brown charged at him.
Details of that settlement were not made public, though the original lawsuit shows the Brown family sought punitive and compensatory damages in excess of $75,000, in addition to attorney's fees.
Read more at CNN
Mobb Deep Rapper Prodigy Dead at 42
Prodigy, one-half of the seminal New York City hip-hop outfit Mobb Deep, died Tuesday at the age of 42. Mobb Deep's publicist confirmed the rapper's death in a statement to Rolling Stone.
"It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep," the statement read. "Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time."
On Instagram, Prodigy's longtime Mobb Deep partner, Havoc, posted two photos in remembrance, one of which carried the simple message: "Forever."
Other members of the hip-hop community have also posted tributes to Prodigy online, including Nas, Lil Wayne, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, Big Boi and Questlove.
Read more at Rolling Stone
"It is with extreme sadness and disbelief that we confirm the death of our dear friend Albert Johnson, better known to millions of fans as Prodigy of legendary NY rap duo Mobb Deep," the statement read. "Prodigy was hospitalized a few days ago in Vegas after a Mobb Deep performance for complications caused by a sickle cell anemia crisis. As most of his fans know, Prodigy battled the disease since birth. The exact causes of death have yet to be determined. We would like to thank everyone for respecting the family’s privacy at this time."
On Instagram, Prodigy's longtime Mobb Deep partner, Havoc, posted two photos in remembrance, one of which carried the simple message: "Forever."
Other members of the hip-hop community have also posted tributes to Prodigy online, including Nas, Lil Wayne, Ghostface Killah, Q-Tip, Method Man, Wiz Khalifa, Big Boi and Questlove.
Read more at Rolling Stone
Seattle police fatally shoot pregnant woman who they say confronted officers with a knife
Seattle police officers shot and killed a woman at her apartment Sunday morning in front of “several children” when the woman, who relatives said was pregnant, “confronted” them with a knife, according to a statement from authorities.
The Seattle Times reported that the 30-year-old woman had called police to report a possible burglary.
At a vigil Sunday night, family identified the woman as Charleena Lyles, according to the Times, and relatives said she had a history of mental health struggles. She was several months pregnant, her family said, and too “tiny” for officers to have felt threatened by her — even if she had a knife.
“Why couldn’t they have Tased her?” Lyles’s sister, Monika Williams, said to the Seattle Times. “They could have taken her down. I could have taken her down.”
Read more at Washington Post
The Seattle Times reported that the 30-year-old woman had called police to report a possible burglary.
At a vigil Sunday night, family identified the woman as Charleena Lyles, according to the Times, and relatives said she had a history of mental health struggles. She was several months pregnant, her family said, and too “tiny” for officers to have felt threatened by her — even if she had a knife.
“Why couldn’t they have Tased her?” Lyles’s sister, Monika Williams, said to the Seattle Times. “They could have taken her down. I could have taken her down.”
Read more at Washington Post
Mistrial declared in Bill Cosby's criminal trial as jury deadlocks
Norristown, Pennsylvania (CNN)The high-profile case accusing Bill Cosby of aggravated indecent assault ended in a mistrial Saturday after a Pennsylvania jury was unable to come to a unanimous decision.
The outcome leaves one of America's most recognized entertainers as well as his accusers without vindication, but prosecutors immediately announced they will retry the case.
About an hour into the sixth day of deliberations, Judge Steven O'Neill declared that the jury of seven men and five woman were hopelessly deadlocked in a legal battle closely watched by the public as well as dozens of women who have accused Cosby of similar misconduct in the past.
"Do not feel like you've let the justice system down," O'Neill told the jurors, who labored for more than 53 hours and asked 12 questions of the court during deliberations.
Addressing Cosby, who appeared stoic and calm at the inconclusive finale of his trial, O'Neill said: "It's not a failure or a victory,"
Read more at CNN
The outcome leaves one of America's most recognized entertainers as well as his accusers without vindication, but prosecutors immediately announced they will retry the case.
About an hour into the sixth day of deliberations, Judge Steven O'Neill declared that the jury of seven men and five woman were hopelessly deadlocked in a legal battle closely watched by the public as well as dozens of women who have accused Cosby of similar misconduct in the past.
"Do not feel like you've let the justice system down," O'Neill told the jurors, who labored for more than 53 hours and asked 12 questions of the court during deliberations.
Addressing Cosby, who appeared stoic and calm at the inconclusive finale of his trial, O'Neill said: "It's not a failure or a victory,"
Read more at CNN
Minnesota Officer Acquitted in Killing of Philando Castile
ST. PAUL — A Minnesota police officer, whose fatal shooting of a black motorist transfixed the nation when his girlfriend livestreamed the aftermath, was acquitted of all charges on Friday.
The officer, Jeronimo Yanez, had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and endangering safety by discharging a firearm in the shooting of Philando Castile.
After the verdict, jurors and Mr. Yanez were quickly led out of the courtroom, and Mr. Castile’s family left immediately. When a deputy tried to stop his mother, Valerie, she yelled “Let me go.”
Later, she said: “My son loved this city, and this city killed my son. And a murderer gets away. Are you kidding me right now?”
She continued: “The system in this country continues to fail black people and will continue to fail us.”
A handful of protesters gathered outside the Ramsey County courthouse. “It’s not us that were on trial, it was the system that was on trial,” Mel Reeves, a community activist, said. “Yanez worked for the system. He killed somebody, right. Philando Castile got victimized by the system.”
Read more at NY Times
The officer, Jeronimo Yanez, had been charged with second-degree manslaughter and endangering safety by discharging a firearm in the shooting of Philando Castile.
After the verdict, jurors and Mr. Yanez were quickly led out of the courtroom, and Mr. Castile’s family left immediately. When a deputy tried to stop his mother, Valerie, she yelled “Let me go.”
Later, she said: “My son loved this city, and this city killed my son. And a murderer gets away. Are you kidding me right now?”
She continued: “The system in this country continues to fail black people and will continue to fail us.”
A handful of protesters gathered outside the Ramsey County courthouse. “It’s not us that were on trial, it was the system that was on trial,” Mel Reeves, a community activist, said. “Yanez worked for the system. He killed somebody, right. Philando Castile got victimized by the system.”
Read more at NY Times
Republican House Whip Steve Scalise, congressional staffer shot in Virginia shooting
Washington (CNN)Rep. Steve Scalise, a congressional staffer and members of the congressional police force were shot Wednesday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, in what sources are calling an apparent "deliberate attack."
Scalise, the third ranking member of House Republican leadership as the majority whip, appeared to have been shot in the hip and it appeared two Capitol Hill police agents were shot, according to Rep. Mo Brooks, who told CNN he was on deck when the shooting occurred. A congressional staffer was also injured.
As of 9:45 a.m. ET, Scalise was in stable condition but undergoing surgery, according to a statement from his office.
"Prior to entering surgery, the whip was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone," the statement said. "He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders and colleagues."
The shooting took place at a practice for the GOP congressional baseball team. According to both congressional and law enforcement sources, the shooting appears to be a "deliberate attack."
Read more at CNN
Scalise, the third ranking member of House Republican leadership as the majority whip, appeared to have been shot in the hip and it appeared two Capitol Hill police agents were shot, according to Rep. Mo Brooks, who told CNN he was on deck when the shooting occurred. A congressional staffer was also injured.
As of 9:45 a.m. ET, Scalise was in stable condition but undergoing surgery, according to a statement from his office.
"Prior to entering surgery, the whip was in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone," the statement said. "He is grateful for the brave actions of U.S. Capitol Police, first responders and colleagues."
The shooting took place at a practice for the GOP congressional baseball team. According to both congressional and law enforcement sources, the shooting appears to be a "deliberate attack."
Read more at CNN
Amid criminal case, Cosby fighting lawsuits by 10 women
NORRISTOWN, Pa. (AP) — As Bill Cosby awaits a verdict in his sexual assault case in Pennsylvania, the comedian's civil lawyers are fighting lawsuits against him by 10 women around the country.
Currently, seven women have defamation suits pending in Massachusetts, while three more have defamation or sexual battery suits pending in California. Cosby has denied any wrongdoing.
The criminal case against Cosby partly stems from the accuser's related lawsuit. Prosecutors reopened a criminal investigation and filed charges in 2015 after Cosby's deposition in the woman's 2005 lawsuit was unsealed, and they realized the 12-year statute of limitations for felony sexual assault had not yet expired.
A recap of the pending civil cases:
___
CALIFORNIA
Cosby is being sued in Los Angeles by Judy Huth, who accuses the comedian of forcing her to perform a sex act on him in a bedroom of the Playboy Mansion around 1974, when she was 15. A trial date may be set later this month for the sexual battery case. Cosby has given a sealed deposition in the case. Huth's lawyer, Gloria Allred, says the scheduling of a second deposition is on hold because of the criminal trial.
Chloe Goins, a former model who claims Cosby drugged and sexually abused her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008, is also suing the comedian on sexual battery and other claims. Prosecutors rejected filing a case against Cosby based on Goins' allegations, which they said investigators could not corroborate. A judge recently denied Cosby's motion to dismiss the case, and a trial has been scheduled for June 2018.
The comedian also faces a defamation lawsuit by model Janice Dickinson, who claims Cosby drugged and raped her in Lake Tahoe, California, in 1982. Cosby is appealing a ruling allowing Dickinson's case to proceed.
Read more at Yahoo
Currently, seven women have defamation suits pending in Massachusetts, while three more have defamation or sexual battery suits pending in California. Cosby has denied any wrongdoing.
The criminal case against Cosby partly stems from the accuser's related lawsuit. Prosecutors reopened a criminal investigation and filed charges in 2015 after Cosby's deposition in the woman's 2005 lawsuit was unsealed, and they realized the 12-year statute of limitations for felony sexual assault had not yet expired.
A recap of the pending civil cases:
___
CALIFORNIA
Cosby is being sued in Los Angeles by Judy Huth, who accuses the comedian of forcing her to perform a sex act on him in a bedroom of the Playboy Mansion around 1974, when she was 15. A trial date may be set later this month for the sexual battery case. Cosby has given a sealed deposition in the case. Huth's lawyer, Gloria Allred, says the scheduling of a second deposition is on hold because of the criminal trial.
Chloe Goins, a former model who claims Cosby drugged and sexually abused her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008, is also suing the comedian on sexual battery and other claims. Prosecutors rejected filing a case against Cosby based on Goins' allegations, which they said investigators could not corroborate. A judge recently denied Cosby's motion to dismiss the case, and a trial has been scheduled for June 2018.
The comedian also faces a defamation lawsuit by model Janice Dickinson, who claims Cosby drugged and raped her in Lake Tahoe, California, in 1982. Cosby is appealing a ruling allowing Dickinson's case to proceed.
Read more at Yahoo
Yara Shahidi Is Officially Joining Malia Obama At Harvard University
Yara Shahidi, the bright and beautiful actress from ABC’s hit show “black-ish,” is officially heading to Harvard University.
The 18-year-old star, who was accepted into every college and university she applied to, posted a picture to Instagram on Wednesday proudly sporting a Harvard University sweatshirt.
It came with a caption that included a moving quote from a black literary legend: “The paradox of education is precisely this ― that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. ~ James Baldwin #CrimsonPride,” Shahidi wrote.
Shahidi, who is effortlessly dope at almost everything she does, revealed in March that former first lady Michelle Obama wrote four college recommendation letters for her, including for her application to Harvard. Obama once attended the Ivy League institution (she graduated from Harvard Law School) ― and her daughter Malia will be attending this year.
Similar to Malia, Shahidi, who previously said she plans to double major in sociology and African American studies, said she is considering taking a year-long break before beginning at Harvard to work and better prepare for her future.
Read more at Yahoo.
The 18-year-old star, who was accepted into every college and university she applied to, posted a picture to Instagram on Wednesday proudly sporting a Harvard University sweatshirt.
It came with a caption that included a moving quote from a black literary legend: “The paradox of education is precisely this ― that as one begins to become conscious one begins to examine the society in which he is being educated. ~ James Baldwin #CrimsonPride,” Shahidi wrote.
Shahidi, who is effortlessly dope at almost everything she does, revealed in March that former first lady Michelle Obama wrote four college recommendation letters for her, including for her application to Harvard. Obama once attended the Ivy League institution (she graduated from Harvard Law School) ― and her daughter Malia will be attending this year.
Similar to Malia, Shahidi, who previously said she plans to double major in sociology and African American studies, said she is considering taking a year-long break before beginning at Harvard to work and better prepare for her future.
Read more at Yahoo.
Study may shed light on why more African-American men die of prostate cancer
Health disparities in prostate cancer are well known by doctors who treat the disease. African-American men are more likely to get prostate cancer, are diagnosed at more advanced stages, and are twice as likely to die as Caucasian men. But why?
A new study that looks at perceptions about prostate cancer treatment among black and white men may help medical experts zero in on some of the reasons — and develop strategies to address them.
Among other differences, the survey of prostate cancer patients found "more black men were concerned about the impact that treatment would have on their daily activities, the cost of treatment, and the time it would take to both go through the treatment as well as to recover from it," the researchers said. Those priorities may have an impact on the types of treatment men choose and their ultimate health outcomes.
More than 161,000 men in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the risk is 74 percent higher in black men than in non-Hispanic whites.
To help understand the racial discrepancies, researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center surveyed by phone 1,171 men who were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer; 304 of the men were African-American and 866 were Caucasian. The men had non-metastatic prostate cancer and came from a mix of rural, suburban and urban areas across North Carolina. They were part of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry.
Read more at CBS
A new study that looks at perceptions about prostate cancer treatment among black and white men may help medical experts zero in on some of the reasons — and develop strategies to address them.
Among other differences, the survey of prostate cancer patients found "more black men were concerned about the impact that treatment would have on their daily activities, the cost of treatment, and the time it would take to both go through the treatment as well as to recover from it," the researchers said. Those priorities may have an impact on the types of treatment men choose and their ultimate health outcomes.
More than 161,000 men in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year, and according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the risk is 74 percent higher in black men than in non-Hispanic whites.
To help understand the racial discrepancies, researchers at the University of North Carolina Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center surveyed by phone 1,171 men who were newly diagnosed with prostate cancer; 304 of the men were African-American and 866 were Caucasian. The men had non-metastatic prostate cancer and came from a mix of rural, suburban and urban areas across North Carolina. They were part of the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry.
Read more at CBS
Bill Cosby Sexual Assault Trial Resumes
The chef accuser in famed comedian Bill Cosby’s sexual assault trial said she shot down the actor’s casual advances twice before she found herself unable to fight him off the night he gave her pills described as herbal supplements.
The accusations came 12 years after the alleged event during Andrea Constand’s testimony at Cosby’s trial.
The Associated Press reports that Constand will return to the witness stand on Wednesday, the third day of the trial that could land Cosby in jail.
In Tuesday’s testimony, Constand described how her professional relationship with Cosby evolved into a friendship. At the time, Constand was an employee at Temple University where Cosby was a trustee. She testified that their friendship was critical to the school’s athletics department where she worked at the time.
Constand said that Cosby became more flirtatious and suggestive during their friendship. She testified that he grabbed her thigh during one instance at his home and attempted to unbutton her pants in another. Both times, Constand made it clear she didn’t welcome his advances, she said.
“I’m not here for that,” she recalled telling him. “I don’t want that.”
Despite Cosby’s actions, Constand said she did not feel threatened.
Read more at EBONY
The accusations came 12 years after the alleged event during Andrea Constand’s testimony at Cosby’s trial.
The Associated Press reports that Constand will return to the witness stand on Wednesday, the third day of the trial that could land Cosby in jail.
In Tuesday’s testimony, Constand described how her professional relationship with Cosby evolved into a friendship. At the time, Constand was an employee at Temple University where Cosby was a trustee. She testified that their friendship was critical to the school’s athletics department where she worked at the time.
Constand said that Cosby became more flirtatious and suggestive during their friendship. She testified that he grabbed her thigh during one instance at his home and attempted to unbutton her pants in another. Both times, Constand made it clear she didn’t welcome his advances, she said.
“I’m not here for that,” she recalled telling him. “I don’t want that.”
Despite Cosby’s actions, Constand said she did not feel threatened.
Read more at EBONY
Disgruntled former employee kills 5 at workplace near Orlando:
Five people were shot and killed by a "disgruntled" former employee at a workplace near Orlando, Florida, this morning, three years after the suspect was involved in another workplace violence incident there, according to authorities.
The suspect shot and killed himself after shooting his former co-workers this morning at Fiamma, a company that manufactures awnings and accessories for RVs, authorities said.
The active shooting was reported at about 8:03 a.m. and deputies arrived minutes later to find three men and one woman dead, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said.
A fifth person, a man, was taken to a hospital where he died, Demings said.
Seven people inside the business survived and are being interviewed, Demings said.
The 45-year-old suspect, who was armed with a handgun and a knife, shot and killed himself, Demings said.
Demings described the suspect as a "disgruntled" former employee who was fired in April 2017. The sheriff did not name the man.
Read more at ABC
The suspect shot and killed himself after shooting his former co-workers this morning at Fiamma, a company that manufactures awnings and accessories for RVs, authorities said.
The active shooting was reported at about 8:03 a.m. and deputies arrived minutes later to find three men and one woman dead, Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings said.
A fifth person, a man, was taken to a hospital where he died, Demings said.
Seven people inside the business survived and are being interviewed, Demings said.
The 45-year-old suspect, who was armed with a handgun and a knife, shot and killed himself, Demings said.
Demings described the suspect as a "disgruntled" former employee who was fired in April 2017. The sheriff did not name the man.
Read more at ABC
White College Student Punished For Flier Supporting Black Men.
A Texas-based college student says she is just a step away from suspension after creating and handing out a flier that supported Black students.
25-year-old Emily Walker, who attends Southern Methodist University, is on disciplinary probation following a months-long investigation by officials linked to the university.
Walker says she created a flier last November titled, “Why White Women Should Date Black Men” in response to another flier titled, “Why White Women Shouldn’t Date Black Men.” The latter flier included a series of racist and offensive claims about Black men.
She believes that she did nothing wrong and is being unfairly targeted.
“They handed me one of the hardest punishments you can get on SMU, Walker told WFAA. “I was like, ‘I’m a White woman.’ I’m going to show the author, ‘No, sorry buddy. You didn’t win.'”
Walker printed out 150 fliers and distributed them on campus. One week later, she learned she was under investigation by the school. But what was supposed to be a quick process turned into an anxiety-filled investigation that resulted in her being placed on probation, Walker said.
“The university does not disclose information about student disciplinary matters in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,” SMU officials said in an emailed statement sent to WFAA.
Walker says the university felt her fliers added to an already tense and hostile environment on campus. While they contained risqué generalizations about White men, Walker says it was a satire meant to send a supportive message to African-American students on campus.
Read more at EBONY
25-year-old Emily Walker, who attends Southern Methodist University, is on disciplinary probation following a months-long investigation by officials linked to the university.
Walker says she created a flier last November titled, “Why White Women Should Date Black Men” in response to another flier titled, “Why White Women Shouldn’t Date Black Men.” The latter flier included a series of racist and offensive claims about Black men.
She believes that she did nothing wrong and is being unfairly targeted.
“They handed me one of the hardest punishments you can get on SMU, Walker told WFAA. “I was like, ‘I’m a White woman.’ I’m going to show the author, ‘No, sorry buddy. You didn’t win.'”
Walker printed out 150 fliers and distributed them on campus. One week later, she learned she was under investigation by the school. But what was supposed to be a quick process turned into an anxiety-filled investigation that resulted in her being placed on probation, Walker said.
“The university does not disclose information about student disciplinary matters in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act,” SMU officials said in an emailed statement sent to WFAA.
Walker says the university felt her fliers added to an already tense and hostile environment on campus. While they contained risqué generalizations about White men, Walker says it was a satire meant to send a supportive message to African-American students on campus.
Read more at EBONY
Bill Maher Faces Backlash After Using Racial Slur on HBO Show
(LOS ANGELES) — Bill Maher is facing criticism for his use of a racial slur during a discussion with a Republican senator on his HBO talk show Friday night.
Maher was speaking with Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska during a segment of his "Real Time with Bill Maher." Sasse joked that he would like to have Maher visit Nebraska and work in the fields, which prompted Maher to use a slur in a joke that he was a house slave.
The comedian immediately waved off audience groans.
Activists including the Rev. Al Sharpton quickly criticized Maher and it remained a top-ranked topic on Twitter on Saturday morning.
Sasse wrote Saturday that he wished he had immediately criticized Maher for using the term.Maher's publicists did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Read the article at Time
Maher was speaking with Republican Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska during a segment of his "Real Time with Bill Maher." Sasse joked that he would like to have Maher visit Nebraska and work in the fields, which prompted Maher to use a slur in a joke that he was a house slave.
The comedian immediately waved off audience groans.
Activists including the Rev. Al Sharpton quickly criticized Maher and it remained a top-ranked topic on Twitter on Saturday morning.
Sasse wrote Saturday that he wished he had immediately criticized Maher for using the term.Maher's publicists did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Read the article at Time
Trump Will Withdraw U.S. From Paris Climate Agreement
WASHINGTON — President Trump announced Thursday that he will withdraw the United States from participation in the Paris climate accord, weakening global efforts to combat climate change and siding with conservatives who argued that the landmark 2015 agreement was harming the economy.
But he will stick to the withdrawal process laid out in the Paris agreement, which President Barack Obama joined and most of the world has already ratified. That could take nearly four years to complete, meaning a final decision would be up to the American voters in the next presidential election.
Still, Mr. Trump’s decision is a remarkable rebuke to fellow heads-of-state, climate activists, corporate executives and members of the president’s own staff, all of whom failed this week to change Mr. Trump’s mind with an intense, last-minute lobbying blitz.
It makes good on a campaign promise to “cancel” an agreement he repeatedly mocked and derided at rallies, saying it would kill American jobs. As president, he has moved rapidly to reverse Obama-era policies designed to allow the United States to meet its pollution-reduction targets as set under the agreement.
Read more at NY Times
But he will stick to the withdrawal process laid out in the Paris agreement, which President Barack Obama joined and most of the world has already ratified. That could take nearly four years to complete, meaning a final decision would be up to the American voters in the next presidential election.
Still, Mr. Trump’s decision is a remarkable rebuke to fellow heads-of-state, climate activists, corporate executives and members of the president’s own staff, all of whom failed this week to change Mr. Trump’s mind with an intense, last-minute lobbying blitz.
It makes good on a campaign promise to “cancel” an agreement he repeatedly mocked and derided at rallies, saying it would kill American jobs. As president, he has moved rapidly to reverse Obama-era policies designed to allow the United States to meet its pollution-reduction targets as set under the agreement.
Read more at NY Times
L.A. police investigating reported racial slur sprayed on gate at home of LeBron James
Los Angeles police were called Wednesday to a home belonging to Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James to investigate a reported racial slur spray-painted on the front gate.
Police confirmed the incident, which is still under investigation, to ESPN. It was first reported by TMZ.
The Brentwood home is not James' primary residence. Capt. Patricia Sandoval, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department, told The Associated Press that James wasn't home at the time.
Sandoval said someone had painted over the slur before officers arrived at the home early Wednesday morning.
Police are investigating it as an act of vandalism and a possible hate crime.
Sandoval said the property manager told officers they believe the incident was captured on surveillance video.
James bought the house in 2015 for roughly $20.9 million. It is 9,440 square feet.
Read more at ESPN
Police confirmed the incident, which is still under investigation, to ESPN. It was first reported by TMZ.
The Brentwood home is not James' primary residence. Capt. Patricia Sandoval, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Police Department, told The Associated Press that James wasn't home at the time.
Sandoval said someone had painted over the slur before officers arrived at the home early Wednesday morning.
Police are investigating it as an act of vandalism and a possible hate crime.
Sandoval said the property manager told officers they believe the incident was captured on surveillance video.
James bought the house in 2015 for roughly $20.9 million. It is 9,440 square feet.
Read more at ESPN
Four African Americans Chosen for Cosby Jury
PITTSBURGH—After a third day of the jury selection process Bill Cosby criminal trial, all 12 jurors have been chosen. It was a day filled with high-drama and even several outbursts of laughter by the embattled comedian and others.
Also, six alternate jurors were chosen for the trial that’s scheduled to begin on June 5 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from where the selection process took place.
Two members of the primary panel are African-American, a man and a woman both in their 30s or 40s. A male black in his 20s and a female African-American in her 20s were also selected as alternates.
While the primary panel consists of 10 Whites—seven men and three women—the alternate jury pool includes four Whites.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, civil rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson said juror suppression has been a tool of the United States justice system for centuries.
“The jury may determine the outcome even before coming to court,” Jackson said. “Our history includes the killers of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers; a jury set those killers free. There’s a court bias and African-Americans don’t have access to the jury pool [like Whites].”
Read more at BlackPressUsa
Also, six alternate jurors were chosen for the trial that’s scheduled to begin on June 5 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 300 miles from where the selection process took place.
Two members of the primary panel are African-American, a man and a woman both in their 30s or 40s. A male black in his 20s and a female African-American in her 20s were also selected as alternates.
While the primary panel consists of 10 Whites—seven men and three women—the alternate jury pool includes four Whites.
In a telephone interview Wednesday, civil rights activist, Rev. Jesse Jackson said juror suppression has been a tool of the United States justice system for centuries.
“The jury may determine the outcome even before coming to court,” Jackson said. “Our history includes the killers of Emmett Till and Medgar Evers; a jury set those killers free. There’s a court bias and African-Americans don’t have access to the jury pool [like Whites].”
Read more at BlackPressUsa
Say What Now? Texas Beauty Queen Claims She Was Called a 'Black B*tch' by a Police Officer and Wrongly Arrested in a Road Rage Incident
Carmen Ponder, last year’s Miss Black Texas pageant winner, claims she was harassed and wrongfully arrested by a police officer who called her a ‘Black b*tch.’
She took to Twitter to call for charges against Commerce Police Chief Kerry Crews — as well as for hers to be dropped.
via NYDN:
“She feels humiliated and embarrassed because she’s Miss Black Texas 2016,” Montana Bunn, a paralegal for attorney S. Lee Merritt, who’s representing Ponder, told the Daily News Thursday. “To be dragged through the mud for a legal issue and being arrested, it’s hindering her emotionally, her title and career path.”
On Saturday, Ponder was on her way to a Walmart when she said she noticed a black truck driving erratically. The driver cut in front of her, she said.
She then drove around the truck before pulling up in the store’s parking lot. The truck pulled up beside her, and Crews began yelling profanities at her, she said in a Twitter post.
Read more at LoveBScott
She took to Twitter to call for charges against Commerce Police Chief Kerry Crews — as well as for hers to be dropped.
via NYDN:
“She feels humiliated and embarrassed because she’s Miss Black Texas 2016,” Montana Bunn, a paralegal for attorney S. Lee Merritt, who’s representing Ponder, told the Daily News Thursday. “To be dragged through the mud for a legal issue and being arrested, it’s hindering her emotionally, her title and career path.”
On Saturday, Ponder was on her way to a Walmart when she said she noticed a black truck driving erratically. The driver cut in front of her, she said.
She then drove around the truck before pulling up in the store’s parking lot. The truck pulled up beside her, and Crews began yelling profanities at her, she said in a Twitter post.
Read more at LoveBScott
Manchester Arena terror attacker named as Salman Abedi
British authorities have identified suspected Manchester bomber as Salman Abedi, US officials have said.
Armed officers raided the address of the suspect, which is three miles south of the city centre, ordering residents indoors as they carried out a controlled explosion.
Twenty-two people were killed – many of them feared young – and more than 100 injured after an IED exploded at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena late on Monday night.
Follow all the latest updates here
Twelve children under the age of 16 were among the 59 casualties taken to hospital after the terror attack at Manchester Arena.
Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack – but the claim has yet to be verified.
According to the Telegraph, Abedi is the second youngest of four children.
His parents were Libyan refugees who are thought to have come to the UK during the Gaddafi regime.
Elsmore Road, where Abedi was registered as living, became the centre of the investigation into Monday’s outrage as detectives hunted those thought to be behind the blast.
Local residents who live on the red-bricked semi-detached street said they know little about the person or persons who reside at the address.
Read more at Yahoo
Armed officers raided the address of the suspect, which is three miles south of the city centre, ordering residents indoors as they carried out a controlled explosion.
Twenty-two people were killed – many of them feared young – and more than 100 injured after an IED exploded at an Ariana Grande concert at the Manchester Arena late on Monday night.
Follow all the latest updates here
Twelve children under the age of 16 were among the 59 casualties taken to hospital after the terror attack at Manchester Arena.
Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack – but the claim has yet to be verified.
According to the Telegraph, Abedi is the second youngest of four children.
His parents were Libyan refugees who are thought to have come to the UK during the Gaddafi regime.
Elsmore Road, where Abedi was registered as living, became the centre of the investigation into Monday’s outrage as detectives hunted those thought to be behind the blast.
Local residents who live on the red-bricked semi-detached street said they know little about the person or persons who reside at the address.
Read more at Yahoo
Mississippi Representative Says Louisiana Leaders Should Be 'Lynched' for Removing Confederate Monuments
A state representative from Winona, Mississippi, issued an apology after making a post to Facebook suggesting Louisiana leaders who removed Confederate monuments should be lynched, reported The Clarion-Ledger.
In his post, Rep. Karl Oliver, R-Winona, wrote: “The destruction of these monuments, erected in the loving memory of our family and fellow Southern Americans, is both heinous and horrific. If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, “leadership” of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED! Let it be known, I will do all in my power to prevent this from happening in our State.”
Last Friday, the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was the fourth and last Confederate monument in Louisiana to be removed. After seeing Oliver’s post, Mississippi State Sen. Derrick Simmons tweeted a screenshot with the caption, “Dear World: Meet #Mississippi state Rep. Karl Oliver.”
Read more at BET
In his post, Rep. Karl Oliver, R-Winona, wrote: “The destruction of these monuments, erected in the loving memory of our family and fellow Southern Americans, is both heinous and horrific. If the, and I use this term extremely loosely, “leadership” of Louisiana wishes to, in a Nazi-ish fashion, burn books or destroy historical monuments of OUR HISTORY, they should be LYNCHED! Let it be known, I will do all in my power to prevent this from happening in our State.”
Last Friday, the statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee was the fourth and last Confederate monument in Louisiana to be removed. After seeing Oliver’s post, Mississippi State Sen. Derrick Simmons tweeted a screenshot with the caption, “Dear World: Meet #Mississippi state Rep. Karl Oliver.”
Read more at BET
Black Boys Coping With The Trauma Of Watching Black People Die
In a house where there is no cable television we often find our news through trending topics on Facebook. After we read post after post about the video release, my husband, 15-year-old son, 17-year-old daughter and I sat on the couch leaning towards my laptop and watched the video. And just like a scene from a “cops and robbers” movie, we watched the police officer drive up to the “bad guy” with a gun, jump out the car and shoot him.
Except this was not a movie, and the “bad guy” was 12-year-old Tamir Rice, the gun was a fake gun and he, like thousands of boys for generations before him may have been playing a pretend version of “cops and robbers”. But his version didn’t end in him getting the bad guy before he was called in for dinner. Tamir Rice’s shooting affected us differently because of his age. The idea that there is no age in which black boys are safe to even play in a park was particularly a hard blow.
Read more at Huff Post
Except this was not a movie, and the “bad guy” was 12-year-old Tamir Rice, the gun was a fake gun and he, like thousands of boys for generations before him may have been playing a pretend version of “cops and robbers”. But his version didn’t end in him getting the bad guy before he was called in for dinner. Tamir Rice’s shooting affected us differently because of his age. The idea that there is no age in which black boys are safe to even play in a park was particularly a hard blow.
Read more at Huff Post
Suspect in deadly Times Square mayhem charged with murder
NEW YORK (AP) — A Times Square motorist accused of steering his car onto one of the busiest sidewalks in the U.S. and mowing down pedestrians has been charged with murder and 20 counts of attempted murder, police say.
The New York Police Department said 26-year-old Richard Rojas, of the Bronx, was charged late Thursday also with five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide.
Rojas was arrested Thursday afternoon after he drove his car for three blocks in Times Square, hitting nearly two dozen people before steel security barriers finally stopped him. An 18-year-old tourist from Michigan was killed. Her 13-year-old sister was among the 22 injured, four of them critically.
Rojas is to be arraigned Friday. It wasn't clear if he a lawyer.
Officials say he had served in the U.S. Navy but was discharged following disciplinary problems. After his arrest, he told police he was "hearing voices" and expected to die, two law enforcement officials said.
After the wreck he emerged from his vehicle running, yelling and jumping before being subdued by police and bystanders in a chaotic scene.
"He began screaming, no particular words but just utter screaming. He was swinging his arms at the same time, said Ken Bradix, a security supervisor at a nearby Planet Hollywood restaurant who tackled Rojas.
Rojas initially tested negative for alcohol, but more detailed drug tests were pending, according to two law enforcement officials who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The officials said Rojas told officers he had been hearing voices.
Read more at Yahoo
The New York Police Department said 26-year-old Richard Rojas, of the Bronx, was charged late Thursday also with five counts of aggravated vehicular homicide.
Rojas was arrested Thursday afternoon after he drove his car for three blocks in Times Square, hitting nearly two dozen people before steel security barriers finally stopped him. An 18-year-old tourist from Michigan was killed. Her 13-year-old sister was among the 22 injured, four of them critically.
Rojas is to be arraigned Friday. It wasn't clear if he a lawyer.
Officials say he had served in the U.S. Navy but was discharged following disciplinary problems. After his arrest, he told police he was "hearing voices" and expected to die, two law enforcement officials said.
After the wreck he emerged from his vehicle running, yelling and jumping before being subdued by police and bystanders in a chaotic scene.
"He began screaming, no particular words but just utter screaming. He was swinging his arms at the same time, said Ken Bradix, a security supervisor at a nearby Planet Hollywood restaurant who tackled Rojas.
Rojas initially tested negative for alcohol, but more detailed drug tests were pending, according to two law enforcement officials who were not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity. The officials said Rojas told officers he had been hearing voices.
Read more at Yahoo
South African Authorities Decide That ‘100% Black Owned Advertising Agency’ Campaign Is NotRacist
Here’s an unusual story from South Africa.
Seems that an unnamed citizen of that country lodged a complaint in February because he considered a billboard advertising “100% black owned advertising agency” BWD (or Breeze Web Designers) to be racist.
We won’t get into the logic or lack thereof behind that complaint, which we learned of today via South African news site The Media Online. But it seems that the local Advertising Standards Authority had to consider the citizen’s opinion as part of its standard operating procedures.
This single person then facilitated “a two-month investigation.”
South Africa has a uniquely horrific history, and in 2003—less than a decade after electing its first democratic government—the country passed the initial stage of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (or B-BBEE) Strategy, a program designed to “advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation of black people in the South African economy.” Phase 2 went into effect in 2014.
Lodging a complaint with the South African ASA is fairly simple, as you can see from this form. But it also requires one to go out of his or her way to visit the ASA website or look up its contact information, so it’s hard to avoid drawing the conclusion that the person who registered said complaint was very upset over this particular billboard. One can’t help but wonder why.
Read more here
Seems that an unnamed citizen of that country lodged a complaint in February because he considered a billboard advertising “100% black owned advertising agency” BWD (or Breeze Web Designers) to be racist.
We won’t get into the logic or lack thereof behind that complaint, which we learned of today via South African news site The Media Online. But it seems that the local Advertising Standards Authority had to consider the citizen’s opinion as part of its standard operating procedures.
This single person then facilitated “a two-month investigation.”
South Africa has a uniquely horrific history, and in 2003—less than a decade after electing its first democratic government—the country passed the initial stage of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (or B-BBEE) Strategy, a program designed to “advance economic transformation and enhance the economic participation of black people in the South African economy.” Phase 2 went into effect in 2014.
Lodging a complaint with the South African ASA is fairly simple, as you can see from this form. But it also requires one to go out of his or her way to visit the ASA website or look up its contact information, so it’s hard to avoid drawing the conclusion that the person who registered said complaint was very upset over this particular billboard. One can’t help but wonder why.
Read more here
Jury acquits Tulsa cop in shooting of unarmed black man
A jury on Wednesday acquitted of first-degree manslaughter a white Oklahoma police officer who says she fired out of fear last year when she killed an unarmed black man with his hands held above his head.
The family of Terence Crutcher burst into tears and reacted with outrage after jurors found Tulsa officer Betty Jo Shelby not guilty in the Sept. 16 shooting.
"Let it be known that I believe in my heart that Betty Shelby got away with murder," Crutcher's father, Rev. Joey Crutcher, said after the verdict was announced.
A lawyer for Shelby said the officer was "elated" that the jury found her not guilty.
"She's ready to get back to her life," Defense Attorney Shannon McMurray said.
Shelby looked stone-faced when the verdict was read, but Crutcher's family was quickly ushered out of the courtroom sobbing and wailing.
At least four of the 12 jurors were crying as they left the courtroom and did not look at either the family of Crutcher or Shelby. The jury comprised eight women and four men and included three African-Americans.
About 100 demonstrators gathered in a plaza outside the courthouse Wednesday evening in peaceful protest at the verdict. They chanted: "No Justice, No Peace. No Racist Police." They marched several blocks downtown and gathered outside a hotel where they believed that Shelby and her defense team were staying. Later the protesters dispersed without incident.
Marq Lewis, organizer of the local civil rights group We The People Oklahoma said the verdict was a blow to Tulsa's black community.
"When is it going to stop — just officer-related shootings? When will the police change policy," he said.
Shelby said she fired her weapon out of fear because she said Crutcher didn't obey her commands to lie on the ground and appeared to reach inside his SUV for what she thought was a gun. Crutcher was unarmed.
Read more at ABC
The family of Terence Crutcher burst into tears and reacted with outrage after jurors found Tulsa officer Betty Jo Shelby not guilty in the Sept. 16 shooting.
"Let it be known that I believe in my heart that Betty Shelby got away with murder," Crutcher's father, Rev. Joey Crutcher, said after the verdict was announced.
A lawyer for Shelby said the officer was "elated" that the jury found her not guilty.
"She's ready to get back to her life," Defense Attorney Shannon McMurray said.
Shelby looked stone-faced when the verdict was read, but Crutcher's family was quickly ushered out of the courtroom sobbing and wailing.
At least four of the 12 jurors were crying as they left the courtroom and did not look at either the family of Crutcher or Shelby. The jury comprised eight women and four men and included three African-Americans.
About 100 demonstrators gathered in a plaza outside the courthouse Wednesday evening in peaceful protest at the verdict. They chanted: "No Justice, No Peace. No Racist Police." They marched several blocks downtown and gathered outside a hotel where they believed that Shelby and her defense team were staying. Later the protesters dispersed without incident.
Marq Lewis, organizer of the local civil rights group We The People Oklahoma said the verdict was a blow to Tulsa's black community.
"When is it going to stop — just officer-related shootings? When will the police change policy," he said.
Shelby said she fired her weapon out of fear because she said Crutcher didn't obey her commands to lie on the ground and appeared to reach inside his SUV for what she thought was a gun. Crutcher was unarmed.
Read more at ABC
Poll: African-Americans less likely to have enough for retirement
CHICAGO (AP) – Older white Americans are nearly twice as likely as African-Americans to say they’ve saved enough for retirement, a new poll found.
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey also found that African- Americans and Latinos have less financial security than whites and will rely on fewer sources of income during retirement. The retirement savings gap between white and other minority groups extends beyond pensions, 401(k)s or other retirement accounts.
The survey shows older white Americans are also more likely to collect Social Security benefits, inherit money from their families or receive income from the sale of a home or other physical assets.
Disparity
The disparity in retirement readiness is a sign that the structural inequalities black and Latino workers face during their working years extend into retirement. For example, the unemployment rate among African-Americans is twice that of whites. On top of that, blacks earn less than whites with similar education and experience, research shows.
“Having good saving habits is good but black and Latino workers are just always worse off and it makes every aspect of saving for retirement harder,” said Matthew Rutledge, an economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
About 38 percent of older white Americans said they had sufficient money for retirement compared with 20 percent for African-Americans.
Four in 10 older Americans say they think they’ll outlive their retirement savings.
“Black and Latino families benefit from being close,” Rutledge said, adding that family members help care for each other. “But it doesn’t pay off when compared to whites family’s [financial] contributions.”
Read more at Saukvalley.com
The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey also found that African- Americans and Latinos have less financial security than whites and will rely on fewer sources of income during retirement. The retirement savings gap between white and other minority groups extends beyond pensions, 401(k)s or other retirement accounts.
The survey shows older white Americans are also more likely to collect Social Security benefits, inherit money from their families or receive income from the sale of a home or other physical assets.
Disparity
The disparity in retirement readiness is a sign that the structural inequalities black and Latino workers face during their working years extend into retirement. For example, the unemployment rate among African-Americans is twice that of whites. On top of that, blacks earn less than whites with similar education and experience, research shows.
“Having good saving habits is good but black and Latino workers are just always worse off and it makes every aspect of saving for retirement harder,” said Matthew Rutledge, an economist at the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.
About 38 percent of older white Americans said they had sufficient money for retirement compared with 20 percent for African-Americans.
Four in 10 older Americans say they think they’ll outlive their retirement savings.
“Black and Latino families benefit from being close,” Rutledge said, adding that family members help care for each other. “But it doesn’t pay off when compared to whites family’s [financial] contributions.”
Read more at Saukvalley.com
Family gets kicked off of a JetBlue flight for a birthday cake
Footage of a family getting kicked off of a JetBlue flight over the placement of a birthday cake surfaced on Saturday.
Minta and Cameron Burke were heading to Las Vegas from JFK Airport in New York on Flight 611 on May 3 to celebrate Minta's 40th birthday with their children when an incident between the family and the airline caused the entire family to be kicked off the plane, despite the NYPD admitting to the family that they did nothing wrong.
According to ABC 7, the incident started when someone in the family placed a birthday cake in the overhead bin, which is not allowed. The family says that a flight attendant told Cameron to move the cake to underneath his seat, which he did, but claims that the situation escalated when a second flight attendant got involved.
"You know, you could see the gestures - then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldn't put anything in the overhead compartment? I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, 'sir, this does not involve you. When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said 'ma'am, had you been drinking?' because her behavior was not normal," Cameron told ABC 7.
Eventually, police were called to sort everything out. In the clip, tweeted by ABC 7 reporter CeFaan Kim the family is visibly upset, and their son can be seen crying over the ordeal.
"No one's in any trouble," an officer can be heard reassuring the family.
Read more at Yahoo.
Minta and Cameron Burke were heading to Las Vegas from JFK Airport in New York on Flight 611 on May 3 to celebrate Minta's 40th birthday with their children when an incident between the family and the airline caused the entire family to be kicked off the plane, despite the NYPD admitting to the family that they did nothing wrong.
According to ABC 7, the incident started when someone in the family placed a birthday cake in the overhead bin, which is not allowed. The family says that a flight attendant told Cameron to move the cake to underneath his seat, which he did, but claims that the situation escalated when a second flight attendant got involved.
"You know, you could see the gestures - then she was pointing to her, did you tell him he couldn't put anything in the overhead compartment? I had approached them, and I said everything was fine, and she said, 'sir, this does not involve you. When she told me I had been non-compliant, then I said 'ma'am, had you been drinking?' because her behavior was not normal," Cameron told ABC 7.
Eventually, police were called to sort everything out. In the clip, tweeted by ABC 7 reporter CeFaan Kim the family is visibly upset, and their son can be seen crying over the ordeal.
"No one's in any trouble," an officer can be heard reassuring the family.
Read more at Yahoo.
ACLU claims police department in Mississippi is targeting black people
JACKSON, MS – A disabled man choked by deputies in his own house and forced to fill out a fake witness report. A father of two stopped at sheriff’s roadblocks at least 20 times in a year with no legitimate reason. And a great-grandmother’s celebratory barbecue interrupted by warrantless searches of attendees’ pockets.
Those are just a few examples of what the ACLU claims are the acts of a police agency out of control in central Mississippi.
The ACLU this week filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, claiming deputies routinely used excessive force and a variety of unconstitutional tactics to target black people.
The concerns raised in the suit echo some findings of recent Justice Department investigations into unconstitutional patterns of racial discrimination and excessive force by police departments in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland and New Orleans.
The ACLU’s lawsuit highlights striking examples of alleged misconduct, including the three described above, which the advocacy organization casts as emblematic of a larger problem in Madison County.
“These types of stories are everywhere in this community, but they are not special,” Paloma Wu, legal director for the ACLU of Mississippi, told CNN. “They are simply particularly memorable.”
The 86-page suit alleges wrongdoing by the department, Sheriff Randy Tucker, and six unnamed deputies. It demands changes that protect citizens’ constitutional rights, as well as improved training, supervision, monitoring, and discipline of officers who conduct unconstitutional practices.
Read more at CW39
Those are just a few examples of what the ACLU claims are the acts of a police agency out of control in central Mississippi.
The ACLU this week filed a federal class-action lawsuit against the Madison County Sheriff’s Department, claiming deputies routinely used excessive force and a variety of unconstitutional tactics to target black people.
The concerns raised in the suit echo some findings of recent Justice Department investigations into unconstitutional patterns of racial discrimination and excessive force by police departments in Baltimore, Chicago, Cleveland and New Orleans.
The ACLU’s lawsuit highlights striking examples of alleged misconduct, including the three described above, which the advocacy organization casts as emblematic of a larger problem in Madison County.
“These types of stories are everywhere in this community, but they are not special,” Paloma Wu, legal director for the ACLU of Mississippi, told CNN. “They are simply particularly memorable.”
The 86-page suit alleges wrongdoing by the department, Sheriff Randy Tucker, and six unnamed deputies. It demands changes that protect citizens’ constitutional rights, as well as improved training, supervision, monitoring, and discipline of officers who conduct unconstitutional practices.
Read more at CW39
Bill Cosby’s Daughters Speak Out About Their Father’s Rape Allegations
Bill Cosby‘s family has managed to stay out of the spotlight throughout their father’s career. So it comes as no surprise that his wife and children chose to lay low amid the numerous rape allegations brought against the icon — until now.
On Monday, Cosby’s daughters, Ensa and Erinn, released statements on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club. Host Charlamagne tha God revealed that Cosby’s team reached out to the show because Erinn and Ensa are faithful listeners. They wanted to get their message out to fans, ahead of Cosby’s trial next month.
Ensa explained in her statement that her father is a loving parent, philanthropist and an activist who loves people too much for the allegations to be true. She said, “The accusations against my father have been one-sided from the beginning. When he tried to defend himself, he was sued in civil court. I’ve seen the accusations become more horrific and extreme with time and I’ve witnessed my father’s reputation and legendary works be dismissed without any proof. I strongly believe my father is innocent of the crimes that are alleged against him and I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal. How the charges came against him, how people believed them before they were ever scrutinized or tested, how people who questioned the claims were shut down and ignored.”
She added, “The media created the story and the outcome before any court will ever test the claims. How my father is being punished by a society that still believes that black men rape white women that passes off as ‘boys will be boys’ when white men are accused. How the politics of our country prove my disgust.”
Read more at Global Grind
On Monday, Cosby’s daughters, Ensa and Erinn, released statements on Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club. Host Charlamagne tha God revealed that Cosby’s team reached out to the show because Erinn and Ensa are faithful listeners. They wanted to get their message out to fans, ahead of Cosby’s trial next month.
Ensa explained in her statement that her father is a loving parent, philanthropist and an activist who loves people too much for the allegations to be true. She said, “The accusations against my father have been one-sided from the beginning. When he tried to defend himself, he was sued in civil court. I’ve seen the accusations become more horrific and extreme with time and I’ve witnessed my father’s reputation and legendary works be dismissed without any proof. I strongly believe my father is innocent of the crimes that are alleged against him and I believe that racism has played a big role in all aspects of this scandal. How the charges came against him, how people believed them before they were ever scrutinized or tested, how people who questioned the claims were shut down and ignored.”
She added, “The media created the story and the outcome before any court will ever test the claims. How my father is being punished by a society that still believes that black men rape white women that passes off as ‘boys will be boys’ when white men are accused. How the politics of our country prove my disgust.”
Read more at Global Grind
Steve Harvey Reportedly Just Dissed His Staff, Again
Steve Harvey was the latest victim of a social media dragging, yesterday, after a scathing memo showing the talk show host demanding that his staff "not approach him" leaked online.
Now, it is being reported that Harvey was a no-show at his own wrap party in Chicago, and sources are saying he opted out as he did not want to talk to anyone.
According to Page Six, yesterday marked the final day of production for The Steve Harvey Show after five years in Chicago. The program's face and main talent, Harvey, reportedly failed to show up to the celebratory staff party as he did not want to rub shoulders with those he addressed in the memo.
Read more at BET
Now, it is being reported that Harvey was a no-show at his own wrap party in Chicago, and sources are saying he opted out as he did not want to talk to anyone.
According to Page Six, yesterday marked the final day of production for The Steve Harvey Show after five years in Chicago. The program's face and main talent, Harvey, reportedly failed to show up to the celebratory staff party as he did not want to rub shoulders with those he addressed in the memo.
Read more at BET
The Obamas Want Chicago Youth Working , So They're Donating $2 Million To Make It Happen
Since the Obamas have returned to public life, some have taken issue with the amount of money they’ve been charging for speaking engagements. Well, it looks like the former First Family is giving back just as much as they are taking.
On Wednesday, the Obamas announced a new financial commitment to the South Side of Chicago, which will also serve as the home to the former President’s presidential library.
Since the Obamas have returned to public life, some have taken issue with the amount of money they’ve been charging for speaking engagements. Well, it looks like the former First Family is giving back just as much as they are taking.
On Wednesday, the Obamas announced a new financial commitment to the South Side of Chicago, which will also serve as the home to the former President’s presidential library.
“Michelle and I will personally donate $2 million to our summer jobs programs here in the community so that right away people can get to work and we can start providing opportunity for them,” said the former President.
The presidential library will not be open for the next four years, but Obama knows the community can’t wait that long for jobs.
“We can’t afford to wait four years to start working together, and so what Michelle and I want to do is start now.”
This new initiative was announced in Chicago at an event where a roundtable discussion was had about the Obama Presidential Center. It will be built in Chicago’s Jackson Park and it’s estimated to create 200-300 jobs. The construction is said to generate 1, 400 – 1, 500 jobs and 2, 000 more jobs during the economic development of the area.
During the event, Obama showed off conceptual designs for the center, which will be a presidential library and headquarters for the Obama foundation.
“What we wanted was something that was alive and that was a hub for activity for the community and for the city and for the country,” said Obama.
Read more at JET
On Wednesday, the Obamas announced a new financial commitment to the South Side of Chicago, which will also serve as the home to the former President’s presidential library.
Since the Obamas have returned to public life, some have taken issue with the amount of money they’ve been charging for speaking engagements. Well, it looks like the former First Family is giving back just as much as they are taking.
On Wednesday, the Obamas announced a new financial commitment to the South Side of Chicago, which will also serve as the home to the former President’s presidential library.
“Michelle and I will personally donate $2 million to our summer jobs programs here in the community so that right away people can get to work and we can start providing opportunity for them,” said the former President.
The presidential library will not be open for the next four years, but Obama knows the community can’t wait that long for jobs.
“We can’t afford to wait four years to start working together, and so what Michelle and I want to do is start now.”
This new initiative was announced in Chicago at an event where a roundtable discussion was had about the Obama Presidential Center. It will be built in Chicago’s Jackson Park and it’s estimated to create 200-300 jobs. The construction is said to generate 1, 400 – 1, 500 jobs and 2, 000 more jobs during the economic development of the area.
During the event, Obama showed off conceptual designs for the center, which will be a presidential library and headquarters for the Obama foundation.
“What we wanted was something that was alive and that was a hub for activity for the community and for the city and for the country,” said Obama.
Read more at JET
82 Girls Have Reportedly Been Released By Boko Haram
The girls were released via negotiations between the Nigerian government and the terrorist group, reports Reuters. An official told the AP that the girls were located near Banki in the state of Borno.
The number of girls hasn’t been officially confirmed, however multiple outlets are reporting that they were turned over to the Nigerian military. Bashir Ahmad, an assistant to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, tweeted yesterday (April 6), “Alhamdulillah! This is a very very good and exciting news. More victories for Nigeria. Huge numbers. #OurGirls!”
In exchange for their release, five detained and suspected commanders of Boko Haram were freed, according to the Nigerian government.
The dozens of newly-released girls are among the 276 (aging from 16 to 18) who were taken from their beds at a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria in April of 2014.
Read more at BET
The number of girls hasn’t been officially confirmed, however multiple outlets are reporting that they were turned over to the Nigerian military. Bashir Ahmad, an assistant to Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, tweeted yesterday (April 6), “Alhamdulillah! This is a very very good and exciting news. More victories for Nigeria. Huge numbers. #OurGirls!”
In exchange for their release, five detained and suspected commanders of Boko Haram were freed, according to the Nigerian government.
The dozens of newly-released girls are among the 276 (aging from 16 to 18) who were taken from their beds at a boarding school in Chibok, Nigeria in April of 2014.
Read more at BET
Gun Sales Surge Among African-American Women
The firearms industry is no longer a man's world.
Women are buying guns in a big way; including more African-American women.
Firearms instructors report an up-tick in the number of black women purchasing guns and enrolling in self-defense classes.
"Women overall -- in particular, minority women -- are looking toward guns to protect themselves against crime," said firearms instructor Rick Ector.
"Women are definitely drivers in the market right now," he told Fox News.
Conservative African-American columnist Stacy Washington is a proud member of the National Rifle Association.
She was then was suspended from the Saint Louis Dispatch last week after she blasted a columnist for the Columbia Missourian for comparing the NRA to ISIS. Click here for the article.
"When has a member of the NRA ever decapitated, set on fire, tossed from a rooftop or otherwise terrorized another American?" Washington wrote. "The linkage is not only rife with improper context; it is false on its face. Yet the Missourian saw fit to publish it without question, I believe, because it suits the ideological bent of the opinion editor."
After her suspension, Washington quit her job at the Dispatch.
Read more at 1cbn
Women are buying guns in a big way; including more African-American women.
Firearms instructors report an up-tick in the number of black women purchasing guns and enrolling in self-defense classes.
"Women overall -- in particular, minority women -- are looking toward guns to protect themselves against crime," said firearms instructor Rick Ector.
"Women are definitely drivers in the market right now," he told Fox News.
Conservative African-American columnist Stacy Washington is a proud member of the National Rifle Association.
She was then was suspended from the Saint Louis Dispatch last week after she blasted a columnist for the Columbia Missourian for comparing the NRA to ISIS. Click here for the article.
"When has a member of the NRA ever decapitated, set on fire, tossed from a rooftop or otherwise terrorized another American?" Washington wrote. "The linkage is not only rife with improper context; it is false on its face. Yet the Missourian saw fit to publish it without question, I believe, because it suits the ideological bent of the opinion editor."
After her suspension, Washington quit her job at the Dispatch.
Read more at 1cbn
Twin brothers describe moment when teen was shot to death by police officer
Twin brothers who were traveling in the car with 15-year-old Jordan Edwards at the time he was shot and killed by former Balch Springs Police Officer Roy Oliver are still struggling to process their friend's death, according to a new interview.
"If I could do anything in the world to bring him back I would," Maximus Everette told ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA-TV about the loss of his friend.
Maximus and Maxwell Everette were in the car with Jordan and two of his brothers on the night of the April 29 shooting, which followed a 911 call related to a house party at which the boys were in attendance.
Police initially said that Edwards was in a car that backed up in the direction of officers, who were responding to the call about the party "in an aggressive manner." Police later revised that account, saying they had misspoken and that it appeared as though the vehicle was driving away from the officers based on footage from police body cameras.
Fired Texas officer free on bail after arrest in connection to teen's shooting death
Texas cop who fatally shot 15-year-old has been fired, police say
Oliver opened fire on the car with the boys inside it, striking Edwards, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.
Oliver, a six-year veteran of the force, turned himself in at the Parker County Jail in Weatherford, Texas, about 95 miles west of Dallas, according to WFAA.
The boys recalled to WFAA the moment that a bullet pierced the passenger window, striking Jordan's head.
"I'm always thinking about it and what could've happened," Maxwell Everette told the affiliate. "Somebody else could've gotten killed too. It still hasn't really hit me yet."
Read more at Yahoo.
"If I could do anything in the world to bring him back I would," Maximus Everette told ABC Dallas affiliate WFAA-TV about the loss of his friend.
Maximus and Maxwell Everette were in the car with Jordan and two of his brothers on the night of the April 29 shooting, which followed a 911 call related to a house party at which the boys were in attendance.
Police initially said that Edwards was in a car that backed up in the direction of officers, who were responding to the call about the party "in an aggressive manner." Police later revised that account, saying they had misspoken and that it appeared as though the vehicle was driving away from the officers based on footage from police body cameras.
Fired Texas officer free on bail after arrest in connection to teen's shooting death
Texas cop who fatally shot 15-year-old has been fired, police say
Oliver opened fire on the car with the boys inside it, striking Edwards, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.
Oliver, a six-year veteran of the force, turned himself in at the Parker County Jail in Weatherford, Texas, about 95 miles west of Dallas, according to WFAA.
The boys recalled to WFAA the moment that a bullet pierced the passenger window, striking Jordan's head.
"I'm always thinking about it and what could've happened," Maxwell Everette told the affiliate. "Somebody else could've gotten killed too. It still hasn't really hit me yet."
Read more at Yahoo.
Aaron Hernandez's suicide depicts Jesus Christ
Before hanging himself with a prison bedsheet, Aaron Hernandez cut his right middle finger and in blood drew circular marks on each of his feet, consistent with images of the feet of Jesus Christ after he was hung from the cross.
In red pen, Hernandez also wrote John 3:16 on his forehead, a scripture verse that declares eternal life for all – even the most wicked – as long as they believe God sent his son to perish for them.
On a nearby table, a Bible was open to John 3:16, with the verse marked in blood. “John 3:16” was also written in blood on the wall of Hernandez’s cell No. 57 of the G-2 unit of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts.
All of this comes from a Massachusetts State Police report into Hernandez’s death on April 19. The report, released on Thursday evening, concludes Hernandez’s death was due to suicide and requests the case be closed unless further information becomes available.
The Worcester County (Mass.) medical examiner had also ruled it a suicide. After initially declaring skepticism at Hernandez taking his own life, his family has lately remained silent on the cause of death.
Hernandez’s attorney, Jose Baez, did not dispute the conclusions of the report, but in a statement vowed “a thorough and independent investigation into this tragic death.” He blasted government officials for their “total lack of professionalism” during the process for not sharing information with the family and for numerous leaks that were reported in the media.
The report, written by trooper James Foley, offers the most details into the death of the former New England Patriots star who was serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. Just five days prior to his death, Hernandez, 27, had been found not guilty in a 2012 double homicide in Boston.
Hernandez was locked in his cell at 7:59 p.m. on April 18, just after concluding a phone call. Correction officers last observed him during the routine 1 a.m. bed check on April 19.
Read more at Yahoo.
In red pen, Hernandez also wrote John 3:16 on his forehead, a scripture verse that declares eternal life for all – even the most wicked – as long as they believe God sent his son to perish for them.
On a nearby table, a Bible was open to John 3:16, with the verse marked in blood. “John 3:16” was also written in blood on the wall of Hernandez’s cell No. 57 of the G-2 unit of the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Massachusetts.
All of this comes from a Massachusetts State Police report into Hernandez’s death on April 19. The report, released on Thursday evening, concludes Hernandez’s death was due to suicide and requests the case be closed unless further information becomes available.
The Worcester County (Mass.) medical examiner had also ruled it a suicide. After initially declaring skepticism at Hernandez taking his own life, his family has lately remained silent on the cause of death.
Hernandez’s attorney, Jose Baez, did not dispute the conclusions of the report, but in a statement vowed “a thorough and independent investigation into this tragic death.” He blasted government officials for their “total lack of professionalism” during the process for not sharing information with the family and for numerous leaks that were reported in the media.
The report, written by trooper James Foley, offers the most details into the death of the former New England Patriots star who was serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for the 2013 murder of Odin Lloyd. Just five days prior to his death, Hernandez, 27, had been found not guilty in a 2012 double homicide in Boston.
Hernandez was locked in his cell at 7:59 p.m. on April 18, just after concluding a phone call. Correction officers last observed him during the routine 1 a.m. bed check on April 19.
Read more at Yahoo.
Why Is It So Hard To Vote If You're Black, Poor Or Elderly in America?
The U.S. prides itself on being the world’s greatest democracy, but across the country, millions of people are denied the right to vote. More than half of all states require voters to show ID when they cast a ballot, yanking the most vulnerable in U.S. society from the electoral process.
On Monday, a federal judge ruled that Texas’ electoral law, which requires voters to show photo ID before casting a ballot, intentionally discriminates against black and Hispanic voters. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, ethnic minorities, along with low-income, disabled and elderly voters, are less likely to have government-issued identification.
Before the ruling—the fifth time in four years a court has found Texas’ voting laws discriminatory—a Texas voter was required to show one of six types of photo ID. If they failed to provide any, they could cast a provisional ballot and either present identification within six days of doing so or declare that they had a religious objection to being photographed or had lost their identification in a natural disaster.
In July, a federal appeals court ruled that the legislation violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prohibits electoral discrimination. The court’s ruling meant that during the November presidential election, voters who lacked ID were permitted to sign an affidavit declaring they were registered to vote in Texas. This angered some Texan Republicans who supported voter ID laws and claim that voter fraud is a growing problem in the U.S. Voters without government-issued IDs are more likely to vote Democrat.
Read more at Newsweek
On Monday, a federal judge ruled that Texas’ electoral law, which requires voters to show photo ID before casting a ballot, intentionally discriminates against black and Hispanic voters. According to the American Civil Liberties Union, ethnic minorities, along with low-income, disabled and elderly voters, are less likely to have government-issued identification.
Before the ruling—the fifth time in four years a court has found Texas’ voting laws discriminatory—a Texas voter was required to show one of six types of photo ID. If they failed to provide any, they could cast a provisional ballot and either present identification within six days of doing so or declare that they had a religious objection to being photographed or had lost their identification in a natural disaster.
In July, a federal appeals court ruled that the legislation violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which prohibits electoral discrimination. The court’s ruling meant that during the November presidential election, voters who lacked ID were permitted to sign an affidavit declaring they were registered to vote in Texas. This angered some Texan Republicans who supported voter ID laws and claim that voter fraud is a growing problem in the U.S. Voters without government-issued IDs are more likely to vote Democrat.
Read more at Newsweek
African-American women dying from breast cancer at alarming rate
African-American women diagnosed with breast cancer are dying at a much faster rate than other women with the disease. The disparity is alarming and has medical experts desperately searching for answers.
Three women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day in St. Louis and St. Louis County. African-American women are dying at a 40 percent higher rate compared to other women, according to information from the American Cancer Society.
Washington University Assistant Professor of Surgery, Dr. Adetunji Toriola, said African American women tend to have more aggressive breast cancer and they're often diagnosed at much later stages. Toriola said they also tend to be diagnosed at an early age compared to other women. The median age of diagnosis for black women is 59, compared to the average age of white women, which is 63. Studies have also shown that overtime the younger the age of diagnosis the more aggressive the breast cancer.
African-American women also don’t get screened as regularly for breast cancer, according to Toriola, and he says socioeconomic status plays a factor. Due to financial concerns, African-American women often have reduced access to screening mammograms and poorer access to long-term care when they have an abnormal mammogram.
Helen Chestnut, executive director for Susan G. Komen Missouri, said her organization’s goal is to decrease the alarming death rate 50 percent by 2026. Komen does a community profile every four years, and they discovered one of the critical reasons for the higher death rate for African-American women is the need for more help with the navigation of the medical system.
Chestnut said there is a critical need for someone to help women understand where they need to go from diagnosis, treatment, and survivor care.
Read more at KSDK
Three women are diagnosed with breast cancer every day in St. Louis and St. Louis County. African-American women are dying at a 40 percent higher rate compared to other women, according to information from the American Cancer Society.
Washington University Assistant Professor of Surgery, Dr. Adetunji Toriola, said African American women tend to have more aggressive breast cancer and they're often diagnosed at much later stages. Toriola said they also tend to be diagnosed at an early age compared to other women. The median age of diagnosis for black women is 59, compared to the average age of white women, which is 63. Studies have also shown that overtime the younger the age of diagnosis the more aggressive the breast cancer.
African-American women also don’t get screened as regularly for breast cancer, according to Toriola, and he says socioeconomic status plays a factor. Due to financial concerns, African-American women often have reduced access to screening mammograms and poorer access to long-term care when they have an abnormal mammogram.
Helen Chestnut, executive director for Susan G. Komen Missouri, said her organization’s goal is to decrease the alarming death rate 50 percent by 2026. Komen does a community profile every four years, and they discovered one of the critical reasons for the higher death rate for African-American women is the need for more help with the navigation of the medical system.
Chestnut said there is a critical need for someone to help women understand where they need to go from diagnosis, treatment, and survivor care.
Read more at KSDK
15-year-old Jordan Edwards was trying to leave a house party. Then police killed him.
Jordan Edwards, 15, was trying to leave a house party that had gotten out of control on Saturday. But the black teenager would never get home that night — because, as he sat in a car, a police officer shot and killed him.
Police in Balch Springs, Texas, a majority-minority Dallas suburb, claim there was an altercation with the vehicle. Edwards, who was unarmed, was sitting in the front passenger’s seat, with four other unarmed teens, including Edwards’s brother, in the car, according to family attorney Lee Merritt.
A cop responding to the scene shot at the car with a rifle. A bullet broke through the front passenger’s window and hit Edwards. Shortly after, Edwards was rushed to a hospital, where he died from gunshot injuries. No officers were injured in the incident.
Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber originally said the car backed up toward responding officers “in an aggressive manner.”
After his original statement, however, Haber said that he “misspoke.” He clarified that the car was in fact driving away from officers, not toward them. He added, “After reviewing video, I don’t believe that it [the shooting] met our core values.”
The officer who shot Edwards, whose name has yet to be released, is on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Read more at Vox.com
Police in Balch Springs, Texas, a majority-minority Dallas suburb, claim there was an altercation with the vehicle. Edwards, who was unarmed, was sitting in the front passenger’s seat, with four other unarmed teens, including Edwards’s brother, in the car, according to family attorney Lee Merritt.
A cop responding to the scene shot at the car with a rifle. A bullet broke through the front passenger’s window and hit Edwards. Shortly after, Edwards was rushed to a hospital, where he died from gunshot injuries. No officers were injured in the incident.
Balch Springs Police Chief Jonathan Haber originally said the car backed up toward responding officers “in an aggressive manner.”
After his original statement, however, Haber said that he “misspoke.” He clarified that the car was in fact driving away from officers, not toward them. He added, “After reviewing video, I don’t believe that it [the shooting] met our core values.”
The officer who shot Edwards, whose name has yet to be released, is on administrative leave pending an investigation.
Read more at Vox.com
Passenger dragged off United Airlines flight wins compensation
The man who was dragged off a United Airlines flight in a video that went around the world has received an undisclosed financial settlement from the airline.
The footage of Kentucky doctor David Dao, 69, being dragged off the flight after he refused to give up his seat to allow four United staff members to get from Chicago to Louisville went viral and sparked outrage .
Trending: Man kicked off Delta Air Lines flight for needing to use the bathroom
Lawyers for Dao said that a condition of the payout was that the amount would be confidential. His attorney, Thomas Demetri, said: "I hope he becomes a poster child for all of us. Someone's got to. Are we just going to continue to be treated like cattle?"
The Vietnamese Dao suffered concussion, a broken nose and lost two of his front teeth in an experience he described as worse than he went through during the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Don't miss: US veteran charged with killing PTSD 'therapy dog' as boyfriend filmed her
Earlier on Thursday (27 April), the airline announced that it would in future offer up to $10,000 (£7,700) as an incentive for passengers to voluntarily give up their seats on overbooked flights and no one will be removed from seats against their will.
The company also said it had made 10 substantial changes to how it deals with customers.
Read more at Yahoo.
The footage of Kentucky doctor David Dao, 69, being dragged off the flight after he refused to give up his seat to allow four United staff members to get from Chicago to Louisville went viral and sparked outrage .
Trending: Man kicked off Delta Air Lines flight for needing to use the bathroom
Lawyers for Dao said that a condition of the payout was that the amount would be confidential. His attorney, Thomas Demetri, said: "I hope he becomes a poster child for all of us. Someone's got to. Are we just going to continue to be treated like cattle?"
The Vietnamese Dao suffered concussion, a broken nose and lost two of his front teeth in an experience he described as worse than he went through during the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Don't miss: US veteran charged with killing PTSD 'therapy dog' as boyfriend filmed her
Earlier on Thursday (27 April), the airline announced that it would in future offer up to $10,000 (£7,700) as an incentive for passengers to voluntarily give up their seats on overbooked flights and no one will be removed from seats against their will.
The company also said it had made 10 substantial changes to how it deals with customers.
Read more at Yahoo.
Will Michelle Obama Run for Office? Let Her Be Clear…
Lots of people have called for Former First Lady Michelle Obama to follow her husband’s footsteps into public office, but at her first post-White House public appearance on Thursday she said it’s not gonna happen.
“It’s all well and good until you start running, and then the knives come out,” said Obama, ruling out a future political run, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “Politics is tough, and it’s hard on a family … I wouldn’t ask my children to do this again because, when you run for higher office, it’s not just you, it’s your whole family.”
She made the remark during a Q&A session at the American Institute of Architects’ annual conference in Orlando where cameras were not allowed, and noted that there are other contributions she can make without having to be a politician. An example she spoke about was the Let Girls Live initiative, which was started during her time in the White House. “One issue that I am excited about continuing to work on is … to help young girls get an education around the world,” she said, also noting that she wants to combat violence against women and girls. “The plight of women and girls is real, the struggles are real.”
Earlier this week, former president Barack Obama gave a similar appearance at the University of Chicago in which he spoke with students about organizing and activism, also his first since leaving the White House. A noticeable topic both of them avoided was President Trump. But the former First Lady did mention why she held back the tears as the couple exited on Inauguration Day.
“I didn’t want to have tears in my eyes because people would swear I was crying because of the new president,” she said.
Read more at EBONY
“It’s all well and good until you start running, and then the knives come out,” said Obama, ruling out a future political run, according to the Orlando Sentinel. “Politics is tough, and it’s hard on a family … I wouldn’t ask my children to do this again because, when you run for higher office, it’s not just you, it’s your whole family.”
She made the remark during a Q&A session at the American Institute of Architects’ annual conference in Orlando where cameras were not allowed, and noted that there are other contributions she can make without having to be a politician. An example she spoke about was the Let Girls Live initiative, which was started during her time in the White House. “One issue that I am excited about continuing to work on is … to help young girls get an education around the world,” she said, also noting that she wants to combat violence against women and girls. “The plight of women and girls is real, the struggles are real.”
Earlier this week, former president Barack Obama gave a similar appearance at the University of Chicago in which he spoke with students about organizing and activism, also his first since leaving the White House. A noticeable topic both of them avoided was President Trump. But the former First Lady did mention why she held back the tears as the couple exited on Inauguration Day.
“I didn’t want to have tears in my eyes because people would swear I was crying because of the new president,” she said.
Read more at EBONY
'I Forgot What a Grown-Up President Sounds Like': Obama Gets Lots of Twitter Love as He Makes First Public Speech Since Leaving Office
Many fans on Twitter were missing former President Barack Obama more than ever as he delivered his first public remarks since leaving office during a forum in his adopted hometown of Chicago on Monday.
At the event, which was held at the University of Chicago, Obama reflected on how he got his political start as a community organizer in the city more than 30 years ago, and facilitated a town hall-style forum on community organizing and civic engagement with young leaders from area schools.
He opened his remarks with a joke, asking the crowd: “So uh, what’s been going on while I’ve been gone?”
“On the back end now of my presidency, now that it’s completed, I’m spending a lot of time thinking about what is the most important thing I can do for my next job?” he continued. “And what I’m convinced is that - although there are all kinds of issues that I care about and all kinds of issues that I intend to work on - the single most important thing I can do is to help in any way I can prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world.”
The former president added that he has been “encouraged” by the “tolerant and thoughtful and entrepreneurial” young people he has met in his travels around the country. So the question now, he says, is: “Are there ways in which we can knock down some of the barriers that are discouraging young people about a life of service? And if there are, I want to work with them to knock down those barriers. And to get this next generation and to accelerate their move towards leadership.”
Read more at Yahoo
At the event, which was held at the University of Chicago, Obama reflected on how he got his political start as a community organizer in the city more than 30 years ago, and facilitated a town hall-style forum on community organizing and civic engagement with young leaders from area schools.
He opened his remarks with a joke, asking the crowd: “So uh, what’s been going on while I’ve been gone?”
“On the back end now of my presidency, now that it’s completed, I’m spending a lot of time thinking about what is the most important thing I can do for my next job?” he continued. “And what I’m convinced is that - although there are all kinds of issues that I care about and all kinds of issues that I intend to work on - the single most important thing I can do is to help in any way I can prepare the next generation of leadership to take up the baton and to take their own crack at changing the world.”
The former president added that he has been “encouraged” by the “tolerant and thoughtful and entrepreneurial” young people he has met in his travels around the country. So the question now, he says, is: “Are there ways in which we can knock down some of the barriers that are discouraging young people about a life of service? And if there are, I want to work with them to knock down those barriers. And to get this next generation and to accelerate their move towards leadership.”
Read more at Yahoo
What Shea Moisture Learned (So Far!) From Its Social Media Disaster
Yesterday was busy one for Shea Moisture. A social content campaign the brand launched late last month suddenly caught fire. But not the good kind of fire, more like the dumpster kind.
One video in particular, featuring four women talking about their struggles with self-confidence as it relates to their hair, drew the ire of Shea Moisture’s primarily African American consumer base for excluding them from the conversation. The video is part of a series of up to 40 the brand created with agency VaynerMedia, profiling more than 20 different influencers.
By last night the brand had issued a full apology across all its social channels and pulled the ad. “Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up. Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate.”
Shea Moisture parent Sundial Brands co-founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis says as the brand broadens its consumer market, it cannot forget or even appear to forget its core audience.
“It just shows the level of love and passion people have for the brand, and how much they want to make sure it continues to stand for them, even as it starts to broaden its audience, they want to make sure they’re not left behind,” says Richelieu. “And that’s clear to us. We need to make sure we spend the time engaging with that community, encouraging them, and letting them know that just because we’re growing doesn’t mean they’re less important. in fact, they become more important because they’re the ones who have always advocated for us.”
Read more at Fast Company
One video in particular, featuring four women talking about their struggles with self-confidence as it relates to their hair, drew the ire of Shea Moisture’s primarily African American consumer base for excluding them from the conversation. The video is part of a series of up to 40 the brand created with agency VaynerMedia, profiling more than 20 different influencers.
By last night the brand had issued a full apology across all its social channels and pulled the ad. “Wow, okay – so guys, listen, we really f-ed this one up. Please know that our intention was not – and would never be – to disrespect our community, and as such, we are pulling this piece immediately because it does not represent what we intended to communicate.”
Shea Moisture parent Sundial Brands co-founder and CEO Richelieu Dennis says as the brand broadens its consumer market, it cannot forget or even appear to forget its core audience.
“It just shows the level of love and passion people have for the brand, and how much they want to make sure it continues to stand for them, even as it starts to broaden its audience, they want to make sure they’re not left behind,” says Richelieu. “And that’s clear to us. We need to make sure we spend the time engaging with that community, encouraging them, and letting them know that just because we’re growing doesn’t mean they’re less important. in fact, they become more important because they’re the ones who have always advocated for us.”
Read more at Fast Company
Bill O'Reilly out at Fox News
"The O'Reilly Factor" has been canceled amid a cloud of harassment allegations against the conservative broadcaster.
Rupert Murdoch and his sons James and Lachlan, who run 21st Century Fox, made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.
"After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the Company and Bill O'Reilly have agreed that Bill O'Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel," Fox said.
O'Reilly had no immediate comment, but one of his attorneys said a statement is forthcoming.
It is unclear if Fox News is paying O'Reilly. The host is presumably owed tens of millions of dollars under the terms of his multi-year contract, though it is not clear what sort of clauses the contract may have contained to allow Fox News to get out of the deal.
O'Reilly's departure was precipitated by a New York Times report earlier this month that O'Reilly, Fox and 21st Century Fox had reached settlements totaling $13 million with five women who had accused O'Reilly of sexual harassment or verbal abuse. In the wake of the Times' report, at least 60 advertisers told Fox to remove their commercials from "The O'Reilly Factor."
Still, this is a turn of events that was unthinkable even three weeks ago, and it is unknown how O'Reilly will respond to Fox's decision. His representatives have not yet commented, but his lawyer indicated that a statement would be forthcoming.
Read more at CNN
Rupert Murdoch and his sons James and Lachlan, who run 21st Century Fox, made the announcement Wednesday afternoon.
"After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the Company and Bill O'Reilly have agreed that Bill O'Reilly will not be returning to the Fox News Channel," Fox said.
O'Reilly had no immediate comment, but one of his attorneys said a statement is forthcoming.
It is unclear if Fox News is paying O'Reilly. The host is presumably owed tens of millions of dollars under the terms of his multi-year contract, though it is not clear what sort of clauses the contract may have contained to allow Fox News to get out of the deal.
O'Reilly's departure was precipitated by a New York Times report earlier this month that O'Reilly, Fox and 21st Century Fox had reached settlements totaling $13 million with five women who had accused O'Reilly of sexual harassment or verbal abuse. In the wake of the Times' report, at least 60 advertisers told Fox to remove their commercials from "The O'Reilly Factor."
Still, this is a turn of events that was unthinkable even three weeks ago, and it is unknown how O'Reilly will respond to Fox's decision. His representatives have not yet commented, but his lawyer indicated that a statement would be forthcoming.
Read more at CNN
Aaron Hernandez Hanged Himself in Prison, Officials Say
Aaron Hernandez, the former star tight end with the New England Patriots who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2015, hanged himself in prison on Wednesday, the authorities said.
He was discovered in his cell by corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Mass., around 3 a.m., the Massachusetts Department of Correction said in a statement.
Lifesaving techniques were attempted, and he was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m., the department said.
“Mr. Hernandez hanged himself using a bedsheet that he attached to his cell window,” the statement said. “Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items.”
Mr. Hernandez was housed in a single cell in the general prison population, the statement said. The assistant deputy commissioner of communications, Christopher Fallon, told The Associated Press that officials had not been concerned that Mr. Hernandez was a suicide risk. He also said no suicide note had been found. The case will be investigated by the state police.
Mr. Hernandez’s suicide came on the day some of his former teammates would be visiting the White House to celebrate their recent Super Bowl victory.
Mr. Hernandez, 27, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Odin L. Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Mr. Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins. He had appealed the verdict.
Read more at NY Times
He was discovered in his cell by corrections officers at the Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Shirley, Mass., around 3 a.m., the Massachusetts Department of Correction said in a statement.
Lifesaving techniques were attempted, and he was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:07 a.m., the department said.
“Mr. Hernandez hanged himself using a bedsheet that he attached to his cell window,” the statement said. “Mr. Hernandez also attempted to block his door from the inside by jamming the door with various items.”
Mr. Hernandez was housed in a single cell in the general prison population, the statement said. The assistant deputy commissioner of communications, Christopher Fallon, told The Associated Press that officials had not been concerned that Mr. Hernandez was a suicide risk. He also said no suicide note had been found. The case will be investigated by the state police.
Mr. Hernandez’s suicide came on the day some of his former teammates would be visiting the White House to celebrate their recent Super Bowl victory.
Mr. Hernandez, 27, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Odin L. Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Mr. Hernandez’s fiancée, Shayanna Jenkins. He had appealed the verdict.
Read more at NY Times
Steve Stephens found dead inside car in Erie, Pa.
ERIE, PA. - Steve Stephens, the man wanted for killing a 74-year-old man and uploading the video to Facebook Easter Sunday, has been found dead inside a car in Erie, Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania State Police have confirmed Stephens' identity.
According to GoErie.com, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a white Ford Fusion near Buffalo and Downing Avenue just after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The Cleveland Mayor's Office has announced plans for a news conference at noon.
The car was headed westbound into Erie and is stopped in the westbound lane of Buffalo Road across from Burton Elementary School, according to GoErie. The school grounds have been blocked off.
On Sunday, Stephens allegedly shot and killed 74-year-old Robert Godwin, Sr., on E. 93rd Street and posted video of the killing to his Facebook account. Stephens also went live on Facebook to confess to the murder. His account has since been disabled and the videos are no longer public.
See more at WKYC
According to GoErie.com, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a white Ford Fusion near Buffalo and Downing Avenue just after 11 a.m. Tuesday.
The Cleveland Mayor's Office has announced plans for a news conference at noon.
The car was headed westbound into Erie and is stopped in the westbound lane of Buffalo Road across from Burton Elementary School, according to GoErie. The school grounds have been blocked off.
On Sunday, Stephens allegedly shot and killed 74-year-old Robert Godwin, Sr., on E. 93rd Street and posted video of the killing to his Facebook account. Stephens also went live on Facebook to confess to the murder. His account has since been disabled and the videos are no longer public.
See more at WKYC
Joy Lane Is Not to Blame for the Steve Stephens Shooting Tragedy
On Sunday, April 16, 2017, we virtually met Steve Stephens. The 37-year-old brutally gunned down 74-year-old Robert Godwin, Sr. as he walked down a Cleveland street on Easter Sunday.
If the crime wasn’t tragic enough, Stephens recorded the last moments of Mr. Godwin’s life and uploaded the video to his Facebook profile for the world to see. Millions clicked. Millions opted not to watch. Either way, we were all affected.
Mr. Godwin was described by family members as a “good guy” who would “give you the shirt off his back.” His final minutes of life were spent in utter fear and confusion, as Stephens took out his unaddressed rage on an innocent bystander.
“Found me somebody I’m about to kill …this old dude,” Stephens can be heard in the graphic video before approaching Godwin.
He then proceeds to ask the elderly father of nine to say his ex-girlfriend, Joy Lane’s, name to the camera before telling Godwin that “she’s the reason this is about to happen to you.”
Stephens can then be seen pointing a handgun at the man, who frighteningly attempts to shield himself with a plastic bag before being shot in the head. He falls to the ground and blood pours from his face down onto the pavement.
In a separate video, Stephens appears to be speaking with someone on the phone and tells them he “just snapped” and has a lot of “built-up anger and frustration.”
He also vows to “keep killing until they [police] catch me.”
Read more at EBONY
If the crime wasn’t tragic enough, Stephens recorded the last moments of Mr. Godwin’s life and uploaded the video to his Facebook profile for the world to see. Millions clicked. Millions opted not to watch. Either way, we were all affected.
Mr. Godwin was described by family members as a “good guy” who would “give you the shirt off his back.” His final minutes of life were spent in utter fear and confusion, as Stephens took out his unaddressed rage on an innocent bystander.
“Found me somebody I’m about to kill …this old dude,” Stephens can be heard in the graphic video before approaching Godwin.
He then proceeds to ask the elderly father of nine to say his ex-girlfriend, Joy Lane’s, name to the camera before telling Godwin that “she’s the reason this is about to happen to you.”
Stephens can then be seen pointing a handgun at the man, who frighteningly attempts to shield himself with a plastic bag before being shot in the head. He falls to the ground and blood pours from his face down onto the pavement.
In a separate video, Stephens appears to be speaking with someone on the phone and tells them he “just snapped” and has a lot of “built-up anger and frustration.”
He also vows to “keep killing until they [police] catch me.”
Read more at EBONY
Report: Carmelo and La La Anthony Split After Seven Years of Marriage
According to TMZ, La La Anthony and Carmelo Anthony have broken up. They married in 2010 and, allegedly, they are now living separately. TMZ reports, "La La moved out of the family home last week and has her own place in NYC now."
TMZ also reports the split is because "the current NBA season has been extremely stressful on the marriage for several months. Carmelo's been plagued by trade talks ... with the Knicks looking to move him to another team."
However, it sounds like the split is amicable. TMZ says, "They were together just this past weekend at their 10-year-old son Kiyan's basketball game."
See the love advice La La gave back in 2014 on The Queen Latifah Show here
TMZ also reports the split is because "the current NBA season has been extremely stressful on the marriage for several months. Carmelo's been plagued by trade talks ... with the Knicks looking to move him to another team."
However, it sounds like the split is amicable. TMZ says, "They were together just this past weekend at their 10-year-old son Kiyan's basketball game."
See the love advice La La gave back in 2014 on The Queen Latifah Show here
Birdman, Cash Money, Young Money Sued Over Drake Profits
Drake’s origins in the music business are once again a matter of legal dispute. James “Jas” Prince (son of Rap-A-Lot founder James Prince), who has long claimed that he discovered Drake, and Aspire Music Group (who say they signed Drake in 2008) have teamed up to sue Brian “Baby” Williams (aka Birdman), his brother and Cash Money co-founder Ronald “Slim” Williams, Cash Money, and Young Money for their their alleged unpaid share of profits from recordings by the Toronto rapper. Find the full complaint below, obtained by Pitchfork. Pitchfork has reached out to representatives for Drake and Cash Money for comment.
Earlier this year, Aspire filed a separate lawsuit against Cash Money for Drake profits. According to a copy of that complaint obtained by Pitchfork, Aspire alleged that Drake signed an exclusive recording deal with the label in December 2008. Aspire signed another deal with Cash Money in 2009, in which Aspire would receive one-third of the profits from any “commercial exploitation” of Drake recordings, the complaint claimed. Aspire sought a full accounting of Cash Money’s Drake earnings and to pay Aspire’s share of revenues, plus damages.
Read more at Yahoo
Earlier this year, Aspire filed a separate lawsuit against Cash Money for Drake profits. According to a copy of that complaint obtained by Pitchfork, Aspire alleged that Drake signed an exclusive recording deal with the label in December 2008. Aspire signed another deal with Cash Money in 2009, in which Aspire would receive one-third of the profits from any “commercial exploitation” of Drake recordings, the complaint claimed. Aspire sought a full accounting of Cash Money’s Drake earnings and to pay Aspire’s share of revenues, plus damages.
Read more at Yahoo
Charlie Murphy Loses Fight To Leukemia, Dies at Age 57
Charlie Murphy, older brother of Eddie Murphy, and start of the famed Chapelle Show has lost his fight with leukemia. The comedian, writer, and actor was only 57 years old. Murphy was well known for his stories about himself, his brother, Rick James and Prince on the Chapelle show. As well as cameos in The Players Club. Murphy lost his wife to cervical cancer in 2009. He leaves behind 3 children.
Asian passenger being forcibly removed from United flight in U.S. causes outrage in China
The video of an Asian man being dragged off a United Airlines flight became the top trending story in China over accusations of racism.
David Dao was pulled off a Sunday evening flight from Chicago to Louisville, Ky., when he refused to give up his seat after United overbooked the flight. Dao, a physician, was randomly selected by a computer; after he refused to relinquish his seat, three security officers dragged him off the plane.
According to Bloomberg, the trending topic #UnitedForcesPassengerOffPlane was the top trending topic on the Chinese social media service Weibo, with more than 270 million views. Multiple Chinese outlets reported on the story, including the Global Times, which had an editorial on the matter. Petitions to boycott the airline circulated on the messaging service WeChat.
Per the New York Times:
CCTV, the state broadcaster, showed photos of the passenger’s bloodied face above the word, “Savage!” People’s Daily, the ruling Communist Party’s flagship newspaper, scolded United for failing to condemn the man’s treatment.
Compounding the problem was the reaction of United CEO Oscar Munoz. Munoz’s initial statement said he apologized “for having to re-accommodate these customers,” with an email to employees Monday night stating that Dao was “belligerent
Read more at Yahoo.
Cop Suspended After Video Appears to Show Him Attacking Jaywalker: Authorities
A Sacramento police officer has been relieved of his duties after cell phone video appeared to capture him tackling and beating a jaywalker, authorities said.
In the video, a young black man and the white officer seem to be exchanging words in the middle of a suburban street.
Read: Cops Face Excessive Force Allegations After Female College Student is Body-Slammed at Bar
Then the unidentified officer appears to lunge at the man, throwing him to the asphalt, where he straddles him and beats him in the face.
A neighbor videotaped the altercation with her cell phone, and her screams and sobs can be heard on the footage.
"Why you doing him like that!?” yells Naomi Montaie, who posted her video to Facebook, where it quickly went viral. "Why you beating him like that? Oh, Jesus. I seen this, Lord."
She identified the man as Nandi Cain Jr., a resident of her apartment complex.
Read: Suspect in Standoff with Police Uses Facebook Live to Surrender: Cops
He was stopped for illegally crossing the street, authorities said.
Read more at Yahoo.
In the video, a young black man and the white officer seem to be exchanging words in the middle of a suburban street.
Read: Cops Face Excessive Force Allegations After Female College Student is Body-Slammed at Bar
Then the unidentified officer appears to lunge at the man, throwing him to the asphalt, where he straddles him and beats him in the face.
A neighbor videotaped the altercation with her cell phone, and her screams and sobs can be heard on the footage.
"Why you doing him like that!?” yells Naomi Montaie, who posted her video to Facebook, where it quickly went viral. "Why you beating him like that? Oh, Jesus. I seen this, Lord."
She identified the man as Nandi Cain Jr., a resident of her apartment complex.
Read: Suspect in Standoff with Police Uses Facebook Live to Surrender: Cops
He was stopped for illegally crossing the street, authorities said.
Read more at Yahoo.
State Data Shows Graduation Rate Improving for Latino, African Americans Students
In 2010, California changed how it calculates high school graduation rates. The California Department of Education now tracks an entire freshman class, statewide, and then measures them again as seniors.
The graduation rate has risen every year since then.
The latest data released by State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson shows the graduation rate reaching a record high of 83 percent.
In 2016, the graduation rate for African American students reached a record high of 72.6 percent. For Latino students the graduation rate rose to 80 percent, up slightly from the previous year.
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson partly credits the improvement to changes in how schools handle suspensions and chronic absenteeism.
Before, says Torlakson, when students were expelled or suspended, there wasn't much follow-through or counseling.
"(Students) were adrift in our streets and often getting into trouble," he says. "For some, being kicked out of school was a 'reward' because they didn't like being in school."
Read more at capradio.org
The graduation rate has risen every year since then.
The latest data released by State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson shows the graduation rate reaching a record high of 83 percent.
In 2016, the graduation rate for African American students reached a record high of 72.6 percent. For Latino students the graduation rate rose to 80 percent, up slightly from the previous year.
State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson partly credits the improvement to changes in how schools handle suspensions and chronic absenteeism.
Before, says Torlakson, when students were expelled or suspended, there wasn't much follow-through or counseling.
"(Students) were adrift in our streets and often getting into trouble," he says. "For some, being kicked out of school was a 'reward' because they didn't like being in school."
Read more at capradio.org
After Syria strike, populist supporters abandon Trump at home and abroad
Washington (CNN)While much of the world is applauding President Donald Trump's decision to strike a Syrian airbase in retaliation for a chemical weapons attack against civilians, right-wing populist supporters at home and abroad are criticizing the move and distancing themselves from him.
Nigel Farage, the pro-Brexit leader, aligned himself with Trump during last year's campaign, spoke at his rallies and was among the first to meet with him after his election. On Friday morning, however, he said he was "very surprised" by the Syria action.
"I think a lot of Trump voters will be waking up this morning and scratching their heads and saying, 'Where will it all end?'" he said. "As a firm Trump supporter, I say, yes, the pictures were horrible, but I'm surprised," Farage continued, arguing that in a region riven by Islamic extremism, "whatever Assad's sins, he is secular."
Farage's comments captured the wave of right-wing anger and frustration that followed the US strike -- and they pointed up an odd reversal.
Populists who applauded Trump for his disdain for US interventions overseas and his campaign declaration that the US "cannot be the policeman of the world" were aghast by the strike. In contrast, an international community that has often held Trump at arm's length stepped up to declare their rock-solid support for the new US president.
Read more at CNN
Nigel Farage, the pro-Brexit leader, aligned himself with Trump during last year's campaign, spoke at his rallies and was among the first to meet with him after his election. On Friday morning, however, he said he was "very surprised" by the Syria action.
"I think a lot of Trump voters will be waking up this morning and scratching their heads and saying, 'Where will it all end?'" he said. "As a firm Trump supporter, I say, yes, the pictures were horrible, but I'm surprised," Farage continued, arguing that in a region riven by Islamic extremism, "whatever Assad's sins, he is secular."
Farage's comments captured the wave of right-wing anger and frustration that followed the US strike -- and they pointed up an odd reversal.
Populists who applauded Trump for his disdain for US interventions overseas and his campaign declaration that the US "cannot be the policeman of the world" were aghast by the strike. In contrast, an international community that has often held Trump at arm's length stepped up to declare their rock-solid support for the new US president.
Read more at CNN
Breast Cancer Survivor Who Says She Was Called 'One-Boob Girl' Joins Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Against Fox News
As if things could not get any worse for Fox News, a third Black employee joined the racial discrimination lawsuit on Tuesday. According to the woman, the news network ignored complaints about a former employ because she “knew too much” in regards to the alleged sexual misconduct of ex-chairman Roger Ailes.
Monica Douglas, Fox News’ manager for credit collectors, said former comptroller Judy Slater not only spread racist beliefs in the office, but she also made fun of her for being a breast cancer survivor, reported the New York Daily News.
Slater demonstrated “an unwillingness to even be near Black people,” according to court filings. Additionally, she ridiculed Douglas for not resembling the “Aryan race.”
The suit also alleged Slater taunted Douglas for her battle against breast cancer. According to Douglas, Slater called her "cancer girl," "boob girl" and "the one-boobed girl."
Read more at BET
Monica Douglas, Fox News’ manager for credit collectors, said former comptroller Judy Slater not only spread racist beliefs in the office, but she also made fun of her for being a breast cancer survivor, reported the New York Daily News.
Slater demonstrated “an unwillingness to even be near Black people,” according to court filings. Additionally, she ridiculed Douglas for not resembling the “Aryan race.”
The suit also alleged Slater taunted Douglas for her battle against breast cancer. According to Douglas, Slater called her "cancer girl," "boob girl" and "the one-boobed girl."
Read more at BET
9 African-American Climbers Got Together to Climb America’s Highest Peak; This Is Their Story
It’s no secret. There’s a lack of diversity in the outdoors. From the history of mountaineering to those who recreate every day in our national parks, the face of the outdoors is majority white. And while the evolution of this phenomenon is multi-faceted and complex, its existence isn’t just a matter of racial inequity, the future of the United States’ wild spaces depends on Americans across socioeconomic groups recognizing their import.
An American Ascent chronicles Nine African-American climbers chose to embark on a historic expedition to climb America’s tallest peak, Denali (formerly Mount McKinley) in Alaska, to shed light on what James Edward Mills calls the “adventure gap.” Simultaneously their desire is to inspire people of color to increasingly see themselves and find themselves in the outdoors.
Find out more about this amazing story here.
Police Make Second Arrest in Facebook Live Sexual Assault
A second suspect being sought by Chicago police in the rape of a teenage girl on Facebook Live turned himself in to authorities on Monday, two days after a 14-year-old boy was arrested in connection with the assault.
The second arrest, a 15-year-old boy was accompanied by his mother and was questioned before being taken into custody and held in juvenile detention, according to a tweet from Chicago police spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi. Both teens were charged as juveniles and face charges of criminal sexual assault and manufacturing and distributing of child pornography.
The younger boy was scheduled for a court appearance on April 1, but a judge waived it until April 28, according to the Chicago Tribune. He is currently in custody at a detention center.
Officials are attempting to identify the others seen in the video committing the assault, but the girl is so traumatized by what she went through that the case is proceeding slowly, according to Cmdr. Brendan Deenihan. She has also reportedly been the target of social media bullying and others have taunted her family.
“She’s just having such a difficult time even communicating what occurred to her,” Deenihan said at a Sunday news conference, the Tribune reported.
Read more at EBONY
If white America is in ‘crisis,’ what have black Americans been living through?
For the past year and a half, Princeton economists Anne Case and Angus Deaton have been ringing the alarm about rising mortality among middle-aged white Americans.
The pair have attracted a bit of controversy for pointing out these facts. Recently, Pacific Standard’s Malcolm Harris suggested that their research, and the way it was presented, put too much emphasis on white mortality — when black mortality has always been worse. “American white privilege is still very much in effect, and no statistical tomfoolery can change that,” he wrote.
Sam Fulwood III, a fellow at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, worried that Case and Deaton’s work would further amplify a growing narrative about white working class woes, to the exclusion of the African American experience. “I worry about how political people will manipulate Case and Deaton’s findings to argue for more aid for white people, but ignore the same, long-standing concerns of people of color,” he wrote last week.
Case and Deaton point out that the trend of increasing white American mortality — higher death rates in middle age — is noteworthy because those death rates have been going down for nearly everyone else: for African Americans, Latino Americans, for people in the U.K. and Germany and France. When we’re used to life getting better, it’s unusual to see life getting worse.
[The disease killing white Americans goes way deeper than opioids]
“It’s not as much news if people’s mortality rates are falling the way you would hope they are falling,” Case said in an interview Monday. “What seems like news is when mortality has stopped falling, and no one has noticed that it has stopped.” That's what happened in the case of white Americans, she said.
But the critics on the left do have a point, which is that the statistics about black mortality may have not gotten enough attention in the media. So it’s worth straightening that out right now: Black Americans have long been dying faster than white Americans. They've long been less happy than white Americans.
Read more at Washington Post
The pair have attracted a bit of controversy for pointing out these facts. Recently, Pacific Standard’s Malcolm Harris suggested that their research, and the way it was presented, put too much emphasis on white mortality — when black mortality has always been worse. “American white privilege is still very much in effect, and no statistical tomfoolery can change that,” he wrote.
Sam Fulwood III, a fellow at the left-leaning Center for American Progress, worried that Case and Deaton’s work would further amplify a growing narrative about white working class woes, to the exclusion of the African American experience. “I worry about how political people will manipulate Case and Deaton’s findings to argue for more aid for white people, but ignore the same, long-standing concerns of people of color,” he wrote last week.
Case and Deaton point out that the trend of increasing white American mortality — higher death rates in middle age — is noteworthy because those death rates have been going down for nearly everyone else: for African Americans, Latino Americans, for people in the U.K. and Germany and France. When we’re used to life getting better, it’s unusual to see life getting worse.
[The disease killing white Americans goes way deeper than opioids]
“It’s not as much news if people’s mortality rates are falling the way you would hope they are falling,” Case said in an interview Monday. “What seems like news is when mortality has stopped falling, and no one has noticed that it has stopped.” That's what happened in the case of white Americans, she said.
But the critics on the left do have a point, which is that the statistics about black mortality may have not gotten enough attention in the media. So it’s worth straightening that out right now: Black Americans have long been dying faster than white Americans. They've long been less happy than white Americans.
Read more at Washington Post
T.I. Voices Suspicions Over Atlanta I-85 Bridge Fire: “Something Doesn’t Add Up”
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with the massive fire on Atlanta’s I-85 freeway, but T.I. has a few suspicions about the story. The Hustle Gang frontman voiced his suspicions over reports that 39-year-old suspect, Basil Eleby, smoked crack before allegedly starting the blaze that collapsed a heavily traveled stretch of the freeway.
“Now I’ve heard some far out sh*t in my day…but this sh*t here tho?!?!,” Tip wrote noting that “something” doesn’t add up about the report. “In all my experiences wit crack &/or crackheads I ain’t NEVER seen nothing like this sh*t!!!”
Eleby has been charged with first-degree arson and felony criminal damage to property. His bond has been set at $200,000.
Two additional suspects, Barry Thomas and Sophia Brauer, were arrested as well.
See more at Yahoo
“Now I’ve heard some far out sh*t in my day…but this sh*t here tho?!?!,” Tip wrote noting that “something” doesn’t add up about the report. “In all my experiences wit crack &/or crackheads I ain’t NEVER seen nothing like this sh*t!!!”
Eleby has been charged with first-degree arson and felony criminal damage to property. His bond has been set at $200,000.
Two additional suspects, Barry Thomas and Sophia Brauer, were arrested as well.
See more at Yahoo
Michael Flynn’s Immunity Request Rejected By Senate Intelligence Committee
The Senate Intelligence Committee turned down the request by former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's lawyer for a grant of immunity in exchange for his testimony, two congressional sources told NBC News.
A senior congressional official with direct knowledge said Flynn's lawyer was told it was "wildly preliminary" and that immunity was "not on the table" at the moment. A second source said the committee communicated that it is "not receptive" to Flynn's request "at this time."
The senior congressional official also said that Flynn's lawyer had conveyed the offer of testimony in exchange for immunity from prosecution to the Justice Department.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D.-Calif., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, acknowledged in a statement that the Justice Department's interest in Flynn's testimony could take precedence over Congress' wish to hear from him.
Read more at NBC News
A senior congressional official with direct knowledge said Flynn's lawyer was told it was "wildly preliminary" and that immunity was "not on the table" at the moment. A second source said the committee communicated that it is "not receptive" to Flynn's request "at this time."
The senior congressional official also said that Flynn's lawyer had conveyed the offer of testimony in exchange for immunity from prosecution to the Justice Department.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D.-Calif., the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, acknowledged in a statement that the Justice Department's interest in Flynn's testimony could take precedence over Congress' wish to hear from him.
Read more at NBC News
Here’s How Not to Ask Your Black Friend to Prom
Promposal season is in full swing, and while we all love seeing the extravagant, dramatic, adorable ways kids are asking each other to prom these days, some proposals are simply in poor taste.
Today’s tasteless gesture comes courtesy of some students who allegedly attend Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Fla., where a receptionist tells Yahoo Style that the principal is “aware of” the photo — made public through a tweet posted on Wednesday by Monarch High School alum Jon Aro, aka user @papichombo. It shows an Instagram screenshot (from a now-defunct account) of three teenage girls, one black and two white, holding up a cardboard sign reading, “You may be picking cotton, but we’re picking you to go to prom with us.”
“It is two thousand and f***ing seventeen,” Aro wrote captioning the image. And while it is unknown when the photo was taken and who the sign is addressing, people had unsurprisingly strong reactions, with the post being retweeted more than 5,800 times and “liked” more than 8,000, and earning a huge collection of angered comments.
Read more at Yahoo.
Today’s tasteless gesture comes courtesy of some students who allegedly attend Monarch High School in Coconut Creek, Fla., where a receptionist tells Yahoo Style that the principal is “aware of” the photo — made public through a tweet posted on Wednesday by Monarch High School alum Jon Aro, aka user @papichombo. It shows an Instagram screenshot (from a now-defunct account) of three teenage girls, one black and two white, holding up a cardboard sign reading, “You may be picking cotton, but we’re picking you to go to prom with us.”
“It is two thousand and f***ing seventeen,” Aro wrote captioning the image. And while it is unknown when the photo was taken and who the sign is addressing, people had unsurprisingly strong reactions, with the post being retweeted more than 5,800 times and “liked” more than 8,000, and earning a huge collection of angered comments.
Read more at Yahoo.
Rachel Dolezal Says She Was 'a Little Too Black' for Her African-American Ex-Husband
Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who made national headlines in 2015 after she pretended to be black, is back in the spotlight thanks to a new memoir titled In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World.
In the book, which will be released on March 28, the former Washington NAACP leader doesn’t walk back on her claims that she self-identifies as a black woman, saying that living her life as a black person made her life “infinitely better,” although it did make her feel more “distant and isolated” from white people as she started to embrace more elements of African-American culture.
Dolezal, who was raised by white parents in Troy, Montana, writes that the first time she was “finally able to embrace my true self” was when she “allowed the little girl I’d colored with a brown crayon so long ago to emerge.” But as happy as she was to be seen as black, it didn’t come without its challenges.
“It was still confusing, awkward, painful, isolating for at times - because who was I going to talk to about what felt like a major life transition?”
She recalls her marriage to a black man named Kevin, a man she says frequently “urged me to speak and act whiter’ and often complained about my figure.”
“I was a little too white Black for his tastes,” she writes. “Not only did he discourage me from wearing my braids or other Black hairstyles, he also dissuaded me from sitting in the sun, preferring my skin to be as pale as it could possibly be.”
Read more at Yahoo
In the book, which will be released on March 28, the former Washington NAACP leader doesn’t walk back on her claims that she self-identifies as a black woman, saying that living her life as a black person made her life “infinitely better,” although it did make her feel more “distant and isolated” from white people as she started to embrace more elements of African-American culture.
Dolezal, who was raised by white parents in Troy, Montana, writes that the first time she was “finally able to embrace my true self” was when she “allowed the little girl I’d colored with a brown crayon so long ago to emerge.” But as happy as she was to be seen as black, it didn’t come without its challenges.
“It was still confusing, awkward, painful, isolating for at times - because who was I going to talk to about what felt like a major life transition?”
She recalls her marriage to a black man named Kevin, a man she says frequently “urged me to speak and act whiter’ and often complained about my figure.”
“I was a little too white Black for his tastes,” she writes. “Not only did he discourage me from wearing my braids or other Black hairstyles, he also dissuaded me from sitting in the sun, preferring my skin to be as pale as it could possibly be.”
Read more at Yahoo
Social Media Spread The Story Of Washington’s Missing Girls. It Also Got It Wrong
This article originally appeared on Time.
The news pricked at the deepest fears of Washington’s black community. Between March 19 and March 24, a dozen black and Latino children were declared missing by police in the nation’s capital. The story spread like wildfire on social media, as images of the kids popped up in haunting succession on the police department’s Twitter feed. “All these missing black girls coming from D.C. And Maryland!!” one Twitter user wrote. “Where is the public outcry??”
Missing persons reports are always frightening. But the wave of disappearances in D.C. stirred a sense of anger that police had not done enough to publicize the case. At a March 22 meeting held by city officials at a charter school in southeast Washington, community members demanded answers from officers.
“We can’t go nowhere by ourselves,” an unnamed woman told the crowd through tears, according to a report by Washington’s WJLA. “We can’t do nothing without being worried about somebody trying to take us.”
Read more at Essence?
The news pricked at the deepest fears of Washington’s black community. Between March 19 and March 24, a dozen black and Latino children were declared missing by police in the nation’s capital. The story spread like wildfire on social media, as images of the kids popped up in haunting succession on the police department’s Twitter feed. “All these missing black girls coming from D.C. And Maryland!!” one Twitter user wrote. “Where is the public outcry??”
Missing persons reports are always frightening. But the wave of disappearances in D.C. stirred a sense of anger that police had not done enough to publicize the case. At a March 22 meeting held by city officials at a charter school in southeast Washington, community members demanded answers from officers.
“We can’t go nowhere by ourselves,” an unnamed woman told the crowd through tears, according to a report by Washington’s WJLA. “We can’t do nothing without being worried about somebody trying to take us.”
Read more at Essence?
Georgia Couple's African-American Art Collection Arrives in Cleveland
As students and faculty return to their daily routines following spring break, the Cleveland Institute of Art prepares to debut the latest exhibition in its Reinberger Gallery. African American Works on Paper brings together the work of legendary African American artists, several of whom studied at the Cleveland Institute of Art.
Artists featured in the exhibition include CIA alumni Dexter Davis, Curlee Raven Holton, Hughie Lee Smith, Charles Sallee and William Smith, as well as renowned African American artists from throughout the United States, such as Selma Burke, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Jack Whitten and more.
The exhibit includes more than 75 pieces of art, including prints, watercolors, drawings and mixed media, produced by 64 artists who, by and large, remain marginalized within most artistic canons. The core of the exhibition is on loan from collectors Wesley and Missy Cochran of La Grange, Georgia, and supplemented by CIA's Study Collection. Missy Cochran is a retired math teacher and Wes was trained as a stone mason. The couple own an art gallery, but most of their collection is usually on loan to educational and cultural institutions throughout the United States, especially smaller towns that may not typically have access to these artists or their work.
Read more at Clevescene.com
Artists featured in the exhibition include CIA alumni Dexter Davis, Curlee Raven Holton, Hughie Lee Smith, Charles Sallee and William Smith, as well as renowned African American artists from throughout the United States, such as Selma Burke, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence, Jack Whitten and more.
The exhibit includes more than 75 pieces of art, including prints, watercolors, drawings and mixed media, produced by 64 artists who, by and large, remain marginalized within most artistic canons. The core of the exhibition is on loan from collectors Wesley and Missy Cochran of La Grange, Georgia, and supplemented by CIA's Study Collection. Missy Cochran is a retired math teacher and Wes was trained as a stone mason. The couple own an art gallery, but most of their collection is usually on loan to educational and cultural institutions throughout the United States, especially smaller towns that may not typically have access to these artists or their work.
Read more at Clevescene.com
Jay Z, Weinstein Company to Make Trayvon Martin Film and Documentary Series
By Justin Kroll, Brent Lang
Shawn “Jay Z” Carter and the Weinstein Company are partnering on an ambitious series of film and television projects about Trayvon Martin, Variety has learned.
The indie label and the rap icon won a heated bidding war for the rights to two books — Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It and Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin. The 2012 shooting of the 17-year-old Martin sparked a national debate about racial profiling and inequities of the criminal justice system that brought about the Black Lives Matter movement. The African-American high school student was killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old mixed race Hispanic man, who was a member of the neighborhood watch in his Florida community. He claimed he shot Martin, who was unarmed, in self defense after the two became involved in a physical altercation. Zimmerman’s acquittal on a second-degree murder charge inspired protests around the country.
Related: Jay Z, Harvey Weinstein Talk ‘Unbelievably Due’ Kalief Browder Docuseries
Suspicion Nation is by Lisa Bloom and recounts her experience covering the trial for NBC. She looks at the mistakes made by prosecutors that caused them to lose what she describes as a “winnable case.” Rest in Power is by Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. It tells a more personal story, looking at Martin’s childhood and the aftermath of his death.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Shawn “Jay Z” Carter and the Weinstein Company are partnering on an ambitious series of film and television projects about Trayvon Martin, Variety has learned.
The indie label and the rap icon won a heated bidding war for the rights to two books — Suspicion Nation: The Inside Story of the Trayvon Martin Injustice and Why We Continue to Repeat It and Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin. The 2012 shooting of the 17-year-old Martin sparked a national debate about racial profiling and inequities of the criminal justice system that brought about the Black Lives Matter movement. The African-American high school student was killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old mixed race Hispanic man, who was a member of the neighborhood watch in his Florida community. He claimed he shot Martin, who was unarmed, in self defense after the two became involved in a physical altercation. Zimmerman’s acquittal on a second-degree murder charge inspired protests around the country.
Related: Jay Z, Harvey Weinstein Talk ‘Unbelievably Due’ Kalief Browder Docuseries
Suspicion Nation is by Lisa Bloom and recounts her experience covering the trial for NBC. She looks at the mistakes made by prosecutors that caused them to lose what she describes as a “winnable case.” Rest in Power is by Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. It tells a more personal story, looking at Martin’s childhood and the aftermath of his death.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Missing Chicago teen found safe after family says she was sexually assaulted on Facebook Live
CHICAGO — A Chicago police spokesman has confirmed that missing 15-year-old Deahvion Austin has been found safe after her family says she was sexually assaulted on Facebook Live.
Anthony Guglielmi tweeted the update, saying: “Deahvion Austin was found by the 10th district officers. She is now at the Area with her mother and detectives are conducting interviews.”
Family members and friends who reported she was missing say they saw the 15-year-old on a video being sexually assaulted by several boys.
“I just want her home,” her mother Stacey Elkins said Monday. “I just want to make sure she’s OK cause I know she’s probably scared and embarrassed. I just want her back home.”
The Lane Tech High School freshman, who is also known as Mya, left home going to the store Sunday afternoon.
On Monday morning, Elkins’ worry turned to fear for her daughter’s safety after Deahvion’s uncle called to tell her Deahvion was the subject of a Facebook Live video.
On it, Elkins believes her daughter was being sexually assaulted.
Facebook has since taken down the video, but Elkins showed WGN News four screenshots that are too graphic for TV. She also showed them to police superintendent Eddie Johnson as he was leaving a news conference.
“What’s even more disturbing, more than the fact that they did this, there were so many people that saw this and they didn’t pick up the phone and dial 911,” Johnson said.
Read more at KDVR.COM
Anthony Guglielmi tweeted the update, saying: “Deahvion Austin was found by the 10th district officers. She is now at the Area with her mother and detectives are conducting interviews.”
Family members and friends who reported she was missing say they saw the 15-year-old on a video being sexually assaulted by several boys.
“I just want her home,” her mother Stacey Elkins said Monday. “I just want to make sure she’s OK cause I know she’s probably scared and embarrassed. I just want her back home.”
The Lane Tech High School freshman, who is also known as Mya, left home going to the store Sunday afternoon.
On Monday morning, Elkins’ worry turned to fear for her daughter’s safety after Deahvion’s uncle called to tell her Deahvion was the subject of a Facebook Live video.
On it, Elkins believes her daughter was being sexually assaulted.
Facebook has since taken down the video, but Elkins showed WGN News four screenshots that are too graphic for TV. She also showed them to police superintendent Eddie Johnson as he was leaving a news conference.
“What’s even more disturbing, more than the fact that they did this, there were so many people that saw this and they didn’t pick up the phone and dial 911,” Johnson said.
Read more at KDVR.COM
Donald Trump Isn’t Half the Patriot Colin Kaepernick Is
Monday night at a rally in Louisville, Kentucky, President Donald Trump, decided to throw shade at NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.
In response, the predominantly White crowd heartily sneered at the mention of Kaepernick, a man mostly despised in conservative circles for choosing to kneel throughout the 2016 NFL season in protest of the injustices that African-Americans continue to endure at the hands of law enforcement.
The audience, many of whom were wearing Trump’s cheap red hats adorned with his platitudinous maxim atop their grey hairs and receding hairlines, erupted at the anti-Kap sentiment. The crowd ignored the fact that hearings had taken place all day revealing that America’s intelligence agencies were investigating whether or not Trump colluded with Russia.
While it isn’t surprising that they collectively bonded over the enduring solidarity of their right wing Whiteness, it is a little jarring to see what lengths they’re willing to go. But let’s be 100% clear here: though Donald Trump loves espousing nationalist rhetoric, he isn’t half the patriot that Colin Kaepernick is.
Read more at EBONY
In response, the predominantly White crowd heartily sneered at the mention of Kaepernick, a man mostly despised in conservative circles for choosing to kneel throughout the 2016 NFL season in protest of the injustices that African-Americans continue to endure at the hands of law enforcement.
The audience, many of whom were wearing Trump’s cheap red hats adorned with his platitudinous maxim atop their grey hairs and receding hairlines, erupted at the anti-Kap sentiment. The crowd ignored the fact that hearings had taken place all day revealing that America’s intelligence agencies were investigating whether or not Trump colluded with Russia.
While it isn’t surprising that they collectively bonded over the enduring solidarity of their right wing Whiteness, it is a little jarring to see what lengths they’re willing to go. But let’s be 100% clear here: though Donald Trump loves espousing nationalist rhetoric, he isn’t half the patriot that Colin Kaepernick is.
Read more at EBONY
Chuck Berry, rock 'n' roll pioneer, dead at 90
(CNN)
Chuck Berry, a music pioneer often called "the Father of Rock 'n' Roll," was found dead Saturday at a residence outside St. Louis, police in St. Charles County said. He was 90.
A post on the St. Charles County police Facebook page said officers responded to a medical emergency at a residence around 12:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m. ET) Saturday and found an unresponsive man inside.
"Unfortunately, the 90-year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m.," the post said. "The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry."
Read more at CNN
Chuck Berry, a music pioneer often called "the Father of Rock 'n' Roll," was found dead Saturday at a residence outside St. Louis, police in St. Charles County said. He was 90.
A post on the St. Charles County police Facebook page said officers responded to a medical emergency at a residence around 12:40 p.m. (1:40 p.m. ET) Saturday and found an unresponsive man inside.
"Unfortunately, the 90-year-old man could not be revived and was pronounced deceased at 1:26 p.m.," the post said. "The St. Charles County Police Department sadly confirms the death of Charles Edward Anderson Berry Sr., better known as legendary musician Chuck Berry."
Read more at CNN
WTH? Pennsylvania Politician Says Poor Black Kids From Philly Shouldn’t Go To College
A Pennsylvania politician is catching deserved heat for saying that children from Philadelphia’s “inner city” public schools would do better in vocational careers rather than college because they are dropping out anyway. He says they would succeed in a less rigorous track.
Last month, Senate Education Committee chairman John Eichelberger reportedly said during a town hall meeting that he blames failing urban school systems for minority students dropping out of college. We’re “pushing [students] toward college, and they’re dropping out. They fall back and don’t succeed, whereas if there was a less intensive track, they would.”
Yet, according to the Carlisle Sentinel, Eichelberger also said state funding was being “misspent” on such students and that they should instead be encouraged to pursue vocational programs. Basically, he put onus on the students to pay for the failure of public schools, setting them up for a life that does not include higher education.
Democratic Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia said Eichelberger should be removed from the committee chairmanship, according to the Pittsburgh Courier. “Let’s be clear, this issue about the stereotyping of Black and Brown children needing less-intensive tracks to succeed has been around for generations, maybe even centuries,” he added.
Eichelberger, who is a Republican, responded by saying he was the “victim” of a fake news story. “Well, I have finally been the victim of a fake news story,” the statement reads. “The Carlisle Sentinel did a convoluted and incomplete story about my town hall meeting last week, the Democrats decided to spin it even further, and other liberal media outlets followed along.”
Read more at Huff Post
Last month, Senate Education Committee chairman John Eichelberger reportedly said during a town hall meeting that he blames failing urban school systems for minority students dropping out of college. We’re “pushing [students] toward college, and they’re dropping out. They fall back and don’t succeed, whereas if there was a less intensive track, they would.”
Yet, according to the Carlisle Sentinel, Eichelberger also said state funding was being “misspent” on such students and that they should instead be encouraged to pursue vocational programs. Basically, he put onus on the students to pay for the failure of public schools, setting them up for a life that does not include higher education.
Democratic Sen. Vincent Hughes of Philadelphia said Eichelberger should be removed from the committee chairmanship, according to the Pittsburgh Courier. “Let’s be clear, this issue about the stereotyping of Black and Brown children needing less-intensive tracks to succeed has been around for generations, maybe even centuries,” he added.
Eichelberger, who is a Republican, responded by saying he was the “victim” of a fake news story. “Well, I have finally been the victim of a fake news story,” the statement reads. “The Carlisle Sentinel did a convoluted and incomplete story about my town hall meeting last week, the Democrats decided to spin it even further, and other liberal media outlets followed along.”
Read more at Huff Post
Tyrese Says Women Who Get Plastic Surgery Look Like 'Manufactured Clowns'
Tyrese had a lot to say last night, particularly about his standard of beauty for women and how he is vehemently against plastic surgery.
Just to pull out some choice phrases from what he wrote, I would like particularly highlight, "We know when you got little chicken legs and it leads to and oversized #fake ass you guys are really starting to go TOO FAR with manufactured beauty - fake lips, skinny nose barely can even breathe through your own nostrils - Sitting across from you and you couldn't even HIDE your weave tracks?? Come on....... IM NOT trying to be mean I'm just sending a message that US REAL MEN SEE THE BULLSHIT and IF He decide to rock with you it's just cause they wanna get one off no one will EVER take you serious like that or really make that move"
Basically, he is saying that no man will ever marry a woman who has made the decision to get plastic surgery because she will look "too fake." Aside from the very obvious misogyny that this is dripping with, it also brings up the question of who is truly setting beauty standards? Many people in Tyrese's comments are pointing out that anyone Tyrese has ever hired to be in his music videos to represent a "love interest" might not have been on #teamnatural.
Read more at BET
Just to pull out some choice phrases from what he wrote, I would like particularly highlight, "We know when you got little chicken legs and it leads to and oversized #fake ass you guys are really starting to go TOO FAR with manufactured beauty - fake lips, skinny nose barely can even breathe through your own nostrils - Sitting across from you and you couldn't even HIDE your weave tracks?? Come on....... IM NOT trying to be mean I'm just sending a message that US REAL MEN SEE THE BULLSHIT and IF He decide to rock with you it's just cause they wanna get one off no one will EVER take you serious like that or really make that move"
Basically, he is saying that no man will ever marry a woman who has made the decision to get plastic surgery because she will look "too fake." Aside from the very obvious misogyny that this is dripping with, it also brings up the question of who is truly setting beauty standards? Many people in Tyrese's comments are pointing out that anyone Tyrese has ever hired to be in his music videos to represent a "love interest" might not have been on #teamnatural.
Read more at BET
North Carolina Store Owner Caught Choking Black Customer After Accusing Her Of Stealing
An Asian-owned beauty supply in North Carolina is the subject of boycotts after the store’s owner was caught on tape viciously attacking a black woman accused of shoplifting. The altercation occurred last Thursday (March 9) inside Missha Beauty Supply.
In the video, shared on Facebook, Sung Ho Lim, can be seen physically assaulting an unidentified woman whom he claimed stole a $3.99 pack of false eyelashes.
The woman repeatedly denies stealing anything from the store. “You can check my bag,” she says at one point in the video.
However, Lim, is relentless. He goes on to kick and punch the woman before knocking her to the ground and putting her in a choke hold. Lim’s wife assists in the assault.
Community leaders and residents in Charlotte gathered for a protest at the store Sunday (March 12). “You cannot take police matters in your own hands. You can’t act like the police,” said Civil Rights activist John C. Barnett. “Whatever the case may be, we know he cannot be keeping someone in a choke hold, stealing or not.”
Lim is admitting wrongdoing and offered to apologize to the woman in person. “This is all my fault,” he said. “I have to take the whole video and give it to the police.”
Read more at Vibe
In the video, shared on Facebook, Sung Ho Lim, can be seen physically assaulting an unidentified woman whom he claimed stole a $3.99 pack of false eyelashes.
The woman repeatedly denies stealing anything from the store. “You can check my bag,” she says at one point in the video.
However, Lim, is relentless. He goes on to kick and punch the woman before knocking her to the ground and putting her in a choke hold. Lim’s wife assists in the assault.
Community leaders and residents in Charlotte gathered for a protest at the store Sunday (March 12). “You cannot take police matters in your own hands. You can’t act like the police,” said Civil Rights activist John C. Barnett. “Whatever the case may be, we know he cannot be keeping someone in a choke hold, stealing or not.”
Lim is admitting wrongdoing and offered to apologize to the woman in person. “This is all my fault,” he said. “I have to take the whole video and give it to the police.”
Read more at Vibe
New surveillance footage of Michael Brown sparks protests
(CNN)New video captured hours before Michael Brown was killed shows the 18-year-old exchanging marijuana for cigarillos with the clerks of a Ferguson, Missouri, store, a documentary director told CNN on Monday.
Director Jason Pollock, whose film "Stranger Fruit" debuted at the South by Southwest festival in Austin over the weekend, said the video shows that Brown did not rob the store before being stopped by police and that surveillance footage purporting to show Brown engaged in a robbery at the Ferguson Market and Liquor stores was actually video of Brown returning to the store to retrieve the cigarillos the clerks gave him.
"This is a shady store. We've asked a lot of people in this community. You can buy weed at the store," Pollock said.
Pollock suggests that had this footage been released, it would've altered the notion that Brown was shot after robbing the store. He learned of the footage from a St. Louis County police report that mentioned a video from 1:13 a.m. the day of Brown's death.
In an earlier interview, in which he appeared alongside Brown's father, Pollock said, "What this video shows is that (police) lied to the world about what happened. They wanted to make Mike look bad, so they put out half a video to destroy his character in his death."
Police say the new footage is irrelevant to their investigation. Investigators have previously said Officer Darren Wilson initially stopped Brown for walking in the street, not because the store reported a robbery.
About 100 protesters gathered at the store Sunday night, forcing it to close, and gunshots were heard before midnight, but no one appeared to be injured, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Read more at CNN
Director Jason Pollock, whose film "Stranger Fruit" debuted at the South by Southwest festival in Austin over the weekend, said the video shows that Brown did not rob the store before being stopped by police and that surveillance footage purporting to show Brown engaged in a robbery at the Ferguson Market and Liquor stores was actually video of Brown returning to the store to retrieve the cigarillos the clerks gave him.
"This is a shady store. We've asked a lot of people in this community. You can buy weed at the store," Pollock said.
Pollock suggests that had this footage been released, it would've altered the notion that Brown was shot after robbing the store. He learned of the footage from a St. Louis County police report that mentioned a video from 1:13 a.m. the day of Brown's death.
In an earlier interview, in which he appeared alongside Brown's father, Pollock said, "What this video shows is that (police) lied to the world about what happened. They wanted to make Mike look bad, so they put out half a video to destroy his character in his death."
Police say the new footage is irrelevant to their investigation. Investigators have previously said Officer Darren Wilson initially stopped Brown for walking in the street, not because the store reported a robbery.
About 100 protesters gathered at the store Sunday night, forcing it to close, and gunshots were heard before midnight, but no one appeared to be injured, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Read more at CNN
Samuel L. Jackson questions casting British actors as African-Americans
Samuel L. Jackson is criticizing Hollywood for casting black British actors in American roles instead of African-Americans.
In an interview with Hot 97, the actor, who is promoting Kong: Skull Island, cited films like the recent Get Out, which features British actor Daniel Kaluuya, and Selma, the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic that starred British actor David Oyelowo as the civil rights leader.
“I know the young brother who’s in the movie, and he’s British,” Jackson said, referring to Kaluuya in Get Out, a horror movie about an African-American man who goes home with his white girlfriend to meet her parents for the first time. “There are a lot of black British actors that work in this country. All the time. I tend to wonder what would that movie have been with an American brother who really understands that in a way. Because Daniel grew up in a country where they’ve been interracial dating for a hundred years. Britain, there’s only about eight real white people left in Britain … So what would a brother from America made of that role? I’m sure the director helped. Some things are universal, but everything ain’t.”
When asked why this is, Jackson said, “They don’t cost as much. Unless you’re an unknown brother that they’re finding somewhere.”
Read more at USA Today
In an interview with Hot 97, the actor, who is promoting Kong: Skull Island, cited films like the recent Get Out, which features British actor Daniel Kaluuya, and Selma, the Martin Luther King, Jr. biopic that starred British actor David Oyelowo as the civil rights leader.
“I know the young brother who’s in the movie, and he’s British,” Jackson said, referring to Kaluuya in Get Out, a horror movie about an African-American man who goes home with his white girlfriend to meet her parents for the first time. “There are a lot of black British actors that work in this country. All the time. I tend to wonder what would that movie have been with an American brother who really understands that in a way. Because Daniel grew up in a country where they’ve been interracial dating for a hundred years. Britain, there’s only about eight real white people left in Britain … So what would a brother from America made of that role? I’m sure the director helped. Some things are universal, but everything ain’t.”
When asked why this is, Jackson said, “They don’t cost as much. Unless you’re an unknown brother that they’re finding somewhere.”
Read more at USA Today
J.R. Smith, daughter both doing better
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) — Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith has been out since Dec. 20 with a broken thumb, but he has ramped up his activity in recent weeks and finally took part in a full practice Wednesday for the first time. It’s been a challenging season professionally and personally for Smith, whose daughter, Dakota, was born five months early and remains hospitalized. Smith said his baby has gained some weight and is doing better. “This has probably been one of the tougher years, if not the toughest year for me, on and off the court,” he said. “Just part of the process I guess. I think it will just make the story better.”
Read more at NBC Sports
Read more at NBC Sports
Dave Chappelle makes rare public appearance to advocate for police reform
Washington (CNN)Comedian Dave Chappelle made a rare public appearance at a village council meeting in Yellow Springs, Ohio, on Monday, where he reflected on his own experiences with law enforcement and urged officials to choose a progressive police chief.
"I would beseech the council to look deeply and to look hard, because this is a golden opportunity," said Chappelle, who lives in the town. "Literally you could kill the game. In this Trump era, there's an opportunity to show everybody that local politics reigns supreme. We can make our corner of the world outstanding."
The local police chief, Dave Hale, resigned in January after police attempts to disperse a partying New Year's Eve crowd created chaos and caused distress for many residents. According to reports, police fired a taser at one reveler, missing the man but raising concerns that the darts could have hit bystanders.
Chappelle made his appearance during a council review of a report on the tactics the police officers used that night.
Read more at CNN
"I would beseech the council to look deeply and to look hard, because this is a golden opportunity," said Chappelle, who lives in the town. "Literally you could kill the game. In this Trump era, there's an opportunity to show everybody that local politics reigns supreme. We can make our corner of the world outstanding."
The local police chief, Dave Hale, resigned in January after police attempts to disperse a partying New Year's Eve crowd created chaos and caused distress for many residents. According to reports, police fired a taser at one reveler, missing the man but raising concerns that the darts could have hit bystanders.
Chappelle made his appearance during a council review of a report on the tactics the police officers used that night.
Read more at CNN
Innocent African-Americans more likely to be wrongfully convicted
African-American prisoners who were convicted of murder are about 50 percent more likely to be innocent than other convicted murderers and spend longer in prison before exoneration, according to a report released today that's co-edited by a Michigan State University College of Law professor.
"The vast majority of wrongful convictions are never discovered," said MSU Law's Barbara O'Brien, the author of a companion report, "Exonerations in 2016," and editor of the National Registry of Exonerations. "There's no doubt anymore that innocent people get convicted regularly—that's beyond dispute. Increasingly, police, prosecutors and judges recognize this problem. But will we do enough to actually address it? That remains to be seen."
"Exonerations in 2016" found a record number of exonerations for the third straight year and a record number of cases with official misconduct.
The National Registry of Exonerations is a joint project of the University of California Irvine Newkirk Center for Science and Society, University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. The registry provides detailed information about every known exoneration in the United States since 1989 - cases in which a person was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared of all the charges based on new evidence of innocence.
The 2016 data show convictions that led to murder exonerations with black defendants were more likely to involve misconduct by police officers than those with white defendants. On average, black murder exonerees waited three years longer in prison before release than whites.
Judging from exonerations, a black prisoner serving time for sexual assault is three-and-a-half times more likely to be innocent than a white person convicted of sexual assault. On average, innocent African-Americans convicted of sexual assault spent almost four-and-a-half years longer in prison before exoneration than innocent whites.
In addition, the report, officially titled, "Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States," found innocent black people are about 12 times more likely to be convicted of drug crimes than innocent white people.
Read more at:Phys.org
"The vast majority of wrongful convictions are never discovered," said MSU Law's Barbara O'Brien, the author of a companion report, "Exonerations in 2016," and editor of the National Registry of Exonerations. "There's no doubt anymore that innocent people get convicted regularly—that's beyond dispute. Increasingly, police, prosecutors and judges recognize this problem. But will we do enough to actually address it? That remains to be seen."
"Exonerations in 2016" found a record number of exonerations for the third straight year and a record number of cases with official misconduct.
The National Registry of Exonerations is a joint project of the University of California Irvine Newkirk Center for Science and Society, University of Michigan Law School and Michigan State University College of Law. The registry provides detailed information about every known exoneration in the United States since 1989 - cases in which a person was wrongly convicted of a crime and later cleared of all the charges based on new evidence of innocence.
The 2016 data show convictions that led to murder exonerations with black defendants were more likely to involve misconduct by police officers than those with white defendants. On average, black murder exonerees waited three years longer in prison before release than whites.
Judging from exonerations, a black prisoner serving time for sexual assault is three-and-a-half times more likely to be innocent than a white person convicted of sexual assault. On average, innocent African-Americans convicted of sexual assault spent almost four-and-a-half years longer in prison before exoneration than innocent whites.
In addition, the report, officially titled, "Race and Wrongful Convictions in the United States," found innocent black people are about 12 times more likely to be convicted of drug crimes than innocent white people.
Read more at:Phys.org
Ben Carson Refers to Slaves as ‘Immigrants’ in First Remarks to HUD Staff
Ben Carson’s first full week as secretary of Housing and Urban Development got off to a rough start on Monday after he described African slaves as “immigrants” during his first speech to hundreds of assembled department employees. The remark, which came as part of a 40-minute address on the theme of America as “a land of dreams and opportunity,” was met with swift outrage online.
Mr. Carson turned his attention to slavery after describing photographs of poor immigrants displayed at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. These new arrivals worked long hours, six or seven days a week, with little pay, he said. And before them, there were slaves.
“That’s what America is about, a land of dreams and opportunity,’’ he said. “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.”
The comparison was first reported by USA Today and quickly drew the ire of social media users who attacked the secretary, who is African-American, for what they saw as racially insensitive comments. On Twitter, the comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg recommended Mr. Carson watch the 1980s mini-series “Roots.”
Read more at NY Times
Mr. Carson turned his attention to slavery after describing photographs of poor immigrants displayed at the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration. These new arrivals worked long hours, six or seven days a week, with little pay, he said. And before them, there were slaves.
“That’s what America is about, a land of dreams and opportunity,’’ he said. “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.”
The comparison was first reported by USA Today and quickly drew the ire of social media users who attacked the secretary, who is African-American, for what they saw as racially insensitive comments. On Twitter, the comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg recommended Mr. Carson watch the 1980s mini-series “Roots.”
Read more at NY Times
Obama denies Trump wiretap claim
A spokesman for Barack Obama has rejected claims from US President Donald Trump that the former president had wiretapped him in October during the late stages of the presidential election campaign.
"Neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement on Saturday.
Trump had suggested Obama had improperly tapped his phones, without citing evidence, in a series of tweets on Saturday morning.
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!," Trump said in a series of tweets.
"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"
Lewis also said that "a cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice."
The statement raised the possibility that a wiretap of the Trump campaign could have been ordered by Justice Department officials.
The White House did not respond to a request to elaborate on Trump's accusations.
A Trump spokeswoman said the Republican president is "having meetings, making phone calls and hitting balls" at his golf course in West Palm Beach.
Earlier, former Obama adviser Ben Rhodes strongly denied Trump's allegations.
"No president can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you," Rhodes wrote on Twitter.
Read more at The West.com
"Neither President Obama nor any White House official ever ordered surveillance on any US citizen. Any suggestion otherwise is simply false," Obama spokesman Kevin Lewis said in a statement on Saturday.
Trump had suggested Obama had improperly tapped his phones, without citing evidence, in a series of tweets on Saturday morning.
"How low has President Obama gone to tapp my phones during the very sacred election process. This is Nixon/Watergate. Bad (or sick) guy!," Trump said in a series of tweets.
"I'd bet a good lawyer could make a great case out of the fact that President Obama was tapping my phones in October, just prior to Election!"
Lewis also said that "a cardinal rule of the Obama Administration was that no White House official ever interfered with any independent investigation led by the Department of Justice."
The statement raised the possibility that a wiretap of the Trump campaign could have been ordered by Justice Department officials.
The White House did not respond to a request to elaborate on Trump's accusations.
A Trump spokeswoman said the Republican president is "having meetings, making phone calls and hitting balls" at his golf course in West Palm Beach.
Earlier, former Obama adviser Ben Rhodes strongly denied Trump's allegations.
"No president can order a wiretap. Those restrictions were put in place to protect citizens from people like you," Rhodes wrote on Twitter.
Read more at The West.com
Steph Curry Helps Donate Thousands Of Shoes To Kids In The Motherland
NBA superstar Steph Curry recently partnered with friend and Kick’n It for a Cause founder Chris “COSeezy” Strachan to help gather more than 20,000 sneakers for kids in the motherland.
On Wednesday, Curry spoke at Strachan’s alma mater Liberty University. The school hosted a shoe drive with the lifestyle brand to prevent children in the Republic of Congo from getting diseases that can be transferred through bare feet.
During the visit, Curry also spoke to the university’s basketball team about his athletic trajectory and making the most of the opportunities presented to them.
Read more at BET
On Wednesday, Curry spoke at Strachan’s alma mater Liberty University. The school hosted a shoe drive with the lifestyle brand to prevent children in the Republic of Congo from getting diseases that can be transferred through bare feet.
During the visit, Curry also spoke to the university’s basketball team about his athletic trajectory and making the most of the opportunities presented to them.
Read more at BET
Little Girl Wrote 'I Hate This Life' and 'I Failed' in Her Diary Before Being Horrifically Beaten to Death by Her Grandmother
The diary of 8-year-old Gizzell Ford, of Illinois, was used to convict her grandmother of murder during a trial in a Cook County Court. During the trial, prosecutors argued that Gizzelle, known to some as Gizzy, was exposed to traumatic and horrific child abuse by her grandmother and father. This abuse eventually led to her death in 2013.
The grandmother was found guilty. However, Gizzy’s father, Andre Ford, died in jail in 2014 awaiting trial, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Judge Evelyn Clay said “there was exceeding overwhelming evidence” Gizzell’s grandmother, Helen Ford, “murdered her grandchild.”
Of the evidence used in the court, the most emotional piece was the diary entries of little Gizzy.
Although the entries seem to be normal at first, they slowly become more disturbing and her writing becomes unrecognizable.
During one entry, Gizzy seemed optimistic about the day:
"I hope that I don't mess up today because I really want to be able to just sit down, watch T.V., talk and play with everybody. I am going to be great all day.
Love,
G.F.
I am going to be a beautiful smart and good young lady. I can do anything I put my ... smart mind to. People say I'm smart and courageous and beautiful."
However, the next entry, added by Gizzy under the words "I am going to be great all day" were, "Not true, I failed."
Read more at BET
The grandmother was found guilty. However, Gizzy’s father, Andre Ford, died in jail in 2014 awaiting trial, reported the Chicago Tribune.
Judge Evelyn Clay said “there was exceeding overwhelming evidence” Gizzell’s grandmother, Helen Ford, “murdered her grandchild.”
Of the evidence used in the court, the most emotional piece was the diary entries of little Gizzy.
Although the entries seem to be normal at first, they slowly become more disturbing and her writing becomes unrecognizable.
During one entry, Gizzy seemed optimistic about the day:
"I hope that I don't mess up today because I really want to be able to just sit down, watch T.V., talk and play with everybody. I am going to be great all day.
Love,
G.F.
I am going to be a beautiful smart and good young lady. I can do anything I put my ... smart mind to. People say I'm smart and courageous and beautiful."
However, the next entry, added by Gizzy under the words "I am going to be great all day" were, "Not true, I failed."
Read more at BET
What’s Going On With Katherine Jackson?
The Jackson family has survived its share of drama, but recent allegations against Trent Lamar Jackson have reportedly caused the matriarch, Katherine Jackson, to flee to London for medical help to deal with the stress the situation has caused. She was previously granted a restraining order to keep Trent away, but he was in court on Wednesday trying to get it tossed out.
Katherine has accused her nephew of both stealing money from her and spying on her, effectively making her a prisoner in her own home. In documents filed by Katherine, her kids Jermaine Jackson and Rebbie Jackson, as well as several friends and lawyers, Trent is charged with elder abuse. (Trent is related to Katherine by marriage; his father was the half brother of 86-year-old Katherine’s late husband — Did you get that?) Trent had been employed as Katherine’s driver but is accused of controlling much more of her life than getting her to and from various destinations.
In the recent filing, according to the Daily News, Katherine said 52-year-old Trent copied the key to her bedroom door and wired the entire house for sound and video to spy on her. “The only place I can try and have a private conversation is in my bathroom, pretending I am using the restroom so I can make a call,” she explained, adding that she often gets dressed in her closet for fear that her nephew will bust in on her. Michael Jackson’s mom believes Trent is listening to her conversations because he wants to isolate her from her friends and family, noting that he also made up excuses to keep her from socializing with her friends. “I used to be very social with my friends, like playing Scrabble, walking around in the park, sharing meals, but Trent has given them various reasons why I am not available,” she lamented. Katherine also claimed Trent had inappropriately put his name on her business and was treating her credit cards as his own.
Read more at Yahoo.
Katherine has accused her nephew of both stealing money from her and spying on her, effectively making her a prisoner in her own home. In documents filed by Katherine, her kids Jermaine Jackson and Rebbie Jackson, as well as several friends and lawyers, Trent is charged with elder abuse. (Trent is related to Katherine by marriage; his father was the half brother of 86-year-old Katherine’s late husband — Did you get that?) Trent had been employed as Katherine’s driver but is accused of controlling much more of her life than getting her to and from various destinations.
In the recent filing, according to the Daily News, Katherine said 52-year-old Trent copied the key to her bedroom door and wired the entire house for sound and video to spy on her. “The only place I can try and have a private conversation is in my bathroom, pretending I am using the restroom so I can make a call,” she explained, adding that she often gets dressed in her closet for fear that her nephew will bust in on her. Michael Jackson’s mom believes Trent is listening to her conversations because he wants to isolate her from her friends and family, noting that he also made up excuses to keep her from socializing with her friends. “I used to be very social with my friends, like playing Scrabble, walking around in the park, sharing meals, but Trent has given them various reasons why I am not available,” she lamented. Katherine also claimed Trent had inappropriately put his name on her business and was treating her credit cards as his own.
Read more at Yahoo.
Trayvon Martin, five years gone, was innocent, but America is anything but
A few words on the innocence of Trayvon Martin.
The very idea will outrage certain people. Experience says the notion of Trayvon Martin being innocent will offend them deeply.
But they can get over it. Or not.
Because it is five years now since Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin’s unarmed son died, five years since he was killed in Sanford, Florida, by a neighborhood watchman who dubbed him, on sight, a “f—— punk” and one of “these a–holes.” Five years. And there are things that need saying. His divorced parents say much of it in “Rest in Power,” their new book about the tragedy.
“My son had been intensely alive!” writes Martin. “My son had been a life force, a teenager who had hopes and dreams and so much love. But in death, he became a figure we could only see through the dark mirror of evidence and testimony, a cursed single night when our son and all that life inside him was reduced to a stranger, a black kid in a hoodie, a young man in the shadows. A suspect.”
George Zimmerman was the first to make that reduction when he stalked Trayvon through a gated community despite a police dispatcher advising him to stay with his car. Then the police did it, testing the shooting victim for drugs and alcohol while telling his killer to “go home and get some rest.” Then the jury did it when they set Zimmerman free.
Much of America did it, too. One reader wrote — without a shred of evidence — that Trayvon was “casing” houses when he was shot. This was a boy walking back from 7-Eleven to watch a basketball game at his father’s girlfriend’s house.
Another person, upset that family photos made Trayvon look too young and, well … innocent, forwarded a chain email showing a tough-looking man, with beard and mustache, tats on his hands and face, insisting, “This is the real Trayvon.” It was actually the real Jayceon “The Game” Taylor, a then-32-year-old rapper. Supplied with a death-scene image of Trayvon — darker skin than Taylor, younger, slimmer, no facial hair, no visible tats — the woman was unmoved. “They’re both Trayvon,” she insisted.
Because Trayvon could not, at all costs, be innocent. The very idea was a threat.
So people embraced absurdities. Like a 140-pound boy jumping a man 12 years older and 50 pounds heavier. Like the boy hitting the man 25 or 30 times and bashing his head against concrete, though Zimmerman’s “injuries” amounted to a bloody nose and scratches on the back of his head that needed no stitches. Like Trayvon, shot point blank in the heart, dying like a villain in some 1950s Western, groaning, “You got me.”
Read more at the Seattle Times
The very idea will outrage certain people. Experience says the notion of Trayvon Martin being innocent will offend them deeply.
But they can get over it. Or not.
Because it is five years now since Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin’s unarmed son died, five years since he was killed in Sanford, Florida, by a neighborhood watchman who dubbed him, on sight, a “f—— punk” and one of “these a–holes.” Five years. And there are things that need saying. His divorced parents say much of it in “Rest in Power,” their new book about the tragedy.
“My son had been intensely alive!” writes Martin. “My son had been a life force, a teenager who had hopes and dreams and so much love. But in death, he became a figure we could only see through the dark mirror of evidence and testimony, a cursed single night when our son and all that life inside him was reduced to a stranger, a black kid in a hoodie, a young man in the shadows. A suspect.”
George Zimmerman was the first to make that reduction when he stalked Trayvon through a gated community despite a police dispatcher advising him to stay with his car. Then the police did it, testing the shooting victim for drugs and alcohol while telling his killer to “go home and get some rest.” Then the jury did it when they set Zimmerman free.
Much of America did it, too. One reader wrote — without a shred of evidence — that Trayvon was “casing” houses when he was shot. This was a boy walking back from 7-Eleven to watch a basketball game at his father’s girlfriend’s house.
Another person, upset that family photos made Trayvon look too young and, well … innocent, forwarded a chain email showing a tough-looking man, with beard and mustache, tats on his hands and face, insisting, “This is the real Trayvon.” It was actually the real Jayceon “The Game” Taylor, a then-32-year-old rapper. Supplied with a death-scene image of Trayvon — darker skin than Taylor, younger, slimmer, no facial hair, no visible tats — the woman was unmoved. “They’re both Trayvon,” she insisted.
Because Trayvon could not, at all costs, be innocent. The very idea was a threat.
So people embraced absurdities. Like a 140-pound boy jumping a man 12 years older and 50 pounds heavier. Like the boy hitting the man 25 or 30 times and bashing his head against concrete, though Zimmerman’s “injuries” amounted to a bloody nose and scratches on the back of his head that needed no stitches. Like Trayvon, shot point blank in the heart, dying like a villain in some 1950s Western, groaning, “You got me.”
Read more at the Seattle Times
Meet the Man Behind the National Museum of African American History and Culture
The Crazy Reason No One Living On This Island Has Ever Had Acne
Way out there in the Pacific Ocean, in the Milne Bay Province of Papua New Guinea, there is an island called Kitava. It is one of the four main Trobriand Islands, an archipelago with a total population of 12,000 indigenous inhabitants. Rich with culture, surrounded on all sides by clear blue water and lush rainforest, Kitava is as stunning as it is remote. But it's got more to offer than good views.
As Byrdie reports, Kitava is also home to a people whose diet and nutritional habits remain engineered for well-being, untouched by Western influence. A lifetime of not knowing the sweet, sweet sensation of the salt from a potato chip hitting the roof of your mouth has done more than just spare Kitavans from chronic ailments like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia: It’s also given them a lifetime of smooth, acne-free skin.
In a study of 1,200 subjects — including 300 adolescents and young adults — conducted by a team led by medical doctor and professor Steffan Lindeberg over 843 days, not one breakout was reported. They also found that genetics played little to no role in the results; “genetically similar” groups who don’t follow the same dietary guidelines are more susceptible to Western ailments than their Kitavan counterparts.
The average Kitavan diet is, by all accounts, fairly unremarkable. It’s simple, with no purported “miracle fruit” or “rare nut” to speak of, and Kitavans don’t even exercise much. Lindeberg, who devoted his life to researching the many downsides of the typical Western diet, concluded that what makes the island’s way of eating so special is that it’s one of the last places on earth where the current inhabitants still follow the same diet as the indigenous people. That diet consists primarily of yams, sweet potatoes, and taro (all part of a group known as tubers), local fruits (namely coconut), fish, and vegetables.
Read more at Yahoo.
As Byrdie reports, Kitava is also home to a people whose diet and nutritional habits remain engineered for well-being, untouched by Western influence. A lifetime of not knowing the sweet, sweet sensation of the salt from a potato chip hitting the roof of your mouth has done more than just spare Kitavans from chronic ailments like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and dementia: It’s also given them a lifetime of smooth, acne-free skin.
In a study of 1,200 subjects — including 300 adolescents and young adults — conducted by a team led by medical doctor and professor Steffan Lindeberg over 843 days, not one breakout was reported. They also found that genetics played little to no role in the results; “genetically similar” groups who don’t follow the same dietary guidelines are more susceptible to Western ailments than their Kitavan counterparts.
The average Kitavan diet is, by all accounts, fairly unremarkable. It’s simple, with no purported “miracle fruit” or “rare nut” to speak of, and Kitavans don’t even exercise much. Lindeberg, who devoted his life to researching the many downsides of the typical Western diet, concluded that what makes the island’s way of eating so special is that it’s one of the last places on earth where the current inhabitants still follow the same diet as the indigenous people. That diet consists primarily of yams, sweet potatoes, and taro (all part of a group known as tubers), local fruits (namely coconut), fish, and vegetables.
Read more at Yahoo.
Black Cop Told To Adopt White Hairstyle.
A New Jersey police officer has sued her department, saying she endured years of racial and gender discrimination that included supervisors telling her to style her hair like a white officer’s.
The lawsuit filed by Hillside Sgt. Qiana Brown, who is Black, claims she has improperly been denied a promotion to lieutenant. Brown says she earned the second-highest score on the department’s promotion test, but four White men have, so far, been promoted ahead of her.
Brown also says in the lawsuit that supervisors prevented her from pumping breast milk and told her to style her hair like a White officer. Supervisors referred to her hair as “kinky” and “not conservative,” according to the suit.
Besides the town and the police department, the suit names Hillside’s police chief, two other high-ranking officers and a former mayor as plaintiffs. Messages seeking comment from the town and the police department were not returned Tuesday.
Brown has worked for the department since 2003. She’s seeking undisclosed damages, back pay and seniority.
Read more on JetMag.com
The lawsuit filed by Hillside Sgt. Qiana Brown, who is Black, claims she has improperly been denied a promotion to lieutenant. Brown says she earned the second-highest score on the department’s promotion test, but four White men have, so far, been promoted ahead of her.
Brown also says in the lawsuit that supervisors prevented her from pumping breast milk and told her to style her hair like a White officer. Supervisors referred to her hair as “kinky” and “not conservative,” according to the suit.
Besides the town and the police department, the suit names Hillside’s police chief, two other high-ranking officers and a former mayor as plaintiffs. Messages seeking comment from the town and the police department were not returned Tuesday.
Brown has worked for the department since 2003. She’s seeking undisclosed damages, back pay and seniority.
Read more on JetMag.com
'Hidden Figure' Mary Jackson, family honored by Newport News union
Hidden Figure" Mary Jackson and her family were honored Thursday night by the United Steelworkers Local 8888 in Newport News.
Jackson, a Hampton native, was the recipient of the union's 2017 Trailblazer Award, which honored Jackson's career as the first black female aerospace engineer at NASA.
Carolyn Lewis, Jackson's daughter, and her husband, Raymond, a trustee of Local 8888, accepted the award on behalf of Jackson, who died in 2005.
"My momma loved people, and she taught us how to love. ... Not only that, she taught us to speak up when something's wrong and to be activists," Carolyn Lewis said as she thanked the union for the honor.
The accomplishments of Jackson and her fellow trailblazers, Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson, were made famous in the past year as the subjects of the Oscar-nominated movie "Hidden Figures," which tells the true story of the "human computers" who worked at NASA Langley in Hampton in the '50s and '60s. The movie is based on the "Hidden Figures" book, written by Hampton native Margot Lee Shetterly.
Read more at Daily Press
Jackson, a Hampton native, was the recipient of the union's 2017 Trailblazer Award, which honored Jackson's career as the first black female aerospace engineer at NASA.
Carolyn Lewis, Jackson's daughter, and her husband, Raymond, a trustee of Local 8888, accepted the award on behalf of Jackson, who died in 2005.
"My momma loved people, and she taught us how to love. ... Not only that, she taught us to speak up when something's wrong and to be activists," Carolyn Lewis said as she thanked the union for the honor.
The accomplishments of Jackson and her fellow trailblazers, Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson, were made famous in the past year as the subjects of the Oscar-nominated movie "Hidden Figures," which tells the true story of the "human computers" who worked at NASA Langley in Hampton in the '50s and '60s. The movie is based on the "Hidden Figures" book, written by Hampton native Margot Lee Shetterly.
Read more at Daily Press
Mexico fumes over Trump immigration rules as U.S. talks loom
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Senior envoys of President Donald Trump are likely to receive a chilly reception in Mexico on Wednesday, after the United States issued new immigration guidelines that deeply angered the southern neighbor the day before bilateral talks.
Trump's administration on Tuesday unveiled plans to consider almost all illegal immigrants subject to deportation, and will seek to send many of them to Mexico if they entered the United States from there, regardless of their nationality.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly are due to arrive in Mexico on Wednesday afternoon for talks on security and immigration.
Mexico's lead negotiator with the Trump administration, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, said there was no way Mexico would accept the new "unilateral" rules, which among other things seek to deport non-Mexicans to Mexico.
Read more at Yahoo
Trump's administration on Tuesday unveiled plans to consider almost all illegal immigrants subject to deportation, and will seek to send many of them to Mexico if they entered the United States from there, regardless of their nationality.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Department of Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly are due to arrive in Mexico on Wednesday afternoon for talks on security and immigration.
Mexico's lead negotiator with the Trump administration, Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray, said there was no way Mexico would accept the new "unilateral" rules, which among other things seek to deport non-Mexicans to Mexico.
Read more at Yahoo
What We Don’t Want to Hear About Chicago Violence
Unpopular opinion. I find it difficult to accept some of the rationale offered for the violence in Chicago, my hometown. Let me first start by saying that I am someone who believes in advanced citizenship and personal accountability. That means despite parenting, socio-economics, political orientation or even socialization one must at all times strive to learn and apply what’s right. Now perhaps it is difficult to know what’s right given the pressures of these influences; after all, one might say that these influences collectively represent “the system.” And I admit that overcoming the system can be an all-consuming endeavor. Some might even deny that’s its possible at all.
Nonetheless there can neither be change, advancement, nor progress unless we check these forces, and choose to usurp their influence with our own righteous indignation. This is a test for every soul. So allow me to address for a moment the violence overtaking the Black community on the South Side of Chicago.
Some protest that the violence is due to a lack of education and economic opportunity. Some say it is the fall out from the demolition of public housing. Others, still, say that it is a by-product of the mafia-driven police and political corruption that has plagued the city for more than a century. And of course it is the general consensus that all these things are undergirded by the racist, capitalistic norms that prevail between the Whites and Blacks who live there. In whole, I agree.
If Blacks are beset with people who wish to see their demise and it’s a tactic to maintain dominance, how does violence against one another bring them closer to freedom?
If you find yourself among people who discriminate against you and you have even a small economy among yourselves, then why aren’t more investments being internally directed away from those who clearly don’t value you?
At the very least, it would seem clear that buying basic goods and services from each other, making multi-generational strides to own lands, interstate and international commerce with other communities of color would solve much of the economic plight, if not create political leverage.
Read more at EBONY
Nonetheless there can neither be change, advancement, nor progress unless we check these forces, and choose to usurp their influence with our own righteous indignation. This is a test for every soul. So allow me to address for a moment the violence overtaking the Black community on the South Side of Chicago.
Some protest that the violence is due to a lack of education and economic opportunity. Some say it is the fall out from the demolition of public housing. Others, still, say that it is a by-product of the mafia-driven police and political corruption that has plagued the city for more than a century. And of course it is the general consensus that all these things are undergirded by the racist, capitalistic norms that prevail between the Whites and Blacks who live there. In whole, I agree.
If Blacks are beset with people who wish to see their demise and it’s a tactic to maintain dominance, how does violence against one another bring them closer to freedom?
If you find yourself among people who discriminate against you and you have even a small economy among yourselves, then why aren’t more investments being internally directed away from those who clearly don’t value you?
At the very least, it would seem clear that buying basic goods and services from each other, making multi-generational strides to own lands, interstate and international commerce with other communities of color would solve much of the economic plight, if not create political leverage.
Read more at EBONY
Businesses across U.S. close, students skip school on 'Day Without Immigrants'
Across the nation, thousands of protesters took part in "Day Without Immigrants" events, from marching to boycotting jobs to keeping kids out of school in the hopes of underscoring how migrants form the lifeblood of the country's economy and society.
Many shop and restaurant owners in Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and other major U.S. cities joined the protest by closing their doors in a show of solidarity with their workers.
In many of the cities, immigrants marched to demonstrate their role in the nation's economy.
"I'm here to be the voice of those who can't speak," said Erika Montes, 30, who turned out for a march to the White House. "I'm here to show my students and their families, and my friends and family that teachers are supporting them and we are going to make sure they have a safe place."
Coming on the heels of roundups of undocumented immigrants nationwide, organizers urged legal residents as well as undocumented ones to participate in the boycott in response to President Trump's crackdown on immigration.
Among the White House actions rankling protesters are plans to build a border wall, install a temporary immigration ban on nationals from certain Muslim-majority nations, boost patrol agents to curb illegal immigration and strip federal funding from sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration agents.
Read more at USA Today.
Many shop and restaurant owners in Atlanta, Detroit, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Austin, Texas, and other major U.S. cities joined the protest by closing their doors in a show of solidarity with their workers.
In many of the cities, immigrants marched to demonstrate their role in the nation's economy.
"I'm here to be the voice of those who can't speak," said Erika Montes, 30, who turned out for a march to the White House. "I'm here to show my students and their families, and my friends and family that teachers are supporting them and we are going to make sure they have a safe place."
Coming on the heels of roundups of undocumented immigrants nationwide, organizers urged legal residents as well as undocumented ones to participate in the boycott in response to President Trump's crackdown on immigration.
Among the White House actions rankling protesters are plans to build a border wall, install a temporary immigration ban on nationals from certain Muslim-majority nations, boost patrol agents to curb illegal immigration and strip federal funding from sanctuary cities that limit cooperation with immigration agents.
Read more at USA Today.
'Hate Begets Hate' – The Ku Klux Klan Imperial Wizard's Wife and Stepson Were Charged With His Murder, and People Aren't Surprised
New developments have been made in the murder of self-proclaimed KKK Imperial Wizard Frank Ancona, of Missouri. Authorities have arrested and charged Ancona’s wife and stepson with murder on Monday.
The Park Hills Daily Journal reported Malissa Ancona, 44, and her son Paul Edward Jinkerson Jr., 24, (pictured above) were charged with murder in the first degree, tampering with evidence and abandoning a corpse.
On Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department found Ancona on a river bank with a shot gun wound to the head. Authorities reported that Ancona was killed in the bedroom he shared with Malissa.
When Malissa gave her statement, she said that he biological son, Paul, shot Ancona while he was asleep.
Authorities obtained a search warrant and found extensive blood in the master bedroom on Feb. 11, the Daily Journal reported.
When Malissa was first detained by officers, she told them Ancona was driving across state lines to make a work-related delivery. She also said that when Ancona returned, he would be filing for divorce. The day Ancona “disappeared” Malissa placed an untimely ad on Facebook for a new roommate.
Frank Ancona, of Leadwood, Mo., has publicly identified himself as the “Imperial Wizard” for a group called the “Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.”
Read more at BET
The Park Hills Daily Journal reported Malissa Ancona, 44, and her son Paul Edward Jinkerson Jr., 24, (pictured above) were charged with murder in the first degree, tampering with evidence and abandoning a corpse.
On Saturday, the Washington County Sheriff’s Department found Ancona on a river bank with a shot gun wound to the head. Authorities reported that Ancona was killed in the bedroom he shared with Malissa.
When Malissa gave her statement, she said that he biological son, Paul, shot Ancona while he was asleep.
Authorities obtained a search warrant and found extensive blood in the master bedroom on Feb. 11, the Daily Journal reported.
When Malissa was first detained by officers, she told them Ancona was driving across state lines to make a work-related delivery. She also said that when Ancona returned, he would be filing for divorce. The day Ancona “disappeared” Malissa placed an untimely ad on Facebook for a new roommate.
Frank Ancona, of Leadwood, Mo., has publicly identified himself as the “Imperial Wizard” for a group called the “Traditionalist American Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.”
Read more at BET
Nick Cannon Quits ‘America’s Got Talent’ Via Facebook Post
Nick Cannon Quits ‘America’s Got Talent’ Via Facebook Post
Well, that’s one way to quit your job. On Monday, Nick Cannon took to social media to announce that he was bowing out of his gig as the host of the hit TV show America’s Got Talent after he learned network executives were considering firing him over a racial joke he told during his Showtime comedy special Stand Up, Don’t Shoot.
“I write this from a deeply saddened and dolorous mindset. After days of deliberating over some extremely disappointing news that I was being threatened with termination by Executives because of a comedy special that was only intended to bring communities closer together, I was to be punished for a joke,” he began in a post on Facebook (and Instagram). “This has weighed heavy on my spirit. It was brought to my attention by my ‘team’ that NBC believed that I was in breach of contract because I had disparaged their brand. In my defense, I would ask how so? Or is this just another way to silence and control an outspoken voice who often battles the establishment.” Cannon went on to say that he had been warned that something like this might happen
Read more at Yahoo.
Well, that’s one way to quit your job. On Monday, Nick Cannon took to social media to announce that he was bowing out of his gig as the host of the hit TV show America’s Got Talent after he learned network executives were considering firing him over a racial joke he told during his Showtime comedy special Stand Up, Don’t Shoot.
“I write this from a deeply saddened and dolorous mindset. After days of deliberating over some extremely disappointing news that I was being threatened with termination by Executives because of a comedy special that was only intended to bring communities closer together, I was to be punished for a joke,” he began in a post on Facebook (and Instagram). “This has weighed heavy on my spirit. It was brought to my attention by my ‘team’ that NBC believed that I was in breach of contract because I had disparaged their brand. In my defense, I would ask how so? Or is this just another way to silence and control an outspoken voice who often battles the establishment.” Cannon went on to say that he had been warned that something like this might happen
Read more at Yahoo.
Kanye West’s Close Friend Reveals He Suffered Memory Loss
Malik Yusef, a longtime Kanye West friend and collaborator, discussed the hip-hop artist’s continuing recovery at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, revealing that West suffered memory loss during his prolonged period of erratic behavior.
“I’ve been to his house. Sat down with him for about 6, 7 hours. Just walking through his health and recovery,” he said. “His memory’s coming back. Yeah, his memory’s coming back, which is super good. And just healing. Spending time with his family. Saint [West, his child] is getting big and he’s walking and playing with toys so, you know, that invigorates him.”
Yusef, who has worked with the artist for years, helped with West’s two songs ― “Ultralight Beam” and “Famous” ― nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, as well as much of West’s 2016 album “The Life of Pablo,” which was also nominated for Best Rap Album.
It was around this time last year ― “The Life of Pablo” was released exactly a year ago Tuesday ― that people started to worry about West. At the 2016 Grammy Awards, Rhymefest, a formerly longtime collaborator of West’s, said he hoped the artist would get “healthy” and “happy” following a tweet in which he wrote that West “needs help, in the form of counseling.”
Read more at Huff Post
“I’ve been to his house. Sat down with him for about 6, 7 hours. Just walking through his health and recovery,” he said. “His memory’s coming back. Yeah, his memory’s coming back, which is super good. And just healing. Spending time with his family. Saint [West, his child] is getting big and he’s walking and playing with toys so, you know, that invigorates him.”
Yusef, who has worked with the artist for years, helped with West’s two songs ― “Ultralight Beam” and “Famous” ― nominated for Best Rap/Sung Performance at the Grammy Awards on Sunday, as well as much of West’s 2016 album “The Life of Pablo,” which was also nominated for Best Rap Album.
It was around this time last year ― “The Life of Pablo” was released exactly a year ago Tuesday ― that people started to worry about West. At the 2016 Grammy Awards, Rhymefest, a formerly longtime collaborator of West’s, said he hoped the artist would get “healthy” and “happy” following a tweet in which he wrote that West “needs help, in the form of counseling.”
Read more at Huff Post
Katherine Jackson, Michael Jackson’s Mother, Alleges Ongoing Elder Abuse at the Hands of Her Nephew
Katherine Jackson claims she was the victim of years of mental abuse at the hands of her nephew and driver, Trent Lamar Jackson, to the point where she is afraid to return to her home.
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Jackson, 86, claims her nephew (through marriage) has accessed her bank accounts without her permission, used credit cards of hers for his own personal purchases without authorization, and subjected her to years of mental abuse that has left Jackson “in a constant state of fear and confusion.”
Jackson describes her nephew as “an abusive con-man” who has manipulated her in order to “assume control of her finances.”
The Jackson family matriarch says she tried to fire her nephew and order him to move out of her guest house, but he has refused. Katherine is currently in London visiting her daughter, Janet Jackson, but is “afraid to go home with Trent there” and “fears he could physically harm her for terminating him.”
A judge granted Jackson’s request for a restraining order and ordered her nephew to move out of her home and return all keys, passwords and combinations to the property.
A hearing has been scheduled for March 1st.
Calls to Trent Lamar Jackson were not returned.
View more at Yahoo
According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Jackson, 86, claims her nephew (through marriage) has accessed her bank accounts without her permission, used credit cards of hers for his own personal purchases without authorization, and subjected her to years of mental abuse that has left Jackson “in a constant state of fear and confusion.”
Jackson describes her nephew as “an abusive con-man” who has manipulated her in order to “assume control of her finances.”
The Jackson family matriarch says she tried to fire her nephew and order him to move out of her guest house, but he has refused. Katherine is currently in London visiting her daughter, Janet Jackson, but is “afraid to go home with Trent there” and “fears he could physically harm her for terminating him.”
A judge granted Jackson’s request for a restraining order and ordered her nephew to move out of her home and return all keys, passwords and combinations to the property.
A hearing has been scheduled for March 1st.
Calls to Trent Lamar Jackson were not returned.
View more at Yahoo
Chicago just lost its largest black bank and no one noticed
A week before the start of Black History Month, Seaway Bank, Chicago’s largest black-owned bank was sold to State Bank of Texas of Dallas. At the time of this acquisition, Seaway was no longer black-owned.
The bank, which had 10 locations in total, was forced to close after being hit hard by the housing crash. During this time, many homes on the Southside of Chicago plunged in value, making it difficult for some families to afford their mortgage.
In September 2016, Chicago Business reported the housing market fall in Chicago between 2006-2012, in which the home prices fell 35 percent. Over the past four years, the same market has only recovered 10 percent of its value, a hit that Seaway was unable to survive.
Before The State Bank of Texas of Dallas made the acquisition, Seaway had approximately, $361.2 million in total assets and $307 million in total deposits. The number was enough to significantly impact the African-American community over time. Had it survived.
Despite being heavily involved in last year’s #BankBlack movement, the bank struggled to secure new funders within the black community. Thus, ultimately taking over $500,000 million dollars directly from the Black community.
But here’s why we should be concerned by the demise of such an important black-owned bank.
Big banks are less likely than black-owned banks to approve mortgage applications for blacks than other racial groups. In fact, a Time article written last year shows that the approved mortgage applications for African Americans are only 5.3 percent, down from 7.8 percent in 2007. Without approval on mortgages, it makes it tough for blacks to own property within their own community. It also makes it much more difficult for our community to rebuild new schools, stores, and other black-owned spaces needed to propel our community forward.
Read more at The Grio
The bank, which had 10 locations in total, was forced to close after being hit hard by the housing crash. During this time, many homes on the Southside of Chicago plunged in value, making it difficult for some families to afford their mortgage.
In September 2016, Chicago Business reported the housing market fall in Chicago between 2006-2012, in which the home prices fell 35 percent. Over the past four years, the same market has only recovered 10 percent of its value, a hit that Seaway was unable to survive.
Before The State Bank of Texas of Dallas made the acquisition, Seaway had approximately, $361.2 million in total assets and $307 million in total deposits. The number was enough to significantly impact the African-American community over time. Had it survived.
Despite being heavily involved in last year’s #BankBlack movement, the bank struggled to secure new funders within the black community. Thus, ultimately taking over $500,000 million dollars directly from the Black community.
But here’s why we should be concerned by the demise of such an important black-owned bank.
Big banks are less likely than black-owned banks to approve mortgage applications for blacks than other racial groups. In fact, a Time article written last year shows that the approved mortgage applications for African Americans are only 5.3 percent, down from 7.8 percent in 2007. Without approval on mortgages, it makes it tough for blacks to own property within their own community. It also makes it much more difficult for our community to rebuild new schools, stores, and other black-owned spaces needed to propel our community forward.
Read more at The Grio
Charles Oakley Gives Interview Swearing He Didn't Say Anything to Knicks Owner James Dolan Before Fighting With MSG Security
That's because former team great Charles Oakley was arrested and charged with three counts of assault after fighting with Madison Square Garden security during the first quarter of the Knicks-Los Angeles Clippers game last night.
A police source told ESPN that Oakley bought a ticket behind the Knicks' bench and began making comments towards the team's owner, James Dolan, who prompted security to escort him out of MSG, leading to the scrap and his arrest.
Oakley has a very different take, vowing that he "didn’t say anything to [Dolan], I swear on my mother" and that he wasn't even there for five minutes before security surrounded him and demanded that he leave, as reported by CBS News.
But Oakley, who took on the role of the Knicks' enforcer from 1988-1998, had a completely different side to the story.
"What happened is me and four friends went to the game tonight to watch the Knicks and Clippers. We did sit down, trying to have a good time. Next thing I know I was asked to leave the building," Oakley said at a Midtown Manhattan restaurant after being released by the NYPD's Midtown South Precinct just past midnight, as reported by ESPN. "I asked, 'Why?' and they said, 'You have to leave because someone ordered you to leave.' And I'm like, 'I've been here four and a half minutes.'"
"I'm a Knicks fan, played here 10 years. I love the Knicks. I love New York. This is my heart," he said. "I wish them all the luck and success on the basketball court. I don't know why I'm not welcome into the Garden."
Read more at BET
A police source told ESPN that Oakley bought a ticket behind the Knicks' bench and began making comments towards the team's owner, James Dolan, who prompted security to escort him out of MSG, leading to the scrap and his arrest.
Oakley has a very different take, vowing that he "didn’t say anything to [Dolan], I swear on my mother" and that he wasn't even there for five minutes before security surrounded him and demanded that he leave, as reported by CBS News.
But Oakley, who took on the role of the Knicks' enforcer from 1988-1998, had a completely different side to the story.
"What happened is me and four friends went to the game tonight to watch the Knicks and Clippers. We did sit down, trying to have a good time. Next thing I know I was asked to leave the building," Oakley said at a Midtown Manhattan restaurant after being released by the NYPD's Midtown South Precinct just past midnight, as reported by ESPN. "I asked, 'Why?' and they said, 'You have to leave because someone ordered you to leave.' And I'm like, 'I've been here four and a half minutes.'"
"I'm a Knicks fan, played here 10 years. I love the Knicks. I love New York. This is my heart," he said. "I wish them all the luck and success on the basketball court. I don't know why I'm not welcome into the Garden."
Read more at BET
50 Cent pays $22 million, gets bankruptcy case discharged
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A federal judge has discharged rapper 50 Cent's bankruptcy case after he paid more than $22 million.
Bankruptcy Judge Ann Nevins approved the discharge Thursday in Hartford, Connecticut.
The rapper who burst onto the music scene in 2003 with his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 2015, citing debts of $36 million and assets of less than $20 million.
Nevins approved a plan in July calling for 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson III, to pay back about $23 million.
Jackson's lawyers said Thursday that he paid off the five-year plan early with $8.7 million of his own money and $13.65 million he received in a recent settlement of a legal malpractice lawsuit against other attorneys.
See more at Freep.com
Bankruptcy Judge Ann Nevins approved the discharge Thursday in Hartford, Connecticut.
The rapper who burst onto the music scene in 2003 with his debut album, Get Rich or Die Tryin, filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 2015, citing debts of $36 million and assets of less than $20 million.
Nevins approved a plan in July calling for 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson III, to pay back about $23 million.
Jackson's lawyers said Thursday that he paid off the five-year plan early with $8.7 million of his own money and $13.65 million he received in a recent settlement of a legal malpractice lawsuit against other attorneys.
See more at Freep.com
Philly-Bred Comic Lover Ariell Johnson has a Story #WorthTelling
Entrepreneurship has planted the seed for the creative, unique and even socially awkward to curate a niche and space for like-minded individuals.
EBONY was birthed from the vision of a Black man who desired to keep others informed on the social and societal happenings relating to and about Black people and culture.
For decades, we have found ways to re-imagine spaces and become leaders in various areas. Success stories of Black people circulate year-round, but every year, Allstate Insurance Company kicks off their #WorthTelling digital, social and radio campaign, which highlights and honors everyday individuals who are creating a stronger community through entrepreneurship. In turn, we’re introduced to more community heroes with stories to share.
Among the three features in this year’s campaign is Ariell Johnson, owner of Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse in Philadelphia.
Johnson made history as the first Black woman to open a comic store in the east coast and started her business as a way to promote diversity and inclusion in the comic book industry.
Read more at EBONY
EBONY was birthed from the vision of a Black man who desired to keep others informed on the social and societal happenings relating to and about Black people and culture.
For decades, we have found ways to re-imagine spaces and become leaders in various areas. Success stories of Black people circulate year-round, but every year, Allstate Insurance Company kicks off their #WorthTelling digital, social and radio campaign, which highlights and honors everyday individuals who are creating a stronger community through entrepreneurship. In turn, we’re introduced to more community heroes with stories to share.
Among the three features in this year’s campaign is Ariell Johnson, owner of Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse in Philadelphia.
Johnson made history as the first Black woman to open a comic store in the east coast and started her business as a way to promote diversity and inclusion in the comic book industry.
Read more at EBONY
Mike Pence Recognized Black History Month By Honoring A White Man
Vice-President Mike Pence posted a tweet on Wednesday in which he recognized the beginning of Black History Month by honoring a white man.
The tweet acknowledged President Abraham Lincoln and his work around the abolishment of slavery, but fails to mention the contributions of any black trailblazer.
Pence’s tribute to Lincoln didn’t sit well with many on Twitter, who called out the tone-deaf tweet and implored the vice president to become better acquainted with the achievements of black men and women.
As kind Twitter users reminded our newbie vice president, Black History Month is a time to honor black people in American history.
Read more at HuffPost
The tweet acknowledged President Abraham Lincoln and his work around the abolishment of slavery, but fails to mention the contributions of any black trailblazer.
Pence’s tribute to Lincoln didn’t sit well with many on Twitter, who called out the tone-deaf tweet and implored the vice president to become better acquainted with the achievements of black men and women.
As kind Twitter users reminded our newbie vice president, Black History Month is a time to honor black people in American history.
Read more at HuffPost
Woman Linked to 1955 Emmett Till Murder Tells Historian Her Claims Were False
For six decades, she has been the silent woman linked to one of the most notorious crimes in the nation’s history, the lynching of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black boy, keeping her thoughts and memories to herself as millions of strangers idealized or vilified her.
But all these years later, a historian says that the woman has broken her silence, and acknowledged that the most incendiary parts of the story she and others told about Emmett — claims that seem tame today but were more than enough to get a black person killed in Jim Crow-era Mississippi — were false.
The woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, spoke to Timothy B. Tyson, a Duke University professor — possibly the only interview she has given to a historian or journalist since shortly after the episode — who has written a book, “The Blood of Emmett Till,” to be published next week.
In it, he wrote that she said of her long-ago allegations that Emmett grabbed her and was menacing and sexually crude toward her, “that part is not true.”
The revelations were first reported on Friday by Vanity Fair.
As a matter of narrow justice, it makes little difference; true or not, her claims did not justify any serious penalty, much less death.
The two white men who were accused of murdering Emmett in 1955 — and later admitted it in a Look Magazine interview — were acquitted that year by an all-white, all-male jury, and so could not be retried.
They and others suspected of involvement in the killing died long ago.
Read more at NY times.
But all these years later, a historian says that the woman has broken her silence, and acknowledged that the most incendiary parts of the story she and others told about Emmett — claims that seem tame today but were more than enough to get a black person killed in Jim Crow-era Mississippi — were false.
The woman, Carolyn Bryant Donham, spoke to Timothy B. Tyson, a Duke University professor — possibly the only interview she has given to a historian or journalist since shortly after the episode — who has written a book, “The Blood of Emmett Till,” to be published next week.
In it, he wrote that she said of her long-ago allegations that Emmett grabbed her and was menacing and sexually crude toward her, “that part is not true.”
The revelations were first reported on Friday by Vanity Fair.
As a matter of narrow justice, it makes little difference; true or not, her claims did not justify any serious penalty, much less death.
The two white men who were accused of murdering Emmett in 1955 — and later admitted it in a Look Magazine interview — were acquitted that year by an all-white, all-male jury, and so could not be retried.
They and others suspected of involvement in the killing died long ago.
Read more at NY times.
‘The New Edition Story’ Was a Perfect TV Experience
New Edition is a group that started out as a boy band in the early ’80s. They were wildly influential, simultaneously advancing soul and pop, which turned them into the first R&B-and-hip-hop-hybrid superstars.
The group was famously comprised of Michael Bivins (the business-minded one), Bobby Brown (the bad boy), Ronnie DeVoe (the tall one), Ricky Bell (the funny one), and Ralph Tresvant (the lead singer). Brown was kicked out following a spat of wild incidents. He was replaced with Johnny Gill.
Each episode of the series was two hours long. The first aired Tuesday night. The second aired Wednesday night. The final one aired Thursday night.
It wasn’t until the very last scene of the second episode of The New Edition Story that I realized I was all the way invested in a group I had never cared about before. By that point, we’d already been shown their origin story, initial success, first financial setback, climb past neighborhood stardom to proper stardom, second financial setback, transition from children to young men, third financial setback, first big explosion (Bobby getting kicked out of the group), second big explosion (Michael convincing Johnny to join the group without discussing it with Ralph), and the reconciliation from the second big explosion. That’s actually how the second episode ends.
At one point, the group is in a dance studio and on a break from filming the video for “If It Isn’t Love,” the first single from their fifth album. They’re sitting around talking, good vibes are in the air, and everything is, at last, peaceful. There’s warm lighting and everyone is smiling, so that’s how the audience knows that things are going well, and also how the audience knows things are going to get bad. But again, the show had gotten all the way to that point — four hours in, mind you — and I felt like I didn’t have any emotional attachment to anyone in the series, or even the series itself. Then the ax fell.
Read more at The Ringer
The group was famously comprised of Michael Bivins (the business-minded one), Bobby Brown (the bad boy), Ronnie DeVoe (the tall one), Ricky Bell (the funny one), and Ralph Tresvant (the lead singer). Brown was kicked out following a spat of wild incidents. He was replaced with Johnny Gill.
Each episode of the series was two hours long. The first aired Tuesday night. The second aired Wednesday night. The final one aired Thursday night.
It wasn’t until the very last scene of the second episode of The New Edition Story that I realized I was all the way invested in a group I had never cared about before. By that point, we’d already been shown their origin story, initial success, first financial setback, climb past neighborhood stardom to proper stardom, second financial setback, transition from children to young men, third financial setback, first big explosion (Bobby getting kicked out of the group), second big explosion (Michael convincing Johnny to join the group without discussing it with Ralph), and the reconciliation from the second big explosion. That’s actually how the second episode ends.
At one point, the group is in a dance studio and on a break from filming the video for “If It Isn’t Love,” the first single from their fifth album. They’re sitting around talking, good vibes are in the air, and everything is, at last, peaceful. There’s warm lighting and everyone is smiling, so that’s how the audience knows that things are going well, and also how the audience knows things are going to get bad. But again, the show had gotten all the way to that point — four hours in, mind you — and I felt like I didn’t have any emotional attachment to anyone in the series, or even the series itself. Then the ax fell.
Read more at The Ringer
Longtime U.S. Residents Caught Up in Trump Ban
Longtime residents of the United States were not allowed to return to their U.S.-based homes following a ban on travelers from entering the country from Muslim-majority nations.
The temporary ban, enacted by President Trump, applies to citizens from seven countries. Trump signed the order Friday barring citizens from Syria, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Somalia from entering the country for 90 days. He also suspended the admission of all refugees for 120 days.
Sahar Algonaimi, a 58-year-old Syrian woman coming to the U.S. to care for her cancer-stricken mother was put on a plane Saturday and sent back to Saudi Arabia hours after arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
When her 76-year-old mother became ill, Algonaimi’s sister, Nour Ulayyet, asked her to come to their home in Valparaiso, Indiana, to help take care of her. Their mother underwent a mastectomy Friday.
Algonaimi had visited just last year and still had a U.S. visa good until June 2018.
After texting to say her plane had touched down, she never arrived at the gate. A man identifying himself as an immigration officer eventually called Ulayyet to say her sister was being put aboard a flight back to Saudi Arabia, where she teaches school.
“I asked if I could speak to a supervisor,” Ulayyet said. “He was very nice, very sympathetic, but he said, ‘Literally for me to help I’m going to be breaking the law and I’m not going to break the law.'”
Before Algonaimi left officials had her sign paperwork that she told her sister she didn’t understand. It canceled her visa.
“I really can’t put it in words how much sadness I feel and the sense of injustice we feel,” Ulayyet said Sunday as she choked up.
Read more at EBONY
The temporary ban, enacted by President Trump, applies to citizens from seven countries. Trump signed the order Friday barring citizens from Syria, Libya, Iraq, Iran, Sudan and Somalia from entering the country for 90 days. He also suspended the admission of all refugees for 120 days.
Sahar Algonaimi, a 58-year-old Syrian woman coming to the U.S. to care for her cancer-stricken mother was put on a plane Saturday and sent back to Saudi Arabia hours after arriving at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
When her 76-year-old mother became ill, Algonaimi’s sister, Nour Ulayyet, asked her to come to their home in Valparaiso, Indiana, to help take care of her. Their mother underwent a mastectomy Friday.
Algonaimi had visited just last year and still had a U.S. visa good until June 2018.
After texting to say her plane had touched down, she never arrived at the gate. A man identifying himself as an immigration officer eventually called Ulayyet to say her sister was being put aboard a flight back to Saudi Arabia, where she teaches school.
“I asked if I could speak to a supervisor,” Ulayyet said. “He was very nice, very sympathetic, but he said, ‘Literally for me to help I’m going to be breaking the law and I’m not going to break the law.'”
Before Algonaimi left officials had her sign paperwork that she told her sister she didn’t understand. It canceled her visa.
“I really can’t put it in words how much sadness I feel and the sense of injustice we feel,” Ulayyet said Sunday as she choked up.
Read more at EBONY
ESPN Commentator Fired Over Misheard ‘Racist’ Comment About Venus Williams
A tennis commentator for ESPN has been fired from the network after a comment he made was misconstrued as racist by offended viewers.
Doug Adler was covering Venus Williams’ winning play against Stefanie Voegele, and described Williams’ aggressive style as a “guerrilla effect.” Offended viewers who misheard him thought he meant “gorilla” and took their outrage to social media.
Adler, a former professional tennis player who played between 1979 and 1981, made his remarks in the second round of Williams’ Australian Open match this past Wednesday. The commentator apologized for his remarks, but clarified he meant “guerrilla,” a Spanish word used to describe warriors who conduct asymmetrical warfare against stronger opponents.
ESPN, however, laid the blame entirely on Adler rather than offended viewers, stating that the commentator “should have been more careful in his word selection,” presumably due to the racist implications of the word “gorilla” with regards to African Americans (although the word guerrilla has no etymological relation to the word gorilla which is believed to derive from an ancient African word).
“During an Australian Open stream on ESPN3, Doug Adler should have been more careful in his word selection,” the statement read. “He apologized and we have removed him from his remaining assignments.”
Read more at Heat Street
Doug Adler was covering Venus Williams’ winning play against Stefanie Voegele, and described Williams’ aggressive style as a “guerrilla effect.” Offended viewers who misheard him thought he meant “gorilla” and took their outrage to social media.
Adler, a former professional tennis player who played between 1979 and 1981, made his remarks in the second round of Williams’ Australian Open match this past Wednesday. The commentator apologized for his remarks, but clarified he meant “guerrilla,” a Spanish word used to describe warriors who conduct asymmetrical warfare against stronger opponents.
ESPN, however, laid the blame entirely on Adler rather than offended viewers, stating that the commentator “should have been more careful in his word selection,” presumably due to the racist implications of the word “gorilla” with regards to African Americans (although the word guerrilla has no etymological relation to the word gorilla which is believed to derive from an ancient African word).
“During an Australian Open stream on ESPN3, Doug Adler should have been more careful in his word selection,” the statement read. “He apologized and we have removed him from his remaining assignments.”
Read more at Heat Street
Mom Tackled By White Police Officer Has ‘Heavily-Armed Militia’ Patrolling Her Home
Last month, a White police officer slammed Fort Worth, Texas mom Jacqueline Craig into the ground after she called 911 on her neighbor. Instead of reprimanding the White neighbor, who’d allegedly put Craig’s 7-year-old son in a chokehold because he threw a piece of paper on the ground, the officer questioned Craig’s mothering – and asked why she didn’t teach her son not to litter. Moments later, Officer William Martin wrestled Craig to the ground, put a taser in her back, and also pointed the taser at her children, before charging at and tackling Craig’s teenage daughter.
The officer in question was suspended for just 10 days, and (with good reason) Craig no longer feels safe in her home or protected by police, so she did something about it.
From Daily Mail:
Twenty people armed with guns were taken into custody while patrolling outside the home of a mother who says she no longer feels safe after she was brutally arrested last month. Police in Fort Worth, Texas, detained the large group of people after they were called to the home of Jacqueline Craig on Saturday. Police also took the guns away from the group.
The report says her armed militia did not point their guns at anyone. The site continues:
Speaking on Sunday, a lawyer representing the Craig said Saturday’s patrol took place because the family does not feel protected by police anymore, according to the Dallas Morning News. The group who were on guard around the home stepped forward to help Craig and her children, Lee Merritt said. ‘They felt it was their responsibility to come up and show their support,’ the attorney said.
Following his suspension, Officer Martin will reportedly go back to work in the same neighborhoods he was covering prior to the incident with Craig and her children. Because that’s a great idea.
Read more at Global Grind
The officer in question was suspended for just 10 days, and (with good reason) Craig no longer feels safe in her home or protected by police, so she did something about it.
From Daily Mail:
Twenty people armed with guns were taken into custody while patrolling outside the home of a mother who says she no longer feels safe after she was brutally arrested last month. Police in Fort Worth, Texas, detained the large group of people after they were called to the home of Jacqueline Craig on Saturday. Police also took the guns away from the group.
The report says her armed militia did not point their guns at anyone. The site continues:
Speaking on Sunday, a lawyer representing the Craig said Saturday’s patrol took place because the family does not feel protected by police anymore, according to the Dallas Morning News. The group who were on guard around the home stepped forward to help Craig and her children, Lee Merritt said. ‘They felt it was their responsibility to come up and show their support,’ the attorney said.
Following his suspension, Officer Martin will reportedly go back to work in the same neighborhoods he was covering prior to the incident with Craig and her children. Because that’s a great idea.
Read more at Global Grind
Chrisette Michele's Fiancé Fires Shots At Spike Lee, Singer Drops New Track
There was an outpouring of disappointment when news broke that R&B singer/songwriter Chrisette Michele would be performing at Trump's inauguration. While many fans hoped the singer would cancel, she went ahead and performed as planned.
Her decision to do so cost her dearly, with director Spike Lee cutting her music from his upcoming Netflix remake of She's Gotta Have It. But Michele's fiancé, Doug Ellison, fired back at the acclaimed director, posting and then deleting a piece from late art icon Basquiat with the caption "F--k You!" Michele's fiancé may have tried to seem witty with the caption––"F--k You" is possibly a reference to another Basquiat piece––but the piece Ellison posted is actually titled "La Hara." The singer decided to stick by her man, sharing the post on Twitter before it was deleted.
Monday morning, Michele dropped "No Political Genius," a spoken word track from a forthcoming project called Still American. The track is meant to provide hope and spark discussion, however, lyrics include, "I am the black song that Spike Lee won't sing" and "Hip hop for Jay Z, now you say You Lost One / R&B for Def Jam, Rich Hipster for Brooklyn / But Spike won't pay me, A Crook from Crooklyn" as the singer throws shots and continues to defend her inauguration performance throughout the poem.
Read more at Essence
Her decision to do so cost her dearly, with director Spike Lee cutting her music from his upcoming Netflix remake of She's Gotta Have It. But Michele's fiancé, Doug Ellison, fired back at the acclaimed director, posting and then deleting a piece from late art icon Basquiat with the caption "F--k You!" Michele's fiancé may have tried to seem witty with the caption––"F--k You" is possibly a reference to another Basquiat piece––but the piece Ellison posted is actually titled "La Hara." The singer decided to stick by her man, sharing the post on Twitter before it was deleted.
Monday morning, Michele dropped "No Political Genius," a spoken word track from a forthcoming project called Still American. The track is meant to provide hope and spark discussion, however, lyrics include, "I am the black song that Spike Lee won't sing" and "Hip hop for Jay Z, now you say You Lost One / R&B for Def Jam, Rich Hipster for Brooklyn / But Spike won't pay me, A Crook from Crooklyn" as the singer throws shots and continues to defend her inauguration performance throughout the poem.
Read more at Essence
Soulja Boy Charged With Felony Firearm Possession
Soulja Boy was charged Monday with illegal possession of firearms, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced. The rapper (real name DeAndre Cortez Way) faces two felony weapons possession charges and one misdemeanor count of receiving stolen property. If convicted, he faces over four years in state prison. His arraignment is scheduled for Monday.
Way was arrested by Los Angeles police at his house on December 15th. The rapper was on probation from a previous firearms charge and had been ordered not to possess any weapons, but law enforcement allegedly found the rapper with a Mini Draco AR-IS assault weapon and a Glock 21 handgun, according to the D.A.'s office. Prosecutors said one of the firearms had been reported stolen from a police vehicle in Huntington Beach, California.
A rep for the rapper did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Read more at Rolling Stone
Obama tweets final message from White House, announces new website
Washington (CNN)President Barack Obama tweeted the American people in his final hours as head of state promising to continue his work with them, and unveiling a new website.
"It's been the honor of my life to serve you. You made me a better leader and a better man," he said.
His post-White House website, Obama.org, features a request form for scheduling events and a page for fundraising.
"As we look forward, I want our first steps to reflect what matters most to you. Share your thoughts with me at Obama.org," he tweeted.
"I won't stop; I'll be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by your voices of truth and justice, good humor, and love," Obama also tweeted.
The final tweet from the Obama administration's control of the account @WhiteHouse came shortly thereafter, and featured a photo of Obama hand-in-hand with Rep. John Lewis as well as other civil rights activists in Selma, Alabama, in 2015.
"Yes we can. Yes we did. Thank you for being a part of the past eight years," the account tweeted.
Read more at CNN
"It's been the honor of my life to serve you. You made me a better leader and a better man," he said.
His post-White House website, Obama.org, features a request form for scheduling events and a page for fundraising.
"As we look forward, I want our first steps to reflect what matters most to you. Share your thoughts with me at Obama.org," he tweeted.
"I won't stop; I'll be right there with you as a citizen, inspired by your voices of truth and justice, good humor, and love," Obama also tweeted.
The final tweet from the Obama administration's control of the account @WhiteHouse came shortly thereafter, and featured a photo of Obama hand-in-hand with Rep. John Lewis as well as other civil rights activists in Selma, Alabama, in 2015.
"Yes we can. Yes we did. Thank you for being a part of the past eight years," the account tweeted.
Read more at CNN
Unbelievable: Police Won't File Charges Against Drunk Driver For Alleged Hit-And-Run Of Taylor Hamm
The family of 24-year-old Taylor Hamm has questions for law enforcement after Hamm was struck on Christmas Day by a driver who was allegedly drunk.
Hamm remains hospitalized and on life support after the hit-and-run incident. Police have declined to press charges so far because they believe the driver who struck her and drove off did it as a part of an accident and didn’t know they hit Hamm until later.
Hamm was reportedly walking along a road in Georgia when she was struck. Reports of a woman stumbling in a bathrobe had police subsequently investigating whether Hamm was impaired in any way.
According to the driver, she says she saw something lunging at her car, but didn’t know she hit a person.
Read more at BET
Hamm remains hospitalized and on life support after the hit-and-run incident. Police have declined to press charges so far because they believe the driver who struck her and drove off did it as a part of an accident and didn’t know they hit Hamm until later.
Hamm was reportedly walking along a road in Georgia when she was struck. Reports of a woman stumbling in a bathrobe had police subsequently investigating whether Hamm was impaired in any way.
According to the driver, she says she saw something lunging at her car, but didn’t know she hit a person.
Read more at BET
Cuba Gooding Jr. Files for Divorce From Wife Sara Kapfer After 22 Years of Marriage: Report
Cuba Gooding Jr. has filed for divorce from his estranged wife, Sara Kapfer, TMZ reports. According to the site, Gooding’s response comes two years after Kapfer first filed for separation in 2014.
The People v. O.J. Simpson actor, 49, is seeking joint physical and legal custody of their 11-year-old daughter, Piper, TMZ reports. The actor is, however, asking to keep all his earnings since Kapfer filed her documents.
Gooding and Kapfer were high school sweethearts and tied the knot in 1994. They are also the parents of adult children Spencer and Mason.
Kapfer, a school teacher, filed for separation from the actor in April 2014, citing irreconcilable differences.
Gooding rarely comments on their split, but said during an appearance on The Steve Harvey Show last year that he makes an active attempt to remain close with his ex, who he was married to for 20 years.
“Listen, you know how things happen,” he said of their split. “Things happen, you grow up … I took my wife on a date the other day. Took her to see a movie the other day. Yeah. We got kids, man. We got to keep this together, strong, you know? That’s how I see it.”
The pair were last spotted out together at the Weinstein Golden Globes afterparty.
Yahoo
The People v. O.J. Simpson actor, 49, is seeking joint physical and legal custody of their 11-year-old daughter, Piper, TMZ reports. The actor is, however, asking to keep all his earnings since Kapfer filed her documents.
Gooding and Kapfer were high school sweethearts and tied the knot in 1994. They are also the parents of adult children Spencer and Mason.
Kapfer, a school teacher, filed for separation from the actor in April 2014, citing irreconcilable differences.
Gooding rarely comments on their split, but said during an appearance on The Steve Harvey Show last year that he makes an active attempt to remain close with his ex, who he was married to for 20 years.
“Listen, you know how things happen,” he said of their split. “Things happen, you grow up … I took my wife on a date the other day. Took her to see a movie the other day. Yeah. We got kids, man. We got to keep this together, strong, you know? That’s how I see it.”
The pair were last spotted out together at the Weinstein Golden Globes afterparty.
Yahoo
Trevor Noah defends John Lewis amid Donald Trump feud
Trevor Noah defends John Lewis amid Donald Trump feud
Christian Holub,Entertainment Weekly 4 hours ago Comments Sign in to like Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email
With President-elect Donald Trump’s feud with Congressman John Lewis in full swing, Trevor Noah weighed in on the matter Monday night.
After Lewis called Trump an “illegitimate” president last week, citing Russian interference in the election, Trump said Lewis was “all talk” and “no action” in response. “You’re calling a civil rights hero who marched in Selma with Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘all talk, no action’?” Noah asked on The Daily Show. “Saying John Lewis isn’t a ‘man of action’ is like me saying Donald Trump is all tax returns, no tweets.”
Noah compared Trump’s feud with Lewis to Steve Harvey, who took a more genial approach to the president-elect this weekend. Harvey met with Trump and might be considering helping Dr. Ben Carson at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“What Steve Harvey and John Lewis did this weekend perfectly captures debates about how to respond to the Trump presidency: Do you resist him, or do you work with him? This weekend we saw examples of both,” Noah said. “It’s appropriate that we’re talking about this on Martin Luther King Day, because Dr. King also stood for both approaches. Dr. King was in the streets marching and boycotting, but he also sat down to negotiate with those in power.”
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Christian Holub,Entertainment Weekly 4 hours ago Comments Sign in to like Reblog on Tumblr Share Tweet Email
With President-elect Donald Trump’s feud with Congressman John Lewis in full swing, Trevor Noah weighed in on the matter Monday night.
After Lewis called Trump an “illegitimate” president last week, citing Russian interference in the election, Trump said Lewis was “all talk” and “no action” in response. “You’re calling a civil rights hero who marched in Selma with Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘all talk, no action’?” Noah asked on The Daily Show. “Saying John Lewis isn’t a ‘man of action’ is like me saying Donald Trump is all tax returns, no tweets.”
Noah compared Trump’s feud with Lewis to Steve Harvey, who took a more genial approach to the president-elect this weekend. Harvey met with Trump and might be considering helping Dr. Ben Carson at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“What Steve Harvey and John Lewis did this weekend perfectly captures debates about how to respond to the Trump presidency: Do you resist him, or do you work with him? This weekend we saw examples of both,” Noah said. “It’s appropriate that we’re talking about this on Martin Luther King Day, because Dr. King also stood for both approaches. Dr. King was in the streets marching and boycotting, but he also sat down to negotiate with those in power.”
Read more
More than 40 House Democrats to skip Trump’s inauguration
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. (Photo: Jason Reed/Reuters)
More than 40 Democratic lawmakers have announced they intend to skip Donald Trump’s inauguration this week to protest the president-elect’s plans for the country. The boycotters now make up one in five of all House Democrats, and their decision to protest represents a break with tradition that they say is warranted by Trump’s agenda.
Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., told Yahoo News she decided she couldn’t celebrate Trump’s inauguration because of his comments during the campaign about temporarily barring Muslims from entering the country and his vow to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.
“I thought about it over and over again — it’s not a decision I came to lightly,” she said Thursday. “I thought about it very carefully because I do believe in democracy and this peaceful transfer of power.”
Lee was among a growing handful of Democratic lawmakers who objected last week to the certification of the Electoral College results on the House floor. She said she objected because of her concerns over Russian interference in the election.
“There are going to be moments where some of us are going to have to say, ‘Enough is enough,’” Lee told Yahoo News. “It’s going to happen more — this is a very unusual and extraordinary time.”
Lee said there isn’t an organized effort to get Democrats to skip the inauguration, which is generally a bipartisan celebration of democracy and the transfer of power, but each lawmaker is making up his or her own mind. Former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter have all said they will attend the ceremony. Hillary Clinton, Trump’s vanquished rival, is also set to be there.
Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon, ignited a small firestorm on Friday when he told NBC that he didn’t view Trump as a legitimate president-elect and that he would be skipping the inauguration in protest. The swipe at Trump’s presidency caused Trump to denounce Lewis on Twitter, leading several more Democrats to say they would not attend the event in solidarity with Lewis.
Lawmakers often skip the inauguration due to personal conflicts or a desire not to be there, according to Raymond Smock, director of the Byrd Center and a former historian of the House of Representatives. “It’s not a big deal if they’re missing it,” Smock said.
But what makes the decision of Lee and her colleagues unusual is their announcement that they are making a political statement by skipping the ceremony.
Rep. Nydia Velázquez, D-N.Y., said on Monday that she would be attending the protests instead of the inauguration.
Read more at Yahoo.
Jenifer Lewis Says She Was Conned by Ex-Lover
Black-ish star Jenifer Lewis is known for serving up witty primetime one-liners, lighting up the stage with her many talents, and being everyone’s strong, tell-it-like-it-is auntie. But earlier this week Lewis found herself in the news, not for her acting chops or because she dropped another video pep talk. The 60-year-old actress was the talk of the town for another reason: she admitted to being a victim of an alleged con man.
Lewis released a statement on her Facebook page about a lawsuit she filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against her ex-flame Tony Wilson aka Brice Carrington, and his former employer LA Fitness. According to Lewis, Wilson allegedly conned her out of more than $50,000 during their romance.
“On September 11, 2015, only hours before my mother passed away, I learned that the man I planned to build a life with was a convicted felon and con artist whose criminal career spans more than 25 years,” the statement read. “This man, whose name is Tony Wilson, had been sentenced in 2010 to four years in federal prison for conning investors out of $4 million and was currently out on parole.”
In an exclusive interview with EBONY, Lewis explained how she met Wilson and ended up falling for him before learning the truth. Lewis says the pair met in April 2015 while Wilson was working as a manager at LA Fitness. They struck up a conversation and learned they had several things in common—or so she thought.
“He listened to every interview I’d ever done,” she explains. “He saw me working out in LA Fitness and researched me. And the first thing he said was, ‘I like your hair.’ I found that very interesting. But he knew that I had been promoting natural hair. He’d read everything about me.
Read more at EBONY
Lewis released a statement on her Facebook page about a lawsuit she filed in Los Angeles Superior Court against her ex-flame Tony Wilson aka Brice Carrington, and his former employer LA Fitness. According to Lewis, Wilson allegedly conned her out of more than $50,000 during their romance.
“On September 11, 2015, only hours before my mother passed away, I learned that the man I planned to build a life with was a convicted felon and con artist whose criminal career spans more than 25 years,” the statement read. “This man, whose name is Tony Wilson, had been sentenced in 2010 to four years in federal prison for conning investors out of $4 million and was currently out on parole.”
In an exclusive interview with EBONY, Lewis explained how she met Wilson and ended up falling for him before learning the truth. Lewis says the pair met in April 2015 while Wilson was working as a manager at LA Fitness. They struck up a conversation and learned they had several things in common—or so she thought.
“He listened to every interview I’d ever done,” she explains. “He saw me working out in LA Fitness and researched me. And the first thing he said was, ‘I like your hair.’ I found that very interesting. But he knew that I had been promoting natural hair. He’d read everything about me.
Read more at EBONY
Racist Dairy Queen Store Closed
Deianeira Ford, a biracial 21-year-old woman from Zion, Illinois, visited a local Dairy Queen with her two small children last Wednesday. When her $5 order was wrong, she asked for a refund to which the store’s owner Jim Crichton responded by allegedly verbally assaulting Ford and her children, the Washington Post reports.
In a post that’s since been deleted by Facebook (though it’s unclear exactly why), Ford detailed the alleged incident. After giving her back the $5, Crichton “called me and my children n******; he said I can go back to where I came from," Ford wrote. "He took out his flip phone and he said he would take a picture and put it on Facebook because he wants to show the world what kind of n****** he has to deal with. Then he shut the window and walked away,” she told the Post.
She also said her 3-year-old daughter who’s “a little sponge” asked her “Mommy, we n******?” When she asked for his name to file a report, he reportedly replied he was “Bill Clinton then said better yet I’m Donald Trump."
Ford then called the police from the Dairy Queen parking lot. The responding officer wrote later in a report Crichton “proudly admitted” to using the slur and said he “would be happy to go to jail over the issue,” according to the Chicago Tribune. He also said he was “‘fed up with black people.’” The officer noted Crichton used the N-word “freely to describe black people” in the store.
Read more at Yahoo.
In a post that’s since been deleted by Facebook (though it’s unclear exactly why), Ford detailed the alleged incident. After giving her back the $5, Crichton “called me and my children n******; he said I can go back to where I came from," Ford wrote. "He took out his flip phone and he said he would take a picture and put it on Facebook because he wants to show the world what kind of n****** he has to deal with. Then he shut the window and walked away,” she told the Post.
She also said her 3-year-old daughter who’s “a little sponge” asked her “Mommy, we n******?” When she asked for his name to file a report, he reportedly replied he was “Bill Clinton then said better yet I’m Donald Trump."
Ford then called the police from the Dairy Queen parking lot. The responding officer wrote later in a report Crichton “proudly admitted” to using the slur and said he “would be happy to go to jail over the issue,” according to the Chicago Tribune. He also said he was “‘fed up with black people.’” The officer noted Crichton used the N-word “freely to describe black people” in the store.
Read more at Yahoo.
'Kool Kids Klan' Petition and Tweets Threatening to Blow Up Black Students Rampant at Maryland High School
Officials from a Maryland high school have condemned a racist flyer circulating around campus asking students to join the “Kool Kids Klan,” reported WBAL.
The petition, which had each letter K written in bold, was circulated around Arundel High School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
As a result of a school wide investigation, officials determined that several Arundel High School students were involved and at least two signed the petition. Two students were disciplined as a result, reported Capital Gazette.
In a letter to parents, the school superintendent condemned the petition.
"I am shocked, dismayed and quite frankly angered that such a piece of material would be produced; much less appear in one of our schools. It is unconscionable to me how anyone could believe this material is anything but horrifying,” the unidentified superintendent wrote.
Additionally, tweets that referred to threatening Black students were spread on Twitter. Although parents hoped that school administrators would change their policy on cellphone use in school, officials stated that they have no plans to limit student's use of their cellphones.
Instead, school officials are encouraging parents to explain the severity of the events to their kids.
Read more at BET
The petition, which had each letter K written in bold, was circulated around Arundel High School in Anne Arundel County, Maryland
As a result of a school wide investigation, officials determined that several Arundel High School students were involved and at least two signed the petition. Two students were disciplined as a result, reported Capital Gazette.
In a letter to parents, the school superintendent condemned the petition.
"I am shocked, dismayed and quite frankly angered that such a piece of material would be produced; much less appear in one of our schools. It is unconscionable to me how anyone could believe this material is anything but horrifying,” the unidentified superintendent wrote.
Additionally, tweets that referred to threatening Black students were spread on Twitter. Although parents hoped that school administrators would change their policy on cellphone use in school, officials stated that they have no plans to limit student's use of their cellphones.
Instead, school officials are encouraging parents to explain the severity of the events to their kids.
Read more at BET
We don't tip black people, note to Virginia waitress said
Waitress Kelly Carter said a couple had written on the receipt: "Great service don't tip black people."
Owner Tommy Tellez told BBC News the response has been "phenomenal".
People have been dropping by the restaurant to give Ms Carter cash, Mr Tellez said, and a YouCaring campaign has raised over $300 (£245) for her.
Her regular customers have been dropping by to give her hugs.
Tipping is customary in the US, where restaurant servers often earn less than the minimum wage, with tips supposed to make up the difference in pay.
The white couple who left the note appeared to be in their mid-20s, and left after spending $30.52 (£25) on food.
Ms Carter told local media that one of the diners had even complimented the breakfast she served them on Saturday.
She says that she would gladly serve the pair again, adding "one hateful remark cannot stop me" and that she would recognise them if they returned to Anita's New Mexico Style Cafe.
"My arms are still opened to him," she said, offering to serve them again.
"That's him, not me," she said during her morning shift one day after the incident, adding that "he only hurt himself. He only makes me stronger."
Read more at BBC
Owner Tommy Tellez told BBC News the response has been "phenomenal".
People have been dropping by the restaurant to give Ms Carter cash, Mr Tellez said, and a YouCaring campaign has raised over $300 (£245) for her.
Her regular customers have been dropping by to give her hugs.
Tipping is customary in the US, where restaurant servers often earn less than the minimum wage, with tips supposed to make up the difference in pay.
The white couple who left the note appeared to be in their mid-20s, and left after spending $30.52 (£25) on food.
Ms Carter told local media that one of the diners had even complimented the breakfast she served them on Saturday.
She says that she would gladly serve the pair again, adding "one hateful remark cannot stop me" and that she would recognise them if they returned to Anita's New Mexico Style Cafe.
"My arms are still opened to him," she said, offering to serve them again.
"That's him, not me," she said during her morning shift one day after the incident, adding that "he only hurt himself. He only makes me stronger."
Read more at BBC
Watch Harrowing Trailer for Jay Z-Produced 'TIME: The Kalief Browder Story'
A new trailer for a docuseries about a Bronx teenager, Kalief Browder, who was jailed for three years and spent two of them in solitary confinement for allegedly stealing a backpack, shows the brutality and psychological trauma he suffered. Despite the false charge, Browder endured 31 hearings with no conviction before his release. He killed himself in 2015 after extreme difficulties adjusting to the outside world.
Read more at Rolling Stone.
Read more at Rolling Stone.
Tracee Ellis Ross, Donald Glover, Viola Davis, Moonlight Win Big at the Golden Globes
Black Hollywood not only shone during Sunday night’s Golden Globes, but one actress also made history. Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross won a Golden Globe Sunday for best actress in a comedy or musical TV series, and became the first black woman to win in that category since 1983, when Debbie Allen won it for Fame.
Ross’ acceptance speech was not only poignant but timely as she dedicated her award to other black women and women of color.
“This is for all of the women, women of color—colorful people,” Ross said, “I see you; we see you. It is an honor to be on this show, Black-ish.”
Backstage, Ross spoke about legacy and being the daughter of Diana Ross.
“It feels like [performing] was something I was raised to do. I never felt like I was in my mother’s shadow—I’ve actually always felt I was in my mother’s embrace. Part of the way she raised me, and all five of her kids, is really to follow my heart and my dreams and do the hard work to get there.”
Ross wasn’t the only black person to take home awards Sunday night. Following Ross’ award, FX’s Atlanta picked up the award for Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy. And its creator and star, Donald Glover, did something no one else will probably ever do in an acceptance speech, and that was thanking rapper Migos and the city of Atlanta.
“I just really want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks in Atlanta. For real,” he said. “Just for being alive and doing amazing [things] and being amazing people. I couldn’t be here without Atlanta. And I really want to thank the Migos—not for being in the show—but for making ‘Bad and Boujee.’ Like that’s the best song ever.”
Read more at The Root
Ross’ acceptance speech was not only poignant but timely as she dedicated her award to other black women and women of color.
“This is for all of the women, women of color—colorful people,” Ross said, “I see you; we see you. It is an honor to be on this show, Black-ish.”
Backstage, Ross spoke about legacy and being the daughter of Diana Ross.
“It feels like [performing] was something I was raised to do. I never felt like I was in my mother’s shadow—I’ve actually always felt I was in my mother’s embrace. Part of the way she raised me, and all five of her kids, is really to follow my heart and my dreams and do the hard work to get there.”
Ross wasn’t the only black person to take home awards Sunday night. Following Ross’ award, FX’s Atlanta picked up the award for Best Television Series—Musical or Comedy. And its creator and star, Donald Glover, did something no one else will probably ever do in an acceptance speech, and that was thanking rapper Migos and the city of Atlanta.
“I just really want to thank Atlanta and all the black folks in Atlanta. For real,” he said. “Just for being alive and doing amazing [things] and being amazing people. I couldn’t be here without Atlanta. And I really want to thank the Migos—not for being in the show—but for making ‘Bad and Boujee.’ Like that’s the best song ever.”
Read more at The Root
Judge to Suspects Accused of Beating Special Needs Student: ‘Where Is Your Sense of Decency?
The four suspects accused of allegedly kidnapping and torturing an 18-year-old mentally disabled young man for hours while broadcasting the attack on Facebook Live made their first court appearance in a Chicago courtroom on Friday — where they were refused the option to post bail or leave jail.
Jordan Hill, 18, Tesfaye Cooper, 18, Brittany Covington, 18, and Tanishia Covington, 24, are facing multiple felony charges of kidnapping and battery, among other changes including two counts of committing a hate crime (one based on the victim’s mental disabilities and the other on his race), the Associated Press reported.
Cook County Circuit Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil called the group a danger to society on Friday after their “terrible actions,” the AP reported. Wondering how they could be charged with such cruelty towards the victim, she asked them, “where was your sense of decency?”
The attack was captured in a 30-minute Facebook Live video on Tuesday — allegedly taken by one of the female suspects. It depicts a white man tied up, his mouth covered, cowering in a corner of the room. His attackers are seen surrounding him, laughing and shouting “F— Donald Trump” and “f— white people,” as they kick and punch him, before cutting his forehead with a knife.
The four were taken into custody Wednesday after the video was uploaded to YouTube.
On Friday, prosecutors offered new details of the assault, the AP reported. One of the suspects had allegedly demanded $300 from the mother of the victim as a ransom. The suspects also allegedly forced the victim to drink toilet water and kiss the floor — before allegedly stuffed a sock into his mouth, taping it shut, and binding his hands with a belt.
The victim, who is schizophrenic and has attention-deficit disorder, was first reported missing by his parents on Monday evening — the AP reported. He had met one of the alleged assailants, schoolmate Jordan Hill, at a suburban McDonald’s on New Years Eve. Later, the victim called his parents to say he would be staying with Hill for a sleepover.
Read more at Yahoo
Jordan Hill, 18, Tesfaye Cooper, 18, Brittany Covington, 18, and Tanishia Covington, 24, are facing multiple felony charges of kidnapping and battery, among other changes including two counts of committing a hate crime (one based on the victim’s mental disabilities and the other on his race), the Associated Press reported.
Cook County Circuit Judge Maria Kuriakos Ciesil called the group a danger to society on Friday after their “terrible actions,” the AP reported. Wondering how they could be charged with such cruelty towards the victim, she asked them, “where was your sense of decency?”
The attack was captured in a 30-minute Facebook Live video on Tuesday — allegedly taken by one of the female suspects. It depicts a white man tied up, his mouth covered, cowering in a corner of the room. His attackers are seen surrounding him, laughing and shouting “F— Donald Trump” and “f— white people,” as they kick and punch him, before cutting his forehead with a knife.
The four were taken into custody Wednesday after the video was uploaded to YouTube.
On Friday, prosecutors offered new details of the assault, the AP reported. One of the suspects had allegedly demanded $300 from the mother of the victim as a ransom. The suspects also allegedly forced the victim to drink toilet water and kiss the floor — before allegedly stuffed a sock into his mouth, taping it shut, and binding his hands with a belt.
The victim, who is schizophrenic and has attention-deficit disorder, was first reported missing by his parents on Monday evening — the AP reported. He had met one of the alleged assailants, schoolmate Jordan Hill, at a suburban McDonald’s on New Years Eve. Later, the victim called his parents to say he would be staying with Hill for a sleepover.
Read more at Yahoo
Bittersweet! Obama Sends Out Happy New Year Wishes For The Last Time As President
The new year brings with it an opportunity for everyone to mentally start fresh. 2017 can be a great year, however something not so great is looming later this month.
Barack Obama, perhaps our most beloved president, will be leaving the White House on Inauguration Day (January 20) and be replaced by… well, we can’t admit who yet.
Anyway, looking back on Obama’s presidency, there’s plenty of good he did. On Twitter this morning, America’s first black president was feeling himself a little and decided to remind everyone what he accomplished over the past eight years.
“From realizing marriage equality to removing barriers to opportunity, we've made history in our work to reaffirm that all are created equal,” he tweeted, and then followed up with more. “We brought home more of our troops & strengthened U.S. leadership—leading with diplomacy & partnering with nations to meet global problems.”
The president also says he looks forward to becoming a normal citizen again. He may be the coolest one this country has in a few weeks. "It’s been the privilege of my life to serve as your President," he wrote. "I look forward to standing with you as a citizen. Happy New Year everybody."
Read more at BET
Barack Obama, perhaps our most beloved president, will be leaving the White House on Inauguration Day (January 20) and be replaced by… well, we can’t admit who yet.
Anyway, looking back on Obama’s presidency, there’s plenty of good he did. On Twitter this morning, America’s first black president was feeling himself a little and decided to remind everyone what he accomplished over the past eight years.
“From realizing marriage equality to removing barriers to opportunity, we've made history in our work to reaffirm that all are created equal,” he tweeted, and then followed up with more. “We brought home more of our troops & strengthened U.S. leadership—leading with diplomacy & partnering with nations to meet global problems.”
The president also says he looks forward to becoming a normal citizen again. He may be the coolest one this country has in a few weeks. "It’s been the privilege of my life to serve as your President," he wrote. "I look forward to standing with you as a citizen. Happy New Year everybody."
Read more at BET
NAACP Stages Sit-In To Protest Attorney General Nominee Jeff Sessions
UPDATE: 1/3 ― Several NAACP leaders including president Cornell William Brooks were arrested Tuesday evening after one day of protest, according to the organization. The six protesters were charged with criminal trespass in the second-degree, CNN reported.
Previously:
The NAACP is staging a sit-in protest at the office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions in Mobile, Alabama to speak out against his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump for attorney general.
Several leaders of the civil rights organization have thus far participated in the protest, which kicked off Tuesday morning, including NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, and Alabama state NAACP President Benard Simelton. Brooks posted a tweet Tuesday morning declaring that he will continue to occupy the office until the protest results in either Sessions’ withdrawal or their arrest:
Trump offered Sessions the attorney general position in November. The move sparked outrage among many who have denounced Sessions’ history of racism and voter suppression.
Sessions was appointed by Reagan for a federal judgeship in 1986. But Sessions was deemed to be too racist for the role and his nomination was later rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee following a series of confirmation hearings during which he addressed numerous allegations, including that he once called a black attorney “boy,” joked that he thought the Ku Klux Klan was ‘OK’ ― that is, until he discovered that members smoked marijuana ― and referred to civil rights groups, like the NAACP, as “un-American.”
Read more at HuffPost
Previously:
The NAACP is staging a sit-in protest at the office of U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions in Mobile, Alabama to speak out against his nomination by President-elect Donald Trump for attorney general.
Several leaders of the civil rights organization have thus far participated in the protest, which kicked off Tuesday morning, including NAACP President Cornell William Brooks, and Alabama state NAACP President Benard Simelton. Brooks posted a tweet Tuesday morning declaring that he will continue to occupy the office until the protest results in either Sessions’ withdrawal or their arrest:
Trump offered Sessions the attorney general position in November. The move sparked outrage among many who have denounced Sessions’ history of racism and voter suppression.
Sessions was appointed by Reagan for a federal judgeship in 1986. But Sessions was deemed to be too racist for the role and his nomination was later rejected by the Senate Judiciary Committee following a series of confirmation hearings during which he addressed numerous allegations, including that he once called a black attorney “boy,” joked that he thought the Ku Klux Klan was ‘OK’ ― that is, until he discovered that members smoked marijuana ― and referred to civil rights groups, like the NAACP, as “un-American.”
Read more at HuffPost
Kenya Moore Stands By Her Decision to Pull Gun on Home Intruders
Real Housewives of Atlanta star Kenya Moore made headlines when on Saturday when she pulled a gun on three intruders who had climbed over her security gates and proceeded to knock on her front door — and she’d do it again too!
While making a visit to the newly-revamped Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the 45-year-old reality star stood by her decision to protect yourself.
“Listen, if some crazy MFs have the nerve — I have a gated property,” Moore explained. “They went around my gate, they went and trespassed — they did so many things that were asking for not only to be shot, but an ass whoopin’. They’re just lucky they didn’t get both.”
“When you come to my property, I have the right to defend myself,” she continued. “What if I had children? I’m protecting myself.”
Two men and one woman were involved in the trespassing. Moore said when she drew the gun, they ran right away.
She first revealed news of the incident on Instagram, sharing a capture of security footage showing her approaching the trespassers with a gun and offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who could help identify them.
Read more at Yahoo
While making a visit to the newly-revamped Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, the 45-year-old reality star stood by her decision to protect yourself.
“Listen, if some crazy MFs have the nerve — I have a gated property,” Moore explained. “They went around my gate, they went and trespassed — they did so many things that were asking for not only to be shot, but an ass whoopin’. They’re just lucky they didn’t get both.”
“When you come to my property, I have the right to defend myself,” she continued. “What if I had children? I’m protecting myself.”
Two men and one woman were involved in the trespassing. Moore said when she drew the gun, they ran right away.
She first revealed news of the incident on Instagram, sharing a capture of security footage showing her approaching the trespassers with a gun and offering a $1,000 reward to anyone who could help identify them.
Read more at Yahoo
T.I.'s Wife Tiny Files for Divorce | Billboard News
Tameka “Tiny” Harris is making a few demands in her divorce to rapper T.I. It was announced that the former Xscape singer filed divorce papers on Dec. 7 in Henry County, Georgia, following rumors of marital strife.
According to the Jasmine Brand, Tiny wants her six-year marriage to the “Money Talk” rapper annulled and is also seeking temporary and permanent legal and physical custody of their three children King, 12; Major, 8; and Heiress Diana, 9 months.
The outlet reported that if T.I. contests to her custody requests, Tiny wants the court to “appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the interest of said children and do a full and complete in-home study and further to appoint a mental health expert to do full psychological evaluations on both parties as well as the children for purposes of assisting the Court in making a custody determination.”
The Jasmine Brand also reported that Tiny listed in the divorce papers that there is some marital debt and she believes T.I. should be responsible for paying all of it because of how much money he makes. The former singer and “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” star is also said to be seeking child support and alimony.
People magazine reported Tuesday that Tiny had filed for divorce. She and T.I. started dating in 2002 and married in 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. The couple’s divorce comes after a video and photo surfaced of Tiny hanging out with Floyd Mayweather at Mariah Carey’s Halloween party. Mayweather and T.I. have been feuding since 2014 after rumors surfaced that the boxer had slept with Tiny.
After the photo popped up online, Tiny told TMZ that she was forced to take the picture with her husband’s nemesis. “Man, I was walking out of the party and Mariah and them were taking pictures and she asked me, ‘Tiny come take this picture with me.’ I’m just not gonna tell the queen no and make a big scene of it,” she explained. “I just took the picture and kept it moving. I’m in her party, in her house.”
Read more at Yahoo.
According to the Jasmine Brand, Tiny wants her six-year marriage to the “Money Talk” rapper annulled and is also seeking temporary and permanent legal and physical custody of their three children King, 12; Major, 8; and Heiress Diana, 9 months.
The outlet reported that if T.I. contests to her custody requests, Tiny wants the court to “appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the interest of said children and do a full and complete in-home study and further to appoint a mental health expert to do full psychological evaluations on both parties as well as the children for purposes of assisting the Court in making a custody determination.”
The Jasmine Brand also reported that Tiny listed in the divorce papers that there is some marital debt and she believes T.I. should be responsible for paying all of it because of how much money he makes. The former singer and “T.I. & Tiny: The Family Hustle” star is also said to be seeking child support and alimony.
People magazine reported Tuesday that Tiny had filed for divorce. She and T.I. started dating in 2002 and married in 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida. The couple’s divorce comes after a video and photo surfaced of Tiny hanging out with Floyd Mayweather at Mariah Carey’s Halloween party. Mayweather and T.I. have been feuding since 2014 after rumors surfaced that the boxer had slept with Tiny.
After the photo popped up online, Tiny told TMZ that she was forced to take the picture with her husband’s nemesis. “Man, I was walking out of the party and Mariah and them were taking pictures and she asked me, ‘Tiny come take this picture with me.’ I’m just not gonna tell the queen no and make a big scene of it,” she explained. “I just took the picture and kept it moving. I’m in her party, in her house.”
Read more at Yahoo.
Denzel Washington Gives Perspective on Colorism in Hollywood
Denzel Washington, who has been busy promoting the film Fences, never descends your presence without leaving a bit of information that will have your mind spinning and thinking on a larger scale.
And when it comes to Hollywood, as a veteran in the industry holding nearly every major position from leading man to director, he knows the game and the shuffle oh-so-well.
In discussions relating to the lack of representation in Hollywood and the problem of colorism and opportunity, we’ve seen the issues rise and become more prevalent in studio conversation and across various social mediums. Where one argues that part of the Black struggle when it comes to landing gigs in Hollywood is colorism, Washington offered another perspective during an interview with BET that acknowledges the issue, but also challenges that mentality.
“You can say, ‘Oh, I didn’t get the part because they gave it to the light-skinned girl,’ or you can work, and one day –it might take 20 years — and you can be Viola,” Washington stated referencing his Fences co-star Viola Davis. “The easiest thing to do is to blame someone else, the system. Yeah, well, there’s a possibility, maybe, that you’re not good enough, but it’s easy to say it’s someone’s else’s fault. But there’s a possibility that you’re not ready, and you can still blame it on someone else instead of getting ready.”
Further adding to his argument, he stated, “One of the best roles for a woman of any color in the last, in a good, good while, or at least any movie that I’ve been in, a dark-skinned woman has in this film. So as long as you’re being led by outside forces or just being reactionary, then you won’t move forward. You have to continue to get better.”
Read more at EBONY
And when it comes to Hollywood, as a veteran in the industry holding nearly every major position from leading man to director, he knows the game and the shuffle oh-so-well.
In discussions relating to the lack of representation in Hollywood and the problem of colorism and opportunity, we’ve seen the issues rise and become more prevalent in studio conversation and across various social mediums. Where one argues that part of the Black struggle when it comes to landing gigs in Hollywood is colorism, Washington offered another perspective during an interview with BET that acknowledges the issue, but also challenges that mentality.
“You can say, ‘Oh, I didn’t get the part because they gave it to the light-skinned girl,’ or you can work, and one day –it might take 20 years — and you can be Viola,” Washington stated referencing his Fences co-star Viola Davis. “The easiest thing to do is to blame someone else, the system. Yeah, well, there’s a possibility, maybe, that you’re not good enough, but it’s easy to say it’s someone’s else’s fault. But there’s a possibility that you’re not ready, and you can still blame it on someone else instead of getting ready.”
Further adding to his argument, he stated, “One of the best roles for a woman of any color in the last, in a good, good while, or at least any movie that I’ve been in, a dark-skinned woman has in this film. So as long as you’re being led by outside forces or just being reactionary, then you won’t move forward. You have to continue to get better.”
Read more at EBONY
The genius of DC’s African-American museum
Christmas is a time when Washingtonians welcome visiting friends and family, and that’s when we do the tourist stuff. The museums are wonderful, but mostly we don’t notice them. Don’t get me wrong. We love them. We just save them for the time when we play tourist guide for the out-of-towners.
And that’s what took me to the Smithsonian’s new African-American museum, when my daughter and her husband came to visit. It wouldn’t have been my first choice. I had read about how the museum made a big deal about Anita Hill and ignored Clarence Thomas, and thought that gave me a permission slip to ignore it. But then tourist guides don’t get to choose, so off we went.
I’m happy I did. Whoever put it together is a genius.
From the outside, the building looks small, its size limited by the Mall’s available real estate. From the inside, however, it’s huge, with not an inch wasted. The exhibits are tightly packed, and yet there’s an illusion of space. The visitor is pulled from one iconic display and one fascinating artifact to another, without ever feeling overwhelmed.
The contrast with the American History Museum, across 14th Street, is striking. With twice the footprint, it has only a fraction of the exhibits, and they’re separated by a lot of empty space. Now we’ll show you this amazing thing, it says, and then over there we’ll show you another. But after all, how often do you want to see Archie Bunker’s chair, or the dresses of the First Ladies?
With the African-American museum, by contrast, there’s so much happening that after a two-hour visit you come away thinking you’ve only seen part of it, that you need to return if you want to get it all.
There’s another big difference between the two museums. The African-American museum features a heavy emphasis on the Civil Rights revolution in the 1950s and 1960s, as you’d expect — but it’s not about Lyndon Johnson or the white federal judges who enforced the law at personal risk to themselves. Rather, it’s about Martin Luther King, Bayard Ruskin and Stokely Carmichael.
You see Dwight Eisenhower sending federal troops to Little Rock, and some white faces amongst the civil-rights protestors, but mostly it’s an entirely African-American affair. Mercifully, I didn’t see anything of Jesse Jackson.
And all that seemed right to me. Even the Nation of Islam and the 1995 Million Man March. Where everything else preaches inclusiveness, what else should the African-American museum be but African-American?
Read more at NY Post
And that’s what took me to the Smithsonian’s new African-American museum, when my daughter and her husband came to visit. It wouldn’t have been my first choice. I had read about how the museum made a big deal about Anita Hill and ignored Clarence Thomas, and thought that gave me a permission slip to ignore it. But then tourist guides don’t get to choose, so off we went.
I’m happy I did. Whoever put it together is a genius.
From the outside, the building looks small, its size limited by the Mall’s available real estate. From the inside, however, it’s huge, with not an inch wasted. The exhibits are tightly packed, and yet there’s an illusion of space. The visitor is pulled from one iconic display and one fascinating artifact to another, without ever feeling overwhelmed.
The contrast with the American History Museum, across 14th Street, is striking. With twice the footprint, it has only a fraction of the exhibits, and they’re separated by a lot of empty space. Now we’ll show you this amazing thing, it says, and then over there we’ll show you another. But after all, how often do you want to see Archie Bunker’s chair, or the dresses of the First Ladies?
With the African-American museum, by contrast, there’s so much happening that after a two-hour visit you come away thinking you’ve only seen part of it, that you need to return if you want to get it all.
There’s another big difference between the two museums. The African-American museum features a heavy emphasis on the Civil Rights revolution in the 1950s and 1960s, as you’d expect — but it’s not about Lyndon Johnson or the white federal judges who enforced the law at personal risk to themselves. Rather, it’s about Martin Luther King, Bayard Ruskin and Stokely Carmichael.
You see Dwight Eisenhower sending federal troops to Little Rock, and some white faces amongst the civil-rights protestors, but mostly it’s an entirely African-American affair. Mercifully, I didn’t see anything of Jesse Jackson.
And all that seemed right to me. Even the Nation of Islam and the 1995 Million Man March. Where everything else preaches inclusiveness, what else should the African-American museum be but African-American?
Read more at NY Post
Comcast Accepting Proposals For Two Black Owned Networks To Launch in 2019.
*Comcast Cable is currently accepting proposals for two substantially African American owned, independent networks that would launch in select markets by January 2019.
To be considered, Comcast says it’s looking at a number of criteria: the content of the network; whether the network is fully financed; whether the network’s ownership and/or management group(s) are well established, have relevant experience, and are substantially owned by African Americans; whether the network is already launched and has existing or potential multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) distribution; price; and whether the network and its potential carriage provide value to Comcast and its customers.
The company says it will accept proposals for every major genre, including general entertainment, movies, music, kids, news, and sports.
The move is part of Comcast’s commitment to launch independently owned and operated networks as part of a series of public interest commitments it made in connection with its 2011 deal with NBCUniversal. Comcast has since launched over 20 independent networks, which it says is twice the number agreed to under the deal.
Read more at EuroWeb
To be considered, Comcast says it’s looking at a number of criteria: the content of the network; whether the network is fully financed; whether the network’s ownership and/or management group(s) are well established, have relevant experience, and are substantially owned by African Americans; whether the network is already launched and has existing or potential multichannel video programming distributor (MVPD) distribution; price; and whether the network and its potential carriage provide value to Comcast and its customers.
The company says it will accept proposals for every major genre, including general entertainment, movies, music, kids, news, and sports.
The move is part of Comcast’s commitment to launch independently owned and operated networks as part of a series of public interest commitments it made in connection with its 2011 deal with NBCUniversal. Comcast has since launched over 20 independent networks, which it says is twice the number agreed to under the deal.
Read more at EuroWeb
White High Schooler Who Raped Black, Disabled Teen Avoids Jail Time
A White teen originally charged with sexually assaulting a Black, mentally disabled teammate in Idaho after an Oct. 2015 football practice will avoid jail time for his offense, the Twin Falls Times-News reports.
John R.K. Howard, 19, of Keller, Tex., pleaded guilty Friday in a Twin Falls courtroom to a felony count of injury to a child. He will be sentenced to two to three years of probation, which he’ll likely be able to complete in his home state. Prosecutors will also recommend that Howard complete 300 hours of community service.
The verdict is a sharp contrast to the original charges of a racially motivated sex crime Keller faced.
“We don’t believe it’s appropriate for Mr. Howard to suffer the consequences of a sex offender,” Deputy Attorney General Casey Hemmer said. “But he still needs to be held accountable.”
The victim has filed a $10 million civil suit that accuses Howard of humping and taunting him during practices, and forcing him to learn a Ku Klux Klan song while displaying a Confederate flag. Howard is also accused of knocking the victim unconscious during football camp as players and coaches cheered in a circle. The victim says he was also called racially charged names like “Kool-Aid,” “chicken-eater,” “watermelon” and “nigg**.”
Read more at EBONY
John R.K. Howard, 19, of Keller, Tex., pleaded guilty Friday in a Twin Falls courtroom to a felony count of injury to a child. He will be sentenced to two to three years of probation, which he’ll likely be able to complete in his home state. Prosecutors will also recommend that Howard complete 300 hours of community service.
The verdict is a sharp contrast to the original charges of a racially motivated sex crime Keller faced.
“We don’t believe it’s appropriate for Mr. Howard to suffer the consequences of a sex offender,” Deputy Attorney General Casey Hemmer said. “But he still needs to be held accountable.”
The victim has filed a $10 million civil suit that accuses Howard of humping and taunting him during practices, and forcing him to learn a Ku Klux Klan song while displaying a Confederate flag. Howard is also accused of knocking the victim unconscious during football camp as players and coaches cheered in a circle. The victim says he was also called racially charged names like “Kool-Aid,” “chicken-eater,” “watermelon” and “nigg**.”
Read more at EBONY
Police Identify 3-Year-Old Killed in Road Rage Shooting, Shooter Still at Large
Police have identified the 3-year-old killed in a road-rage shooting Saturday as the hunt continues for the man who fatally shot the child.
Little Acen King was shot after a driver in Arkansas was reportedly angered that the boy’s grandmother, Kim King-Macon "wasn’t moving fast enough at a stop light," so he stepped out of his Chevrolet Impala and reportedly fired one shot, killing the toddler.
King-Macon drove to a nearby strip mall in Little Rock and called police, but Acen later died at the hospital.
Both King-Macon and a 1-year-old child who was also in the car at the time of the shooting were unharmed.
Read: U.S. Marine Arrested in the 'Road Rage' Shooting Death of a 20-Year-Old College Student
Crime Stoppers is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case.
The incident is the second shooting of a child inside of a vehicle in the area.
In November, a 2-year-old was murdered when a driver in a passing vehicle fired into the car.
The shooter in that incident was never caught.
Read more at InsideEdition
Little Acen King was shot after a driver in Arkansas was reportedly angered that the boy’s grandmother, Kim King-Macon "wasn’t moving fast enough at a stop light," so he stepped out of his Chevrolet Impala and reportedly fired one shot, killing the toddler.
King-Macon drove to a nearby strip mall in Little Rock and called police, but Acen later died at the hospital.
Both King-Macon and a 1-year-old child who was also in the car at the time of the shooting were unharmed.
Read: U.S. Marine Arrested in the 'Road Rage' Shooting Death of a 20-Year-Old College Student
Crime Stoppers is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case.
The incident is the second shooting of a child inside of a vehicle in the area.
In November, a 2-year-old was murdered when a driver in a passing vehicle fired into the car.
The shooter in that incident was never caught.
Read more at InsideEdition
Officer, pedestrian bump shoulders. Now the pedestrian may face charges
Cleon Hodge was walking toward the Porter Square T station on his way home from work last month, glancing down at a text message conversation a few minutes after 6 p.m., when he banged shoulders with another pedestrian.
“You gotta say ‘Excuse me’ if you’re going to try some cute [stuff] like that,” Hodge, 21, recalled telling the middle-aged man he’d collided with.
But the man was an on-duty plain-clothed police officer, Cambridge Detective Sergeant Thomas Ahern, and soon he was clutching Hodge by the sweatshirt while a small crowd gathered and a woman recorded the encounter.
Each man believed the other had initiated the contact — a fact of life in a crowded city, the type of encounter that typically ends in little more than mutual annoyance. But now Cambridge police are seeking assault and other charges against Hodge and a woman who tried to intervene, and pursuing a lesser charge against a second woman who recorded the incident with her cellphone.
The Oct. 13 incident and its aftermath, captured in four video clips by two bystanders, should raise serious questions about both Ahern’s handling of the situation and the resulting possibility of criminal charges, according to two civil right lawyers familiar with police abuse cases who reviewed the footage. Both were incredulous: How, they wondered, could what both men described as a minor collision between pedestrians on a crowded city street possibly be construed as assault and battery?
“How many times have any one of us been bumped into by someone who is not paying attention?” asked Rahsaan Hall, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Racial Justice Program, who reviewed the videos and Ahern’s account of the incident.
“This is the type of behavior and abuse of authority that erodes the public’s confidence in the police.”
Read more at Boston Globe
“You gotta say ‘Excuse me’ if you’re going to try some cute [stuff] like that,” Hodge, 21, recalled telling the middle-aged man he’d collided with.
But the man was an on-duty plain-clothed police officer, Cambridge Detective Sergeant Thomas Ahern, and soon he was clutching Hodge by the sweatshirt while a small crowd gathered and a woman recorded the encounter.
Each man believed the other had initiated the contact — a fact of life in a crowded city, the type of encounter that typically ends in little more than mutual annoyance. But now Cambridge police are seeking assault and other charges against Hodge and a woman who tried to intervene, and pursuing a lesser charge against a second woman who recorded the incident with her cellphone.
The Oct. 13 incident and its aftermath, captured in four video clips by two bystanders, should raise serious questions about both Ahern’s handling of the situation and the resulting possibility of criminal charges, according to two civil right lawyers familiar with police abuse cases who reviewed the footage. Both were incredulous: How, they wondered, could what both men described as a minor collision between pedestrians on a crowded city street possibly be construed as assault and battery?
“How many times have any one of us been bumped into by someone who is not paying attention?” asked Rahsaan Hall, director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts Racial Justice Program, who reviewed the videos and Ahern’s account of the incident.
“This is the type of behavior and abuse of authority that erodes the public’s confidence in the police.”
Read more at Boston Globe
10 Best Workplaces for African-Americans
Where African-American employees say they love to work.
These are the companies that received the highest marks from their African-American employees, according to data collected by Fortune partner Great Place to Work. Rankings are based on employees’ sentiment on workplace fairness, opportunities for advancement, and job satisfaction, along with other workplace statistics. The quotes below were given by companies’ African-American staff. For more on great workplaces, see Fortune’s list of best overall companies for diversity, along with our lists of best companies for Latinos and Asian-Americans.
1. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
Employees say:
“There is a family-centered spirit among the associates. When working together, there is a certain camaraderie felt between departments. It seems that everyone understands that we are all working toward one common goal which is to provide excellent patient care. This is not only expected of the associates, but leaders as well. … I am proud to say that I am a part of this organization. It has truly helped me grow as an individual.”
“Everyone is given the opportunity to do their best and contribute to the institution equally. [Programs at the hospital] give every employee an opportunity to do their best, contribute to the progress of the institution, and get rewarded for their effort.”
U.S. employees: 11,203
U.S. headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee
Industry: Health Care—Hospital
African-American representation: 41%
2. Texas Health Resources
Employees say:
“I love the fact that the organization has created pipelines to groom employees for consideration for next-level roles. We also have tools and resources to assist those who are in leadership roles to be more effective.”
“Texas Health Resources is passionate about growth and development, and that is a huge benefit to me. I have had the ability to complete my MBA while being employed here, and took full advantage of the tuition reimbursement provided. I have also had the ability to grow over the last six years from a Professional level employee to a Director!”
U.S. employees: 18,815
U.S. headquarters: Arlington, Texas
Industry: Health Care—Hospital
African-American representation: 18%
Read the Great Place to Work review here.
These are the companies that received the highest marks from their African-American employees, according to data collected by Fortune partner Great Place to Work. Rankings are based on employees’ sentiment on workplace fairness, opportunities for advancement, and job satisfaction, along with other workplace statistics. The quotes below were given by companies’ African-American staff. For more on great workplaces, see Fortune’s list of best overall companies for diversity, along with our lists of best companies for Latinos and Asian-Americans.
1. Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare
Employees say:
“There is a family-centered spirit among the associates. When working together, there is a certain camaraderie felt between departments. It seems that everyone understands that we are all working toward one common goal which is to provide excellent patient care. This is not only expected of the associates, but leaders as well. … I am proud to say that I am a part of this organization. It has truly helped me grow as an individual.”
“Everyone is given the opportunity to do their best and contribute to the institution equally. [Programs at the hospital] give every employee an opportunity to do their best, contribute to the progress of the institution, and get rewarded for their effort.”
U.S. employees: 11,203
U.S. headquarters: Memphis, Tennessee
Industry: Health Care—Hospital
African-American representation: 41%
2. Texas Health Resources
Employees say:
“I love the fact that the organization has created pipelines to groom employees for consideration for next-level roles. We also have tools and resources to assist those who are in leadership roles to be more effective.”
“Texas Health Resources is passionate about growth and development, and that is a huge benefit to me. I have had the ability to complete my MBA while being employed here, and took full advantage of the tuition reimbursement provided. I have also had the ability to grow over the last six years from a Professional level employee to a Director!”
U.S. employees: 18,815
U.S. headquarters: Arlington, Texas
Industry: Health Care—Hospital
African-American representation: 18%
Read the Great Place to Work review here.
Former FSU QB Jameis Winston and accuser to dismiss cases
Former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston and his accuser, Erica Kinsman, have come to an agreement to drop both civil lawsuits, according to court documents filed Wednesday.
Kinsman accused Winston of rape in 2013 following a 2012 incident. No charges were filed against Winston by the state attorney's office after an investigation.
FSU brought in a former supreme court judge to conduct the student code of conduct hearing against Winston in 2013, but the judge could not find sufficient evidence to support either Kinsman's or Winston's claims.
Kinsman then filed a civil suit, and Winston responded with a countersuit for defamation.
The two parties filed motions of dismissal for each of their cases within 20 days on Dec. 14, according to the court documents.
"Counsel Boudet states all counsel report the parties have reached a compromise with contingencies and anticipate filing a joint motions for dismissal within 20 days,” the report read.
Details of the settlement were not disclosed in the court filing.
Read more at USA Today
Kinsman accused Winston of rape in 2013 following a 2012 incident. No charges were filed against Winston by the state attorney's office after an investigation.
FSU brought in a former supreme court judge to conduct the student code of conduct hearing against Winston in 2013, but the judge could not find sufficient evidence to support either Kinsman's or Winston's claims.
Kinsman then filed a civil suit, and Winston responded with a countersuit for defamation.
The two parties filed motions of dismissal for each of their cases within 20 days on Dec. 14, according to the court documents.
"Counsel Boudet states all counsel report the parties have reached a compromise with contingencies and anticipate filing a joint motions for dismissal within 20 days,” the report read.
Details of the settlement were not disclosed in the court filing.
Read more at USA Today
Jim Brown and Ray Lewis Meet With Donald Trump at Trump Tower
Kanye West caused quite a stir on social media on Tuesday morning when he visited Trump Tower in New York City for a brief meeting with president-elect Donald Trump. Apparently the meeting was about West potentially becoming an "ambassador of sorts" for Trump. Of course, Twitter went wild after a video of him walking through Trump Tower started to spread. And it looks like he wasn’t the only celebrity to score a meeting with Trump on Tuesday.
NFL legend Jim Brown made his way through the Trump Tower lobby before taking an elevator up to see Trump:
And while Brown didn’t receive much backlash for the Trump visit, Twitter was equal parts confused and outraged over Lewis’ arrival:
However, we should point out that this meeting didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Brown, Lewis, and Cleveland pastor Darrell Scott were all on Trump’s schedule as of Monday afternoon, according to ABC reporter Candace Smith:
Read more at Complex Sports
NFL legend Jim Brown made his way through the Trump Tower lobby before taking an elevator up to see Trump:
And while Brown didn’t receive much backlash for the Trump visit, Twitter was equal parts confused and outraged over Lewis’ arrival:
However, we should point out that this meeting didn’t exactly come out of nowhere. Brown, Lewis, and Cleveland pastor Darrell Scott were all on Trump’s schedule as of Monday afternoon, according to ABC reporter Candace Smith:
Read more at Complex Sports
Pastor Shirley Caesar Is Not Suing #UNameItChallenge Producer...But She Doesn’t Want Him Profiting Either
Pastor Shirley Caesar has been making headlines since the #UNameItChallenge went viral leading up to Thanksgiving 2016.
Not only did the challenge put her at the forefront of pop culture, she was able to sell #UNameItChallenge merchandise with proceeds going to her ministry and to feed the less fortunate. But it was recently reported that she had filed a $5 million lawsuit against the producer who had first created, and was now profiting, from the remix.
The challenge was born out of Atlanta producer Suede putting a hip-hop twist to a live version of Caesar’s 1998 performance of “Hold My Mule”.
But the gospel singer is saying that she is not suing anyone, a recent Facebook post announced. Instead, her lawyers have issued an injunction to halt sales of the remixed track.
"When they refused to remove the commercial song from the Internet and the video, to protect Pastor's legacy and what Shirley Caesar stands for, we had to take legal action, secure a temporary injunction and order DJ Suede to remove the video, as well as cease and desist sales," the Facebook statement reads.
Read more at Essence.
Not only did the challenge put her at the forefront of pop culture, she was able to sell #UNameItChallenge merchandise with proceeds going to her ministry and to feed the less fortunate. But it was recently reported that she had filed a $5 million lawsuit against the producer who had first created, and was now profiting, from the remix.
The challenge was born out of Atlanta producer Suede putting a hip-hop twist to a live version of Caesar’s 1998 performance of “Hold My Mule”.
But the gospel singer is saying that she is not suing anyone, a recent Facebook post announced. Instead, her lawyers have issued an injunction to halt sales of the remixed track.
"When they refused to remove the commercial song from the Internet and the video, to protect Pastor's legacy and what Shirley Caesar stands for, we had to take legal action, secure a temporary injunction and order DJ Suede to remove the video, as well as cease and desist sales," the Facebook statement reads.
Read more at Essence.
Shootout mannequin challenge leads to gun, marijuana arrests
The meme made the cops’ job easy.
A heavily armed mannequin challenge in Alabama resulted in the arrests of two men for firearms and drug possession on Tuesday.
The video, posted to Facebook last month, shows 22 men standing completely still and brandishing guns outside 5012 Powell Drive in Huntsville.
The mannequin challenge is a viral Internet video trend in which people try to stay completely still as if they were part of a Madame Tussauds wax exhibit, typically with the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background. The shootout video, however, makes use of “Ain’t No Comin’ Down” by TEC & Maine Musik.
Madison County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Salomonsky said someone sent the video online to the sheriff’s office, prompting an investigation. Though the video has been removed from Facebook, al.com preserved it on YouTube.
“The criminal investigation/narcotics unit through their investigation was able to obtain enough probable cause to get a search warrant for this address,” Salomonsky said at a press conference Tuesday.
At 5:02 Tuesday morning, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, the Huntsville Police Department SWAT team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were involved when the search warrant was executed at the Huntsville home, he said.
“Due to the fact that there were multiple firearms in the residence, and also, because of the film, we thought that [there might be] additional people, so we used a breaching technique, which caused the front door to be removed from the residence,” Salomonsky continued.
SWAT teams stormed the residence and cleared the scene before a search was conducted. Authorities seized marijuana packets, two handguns, an assault rifle, a shotgun, several rounds of ammunition, magazines and a computer, Salomonsky said.
Read more at Yahoo
A heavily armed mannequin challenge in Alabama resulted in the arrests of two men for firearms and drug possession on Tuesday.
The video, posted to Facebook last month, shows 22 men standing completely still and brandishing guns outside 5012 Powell Drive in Huntsville.
The mannequin challenge is a viral Internet video trend in which people try to stay completely still as if they were part of a Madame Tussauds wax exhibit, typically with the song “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background. The shootout video, however, makes use of “Ain’t No Comin’ Down” by TEC & Maine Musik.
Madison County Sheriff’s Capt. Mike Salomonsky said someone sent the video online to the sheriff’s office, prompting an investigation. Though the video has been removed from Facebook, al.com preserved it on YouTube.
“The criminal investigation/narcotics unit through their investigation was able to obtain enough probable cause to get a search warrant for this address,” Salomonsky said at a press conference Tuesday.
At 5:02 Tuesday morning, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, the Huntsville Police Department SWAT team and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were involved when the search warrant was executed at the Huntsville home, he said.
“Due to the fact that there were multiple firearms in the residence, and also, because of the film, we thought that [there might be] additional people, so we used a breaching technique, which caused the front door to be removed from the residence,” Salomonsky continued.
SWAT teams stormed the residence and cleared the scene before a search was conducted. Authorities seized marijuana packets, two handguns, an assault rifle, a shotgun, several rounds of ammunition, magazines and a computer, Salomonsky said.
Read more at Yahoo
Two White Teens Sue High School After Being Expelled for Sending Disgusting Racist Text Messa
Two white Chicago teens have filed a lawsuit against their high school after they were expelled for sending racist text messages.
The girls, who wish to keep their identities private, claim they were “used as scapegoats” by Marist High School administrators. Last month, a Black man was gunned down by an off-duty police officer in their Mount Greenwood neighborhood. When Black Lives Matter announced they planned to protest the shooting, rumors began about plans for violent attacks.
Thirty-two girls, including the ones who were expelled, became part of a group text thread after meeting at a religious retreat. When talk of the protests came up, one girl sent a snapshot of a tweet that alleged BLM protesters were planning to bring gang members to attack white residents, according to the lawsuit.
Read more at BET
The girls, who wish to keep their identities private, claim they were “used as scapegoats” by Marist High School administrators. Last month, a Black man was gunned down by an off-duty police officer in their Mount Greenwood neighborhood. When Black Lives Matter announced they planned to protest the shooting, rumors began about plans for violent attacks.
Thirty-two girls, including the ones who were expelled, became part of a group text thread after meeting at a religious retreat. When talk of the protests came up, one girl sent a snapshot of a tweet that alleged BLM protesters were planning to bring gang members to attack white residents, according to the lawsuit.
Read more at BET
Barack Obama Says He ‘Absolutely’ Faced Racism In Office
President Barack Obama opened up about racism he faced throughout his presidency in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday.
“Are there folks whose primary concern about me has been that I seem foreign ― the other? Are those who champion the birther movement feeding off of bias?” Obama asked rhetorically. “Absolutely.”
Along with interviewing Obama, Zakaria narrated segments of the CNN special. He pointed out that the president “doesn’t see racism in mainstream opposition to him, but he does see it on the fringes.”
”I think there’s a reason attitudes about my presidency among whites in northern states are very different from whites in southern states,” Obama told Zakaria.
Race has been a constant theme throughout the first African-American president’s two terms, from addressing the all-too-common fatal shootings of black youths by police to enduring unsubstantiated claims about his citizenship from the birther movement, which President-elect Donald Trump has largely led.
David Axelrod, former senior advisor to Obama, also appeared on the show and addressed the racial undercurrent plaguing his presidency.
Read more at HuffPost
“Are there folks whose primary concern about me has been that I seem foreign ― the other? Are those who champion the birther movement feeding off of bias?” Obama asked rhetorically. “Absolutely.”
Along with interviewing Obama, Zakaria narrated segments of the CNN special. He pointed out that the president “doesn’t see racism in mainstream opposition to him, but he does see it on the fringes.”
”I think there’s a reason attitudes about my presidency among whites in northern states are very different from whites in southern states,” Obama told Zakaria.
Race has been a constant theme throughout the first African-American president’s two terms, from addressing the all-too-common fatal shootings of black youths by police to enduring unsubstantiated claims about his citizenship from the birther movement, which President-elect Donald Trump has largely led.
David Axelrod, former senior advisor to Obama, also appeared on the show and addressed the racial undercurrent plaguing his presidency.
Read more at HuffPost
Growing Outrage Over Road Rage Death of Former NFL Player
Two former NFL players have been gunned down in separate, apparent road-rage incidents in the New Orleans area this year: former New Orleans Saints player Will Smith in April, and former New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs player Joe McKnight less than a week ago, on Dec. 1.
While McKnight's family mourns his shocking death and the man suspected of shooting him remains free without charges while the investigation continues, the trial for Smith's accused killer gets underway today.
Smith, who was 34 when he died, was drafted by the Saints in 2004 and spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the team. He was a star on the divisional playoff-winning 2006 team that help lift the city's spirits after Hurricane Katrina a year earlier. He also helped the team win Super Bowl XLIV, its only championship, in 2010. He last played in 2012.
The Associated Press pieced together the following picture of events on the night of April 9, when Smith was killed, based on surveillance video from near the scene, police statements and testimony at pretrial hearings. Smith, his wife and two friends left a restaurant in New Orleans' Lower Garden District and were heading downtown when, at one point, an SUV that appeared to be Smith's seemed to bump the rear of a Hummer that had come to a stop on the street. Rather than stop, the driver of the SUV swerved around the Hummer and continued downtown. Soon after, a Hummer, whose driver was identified by authorities as Cardell Hayes, 29, allegedly hit Smith’s SUV from behind, shattering the rear window and pushing it into the rear of another car — in which friends of Smith were riding.
An off-duty officer, the first police officer on the scene, testified at a pretrial hearing that as he approached the site of the crash he heard an argument between Smith and Hayes grow more heated. Hearing gunshots, the officer took cover, according to his testimony. When he approached again, he found Smith slumped across the front seat of his car, one hand extended toward his glove box.
Read more at ABC News
While McKnight's family mourns his shocking death and the man suspected of shooting him remains free without charges while the investigation continues, the trial for Smith's accused killer gets underway today.
Smith, who was 34 when he died, was drafted by the Saints in 2004 and spent all nine of his NFL seasons with the team. He was a star on the divisional playoff-winning 2006 team that help lift the city's spirits after Hurricane Katrina a year earlier. He also helped the team win Super Bowl XLIV, its only championship, in 2010. He last played in 2012.
The Associated Press pieced together the following picture of events on the night of April 9, when Smith was killed, based on surveillance video from near the scene, police statements and testimony at pretrial hearings. Smith, his wife and two friends left a restaurant in New Orleans' Lower Garden District and were heading downtown when, at one point, an SUV that appeared to be Smith's seemed to bump the rear of a Hummer that had come to a stop on the street. Rather than stop, the driver of the SUV swerved around the Hummer and continued downtown. Soon after, a Hummer, whose driver was identified by authorities as Cardell Hayes, 29, allegedly hit Smith’s SUV from behind, shattering the rear window and pushing it into the rear of another car — in which friends of Smith were riding.
An off-duty officer, the first police officer on the scene, testified at a pretrial hearing that as he approached the site of the crash he heard an argument between Smith and Hayes grow more heated. Hearing gunshots, the officer took cover, according to his testimony. When he approached again, he found Smith slumped across the front seat of his car, one hand extended toward his glove box.
Read more at ABC News
Trump Chooses Ben Carson to Lead HUD
Ben Carson, who took Donald J. Trump on a tour of blighted neighborhoods in Detroit during the presidential campaign, including his boyhood home, has been chosen by Mr. Trump to oversee one of the government’s main efforts to lift American cities as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Mr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, was an early endorser of Mr. Trump after ending his own presidential bid.
“Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,” Mr. Trump said in a statement Monday morning. “We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities.”
“Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans,” he added. “He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”
With no experience in government or running a large bureaucracy, Mr. Carson, 65, publicly waffled over whether to join the administration. He will oversee an agency with a $47 billion budget, bringing to the job a philosophical opposition to government programs that encourage what he calls “dependency” and engage in “social engineering.”
Read more at NY Times
Mr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, was an early endorser of Mr. Trump after ending his own presidential bid.
“Ben Carson has a brilliant mind and is passionate about strengthening communities and families within those communities,” Mr. Trump said in a statement Monday morning. “We have talked at length about my urban renewal agenda and our message of economic revival, very much including our inner cities.”
“Ben shares my optimism about the future of our country and is part of ensuring that this is a presidency representing all Americans,” he added. “He is a tough competitor and never gives up.”
With no experience in government or running a large bureaucracy, Mr. Carson, 65, publicly waffled over whether to join the administration. He will oversee an agency with a $47 billion budget, bringing to the job a philosophical opposition to government programs that encourage what he calls “dependency” and engage in “social engineering.”
Read more at NY Times
On Kid Cudi, Kanye West And The Heartless Response To Mental Illness
Don’t go to Los Angeles to fight your depression.
Don’t find yourself in The Standard Hotel with a deadline, staring at the ceiling.
Don’t review a Kid Cudi concert when your mood is off and might go fully left. When there is no space between you and your damage.
L.A. is full of homeless people. Walk down Flower. Turn on Wilshire Boulevard. Watch the frayed clothing and slow gait of homeless neighbors, living lives in public. On the street. They look broken. Many are in an endless conversation with imagined others.
“What’d you say to me, f*ggot?!” one of these men screamed, as I walked to a cafe. He was following two other men who were walking together. They were shocked, unfamiliar with the assailant hurling slurs, and obviously a little shook. I was shook. This street, in downtown L.A., was scary-full of people who no one looked at or acknowledged.
But I couldn’t ignore their illness. Mainly because it looked like a version of me in that hotel room, presiding over pot crumbs, wondering if I could write anything worthwhile when my heart kept sinking into the floor every time my lungs expanded. Muttering to myself some jumbled affirmations I did not believe. I couldn’t breathe, and I was here trying to write about a young musician exiled – temporarily – by the same anxiety I couldn’t seem to push past.
Read more at BET.COM
Don’t find yourself in The Standard Hotel with a deadline, staring at the ceiling.
Don’t review a Kid Cudi concert when your mood is off and might go fully left. When there is no space between you and your damage.
L.A. is full of homeless people. Walk down Flower. Turn on Wilshire Boulevard. Watch the frayed clothing and slow gait of homeless neighbors, living lives in public. On the street. They look broken. Many are in an endless conversation with imagined others.
“What’d you say to me, f*ggot?!” one of these men screamed, as I walked to a cafe. He was following two other men who were walking together. They were shocked, unfamiliar with the assailant hurling slurs, and obviously a little shook. I was shook. This street, in downtown L.A., was scary-full of people who no one looked at or acknowledged.
But I couldn’t ignore their illness. Mainly because it looked like a version of me in that hotel room, presiding over pot crumbs, wondering if I could write anything worthwhile when my heart kept sinking into the floor every time my lungs expanded. Muttering to myself some jumbled affirmations I did not believe. I couldn’t breathe, and I was here trying to write about a young musician exiled – temporarily – by the same anxiety I couldn’t seem to push past.
Read more at BET.COM
Doctor won’t be seeing patients after calling Michelle Obama ‘monkey face’
It started on a Facebook post praising Michelle Obama for her eloquence.
JoAnn Nietto told the Denver Post one of her friends typed the original status, and then she saw a woman she didn’t know, Dr. Michelle Herren, made a couple comments on it.
“Doesn’t seem to be speaking too eloquently here, thank god we can’t hear her!” said the first comment, which included a picture of Obama, who appeared to be screaming. “Harvard??? That’s a place for ‘entitled’ folks said all the liberals!”
“Monkey face and poor ebonic English!!!” She continued in a second comment. “There! I feel better and am still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is!”
Nietto found out the woman was a pediatric anesthesiologist at Denver Health, a public hospital, and decided to report her.
“It really outraged me to see that she works at Denver Health, which serves a huge minority population,” Nietto told the Denver Post on Wednesday.
Denver Health said they are looking at options for disciplining Herren, since the First Amendment and other state and federal laws prevent them from firing her for statements made while off-duty. In the meantime, she will not be seeing patients.
Herren makes $363,000 per year, according to the Denver Post. Her Facebook appears to have been deleted.
Obama, who is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law, has been targeted with these kinds of remarks before. West Virginia Mayor Beverly Clay praised a social media post calling the First Lady an “ape in heels” and subsequently resigned in November. The post was made by Pamela Ramsey Taylor, the director of a government-funded nonprofit, who was also removed from her position.
Read more here:
JoAnn Nietto told the Denver Post one of her friends typed the original status, and then she saw a woman she didn’t know, Dr. Michelle Herren, made a couple comments on it.
“Doesn’t seem to be speaking too eloquently here, thank god we can’t hear her!” said the first comment, which included a picture of Obama, who appeared to be screaming. “Harvard??? That’s a place for ‘entitled’ folks said all the liberals!”
“Monkey face and poor ebonic English!!!” She continued in a second comment. “There! I feel better and am still not racist!!! Just calling it like it is!”
Nietto found out the woman was a pediatric anesthesiologist at Denver Health, a public hospital, and decided to report her.
“It really outraged me to see that she works at Denver Health, which serves a huge minority population,” Nietto told the Denver Post on Wednesday.
Denver Health said they are looking at options for disciplining Herren, since the First Amendment and other state and federal laws prevent them from firing her for statements made while off-duty. In the meantime, she will not be seeing patients.
Herren makes $363,000 per year, according to the Denver Post. Her Facebook appears to have been deleted.
Obama, who is a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law, has been targeted with these kinds of remarks before. West Virginia Mayor Beverly Clay praised a social media post calling the First Lady an “ape in heels” and subsequently resigned in November. The post was made by Pamela Ramsey Taylor, the director of a government-funded nonprofit, who was also removed from her position.
Read more here:
Charlotte Officer 'Acted Lawfully' in Fatal Shooting of Keith Scott
RALEIGH, N.C. — A Charlotte, N.C., police officer will not face charges in the fatal shooting in September of a black resident, Keith Lamont Scott, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
The Sept. 20 shooting of Mr. Scott, who the police said had a handgun when he was killed, set off days of unrest in North Carolina’s largest city and led to immense public pressure on the police to release dashboard and body camera recordings, which did not prove that Mr. Scott had been armed.
Still, the decision not to prosecute the officer, Brentley Vinson, who is black, was not a surprise. In September, the chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Kerr Putney, said that the officer was “absolutely not being charged by me at this point.”
R. Andrew Murray, the district attorney for Mecklenburg County, said during a lengthy news conference on Wednesday that Officer Vinson was justified in using deadly force against Mr. Scott, saying that he feared for his life and those of his fellow officers.
“Officer Vinson acted lawfully when he shot Mr. Scott,” Mr. Murray said.
Mr. Murray said that despite claims that Mr. Scott was not carrying a gun, he had a .380 semiautomatic handgun with a round of ammunition in the chamber. “All of the credible and available evidence suggests that he was armed,” Mr. Murray said of Mr. Scott.
A surveillance video, recorded at a nearby convenience store shortly before the shooting, was shown to support the statement about the gun. Mr. Murray said that the video strongly suggested that Mr. Scott had been wearing an ankle holster, adding that Mr. Scott had illegally bought the handgun online.
Read more at NY Times
The Sept. 20 shooting of Mr. Scott, who the police said had a handgun when he was killed, set off days of unrest in North Carolina’s largest city and led to immense public pressure on the police to release dashboard and body camera recordings, which did not prove that Mr. Scott had been armed.
Still, the decision not to prosecute the officer, Brentley Vinson, who is black, was not a surprise. In September, the chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Kerr Putney, said that the officer was “absolutely not being charged by me at this point.”
R. Andrew Murray, the district attorney for Mecklenburg County, said during a lengthy news conference on Wednesday that Officer Vinson was justified in using deadly force against Mr. Scott, saying that he feared for his life and those of his fellow officers.
“Officer Vinson acted lawfully when he shot Mr. Scott,” Mr. Murray said.
Mr. Murray said that despite claims that Mr. Scott was not carrying a gun, he had a .380 semiautomatic handgun with a round of ammunition in the chamber. “All of the credible and available evidence suggests that he was armed,” Mr. Murray said of Mr. Scott.
A surveillance video, recorded at a nearby convenience store shortly before the shooting, was shown to support the statement about the gun. Mr. Murray said that the video strongly suggested that Mr. Scott had been wearing an ankle holster, adding that Mr. Scott had illegally bought the handgun online.
Read more at NY Times
Ben Carson Offered Position in Trump Cabinet
Retired neurosurgeon and former Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson has been formally offered the position of secretary of Housing and Urban Development by President-elect Donald Trump.
That’s according to a person familiar with the offer who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly.
Carson had previously said he was not interested in serving in Trump’s administration.
But his business manager Armstrong Williams says Carson has always maintained he’d be open to considering a senior role in the administration if Trump convinced him there was no one else for the job.
Williams says Carson was especially intrigued by the HUD position after being floated as a potential secretary of education or health and human services.
But Carson, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination, has no experience running a large organization nor does he have any background in housing policy. He has reportedly said in the past that he did not consider himself qualified for a cabinet position, but with this new offer he says he will consider the offer over Thanksgiving.
Our inner cities are in terrible shape,” Carson said in a Fox News interview. “And they definitely need some real attention. There have been so many promises made over the last several decades and nothing has been done, so it certainly is something that has been a long-term interest of mine.”
Read more at EBONY
That’s according to a person familiar with the offer who spoke to the Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to discuss the deliberations publicly.
Carson had previously said he was not interested in serving in Trump’s administration.
But his business manager Armstrong Williams says Carson has always maintained he’d be open to considering a senior role in the administration if Trump convinced him there was no one else for the job.
Williams says Carson was especially intrigued by the HUD position after being floated as a potential secretary of education or health and human services.
But Carson, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination, has no experience running a large organization nor does he have any background in housing policy. He has reportedly said in the past that he did not consider himself qualified for a cabinet position, but with this new offer he says he will consider the offer over Thanksgiving.
Our inner cities are in terrible shape,” Carson said in a Fox News interview. “And they definitely need some real attention. There have been so many promises made over the last several decades and nothing has been done, so it certainly is something that has been a long-term interest of mine.”
Read more at EBONY
Fidel Castro dead at 90.
Fidel Castro was presented with a portrait of himself as a young revolutionary just 10 days before he died at the age of 90 on Friday.
In one of the last pictures taken of Castro before his passing, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang is shown presenting Castro with the portrait in Havana last Tuesday.
Another photograph shows the pair shaking hands during the November 15 meeting that they had reportedly agreed would further cement the historical friendship between their people.
Castro, who led his native Cuba for nearly half a century and claimed to have survived more than 600 assassination attempts, has died at the age of 90.
With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that the Communist revolutionary died on Friday night.
World leaders have paid tribute to the revolutionary, who came to power in 1959, with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev praising him for 'strengthening' his island nation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described him as a 'symbol of an era', and said he was a 'distinguished statesman', and Pope Francis has said Castro's death is 'sad news'.
Nine days of public mourning for the deceased Cuban leader have been announced, when 'public activities and shows' will cease, and flags will fly at half mast.
The island's Council of State says state radio and television 'will maintain informative, patriotic and historic programming'.
Read more at DailyMail
In one of the last pictures taken of Castro before his passing, Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang is shown presenting Castro with the portrait in Havana last Tuesday.
Another photograph shows the pair shaking hands during the November 15 meeting that they had reportedly agreed would further cement the historical friendship between their people.
Castro, who led his native Cuba for nearly half a century and claimed to have survived more than 600 assassination attempts, has died at the age of 90.
With a shaking voice, his younger brother, Raul Castro, announced on state television that the Communist revolutionary died on Friday night.
World leaders have paid tribute to the revolutionary, who came to power in 1959, with former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev praising him for 'strengthening' his island nation.
Russian President Vladimir Putin described him as a 'symbol of an era', and said he was a 'distinguished statesman', and Pope Francis has said Castro's death is 'sad news'.
Nine days of public mourning for the deceased Cuban leader have been announced, when 'public activities and shows' will cease, and flags will fly at half mast.
The island's Council of State says state radio and television 'will maintain informative, patriotic and historic programming'.
Read more at DailyMail
Kanye West hospitalized in L.A. after canceling rest of tour
After abruptly canceling the rest of his Saint Pablo tour, Kanye West has reportedly been hospitalized in Los Angeles.
According to People, NBC News and CNN, West was taken to UCLA Medical Center Monday to be treated for exhaustion.
Officer Mike Lopez from the Los Angeles Police Department told USA TODAY that the LAPD responded to a disturbance call at 1:20 p.m. PT Monday on North Laurel Avenue in West Hollywood. He said no crime had been committed.
LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said the fire department responded to "an unspecified medical aid request" in the 900 block of North Laurel Avenue. "An adult male, described as medically stable, was taken to an area hospital for further assessment," he said.
Neither department could identify the person involved, citing medical privacy laws.
The incident comes after West, 39, ignited a Twitter storm Thursday by saying he "would've voted for Donald Trump" at a concert in Inglewood, Calif.
More recently, West cut his Saturday concert in Sacramento short after several songs, but not before calling out Beyoncé and addressing Jay Z: "Call me, brah, you still ain't call me. Jay Z, I know you got killas, please don't send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man," he said. The latter show left fans so upset that Ticketmaster refunded their tickets.
The 21 remaining tour dates that West had scheduled through New Year's Eve were canceled early Monday.
Read more at USA Today
According to People, NBC News and CNN, West was taken to UCLA Medical Center Monday to be treated for exhaustion.
Officer Mike Lopez from the Los Angeles Police Department told USA TODAY that the LAPD responded to a disturbance call at 1:20 p.m. PT Monday on North Laurel Avenue in West Hollywood. He said no crime had been committed.
LAFD spokesman Brian Humphrey said the fire department responded to "an unspecified medical aid request" in the 900 block of North Laurel Avenue. "An adult male, described as medically stable, was taken to an area hospital for further assessment," he said.
Neither department could identify the person involved, citing medical privacy laws.
The incident comes after West, 39, ignited a Twitter storm Thursday by saying he "would've voted for Donald Trump" at a concert in Inglewood, Calif.
More recently, West cut his Saturday concert in Sacramento short after several songs, but not before calling out Beyoncé and addressing Jay Z: "Call me, brah, you still ain't call me. Jay Z, I know you got killas, please don't send them at my head. Just call me. Talk to me like a man," he said. The latter show left fans so upset that Ticketmaster refunded their tickets.
The 21 remaining tour dates that West had scheduled through New Year's Eve were canceled early Monday.
Read more at USA Today
The Obamas Are Set for a Bi-coastal Life in This Very Nice, Hard-Earned Cali Mansion
Although the Obama’s will primarily reside in the exclusive Washington, D.C., neighborhood of Kalorama, the first family has reportedly closed in on a custom-built California mansion, reported Page Six.
In 2014, the Washington Times reported that the Obama family had purchased a posh $4.25 million home in the Rancho Mirage area of California. Although the White House has repeatedly denied any claims about where the Obamas will live after his presidency, sources have now alleged that their California housing deal is complete.
However, the family will spend most of their time in Washington while Sasha finishes her last few years at Sidwell Friends.
In addition to their bi-coastal mansions, many believe that the family also acquired a vacation home in Barack Obama’s home state of Hawaii.
The family’s home in California is set to be a knockout, and will reportedly be decorated by top interior designer, Michael S. Smith — who has also decorated the White House for the family.
Rancho Mirage is a neighborhood famously known for its renowned golf courses, which would make it the perfect getaway location for the president.
See more at BET
In 2014, the Washington Times reported that the Obama family had purchased a posh $4.25 million home in the Rancho Mirage area of California. Although the White House has repeatedly denied any claims about where the Obamas will live after his presidency, sources have now alleged that their California housing deal is complete.
However, the family will spend most of their time in Washington while Sasha finishes her last few years at Sidwell Friends.
In addition to their bi-coastal mansions, many believe that the family also acquired a vacation home in Barack Obama’s home state of Hawaii.
The family’s home in California is set to be a knockout, and will reportedly be decorated by top interior designer, Michael S. Smith — who has also decorated the White House for the family.
Rancho Mirage is a neighborhood famously known for its renowned golf courses, which would make it the perfect getaway location for the president.
See more at BET
Baltimore teacher fired after racist rant at students
A middle school science teacher in Baltimore was fired this week after a video surfaced showing her berating students with insults and racial slurs.
In the video, which has been viewed more than 2 million times since it was posted by a parent on Facebook Wednesday, the teacher is seen dragging a male student by the hood out of a classroom before proceeding to hurl insults at the rest of the class.
“You’re idiots!” the teacher, who is white, is heard shouting at the room full of mostly black middle schoolers at Harlem Park Elementary/Middle School in West Baltimore. “You have the chance to get an education, but you want to be a punk-a** n***** who’s gonna get shot.”
One student can be heard pleading with the teacher to “stop saying that,” as she continues to call the class “stupid” and threatens to give them “zeros for doing nothing.”
Read more at Yahoo.
In the video, which has been viewed more than 2 million times since it was posted by a parent on Facebook Wednesday, the teacher is seen dragging a male student by the hood out of a classroom before proceeding to hurl insults at the rest of the class.
“You’re idiots!” the teacher, who is white, is heard shouting at the room full of mostly black middle schoolers at Harlem Park Elementary/Middle School in West Baltimore. “You have the chance to get an education, but you want to be a punk-a** n***** who’s gonna get shot.”
One student can be heard pleading with the teacher to “stop saying that,” as she continues to call the class “stupid” and threatens to give them “zeros for doing nothing.”
Read more at Yahoo.
‘You can’t hit a girl like that!’ Officer caught on camera punching woman in the face.
A police officer in Arizona was placed on administrative leave this week after a video that shows him punching a woman in the face was posted online.
The Flagstaff Police Department learned of the footage Wednesday evening and launched an internal investigation into the incident, which occurred earlier in the day, according to the department.
“During the arrest the female, who appears somewhat uncooperative, was struck in the face by the officer,” police said in a news release. “Our agency is very concerned by what is depicted in this video.”
The officer was identified as Jeff Bonar.
According to the Arizona Daily Sun, the woman has been identified as 30-year-old Marissa Morris.
[A black police officer complained about racism. He says his department retaliated by firing him.]
The video shows Bonar and Morris in a tense exchange, apparently about whether she can be taken into custody. Morris insists that she cannot be arrested until she knows that there is a warrant for her arrest.
That’s when Bonar punches Morris in the face.
“Hey! You can’t hit a girl like that!” a man protests after Morris’s head snaps back.
The struggle between the woman and the officer continues, as off-camera, people can be heard yelling in outrage. Another law enforcement officer helps restrain Morris, who cries out.
Off-camera, those watching the violent interaction plead with Morris, saying: “Just let him arrest you, just let him arrest you,” and, “Just let him.”
Read more at Washington Post
The Flagstaff Police Department learned of the footage Wednesday evening and launched an internal investigation into the incident, which occurred earlier in the day, according to the department.
“During the arrest the female, who appears somewhat uncooperative, was struck in the face by the officer,” police said in a news release. “Our agency is very concerned by what is depicted in this video.”
The officer was identified as Jeff Bonar.
According to the Arizona Daily Sun, the woman has been identified as 30-year-old Marissa Morris.
[A black police officer complained about racism. He says his department retaliated by firing him.]
The video shows Bonar and Morris in a tense exchange, apparently about whether she can be taken into custody. Morris insists that she cannot be arrested until she knows that there is a warrant for her arrest.
That’s when Bonar punches Morris in the face.
“Hey! You can’t hit a girl like that!” a man protests after Morris’s head snaps back.
The struggle between the woman and the officer continues, as off-camera, people can be heard yelling in outrage. Another law enforcement officer helps restrain Morris, who cries out.
Off-camera, those watching the violent interaction plead with Morris, saying: “Just let him arrest you, just let him arrest you,” and, “Just let him.”
Read more at Washington Post
Anti-Black Fliers Surface on Campus
Southern Methodist University (SMU) officials are investigating fliers promoting anti-Black sentiments on its campus.
According to The Daily Campus, a school-ran publication, the fliers in question were posted online and appeared on at least two other campuses this fall.
One can be viewed below.
According to The Daily Campus, a school-ran publication, the fliers in question were posted online and appeared on at least two other campuses this fall.
One can be viewed below.
“Recent fliers, identical to those showing up on other campuses nationally, were posted in one of our Commons and the Hughes-Trigg Student Center, in addition to isolated instances of uncivil, racist, and sexist comments made in hateful, arrogant, and hurtful tones, clearly communicate that there are among us a small number of individuals who do not want to live in a united, mutually respectful, campus community,” President Gerald Turner said in a memo sent to faculty, staff and students. “Anyone committed to living a life of denigrating others in some misguided effort to elevate themselves should find another place to live.”
The flier, titled “Why White Women Shouldn’t Date Black Men,” appears to speak for itself.
“He’s much more likely to abuse you,” the flier reads. “White women who marry Black men multiply their chances of being killed by their spouses by 12.4 — a 1140% increase.”
Other reasons not to date a Black man include them having more STDs, and “your kids probably wouldn’t be smart.”
Read more on JetMag.com
The flier, titled “Why White Women Shouldn’t Date Black Men,” appears to speak for itself.
“He’s much more likely to abuse you,” the flier reads. “White women who marry Black men multiply their chances of being killed by their spouses by 12.4 — a 1140% increase.”
Other reasons not to date a Black man include them having more STDs, and “your kids probably wouldn’t be smart.”
Read more on JetMag.com
African-Americans make history at National Book Awards
The glitzy National Book Awards were handed out Wednesday night and, in a first, three of the top four awards went to African-American authors.
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights activist, was visibly choked up as he picked up the Young People’s Literature award with his co-author, Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell for the graphic novel, “March: Book Three,” which covers civil rights from the bombing of a Baptist Church to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Ibram X. Kendi won the nonfiction award for, “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.”
“Human beauty is the resistance to racism,” said Kendi. “That is why I have faith.”
Colson Whitehead, became the third African-American author to win award Wednesday night, taking home the top prize in fiction for, “The Underground Railroad,” a novel which presumes there is a real railroad erected underground carrying slaves to safety from cotton plantations in the deep south.
The book got a boost earlier this year when Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club.
Not surprisingly, the election of Donald Trump dominated much of the talk of the night at the 67th annual awards, with many of the winners acknowledging deep worries about the president-elect.
Comedian Larry Wilmore, the master of ceremonies, laced into Trump early and humorously, stating that the Trump campaign was effective because it had “white people racing to those ballots like they were voting for the first white president.”
Wilmore said Trump’s Nov. 8 victory had an impact on the book industry, with many titles being renamed.
Read more at NY Post
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a civil rights activist, was visibly choked up as he picked up the Young People’s Literature award with his co-author, Andrew Aydin and illustrator Nate Powell for the graphic novel, “March: Book Three,” which covers civil rights from the bombing of a Baptist Church to the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Ibram X. Kendi won the nonfiction award for, “Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America.”
“Human beauty is the resistance to racism,” said Kendi. “That is why I have faith.”
Colson Whitehead, became the third African-American author to win award Wednesday night, taking home the top prize in fiction for, “The Underground Railroad,” a novel which presumes there is a real railroad erected underground carrying slaves to safety from cotton plantations in the deep south.
The book got a boost earlier this year when Oprah Winfrey chose it for her book club.
Not surprisingly, the election of Donald Trump dominated much of the talk of the night at the 67th annual awards, with many of the winners acknowledging deep worries about the president-elect.
Comedian Larry Wilmore, the master of ceremonies, laced into Trump early and humorously, stating that the Trump campaign was effective because it had “white people racing to those ballots like they were voting for the first white president.”
Wilmore said Trump’s Nov. 8 victory had an impact on the book industry, with many titles being renamed.
Read more at NY Post
Officer in Castile shooting faces manslaughter charge
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi announced during a Wednesday morning press conference that officer Jeronimo Yanez will face three charges for shooting and killing Philando Castile on July 6.
Choi said it was his conclusion that "use of deadly force by Officer Yanez was not justified." Yanez was charged Wednesday with second-degree manslaughter and two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm.
Castile, 32, was fatally shot July 6 by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights. A video recorded by his girlfriend, showing him bleeding in the car while the officer stood nearby, touched off widespread outrage and protests.
Choi's office has been reviewing evidence in the shooting since Sept. 28, when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension handed him its findings. Choi said Wednesday he chose to make the decision on charging himself, rather than turning the case over to a grand jury.
In explaining how Yanez's actions did not meet the legal standard for justified use of deadly force, Choi said "it is not enough... to express subjective fear of death or great bodily harm."
The charges come a year and a day after Minneapolis police fatally shot Jamar Clark, a case that Choi has used as guidance in his handling of the Castile shooting. Choi has noted that Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman reviewed evidence in the Clark case for seven weeks before deciding that the officers should not be criminally charged in Clark's death. Freeman did not take the Clark case to a grand jury, going against long-held practices in Minnesota.
Read more at Star Tribune
Choi said it was his conclusion that "use of deadly force by Officer Yanez was not justified." Yanez was charged Wednesday with second-degree manslaughter and two felony counts of dangerous discharge of a firearm.
Castile, 32, was fatally shot July 6 by St. Anthony police officer Jeronimo Yanez during a traffic stop in Falcon Heights. A video recorded by his girlfriend, showing him bleeding in the car while the officer stood nearby, touched off widespread outrage and protests.
Choi's office has been reviewing evidence in the shooting since Sept. 28, when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension handed him its findings. Choi said Wednesday he chose to make the decision on charging himself, rather than turning the case over to a grand jury.
In explaining how Yanez's actions did not meet the legal standard for justified use of deadly force, Choi said "it is not enough... to express subjective fear of death or great bodily harm."
The charges come a year and a day after Minneapolis police fatally shot Jamar Clark, a case that Choi has used as guidance in his handling of the Castile shooting. Choi has noted that Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman reviewed evidence in the Clark case for seven weeks before deciding that the officers should not be criminally charged in Clark's death. Freeman did not take the Clark case to a grand jury, going against long-held practices in Minnesota.
Read more at Star Tribune
Veteran Journalist, Political Commentator Gwen Ifill Dies
Iconic journalist and political moderator Gwen Ifill has died.
The 61-year-old co-anchor of PBS’ “NewsHour” with Judy Woodruff, reportedly passed away on Monday of endometrial cancer.
A former newspaper reporter, Ifill switched to television and worked for NBC News and PBS. She moderated two vice presidential debates.
Ifill took a leave from her nightly show for health reasons earlier this year, never making public her illness. A week ago, she went out on leave again, taking her away from election night coverage.
“I am saddened to hear of Ms. Gwen Ifill’s passing. Gwen, 61, was a transformative voice among journalists,” National Association of Black Journalists President Sara Glover said in a Facebook post. “Her professionalism and poise coupled with an innate doggedness to report the story reverberated throughout the industry.”
Read more at EBONY
The 61-year-old co-anchor of PBS’ “NewsHour” with Judy Woodruff, reportedly passed away on Monday of endometrial cancer.
A former newspaper reporter, Ifill switched to television and worked for NBC News and PBS. She moderated two vice presidential debates.
Ifill took a leave from her nightly show for health reasons earlier this year, never making public her illness. A week ago, she went out on leave again, taking her away from election night coverage.
“I am saddened to hear of Ms. Gwen Ifill’s passing. Gwen, 61, was a transformative voice among journalists,” National Association of Black Journalists President Sara Glover said in a Facebook post. “Her professionalism and poise coupled with an innate doggedness to report the story reverberated throughout the industry.”
Read more at EBONY
People are not OK with Oprah's comments about Donald Trump
To give you an idea of just how divided the nation has been in the wake of Donald Trump's election as the 45th president of the United States, people are now turning on Oprah.
It all started on Thursday, Nov. 10, when a subdued President-elect Donald Trump visited President Barack Obama in the White House. After seeing the brief (awkward) photo-op, celebrity goddess Oprah Winfrey tweeted her thoughts, which included calls for patience and hope.
To drive the point home, Oprah, who endorsed Hillary in the race, went back to the well during an appearance on Entertainment Tonight: "It gave me hope... to hear President-Elect Trump say he had respect for President Obama, it felt he had reached a moment where he was actually humbled by that experience ... I think everybody can take a deep breath."
Read more at Mashable
It all started on Thursday, Nov. 10, when a subdued President-elect Donald Trump visited President Barack Obama in the White House. After seeing the brief (awkward) photo-op, celebrity goddess Oprah Winfrey tweeted her thoughts, which included calls for patience and hope.
To drive the point home, Oprah, who endorsed Hillary in the race, went back to the well during an appearance on Entertainment Tonight: "It gave me hope... to hear President-Elect Trump say he had respect for President Obama, it felt he had reached a moment where he was actually humbled by that experience ... I think everybody can take a deep breath."
Read more at Mashable
Trump and Obama Hold Cordial 90-Minute Meeting in Oval Office
WASHINGTON — President Obama and Donald J. Trump made a public show on Thursday of putting their bitter differences aside after a stunning election upset. The Oval Office meeting brought together a president who has darkly warned that Mr. Trump could not be trusted with the nuclear codes and a successor who rose to political prominence questioning Mr. Obama’s birthplace and legitimacy.
“I want to emphasize to you, Mr. President-elect, that we now are going to want to do everything we can to help you succeed because if you succeed, then the country succeeds,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Trump as the two sat side-by-side after the roughly 90-minute meeting. The president called the session “excellent” and wide-ranging.
Mr. Trump, who said he had never met Mr. Obama before and expected the meeting to last only 10 or 15 minutes, said it had been a “great honor” to sit with the president.
“We discussed a lot of different situations, some wonderful and some difficulties. I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel,” Mr. Trump said.
It was an extraordinary show of cordiality and respect between two men who have been political enemies and are stylistic opposites — Mr. Trump a brash real estate executive and reality television star whose campaign was defined in opposition to the sitting president, and Mr. Obama, a cool-tempered intellectual who has pressed a progressive agenda in office.
Mr. Trump, whose election on Tuesday stunned the president and rocked the political establishment in Washington, arrived in the White House driveway on Thursday out of sight of the crowds of reporters and news media cameras assembled there. His staff had refused to arrange for journalists to document his movements, as is customary both for the president and the president-elect, and Mr. Obama’s team did not arrange for the traditional photograph of the sitting president and his wife greeting their successors in front of the White House.
Mr. Obama said his wife, Michelle, who emerged this fall as an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump on the campaign trail, met with Melania Trump while their husbands spoke in the Oval Office.
“We want to make sure that they feel welcome,” Mr. Obama said of the Trumps.
Read more at NY Times
“I want to emphasize to you, Mr. President-elect, that we now are going to want to do everything we can to help you succeed because if you succeed, then the country succeeds,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Trump as the two sat side-by-side after the roughly 90-minute meeting. The president called the session “excellent” and wide-ranging.
Mr. Trump, who said he had never met Mr. Obama before and expected the meeting to last only 10 or 15 minutes, said it had been a “great honor” to sit with the president.
“We discussed a lot of different situations, some wonderful and some difficulties. I very much look forward to dealing with the president in the future, including counsel,” Mr. Trump said.
It was an extraordinary show of cordiality and respect between two men who have been political enemies and are stylistic opposites — Mr. Trump a brash real estate executive and reality television star whose campaign was defined in opposition to the sitting president, and Mr. Obama, a cool-tempered intellectual who has pressed a progressive agenda in office.
Mr. Trump, whose election on Tuesday stunned the president and rocked the political establishment in Washington, arrived in the White House driveway on Thursday out of sight of the crowds of reporters and news media cameras assembled there. His staff had refused to arrange for journalists to document his movements, as is customary both for the president and the president-elect, and Mr. Obama’s team did not arrange for the traditional photograph of the sitting president and his wife greeting their successors in front of the White House.
Mr. Obama said his wife, Michelle, who emerged this fall as an outspoken critic of Mr. Trump on the campaign trail, met with Melania Trump while their husbands spoke in the Oval Office.
“We want to make sure that they feel welcome,” Mr. Obama said of the Trumps.
Read more at NY Times
Boy With Cerebral Palsy Ejected From Trump Rally ― Then Meets Obama
A 12-year-old boy suffering from an extreme case of cerebral palsy was kicked out of a Donald Trump rally in Tampa on Saturday, but then everything turned around when he met President Obama less than 24 hours later.
Twelve-year-old J.J. Holmes was afraid of what Trump’s America would mean to those who suffered from disabilities as he does. So, he asked his mother to take him to the rally to protest the Republican candidate’s treatment of disabled Americans.
When the two arrived to the rally, J.J. bravely held up a Hillary Clinton placard.
Immediately, the crowd took notice and began chanting, “U-S-A, U-S-A,” while Trump pointed to security and had them escorted out.
“As Secret Service escorted J.J., his mother and two sisters, Trump supporters shouted obscenities and even kicked his wheelchair,” described Valentina Pereda, Florida Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton, in a lengthy Facebook post.
A reporter who witnessed the event called Pereda and explained to her how the ejection unfolded. Horrified, Pereda then pulled some strings and got J.J. and his mother into President Obama’s rally the following day in Kissimee.
With the help of a White House staffer, Pereda arranged a quick meeting between J.J. and Obama. The meeting was short, yet momentous enough to cause a smile to almost burst out of J.J.’s face.
Read more at NBCMiami
Twelve-year-old J.J. Holmes was afraid of what Trump’s America would mean to those who suffered from disabilities as he does. So, he asked his mother to take him to the rally to protest the Republican candidate’s treatment of disabled Americans.
When the two arrived to the rally, J.J. bravely held up a Hillary Clinton placard.
Immediately, the crowd took notice and began chanting, “U-S-A, U-S-A,” while Trump pointed to security and had them escorted out.
“As Secret Service escorted J.J., his mother and two sisters, Trump supporters shouted obscenities and even kicked his wheelchair,” described Valentina Pereda, Florida Press Secretary for Hillary Clinton, in a lengthy Facebook post.
A reporter who witnessed the event called Pereda and explained to her how the ejection unfolded. Horrified, Pereda then pulled some strings and got J.J. and his mother into President Obama’s rally the following day in Kissimee.
With the help of a White House staffer, Pereda arranged a quick meeting between J.J. and Obama. The meeting was short, yet momentous enough to cause a smile to almost burst out of J.J.’s face.
Read more at NBCMiami
Death at Times Square station: A woman pushes commuter into path of subway train, police say
On Monday, every subway commuter’s nightmare became reality when a 49-year-old Queens woman was shoved off a subway platform into the path of an oncoming train.
It occurred at the Times Square subway station around 1:20 p.m., when a southbound No. 1 train was entering into the station. Police said Melanie Liverpool-Turner, a 30-year-old Queens woman whom they described as “emotionally disturbed,” pushed the 49-year-old onto the tracks.
The two women did not seem to know each other.
The victim, whose name has not been released by authorities, was struck with great force almost immediately. The train quickly came to a stop, leaving her body lodged under the third car, according to the New York Times.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, witnesses said Liverpool-Turner attempted to calmly walk out to the sidewalk, as a throng of police officers filled the station. One witness noticed her wandering off and alerted police.
“A passerby followed a suspect up the stairs and pointed her out to a cop, which is what we ask people to do — when you see something, say something,” an unnamed police official told DNA Info.
She was arrested and, late Monday night, charged with second-degree murder, WCBS reported.
Read more at the Washington Post
It occurred at the Times Square subway station around 1:20 p.m., when a southbound No. 1 train was entering into the station. Police said Melanie Liverpool-Turner, a 30-year-old Queens woman whom they described as “emotionally disturbed,” pushed the 49-year-old onto the tracks.
The two women did not seem to know each other.
The victim, whose name has not been released by authorities, was struck with great force almost immediately. The train quickly came to a stop, leaving her body lodged under the third car, according to the New York Times.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Meanwhile, witnesses said Liverpool-Turner attempted to calmly walk out to the sidewalk, as a throng of police officers filled the station. One witness noticed her wandering off and alerted police.
“A passerby followed a suspect up the stairs and pointed her out to a cop, which is what we ask people to do — when you see something, say something,” an unnamed police official told DNA Info.
She was arrested and, late Monday night, charged with second-degree murder, WCBS reported.
Read more at the Washington Post
Michelle Obama Is The Picture Of Class During Hillary Clinton Campaign Rally
First lady Michelle Obama proved yet again that she is the definition of class during a speech on the eve of Election Day in Philadelphia.
Obama on Monday thanked the American people and reiterated her support for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, saying America is “one day away from once again making history.”
Before handing over the mic to her husband, President Barack Obama, and eventually Clinton, FLOTUS commended Americans for “giving our family the extraordinary honor of serving as your first family.”
“Thank you for welcoming us into your communities with open hearts, for giving us a chance, whether you agreed with our politics or not,” she told people at a rally for Clinton. “Every day you have inspired us with your courage and your decency and every day we have tried to make you proud and live up to the standard of citizenship that you set.”
Obama expressed strong support for Clinton, saying that she and her husband believe they have a responsibility to make sure “this country is handed over to a leader that we all can trust.”
“We deserve a leader who will ensure that our daughters are safe and respected,” she said. “And that our sons understand that truly strong men are compassionate and kind.”
She urged the crowd to take time to vote for the Democratic nominee.
“If we get out and vote tomorrow, Hillary Clinton will win,” she said. “Presidential elections are breathtakingly close ... each of you has the power to swing an entire precinct for Hillary, and if we swing enough precincts, we will win the state, we will win this election and we will continue the progress that we have all made together these past eight years.”
To finish her speech, Obama introduced her husband. She described her pride in what his administration has accomplished, and for “showing us all what intelligence, dignity and grace really look like.”
Read more at HuffPost
Obama on Monday thanked the American people and reiterated her support for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, saying America is “one day away from once again making history.”
Before handing over the mic to her husband, President Barack Obama, and eventually Clinton, FLOTUS commended Americans for “giving our family the extraordinary honor of serving as your first family.”
“Thank you for welcoming us into your communities with open hearts, for giving us a chance, whether you agreed with our politics or not,” she told people at a rally for Clinton. “Every day you have inspired us with your courage and your decency and every day we have tried to make you proud and live up to the standard of citizenship that you set.”
Obama expressed strong support for Clinton, saying that she and her husband believe they have a responsibility to make sure “this country is handed over to a leader that we all can trust.”
“We deserve a leader who will ensure that our daughters are safe and respected,” she said. “And that our sons understand that truly strong men are compassionate and kind.”
She urged the crowd to take time to vote for the Democratic nominee.
“If we get out and vote tomorrow, Hillary Clinton will win,” she said. “Presidential elections are breathtakingly close ... each of you has the power to swing an entire precinct for Hillary, and if we swing enough precincts, we will win the state, we will win this election and we will continue the progress that we have all made together these past eight years.”
To finish her speech, Obama introduced her husband. She described her pride in what his administration has accomplished, and for “showing us all what intelligence, dignity and grace really look like.”
Read more at HuffPost
Magic Johnson Pens Inspirational Letter on Devastating HIV Diagnosis
Who would have thought that a business empire would serve as the backdrop to Magic Johnson's Basketball Hall of Fame career?
Certainly not Magic himself, especially back on November 7, 1991. The outlook for the next phase of Johnson's life that day seemed bleak, to say the least. That's because it was the infamous date that he announced his devastating HIV diagnosis to the world.
However, with today being the 25th anniversary of that shocking announcement, the five-time NBA champion is in tip-top health and his Magic Johnson Enterprises is booming.
That being said, Johnson took to his The Playbook website Monday to reflect on a day that initially signaled his doom but now is one that currently represents his celebration.
In an inspirational letter titled "Life Is Going to Go On for Me," Magic powerfully declares today as a "celebration of life, a celebration of what some people thought was a death sentence 25 years ago."
"God brings you through challenges to understand His power and His purpose for your life," Johnson pens early on in the moving letter before remembering that frightful day of delivering his announcement exactly 25 years ago.
"November 7, 1991, was a life changing day that I never saw coming," he continues. "However, unlike the excitement that characterized the summer of 1979 [when Johnson was the NBA's No. 1 draft pick], it was followed by despair. Up until then, I thought the hardest thing I’d ever done was play against Michael Jordan or Larry Bird, but on this day I began the fight of my life. This day, I began to realize how God was working in my life. My faith gave me strength to stand up and tell the world that I had contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)."
Read more at BET
Certainly not Magic himself, especially back on November 7, 1991. The outlook for the next phase of Johnson's life that day seemed bleak, to say the least. That's because it was the infamous date that he announced his devastating HIV diagnosis to the world.
However, with today being the 25th anniversary of that shocking announcement, the five-time NBA champion is in tip-top health and his Magic Johnson Enterprises is booming.
That being said, Johnson took to his The Playbook website Monday to reflect on a day that initially signaled his doom but now is one that currently represents his celebration.
In an inspirational letter titled "Life Is Going to Go On for Me," Magic powerfully declares today as a "celebration of life, a celebration of what some people thought was a death sentence 25 years ago."
"God brings you through challenges to understand His power and His purpose for your life," Johnson pens early on in the moving letter before remembering that frightful day of delivering his announcement exactly 25 years ago.
"November 7, 1991, was a life changing day that I never saw coming," he continues. "However, unlike the excitement that characterized the summer of 1979 [when Johnson was the NBA's No. 1 draft pick], it was followed by despair. Up until then, I thought the hardest thing I’d ever done was play against Michael Jordan or Larry Bird, but on this day I began the fight of my life. This day, I began to realize how God was working in my life. My faith gave me strength to stand up and tell the world that I had contracted Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)."
Read more at BET
Lil Wayne walks out on questions over Black Lives support
NEW YORK (AP) — Lil Wayne walked out of a television interview after being questioned about the Black Lives Matter movement and whether he supports it, angrily telling an interviewer he's not a "politician."
Linsey Davis of ABC News was following up on Wayne's comments to Fox Sports in September when he said there's "no such thing as racism." Davis' interview was broadcast on Tuesday's "Nightline."
Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, stood by the comment. When asked about his thoughts on Black Lives Matter, he said it "sounds weird," apparently referring to the name.
"It's not a name, it's not 'whatever, whatever,' it's somebody got shot by police for a (messed) up reason," he said, using an expletive. He described himself as a "young, black, rich" man, which he says shows America understands that black lives do matter.
He added: "My life matter, especially to my b------."
Wayne also doesn't see any connection between him and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Read more at Yahoo
Linsey Davis of ABC News was following up on Wayne's comments to Fox Sports in September when he said there's "no such thing as racism." Davis' interview was broadcast on Tuesday's "Nightline."
Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, stood by the comment. When asked about his thoughts on Black Lives Matter, he said it "sounds weird," apparently referring to the name.
"It's not a name, it's not 'whatever, whatever,' it's somebody got shot by police for a (messed) up reason," he said, using an expletive. He described himself as a "young, black, rich" man, which he says shows America understands that black lives do matter.
He added: "My life matter, especially to my b------."
Wayne also doesn't see any connection between him and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Read more at Yahoo
Family of Woman Killed by Police Speaks Out
The family of a woman who was fatally wounded by Los Angeles area police says she suffered from bipolar disorder.
Michelle Lee Shirley, 39, was shot and killed by Torrance police on Monday, Oct. 31, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s reports.
Shirley, a Black woman who was raised in San Diego, had recently relocated to the Los Angeles area.
Police reportedly responded to several calls on Monday afternoon concerning a reckless driver. Callers claimed the woman, later identified as Shirley, was driving a Ford Fusion with outward damage to the vehicle and the side airbags out.
When officers arrived on the scene near a gas station, they boxed the car in, the report said. Police say Shirley acted erratically. She backed into a patrol car and then drove forward into another cruiser. That’s when at least two officers opened fire on Shirley.
She was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead around 3 p.m. The incident was recorded by pedestrians nearby.
While the shooting is being investigated by Torrance’s Special Operations Bureau and the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, Shirley’s family members believe the ordeal was mishandled due to her bipolar disorder.
Shirley, the mother of a young boy, had come to grips with the disease, and even reflected on the impact it had on her life in an It’s Up to Us campaign video. She urged others to accept their diagnosis and seek help.
“Ignoring it,” she said in the visual posted in 2011, “can take years away from your life.”
Her mother, Debra Shirley, told reporters at The Daily Breeze she didn’t know what was going through her [daughter’s] head as she was driving or trying to get away.
“I can’t even imagine,” she said. “But why did they have to kill her?”
Read more on JetMag.com
Michelle Lee Shirley, 39, was shot and killed by Torrance police on Monday, Oct. 31, according to Los Angeles County coroner’s reports.
Shirley, a Black woman who was raised in San Diego, had recently relocated to the Los Angeles area.
Police reportedly responded to several calls on Monday afternoon concerning a reckless driver. Callers claimed the woman, later identified as Shirley, was driving a Ford Fusion with outward damage to the vehicle and the side airbags out.
When officers arrived on the scene near a gas station, they boxed the car in, the report said. Police say Shirley acted erratically. She backed into a patrol car and then drove forward into another cruiser. That’s when at least two officers opened fire on Shirley.
She was taken to County Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead around 3 p.m. The incident was recorded by pedestrians nearby.
While the shooting is being investigated by Torrance’s Special Operations Bureau and the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, Shirley’s family members believe the ordeal was mishandled due to her bipolar disorder.
Shirley, the mother of a young boy, had come to grips with the disease, and even reflected on the impact it had on her life in an It’s Up to Us campaign video. She urged others to accept their diagnosis and seek help.
“Ignoring it,” she said in the visual posted in 2011, “can take years away from your life.”
Her mother, Debra Shirley, told reporters at The Daily Breeze she didn’t know what was going through her [daughter’s] head as she was driving or trying to get away.
“I can’t even imagine,” she said. “But why did they have to kill her?”
Read more on JetMag.com
Crazy Story of an 11-Year-Old Who Saved Her Mom From Being Held Captive With a Note
On Tuesday, Louisiana authorities rescued a mother who was being held against her will. Officials were able to track the mother because her 11-year-old daughter brought a hostage note to school, reported WBRZ.
The unidentified child went to school with a note her mother had written, detailing the situation. In the letter, the unnamed woman alleged she was being held hostage and asked for someone to call police. School officials called the sheriff's office when they read the note, said East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis
A law enforcement team — along with the child — then tracked down the mother’s location. She was found off Folly Brown Road, in a rural area of the parish. When deputies went inside, a man identified as Donald Ray Guy (pictured above) was hiding in a closet, said officials.
Guy was arrested on site.
Guy has a history of violence and was previously facing domestic abuse and battery charges in East Feliciana Parish. He also had two additional warrants for missing court dates. Deputies in East Baton Rouge Parish placed a hold on Guy, who’s linked to a car theft there.
When investigators found the woman, they also recovered two ATV’s from the home — one of which was reported stolen.
Neither the woman nor the child were injured.
See more on this story at BET.COM
The unidentified child went to school with a note her mother had written, detailing the situation. In the letter, the unnamed woman alleged she was being held hostage and asked for someone to call police. School officials called the sheriff's office when they read the note, said East Feliciana Parish Sheriff Jeff Travis
A law enforcement team — along with the child — then tracked down the mother’s location. She was found off Folly Brown Road, in a rural area of the parish. When deputies went inside, a man identified as Donald Ray Guy (pictured above) was hiding in a closet, said officials.
Guy was arrested on site.
Guy has a history of violence and was previously facing domestic abuse and battery charges in East Feliciana Parish. He also had two additional warrants for missing court dates. Deputies in East Baton Rouge Parish placed a hold on Guy, who’s linked to a car theft there.
When investigators found the woman, they also recovered two ATV’s from the home — one of which was reported stolen.
Neither the woman nor the child were injured.
See more on this story at BET.COM
Alabama A&M Student Launches Campus Food Pantry So Classmates Won't Go Hungry
An incredibly thoughtful HBCU student is giving a few of his peers much to be thankful for as the holiday season approaches.
Alabama A&M student Justin Franks said he was troubled at the thought of his fellow classmates going hungry, so he decided to do something about it. "I noticed that there were some students that said they were going to bed hungry,” Franks told WHNT News. “So, I thought about it and said, 'What can I give back to my community?'"
With just $40 and a desire to help, Franks started a food pantry on campus where students could come to grab three items twice a week. When he posted about the pantry's launch on Facebook, the full-time student and campus employee said the response from those who wanted to help was overwhelming. "It got a lot of response,” he continued. “It got shared 600-700 times and so it got around the internet. I didn’t think it would get shared that much, but people really cared about our students and Alabama A&M University."
Read more at Essence
Alabama A&M student Justin Franks said he was troubled at the thought of his fellow classmates going hungry, so he decided to do something about it. "I noticed that there were some students that said they were going to bed hungry,” Franks told WHNT News. “So, I thought about it and said, 'What can I give back to my community?'"
With just $40 and a desire to help, Franks started a food pantry on campus where students could come to grab three items twice a week. When he posted about the pantry's launch on Facebook, the full-time student and campus employee said the response from those who wanted to help was overwhelming. "It got a lot of response,” he continued. “It got shared 600-700 times and so it got around the internet. I didn’t think it would get shared that much, but people really cared about our students and Alabama A&M University."
Read more at Essence
Ex-Boyz II Men Member Reveals He Has Multiple Sclerosis
For more than two decades, Michael McCary was a part of one of the most successful music acts of the ‘80s and ‘90s, until he and Boyz II Men parted ways in 2003. The split wasn’t amicable, and for years, people referenced an unnamed health condition at the root of the band’s breakup. Now, McCary is sharing what that health condition is: multiple sclerosis.
Appearing on an episode of “Iyanla: Fix My Life” alongside five other men, McCary opens up in a group session about the abandonment and betrayal he felt from his ex-bandmates in Boyz II Men. The conversation then turns to his health, as life coach Iyanla Vanzant encourages McCary to speak the truth he’s kept inside for so long.
“I have MS,” he says. “It sent me into a depression.”
McCary says he was in Boyz II Men when he first noticed strange symptoms appearing. “It was like little back spasms at first, and then they would get stronger and stronger. Each time it would get more harsh,” he says. “Once I was about 22, it started going to full-scale.”
With his health in jeopardy, McCary became extremely concerned by what doctors were telling him about his condition.
“They were saying that I have a nerve around the sciatica that was locked in place that could sever if I stepped wrong,” he says. “It’s a possibility that you could be paralyzed.”
Yet, McCary kept his condition a secret, which Iyanla believes made dealing with his abandonment issues all the more challenging. Iyanla says that by speaking the truth now, McCary can begin to heal the other part of himself that needs care. “His openness here today shows his willingness to fix his heart,” she says.
McCary’s healing (as well the healing of others) continues on Saturday’s “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” airing Nov. 5 at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.
See more on HuffPost
Appearing on an episode of “Iyanla: Fix My Life” alongside five other men, McCary opens up in a group session about the abandonment and betrayal he felt from his ex-bandmates in Boyz II Men. The conversation then turns to his health, as life coach Iyanla Vanzant encourages McCary to speak the truth he’s kept inside for so long.
“I have MS,” he says. “It sent me into a depression.”
McCary says he was in Boyz II Men when he first noticed strange symptoms appearing. “It was like little back spasms at first, and then they would get stronger and stronger. Each time it would get more harsh,” he says. “Once I was about 22, it started going to full-scale.”
With his health in jeopardy, McCary became extremely concerned by what doctors were telling him about his condition.
“They were saying that I have a nerve around the sciatica that was locked in place that could sever if I stepped wrong,” he says. “It’s a possibility that you could be paralyzed.”
Yet, McCary kept his condition a secret, which Iyanla believes made dealing with his abandonment issues all the more challenging. Iyanla says that by speaking the truth now, McCary can begin to heal the other part of himself that needs care. “His openness here today shows his willingness to fix his heart,” she says.
McCary’s healing (as well the healing of others) continues on Saturday’s “Iyanla: Fix My Life,” airing Nov. 5 at 9 p.m. ET on OWN.
See more on HuffPost
Erica Garner Blasts Clinton Campaign Over Leaked Emails About Father
he daughter of Eric Garner, a 43-year-old man who died after being placed in an illegal chokehold by an NYPD officer in 2014, ripped the Clinton presidential campaign after leaked emails revealed how the Democratic nominee’s staffers discussed the death of her father.
“I’m troubled by the revelation that you and this campaign actually discussed ‘using’ Eric Garner…Why would you want to ‘use my dad?'” Garner tweeted along with a link to emails released by WikiLeaks Thursday. “These people will co opt anything to push their agenda. Police violence is not the same as gun violence.”
Garner tweeted links to hacked emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta that were released this week by WikiLeaks. The links show internal communications among top staffers on how to best word an editorial piece on gun violence that was slated to run in the New York Daily News.
“I know we have Erica Garner issues but we don’t want to mention Eric at all? I can see her coming after us for leaving him out of the piece,” Nick Merrill, Clinton’s traveling press secretary wrote in a Mar. 17 email.
Maya Harris, another Clinton aide replied, “Eric Garner not included because not killed by gun violence.”
“I’m glad you had Maya on your team to explain why you won’t be USING my dad in you f—–g gun violence piece… Black woman saved your a–,” Garner added.
The editorial Clinton’s staffers discussed ran in the New York Daily News on Mar. 27. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign did not respond to the Daily News about Garner’s latest tweets.
Read more at EBONY
“I’m troubled by the revelation that you and this campaign actually discussed ‘using’ Eric Garner…Why would you want to ‘use my dad?'” Garner tweeted along with a link to emails released by WikiLeaks Thursday. “These people will co opt anything to push their agenda. Police violence is not the same as gun violence.”
Garner tweeted links to hacked emails from Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta that were released this week by WikiLeaks. The links show internal communications among top staffers on how to best word an editorial piece on gun violence that was slated to run in the New York Daily News.
“I know we have Erica Garner issues but we don’t want to mention Eric at all? I can see her coming after us for leaving him out of the piece,” Nick Merrill, Clinton’s traveling press secretary wrote in a Mar. 17 email.
Maya Harris, another Clinton aide replied, “Eric Garner not included because not killed by gun violence.”
“I’m glad you had Maya on your team to explain why you won’t be USING my dad in you f—–g gun violence piece… Black woman saved your a–,” Garner added.
The editorial Clinton’s staffers discussed ran in the New York Daily News on Mar. 27. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign did not respond to the Daily News about Garner’s latest tweets.
Read more at EBONY
Death toll in Cameroon train crash hits 79
Yaoundé (AFP) - The death toll in last week's train crash in Cameroon has climbed to 79 after rescuers finished combing through the wreckage, authorities said Monday.
On Sunday, 11 more bodies were pulled from the debris of the packed passenger train that derailed on Friday between Cameroon's two main cities, CRTV state radio reported.
More than 500 people were injured, the radio added, when the train travelling from the capital Yaounde to the economic hub of Douala, came off the rails near the central city of Eseka.
The train was crammed with people because a collapsed bridge made travelling the same route by road impossible. Extra carriages had been added to accommodate the additional passengers.
"Searches at the site of the accident wound up on Sunday," a Camrail railway official who asked not to be identified told AFP. On Saturday a Camrail official said the toll had hit at least 60.
Cameroon was observing a day of national mourning Monday, with flags flying at half mast and church services planned across the country.
President Paul Biya, who returned home Sunday after a month out of the country, said he had called for an inquiry into the accident.
On Sunday, 11 more bodies were pulled from the debris of the packed passenger train that derailed on Friday between Cameroon's two main cities, CRTV state radio reported.
More than 500 people were injured, the radio added, when the train travelling from the capital Yaounde to the economic hub of Douala, came off the rails near the central city of Eseka.
The train was crammed with people because a collapsed bridge made travelling the same route by road impossible. Extra carriages had been added to accommodate the additional passengers.
"Searches at the site of the accident wound up on Sunday," a Camrail railway official who asked not to be identified told AFP. On Saturday a Camrail official said the toll had hit at least 60.
Cameroon was observing a day of national mourning Monday, with flags flying at half mast and church services planned across the country.
President Paul Biya, who returned home Sunday after a month out of the country, said he had called for an inquiry into the accident.
This South Carolina Man Was Arrested After Calling TV Reporter Steve Crump A N****r
Charleston police have arrested a man after he used derogatory and racist language when speaking with veteran WBTV news reporter Steve Crump.
Crump and his cameraman were standing next to the station van and preparing to cover the impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew when Virginia native Brian Eybers — who was making a video of the area — began talking about Crump.
“He was doing commentary of the neighborhood,” Crump said to the Charlotte Observer. “Then he starts off saying, ‘There’s a black guy walking around here, no he’s a slave, no he’s the n-word.’”
WBTV cameraman Devin Futrelle then began recording a tense discussion between Eybers and Crump. When Crump and Futrelle tried to leave the area, Eybers physically blocked the news van and prevented them from leaving.
Crump and Futrelle then called the police, who arrived just moments later.
Police arrested Eybers for disorderly conduct, and when he was booked, officers allegedly found him in possession of a crack pipe.
Eybers spent 14 days in jail until he appeared in court last Friday. The 21-year-old was ordered to spend seven days on house arrest and mandated to enroll in a drug treatment program.
Read more at BET
Crump and his cameraman were standing next to the station van and preparing to cover the impending arrival of Hurricane Matthew when Virginia native Brian Eybers — who was making a video of the area — began talking about Crump.
“He was doing commentary of the neighborhood,” Crump said to the Charlotte Observer. “Then he starts off saying, ‘There’s a black guy walking around here, no he’s a slave, no he’s the n-word.’”
WBTV cameraman Devin Futrelle then began recording a tense discussion between Eybers and Crump. When Crump and Futrelle tried to leave the area, Eybers physically blocked the news van and prevented them from leaving.
Crump and Futrelle then called the police, who arrived just moments later.
Police arrested Eybers for disorderly conduct, and when he was booked, officers allegedly found him in possession of a crack pipe.
Eybers spent 14 days in jail until he appeared in court last Friday. The 21-year-old was ordered to spend seven days on house arrest and mandated to enroll in a drug treatment program.
Read more at BET
Smithsonian on Why Clarence Thomas is Not in New African American Museum: ‘We Cannot Tell Every Story’
(CNSNews.com) – The new Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture’s tagline is “powerful moments in African American history, culture, and community.” However, the museum – with a $540 million price tag funded 50 percent by U.S. taxpayers and with a collection of more than 36,000 artifacts and 100,000 people represented – doesn’t include many prominent blacks, including Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Edward Brooke, a Republican who became the first African American to be elected to the U.S. Senate by popular vote in 1966.
After touring the new museum and exploring the website, which contains information on all the exhibitions in it, CNSNews.com asked the Smithsonian why Thomas, Brooke and eight other prominent men and women are not included in the museum.
CNSNews.com asked: “Many prominent African Americans are not included in the museum, most notably Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas … Can [the institute say] why Thomas and the others listed below are not a part of the museum exhibits?”
Linda St. Thomas, chief spokesperson for the Smithsonian, replied:
“There are many compelling personal stories about African Americans who have become successful in various fields, and, obviously, Associate Justice Thomas is one of them,” St. Thomas said in an email. “However, we cannot tell every story in our inaugural exhibitions.
“We will continue to collect and interpret the breadth of the African American experience,” St. Thomas said.
Read more at CNSNEWS
After touring the new museum and exploring the website, which contains information on all the exhibitions in it, CNSNews.com asked the Smithsonian why Thomas, Brooke and eight other prominent men and women are not included in the museum.
CNSNews.com asked: “Many prominent African Americans are not included in the museum, most notably Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas … Can [the institute say] why Thomas and the others listed below are not a part of the museum exhibits?”
Linda St. Thomas, chief spokesperson for the Smithsonian, replied:
“There are many compelling personal stories about African Americans who have become successful in various fields, and, obviously, Associate Justice Thomas is one of them,” St. Thomas said in an email. “However, we cannot tell every story in our inaugural exhibitions.
“We will continue to collect and interpret the breadth of the African American experience,” St. Thomas said.
Read more at CNSNEWS
Derrick Rose cleared on all charges in civil rape trial
Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose arrives at court to face his accuser in an alleged gang-rape trial. (AP)
A Los Angeles jury ruled Wednesday that New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose and his two friends should not be held liable on any charges in a high-stakes, hotly contested civil trial in which the three men were accused of drugging Rose’s ex-girlfriend, breaking into her apartment and gang-raping her while she was unconscious in August of 2013.
The plaintiff in the case — a 30-year-old woman identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” who had a non-exclusive sexual relationship with Rose from late 2011 through July 2013 — had alleged that Rose and two friends, Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, placed a drug in her drink during a party at Rose’s Beverly Hills rental home. She claimed to have taken a cab home, that she needed the cab’s driver to walk her to her front door, that she remembered throwing up and passing out in her bedroom with her clothes on, and not much else about the early hours of Aug. 27, 2013 — besides Rose, Hampton and Allen being in her apartment, Rose having sex with her, and then Hampton and Allen later having sex with her while Rose watched.
Attorneys for Rose, Allen and Hampton had acknowledged that their clients had sex with Doe on the night in question, but called the sex consensual. The defendants testified that the accuser had urged them to go to her house after the party, that she’d let them into her apartment herself, and that they took turns having consensual sex with the woman in her room. Their attorneys claimed that the accuser was trying to “shake down a highly respected and successful athlete.”
Read more at Ball Dont Lie
A Los Angeles jury ruled Wednesday that New York Knicks point guard Derrick Rose and his two friends should not be held liable on any charges in a high-stakes, hotly contested civil trial in which the three men were accused of drugging Rose’s ex-girlfriend, breaking into her apartment and gang-raping her while she was unconscious in August of 2013.
The plaintiff in the case — a 30-year-old woman identified in court documents as “Jane Doe,” who had a non-exclusive sexual relationship with Rose from late 2011 through July 2013 — had alleged that Rose and two friends, Ryan Allen and Randall Hampton, placed a drug in her drink during a party at Rose’s Beverly Hills rental home. She claimed to have taken a cab home, that she needed the cab’s driver to walk her to her front door, that she remembered throwing up and passing out in her bedroom with her clothes on, and not much else about the early hours of Aug. 27, 2013 — besides Rose, Hampton and Allen being in her apartment, Rose having sex with her, and then Hampton and Allen later having sex with her while Rose watched.
Attorneys for Rose, Allen and Hampton had acknowledged that their clients had sex with Doe on the night in question, but called the sex consensual. The defendants testified that the accuser had urged them to go to her house after the party, that she’d let them into her apartment herself, and that they took turns having consensual sex with the woman in her room. Their attorneys claimed that the accuser was trying to “shake down a highly respected and successful athlete.”
Read more at Ball Dont Lie
Emmett Till Marker Defiled, Displaying a Lingering Racist Ugliness
Last year marked the 60th anniversary of Emmett Till’s brutal murder, and a marker sits at the site where his body was found, tortured to death. But the condition of the marker is almost as angering as the killing.
The 14-year-old Chicago native had been visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was killed because someone said he whistled at a white woman in the small town of Money.
Till’s body was recovered three days later. He was found with a cotton gin fan tied around his neck with barbed wire. His left eye and most of his teeth were also missing and his nose was crushed, along with a bullet hole to his right temple. JET ran the gruesome photos of Till”s body in its Sept. 15, 1955 issue.
The murderers were set free by an all-white jury and confessed to the crime in a 1956 interview with Look magazine. “I didn’t intend to kill the n****r when we went and got him – just whip him and chase him back up yonder,” one of the killers, J.W. Milam said when he and cohort Roy Bryant spoke out.
Read more at EBONY
The 14-year-old Chicago native had been visiting relatives in Mississippi when he was killed because someone said he whistled at a white woman in the small town of Money.
Till’s body was recovered three days later. He was found with a cotton gin fan tied around his neck with barbed wire. His left eye and most of his teeth were also missing and his nose was crushed, along with a bullet hole to his right temple. JET ran the gruesome photos of Till”s body in its Sept. 15, 1955 issue.
The murderers were set free by an all-white jury and confessed to the crime in a 1956 interview with Look magazine. “I didn’t intend to kill the n****r when we went and got him – just whip him and chase him back up yonder,” one of the killers, J.W. Milam said when he and cohort Roy Bryant spoke out.
Read more at EBONY
NAACP Tells Black Parents To Keep Their Kids In Crappy Schools
Despite public resistance by black leaders across the political spectrum against this impending decision, the NAACP Saturday released yet another resolution condemning school choice and calling for a nationwide ban on new charter schools.
“The NAACP opposes privatization of public schools and public subsidizing or funding of for-profit or charter schools,” the organization said in a statement. “Privatization of public schools” is survey-tested union talk attempting to manipulate people into disliking the idea of a more diverse ecosystem of publicly funded education through mechanisms such as vouchers, education savings accounts, and charter schools. These allow all families to have the same opportunities to attend schools of choice, as rich families do.
A coalition of 160 black leaders pointed this out in an attempt to get NAACP to back off this resolution when it was first proposed this year: “A blanket moratorium on charter schools would limit Black students’ access to some of the best schools in America and deny Black parents the opportunity to make decisions about what’s best for their children.”
Unlike many Americans, of course, and particularly unlike African-Americans because of their higher levels of poverty, wealthy families can afford to pay taxes for public school plus tuition to private school, or buy their way into high-performing public school districts. The NAACP insists it instead wants all Americans to pay the eye-popping property and other taxes the rich do to fund local schools of comparable extravagance, and therefore black kids should be held hostage in poorly performing public schools as leverage to push for this political arrangement.
All increases in spending equate to tax increases, either immediately or later if contracted through debt. So NAACP here is effectively demanding tax increases to increase education funding nationwide: “The NAACP has been in the forefront of the struggle for and a staunch advocate of free, high-quality, fully and equitably-funded public education for all children,” said Roslyn Brock, NAACP’s national board chairman. “We are dedicated to eliminating the severe racial inequities that continue to plague the education system.”
Read more at the Federalist
“The NAACP opposes privatization of public schools and public subsidizing or funding of for-profit or charter schools,” the organization said in a statement. “Privatization of public schools” is survey-tested union talk attempting to manipulate people into disliking the idea of a more diverse ecosystem of publicly funded education through mechanisms such as vouchers, education savings accounts, and charter schools. These allow all families to have the same opportunities to attend schools of choice, as rich families do.
A coalition of 160 black leaders pointed this out in an attempt to get NAACP to back off this resolution when it was first proposed this year: “A blanket moratorium on charter schools would limit Black students’ access to some of the best schools in America and deny Black parents the opportunity to make decisions about what’s best for their children.”
Unlike many Americans, of course, and particularly unlike African-Americans because of their higher levels of poverty, wealthy families can afford to pay taxes for public school plus tuition to private school, or buy their way into high-performing public school districts. The NAACP insists it instead wants all Americans to pay the eye-popping property and other taxes the rich do to fund local schools of comparable extravagance, and therefore black kids should be held hostage in poorly performing public schools as leverage to push for this political arrangement.
All increases in spending equate to tax increases, either immediately or later if contracted through debt. So NAACP here is effectively demanding tax increases to increase education funding nationwide: “The NAACP has been in the forefront of the struggle for and a staunch advocate of free, high-quality, fully and equitably-funded public education for all children,” said Roslyn Brock, NAACP’s national board chairman. “We are dedicated to eliminating the severe racial inequities that continue to plague the education system.”
Read more at the Federalist
Delta Airlines Offered Unapologetic Statement for Not Believing Tamika Cross Was a Doctor
Last week, we told you the infuriating story of Dr. Tamika Cross’s experience while on Delta Airlines. During her trip from Detroit to Chicago, a passenger on the flight needed emergency medical attention. When Cross explained that she was doctor, the flight attendants more or less made it clear that they did not believe her.
Afterward, when Cross posted her account on Facebook, the story attracted national attention. The negative attention forced Delta Airlines to release a statement.
If you are assuming that the statement offers an apology for offending Cross, then you're assumption is incorrect.
The statement read:
Delta continues to investigate a story surfaced by Dr. Tamika Cross in a recent post on Facebook.
We are troubled by any accusations of discrimination and take them very seriously. The experience Dr. Cross has described is not reflective of Delta’s culture or of the values our employees live out every day. We are in the process of conducting a full investigation. We’ve reached out to Dr. Cross to speak with her directly, talked with our crew members and we’re reaching out to customers who were on board to gather as much information as we can.
While there is much we can’t share because our investigation involves confidential personnel matters, we do want to share what we can.
Three medical professionals identified themselves on the flight in question. Only one was able to produce documentation of medical training and that is the doctor who was asked to assist the customer onboard. In addition, paramedics met the flight to assist the customer further.
Flight attendants are trained to collect information from medical volunteers offering to assist with an onboard medical emergency. When an individual’s medical identification isn’t available, they’re instructed to ask questions such as where medical training was received or whether an individual has a business card or other documentation and ultimately to use their best judgment.
Delta's commitment to diversity, inclusion and respect of all of our customers worldwide is rooted deeply in our company’s values and culture. As a global carrier with a diverse workforce, serving a diverse customer base, we are committed to treating all passengers with kindness and respect.
Read more at BET
Afterward, when Cross posted her account on Facebook, the story attracted national attention. The negative attention forced Delta Airlines to release a statement.
If you are assuming that the statement offers an apology for offending Cross, then you're assumption is incorrect.
The statement read:
Delta continues to investigate a story surfaced by Dr. Tamika Cross in a recent post on Facebook.
We are troubled by any accusations of discrimination and take them very seriously. The experience Dr. Cross has described is not reflective of Delta’s culture or of the values our employees live out every day. We are in the process of conducting a full investigation. We’ve reached out to Dr. Cross to speak with her directly, talked with our crew members and we’re reaching out to customers who were on board to gather as much information as we can.
While there is much we can’t share because our investigation involves confidential personnel matters, we do want to share what we can.
Three medical professionals identified themselves on the flight in question. Only one was able to produce documentation of medical training and that is the doctor who was asked to assist the customer onboard. In addition, paramedics met the flight to assist the customer further.
Flight attendants are trained to collect information from medical volunteers offering to assist with an onboard medical emergency. When an individual’s medical identification isn’t available, they’re instructed to ask questions such as where medical training was received or whether an individual has a business card or other documentation and ultimately to use their best judgment.
Delta's commitment to diversity, inclusion and respect of all of our customers worldwide is rooted deeply in our company’s values and culture. As a global carrier with a diverse workforce, serving a diverse customer base, we are committed to treating all passengers with kindness and respect.
Read more at BET
HS sprinter Trinity Gay, daughter of Olympian Tyson Gay, dies in shooting
Kentucky high school track star Trinity Gay, the daughter of Olympian Tyson Gay, died early Sunday morning after a shooting at a Lexington restaurant, according to media reports.
Trinity Gay, 15, a sprinter for Lafayette High who placed multiple times at the state meet, was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her neck. Lexington Police had responded to a call at the Cook Out restaurant, not far from the University of Kentucky campus, before 4 a.m.
According to the Fayette County coroner, Trinity was pronounced dead at 4:41 a.m.
Police say two cars exchanged fire and then drove away. Gay was not in either car, police said.
Police said they have two people who are persons of interest that they are questioning because their car matched a description of one of the vehicles involved.
Tyson Gay told WLEX on Sunday morning that he was on his way to Lexington from his home outside Orlando.
“She didn’t make it,” Tyson Gay said. “I’m so confused. She was just here last week for fall break. It’s so crazy. I have no idea what happened, ”
Her mother, Shoshana Boyd, told the New York Daily News that her daughter wanted to become a surgeon and hoped to follow in her father’s Olympic footsteps. Her goal was to become the fastest woman in the world.
“She was so innocent, she was so innocent,” her mother, Shoshana Boyd, told the New York Daily News. “I just want people to stop shooting and realize who they’re hurting. It’s just random. They don’t understand, they don’t understand who they’re hurting. I should never have to bury my child.”
Read more at USATODAYHSS
Trinity Gay, 15, a sprinter for Lafayette High who placed multiple times at the state meet, was taken to the hospital with a gunshot wound to her neck. Lexington Police had responded to a call at the Cook Out restaurant, not far from the University of Kentucky campus, before 4 a.m.
According to the Fayette County coroner, Trinity was pronounced dead at 4:41 a.m.
Police say two cars exchanged fire and then drove away. Gay was not in either car, police said.
Police said they have two people who are persons of interest that they are questioning because their car matched a description of one of the vehicles involved.
Tyson Gay told WLEX on Sunday morning that he was on his way to Lexington from his home outside Orlando.
“She didn’t make it,” Tyson Gay said. “I’m so confused. She was just here last week for fall break. It’s so crazy. I have no idea what happened, ”
Her mother, Shoshana Boyd, told the New York Daily News that her daughter wanted to become a surgeon and hoped to follow in her father’s Olympic footsteps. Her goal was to become the fastest woman in the world.
“She was so innocent, she was so innocent,” her mother, Shoshana Boyd, told the New York Daily News. “I just want people to stop shooting and realize who they’re hurting. It’s just random. They don’t understand, they don’t understand who they’re hurting. I should never have to bury my child.”
Read more at USATODAYHSS
Ferguson Officer Investigation Shows Just How Far The Police Force Has To Go
FERGUSON, Mo. ― Two years after a police shooting drew national attention to this St. Louis suburb, the Ferguson Police Department is struggling to fill open positions on the force. And an investigation into its latest recruit shows just how difficult that process can be.
In 2014, the year Officer Darren Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, the Ferguson Police Department had 54 sworn police officers. Now, it’s down to 39 ― six black men, two black women and 27 white men.
The city’s head police dispatcher resigned during a city council meeting in August, saying budgets and staffing constraints led to her decision. She also said the police department was so dangerously understaffed that someone could be hurt as a result. At that same meeting, newly appointed Police Chief Delrish Moss agreed that new hires were needed, but said he wanted to be sure he hired the right candidates.
But the latest police force hire, a white man who was sworn in during a city council meeting on Tuesday night along with a new police commander, city clerk and city attorney, is already drawing the ire of local activists Emily Davis and Keith Rose, who shared shared a series of tweets from an account bearing the officer’s name.
The tweets discussed a video that went viral in 2015 and showed a McKinney, Texas, police officer chasing teens at a pool party, wrestling a bikini-clad teenage girl to the ground, pointing a gun toward two boys and performing a barrel roll. The officer in the video, Eric Casebolt, resigned immediately after the incident, and White House officials called his actions “detrimental” to police-community relations.
The person who wrote the tweets apparently didn’t see it that way. “[P]olice tell you to comply, you comply!” said one. “[T]his is typical for people not to listen to police.”
The account also contained transphobic comments. One response to a post by Kim Kardashian urging people to follow Caitlyn Jenner on Twitter said, “your whole family is sickening and I can’t believe he won that award,” referring to Jenner’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYS last year. The tweet used the gender pronoun “he” to refer to Jenner, who now identifies as female.
The account, and a Facebook page under the same name, have both since been deleted.
Read more at HuffPost
In 2014, the year Officer Darren Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, the Ferguson Police Department had 54 sworn police officers. Now, it’s down to 39 ― six black men, two black women and 27 white men.
The city’s head police dispatcher resigned during a city council meeting in August, saying budgets and staffing constraints led to her decision. She also said the police department was so dangerously understaffed that someone could be hurt as a result. At that same meeting, newly appointed Police Chief Delrish Moss agreed that new hires were needed, but said he wanted to be sure he hired the right candidates.
But the latest police force hire, a white man who was sworn in during a city council meeting on Tuesday night along with a new police commander, city clerk and city attorney, is already drawing the ire of local activists Emily Davis and Keith Rose, who shared shared a series of tweets from an account bearing the officer’s name.
The tweets discussed a video that went viral in 2015 and showed a McKinney, Texas, police officer chasing teens at a pool party, wrestling a bikini-clad teenage girl to the ground, pointing a gun toward two boys and performing a barrel roll. The officer in the video, Eric Casebolt, resigned immediately after the incident, and White House officials called his actions “detrimental” to police-community relations.
The person who wrote the tweets apparently didn’t see it that way. “[P]olice tell you to comply, you comply!” said one. “[T]his is typical for people not to listen to police.”
The account also contained transphobic comments. One response to a post by Kim Kardashian urging people to follow Caitlyn Jenner on Twitter said, “your whole family is sickening and I can’t believe he won that award,” referring to Jenner’s Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYS last year. The tweet used the gender pronoun “he” to refer to Jenner, who now identifies as female.
The account, and a Facebook page under the same name, have both since been deleted.
Read more at HuffPost
Beyoncé and Jay Z Reportedly Adopting Another Baby
With just months to go until Blue Ivy’s fifth birthday, will the famous toddler finally get a little brother or sister? It’s looking like it — because her A-list parents, Beyonce and Jay Z, are reportedly making plans to adopt a second child!
“They always planned on having more than one child, and they don’t want a huge age gap between Blue Ivy and the baby,” an insider tells OK! magazine about Beyonce, 35, and Jay Z’s plans to expand their family. “Beyonce loved being pregnant, but it hasn’t happened again, and they know the clock is ticking.”
The mag claims that Bey and Jay have already contacted a private adoption agency to get the ball rolling, although they’re also still trying to get pregnant on their own. Their daughter, Blue, will turn five in January.
Obviously, it’s been a wild year for Beyonce and Jay Z when it comes to there relationship. Back in April, she released an entire album, Lemonade, about a man cheating, leading to major speculation about if/when/and with who Jay had been unfaithful. The two never confirmed any reports of an affair, and were even seen putting on a united front just days after the album dropped, but the scathing lyrics and angry music videos were pretty telling!
Read more at HollywoodLife
“They always planned on having more than one child, and they don’t want a huge age gap between Blue Ivy and the baby,” an insider tells OK! magazine about Beyonce, 35, and Jay Z’s plans to expand their family. “Beyonce loved being pregnant, but it hasn’t happened again, and they know the clock is ticking.”
The mag claims that Bey and Jay have already contacted a private adoption agency to get the ball rolling, although they’re also still trying to get pregnant on their own. Their daughter, Blue, will turn five in January.
Obviously, it’s been a wild year for Beyonce and Jay Z when it comes to there relationship. Back in April, she released an entire album, Lemonade, about a man cheating, leading to major speculation about if/when/and with who Jay had been unfaithful. The two never confirmed any reports of an affair, and were even seen putting on a united front just days after the album dropped, but the scathing lyrics and angry music videos were pretty telling!
Read more at HollywoodLife
Banker Doesn’t Believe Black Architect’s Check Is Real, Launches Probe to Verify Her Employment
A Black architect believes a Seattle banker discriminated against her after he thought she cashed a fake check.
Trish Doolin began working at Nelson Connections in September, according to her Facebook page. On Oct. 5, she described her encounter at KeyBank. There, she said a teller called her into his office to question the validity of her paycheck.
Doolin’s friend Sugar shared a screenshot of the Facebook post on Twitter Wednesday.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Doolin told BuzzFeed News she moved to Seattle recently. Since beginning at Nelson Connections, the company had not yet activated the direct deposit system. On Wednesday morning, she dropped by the bank to cash her paycheck and left.
Fifteen minutes later, the 37-year-old received a call from a bank teller BuzzFeed identified as Thor Loberg. A look on Loberg’s LinkedIn page reveals he is a personal banker at KeyBank in Totem Lake, Washington.
Loberg asked Doolin to return to the financial institution. He said there had been an issue with the check.
Upon Doolin’s arrival, she found that a white teller had looked up her firm’s website. After questioning the architect about her career and why Nelson Connections was headquartered in Philadelphia, Doolin said he wanted to know if human resources could confirm her employment with the company.
Then, the banker tried unsuccessfully to call Nelson Connections. In the process, Doolin remembered, he “kept saying it was for the bank’s safety.” However, he never asked for her identification.
Ultimately, the teller decided to place a nine-day hold on Doolin’s account since it had not been open for at least 30 days. He told her the action was to prove the monies were valid.
“When I realized that I was defending who I was, trying to prove to someone I didn’t know who I was, I knew I was being discriminated against,” Doolin told BuzzFeed. “It was just completely demeaning.”
Read more at Atlanta Black Star
Trish Doolin began working at Nelson Connections in September, according to her Facebook page. On Oct. 5, she described her encounter at KeyBank. There, she said a teller called her into his office to question the validity of her paycheck.
Doolin’s friend Sugar shared a screenshot of the Facebook post on Twitter Wednesday.
A native of Kansas City, Missouri, Doolin told BuzzFeed News she moved to Seattle recently. Since beginning at Nelson Connections, the company had not yet activated the direct deposit system. On Wednesday morning, she dropped by the bank to cash her paycheck and left.
Fifteen minutes later, the 37-year-old received a call from a bank teller BuzzFeed identified as Thor Loberg. A look on Loberg’s LinkedIn page reveals he is a personal banker at KeyBank in Totem Lake, Washington.
Loberg asked Doolin to return to the financial institution. He said there had been an issue with the check.
Upon Doolin’s arrival, she found that a white teller had looked up her firm’s website. After questioning the architect about her career and why Nelson Connections was headquartered in Philadelphia, Doolin said he wanted to know if human resources could confirm her employment with the company.
Then, the banker tried unsuccessfully to call Nelson Connections. In the process, Doolin remembered, he “kept saying it was for the bank’s safety.” However, he never asked for her identification.
Ultimately, the teller decided to place a nine-day hold on Doolin’s account since it had not been open for at least 30 days. He told her the action was to prove the monies were valid.
“When I realized that I was defending who I was, trying to prove to someone I didn’t know who I was, I knew I was being discriminated against,” Doolin told BuzzFeed. “It was just completely demeaning.”
Read more at Atlanta Black Star
'Martin' actor Tommy Ford dies at 52
ATLANTA — Thomas "Tommy" Ford, the actor who played Martin Lawrence's best friend Tommy Strawn on the hit '90s sitcom Martin, died Wednesday in Atlanta. He was 52.
The actor played the level-headed pal of Lawrence on Martin for the show's entire five-year run. One running joke was his not having a job, prompting the catchphrase: "You don't got no job, Tommy!"
"It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved son, father, brother, husband and friend Tommy Mykal Ford," the family said in a statement posted on his social media accounts. "On behalf of the family, we would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers."
TMZ and the photo agency Getty Images reported that Ford's family announced over the weekend that he was on life support after an aneurysm burst in his abdomen.
Ford had other TV parts, notably as Lieutenant Malcolm Barker on Fox's New York Undercover and Mel Parker on UPN's The Parkers, as well as playing the Pope of Comedy on TV One's Who's Got Jokes with Bill Bellamy.
Read more at USA Today
The actor played the level-headed pal of Lawrence on Martin for the show's entire five-year run. One running joke was his not having a job, prompting the catchphrase: "You don't got no job, Tommy!"
"It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely passing of our beloved son, father, brother, husband and friend Tommy Mykal Ford," the family said in a statement posted on his social media accounts. "On behalf of the family, we would like to thank everyone for their love, support and prayers."
TMZ and the photo agency Getty Images reported that Ford's family announced over the weekend that he was on life support after an aneurysm burst in his abdomen.
Ford had other TV parts, notably as Lieutenant Malcolm Barker on Fox's New York Undercover and Mel Parker on UPN's The Parkers, as well as playing the Pope of Comedy on TV One's Who's Got Jokes with Bill Bellamy.
Read more at USA Today
Houston 911 operator hung up on thousands of callers
A former Houston 911 operator is facing criminal charges for hanging up on callers because "she did not want to talk to anyone," according to Houston Police investigators.
Crenshanda Williams, 43, faces two misdemeanor charges of Interference with Emergency Telephone Call stemming from incidents in March.
According to charge documents filed with the Harris County Court, Williams worked for the Houston Emergency Center where managers determined that she was involved in thousands of "short calls" — emergency calls that last less than 20 seconds — between Oct. 2015 and March 2016.
In one case, Williams allegedly hung up on a man who called to report a robbery in progress March 12.
Hua Li told NBC affiliate KPRC that he had been buying lottery tickets at a convenience store when a gunman entered and tried to force his way through the door of a glassed-in security area behind the counter. As two clerks attempted to block the door, Li says he ran from the store and heard several gunshots. When he got to his car, he called 911 for help.
"They just said, 'This is 911. How can I help you?' I was trying to finish my sentence, and we got disconnected," Li said.
Police said that Williams was the 911 operator, and that she terminated the call within a few seconds.
Li called a second time and got a different operator. By the time police arrived, however, the store manager had been shot and killed.
Read more at NBC
Crenshanda Williams, 43, faces two misdemeanor charges of Interference with Emergency Telephone Call stemming from incidents in March.
According to charge documents filed with the Harris County Court, Williams worked for the Houston Emergency Center where managers determined that she was involved in thousands of "short calls" — emergency calls that last less than 20 seconds — between Oct. 2015 and March 2016.
In one case, Williams allegedly hung up on a man who called to report a robbery in progress March 12.
Hua Li told NBC affiliate KPRC that he had been buying lottery tickets at a convenience store when a gunman entered and tried to force his way through the door of a glassed-in security area behind the counter. As two clerks attempted to block the door, Li says he ran from the store and heard several gunshots. When he got to his car, he called 911 for help.
"They just said, 'This is 911. How can I help you?' I was trying to finish my sentence, and we got disconnected," Li said.
Police said that Williams was the 911 operator, and that she terminated the call within a few seconds.
Li called a second time and got a different operator. By the time police arrived, however, the store manager had been shot and killed.
Read more at NBC
Dr. Dre & Ice Cube Dismissed From Lawsuit Over Suge Knight's Fatal Hit-And-Run
Dr. Dre and Ice Cube have been cleared in the wrongful death lawsuit filed against them and Marion “Suge” Knight following the death of a man named Terry Carter.
The court ruled that Dre and Cube couldn’t be held responsible for Suge’s actions, as per TMZ. Knight is accused of running over and killing Carter in a pickup truck at Tam’s Burgers.
Dre, Cube, and Suge were originally named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed by Carter’s widow, Lilian Carter. She believed Dre and Cube hired gang members to work as security on their Straight Outta Compton set in order to deter Knight from interrupting production.
Knight is accused of running over Carter after being asked to leave the set by security. Meanwhile, the Death Row mogul claims he was scared for his life and was fleeing the scene after an altercation.
The original complaint read: “This lawsuit concerns the tragic tale of how reckless corporate greed, disguised as the quest for authenticity, [led] to a foreseeable altercation that resulted in the death of a successful businessman.”
While Cube and Dre have been cleared, Knight remains involved. He’s also awaiting a murder trial for the same fatal hit-and-run.
Dr. Dre might be in the clear with that lawsuit, but he could be back in the courtroom soon.
He’s reportedly threatening to sue Sony Pictures if they air “Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le.” The film is said to depict Dre as abusive towards his ex-girlfriend, Michel’le. It reportedly includes scenes where the famed producer-turned-mogul punches the singer in the face and pulls a gun on her, according to TMZ.
Read more at RapUp
The court ruled that Dre and Cube couldn’t be held responsible for Suge’s actions, as per TMZ. Knight is accused of running over and killing Carter in a pickup truck at Tam’s Burgers.
Dre, Cube, and Suge were originally named as defendants in the lawsuit, which was filed by Carter’s widow, Lilian Carter. She believed Dre and Cube hired gang members to work as security on their Straight Outta Compton set in order to deter Knight from interrupting production.
Knight is accused of running over Carter after being asked to leave the set by security. Meanwhile, the Death Row mogul claims he was scared for his life and was fleeing the scene after an altercation.
The original complaint read: “This lawsuit concerns the tragic tale of how reckless corporate greed, disguised as the quest for authenticity, [led] to a foreseeable altercation that resulted in the death of a successful businessman.”
While Cube and Dre have been cleared, Knight remains involved. He’s also awaiting a murder trial for the same fatal hit-and-run.
Dr. Dre might be in the clear with that lawsuit, but he could be back in the courtroom soon.
He’s reportedly threatening to sue Sony Pictures if they air “Surviving Compton: Dre, Suge & Michel’le.” The film is said to depict Dre as abusive towards his ex-girlfriend, Michel’le. It reportedly includes scenes where the famed producer-turned-mogul punches the singer in the face and pulls a gun on her, according to TMZ.
Read more at RapUp
Girl Scout cookie case has turned into $30M dispute
A Brooklyn girl is demanding $30 million in dough from the Girl Scouts — over a cookie conflict.
Kayla Cody was kicked out of her troop at PS 207 in Marine Park in 2014 after her mom questioned the use of money raised from peddling Thin Mints, Samoas and other treats.
Kayla sold more than 80 boxes of cookies. The cash was supposed to be used toward a party the girls had voted for, but instead the troop leader used it for a camping trip, the mother claimed.
“Every time I see anything that says Girl Scouts I start crying,” Kayla says in court papers. “I do not want to feel like this . . . How can Girl Scouts make a girl feel so bad?”
Kayla was 10 when her family filed two complaints last year with the state Division of Human Rights over her ouster, but they were dismissed, and troop leader Maggie Rene has repeatedly rejected the girl’s attempts to rejoin, the family claims in their Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuit against the Girl Scouts.
Kayla’s mom, Jacquelyne Cody, is acting as their lawyer in the suit.
Although kicked out of one meeting in 2013, Kayla was allowed to rejoin the troop, the family says. But when Cody tried to sign her up for the next year, she was rejected.
“Every time my mother asks to fill out an application . . . they tell my mother no,” Kayla says.
Read more at NY Post
Kayla Cody was kicked out of her troop at PS 207 in Marine Park in 2014 after her mom questioned the use of money raised from peddling Thin Mints, Samoas and other treats.
Kayla sold more than 80 boxes of cookies. The cash was supposed to be used toward a party the girls had voted for, but instead the troop leader used it for a camping trip, the mother claimed.
“Every time I see anything that says Girl Scouts I start crying,” Kayla says in court papers. “I do not want to feel like this . . . How can Girl Scouts make a girl feel so bad?”
Kayla was 10 when her family filed two complaints last year with the state Division of Human Rights over her ouster, but they were dismissed, and troop leader Maggie Rene has repeatedly rejected the girl’s attempts to rejoin, the family claims in their Brooklyn Supreme Court lawsuit against the Girl Scouts.
Kayla’s mom, Jacquelyne Cody, is acting as their lawyer in the suit.
Although kicked out of one meeting in 2013, Kayla was allowed to rejoin the troop, the family says. But when Cody tried to sign her up for the next year, she was rejected.
“Every time my mother asks to fill out an application . . . they tell my mother no,” Kayla says.
Read more at NY Post
Yahoo secretly scanned customer emails for U.S. intelligence - sources
Yahoo Inc last year secretly built a custom software program to search all of its customers' incoming emails for specific information provided by U.S. intelligence officials, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company complied with a classified U.S. government demand, scanning hundreds of millions of Yahoo Mail accounts at the behest of the National Security Agency or FBI, said three former employees and a fourth person apprised of the events.
Some surveillance experts said this represents the first case to surface of a U.S. Internet company agreeing to an intelligence agency's request by searching all arriving messages, as opposed to examining stored messages or scanning a small number of accounts in real time.
It is not known what information intelligence officials were looking for, only that they wanted Yahoo to search for a set of characters. That could mean a phrase in an email or an attachment, said the sources, who did not want to be identified.
Reuters was unable to determine what data Yahoo may have handed over, if any, and if intelligence officials had approached other email providers besides Yahoo with this kind of request.
According to two of the former employees, Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer's decision to obey the directive roiled some senior executives and led to the June 2015 departure of Chief Information Security Officer Alex Stamos, who now holds the top security job at Facebook Inc.
"Yahoo is a law abiding company, and complies with the laws of the United States," the company said in a brief statement in response to Reuters questions about the demand. Yahoo declined any further comment.
Through a Facebook spokesman, Stamos declined a request for an interview.
The NSA referred questions to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which declined to comment.
The request to search Yahoo Mail accounts came in the form of a classified edict sent to the company's legal team, according to the three people familiar with the matter.
U.S. phone and Internet companies are known to have handed over bulk customer data to intelligence agencies. But some former government officials and private surveillance experts said they had not previously seen either such a broad demand for real-time Web collection or one that required the creation of a new computer program.
"I've never seen that, a wiretap in real time on a 'selector,'" said Albert Gidari, a lawyer who represented phone and Internet companies on surveillance issues for 20 years before moving to Stanford University this year. A selector refers to a type of search term used to zero in on specific information.
"It would be really difficult for a provider to do that," he added.
Read more at Reuters
The company complied with a classified U.S. government demand, scanning hundreds of millions of Yahoo Mail accounts at the behest of the National Security Agency or FBI, said three former employees and a fourth person apprised of the events.
Some surveillance experts said this represents the first case to surface of a U.S. Internet company agreeing to an intelligence agency's request by searching all arriving messages, as opposed to examining stored messages or scanning a small number of accounts in real time.
It is not known what information intelligence officials were looking for, only that they wanted Yahoo to search for a set of characters. That could mean a phrase in an email or an attachment, said the sources, who did not want to be identified.
Reuters was unable to determine what data Yahoo may have handed over, if any, and if intelligence officials had approached other email providers besides Yahoo with this kind of request.
According to two of the former employees, Yahoo Chief Executive Marissa Mayer's decision to obey the directive roiled some senior executives and led to the June 2015 departure of Chief Information Security Officer Alex Stamos, who now holds the top security job at Facebook Inc.
"Yahoo is a law abiding company, and complies with the laws of the United States," the company said in a brief statement in response to Reuters questions about the demand. Yahoo declined any further comment.
Through a Facebook spokesman, Stamos declined a request for an interview.
The NSA referred questions to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, which declined to comment.
The request to search Yahoo Mail accounts came in the form of a classified edict sent to the company's legal team, according to the three people familiar with the matter.
U.S. phone and Internet companies are known to have handed over bulk customer data to intelligence agencies. But some former government officials and private surveillance experts said they had not previously seen either such a broad demand for real-time Web collection or one that required the creation of a new computer program.
"I've never seen that, a wiretap in real time on a 'selector,'" said Albert Gidari, a lawyer who represented phone and Internet companies on surveillance issues for 20 years before moving to Stanford University this year. A selector refers to a type of search term used to zero in on specific information.
"It would be really difficult for a provider to do that," he added.
Read more at Reuters
So…Where’s the ‘Pray for Haiti’ Facebook Filter?
Before I get into my main point, I must address how the Weather Channel has been covering Hurricane Matthew and its devastating effects on the country of Haiti.
There is this image of Hurricane Matthew over Haiti that has gone viral. Not because people actually give a damn about what happens to Haitian people, but because Weather Channel Senior Meteorologist Stu Ostro (who took the photo) decided it looked like a skull to him and that was the imagery he chose to present for the world to see.
Now, does it resemble a skull? Somewhat, but it could also resemble other things if that is what was put into people’s heads. It doesn’t help that they made the photo grey, red, and somewhat sinister looking as well. Personally, I wonder what his thoughts about Haiti were before he took that shot (insert sarcastic tone).
So naturally, ad nauseum, thousands of people have chimed in on social media supporting this biased stupidity. It NEVER fails, whenever tragedy or a natural disaster strikes Haiti, some simpleton insinuates that it is because of the “devil” or other satanic based logic, as if Haitian people have earned or deserve such atrocities. They do not, because if that were the case, the Vatican would have been gone by now based on the insurmountable number of abuse cases alone. No one says this about any other place in the world and I find it ignorant and tiring.
What I also find to be Jedi level ridiculous is the selection process used by Facebook to create profile filters to show care and solidarity for a particular country or cause. When it comes to Haiti or Haitian people, such an option is absent. There is still currently a genocide of Haitian people being “ethnically cleansed” in the Dominican Republic that is still not being talked about. Haitian people are currently being cut up with machetes and bludgeoned in the street in 2016.
Yet, where are the flag filters for that Facebook?
Read more at EBONY
There is this image of Hurricane Matthew over Haiti that has gone viral. Not because people actually give a damn about what happens to Haitian people, but because Weather Channel Senior Meteorologist Stu Ostro (who took the photo) decided it looked like a skull to him and that was the imagery he chose to present for the world to see.
Now, does it resemble a skull? Somewhat, but it could also resemble other things if that is what was put into people’s heads. It doesn’t help that they made the photo grey, red, and somewhat sinister looking as well. Personally, I wonder what his thoughts about Haiti were before he took that shot (insert sarcastic tone).
So naturally, ad nauseum, thousands of people have chimed in on social media supporting this biased stupidity. It NEVER fails, whenever tragedy or a natural disaster strikes Haiti, some simpleton insinuates that it is because of the “devil” or other satanic based logic, as if Haitian people have earned or deserve such atrocities. They do not, because if that were the case, the Vatican would have been gone by now based on the insurmountable number of abuse cases alone. No one says this about any other place in the world and I find it ignorant and tiring.
What I also find to be Jedi level ridiculous is the selection process used by Facebook to create profile filters to show care and solidarity for a particular country or cause. When it comes to Haiti or Haitian people, such an option is absent. There is still currently a genocide of Haitian people being “ethnically cleansed” in the Dominican Republic that is still not being talked about. Haitian people are currently being cut up with machetes and bludgeoned in the street in 2016.
Yet, where are the flag filters for that Facebook?
Read more at EBONY
Tupac's Comments About Donald Trump in 1992 Are Sadly Relevant Today
In this unaired MTV interview from 1992, Pac speaks on greed, race, Donald Trump, and America’s problems associated with wealth inequality. It’s almost scary to watch and realize how little has changed.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Read more at Yahoo.com
2 NC Officers Quit After Body Cams Capture Arrest
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Prosecutors say they plan no criminal charges against two North Carolina police officers who quit their jobs after footage taken of their arrest of a black man sitting on his mother's front porch captured public attention.
Guilford County's Chief Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said Monday prosecutors have decided the Greenboro police officers committed no crimes.
Greensboro's city council viewed police body camera footage depicting Dejuan Yourse's arrest by officers dispatched to investigate a possible break-in. The council then released the video to the public.
Yourse for several minutes answers Officer Travis Cole's questions with a respectful, "Yes, sir." But their interchange heats up, and eventually Cole wrestles Yourse to the floor of the porch, punches him and handcuffs him.
Guilford County's Chief Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said Monday prosecutors have decided the Greenboro police officers committed no crimes.
Greensboro's city council viewed police body camera footage depicting Dejuan Yourse's arrest by officers dispatched to investigate a possible break-in. The council then released the video to the public.
Yourse for several minutes answers Officer Travis Cole's questions with a respectful, "Yes, sir." But their interchange heats up, and eventually Cole wrestles Yourse to the floor of the porch, punches him and handcuffs him.
'Luke Cage' Is So Popular that It Crashed Netflix This Weekend
Marvel has another television sensation on its hands: Its latest Netflix series, "Luke Cage," debuted this weekend, and was apparently so popular that it temporarily crashed the streaming service.
According to Deadline, Netflix was down for several hours on Saturday afternoon, one day after the premiere of "Luke Cage." While Netflix declined to comment on whether or not the Marvel hero was responsible for the outage (it famously does not release viewing statistics), many fans speculated that "Cage" was the cause, and the show's official Twitter account -- as well those of fellow Marvel property "Jessica Jones," "Cage" showrunner Cheo Coker, and even Netflix itself -- had some fun with that notion while anxious viewers waited for service to be restored.
"Did y'all break NETFLIX?" Coker asked his followers.
"Not all heroes wear capes. Engineers to the rescue," the Netflix US account joked after the issue was fixed. "We're back."
Deadline reports that the outage seems to have most affected users in the United States and the United Kingdom. In most cases, service was restored by Saturday evening.
"Luke Cage" stars Mike Colter as the titular hero, and the rest of the cast includes Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Rosario Dawson, and Mahershala Ali. Check it out now while you still have a Netflix connection.
[via: Deadline]
According to Deadline, Netflix was down for several hours on Saturday afternoon, one day after the premiere of "Luke Cage." While Netflix declined to comment on whether or not the Marvel hero was responsible for the outage (it famously does not release viewing statistics), many fans speculated that "Cage" was the cause, and the show's official Twitter account -- as well those of fellow Marvel property "Jessica Jones," "Cage" showrunner Cheo Coker, and even Netflix itself -- had some fun with that notion while anxious viewers waited for service to be restored.
"Did y'all break NETFLIX?" Coker asked his followers.
"Not all heroes wear capes. Engineers to the rescue," the Netflix US account joked after the issue was fixed. "We're back."
Deadline reports that the outage seems to have most affected users in the United States and the United Kingdom. In most cases, service was restored by Saturday evening.
"Luke Cage" stars Mike Colter as the titular hero, and the rest of the cast includes Simone Missick, Theo Rossi, Alfre Woodard, Rosario Dawson, and Mahershala Ali. Check it out now while you still have a Netflix connection.
[via: Deadline]
NY man who filmed Eric Garner's death heading to jail
On July 17, 2014, Ramsey Orta took out his mobile phone and filmed a police officer in New York killing his friend, Eric Garner. But as soon as he stopped recording, Orta says his own life also took a dramatic turn for the worse.
Viewed millions of times, Orta's clip shows Daniel Pantaleo, a white officer, gripping his arms around Garner's neck in a chokehold.
Garner, a black American, was 43 years old at the time, and an asthmatic.
"I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe," Garner said, as he was being pinned to the ground and asphyxiated.
They were his last words.
Garner, a father of six, was selling loose cigarettes in Staten Island, New York, when officers tackled him. His case was ruled as a homicide, meaning that his death was caused by human beings, but Pantaleo was not indicted. In 2015, Garner's family reached a $5.9m settlement with the city of New York.
Orta's recording of the killing has been praised by many for bringing to light police brutality, and setting off what has been described as a citizen journalism trend exposing injustices.
But ever since releasing the footage of Garner’s killing, Orta, 25, says he has become the target of police retaliation.
Read more at Yahoo.com
Viewed millions of times, Orta's clip shows Daniel Pantaleo, a white officer, gripping his arms around Garner's neck in a chokehold.
Garner, a black American, was 43 years old at the time, and an asthmatic.
"I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I can't breathe," Garner said, as he was being pinned to the ground and asphyxiated.
They were his last words.
Garner, a father of six, was selling loose cigarettes in Staten Island, New York, when officers tackled him. His case was ruled as a homicide, meaning that his death was caused by human beings, but Pantaleo was not indicted. In 2015, Garner's family reached a $5.9m settlement with the city of New York.
Orta's recording of the killing has been praised by many for bringing to light police brutality, and setting off what has been described as a citizen journalism trend exposing injustices.
But ever since releasing the footage of Garner’s killing, Orta, 25, says he has become the target of police retaliation.
Read more at Yahoo.com
West York Mayor Under Fire for Posting Racist Obama Memes
Residents of a small Pennsylvania borough are urging the district’s mayor to quit after he posted a series of inflammatory and racist Facebook posts, including a meme that suggested that President Obama be lynched.
The image was posted by West York Mayor Charles Wasko. It showed Clint Eastwood from the film, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and a noose. The caption read, “Barry, this rope is for you. You wanna bring that empty chair over here!”
Wasko also reposted an image of orangutans in a wheelbarrow with the caption, “Moving day at the White House.”
After the images surfaced online, several member of the West York borough council called on Wasko to step down from his position.
“I would punch him in the mouth if I could get away with it,” Councilwoman Shelley Metzler told the York Daily Record. “This man needs to resign.”
Wasko was unapologetic for posting the memes and said he “will not be politically correct” and “say what is on my mind and what I believe in.”
Read more at EBONY
The image was posted by West York Mayor Charles Wasko. It showed Clint Eastwood from the film, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and a noose. The caption read, “Barry, this rope is for you. You wanna bring that empty chair over here!”
Wasko also reposted an image of orangutans in a wheelbarrow with the caption, “Moving day at the White House.”
After the images surfaced online, several member of the West York borough council called on Wasko to step down from his position.
“I would punch him in the mouth if I could get away with it,” Councilwoman Shelley Metzler told the York Daily Record. “This man needs to resign.”
Wasko was unapologetic for posting the memes and said he “will not be politically correct” and “say what is on my mind and what I believe in.”
Read more at EBONY
African Americans and the American Flag
In spite of the fact that America has not been good or fair to black people, African Americans have always remained loyal to this nation. African Americans have fought to show their love for America and to hopefully “earn” their way to full citizenship. Nothing, though, not even fighting against Nazism and Communism, or fighting for the freedom of other people in other lands, has ever been enough to erase the presence and the scourge of white supremacy and its child, racism. Black soldiers have served as valiantly as have white soldiers, only to come home and face more segregation and outright discrimination in jobs, housing and education.(http://www.pbs.org/wnet/african-americans-many-rivers-to-cross/history/what-was-black-americas-double-war/)
We have been “good enough” to fight for America, but not good enough to be allowed to be full participants in American society. Fighting notwithstanding, we have been denied full access to perks of free Americans, including being able to get loans for buying homes and starting businesses, having access to quality education and getting good jobs. This reality is what fueled the actions of the late Muhammed Ali years ago, when he refused to fight in the Viet Nam War, and it is what is fueling Colin Kaepernick and, slowly, other African American athletes in their refusal to stand during the signing of the National Anthem.
Too many white Americans seem unwilling to just admit that racism has left deep scars in everyone - black and white - and has traumatized the African-American populace for generations. The damage has been great and deep but in spite of that, African-Americans have continued to fight for full citizenship and dignity.
There are so many stories of African-American men coming home from fighting in America’s wars, only to be relegated, again, to second-class citizenship here. There are so many stories of African- American soldiers who were brutalized by white people upon returning home from war - even though they were still in uniform - with white governments doing nothing to the perpetrators.
There is too much unwillingness on the part of too many white people to ignore America’s history when it comes to race. How could anyone not feel some sort of angst upon learning the full history of the National Anthem, and the verse where it celebrated its put down of the efforts of slaves to earn their freedom?
Read more at Huffington Post
We have been “good enough” to fight for America, but not good enough to be allowed to be full participants in American society. Fighting notwithstanding, we have been denied full access to perks of free Americans, including being able to get loans for buying homes and starting businesses, having access to quality education and getting good jobs. This reality is what fueled the actions of the late Muhammed Ali years ago, when he refused to fight in the Viet Nam War, and it is what is fueling Colin Kaepernick and, slowly, other African American athletes in their refusal to stand during the signing of the National Anthem.
Too many white Americans seem unwilling to just admit that racism has left deep scars in everyone - black and white - and has traumatized the African-American populace for generations. The damage has been great and deep but in spite of that, African-Americans have continued to fight for full citizenship and dignity.
There are so many stories of African-American men coming home from fighting in America’s wars, only to be relegated, again, to second-class citizenship here. There are so many stories of African- American soldiers who were brutalized by white people upon returning home from war - even though they were still in uniform - with white governments doing nothing to the perpetrators.
There is too much unwillingness on the part of too many white people to ignore America’s history when it comes to race. How could anyone not feel some sort of angst upon learning the full history of the National Anthem, and the verse where it celebrated its put down of the efforts of slaves to earn their freedom?
Read more at Huffington Post
Student arrested after wearing gorilla mask to Black Lives Matter protest
An East Tennessee State University student was arrested Tuesday week after wearing a gorilla mask and carrying a rope during a Black Lives Matter protest on campus, according to local reports.
Tristan Rettke was charged with civil rights intimidation following the incident, according to a Johnson City Police Department report, WCYB-TV reported.
Earlier this week as students protested recent police shootings, Rettke walked amongst the crowd wearing a gorilla mask and offering protesters bananas attached to a rope, the East Tennessean, the university’s newspaper, reported.
Grant Madison, a junior at the university, told USA TODAY he was talking with a friend when Rettke walked up behind him.
“He passed by me and handed me a banana,” he said. “I snatched it out of his hand. I knew what he was trying to say, but I wasn’t going to try to retaliate against him.”
Martin, who livestreamed the incident on Facebook, said the young man stood there and taunted protesters for 15-20 minutes.
“As younger black folks … we don’t always see the same over displays of racism our parents may have experienced or our grandparents,” he said. “For me, it was the first time I’ve experienced something so blatantly disrespectful and racist.”
East Tennessee State University Public Safety officers eventually led Rettke, who was also carrying a burlap bag with a Confederate flag on it, away from the protesters, Martin said.
University President Brian Noland said he was “saddened” by the incident at a press conference Wednesday.
Read more at College USA Today
Tristan Rettke was charged with civil rights intimidation following the incident, according to a Johnson City Police Department report, WCYB-TV reported.
Earlier this week as students protested recent police shootings, Rettke walked amongst the crowd wearing a gorilla mask and offering protesters bananas attached to a rope, the East Tennessean, the university’s newspaper, reported.
Grant Madison, a junior at the university, told USA TODAY he was talking with a friend when Rettke walked up behind him.
“He passed by me and handed me a banana,” he said. “I snatched it out of his hand. I knew what he was trying to say, but I wasn’t going to try to retaliate against him.”
Martin, who livestreamed the incident on Facebook, said the young man stood there and taunted protesters for 15-20 minutes.
“As younger black folks … we don’t always see the same over displays of racism our parents may have experienced or our grandparents,” he said. “For me, it was the first time I’ve experienced something so blatantly disrespectful and racist.”
East Tennessee State University Public Safety officers eventually led Rettke, who was also carrying a burlap bag with a Confederate flag on it, away from the protesters, Martin said.
University President Brian Noland said he was “saddened” by the incident at a press conference Wednesday.
Read more at College USA Today
Police fatally shoot black man in San Diego suburb, sparking protests
Police in a city near San Diego responding to a report of a person acting erratically fatally shot a black man Tuesday after he pulled something from his pocket and took “a shooting stance,” authorities said.
The shooting came as tension is still lingering in Charlotte over a deadly police shooting there a week earlier, which sparked a renewed focus nationwide on how officers use deadly force.
The man fatally shot Tuesday in El Cajon, Calif., who has not been identified by police, initially “refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene and concealed his hand in his pants pocket,” Jeff Davis, the city’s chief of police, said during a news conference.
A second officer responded and prepared to use a Taser to stun the man, who was pacing while officers spoke to him, Davis said.
“At one point, the male rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly towards the officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance, putting the object in the officer’s face,” Davis said.
The officer with a Taser deployed that device to try and subdue the man, while “simultaneously, the officer who had the object pointed at him” fired his gun, hitting the same man, Davis said.
[The Washington Post’s police shootings database]
Police say the man was struck multiple times. He was given first aid at the shooting scene before being taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police say.
El Cajon is a city of about 103,000 residents, most of them white, located 15 miles east of San Diego. When police responded just after 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to the area behind a Los Ponchos Mexican restaurant in a strip mall, they were called about a man “not acting like himself,” the department said in a statement.
Police also released an image they said was a frame from a video being reviewed by investigators, which appears to show the man in a parking lot with his arms forward, hands clasped, while two officers face him with weapons drawn.
Read more at Washington Post
The shooting came as tension is still lingering in Charlotte over a deadly police shooting there a week earlier, which sparked a renewed focus nationwide on how officers use deadly force.
The man fatally shot Tuesday in El Cajon, Calif., who has not been identified by police, initially “refused multiple instructions by the first officer on the scene and concealed his hand in his pants pocket,” Jeff Davis, the city’s chief of police, said during a news conference.
A second officer responded and prepared to use a Taser to stun the man, who was pacing while officers spoke to him, Davis said.
“At one point, the male rapidly drew an object from his front pants pocket, placed both hands together on it and extended it rapidly towards the officer, taking what appeared to be a shooting stance, putting the object in the officer’s face,” Davis said.
The officer with a Taser deployed that device to try and subdue the man, while “simultaneously, the officer who had the object pointed at him” fired his gun, hitting the same man, Davis said.
[The Washington Post’s police shootings database]
Police say the man was struck multiple times. He was given first aid at the shooting scene before being taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police say.
El Cajon is a city of about 103,000 residents, most of them white, located 15 miles east of San Diego. When police responded just after 2 p.m. Tuesday afternoon to the area behind a Los Ponchos Mexican restaurant in a strip mall, they were called about a man “not acting like himself,” the department said in a statement.
Police also released an image they said was a frame from a video being reviewed by investigators, which appears to show the man in a parking lot with his arms forward, hands clasped, while two officers face him with weapons drawn.
Read more at Washington Post
Styling Her Way From Homelessness to Salon Success
It is ironic that travel plays such a significant role in hairstylist Evalyn “Evie” Johnson’s life.
The co-owner of the E&E Hair Studio in Mitchellville, Maryland has taught natural hair styling in Los Angeles and hair-loss prevention in Australia. She’ll be featured in New Zealand next month at the International Association of Trichologists’ Hairdressing Conference. She’s traversed the globe sharing hair care techniques she’s honed over 20 years as a stylist.
“I do a lot of speaking engagements, so I travel a lot,” said Johnson, 38, of Bowie, Maryland.
But the irony is that she and her family were once so poor that her parents, Julius and Elizabeth Peterson, couldn’t afford to send Johnson or her 11 siblings on field trips around Washington, D.C.
“We were homeless,” Johnson said. “We slept in cars sometimes. We ate syrup sandwiches and mayonnaise sandwiches. We lived where there was no power…I knew there was so much money out there, but we couldn’t get any of it. I didn’t understand.”
Johnson attributes the family’s poverty largely to her father’s heroin abuse, which led to his incarceration at D.C.’s prison in Lorton, Virginia. In his absence, the family lived on public assistance, she said.
When she reached adolescence, Evie rebelled. At 13, she became pregnant by her boyfriend, Antonio Reed, Jr., then 15, and they lived at the city’s homeless shelter at 14th and Park Street, NW.
Her mother dispatched her to Lorton to inform her father, the only time she visited him behind bars. Julius Peterson made her promise not to get pregnant again until marriage. In return, he promised to kick heroin.
When her son, Antonio III, was 2 months old, he became ill with Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of blood-vessel walls and spent seven months at D.C. General Hospital.
Each day, Johnson attended school, then took public transit to the medical facility, where she studied and nurtured her baby.
“It was important for me to do well for him,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want him to think that his mother wasn’t smart.”
The Washington Post highlighted Johnson in 1994 for graduating with a 4.0 GPA from then-Kelly Miller Junior High School. She was 15.
Read more at EBONY
The co-owner of the E&E Hair Studio in Mitchellville, Maryland has taught natural hair styling in Los Angeles and hair-loss prevention in Australia. She’ll be featured in New Zealand next month at the International Association of Trichologists’ Hairdressing Conference. She’s traversed the globe sharing hair care techniques she’s honed over 20 years as a stylist.
“I do a lot of speaking engagements, so I travel a lot,” said Johnson, 38, of Bowie, Maryland.
But the irony is that she and her family were once so poor that her parents, Julius and Elizabeth Peterson, couldn’t afford to send Johnson or her 11 siblings on field trips around Washington, D.C.
“We were homeless,” Johnson said. “We slept in cars sometimes. We ate syrup sandwiches and mayonnaise sandwiches. We lived where there was no power…I knew there was so much money out there, but we couldn’t get any of it. I didn’t understand.”
Johnson attributes the family’s poverty largely to her father’s heroin abuse, which led to his incarceration at D.C.’s prison in Lorton, Virginia. In his absence, the family lived on public assistance, she said.
When she reached adolescence, Evie rebelled. At 13, she became pregnant by her boyfriend, Antonio Reed, Jr., then 15, and they lived at the city’s homeless shelter at 14th and Park Street, NW.
Her mother dispatched her to Lorton to inform her father, the only time she visited him behind bars. Julius Peterson made her promise not to get pregnant again until marriage. In return, he promised to kick heroin.
When her son, Antonio III, was 2 months old, he became ill with Kawasaki disease, which causes inflammation of blood-vessel walls and spent seven months at D.C. General Hospital.
Each day, Johnson attended school, then took public transit to the medical facility, where she studied and nurtured her baby.
“It was important for me to do well for him,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want him to think that his mother wasn’t smart.”
The Washington Post highlighted Johnson in 1994 for graduating with a 4.0 GPA from then-Kelly Miller Junior High School. She was 15.
Read more at EBONY
Noel Carter case: Judge withholds felony conviction at sentencing
In a standing-room only courtroom packed with Noel Carter's family and community activists, the South Florida banker who was videotaped in a physical struggle with Orlando Police officers evaded a felony conviction on Monday after the judge withheld adjudication and sentenced him to four years of probation.
A jury in August found Carter, 32, guilty of a felony, battery on a law enforcement officer, and a misdemeanor, resisting an officer without violence, in connection with the June 4, 2015 encounter outside a club in downtown Orlando.
The jury deadlocked on a felony charge of resisting an officer with violence and acquitted Carter of a misdemeanor charge of battery. Orange-Osceola Circuit Judge Julie O'Kane on Monday also ordered Carter to serve a day in jail.
The sentencing hearing capped a case that raised questions about Orlando police officers' use of force after a cell phone video emerged showing an officer kicking Carter six times as he stooped over a curb. The officers also deployed stun guns, pepper spray and batons, according to testimony. Police and prosecutors accused Carter of instigating the violence and failing to adhere to lawful commands.
"In no way, most importantly, is this an indictment on law enforcement," Carter told media after the hearing. "Like I told the judge, I regret certain decisions I made that night, and I wish the events of that night had transpired differently. Fortunately enough, justice has prevailed."
Florida judges can withhold adjudication after juries return a guilty verdict. The discretion allows defendants to retain civil rights — such as voting, serving on a jury or running for office — and to avoid a felony record if probation is completed without violation.
O'Kane said she made her decision feeling confident that Carter, who has otherwise led a prosperous life, would not turn to crime again.
"What the case law and the statutes tell us is that probation is an appropriate sanction for people who made a mistake, and there's no indication they are going to commit a crime in the future," she said.
Assistant State Attorney Ryan Williams, who prosecuted the case, announced in court Monday that he would not pursue a retrial on the deadlocked charge, dropping it
Read more at Orlando Sentinel
A jury in August found Carter, 32, guilty of a felony, battery on a law enforcement officer, and a misdemeanor, resisting an officer without violence, in connection with the June 4, 2015 encounter outside a club in downtown Orlando.
The jury deadlocked on a felony charge of resisting an officer with violence and acquitted Carter of a misdemeanor charge of battery. Orange-Osceola Circuit Judge Julie O'Kane on Monday also ordered Carter to serve a day in jail.
The sentencing hearing capped a case that raised questions about Orlando police officers' use of force after a cell phone video emerged showing an officer kicking Carter six times as he stooped over a curb. The officers also deployed stun guns, pepper spray and batons, according to testimony. Police and prosecutors accused Carter of instigating the violence and failing to adhere to lawful commands.
"In no way, most importantly, is this an indictment on law enforcement," Carter told media after the hearing. "Like I told the judge, I regret certain decisions I made that night, and I wish the events of that night had transpired differently. Fortunately enough, justice has prevailed."
Florida judges can withhold adjudication after juries return a guilty verdict. The discretion allows defendants to retain civil rights — such as voting, serving on a jury or running for office — and to avoid a felony record if probation is completed without violation.
O'Kane said she made her decision feeling confident that Carter, who has otherwise led a prosperous life, would not turn to crime again.
"What the case law and the statutes tell us is that probation is an appropriate sanction for people who made a mistake, and there's no indication they are going to commit a crime in the future," she said.
Assistant State Attorney Ryan Williams, who prosecuted the case, announced in court Monday that he would not pursue a retrial on the deadlocked charge, dropping it
Read more at Orlando Sentinel
Al Sharpton’s daughter admits prancing around on hurt ankle she wants $5M for
The Rev. Al Sharpton’s daughter admitted in a damning legal deposition that she danced, pranced and jetted around to romance her beau after supposedly suffering permanent damage to her ankle when she stumbled in a city pothole.
Dominique Sharpton gave the deposition, a transcript of which was obtained by The Post, in her $5 million lawsuit against the city — and it reveals startling new details about her escapades following the injury.
She admitted that she changed into party clothes and attended a two-hour gospel concert in honor of her father’s 60th birthday just hours after the incident at Broome Street and Broadway on Oct. 2, 2014.
“I was walking to cross the street, and my foot went into something and caused me to fall,” Dominque Sharpton, 30, testified during her July deposition, according to documents obtained this week through a Freedom of Information request.
“I heard a snap,” recalled Sharpton, who said she was wearing flat boots at the time.
City lawyer Michelle Fox asked, “Were you able to attend the concert that night?”
Sharpton acknowledged that she changed into a dress and “some shoes . . . probably black, flat shoes” to go to the party, before finally heading to the emergency room.
She also griped during the three-hour grilling that she can no longer “dive off a diving board, go skiing . . . or go run marathons.”
But when Fox asked if she was “a runner before,” Sharpton admitted she wasn’t. “Not necessarily,” she said. “But if I, you know, if I needed to do it and exercising or something like that, I was capable of it. Now, I can’t.”
Read more at NY Post
Dominique Sharpton gave the deposition, a transcript of which was obtained by The Post, in her $5 million lawsuit against the city — and it reveals startling new details about her escapades following the injury.
She admitted that she changed into party clothes and attended a two-hour gospel concert in honor of her father’s 60th birthday just hours after the incident at Broome Street and Broadway on Oct. 2, 2014.
“I was walking to cross the street, and my foot went into something and caused me to fall,” Dominque Sharpton, 30, testified during her July deposition, according to documents obtained this week through a Freedom of Information request.
“I heard a snap,” recalled Sharpton, who said she was wearing flat boots at the time.
City lawyer Michelle Fox asked, “Were you able to attend the concert that night?”
Sharpton acknowledged that she changed into a dress and “some shoes . . . probably black, flat shoes” to go to the party, before finally heading to the emergency room.
She also griped during the three-hour grilling that she can no longer “dive off a diving board, go skiing . . . or go run marathons.”
But when Fox asked if she was “a runner before,” Sharpton admitted she wasn’t. “Not necessarily,” she said. “But if I, you know, if I needed to do it and exercising or something like that, I was capable of it. Now, I can’t.”
Read more at NY Post
Bill Nunn, best known as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee’s ‘Do the Right Thing,’ dies at 63
Actor Bill Nunn, a regular in friend Spike Lee’s films and best known as the towering, boombox-toting Radio Raheem in “Do The Right Thing,” died Saturday morning. He was 63.
The 6-foot-3 Nunn — who also appeared in Lee’s “School Daze,” “Mo’ Better Blues” and “He Got Game” — passed away in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Lee announced via Facebook. Both were Morehouse College alums, with Nunn graduating in 1976.
“Long Live Bill Nunn,” posted Lee. “Radio Raheem is now resting in power. Radio Raheem will always be fighting da powers dat be. May God watch over Bill Nunn.”
Across a career that spanned nearly three decades, the versatile Nunn appeared with Harrison Ford in “Regarding Henry,” Whoopi Goldberg in “Sister Act,” Al Pacino in “Lockdown” and Tobey Maguire in the “Spider-Man” trilogy.
He also memorably played Duh Duh Duh Man, the drug gang enforcer and personal bodyguard to Wesley Snipes’ Nino Brown character in the 1991 film “New Jack City.”
Nunn was featured in the 2004 Broadway revival of “Raisin In The Sun” with Sean Combs and Audra McDonald, and was cast in three television series — “Traps” with George C. Scott, a sitcom titled “Local Heroes” and “The Job” with Denis Leary.
The 6-foot-3 Nunn wore matched brass knuckles marked “LOVE” and “HATE” as Raheem, whose boombox blared Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” as he walked through Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The character dies from a police chokehold during a brawl outside the local pizzeria. The 1989 movie classic was his second collaboration with Lee after his major movie debut in “School Daze.”
Read more at NY Daily News
The 6-foot-3 Nunn — who also appeared in Lee’s “School Daze,” “Mo’ Better Blues” and “He Got Game” — passed away in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Lee announced via Facebook. Both were Morehouse College alums, with Nunn graduating in 1976.
“Long Live Bill Nunn,” posted Lee. “Radio Raheem is now resting in power. Radio Raheem will always be fighting da powers dat be. May God watch over Bill Nunn.”
Across a career that spanned nearly three decades, the versatile Nunn appeared with Harrison Ford in “Regarding Henry,” Whoopi Goldberg in “Sister Act,” Al Pacino in “Lockdown” and Tobey Maguire in the “Spider-Man” trilogy.
He also memorably played Duh Duh Duh Man, the drug gang enforcer and personal bodyguard to Wesley Snipes’ Nino Brown character in the 1991 film “New Jack City.”
Nunn was featured in the 2004 Broadway revival of “Raisin In The Sun” with Sean Combs and Audra McDonald, and was cast in three television series — “Traps” with George C. Scott, a sitcom titled “Local Heroes” and “The Job” with Denis Leary.
The 6-foot-3 Nunn wore matched brass knuckles marked “LOVE” and “HATE” as Raheem, whose boombox blared Public Enemy’s “Fight The Power” as he walked through Bedford-Stuyvesant.
The character dies from a police chokehold during a brawl outside the local pizzeria. The 1989 movie classic was his second collaboration with Lee after his major movie debut in “School Daze.”
Read more at NY Daily News
Tulsa police officer charged with manslaughter
(CNN)Tulsa, Oklahoma, police officer Betty Shelby has been charged with felony manslaughter in the first degree, Tulsa County District Attorney Steve Kunzweiler told reporters Thursday.
Shelby fatally shot 40-year-old Terence Crutcher after his SUV stopped in a roadway last week.
"We reviewed the facts of the allegations. It is our responsibility to determine if the filing of a criminal charge is justified under the law," Kurnzweiler said.
An arrest warrant was issued for Shelby and arrangements have been made for her surrender, he said. It was not clear when she would turn herself in.
The criminal complaint against Shelby said her "fear resulted in her unreasonable actions which led her to shooting" Crutcher. She is accused of "unlawfully and unnecessarily" shooting Crutcher after he did not comply with her "lawful orders."
Attorneys for Crutcher's family said they were "happy charges have been brought" against the officer and they will be seeking a "vigorous prosecution" of this case that results in a conviction.
The attorneys also expressed gratitude to the Tulsa Police Department.
"Today, we are thankful to TPD, we are thankful to (police) Chief (Chuck) Jordan for providing information to the District Attorney's office, and we are happy that charges were brought," attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons said during a news conference.
"This is a small victory," Crutcher's twin sister Tiffany told reporters.
"The chain breaks here. We're going to break the chains of police brutality," she added. "We know the history."
The possible penalty for conviction on first-degree manslaughter in Oklahoma is four years to life, according to Susan Witt, the public information officer for the district attorney's office.
Read more at CNN
Atlanta rapper Shawty Lo killed in fiery crash
(Atlanta Black Star) An Atlanta rapper was killed Wednesday in a fiery crash on I-285 in south Fulton County, according to his official Twitter account.
While the Fulton Medical Examiner’s office has not identified the victim in the crash, the rapper’s brother and a manager confirmed Carlos “Shawty Lo” Walker, known for the hit “Dey Know,” died in the accident on the I-285 southbound ramp to Cascade Road. Shawty Lo was also a member of the Atlanta rap group D4L, who scored a hit with “Laffy Taffy.”
After initially describing the crash as a hit-and-run, “it has been confirmed now that it was a single car accident,” Fulton police spokeswoman Cpl. Maureen Smith said.
The crash happened about 2:20 a.m. and temporarily blocked the ramp to Cascade Road.
While the Fulton Medical Examiner’s office has not identified the victim in the crash, the rapper’s brother and a manager confirmed Carlos “Shawty Lo” Walker, known for the hit “Dey Know,” died in the accident on the I-285 southbound ramp to Cascade Road. Shawty Lo was also a member of the Atlanta rap group D4L, who scored a hit with “Laffy Taffy.”
After initially describing the crash as a hit-and-run, “it has been confirmed now that it was a single car accident,” Fulton police spokeswoman Cpl. Maureen Smith said.
The crash happened about 2:20 a.m. and temporarily blocked the ramp to Cascade Road.
'Disturbing' Helicopter Footage Shows Tulsa Police Kill Unarmed Man
Video footage released Monday showed Tulsa police shooting an unarmed man to death on Friday night after he approached his SUV with his arms raised.
In footage filmed from a police helicopter, Terence Crutcher, 40, can be seen slowly walking from the edge of a street north of Tulsa toward his vehicle, which authorities said had been reported abandoned at 7:36 p.m. (8:36 p.m. ET) and left running in the middle of the road.
For several seconds, an officer follows Crutcher from behind with a gun trained on him. Three more officers then converge on the scene as Crutcher lowers his hands and approaches his SUV. While standing beside the driver's side door, he suddenly drops to the street. Moments later, blood can be seen saturating his white t-shirt.
The Tulsa Police Department also released dash-cam video of the incident.
During a news conference Monday, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said that Officer Tyler Turnbough tasered Crutcher, and a second officer, Betty Shelby, fired at him after telling a dispatcher "that she's not having cooperation from" Crutcher.
Citing an ongoing investigating, Jordan declined to provide additional details, though he said that no weapon was found on Crutcher or in his SUV. Jordan, who called the footage "disturbing," said that he asked the Justice Department to review the case.
Read more at NBC
In footage filmed from a police helicopter, Terence Crutcher, 40, can be seen slowly walking from the edge of a street north of Tulsa toward his vehicle, which authorities said had been reported abandoned at 7:36 p.m. (8:36 p.m. ET) and left running in the middle of the road.
For several seconds, an officer follows Crutcher from behind with a gun trained on him. Three more officers then converge on the scene as Crutcher lowers his hands and approaches his SUV. While standing beside the driver's side door, he suddenly drops to the street. Moments later, blood can be seen saturating his white t-shirt.
The Tulsa Police Department also released dash-cam video of the incident.
During a news conference Monday, Tulsa Police Chief Chuck Jordan said that Officer Tyler Turnbough tasered Crutcher, and a second officer, Betty Shelby, fired at him after telling a dispatcher "that she's not having cooperation from" Crutcher.
Citing an ongoing investigating, Jordan declined to provide additional details, though he said that no weapon was found on Crutcher or in his SUV. Jordan, who called the footage "disturbing," said that he asked the Justice Department to review the case.
Read more at NBC
Incomes are up but things are still grim for many African-Americans
The most troubling feature about economic headlines is that the story isn't in the big print.
Last week, for instance, economists celebrated a Census Bureau report hailing that median household income rose 5.2 percent from $53,718 in 2014 to $56,516 in 2015, a gain of $2,800. It was called the first real gain since 2007, and the largest gain on record back to 1967. Plus, the report concluded poverty fell sharply, middle-class incomes rose steeply, and more people had health coverage last year.
So what's there to whine about? Actually, a lot, starting with real median household income by race and Hispanic origin, a part of the census data that was barely reported. There are many places to start but for the sake of making this point let's look at African-American household incomes vs. white household incomes over time. The picture is grim.
For an African- American family in the mid-1970s, your household brought in just about $30,000. By 2015, the number was $36,898. So from the time Nixon was exiting office to the end of last year, the real dollar change was about $7,000.
Now compare that with a white household in the mid-1970s. That household brought in about $50,000 — a $20,000 gap between black/white income right then. So what did the picture look like at the end of 2015? White households had climbed to nearly $63,000, resulting in a $26,000 gap. That's not progress; that's falling back for many African-American households.
Read more at Dallas News
Last week, for instance, economists celebrated a Census Bureau report hailing that median household income rose 5.2 percent from $53,718 in 2014 to $56,516 in 2015, a gain of $2,800. It was called the first real gain since 2007, and the largest gain on record back to 1967. Plus, the report concluded poverty fell sharply, middle-class incomes rose steeply, and more people had health coverage last year.
So what's there to whine about? Actually, a lot, starting with real median household income by race and Hispanic origin, a part of the census data that was barely reported. There are many places to start but for the sake of making this point let's look at African-American household incomes vs. white household incomes over time. The picture is grim.
For an African- American family in the mid-1970s, your household brought in just about $30,000. By 2015, the number was $36,898. So from the time Nixon was exiting office to the end of last year, the real dollar change was about $7,000.
Now compare that with a white household in the mid-1970s. That household brought in about $50,000 — a $20,000 gap between black/white income right then. So what did the picture look like at the end of 2015? White households had climbed to nearly $63,000, resulting in a $26,000 gap. That's not progress; that's falling back for many African-American households.
Read more at Dallas News
Oakland schools creating program to support African American girls
Following on the success of its pioneering program to help African American boys succeed in school, the Oakland Unified School District is creating one for girls, officials announced Thursday afternoon.
The African American Girls and Young Women Achievement Program aims to give female students a place they can find support and encouragement to help them achieve academic success. It follows the highly regarded African American Male Achievement Program the district started in 2010.
That program was created to counteract the reality that in the previous decade the number of African American men killed on the streets of Oakland nearly matched the number of African Americans who graduated from its high schools ready to attend a state university.
Oakland Unified was the first school district in the nation to create a department with the sole focus of helping African American males while sponsoring a charter school specifically for black boys.
Since then, school districts across the nation have followed suit, and the effort has even attracted the attention of the Obama administration and its initiative to boost the academic performance of American American students. Indications show the district's program is increasing attendance and reducing suspensions.
Chris Chatmon, deputy chief of equity for the district, wants to offer similar support for girls.
“Ultimately, we want to create an extraordinary learning environment that helps girls of color meet the goals of graduating and being college ready or community ready,” he said. “We have work to do.”
The district has hired Nzingha Dugas, formerly director of UC- Berkeley’s African American Student Development Office, to head the program. She started work Wednesday and will spend the first 100 days interviewing girls and their families, teachers, principals and community members to decide what the school district needs to change, Chatmon said.
Read more at SFGATE
The African American Girls and Young Women Achievement Program aims to give female students a place they can find support and encouragement to help them achieve academic success. It follows the highly regarded African American Male Achievement Program the district started in 2010.
That program was created to counteract the reality that in the previous decade the number of African American men killed on the streets of Oakland nearly matched the number of African Americans who graduated from its high schools ready to attend a state university.
Oakland Unified was the first school district in the nation to create a department with the sole focus of helping African American males while sponsoring a charter school specifically for black boys.
Since then, school districts across the nation have followed suit, and the effort has even attracted the attention of the Obama administration and its initiative to boost the academic performance of American American students. Indications show the district's program is increasing attendance and reducing suspensions.
Chris Chatmon, deputy chief of equity for the district, wants to offer similar support for girls.
“Ultimately, we want to create an extraordinary learning environment that helps girls of color meet the goals of graduating and being college ready or community ready,” he said. “We have work to do.”
The district has hired Nzingha Dugas, formerly director of UC- Berkeley’s African American Student Development Office, to head the program. She started work Wednesday and will spend the first 100 days interviewing girls and their families, teachers, principals and community members to decide what the school district needs to change, Chatmon said.
Read more at SFGATE
U.S. passes bill with $100 million toward fixing Flint’s water crisis
After months of push from Michigan Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, both Democrats, the U.S. Senate has finally passed the Water Resources Development Act, which is good news for residents of Flint.
The bill for nationwide water-related projects includes a whopping $100 million to lead pipes and infrastructure in any area where a state of emergency has been declared because of lead levels in the water. As it stands, this only applies to Flint, MI, where the water pipes were riddled with lead and put the city in a state of emergency earlier this year. But high levels of lead in the water were detected over a year ago, with reports of high blood-lead levels found in children not long after. Many residents are still resorting to bottled and filtered water for their daily needs, as the need for cleaner water remains.
The Water Resources Development Act also includes a $300 million grant program through which communities can apply to receive funding for services including lead testing, corrosion control and education.
Read more at Blavity
The bill for nationwide water-related projects includes a whopping $100 million to lead pipes and infrastructure in any area where a state of emergency has been declared because of lead levels in the water. As it stands, this only applies to Flint, MI, where the water pipes were riddled with lead and put the city in a state of emergency earlier this year. But high levels of lead in the water were detected over a year ago, with reports of high blood-lead levels found in children not long after. Many residents are still resorting to bottled and filtered water for their daily needs, as the need for cleaner water remains.
The Water Resources Development Act also includes a $300 million grant program through which communities can apply to receive funding for services including lead testing, corrosion control and education.
Read more at Blavity
Is Tupac Just A ‘Glorified Gangsta’?
“It’s too bad your favorite artist is a glorified gangsta,” said a prima donna two-bit director of a small time play I was once casted in. (Okay, so maybe I’m still a bit sore about this). This is after asking everyone in the cast to go around and share which musical artist inspired you the most.
Notwithstanding the fact that this “director” had thoroughly failed in his attempt to create “trust” by taking us through traditional drama exercises (one of which was to share our favorite artists!), what I’m most angry about is not having a quick snarky come-back. And not defending Pac the way I should have.
What I should have said was, “Apparently you have no idea how the power of Pac’s words inspired this poor soul from a f$#@ed up situation. Maybe you should broaden your sad horizon beyond the ‘Top 10 Dance Songs’ and let a poet educate you.”
Or something clever like that (probably with some immature angry name-calling included). Instead, what I said was, “You don’t know nuthin’ ‘bout no Tupac...” or rather mumbled it as I was apt to do in my teens.
All this happened a few decades ago when Tupac was still alive and I was fresh from a whole lot of mess, raising my child as a single parent, and “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” was my “go to” song when things got rough.
Before I had ever heard blockbuster songs like “California Love” (1995), “I Get Around” (1993), and “How Do You Want It” (1996), I had already fallen in love with Tupac’s music. I had his solo debut album, 2Pacalypse Now on repeat... in particular, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” which came out in 1991.
A single mother raising my daughter on my own in a world that denied and ignored me, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” the 10th track of 2Pacalypse Now, was the first song that ever truly spoke to me. (Yes, in my entire life.)
Read more at HuffPost
Notwithstanding the fact that this “director” had thoroughly failed in his attempt to create “trust” by taking us through traditional drama exercises (one of which was to share our favorite artists!), what I’m most angry about is not having a quick snarky come-back. And not defending Pac the way I should have.
What I should have said was, “Apparently you have no idea how the power of Pac’s words inspired this poor soul from a f$#@ed up situation. Maybe you should broaden your sad horizon beyond the ‘Top 10 Dance Songs’ and let a poet educate you.”
Or something clever like that (probably with some immature angry name-calling included). Instead, what I said was, “You don’t know nuthin’ ‘bout no Tupac...” or rather mumbled it as I was apt to do in my teens.
All this happened a few decades ago when Tupac was still alive and I was fresh from a whole lot of mess, raising my child as a single parent, and “Brenda’s Got A Baby,” was my “go to” song when things got rough.
Before I had ever heard blockbuster songs like “California Love” (1995), “I Get Around” (1993), and “How Do You Want It” (1996), I had already fallen in love with Tupac’s music. I had his solo debut album, 2Pacalypse Now on repeat... in particular, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” which came out in 1991.
A single mother raising my daughter on my own in a world that denied and ignored me, “Brenda’s Got a Baby,” the 10th track of 2Pacalypse Now, was the first song that ever truly spoke to me. (Yes, in my entire life.)
Read more at HuffPost
Ridiculous: West Virginia Cop Fired for Not Shooting Black Man Holding Unloaded Gun
A former police officer in West Virginia believes he was terminated after he refused to shoot a Black man holding an unloaded gun.
On May 6, Stephen Mader responded to a domestic dispute. When the Weirton officer arrived on the scene, he found 23-year-old Ronald “RJ” Williams holding a gun. Immediately, Mader assessed the situation and deduced that the situation did not call for him to fire his weapon.
“I saw then he had a gun, but it was not pointed at me,” Mader told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I told him, ‘Put down the gun,’ and he’s like, ‘Just shoot me.’ And I told him, ‘I’m not going to shoot you, brother.’ Then he starts flicking his wrist to get me to react to it. I thought I was going to be able to talk to him and deescalate it. I knew it was a suicide-by-cop [situation].”
Because he could tell the man appeared to have some type of death wish, Mader wanted to do what he could to save the man’s life.
During the exchange between Mader and Williams, two additional Weirton officers arrived on the scene and Williams walked towards them, waving his gun. One of the officers then shot Williams in the back of the head, killing him on site.
After Williams’s death, officials learned that the gun he was waving was not loaded.
The West Virginia State Police opened a month-long investigation to determine whether or not the shooting of Williams was justified. At the end of the investigation, the WV State Police concluded the shooting was appropriate. However, Mader’s supervisors felt that he acted inappropriately when he refused to shoot someone who appeared to pose a life threat.
Eleven days after the shooting, Mader returned to work and had a meeting with Police Chief Rob Alexander. In the meeting, Chief Alexander told him: “We’re putting you on administrative leave and we’re going to do an investigation to see if you are going to be an officer here. You put two other officers in danger.”
Mader received a letter of termination one day before the State Police announced the shooting of Williams was justified.
Read more at BET
On May 6, Stephen Mader responded to a domestic dispute. When the Weirton officer arrived on the scene, he found 23-year-old Ronald “RJ” Williams holding a gun. Immediately, Mader assessed the situation and deduced that the situation did not call for him to fire his weapon.
“I saw then he had a gun, but it was not pointed at me,” Mader told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “I told him, ‘Put down the gun,’ and he’s like, ‘Just shoot me.’ And I told him, ‘I’m not going to shoot you, brother.’ Then he starts flicking his wrist to get me to react to it. I thought I was going to be able to talk to him and deescalate it. I knew it was a suicide-by-cop [situation].”
Because he could tell the man appeared to have some type of death wish, Mader wanted to do what he could to save the man’s life.
During the exchange between Mader and Williams, two additional Weirton officers arrived on the scene and Williams walked towards them, waving his gun. One of the officers then shot Williams in the back of the head, killing him on site.
After Williams’s death, officials learned that the gun he was waving was not loaded.
The West Virginia State Police opened a month-long investigation to determine whether or not the shooting of Williams was justified. At the end of the investigation, the WV State Police concluded the shooting was appropriate. However, Mader’s supervisors felt that he acted inappropriately when he refused to shoot someone who appeared to pose a life threat.
Eleven days after the shooting, Mader returned to work and had a meeting with Police Chief Rob Alexander. In the meeting, Chief Alexander told him: “We’re putting you on administrative leave and we’re going to do an investigation to see if you are going to be an officer here. You put two other officers in danger.”
Mader received a letter of termination one day before the State Police announced the shooting of Williams was justified.
Read more at BET
The Black Body Count Rises as Chicago Police Step Back
‘The streets are gone,” Dean Angelo, president of the Chicago police union, told me last month. The night before, Aug. 14, a Chicago police officer’s son had been killed in a shooting while sitting on his family’s porch, one of 92 people killed in Chicago during the worst month for homicides in the Windy City since July 1993. The August victims who survived included 10-year-old Tavon Tanner, shot while playing in front of his house (the bullet ripped through Tavon’s pancreas, intestines, kidney and spleen); an 8-year-old girl shot in the arm while crossing the street; and two 6-year-old girls.
On Sept. 6, a 71-year-old man was accosted by a teen on a bike while watering his lawn. The robber demanded the man’s wallet and when he refused shot him in the abdomen, then grabbed his wallet before pedaling away.
By Sept. 8, nearly 3,000 people had been shot in Chicago in 2016, an average of one shooting victim every two hours. Five hundred and sixteen people had been murdered. Gun homicides and non-fatal shootings were up 47% over the same period of 2015, which had seen a significant rise in crime over 2014.
On Sept. 6, a 71-year-old man was accosted by a teen on a bike while watering his lawn. The robber demanded the man’s wallet and when he refused shot him in the abdomen, then grabbed his wallet before pedaling away.
By Sept. 8, nearly 3,000 people had been shot in Chicago in 2016, an average of one shooting victim every two hours. Five hundred and sixteen people had been murdered. Gun homicides and non-fatal shootings were up 47% over the same period of 2015, which had seen a significant rise in crime over 2014.
Dolphins, Chiefs, Titans players kneel, raise fists during national anthem
The protest reverberations from Colin Kaepernick’s preseason decision to sit during the National Anthem continue to echo through the NFL. Several players chose to take stands in defense of social change during Week 1, and many of those stands were even more defiant than Kaepernick’s. Here’s a rundown of the major protests so far this week:
• Denver’s Brandon Marshall began the season with an act of protest, kneeling during the anthem prior to the Broncos’ opening game against Carolina. Marshall lost an endorsement because of his protest.
• The Chiefs’ Marcus Peters raised his right fist during the anthem, an apparent echo of the Black Power protests during the 1968 Olympics. The Chiefs as a team had joined arms on the sideline.
• Several Titans players also raised their fists during the anthem prior to Tennessee’s game against Minnesota.
• Multiple Dolphins players, including Arian Foster, knelt on the sideline before Miami’s game against Seattle. During the same game, the Seahawks locked arms in a unified protest.
• New England’s Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty raised fists at the end of the anthem prior to Sunday night’s game against the Cardinals.
Kaepernick’s 49ers aren’t scheduled to play until Monday night. Clearly, though, the movement he’s begun, with actions, words, and his own paycheck, is starting to flower across the entire NFL. Roger Goodell has expressed discontent with this form of protest; how the NFL and owners deal with this form of quiet insurrection will be a fascinating story over the next few weeks.
Read more at Yahoo.
• Denver’s Brandon Marshall began the season with an act of protest, kneeling during the anthem prior to the Broncos’ opening game against Carolina. Marshall lost an endorsement because of his protest.
• The Chiefs’ Marcus Peters raised his right fist during the anthem, an apparent echo of the Black Power protests during the 1968 Olympics. The Chiefs as a team had joined arms on the sideline.
• Several Titans players also raised their fists during the anthem prior to Tennessee’s game against Minnesota.
• Multiple Dolphins players, including Arian Foster, knelt on the sideline before Miami’s game against Seattle. During the same game, the Seahawks locked arms in a unified protest.
• New England’s Martellus Bennett and Devin McCourty raised fists at the end of the anthem prior to Sunday night’s game against the Cardinals.
Kaepernick’s 49ers aren’t scheduled to play until Monday night. Clearly, though, the movement he’s begun, with actions, words, and his own paycheck, is starting to flower across the entire NFL. Roger Goodell has expressed discontent with this form of protest; how the NFL and owners deal with this form of quiet insurrection will be a fascinating story over the next few weeks.
Read more at Yahoo.
Here Are the Charges This White Mom Faces for Slapping a Black Teen
Officials at Northumberland High School in Virginia are investigating a fight between two students that resulted in one of the students getting physically assaulted by the mother of his peer.
A video clip recorded the fight between John Thomas, who is a Black student at Northumberland, and his white teammate. In the clip, we see John and the unidentified student get into a verbal disagreement until the teammate throws John to the ground and begins to punch him.
At a certain point, the teammate’s mother, Heather Lynn Sebra, rushes into the fight. It appears at first that she will presumably break up the fight, until she slaps John across the face and yells, “You’re not gonna call my son a n****r, you understand me?”
He then told the mother that he did not and would not ever call her son that word.
After the fight, the video was posted online and John’s mother, Nicole Thomas, could not believe what she witnessed.
“How dare you?” Nicole Thomas said. “For this woman to restrain my son by holding him by the shirt and then sticking her finger in his face after slapping him.”
Nicole continued to speak as to how she feels this terrible incident should be handled.
"To abuse, berate, belittle, intimidate and physically attack someone is disgusting. I think it needs to be addressed and think people need to be punished for it and held accountable."
And Sebra was held accountable. She was charged with assault Wednesday and a protective order was served against her, said the Northumberland Sheriff`s Office. Sebra’s son was also charged for his involvement; however, officials have not specified the charges.
Read more at BET
A video clip recorded the fight between John Thomas, who is a Black student at Northumberland, and his white teammate. In the clip, we see John and the unidentified student get into a verbal disagreement until the teammate throws John to the ground and begins to punch him.
At a certain point, the teammate’s mother, Heather Lynn Sebra, rushes into the fight. It appears at first that she will presumably break up the fight, until she slaps John across the face and yells, “You’re not gonna call my son a n****r, you understand me?”
He then told the mother that he did not and would not ever call her son that word.
After the fight, the video was posted online and John’s mother, Nicole Thomas, could not believe what she witnessed.
“How dare you?” Nicole Thomas said. “For this woman to restrain my son by holding him by the shirt and then sticking her finger in his face after slapping him.”
Nicole continued to speak as to how she feels this terrible incident should be handled.
"To abuse, berate, belittle, intimidate and physically attack someone is disgusting. I think it needs to be addressed and think people need to be punished for it and held accountable."
And Sebra was held accountable. She was charged with assault Wednesday and a protective order was served against her, said the Northumberland Sheriff`s Office. Sebra’s son was also charged for his involvement; however, officials have not specified the charges.
Read more at BET
Charges dismissed against Bronx man who killed wife's would-be rapist
Charges have been dropped against a 61-year-old New York cab driver who beat to death his wife’s would-be rapist.
Mamadou Diallo walked from court a free man Wednesday after prosecutors threw out assault and weapon possession charges against him at the urging of the dead man’s family.
The Bronx man had originally been charged with manslaughter in the May killing of Earl Nash, 43, who police said forced his way into the couple’s home and attacked Nenegale Diallo. He ripped off her clothes and pulled his pants down, authorities said.
The woman’s sister, who had been in a back bedroom of the apartment of the apartment, came running and was able to stop the attack, police said.
The victim phoned her husband, who arrived in time to catch Nash as he was fleeing, according to prosecutors. As the men struggled, Diallo hit Nash in the head with a tire iron.
The man died shortly thereafter at a nearby hospital. An autopsy determined his death was caused by several factors including complications from his injuries, cocaine intoxication and heart disease.
“This case was a tragedy for all whose lives intersected in that Bronx building on the night of May 30, 2016,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “We waited for three months for the autopsy results, and after a thorough investigation as well as discussions with the deceased’s family, we have determined that no grand jury action is warranted,” WCBS-TV reported.
Applause briefly erupted in the courtroom after her statements.
Read: 92-Year-Old Husband Serenades Dying Wife With World War II Song
Nash’s relatives said he suffered from untreated bipolar disorder. The bottom had dropped out of his life, they said.
“As a family we pray that Mrs. Diallo and family may recover from the unfortunate trauma they’ve experienced. While we cannot [undo] the damage that was done that evening, we hope to bring some closure not only to our family but to the Diallo family as well,” Nash’s family said in a statement.
Read more at Yahoo
Mamadou Diallo walked from court a free man Wednesday after prosecutors threw out assault and weapon possession charges against him at the urging of the dead man’s family.
The Bronx man had originally been charged with manslaughter in the May killing of Earl Nash, 43, who police said forced his way into the couple’s home and attacked Nenegale Diallo. He ripped off her clothes and pulled his pants down, authorities said.
The woman’s sister, who had been in a back bedroom of the apartment of the apartment, came running and was able to stop the attack, police said.
The victim phoned her husband, who arrived in time to catch Nash as he was fleeing, according to prosecutors. As the men struggled, Diallo hit Nash in the head with a tire iron.
The man died shortly thereafter at a nearby hospital. An autopsy determined his death was caused by several factors including complications from his injuries, cocaine intoxication and heart disease.
“This case was a tragedy for all whose lives intersected in that Bronx building on the night of May 30, 2016,” said Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark. “We waited for three months for the autopsy results, and after a thorough investigation as well as discussions with the deceased’s family, we have determined that no grand jury action is warranted,” WCBS-TV reported.
Applause briefly erupted in the courtroom after her statements.
Read: 92-Year-Old Husband Serenades Dying Wife With World War II Song
Nash’s relatives said he suffered from untreated bipolar disorder. The bottom had dropped out of his life, they said.
“As a family we pray that Mrs. Diallo and family may recover from the unfortunate trauma they’ve experienced. While we cannot [undo] the damage that was done that evening, we hope to bring some closure not only to our family but to the Diallo family as well,” Nash’s family said in a statement.
Read more at Yahoo
Colin Kaepernick pledges to donate money from jersey sales
Quarterback Colin Kaepernick wants to give back all the money he makes from sales of his jersey.
Since staging a protest during a performance of the national anthem, Kaepernick's San Francisco 49ers jersey has been the top seller on the NFL Store's website.
His #7 jersey is listed for $99, which could mean a lot of money for the second-string quarterback.
According to the agreement between the NFLPA, the players' union, and the league, players gets two-thirds of the money made by selling jerseys. The other third goes to the union -- and some of that goes into a pool for all NFL players.
The NFLPA and the NFL did not immediately respond to CNNMoney's questions about whether they would donate any money they make from the sales.
It's not clear how much money the jersey has generated thus far. But the boost in sales, which is a sign of support for Kaepernick, is especially surprising given that he lost his starting position last season.
Kaepernick has received both public scorn and shows of support for his protest.
He announced his plan to donate the money via an Instagram post.
"I wasn't expecting my jersey sales to jump to number one because of [my protest], but it shows the people's belief that we can achieve justice and equality for ALL!" Kaepernick wrote. "The only way I can repay you for the support is to return the favor by donating all the proceeds I receive from my jersey sales back into the communities!"
Read more at CNN
Since staging a protest during a performance of the national anthem, Kaepernick's San Francisco 49ers jersey has been the top seller on the NFL Store's website.
His #7 jersey is listed for $99, which could mean a lot of money for the second-string quarterback.
According to the agreement between the NFLPA, the players' union, and the league, players gets two-thirds of the money made by selling jerseys. The other third goes to the union -- and some of that goes into a pool for all NFL players.
The NFLPA and the NFL did not immediately respond to CNNMoney's questions about whether they would donate any money they make from the sales.
It's not clear how much money the jersey has generated thus far. But the boost in sales, which is a sign of support for Kaepernick, is especially surprising given that he lost his starting position last season.
Kaepernick has received both public scorn and shows of support for his protest.
He announced his plan to donate the money via an Instagram post.
"I wasn't expecting my jersey sales to jump to number one because of [my protest], but it shows the people's belief that we can achieve justice and equality for ALL!" Kaepernick wrote. "The only way I can repay you for the support is to return the favor by donating all the proceeds I receive from my jersey sales back into the communities!"
Read more at CNN
Darren Seals, Ferguson Protest Leader, Found Fatally Shot in Burning Vehicle
A Missouri activist who led protests over the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson was found dead inside a burning vehicle, police said.
The St. Louis County Police Department said police are treating the death of Darren Seals as a homicide.
Seals, 29, described himself as a "fighter, leader" and "un-apologetically black" on his Twitter feed. He helped lead weeks-long protests over Brown's Aug. 9, 2014 killing by a white police officer in the St. Louis suburb.
Tributes poured out on social medias as news of his death spread.
"Heartbroken by the news of the death activist and Ferguson leader #DarrenSeals," local pastor Cassandra Gould wrote on Twitter.
Police did not suggest a possible motive or name any suspects in announcing Seals' death.
The force said in a statement that officers were called to a vehicle fire in the Riverside area of St. Louis just before 2 a.m. Tuesday. When the fire was extinguished, they found a man dead inside with a gunshot wound, the statement added.
Related: Ferguson Increases African-American Representation
It said "the incident is being investigated as a homicide" and later identified the dead man as Seals.
Read more at NBC News
The St. Louis County Police Department said police are treating the death of Darren Seals as a homicide.
Seals, 29, described himself as a "fighter, leader" and "un-apologetically black" on his Twitter feed. He helped lead weeks-long protests over Brown's Aug. 9, 2014 killing by a white police officer in the St. Louis suburb.
Tributes poured out on social medias as news of his death spread.
"Heartbroken by the news of the death activist and Ferguson leader #DarrenSeals," local pastor Cassandra Gould wrote on Twitter.
Police did not suggest a possible motive or name any suspects in announcing Seals' death.
The force said in a statement that officers were called to a vehicle fire in the Riverside area of St. Louis just before 2 a.m. Tuesday. When the fire was extinguished, they found a man dead inside with a gunshot wound, the statement added.
Related: Ferguson Increases African-American Representation
It said "the incident is being investigated as a homicide" and later identified the dead man as Seals.
Read more at NBC News
Bill Cosby Felony Trial Scheduled For June 2017
Bill Cosby’s recent pre-trial meeting has ended with a tentative date for his felony aggravated indecent assault case.
READ Bill Cosby Accuser Drops Defamation Lawsuit, Says She Achieved Her Goal
According to USA Today, Judge Steven O’Neill ruled for a June 5, 2017, trial. Cosby’s previous hearing focused on throwing out key evidence in Andrea Constand’s case to prove Cosby’s actions the day of her reported incident. In 2005, Constand claimed she was molested and drugged by Cosby in 2004 when she was a Temple University employee and mentee to the troubled comedian. Before the hearing, prosecutors filed to include 13 testimonies by women who claimed to have either been drugged or assaulted. A total of 50 accusations of sexual assault were heard.
District Attorney Kevin Steele says audio from Cosby’s deposition on the Constand case gives away key details about their encounter. There is also a reported transcript of a recorded conversation between Cosby and Constand’s mother. During the conversation, Cosby discusses sexual acts between himself and her daughter. Cosby’s new lawyer Brian McMonagle, has continued to argue the verbal promise of immunity that was given to Cosby by former District Attorney Bruce Castor after his settlement to Constand.
McMonagle was named Cosby’s new counsel after the departure of Monique Pressley. McMonagle also argued that Cosby’s deteriorating health could affect the trial. O’Neil included that Cosby is blind and can receive any extra accommodation during the trial. The court is expected to hear the defense’s arguments at a later date.
Read more at VIBE
READ Bill Cosby Accuser Drops Defamation Lawsuit, Says She Achieved Her Goal
According to USA Today, Judge Steven O’Neill ruled for a June 5, 2017, trial. Cosby’s previous hearing focused on throwing out key evidence in Andrea Constand’s case to prove Cosby’s actions the day of her reported incident. In 2005, Constand claimed she was molested and drugged by Cosby in 2004 when she was a Temple University employee and mentee to the troubled comedian. Before the hearing, prosecutors filed to include 13 testimonies by women who claimed to have either been drugged or assaulted. A total of 50 accusations of sexual assault were heard.
District Attorney Kevin Steele says audio from Cosby’s deposition on the Constand case gives away key details about their encounter. There is also a reported transcript of a recorded conversation between Cosby and Constand’s mother. During the conversation, Cosby discusses sexual acts between himself and her daughter. Cosby’s new lawyer Brian McMonagle, has continued to argue the verbal promise of immunity that was given to Cosby by former District Attorney Bruce Castor after his settlement to Constand.
McMonagle was named Cosby’s new counsel after the departure of Monique Pressley. McMonagle also argued that Cosby’s deteriorating health could affect the trial. O’Neil included that Cosby is blind and can receive any extra accommodation during the trial. The court is expected to hear the defense’s arguments at a later date.
Read more at VIBE
Study: Walmart stores in 'white' neighborhoods better
GREENSBORO, NC -- Are some Walmarts "better” than others?
We're talking good customer service. Clean stores. Stocked shelves. Short check-out times. According to a new study, yes.
Andy Reich, a Columbia University Assistant Professor of Sociology says his study has revealed not all Walmarts are created equal. To simplify his findings, he says, White and rich neighborhoods have better Walmarts than Black and poor neighborhoods.
“People used words like ‘unorganized’, ‘nasty’ and ‘worst’ to describe stores in communities of color much more than they used those words to describe Walmarts in Whiter communities,” Reich said in a Skype interview.
He says he analyzed 35,000 Yelp reviews across 28-hundred Walmart stores in the U.S. He then used those keywords and matched them with the reviewers' race and neighborhood they live in. The data was collected between 2004 and 2015.
So, does Reich’s finding resonate with Walmart shoppers in the North Carolina? WFMY did a quick survey of local Walmart shoppers to see if their responses matched up to the study.
“I would say it doesn't apply,” said one shopper names David.
Another shopper, Lakeitha said, “I can't really tell.”
On the other hand, shopper Ira said, “In the white neighborhoods, they are better. Because I shop at all of them. I'm sorry. I'm just being honest.”
Janina added, “I definitely, agree. Only because I feel Walmarts in White neighborhoods are more stocked, the supply is more bountiful, it's cleaner.”
Read more at First Coast News
We're talking good customer service. Clean stores. Stocked shelves. Short check-out times. According to a new study, yes.
Andy Reich, a Columbia University Assistant Professor of Sociology says his study has revealed not all Walmarts are created equal. To simplify his findings, he says, White and rich neighborhoods have better Walmarts than Black and poor neighborhoods.
“People used words like ‘unorganized’, ‘nasty’ and ‘worst’ to describe stores in communities of color much more than they used those words to describe Walmarts in Whiter communities,” Reich said in a Skype interview.
He says he analyzed 35,000 Yelp reviews across 28-hundred Walmart stores in the U.S. He then used those keywords and matched them with the reviewers' race and neighborhood they live in. The data was collected between 2004 and 2015.
So, does Reich’s finding resonate with Walmart shoppers in the North Carolina? WFMY did a quick survey of local Walmart shoppers to see if their responses matched up to the study.
“I would say it doesn't apply,” said one shopper names David.
Another shopper, Lakeitha said, “I can't really tell.”
On the other hand, shopper Ira said, “In the white neighborhoods, they are better. Because I shop at all of them. I'm sorry. I'm just being honest.”
Janina added, “I definitely, agree. Only because I feel Walmarts in White neighborhoods are more stocked, the supply is more bountiful, it's cleaner.”
Read more at First Coast News
New study explores why cost of dying higher for African Americans and Hispanics
Dying in America is an expensive process, with about one in four Medicare dollars going to care for people in their last year of life. But for African Americans and Hispanics, the cost of dying is far higher than it is for whites.
And despite years of searching for the reason, no one has quite figured out why.
A new study by a University of Michigan Medical School team tried to get to the bottom of this expensive mystery with the most detailed study to date. The team published their findings today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Unlike other kinds of health cost disparities, they didn't find that the difference could be explained by differences in patients' income, education, medical conditions or other individual factors such as use of hospice. The differences also persisted after they took into account general health spending patterns in a dying person's area.
The team also took into account specific factors related to the unique circumstances that are present at the end of life - the first time this has been done. These indicators of patients' own preferences still didn't explain the differences in cost.
As a result, the researchers conclude that something bigger, rooted in the healthcare system as a whole, must be going on. After all the other factors were figured in, the cost of that last six months of life was $7,100 more expensive to the Medicare system for blacks, and $6,100 more expensive for Hispanics, compared with whites.
"We need to look harder for the causes of disparities in end-of-life care costs, and look at factors on the provider level and health system level, including family dynamics that may come into play," says Elena Byhoff, M.D., M.Sc., who led the study while she was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at U-M and is now at Tufts Medical Center.
Byhoff and her colleagues, including U-M end-of-life care researchers Kenneth Langa, M.D., Ph.D. and Theodore Iwashyna, M.D., Ph.D., hope that their study will add to the broader conversation about how to encourage good patient-provider-family interactions in patients' final years, including the difficult but important questions about advance planning for end-of-life care. Whites were twice as likely as blacks and Hispanics to have an advance directive document in place in the study.
New Medicare coverage for doctor visits that include such discussions may help, Byhoff says. But providers must also act on patients' wishes as spelled out in advance directives, and families must understand and honor those wishes when the patient can no longer speak for him or herself.
Previous work by Langa and others has shown that end-of-life care costs tend to be lower for patients who have spelled out their wishes to limit treatment ahead of time.
Read more at News Medical
And despite years of searching for the reason, no one has quite figured out why.
A new study by a University of Michigan Medical School team tried to get to the bottom of this expensive mystery with the most detailed study to date. The team published their findings today in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Unlike other kinds of health cost disparities, they didn't find that the difference could be explained by differences in patients' income, education, medical conditions or other individual factors such as use of hospice. The differences also persisted after they took into account general health spending patterns in a dying person's area.
The team also took into account specific factors related to the unique circumstances that are present at the end of life - the first time this has been done. These indicators of patients' own preferences still didn't explain the differences in cost.
As a result, the researchers conclude that something bigger, rooted in the healthcare system as a whole, must be going on. After all the other factors were figured in, the cost of that last six months of life was $7,100 more expensive to the Medicare system for blacks, and $6,100 more expensive for Hispanics, compared with whites.
"We need to look harder for the causes of disparities in end-of-life care costs, and look at factors on the provider level and health system level, including family dynamics that may come into play," says Elena Byhoff, M.D., M.Sc., who led the study while she was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at U-M and is now at Tufts Medical Center.
Byhoff and her colleagues, including U-M end-of-life care researchers Kenneth Langa, M.D., Ph.D. and Theodore Iwashyna, M.D., Ph.D., hope that their study will add to the broader conversation about how to encourage good patient-provider-family interactions in patients' final years, including the difficult but important questions about advance planning for end-of-life care. Whites were twice as likely as blacks and Hispanics to have an advance directive document in place in the study.
New Medicare coverage for doctor visits that include such discussions may help, Byhoff says. But providers must also act on patients' wishes as spelled out in advance directives, and families must understand and honor those wishes when the patient can no longer speak for him or herself.
Previous work by Langa and others has shown that end-of-life care costs tend to be lower for patients who have spelled out their wishes to limit treatment ahead of time.
Read more at News Medical
Officer Who Killed Korryn Gaines Had Previous Shooting Incident
The Baltimore officer who fatally shot a woman after an hours-long standoff was also involved in a shooting in 2007.
In a statement Thursday, the department identified the officer only by his last name, Ruby. The officer has been with the department for 16 years. Police Chief Jim Johnson had previously declined to identify the officer who shot 23-year-old Korryn Gaines, citing threats against the department.
Gaines, who was African-American, was killed on Aug. 1 after pointing a shotgun at officers attempting to serve an arrest warrant in Randallstown, a suburb of Baltimore. Her 5-year-old son was with her at the time. He sustained an injury after being grazed by a bullet.
Gaines’ death led to protests affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Baltimore police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said that in 2007, Ruby was one of two officers who shot and killed 24-year-old Adam Benjamin Rothstein after he pointed what turned out to be a pellet gun at the officers. Armacost said officers received a call on Aug. 19 for a suicidal man who’d told the 911 dispatcher that he had guns, knives, pepper spray and a Taser.
Read more at JETMAG.com.
In a statement Thursday, the department identified the officer only by his last name, Ruby. The officer has been with the department for 16 years. Police Chief Jim Johnson had previously declined to identify the officer who shot 23-year-old Korryn Gaines, citing threats against the department.
Gaines, who was African-American, was killed on Aug. 1 after pointing a shotgun at officers attempting to serve an arrest warrant in Randallstown, a suburb of Baltimore. Her 5-year-old son was with her at the time. He sustained an injury after being grazed by a bullet.
Gaines’ death led to protests affiliated with the Black Lives Matter movement.
Baltimore police spokeswoman Elise Armacost said that in 2007, Ruby was one of two officers who shot and killed 24-year-old Adam Benjamin Rothstein after he pointed what turned out to be a pellet gun at the officers. Armacost said officers received a call on Aug. 19 for a suicidal man who’d told the 911 dispatcher that he had guns, knives, pepper spray and a Taser.
Read more at JETMAG.com.
Chris Brown accuser Baylee Curran wanted for theft, stripped of beauty pageant title
Baylee Curran, the woman who accused Chris Brown of pulling a gun on her, says she doesn't want any more trouble with Brown, or with anyone else.
Well, she's getting plenty of trouble as TMZ is digging up less than savory details about her own past.
The gossip website is reporting that Curran was stripped of her title as Miss California Regional 2016, in part because nude photos of her surfaced and she reportedly lied to pageant officials, saying the photos weren't of her.
TMZ also has reported that Curran is wanted in New York City for questioning, on suspicion of stealing a $1,000 Louis Vuitton purse from another woman at The Plaza hotel.
On Tuesday, Curran found herself on the way to becoming a tabloid star -- or even a future "Dancing With the Stars" contestant -- after she accused Brown of pulling a gun on her.
Her 911 call for help early Tuesday morning set off a bizarre, hourslong standoff between Brown and police, outside Brown's Los Angeles-area home, which ended with Brown's arrest on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
TMZ said Brown was tested for drugs in jail before he was released on $250,00 bail. His attorney Mark Geragos said that the allegations against Brown "are demonstrably false."
Read more at Mercury News.
Well, she's getting plenty of trouble as TMZ is digging up less than savory details about her own past.
The gossip website is reporting that Curran was stripped of her title as Miss California Regional 2016, in part because nude photos of her surfaced and she reportedly lied to pageant officials, saying the photos weren't of her.
TMZ also has reported that Curran is wanted in New York City for questioning, on suspicion of stealing a $1,000 Louis Vuitton purse from another woman at The Plaza hotel.
On Tuesday, Curran found herself on the way to becoming a tabloid star -- or even a future "Dancing With the Stars" contestant -- after she accused Brown of pulling a gun on her.
Her 911 call for help early Tuesday morning set off a bizarre, hourslong standoff between Brown and police, outside Brown's Los Angeles-area home, which ended with Brown's arrest on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon.
TMZ said Brown was tested for drugs in jail before he was released on $250,00 bail. His attorney Mark Geragos said that the allegations against Brown "are demonstrably false."
Read more at Mercury News.
FSU WR Travis Rudolph makes 'fans for life' by eating lunch with autistic child
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Between classes, football meetings and practice and interviews previewing No. 4 Florida State's game against No. 11 Ole Miss on Kickoff Week, a handful of Seminoles players found time to impact the lives of neighborhood children and parents.
On Tuesday afternoon, the mother of a child on the autism spectrum posted a Facebook picture of FSU junior receiver Travis Rudolph eating lunch with her son at Montford Middle School in Tallahassee. Leah Paske wrote that most days her "super sweet child" eats alone.
Rudolph said he saw Paske eating alone and asked if he could join him.
"I asked if I could sit next to him, and he said 'Sure, why not?'" Rudolph said Wednesday. "I just felt like we had a great conversation. He started off and was so open. He told me his name was Bo, and how much he loves Florida State, and he went from there."
Rudolph said Bo was a "really warm person," and Bo didn't initially recognize him as an FSU football player.
A cousin of former NFL player Devin Hester, Rudolph said he remembers the feeling when he'd come across college or NFL players as a child.
"I was just a kid not too long ago, and I remember what the impact was of guys that played in college and in the NFL coming back to us," Rudolph said. "So I feel like maybe I can change someone's life or I can make someone a better person or make someone want to be great or be like me, or even better."
Dalvin Cook, Deondre Francois, Derwin James and Jalen Wilkerson joined Rudolph at the middle school. Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said the school principal called afterward and said it was the best day she's had at the school.
Read more at ESPN
On Tuesday afternoon, the mother of a child on the autism spectrum posted a Facebook picture of FSU junior receiver Travis Rudolph eating lunch with her son at Montford Middle School in Tallahassee. Leah Paske wrote that most days her "super sweet child" eats alone.
Rudolph said he saw Paske eating alone and asked if he could join him.
"I asked if I could sit next to him, and he said 'Sure, why not?'" Rudolph said Wednesday. "I just felt like we had a great conversation. He started off and was so open. He told me his name was Bo, and how much he loves Florida State, and he went from there."
Rudolph said Bo was a "really warm person," and Bo didn't initially recognize him as an FSU football player.
A cousin of former NFL player Devin Hester, Rudolph said he remembers the feeling when he'd come across college or NFL players as a child.
"I was just a kid not too long ago, and I remember what the impact was of guys that played in college and in the NFL coming back to us," Rudolph said. "So I feel like maybe I can change someone's life or I can make someone a better person or make someone want to be great or be like me, or even better."
Dalvin Cook, Deondre Francois, Derwin James and Jalen Wilkerson joined Rudolph at the middle school. Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said the school principal called afterward and said it was the best day she's had at the school.
Read more at ESPN
RHYMEFEST TWEETED FOOTAGE OF HOW HE WAS TREATED BY POLICE AFTER BEING ROBBED & THIS HAPPENED
The rapper, whose legal name is Che Smith, was robbed at gunpoint while in his car. The robber placed a gun to his head and demanded his wallet. When Smith went to report the crime he recorded his interaction with officers. Needless to say, from the looks of the video and his tweet, it wasn’t a pleasant one.
In a surprising turn of events, Chicago Police Department spokesman, Anthony Guglielmo, tweeted the artist back.
Following the apology from the department spokesperson, came a phone call from the Police Chief of Patrol, Fred Waller. Waller apologized to Smith for the incident. The effects of Smith’s tweet didn’t stop there. Superintendent Eddie Johnson also informed Waller to address the officers in the district about the incident.
Read more at Blavity
In a surprising turn of events, Chicago Police Department spokesman, Anthony Guglielmo, tweeted the artist back.
Following the apology from the department spokesperson, came a phone call from the Police Chief of Patrol, Fred Waller. Waller apologized to Smith for the incident. The effects of Smith’s tweet didn’t stop there. Superintendent Eddie Johnson also informed Waller to address the officers in the district about the incident.
Read more at Blavity
Willow and Jaden Smith Reveal Their Famous Parents' Lifelong Impact
At just 15 and 18 years old respectively, Willow Smith and Jaden Smith speak as if they've already lived 100 years. While they still have many decades to explore, their famous parents have instilled some hearty lessons to guide them through a lifetime in the limelight.
"Growing up, all I saw was my parents trying to be the best people they could be, and people coming to them for wisdom, coming to them for guidance, and them not putting themselves on a pedestal, but literally being face-to-face with these people and saying, 'I'm no better than you, but the fact that you're coming to me to reach some sort of enlightenment or to shine a light on some-thing, that makes me feel love and gratitude for you,'" Willow explained to Pharrell Williams for the September issue of Interview.
"They always give back what people give to them. And sometimes they keep giving and giving and giving. And some people don't feel like they need to give anything back because it's like, 'Oh, if you're famous, you can just keep giving, and it doesn't matter.'"
As one of the most famous and longest blockbuster couples in the industry, it seems Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith managed to raise grounded and inspired teenagers in as superficial and daunting a world as Hollywood. Instead, their focus lies on empowering their generation amid new social challenges.
"It's not just about money. It's not just about giving people gifts or whatever. What my parents have given to me is not anything that has to do with money or success or anything that society says people should be focusing on—it's something spiritual that only certain people can grasp and accept. And that's how I act and move in the world today," Willow continued.
"I 100 percent agree," Jaden echoed. "My parents are definitely my biggest role models. And that's where me and Willow both pull all of our inspiration from to change the world. It all comes from a concept of affecting the world in a positive way and leaving it better than it was than when we came."
Read more at Eonline
"Growing up, all I saw was my parents trying to be the best people they could be, and people coming to them for wisdom, coming to them for guidance, and them not putting themselves on a pedestal, but literally being face-to-face with these people and saying, 'I'm no better than you, but the fact that you're coming to me to reach some sort of enlightenment or to shine a light on some-thing, that makes me feel love and gratitude for you,'" Willow explained to Pharrell Williams for the September issue of Interview.
"They always give back what people give to them. And sometimes they keep giving and giving and giving. And some people don't feel like they need to give anything back because it's like, 'Oh, if you're famous, you can just keep giving, and it doesn't matter.'"
As one of the most famous and longest blockbuster couples in the industry, it seems Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith managed to raise grounded and inspired teenagers in as superficial and daunting a world as Hollywood. Instead, their focus lies on empowering their generation amid new social challenges.
"It's not just about money. It's not just about giving people gifts or whatever. What my parents have given to me is not anything that has to do with money or success or anything that society says people should be focusing on—it's something spiritual that only certain people can grasp and accept. And that's how I act and move in the world today," Willow continued.
"I 100 percent agree," Jaden echoed. "My parents are definitely my biggest role models. And that's where me and Willow both pull all of our inspiration from to change the world. It all comes from a concept of affecting the world in a positive way and leaving it better than it was than when we came."
Read more at Eonline
Trump tweets: Fatal shooting of NBA star's cousin is reason African-Americans will vote for me
Recent analysis suggests Donald Trump doesn't write all his tweets.
On Saturday morning, however, his Twitter account was adorned with a musing that felt as if it came instantly from his exalted mind.
It read: "Dwayne Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!"
On Friday, Nykea Aldridge, cousin of the Chicago Bulls guard, was walking with a man and pushing a stroller, when they were approached by two men.
One allegedly opened fire and Aldridge was hit in the arm and the head. She died of her injuries.
Wade's tweet after the event presents a painful contrast to Trump's.
"My cousin was killed today in Chicago," he wrote. "Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough."
Read more at CNET
On Saturday morning, however, his Twitter account was adorned with a musing that felt as if it came instantly from his exalted mind.
It read: "Dwayne Wade's cousin was just shot and killed walking her baby in Chicago. Just what I have been saying. African-Americans will VOTE TRUMP!"
On Friday, Nykea Aldridge, cousin of the Chicago Bulls guard, was walking with a man and pushing a stroller, when they were approached by two men.
One allegedly opened fire and Aldridge was hit in the arm and the head. She died of her injuries.
Wade's tweet after the event presents a painful contrast to Trump's.
"My cousin was killed today in Chicago," he wrote. "Another act of senseless gun violence. 4 kids lost their mom for NO REASON. Unreal. #EnoughIsEnough."
Read more at CNET
NOT AGAIN: Rudy Giuliani Comes For Beyonce’s VMA Performance
(Global Grind) When it comes to speaking about Beyonce, Rudy Giuliani may be more obsessed with her than the Bey-hive.
The former mayor was not here for Bey’s performance at the 2016 VMAs, claiming that her Lemonade medley was politically charged and anti-police. On Monday, he appeared on Fox & Friends, dishing all of his disdain for Mrs. Carter, saying, “She walks the red carpet with the mothers of black men that were killed by police. Then this performance that you see here. Her dancers were circling around her and one by one, they fell to the ground, and there were red lights underneath them, and that was supposed to symbolize cops killing black individuals.”
He continued, “I have five uncles who were police officers, two cousins who were, one who died in the line of duty. I ran the largest and best police department in the world, the New York City Police Department, and I saved more black lives than any of those people you saw on stage by reducing crime and particularly homicide by 75 percent of which, maybe four or five thousand were African-American young people who are alive today because of the policies I put in effect that weren’t in effect for 35 years.”
This is not the first that Giuliani expressed his dislike for the Formation singer. He was one of the first public figures to speak out against her now infamous Super Bowl halftime performance—but that hasn’t stopped Bey from taking a stand against police brutality.
Source: Us Weekly |PHOTOCREDIT: Getty
The former mayor was not here for Bey’s performance at the 2016 VMAs, claiming that her Lemonade medley was politically charged and anti-police. On Monday, he appeared on Fox & Friends, dishing all of his disdain for Mrs. Carter, saying, “She walks the red carpet with the mothers of black men that were killed by police. Then this performance that you see here. Her dancers were circling around her and one by one, they fell to the ground, and there were red lights underneath them, and that was supposed to symbolize cops killing black individuals.”
He continued, “I have five uncles who were police officers, two cousins who were, one who died in the line of duty. I ran the largest and best police department in the world, the New York City Police Department, and I saved more black lives than any of those people you saw on stage by reducing crime and particularly homicide by 75 percent of which, maybe four or five thousand were African-American young people who are alive today because of the policies I put in effect that weren’t in effect for 35 years.”
This is not the first that Giuliani expressed his dislike for the Formation singer. He was one of the first public figures to speak out against her now infamous Super Bowl halftime performance—but that hasn’t stopped Bey from taking a stand against police brutality.
Source: Us Weekly |PHOTOCREDIT: Getty
Colin Kaepernick Is Righter Than You Know: The National Anthem Is a Celebration of Slavery
BEFORE A PRESEASON GAME on Friday, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” When he explained why, he only spoke about the present: “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. … There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.”
Twitter then went predictably nuts, with at least one 49ers fan burning Kaepernick’s jersey.
Almost no one seems to be aware that even if the U.S. were a perfect country today, it would be bizarre to expect African-American players to stand for “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Why? Because it literally celebrates the murder of African-Americans.
Few people know this because we only ever sing the first verse. But read the end of the third verse and you’ll see why “The Star-Spangled Banner” is not just a musical atrocity, it’s an intellectual and moral one, too:
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” Americans hazily remember, was written by Francis Scott Key about the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812. But we don’t ever talk about how the War of 1812 was a war of aggression that began with an attempt by the U.S. to grab Canada from the British Empire.
However, we’d wildly overestimated the strength of the U.S. military. By the time of the Battle of Fort McHenry in 1814, the British had counterattacked and overrun Washington, D.C., setting fire to the White House.
And one of the key tactics behind the British military’s success was its active recruitment of American slaves. As a detailed 2014 article in Harper’s explains, the orders given to the Royal Navy’s Admiral Sir George Cockburn read:
Let the landings you make be more for the protection of the desertion of the Black Population than with a view to any other advantage. … The great point to be attained is the cordial Support of the Black population. With them properly armed & backed with 20,000 British Troops, Mr. Madison will be hurled from his throne.
Whole families found their way to the ships of the British, who accepted everyone and pledged no one would be given back to their “owners.” Adult men were trained to create a regiment called the Colonial Marines, who participated in many of the most important battles, including the August 1814 raid on Washington.
Then on the night of September 13, 1814, the British bombarded Fort McHenry. Key, seeing the fort’s flag the next morning, was inspired to write the lyrics for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
So when Key penned “No refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,” he was taking great satisfaction in the death of slaves who’d freed themselves. His perspective may have been affected by the fact he owned several slaves himself.
Read more at the Intercept
Twitter then went predictably nuts, with at least one 49ers fan burning Kaepernick’s jersey.
Almost no one seems to be aware that even if the U.S. were a perfect country today, it would be bizarre to expect African-American players to stand for “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Why? Because it literally celebrates the murder of African-Americans.
Few people know this because we only ever sing the first verse. But read the end of the third verse and you’ll see why “The Star-Spangled Banner” is not just a musical atrocity, it’s an intellectual and moral one, too:
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
“The Star-Spangled Banner,” Americans hazily remember, was written by Francis Scott Key about the Battle of Fort McHenry in Baltimore during the War of 1812. But we don’t ever talk about how the War of 1812 was a war of aggression that began with an attempt by the U.S. to grab Canada from the British Empire.
However, we’d wildly overestimated the strength of the U.S. military. By the time of the Battle of Fort McHenry in 1814, the British had counterattacked and overrun Washington, D.C., setting fire to the White House.
And one of the key tactics behind the British military’s success was its active recruitment of American slaves. As a detailed 2014 article in Harper’s explains, the orders given to the Royal Navy’s Admiral Sir George Cockburn read:
Let the landings you make be more for the protection of the desertion of the Black Population than with a view to any other advantage. … The great point to be attained is the cordial Support of the Black population. With them properly armed & backed with 20,000 British Troops, Mr. Madison will be hurled from his throne.
Whole families found their way to the ships of the British, who accepted everyone and pledged no one would be given back to their “owners.” Adult men were trained to create a regiment called the Colonial Marines, who participated in many of the most important battles, including the August 1814 raid on Washington.
Then on the night of September 13, 1814, the British bombarded Fort McHenry. Key, seeing the fort’s flag the next morning, was inspired to write the lyrics for “The Star-Spangled Banner.”
So when Key penned “No refuge could save the hireling and slave / From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,” he was taking great satisfaction in the death of slaves who’d freed themselves. His perspective may have been affected by the fact he owned several slaves himself.
Read more at the Intercept
North Carolina Church Holds ‘Racist Anonymous’ Meetings
Churches hold all kinds of 12-step programs, but a North Carolina place of worship is taking the move one step further.
WCNC reports that Trinity United Church of Christ in Concord has been hosting “Racist Anonymous” meetings for about a month now.
Roughly one dozen people from all backgrounds have attended so far.
Rev. Nathan King, the church’s pastor, said he is sick of the racial unrest in the country and wanted to do more.
“It seemed like every week we were coming into worship and we were doing another prayer because someone had been killed in the street,” King said.
The program, led by a licensed therapist, follows the traditional 12-step model found in alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous programs. It encourages people to participate in conversations as much or as little as they choose.
While King is committed to pushing for change, he admits that race isn’t the most comfortable topic of discussion.
“It may not be the first thing you want to talk
Read more at EBONY
WCNC reports that Trinity United Church of Christ in Concord has been hosting “Racist Anonymous” meetings for about a month now.
Roughly one dozen people from all backgrounds have attended so far.
Rev. Nathan King, the church’s pastor, said he is sick of the racial unrest in the country and wanted to do more.
“It seemed like every week we were coming into worship and we were doing another prayer because someone had been killed in the street,” King said.
The program, led by a licensed therapist, follows the traditional 12-step model found in alcoholics anonymous and narcotics anonymous programs. It encourages people to participate in conversations as much or as little as they choose.
While King is committed to pushing for change, he admits that race isn’t the most comfortable topic of discussion.
“It may not be the first thing you want to talk
Read more at EBONY
‘Black-ish’ Actress Marsai Martin To Star In New Civil Rights Film
Adorable “Black-ish” actress Marsai Martin has landed the lead role in Amazon’s upcoming American Girl live-action special, “Melody, 1963: Love Has to Win, an American Girl Story.”
Martin, who plays Diane in “Black-ish,” will star as Melody Ellison, a 10-year-old girl who becomes aware of the racial inequality around her, according to Deadline. Set in 1963 Detroit, Melody’s faith in her country begins to waver as she learns of the Civil Rights movement and the four little girls killed in the Birmingham, Alabama, church bombing. After some self-reflection, Martin’s character leans on her mom, who reminds her to always “stand up for what’s right, even when it’s hard or scary.”
Based on the original “American Girl” series by Denise Lewis Patrick, this adaptation is written by Alison McDonald, who also wrote an episode of the “Roots” revival. Common, Christopher Keenan and Melinda McCrocklin are also executive producers, in addition to McDonald. The film will also star Frances Fisher, Frankie Faison and Idara Victor.
The film is based on American Girl’s new Melody Ellison doll, which is part of it’s “BeForever” collection, that launched on Thursday.
The only other doll in this collection is Addy Walker, a little girl who escaped slavery with her mother. Melody ― who is a believer in civil rights and is a choir leader ― “lifts her voice for equality and helps bring this significant time in America’s history to life for girls today,” a representative from American Girl told The Huffington Post.
Read more at Huff Post
Martin, who plays Diane in “Black-ish,” will star as Melody Ellison, a 10-year-old girl who becomes aware of the racial inequality around her, according to Deadline. Set in 1963 Detroit, Melody’s faith in her country begins to waver as she learns of the Civil Rights movement and the four little girls killed in the Birmingham, Alabama, church bombing. After some self-reflection, Martin’s character leans on her mom, who reminds her to always “stand up for what’s right, even when it’s hard or scary.”
Based on the original “American Girl” series by Denise Lewis Patrick, this adaptation is written by Alison McDonald, who also wrote an episode of the “Roots” revival. Common, Christopher Keenan and Melinda McCrocklin are also executive producers, in addition to McDonald. The film will also star Frances Fisher, Frankie Faison and Idara Victor.
The film is based on American Girl’s new Melody Ellison doll, which is part of it’s “BeForever” collection, that launched on Thursday.
The only other doll in this collection is Addy Walker, a little girl who escaped slavery with her mother. Melody ― who is a believer in civil rights and is a choir leader ― “lifts her voice for equality and helps bring this significant time in America’s history to life for girls today,” a representative from American Girl told The Huffington Post.
Read more at Huff Post
Homeland Security Investigates Hacking of 'Ghostbusters' Star Leslie Jones' Website
The hacking of "Ghostbusters" star Leslie Jones' website, JustLeslie.com, is now a federal case.
Rachael Yong Yow, public affairs officer for the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told ABC News today that the Department of Homeland Security is investigating the cyber crime that saw Jones' private pictures, including nude photos and other material swiped from her iCloud account, posted on her personal website, which was taken down after the hack on Wednesday.
"The investigation is currently ongoing," Yow said in an email, adding, "In order to protect the integrity of the case, no further details are available at this time."
After the news of the hack broke on Wednesday, fellow artists and colleagues expressed support for Jones.
Musician Questlove tweeted, "these acts against leslie jones....are sickening. its racist & sexist. it's disgusting. this is hate crimes. this aint 'kids joshing round'"
Paul Feig, her director in "Ghostbusters," said, "What's happening to @Lesdoggg is an absolute outrage. Alt right, haters, trolls, 'comedians,' whoever the f--- you all are, you're just sad."
This isn't the first time Jones has been an online target. She left Twitter last month after experiencing racist attacks, calling the abuse on social media "a personal hell."
"I didn't do anything to deserve this," she tweeted before taking a hiatus.
Twitter responded in kind, permanently suspending conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, who allegedly inspired some of the abuse.
Read more at Yahoo
Rachael Yong Yow, public affairs officer for the New York Field Office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told ABC News today that the Department of Homeland Security is investigating the cyber crime that saw Jones' private pictures, including nude photos and other material swiped from her iCloud account, posted on her personal website, which was taken down after the hack on Wednesday.
"The investigation is currently ongoing," Yow said in an email, adding, "In order to protect the integrity of the case, no further details are available at this time."
After the news of the hack broke on Wednesday, fellow artists and colleagues expressed support for Jones.
Musician Questlove tweeted, "these acts against leslie jones....are sickening. its racist & sexist. it's disgusting. this is hate crimes. this aint 'kids joshing round'"
Paul Feig, her director in "Ghostbusters," said, "What's happening to @Lesdoggg is an absolute outrage. Alt right, haters, trolls, 'comedians,' whoever the f--- you all are, you're just sad."
This isn't the first time Jones has been an online target. She left Twitter last month after experiencing racist attacks, calling the abuse on social media "a personal hell."
"I didn't do anything to deserve this," she tweeted before taking a hiatus.
Twitter responded in kind, permanently suspending conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos, who allegedly inspired some of the abuse.
Read more at Yahoo
Michelle Obama Considers Herself an Average Woman
Michelle Obama covers the August 23, 2016, issue of Variety. The story, “Leading Lady,” explores how she has influenced pop culture during her seven-and-a-half years in the White House. Here, some key quotes from the interview.
On empowering citizens:
“It’s not who’s in the White House. It’s not who is the first lady. You can give a lift, but once you give people that information, and help them understand that they have the power to make the change, then change actually happens.”
On being unafraid:
“What I have never been afraid of is to be a little silly, and you can engage people that way. My view is, first you get them to laugh, then you get them to
On how pop culture influences her work:
“I view myself as being the average woman. While I am first lady, I wasn’t first lady my whole life. I’m a product of pop culture. I’m a consumer of pop culture, and I know what resonates with people. I know what they’ll get a chuckle out of and what they think is kind of silly.”
On the importance of representation:
“For so many people, television and movies may be the only way they understand people who aren’t like them. And when I come across many little Black girls who come up to me over the course of this seven-and-a-half years with tears in their eyes, and they say: ‘Thank you for being a role model for me. I don’t see educated Black women on TV, and the fact that you’re first lady validates who I am.…’”
Read more at BET
On empowering citizens:
“It’s not who’s in the White House. It’s not who is the first lady. You can give a lift, but once you give people that information, and help them understand that they have the power to make the change, then change actually happens.”
On being unafraid:
“What I have never been afraid of is to be a little silly, and you can engage people that way. My view is, first you get them to laugh, then you get them to
On how pop culture influences her work:
“I view myself as being the average woman. While I am first lady, I wasn’t first lady my whole life. I’m a product of pop culture. I’m a consumer of pop culture, and I know what resonates with people. I know what they’ll get a chuckle out of and what they think is kind of silly.”
On the importance of representation:
“For so many people, television and movies may be the only way they understand people who aren’t like them. And when I come across many little Black girls who come up to me over the course of this seven-and-a-half years with tears in their eyes, and they say: ‘Thank you for being a role model for me. I don’t see educated Black women on TV, and the fact that you’re first lady validates who I am.…’”
Read more at BET
Donald Trump Courts Black Vote While Avoiding African-American Communities
WASHINGTON— Donald Trump for the last week has been asking for support from African-American voters who have long backed Democrats, but his campaign has for months rebuffed invitations from supporters for the Republican presidential nominee to appear before black audiences.
The result is Mr. Trump hasn't campaigned in the African-American communities he now says he wishes to win over. Supporters of the New York businessman say they have asked him to speak at black colleges, in black churches and to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People—the nation’s largest black advocacy organization—but he has declined.
Mr. Trump has delivered some of his appeals to African-Americans in communities that are overwhelmingly white, some of them near the black communities he says he is targeting.
The 2016 election will see the lowest white voter turnout as a percentage of the electorate ever in American history. WSJ's Gerald F. Seib explains what this means for Donald Trump's campaign and his hopes to increase the GOP share of minority voters. Photo: AP
“It can come across as disingenuous,” said Derek McCoy, a black Maryland conservative who organizes clergy for the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, a conservative Christian anti-poverty group. “It’s good to let your donors and your supporters know that you’re trying to reach out. At the same time, the way that you reach out to African-Americans is go to some communities in Chicago or Detroit. Perhaps you need to visit Flint or some communities that are hard hit.”
Mr. Trump began his recent appeal to black voters last Tuesday in Washington County, Wis., where 96% of the population is white. The campaign speech took place at a fairgrounds 25 miles from a largely African-American Milwaukee neighborhood that was at the time engulfed in turmoil after a black man was fatally shot by a police officer.
Mr. Trump continued his appeal to black voters on Friday at a rally outside of Lansing, Mich. In a county that is 88% white, Mr. Trump said African-Americans have “nothing to lose” by supporting him, because their plight in America’s Democratic-run inner cities is so dismal.
Read more at Wall Street Journal
The result is Mr. Trump hasn't campaigned in the African-American communities he now says he wishes to win over. Supporters of the New York businessman say they have asked him to speak at black colleges, in black churches and to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People—the nation’s largest black advocacy organization—but he has declined.
Mr. Trump has delivered some of his appeals to African-Americans in communities that are overwhelmingly white, some of them near the black communities he says he is targeting.
The 2016 election will see the lowest white voter turnout as a percentage of the electorate ever in American history. WSJ's Gerald F. Seib explains what this means for Donald Trump's campaign and his hopes to increase the GOP share of minority voters. Photo: AP
“It can come across as disingenuous,” said Derek McCoy, a black Maryland conservative who organizes clergy for the Center for Urban Renewal and Education, a conservative Christian anti-poverty group. “It’s good to let your donors and your supporters know that you’re trying to reach out. At the same time, the way that you reach out to African-Americans is go to some communities in Chicago or Detroit. Perhaps you need to visit Flint or some communities that are hard hit.”
Mr. Trump began his recent appeal to black voters last Tuesday in Washington County, Wis., where 96% of the population is white. The campaign speech took place at a fairgrounds 25 miles from a largely African-American Milwaukee neighborhood that was at the time engulfed in turmoil after a black man was fatally shot by a police officer.
Mr. Trump continued his appeal to black voters on Friday at a rally outside of Lansing, Mich. In a county that is 88% white, Mr. Trump said African-Americans have “nothing to lose” by supporting him, because their plight in America’s Democratic-run inner cities is so dismal.
Read more at Wall Street Journal
Florida father killed in online-dating setup
The night before police found Adam Hilarie dead in his kitchen, the 27-year-old Central Florida father went bowling with a woman he met through the online dating site PlentyOfFish, Auburndale police said Monday.
They went back to his place, and she texted him later: I had a good time and would like to see you again.
She saw him the next night, when on Friday she brought three men to rob Hilarie of TVs, an Xbox and an iPhone, and one of them shot him in the head, Deputy Chief Andy Ray said at a news conference.
"In cases like this, it's easy for us to put ourselves in the shoes of the family," Ray said, as he detailed the arrest of four people in connection with the killing — including 18-year-old Hailey Bustos, who went on the date with him.
Andre Warner, 26, Gary Gray, 31, and Joshua Ellington, 26, were also also arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery with a firearm and first-degree murder. Ray said he didn't know how the robbery escalated.
"Hilarie was begging for his life, he was not putting up any kind of fight, and was telling them that he had a 5-year-old daughter," according to arrest reports.
Social media photos show Hilarie suited up in boxing gloves and a robe. He posted multiple photos of his daughter on his Facebook page, calling her "Princess." Friends and family set up a fundraiser to help pay for funeral expenses.
"Each and every one of you know he was fun to be around," Hilarie's brother said at a vigil held for him, which was videotaped and posted on Facebook. "No matter what we did, we always had a good time and he always had that smile. This isn't easy."
Read more at Orlando Sentinel
They went back to his place, and she texted him later: I had a good time and would like to see you again.
She saw him the next night, when on Friday she brought three men to rob Hilarie of TVs, an Xbox and an iPhone, and one of them shot him in the head, Deputy Chief Andy Ray said at a news conference.
"In cases like this, it's easy for us to put ourselves in the shoes of the family," Ray said, as he detailed the arrest of four people in connection with the killing — including 18-year-old Hailey Bustos, who went on the date with him.
Andre Warner, 26, Gary Gray, 31, and Joshua Ellington, 26, were also also arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery with a firearm and first-degree murder. Ray said he didn't know how the robbery escalated.
"Hilarie was begging for his life, he was not putting up any kind of fight, and was telling them that he had a 5-year-old daughter," according to arrest reports.
Social media photos show Hilarie suited up in boxing gloves and a robe. He posted multiple photos of his daughter on his Facebook page, calling her "Princess." Friends and family set up a fundraiser to help pay for funeral expenses.
"Each and every one of you know he was fun to be around," Hilarie's brother said at a vigil held for him, which was videotaped and posted on Facebook. "No matter what we did, we always had a good time and he always had that smile. This isn't easy."
Read more at Orlando Sentinel
Pills seized from Paisley Park contained illicit fentanyl, same drug that killed Prince
The pills seized from Paisley Park were marked as hydrocodone but contained fentanyl.
Pills marked as hydrocodone that were seized from Paisley Park after Prince’s overdose death actually contained fentanyl, the powerful opioid that killed him, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.
The musician, who weighed only 112 pounds at the time of his death April 21, had so much of the drug in his system, autopsy results later showed, that it would have killed anyone, regardless of size, the source said.
Prince did not possess a prescription for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has been described as 100 times more powerful than morphine, the source said.
Despite the finding, investigators still aren’t certain how the 57-year-old megastar ingested the fentanyl. However, they are leaning toward the theory that he took the pills not knowing they contained the drug.
An autopsy report released in June by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office said Prince died from an accidental, self-administered overdose of fentanyl. But it did not indicate how he obtained the painkiller, nor did it list any other cause of death or “significant condition.”
Four months after Prince’s death, investigators are still wrestling with a host of questions in hopes of solving the mystery of how Prince got the drug and what happened in his final hours. But even without definitive answers, it seems more and more likely that Prince became a casualty of what is being called a new national crisis of deadly counterfeit pills.
Illicit fentanyl has traditionally been mixed with or sold as heroin — as was the case in a series of overdose deaths in north-central Minnesota and North Dakota earlier this year. But the Drug Enforcement Administration said drug traffickers have since expanded the illicit fentanyl market by producing counterfeit pills that contain the opioid.
And while the 2006 raid of a single Mexican drug lab halted an earlier surge in fentanyl-linked overdose deaths, authorities say China-sourced fentanyl and precursor chemicals are now being sold to criminals running clandestine pill-press operations across North America.
A recent flood of “wholesale amounts” of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl prompted the DEA last month to issue a report warning of a rise in “overdoses, deaths and opiate-dependent individuals.” The DEA said it tested eight times as much fentanyl last year as it did during the 2006 crisis.
“This is becoming a trend,” according to the DEA’s report, “not a series of isolated incidents.”
Read more at Star Tribune
Pills marked as hydrocodone that were seized from Paisley Park after Prince’s overdose death actually contained fentanyl, the powerful opioid that killed him, according to a source with knowledge of the investigation.
The musician, who weighed only 112 pounds at the time of his death April 21, had so much of the drug in his system, autopsy results later showed, that it would have killed anyone, regardless of size, the source said.
Prince did not possess a prescription for fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that has been described as 100 times more powerful than morphine, the source said.
Despite the finding, investigators still aren’t certain how the 57-year-old megastar ingested the fentanyl. However, they are leaning toward the theory that he took the pills not knowing they contained the drug.
An autopsy report released in June by the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office said Prince died from an accidental, self-administered overdose of fentanyl. But it did not indicate how he obtained the painkiller, nor did it list any other cause of death or “significant condition.”
Four months after Prince’s death, investigators are still wrestling with a host of questions in hopes of solving the mystery of how Prince got the drug and what happened in his final hours. But even without definitive answers, it seems more and more likely that Prince became a casualty of what is being called a new national crisis of deadly counterfeit pills.
Illicit fentanyl has traditionally been mixed with or sold as heroin — as was the case in a series of overdose deaths in north-central Minnesota and North Dakota earlier this year. But the Drug Enforcement Administration said drug traffickers have since expanded the illicit fentanyl market by producing counterfeit pills that contain the opioid.
And while the 2006 raid of a single Mexican drug lab halted an earlier surge in fentanyl-linked overdose deaths, authorities say China-sourced fentanyl and precursor chemicals are now being sold to criminals running clandestine pill-press operations across North America.
A recent flood of “wholesale amounts” of counterfeit pills that contain fentanyl prompted the DEA last month to issue a report warning of a rise in “overdoses, deaths and opiate-dependent individuals.” The DEA said it tested eight times as much fentanyl last year as it did during the 2006 crisis.
“This is becoming a trend,” according to the DEA’s report, “not a series of isolated incidents.”
Read more at Star Tribune
The Ryan Lochte “Robbery” Story is the Epitome of White Privileg
A merican swimmer Ryan Lochte is all the media—and Twitter—seems to be talking about today. Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, became the center of conversation after he claimed he and three other U.S. swimmers were robbed at gunpoint after a night of partying in Rio. Initially, Lochte told NBC’s Billy Bush he had “a gun pointed to his head” by a group of guys claiming to be police officers while their valuables were stolen.
“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over. They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground,” Lochte explained on Monday.
After refusing to get down, Lochte said he only complied with the renegade officers after a cocked gun was placed to his head.
“The guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and said ‘get down.’ I was like…I put my hands up,” Lochte told Bush. “I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet.”
The incident not only sounded terrifying, but it also was yet another blow to Brazil’s handling of the Olympic games. Before folks got caught up in Simone Biles’ history-making run, Usain Bolt once again decimating his opponents, or Mo Farah’s amazing recovery and win, the chatter leading up to this year’s games was all about the Zika virus, the poor quality of Rio’s water, the incomplete Olympic village, and how the Brazilian government had pushed poor (largely Black folks) out of the city to make room for tourists.
Lochte’s tale of being robbed by seemingly corrupt cops was not only in line with what many already believed about nations full of people of color, but it also tainted the spirit of the entire games. After his story broke many wondered if other athletes were at risk, and if people actually trust Brazilian police not to shake them down.
Read more at EBONY
“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over. They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground,” Lochte explained on Monday.
After refusing to get down, Lochte said he only complied with the renegade officers after a cocked gun was placed to his head.
“The guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and said ‘get down.’ I was like…I put my hands up,” Lochte told Bush. “I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet.”
The incident not only sounded terrifying, but it also was yet another blow to Brazil’s handling of the Olympic games. Before folks got caught up in Simone Biles’ history-making run, Usain Bolt once again decimating his opponents, or Mo Farah’s amazing recovery and win, the chatter leading up to this year’s games was all about the Zika virus, the poor quality of Rio’s water, the incomplete Olympic village, and how the Brazilian government had pushed poor (largely Black folks) out of the city to make room for tourists.
Lochte’s tale of being robbed by seemingly corrupt cops was not only in line with what many already believed about nations full of people of color, but it also tainted the spirit of the entire games. After his story broke many wondered if other athletes were at risk, and if people actually trust Brazilian police not to shake them down.
Read more at EBONY
Cop Shoots and Kills Unarmed Deaf Man as He Tries to Communicate Using Sign Language
Charlotte, NC — A community and family is mourning the loss of Daniel Kevin Harris, whose life was taken this week by a State Trooper who apparently fears sign language. Harris, who is deaf, was gunned down in front of his house.
According to police, trooper Jermaine Saunders attempted to pull Harris over around 6:14 p.m. on Thursday. For an unknown reason, Harris did not stop and, instead, drove to his home.
During the pursuit, both cars became damaged and eventually came to a stop near Harris’ home.
“I was here in my driveway and I saw the highway patrol car come through and it was smoking really bad,” said neighbor Mark Barringer. “About 10 seconds later, I heard one gunshot.”
According to WCNC, Barringer says when he went to take a closer look, he saw Harris in the middle of the street. He died just a few feet from his front door. Several neighbors have put flowers near where Harris took his final breaths.
“It was surreal, you just don’t expect to see something like that,” said Barringer. “When the gunshot went off, it was scary.”
According to police, detectives say Saunders and Harris got into “an encounter” before the officer killed him. However, according to neighbors, as soon as Harris got out of his vehicle, Saunders fired.
Read more at thefreethoughtproject.com
According to police, trooper Jermaine Saunders attempted to pull Harris over around 6:14 p.m. on Thursday. For an unknown reason, Harris did not stop and, instead, drove to his home.
During the pursuit, both cars became damaged and eventually came to a stop near Harris’ home.
“I was here in my driveway and I saw the highway patrol car come through and it was smoking really bad,” said neighbor Mark Barringer. “About 10 seconds later, I heard one gunshot.”
According to WCNC, Barringer says when he went to take a closer look, he saw Harris in the middle of the street. He died just a few feet from his front door. Several neighbors have put flowers near where Harris took his final breaths.
“It was surreal, you just don’t expect to see something like that,” said Barringer. “When the gunshot went off, it was scary.”
According to police, detectives say Saunders and Harris got into “an encounter” before the officer killed him. However, according to neighbors, as soon as Harris got out of his vehicle, Saunders fired.
Read more at thefreethoughtproject.com
Noel Carter: Police never told me I was under arrest
Noel Carter's emotional account of being tased, pushed and kicked by Orlando police officers capped three days of testimony in his trial, which has drawn attention because of a widely distributed cell phone video showing his arrest.
"I thought I was going to die on that corner," Carter told jurors before welling up with tears and taking a short break. "I was on my knees on the ground and when I did that, I started to feel strikes … I thought they were going to beat me to death."
The 31-year-old banker from Hollywood faces felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from that encounter. Prosecutors and police say Carter refused to comply with officers' commands, charged them and hit them as the incident unfolded outside a club in downtown Orlando last year. Carter's attorneys assert he is a victim of police misconduct.
Both sides rested their cases on Thursday and will make closing arguments to the jury on Friday morning. Deliberation will ensue afterward.
Several police officers testified over the course of the trial, including the two who struggled with Carter for six minutes leading up to his arrest: Officers David Cruz and Charles Mays. Officials with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement cleared them of wrongdoing after the incident.
Read more at Yahoo
"I thought I was going to die on that corner," Carter told jurors before welling up with tears and taking a short break. "I was on my knees on the ground and when I did that, I started to feel strikes … I thought they were going to beat me to death."
The 31-year-old banker from Hollywood faces felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from that encounter. Prosecutors and police say Carter refused to comply with officers' commands, charged them and hit them as the incident unfolded outside a club in downtown Orlando last year. Carter's attorneys assert he is a victim of police misconduct.
Both sides rested their cases on Thursday and will make closing arguments to the jury on Friday morning. Deliberation will ensue afterward.
Several police officers testified over the course of the trial, including the two who struggled with Carter for six minutes leading up to his arrest: Officers David Cruz and Charles Mays. Officials with the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement cleared them of wrongdoing after the incident.
Read more at Yahoo
Emmett Till’s casket a 'sacred object' at the African American museum
Among the most difficult decisions that Lonnie Bunch III had to make as he searched the world for objects to tell the story of African Americans was whether to include a casket that once held the mangled body of a murdered black boy.
"I remember struggling with, 'Should we collect that?' " said Bunch, the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Even after he accepted Emmett Till's casket, which Till's family gave to the museum long after his remains had been exhumed and reinterred, Bunch grappled with the idea of including it in an exhibit. "Was that too ghoulish?" he wondered.
As leaders of the new museum, Bunch and his curators must strike a delicate balance.
Every year, millions of tourists come to Washington to seek inspiration - in marble monuments to the nation's heroes and leaders, in temples of democracy and civic power. Now, for the first time, Americans will have a museum on the Mall celebrating black pioneers and highlighting the success stories of African Americans.
Excitement surrounding the historic institution propelled its boosters through 11 years of collecting artifacts and fundraising to the tune of $315 million. It will open Sept. 24 with a dedication attended by President Barack Obama and with an invitation-only Kennedy Center gala.
But for such a museum to claim scholarly integrity, uplift is not enough. In the years preceding next month's celebration, Bunch has had to consider how much of the dark corners of American history to expose. He and the museum's curators say they are ready to tell what African American historian John Hope Franklin called the "unvarnished truth" of the nation's racial past.
The question is: Are visitors ready to hear it?
Read more at Chicago Tribune
"I remember struggling with, 'Should we collect that?' " said Bunch, the founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Even after he accepted Emmett Till's casket, which Till's family gave to the museum long after his remains had been exhumed and reinterred, Bunch grappled with the idea of including it in an exhibit. "Was that too ghoulish?" he wondered.
As leaders of the new museum, Bunch and his curators must strike a delicate balance.
Every year, millions of tourists come to Washington to seek inspiration - in marble monuments to the nation's heroes and leaders, in temples of democracy and civic power. Now, for the first time, Americans will have a museum on the Mall celebrating black pioneers and highlighting the success stories of African Americans.
Excitement surrounding the historic institution propelled its boosters through 11 years of collecting artifacts and fundraising to the tune of $315 million. It will open Sept. 24 with a dedication attended by President Barack Obama and with an invitation-only Kennedy Center gala.
But for such a museum to claim scholarly integrity, uplift is not enough. In the years preceding next month's celebration, Bunch has had to consider how much of the dark corners of American history to expose. He and the museum's curators say they are ready to tell what African American historian John Hope Franklin called the "unvarnished truth" of the nation's racial past.
The question is: Are visitors ready to hear it?
Read more at Chicago Tribune
Michael Jordan pledges $5 million to African-American museum
WASHINGTON (AP) — Michael Jordan has made another major donation, pledging $5 million to the Smithsonian's new African-American history museum on the National Mall.
Officials at the National Museum of African American History and Culture announced the gift from the basketball great Monday. The museum is set to open Sept. 24.
In recognition of the gift, the museum will name a section of its sports gallery after Jordan. He also donated a jersey he wore during the 1996 NBA Finals to the museum's collection.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to support this museum," Jordan said in a statement. "I also am indebted to the historic contributions of community leaders and athletes such as Jesse Owens, whose talent, commitment and perseverance broke racial barriers and laid the groundwork for the successful careers of so many African Americans in athletics and beyond."
Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said the gift will aid the museum's vision of exploring how black athletes changed sports and changed American society.
"We are extremely grateful to Michael Jordan for his game-changing support," Bunch said in a statement. "His gift will enable our visitors to explore how sports were used to break barriers as a way to gain full participation in American society."
Last month Jordan spoke out on racial tensions in America in hopes of easing conflicts between blacks and law enforcement.
The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner also announced he was giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and another $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help build trust after several shootings across the country.
Officials at the National Museum of African American History and Culture announced the gift from the basketball great Monday. The museum is set to open Sept. 24.
In recognition of the gift, the museum will name a section of its sports gallery after Jordan. He also donated a jersey he wore during the 1996 NBA Finals to the museum's collection.
"I am grateful for the opportunity to support this museum," Jordan said in a statement. "I also am indebted to the historic contributions of community leaders and athletes such as Jesse Owens, whose talent, commitment and perseverance broke racial barriers and laid the groundwork for the successful careers of so many African Americans in athletics and beyond."
Museum Director Lonnie Bunch said the gift will aid the museum's vision of exploring how black athletes changed sports and changed American society.
"We are extremely grateful to Michael Jordan for his game-changing support," Bunch said in a statement. "His gift will enable our visitors to explore how sports were used to break barriers as a way to gain full participation in American society."
Last month Jordan spoke out on racial tensions in America in hopes of easing conflicts between blacks and law enforcement.
The NBA great and Charlotte Hornets owner also announced he was giving $1 million to the Institute for Community-Police Relations and another $1 million to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The aim is to help build trust after several shootings across the country.
Ex-NFL star Darren Sharper gets 18 years prison
NEW ORLEANS -- Former NFL star Darren Sharper has been sentenced to 18 years in prison in a case where he was accused of drugging and raping as many as 16 women in four states.
Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced Sharper on Thursday. He had pleaded guilty or no-contest to charges arising from the allegations of drugging and raping women in federal court in New Orleans, and state courts in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Nevada.
Prosecutors suggested a 9-year prison term for Sharper under a multi-jurisdictional plea deal, but Milazzo rejected it as too lenient in June. The sentence was 15 months short of the maximum. He was also fined $20,000.
Sharper pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of distributing drugs with rape as the aim. He or his friend Brandon Licciardi, a former sheriff's deputy in neighboring St. Bernard Parish, put anti-anxiety drugs or sedatives into women's drinks so they could rape them, according to a 15-page statement signed as part of that plea.
Milazzo has scheduled sentencing Oct. 13 for Licciardi and a second New Orleans codefendant, Erik Nunez.
Charges around the country involve nine victims, but Milazzo has said in court that there may be as many as 16.
Sharper had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault in Arizona -- using an Internet hookup -- and no contest in Los Angeles to raping two of the women he drugged after meeting them in a West Hollywood bar, ESPN reported.
Like Sharper, Licciardi and Nunez admitted distributing drugs with the intent to commit rape. Their plea agreements say Licciardi has accepted a 17-year sentence, with 10 years for Nunez.
Sharper was named All-Pro six times and chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during a career that included stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. He played in two Super Bowls, one with the Packers as a rookie and one with New Orleans Saints when they won in 2010.
He ended a 14-year career in 2011. He was working as an NFL network analyst when women began telling police in several cities similar stories of blacking out while drinking with him and waking up groggy to find they had been sexually abused.
Judge Jane Triche Milazzo sentenced Sharper on Thursday. He had pleaded guilty or no-contest to charges arising from the allegations of drugging and raping women in federal court in New Orleans, and state courts in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Nevada.
Prosecutors suggested a 9-year prison term for Sharper under a multi-jurisdictional plea deal, but Milazzo rejected it as too lenient in June. The sentence was 15 months short of the maximum. He was also fined $20,000.
Sharper pleaded guilty in federal court to three counts of distributing drugs with rape as the aim. He or his friend Brandon Licciardi, a former sheriff's deputy in neighboring St. Bernard Parish, put anti-anxiety drugs or sedatives into women's drinks so they could rape them, according to a 15-page statement signed as part of that plea.
Milazzo has scheduled sentencing Oct. 13 for Licciardi and a second New Orleans codefendant, Erik Nunez.
Charges around the country involve nine victims, but Milazzo has said in court that there may be as many as 16.
Sharper had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault in Arizona -- using an Internet hookup -- and no contest in Los Angeles to raping two of the women he drugged after meeting them in a West Hollywood bar, ESPN reported.
Like Sharper, Licciardi and Nunez admitted distributing drugs with the intent to commit rape. Their plea agreements say Licciardi has accepted a 17-year sentence, with 10 years for Nunez.
Sharper was named All-Pro six times and chosen for the Pro Bowl five times during a career that included stints with the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. He played in two Super Bowls, one with the Packers as a rookie and one with New Orleans Saints when they won in 2010.
He ended a 14-year career in 2011. He was working as an NFL network analyst when women began telling police in several cities similar stories of blacking out while drinking with him and waking up groggy to find they had been sexually abused.
Milwaukee on edge as racial tensions boil over
Details Behind the $4.1 Million Settlement Awarded to the Family of Akai Gurley
The city of New York has reached a $4.1 million settlement that will be paid to the family of Akai Gurley. In 2014, Gurley was killed in a Brooklyn housing project by Officer Pete Liang, who was conducting a search of the housing project. When Liang rounded a corner of the 8th floor with his weapon drawn, he accidentally shot his weapon and the bullet ricocheted and hit Gurley. At the time of his death, Gurley was unarmed. After the shooting, Liang did not report an accidental discharge to his sergeant, nor did he provide any medical care to Gurley.
In February, Liang was convicted of manslaughter, but Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun reduced the charge to criminally negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to 800 hours of community service. The city will pay most of the settlement, $4.1 million, said Scott Rynecki, who represents Mr. Gurley’s domestic partner, Kimberly Ballinger, 26, and their 4-year-old daughter, Akaila Gurley. The New York City Housing Authority will pay an additional $400,000, and Liang will pay $25,000.
“I’m glad it’s all done. I’m pleased with the outcome,” Ballinger said outside of the courtroom.
The killing of Gurley and the results of the settlement have also acted as learning opportunity for the police department as well as the city.
Read more at BET.
In February, Liang was convicted of manslaughter, but Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun reduced the charge to criminally negligent homicide and sentenced Liang to 800 hours of community service. The city will pay most of the settlement, $4.1 million, said Scott Rynecki, who represents Mr. Gurley’s domestic partner, Kimberly Ballinger, 26, and their 4-year-old daughter, Akaila Gurley. The New York City Housing Authority will pay an additional $400,000, and Liang will pay $25,000.
“I’m glad it’s all done. I’m pleased with the outcome,” Ballinger said outside of the courtroom.
The killing of Gurley and the results of the settlement have also acted as learning opportunity for the police department as well as the city.
Read more at BET.
‘Hidden Figures’ Brings Black Women in STEM to the Forefront
Mathematicians and scientists Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were the first African-American women to work for NASA during its formative years. Their impact and work was crucial to the success of the agency’s Mercury and Apollo missions.
Do you know their story? If not, you will soon.
Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer are bringing their important story to life in the highly anticipated film, Hidden Figures
For Aisha Bowe, CEO and Co-Founder of STEMBoard and former aerospace engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center, starting a tech company in Silicon Valley was a no go. “We went to the Valley to raise money and the reception wasn’t what we had hoped for, so we decided we knew what we wanted to do and that we were going to make it work. So I continued to work at NASA for two years until we got the company off the ground,” says Bowe. Read the full story here.
Imagine the unconscious bias that must rear its ugly head when it’s a Black woman who is also pregnant. That’s the story of Aniyia Williams, CEO and co-founder of Tinsel, a company that makes wearables with its first product The Dipper, a necklace that’s also a pair of headphones, set to launch this spring.
Read more at EBONY
Do you know their story? If not, you will soon.
Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe and Octavia Spencer are bringing their important story to life in the highly anticipated film, Hidden Figures
For Aisha Bowe, CEO and Co-Founder of STEMBoard and former aerospace engineer at NASA’s Ames Research Center, starting a tech company in Silicon Valley was a no go. “We went to the Valley to raise money and the reception wasn’t what we had hoped for, so we decided we knew what we wanted to do and that we were going to make it work. So I continued to work at NASA for two years until we got the company off the ground,” says Bowe. Read the full story here.
Imagine the unconscious bias that must rear its ugly head when it’s a Black woman who is also pregnant. That’s the story of Aniyia Williams, CEO and co-founder of Tinsel, a company that makes wearables with its first product The Dipper, a necklace that’s also a pair of headphones, set to launch this spring.
Read more at EBONY
Simone Biles Becomes Greatest Gymnast Of All Time.
Simone Biles was already the three-time defending gymnastics world champion when I met her for the first time, in January, at a photo shoot for her signature leotard line, yet everyone in her entourage was wary of talking about her qualification for the Olympics, let alone her anticipated coronation at the Games. “We have to get there first,” Aimee Boorman, her coach, said. “Everybody, collectively, let’s just knock on some wood here.” Boorman joked that she wanted to find a wooden bracelet to wear so that she could touch it anytime she talked about the Olympics. But keeping up the pretense, in the face of Biles’s overwhelming talent, eventually became too difficult. “I don’t say ‘if’ she wins anymore,” Nellie Biles, Simone’s mother, told me when we spoke in April, at the Pacific Rim Championships, in Everett, Washington. “I say ‘when.’ ”
Wins became won on Thursday, when Biles took the individual all-around gold by more than two points—the largest margin of victory in the event since gymnastics switched to a new scoring system, in 2006. Halfway through the competition, Biles briefly trailed the Russian gymnast Aliya Mustafina, a moment of faux-tension. Even then the result wasn’t in doubt: Mustafina’s two best events (vault, uneven bars) were behind her, and two of Biles’s best (beam, floor) were still to come. There were times during the broadcast when it seemed that Biles and her American teammate, Aly Raisman, who easily took silver, seemed more concerned with finding the right television camera to wave at than they did preparing for their next rotation.
Which isn’t to say that Biles wasn’t nervous. When Mustafina took the lead after the second event of the day, it was the first time since 2013 that Biles had been behind during a major international competition, and the cameras caught her sitting quietly on the sidelines, cracking her knuckles. Biles is among the world’s most élite athletes, but she is still nineteen years old, and wracked with many of the insecurities that come with being that age. During the same conversation in which Biles’s mother told me that her daughter’s victory was no longer an “if” but a “when,” she also confided that Simone would never say something like that, in part because she simply didn’t see herself as being in competition with the other gymnasts. “Simone doesn’t compare herself to other athletes, and I think, if she did, she’d have a little bit more confidence,” Nellie said. “If she would say, ‘Well, compared to Mustafina, compared to Larisa’ ”—Iordache, of Romania—“ ‘I was ahead of those girls, and I’ve upgraded since,’ she wouldn’t be a mess before competition, she wouldn’t be the way she is.”
I saw this aspect of Biles’s personality up close. In April, I was having dinner at the Bileses’ home when Simone found out that the Romanian team, a traditional gymnastics powerhouse, had not qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 1972. “Does this mean Larisa doesn’t get to go?” Biles said, referring to Iordache, who took silver and bronze behind Biles at the previous two world championships. “That’s so sad.” Her disappointment was genuine, and I found myself trying to imagine Novak Djokovic being disappointed that Andy Murray was going to have to miss the U.S. Open. “I had to remind her,” Boorman told me later. “ ‘I hope it’s Larisa for Larisa’s sake, but Larisa’s the only person who’s gotten close to beating you.’ ”
Read more at The New Yorker
Wins became won on Thursday, when Biles took the individual all-around gold by more than two points—the largest margin of victory in the event since gymnastics switched to a new scoring system, in 2006. Halfway through the competition, Biles briefly trailed the Russian gymnast Aliya Mustafina, a moment of faux-tension. Even then the result wasn’t in doubt: Mustafina’s two best events (vault, uneven bars) were behind her, and two of Biles’s best (beam, floor) were still to come. There were times during the broadcast when it seemed that Biles and her American teammate, Aly Raisman, who easily took silver, seemed more concerned with finding the right television camera to wave at than they did preparing for their next rotation.
Which isn’t to say that Biles wasn’t nervous. When Mustafina took the lead after the second event of the day, it was the first time since 2013 that Biles had been behind during a major international competition, and the cameras caught her sitting quietly on the sidelines, cracking her knuckles. Biles is among the world’s most élite athletes, but she is still nineteen years old, and wracked with many of the insecurities that come with being that age. During the same conversation in which Biles’s mother told me that her daughter’s victory was no longer an “if” but a “when,” she also confided that Simone would never say something like that, in part because she simply didn’t see herself as being in competition with the other gymnasts. “Simone doesn’t compare herself to other athletes, and I think, if she did, she’d have a little bit more confidence,” Nellie said. “If she would say, ‘Well, compared to Mustafina, compared to Larisa’ ”—Iordache, of Romania—“ ‘I was ahead of those girls, and I’ve upgraded since,’ she wouldn’t be a mess before competition, she wouldn’t be the way she is.”
I saw this aspect of Biles’s personality up close. In April, I was having dinner at the Bileses’ home when Simone found out that the Romanian team, a traditional gymnastics powerhouse, had not qualified for the Olympics for the first time since 1972. “Does this mean Larisa doesn’t get to go?” Biles said, referring to Iordache, who took silver and bronze behind Biles at the previous two world championships. “That’s so sad.” Her disappointment was genuine, and I found myself trying to imagine Novak Djokovic being disappointed that Andy Murray was going to have to miss the U.S. Open. “I had to remind her,” Boorman told me later. “ ‘I hope it’s Larisa for Larisa’s sake, but Larisa’s the only person who’s gotten close to beating you.’ ”
Read more at The New Yorker
Son of former D.C. mayor Marion Barry dead at 36
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Marion "Christopher" Barry Jr., the son of the late Washington, D.C. mayor with the same name, has died at age 36, CBS affiliate WUSA reports.
The only son of the former D.C. mayor was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead early Saturday morning, WUSA reports.
No cause of death has been officially announced.
WUSA's Bruce Johnson reports that like his father, the younger Barry struggled with addiction issues.
Christopher Barry also wanted to follow in his dad's political footsteps, Johnson reports, having attempted to run for a D.C. Ward 8 council seat.
The elderly Marion Barry was often described as many things: Divisive and flamboyant, maddening and beloved, Marion Barry outshone every politician in the 40-year history of District of Columbia self-rule. But for many, his legacy was not defined by the accomplishments and failures of his four terms as mayor and long service on the D.C. Council.
Read more at CBS
The only son of the former D.C. mayor was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead early Saturday morning, WUSA reports.
No cause of death has been officially announced.
WUSA's Bruce Johnson reports that like his father, the younger Barry struggled with addiction issues.
Christopher Barry also wanted to follow in his dad's political footsteps, Johnson reports, having attempted to run for a D.C. Ward 8 council seat.
The elderly Marion Barry was often described as many things: Divisive and flamboyant, maddening and beloved, Marion Barry outshone every politician in the 40-year history of District of Columbia self-rule. But for many, his legacy was not defined by the accomplishments and failures of his four terms as mayor and long service on the D.C. Council.
Read more at CBS
Judge weighs adult charges in fatal high school bathroom fight
WILMINGTON, Del. -- A cellphone video of a high school restroom fight that left a 16-year-old Delaware girl dead shows the victim on the ground, struggling to fight back and escape as she is repeatedly hit and kicked in the head while her assailant holds on to her hair.
The video was shown Monday during a Family Court hearing to decide whether a 16-year-old girl charged in the death of Amy Joyner-Francis should be tried as an adult on charges of criminally negligent homicide and conspiracy.
The judge said he would rule by the end of next week after receiving final written submissions from attorneys.
The defendant is accused of repeatedly hitting Joyner-Francis in a premeditated attack April 21 at Wilmington's Howard High School of Technology. Two other girls are charged with conspiracy.
The Associated Press is not naming the defendants because they are juveniles.
The Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services and a clinical psychologist who testified Monday for the defense have recommended that the alleged assailant be tried in Family Court, meaning she could be sentenced to community supervision if found to be delinquent.
Psychologist Robin Belcher-Timme testified that the girl has responded well to counseling, has no prior criminal history or evidence of personality disorders and presents a low risk of future violence.
"We have an opportunity to intervene," he said. He acknowledged that the girl's school performance and attendance had declined in the past year and that some of her friends were delinquent, but he asserted that her issues amount to "correctible behavior."
Prosecutors are seeking to try the girl in Superior Court, where she faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. They note that she showed no remorse immediately after the fight or later, after learning that Joyner-Francis, whose fingernails were ripped out during the fight, had died.
"Somebody else must have kicked her. ... Well they're not going to put this on me," the girl said after learning of Joyner-Francis' death, according to deputy attorney general Theresa Sedivec.
A medical examiner said Joyner-Francis, 16, had a pre-existing heart condition, but that she was a victim of homicide. Authorities say she suffered sudden cardiac death, with a contributing factor of physical and emotional stress due to physical assault.
In a police affidavit, investigators said the defendants planned the attack over a 20-hour period.
Read more at CBS
The video was shown Monday during a Family Court hearing to decide whether a 16-year-old girl charged in the death of Amy Joyner-Francis should be tried as an adult on charges of criminally negligent homicide and conspiracy.
The judge said he would rule by the end of next week after receiving final written submissions from attorneys.
The defendant is accused of repeatedly hitting Joyner-Francis in a premeditated attack April 21 at Wilmington's Howard High School of Technology. Two other girls are charged with conspiracy.
The Associated Press is not naming the defendants because they are juveniles.
The Division of Youth Rehabilitative Services and a clinical psychologist who testified Monday for the defense have recommended that the alleged assailant be tried in Family Court, meaning she could be sentenced to community supervision if found to be delinquent.
Psychologist Robin Belcher-Timme testified that the girl has responded well to counseling, has no prior criminal history or evidence of personality disorders and presents a low risk of future violence.
"We have an opportunity to intervene," he said. He acknowledged that the girl's school performance and attendance had declined in the past year and that some of her friends were delinquent, but he asserted that her issues amount to "correctible behavior."
Prosecutors are seeking to try the girl in Superior Court, where she faces up to eight years in prison if convicted. They note that she showed no remorse immediately after the fight or later, after learning that Joyner-Francis, whose fingernails were ripped out during the fight, had died.
"Somebody else must have kicked her. ... Well they're not going to put this on me," the girl said after learning of Joyner-Francis' death, according to deputy attorney general Theresa Sedivec.
A medical examiner said Joyner-Francis, 16, had a pre-existing heart condition, but that she was a victim of homicide. Authorities say she suffered sudden cardiac death, with a contributing factor of physical and emotional stress due to physical assault.
In a police affidavit, investigators said the defendants planned the attack over a 20-hour period.
Read more at CBS
Longtime ESPN host John Saunders dead at age 61
John Saunders, one of the familiar on-air faces of ESPN for nearly 30 years, has died. He was 61.
Saunders hosted studio and play-by-play programming. He covered college football, basketball and the NHL for the network, in addition to anchoring SportsCenter. He was also host of The Sports Reporters.
Born in Canada, Saunders was an all-star defenseman in the junior hockey leagues of Montreal. He played at Western Michigan and Ryerson Polytechnical in Toronto before becoming one of the most prominent broadcasters of his time.
Saunders was a founding member of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and served on its board of directors.
"John was an extraordinary talent and his friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades," said John Skipper, president of ESPN and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, in a statement. "His wide range of accomplishments across numerous sports and championship events is among the most impressive this industry has ever seen. More importantly, John was a beloved and devoted family man who cared deeply about people and causes, as evidenced by his long-standing efforts as a passionate board member for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
"He was one of the most significant and influential members of the ESPN family, as a colleague and mentor, and he will be sorely missed.
Read more at ESPN
Saunders hosted studio and play-by-play programming. He covered college football, basketball and the NHL for the network, in addition to anchoring SportsCenter. He was also host of The Sports Reporters.
Born in Canada, Saunders was an all-star defenseman in the junior hockey leagues of Montreal. He played at Western Michigan and Ryerson Polytechnical in Toronto before becoming one of the most prominent broadcasters of his time.
Saunders was a founding member of The V Foundation for Cancer Research and served on its board of directors.
"John was an extraordinary talent and his friendly, informative style has been a warm welcome to sports fans for decades," said John Skipper, president of ESPN and co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, in a statement. "His wide range of accomplishments across numerous sports and championship events is among the most impressive this industry has ever seen. More importantly, John was a beloved and devoted family man who cared deeply about people and causes, as evidenced by his long-standing efforts as a passionate board member for The V Foundation for Cancer Research.
"He was one of the most significant and influential members of the ESPN family, as a colleague and mentor, and he will be sorely missed.
Read more at ESPN
White Loan Officer Tweets Racist Comment About Michelle Obama and Here's What Happened to Her
A woman in Anne Arbor, Michigan, recently learned what can truly happen when you come for first lady Michelle Obama.
When the FLOTUS delivered her remarkable speech at the Democratic National Convention many took to Twitter to not only speak admirably about the speech itself, but also about how beautiful and classy the first lady appeared.
However, Lisa Greenwood, a loan officer for Home Point Financial, decided to tweet her own racist opinion.
“FLOTUS beautiful??? Seriously she is an ugly black bitch,” Greenwood tweeted.
Immediately, commenters not only made Greenwood aware that her comments were uncalled for, but they tagged the financial institution that employed her.
So many people shared the racist comment made by the woman that Home Point Financial took swift action and fired her.
First of all, and this might be a bias statement, Michelle Obama may be one of the most beautiful, intelligent, graceful, and charismatic first ladies in history. Second of all, shame on you Lisa Greenwood for attacking the first lady in such a classless way. And let this be a lesson to us all, a remark against the Obamas is a remark against us all.
See more at BET
When the FLOTUS delivered her remarkable speech at the Democratic National Convention many took to Twitter to not only speak admirably about the speech itself, but also about how beautiful and classy the first lady appeared.
However, Lisa Greenwood, a loan officer for Home Point Financial, decided to tweet her own racist opinion.
“FLOTUS beautiful??? Seriously she is an ugly black bitch,” Greenwood tweeted.
Immediately, commenters not only made Greenwood aware that her comments were uncalled for, but they tagged the financial institution that employed her.
So many people shared the racist comment made by the woman that Home Point Financial took swift action and fired her.
First of all, and this might be a bias statement, Michelle Obama may be one of the most beautiful, intelligent, graceful, and charismatic first ladies in history. Second of all, shame on you Lisa Greenwood for attacking the first lady in such a classless way. And let this be a lesson to us all, a remark against the Obamas is a remark against us all.
See more at BET
Denver Police To Start Collecting Racial Data From Traffic Stops
DENVER (CBS4)– Police in Denver will soon collect racial data from some traffic and pedestrian stops. That information will be used to look for any biased policing within the department.
Denver Police Chief Robert White said there is no definitive plan on how the information will be collected but hopes to have a policy in place by the end of the year.
White described how the data collection would work at a news conference on Monday morning. He said information like race and gender would likely be collected from traffic and pedestrian stops, specifically those with a suspicious element to them.
“It needs to be something that can be done through technology, so the officer can makes the traffic stop will simply be able to get back in his car and hopefully through his computer click the box to say, ‘This is where I made the stop, this is why the stop was made, this is the race of the individual, this is how long the stop took.’ Something along those lines,” said White.
White said given the current climate, this type of information is more important than ever when it comes to community accountability.
Denver Police Chief Robert White said there is no definitive plan on how the information will be collected but hopes to have a policy in place by the end of the year.
White described how the data collection would work at a news conference on Monday morning. He said information like race and gender would likely be collected from traffic and pedestrian stops, specifically those with a suspicious element to them.
“It needs to be something that can be done through technology, so the officer can makes the traffic stop will simply be able to get back in his car and hopefully through his computer click the box to say, ‘This is where I made the stop, this is why the stop was made, this is the race of the individual, this is how long the stop took.’ Something along those lines,” said White.
White said given the current climate, this type of information is more important than ever when it comes to community accountability.
Social Worker Calls 911 to Report Officer After She's Pulled Over: 'This Man Is Twisting My Arm'
A Texas motorist said she was so terrified of a police officer during a routine traffic stop that she called 911 on him.
Read: Chicago Police Release Body Cam Footage of Unarmed Teen Being Shot By Cops
Earledreka White was pulled over in March in downtown Houston after she allegedly crossed a solid line. The 28-year-old claims she did not. Video of the incident has recently surfaced.
She says she got out of the car because her license was in her purse in the trunk. The police officer ordered her to get back in the vehicle.
She says that after so many deadly confrontations between police officers and African Americans in recent months, she was terrified.
"He got out of the car with handcuffs out, using very vulgar language. I didn’t feel safe, that is why I called 911," White told Inside Edition.
She called 911 to report the traffic stop and told the dispatcher: “I would like another officer to come out here. My heart is racing. I'm really afraid. I'm calling to report harassment by a police officer."
White told Inside Edition: "What you cannot hear in the background of the 911 call is him yelling and screaming at me to get off the phone."
That's when the officer, Gentian Luca, moved in and tried to handcuff her. She screamed: "This man is twisting my arm. Get off me, please!"
The officer struggled to overpower the woman. When he finally subdued her, she was charged with resisting arrest.
White spent two days in jail. She called it a "horrible experience," adding: "I wouldn't want criminals to go through what I went through."
The police officer in White's case has been cleared of any wrongdoing, with his bosses saying he did everything reasonable within the law.
Read more at Yahoo.
Read: Chicago Police Release Body Cam Footage of Unarmed Teen Being Shot By Cops
Earledreka White was pulled over in March in downtown Houston after she allegedly crossed a solid line. The 28-year-old claims she did not. Video of the incident has recently surfaced.
She says she got out of the car because her license was in her purse in the trunk. The police officer ordered her to get back in the vehicle.
She says that after so many deadly confrontations between police officers and African Americans in recent months, she was terrified.
"He got out of the car with handcuffs out, using very vulgar language. I didn’t feel safe, that is why I called 911," White told Inside Edition.
She called 911 to report the traffic stop and told the dispatcher: “I would like another officer to come out here. My heart is racing. I'm really afraid. I'm calling to report harassment by a police officer."
White told Inside Edition: "What you cannot hear in the background of the 911 call is him yelling and screaming at me to get off the phone."
That's when the officer, Gentian Luca, moved in and tried to handcuff her. She screamed: "This man is twisting my arm. Get off me, please!"
The officer struggled to overpower the woman. When he finally subdued her, she was charged with resisting arrest.
White spent two days in jail. She called it a "horrible experience," adding: "I wouldn't want criminals to go through what I went through."
The police officer in White's case has been cleared of any wrongdoing, with his bosses saying he did everything reasonable within the law.
Read more at Yahoo.
Toni Braxton's Son Beats Autism
(Jet Magazine) Toni Braxton is a seven time Grammy winner and star of Braxton Family Values, but one role she’s always held in high regards is her role as a Mom.
The mother of two visited Access Hollywood Live to talk about her upcoming tour and her personal life but it was news about her youngest son Diesel that gave us our good news of the day.
An advocate for Autism Speaks, the star has been a crusader for the condition since her son’s diagnosis. She tells the Access Hollywood crew that things have changed for the better:
“No signs of autism. No signs. He’s our social butterfly – he’s the one that plays with friends and hangs out all the time, very very fortunate. And I don’t like to think there’s anything wrong with our babies, I just think they learn differently. And he’s doing wonderful, I’m pretty proud of him.”
Her interview also showed the importance of getting treatment as soon as you can and having a great support system when it comes to your child’s health:
“I’m one of the lucky parents, early diagnosis changes everything. My son Diesel was off the spectrum being autistic. Susan Wright – who unfortunately just passed away – from Autism Speaks, when she found out about my son and I, she called me immediately, she told me [to] get him in this program, do this do that. She’s been [an] advocate and helping me so much, I miss her already – I can’t believe she’s gone. Our lives have changed.”
Catch the full interview with Toni Braxton and Access Hollywood here.
Read more on JetMag.com: http://www.jetmag.com/entertainment/toni-braxton-son-no-autism/#ixzz4GUIcuJdT
Follow us: @getjetmag on Twitter | GetJetMag on Facebook
The mother of two visited Access Hollywood Live to talk about her upcoming tour and her personal life but it was news about her youngest son Diesel that gave us our good news of the day.
An advocate for Autism Speaks, the star has been a crusader for the condition since her son’s diagnosis. She tells the Access Hollywood crew that things have changed for the better:
“No signs of autism. No signs. He’s our social butterfly – he’s the one that plays with friends and hangs out all the time, very very fortunate. And I don’t like to think there’s anything wrong with our babies, I just think they learn differently. And he’s doing wonderful, I’m pretty proud of him.”
Her interview also showed the importance of getting treatment as soon as you can and having a great support system when it comes to your child’s health:
“I’m one of the lucky parents, early diagnosis changes everything. My son Diesel was off the spectrum being autistic. Susan Wright – who unfortunately just passed away – from Autism Speaks, when she found out about my son and I, she called me immediately, she told me [to] get him in this program, do this do that. She’s been [an] advocate and helping me so much, I miss her already – I can’t believe she’s gone. Our lives have changed.”
Catch the full interview with Toni Braxton and Access Hollywood here.
Read more on JetMag.com: http://www.jetmag.com/entertainment/toni-braxton-son-no-autism/#ixzz4GUIcuJdT
Follow us: @getjetmag on Twitter | GetJetMag on Facebook
Sheriff: Jail inmate slugs man charged in church massacre
CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) — Dylann Roof, the white man charged in the massacre of nine black parishioners at a Charleston church, was slugged Thursday by a black inmate at the South Carolina jail where he is being held, Charleston County Sheriff Al Cannon said.
Dwayne Stafford ran down the stairs from his cell after Roof went to the shower around 7:45 a.m. and hit him, bruising Roof’s face and back, according to a police report.
The 22-year-old Roof was examined by jail medical personnel and returned to his cell at the Charleston County Detention Center, Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Watson told The Associated Press.
Although authorities initially said Stafford would be charged with assault, Cannon told reporters that Roof and his attorneys don’t want to press charges. The 26-year-old Stafford is awaiting trial on first-degree assault and strong-armed robbery charges.
Roof has been housed at the jail since being brought back from North Carolina a day after the June 17, 2015, slayings of nine parishioners during a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church. He faces the death penalty in upcoming trials in federal and state courts.
Officials are investigating how Stafford managed to get through a steel cell door with a narrow vertical window and down the stairs to reach Roof.
The two detention officers assigned to the unit are being interviewed and officials are also looking into the possibility the electronic door mechanism malfunctioned.
The area of the jail is for federal and high-security prisoners. It has two tiers of cells and the shower Roof was using was in the center on the ground floor. Cell doors can only be opened by officers sitting at a control console.
At the time, one of the two officers in the unit was taking toilet paper to another inmate while a second officer was taking a break, perhaps to go to the bathroom or to get something, the sheriff said.
Read more at Yahoo.
Dwayne Stafford ran down the stairs from his cell after Roof went to the shower around 7:45 a.m. and hit him, bruising Roof’s face and back, according to a police report.
The 22-year-old Roof was examined by jail medical personnel and returned to his cell at the Charleston County Detention Center, Sheriff’s Maj. Eric Watson told The Associated Press.
Although authorities initially said Stafford would be charged with assault, Cannon told reporters that Roof and his attorneys don’t want to press charges. The 26-year-old Stafford is awaiting trial on first-degree assault and strong-armed robbery charges.
Roof has been housed at the jail since being brought back from North Carolina a day after the June 17, 2015, slayings of nine parishioners during a Bible study at Emanuel AME Church. He faces the death penalty in upcoming trials in federal and state courts.
Officials are investigating how Stafford managed to get through a steel cell door with a narrow vertical window and down the stairs to reach Roof.
The two detention officers assigned to the unit are being interviewed and officials are also looking into the possibility the electronic door mechanism malfunctioned.
The area of the jail is for federal and high-security prisoners. It has two tiers of cells and the shower Roof was using was in the center on the ground floor. Cell doors can only be opened by officers sitting at a control console.
At the time, one of the two officers in the unit was taking toilet paper to another inmate while a second officer was taking a break, perhaps to go to the bathroom or to get something, the sheriff said.
Read more at Yahoo.
City of Fairfax Mayor Arrested in Meth-for-Sex Bust, Police Say
The mayor of the City of Fairfax, Virginia, is asking the public not to "rush to judgement" after he was charged with allegedly giving methamphetamine to an undercover detective in exchange for a sexual encounter.
Richard "Scott" Silverthorne, 50, was arrested Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner.
Video Shows Scene Before, After Deadly Chicago Police Shooting
"I ask that you allow the process to proceed before rushing to judgement (as tough as that may be)," Silverthorne wrote on his Facebook page Friday.
Police in late July received a tip that Silverthorne may have been trading meth for sex on a website used to arrange casual sexual encounters between men. An undercover detective created a profile on the website, and Silverthorne contacted him within a few days, according to police.
Silverthorne allegedly told the detective he could provide meth "in exchange for sexual encounters," police said. The detective agreed to meet with Silverthorne, who agreed to bring other men to the engagement, according to police.
Police said Silverthorne brought the meth to the Chain Bridge Road hotel on Thursday. He was arrested and charged with felony distribution of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Authorities said they don't know how long Silverthrone was on the website, which police did not identify.
"I know he had one other relationship on the website besides us," Capt. Jack Harden with Fairfax County police said during a news conference Friday.
Retired NoCal Firefighter Among Wounded in London Stabbing Attack
Silverthorne, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, has been the mayor of Fairfax since 2012 and was re-elected in May. A city spokesman declined to comment on the arrest.
Read more on NBCWashington
Richard "Scott" Silverthorne, 50, was arrested Thursday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tysons Corner.
Video Shows Scene Before, After Deadly Chicago Police Shooting
"I ask that you allow the process to proceed before rushing to judgement (as tough as that may be)," Silverthorne wrote on his Facebook page Friday.
Police in late July received a tip that Silverthorne may have been trading meth for sex on a website used to arrange casual sexual encounters between men. An undercover detective created a profile on the website, and Silverthorne contacted him within a few days, according to police.
Silverthorne allegedly told the detective he could provide meth "in exchange for sexual encounters," police said. The detective agreed to meet with Silverthorne, who agreed to bring other men to the engagement, according to police.
Police said Silverthorne brought the meth to the Chain Bridge Road hotel on Thursday. He was arrested and charged with felony distribution of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.
Authorities said they don't know how long Silverthrone was on the website, which police did not identify.
"I know he had one other relationship on the website besides us," Capt. Jack Harden with Fairfax County police said during a news conference Friday.
Retired NoCal Firefighter Among Wounded in London Stabbing Attack
Silverthorne, who was diagnosed with cancer last year, has been the mayor of Fairfax since 2012 and was re-elected in May. A city spokesman declined to comment on the arrest.
Read more on NBCWashington
Baltimore County police shot Korryn Gaines — and a 5-year-old was caught in the crossfire
It began with police issuing an arrest warrant for traffic violations. But by the time it was over, after an hours-long standoff, Korryn Gaines was dead and a 5-year-old boy was shot, sustaining non-life-threatening injuries.
It’s not exactly clear what happened during that hours-long standoff. Police have not said, for one, whether it was Gaines — a 23-year-old black woman who was allegedly carrying a shotgun — or the officers who shot the 5-year-old during a shootout. It’s also not clear if there is any video of the events as they unfolded.
But news of the shooting has already quickly led to outrage, particularly from the Black Lives Matter movement and other activists who fight racial disparities in the criminal justice system. To many critics, it is just another example of an issue that quickly rose to the national spotlight after the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014.
Police said Gaines barricaded herself with a shotgun at an apartment. For hours, police said they tried to talk her down. But, they said, Gaines repeatedly threatened the police and aimed her gun at them. At around 3 pm, she allegedly said, "If you don’t leave, I’m going to kill you."
An officer fired his weapon once, according to police. Gaines returned fire. Police then opened fire. By the time it was over, Gaines was dead and the 5-year-old boy, whom an uncle identified as Gaines’s son to the Baltimore Sun, was injured.
Read more at Vox.com
It’s not exactly clear what happened during that hours-long standoff. Police have not said, for one, whether it was Gaines — a 23-year-old black woman who was allegedly carrying a shotgun — or the officers who shot the 5-year-old during a shootout. It’s also not clear if there is any video of the events as they unfolded.
But news of the shooting has already quickly led to outrage, particularly from the Black Lives Matter movement and other activists who fight racial disparities in the criminal justice system. To many critics, it is just another example of an issue that quickly rose to the national spotlight after the police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August 2014.
Police said Gaines barricaded herself with a shotgun at an apartment. For hours, police said they tried to talk her down. But, they said, Gaines repeatedly threatened the police and aimed her gun at them. At around 3 pm, she allegedly said, "If you don’t leave, I’m going to kill you."
An officer fired his weapon once, according to police. Gaines returned fire. Police then opened fire. By the time it was over, Gaines was dead and the 5-year-old boy, whom an uncle identified as Gaines’s son to the Baltimore Sun, was injured.
Read more at Vox.com
Look: The Story Behind These Teens in Georgia Who Asked for Jobs to Stay Out of Gangs
For some teenagers, the summer months spent away from school can involve family vacations, summer camp or additional schooling. However, for others, the summer months can be a time when tough decisions are made that can ultimately determine their future.
Several boys in Georgia experienced those decisions when they started to get approached by gang members. This is a common tale for many young men in certain neighborhoods. However, these four boys decided to go against statistics and make a proactive choice: get a job.
Last week, Dylik, Dennis, Deion and Jalen, four boys between the ages of 13 and 14, approached Zsa Zsa Heard, head of the LaGrange Housing Authority, looking for jobs. When they told her that they wanted to stay out of gangs, she hired them on the spot, no questions asked.
This is not the first time Heard had been approached by the boys, whom she says live on the housing authority property. Last winter, around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, the boys approached Heard and asked if there was any work they could help with. Heard paired them with a maintenance worker who taught them carpentry skills.
Read more at BET
Several boys in Georgia experienced those decisions when they started to get approached by gang members. This is a common tale for many young men in certain neighborhoods. However, these four boys decided to go against statistics and make a proactive choice: get a job.
Last week, Dylik, Dennis, Deion and Jalen, four boys between the ages of 13 and 14, approached Zsa Zsa Heard, head of the LaGrange Housing Authority, looking for jobs. When they told her that they wanted to stay out of gangs, she hired them on the spot, no questions asked.
This is not the first time Heard had been approached by the boys, whom she says live on the housing authority property. Last winter, around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, the boys approached Heard and asked if there was any work they could help with. Heard paired them with a maintenance worker who taught them carpentry skills.
Read more at BET
A Black Prosecutor and a Double-Edged Sword
This article was originally published by The Marshall Project in collaboration with Vice.
“The only way to help your people is to be a defense attorney.”
My father was the first to tell me that, but definitely not the last.
He went on to explain that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and all the civil-rights leaders of the 1960s had great lawyers to call whenever they got jailed for protesting. Without these lawyers, my dad explained, African Americans would never have advanced toward equality.
When I was in college and law school, I was also told that as a Black woman, the only way to look out for “my people” and defend the Constitution was to become a defense attorney — and more specifically a public defender.
I followed that path, interning with the Legal Aid Society in New York City while I was an undergrad. A couple of the attorneys I met there formed their own shop, and I later interned for them during law school. But during my final year, I got an offer to become a prosecutor in Florida.
I accepted and never looked back.
When I arrived at the job, I realized immediately I was in the minority. The lack of diversity in prosecutor’s offices is sometimes the result of a failure in recruitment; it’s also due to the misconception that prosecutors only “hold people down." I’ve been called a persecutor and a sellout, and have been accused of just wanting to lock up young Black men for a living.
In the beginning of my career, other attorneys, and even some defendants, assumed I was the public defender or the courtroom clerk.
That first year in the felony division, a defense attorney approached me. I was standing at the podium assigned for the prosecutors in that courtroom, reviewing the prosecution files, getting ready for calendar call.
“Can you file this for me?" he asked.
I looked at him incredulously and directed him to the courtroom clerk's desk.
Here I was, in a suit, pearls, and with all my education, and a defense attorney who represents the people who look like me had serious trouble believing I was in this position.
Read the full story at The Marshall Project.
“The only way to help your people is to be a defense attorney.”
My father was the first to tell me that, but definitely not the last.
He went on to explain that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and all the civil-rights leaders of the 1960s had great lawyers to call whenever they got jailed for protesting. Without these lawyers, my dad explained, African Americans would never have advanced toward equality.
When I was in college and law school, I was also told that as a Black woman, the only way to look out for “my people” and defend the Constitution was to become a defense attorney — and more specifically a public defender.
I followed that path, interning with the Legal Aid Society in New York City while I was an undergrad. A couple of the attorneys I met there formed their own shop, and I later interned for them during law school. But during my final year, I got an offer to become a prosecutor in Florida.
I accepted and never looked back.
When I arrived at the job, I realized immediately I was in the minority. The lack of diversity in prosecutor’s offices is sometimes the result of a failure in recruitment; it’s also due to the misconception that prosecutors only “hold people down." I’ve been called a persecutor and a sellout, and have been accused of just wanting to lock up young Black men for a living.
In the beginning of my career, other attorneys, and even some defendants, assumed I was the public defender or the courtroom clerk.
That first year in the felony division, a defense attorney approached me. I was standing at the podium assigned for the prosecutors in that courtroom, reviewing the prosecution files, getting ready for calendar call.
“Can you file this for me?" he asked.
I looked at him incredulously and directed him to the courtroom clerk's desk.
Here I was, in a suit, pearls, and with all my education, and a defense attorney who represents the people who look like me had serious trouble believing I was in this position.
Read the full story at The Marshall Project.
Trash pick-up services end in Flint starting Monday, residents react
FLINT, Mich. (WJBK) - As Flint residents continue to comeback from the water crisis, they're now dealing with a new city issue -- trash.
Starting Monday, there will be no trash pickup service in Flint until further notice. The trash pick up will be held off while the city settles a dispute over the contractor. City council voted to keep the old provider, the mayor wanted to go with someone different. Because they haven't reached a solution, frustrated residents will have to decide where their trash will go in the meantime.
"Keep it in the house? Don't set it out? Come on now," said Sheila Nutall, a Flint resident. "Who wants a house full of stinky trash?"
Residents are searching for ways to deal with the issue.
"(I'll) just keep it in the back yard I guess," said Flint resident Reginald Chatters. "There are a lot of abandoned houses around I must just put it there."
Homeowners are advised to keep the trash in the house, for many, next to the cases of bottled water their still using.
"Don't get me started on the water," said city resident Scott Bland. "Do you have enough in that thing to tape me talking about the water? I don't think you do."
Starting Monday, there will be no trash pickup service in Flint until further notice. The trash pick up will be held off while the city settles a dispute over the contractor. City council voted to keep the old provider, the mayor wanted to go with someone different. Because they haven't reached a solution, frustrated residents will have to decide where their trash will go in the meantime.
"Keep it in the house? Don't set it out? Come on now," said Sheila Nutall, a Flint resident. "Who wants a house full of stinky trash?"
Residents are searching for ways to deal with the issue.
"(I'll) just keep it in the back yard I guess," said Flint resident Reginald Chatters. "There are a lot of abandoned houses around I must just put it there."
Homeowners are advised to keep the trash in the house, for many, next to the cases of bottled water their still using.
"Don't get me started on the water," said city resident Scott Bland. "Do you have enough in that thing to tape me talking about the water? I don't think you do."
Black Women’s Emotional Labor Saved the Democratic National Convention
When they go low, we go high,” said Michelle Obama during that epic, make-you-want-to-cry speech on the first night of this year’s Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. For the next 15 minutes, Mrs. Obama moved a nation from the needle of fear and hate sharpened so dangerously by Donald Trump. FLOTUS spoke to the hearts of a country, dealt with the hate of an opponent, invoked a bloody history, and re-imagined “Make America Great Again” to “America is the greatest country on earth.” She lifted the DNC from confusion and controversy to optimism and committed engagement. Essentially, FLOTUS was doing the emotional labor so many Black women do in nation building, movement building and electoral politics. Black women’s emotional labor matters.
That emotional labor was manifest that night through the ghosts of multiple Black women whose names we never heard, and those whose work was not acknowledged. As Monica Dennis, Regional Co-Coordinator of Black Lives Matter NYC pointed out on her FB page: “Donna Brazile and Marcia Fudge cleaned up a mess they did not create. First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a flawless speech, silencing her haters, shading the RNC candidate while wearing a bulletproof vest. Sen. Corey Booker invoked Dr. Maya Angelou to signal that he is next in line. Black women bear the reality and weight that we are instrumental in keeping Trump out of the White House. And all of this, without a bold mention of Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisholm or Barbara Jordan who revolutionized U.S. politics."
The deep irony is that Michelle Obama wearing a bullet proof vest as she delivered a democracy-saving speech was a physical reminder that her emotional labor may save a nation that will not--and does not--protect or save Black women. When Hillary Clinton delivered her June 7th speech clinching the nomination as Democratic representative for president, she said, “Tonight’s victory is not about one person, it belongs to the women and men who struggled and sacrificed to make this moment possible.” Her speech was made in Brooklyn, the same location where Shirley Chisholm launched her candidacy at Concord Baptist Church on January 25, 1972. And yet Chisholm’s name was not mentioned during that speech.
The DNC Convention revealed how Black women are simultaneously frontlined and sidelined. They put their bodies and their brilliance in formation of uplifting a nation, even as that nation dismisses and discards them when it comes to policy to make their lives – and ultimately all lives – better.
Read more at EBONY
That emotional labor was manifest that night through the ghosts of multiple Black women whose names we never heard, and those whose work was not acknowledged. As Monica Dennis, Regional Co-Coordinator of Black Lives Matter NYC pointed out on her FB page: “Donna Brazile and Marcia Fudge cleaned up a mess they did not create. First Lady Michelle Obama delivered a flawless speech, silencing her haters, shading the RNC candidate while wearing a bulletproof vest. Sen. Corey Booker invoked Dr. Maya Angelou to signal that he is next in line. Black women bear the reality and weight that we are instrumental in keeping Trump out of the White House. And all of this, without a bold mention of Fannie Lou Hamer, Shirley Chisholm or Barbara Jordan who revolutionized U.S. politics."
The deep irony is that Michelle Obama wearing a bullet proof vest as she delivered a democracy-saving speech was a physical reminder that her emotional labor may save a nation that will not--and does not--protect or save Black women. When Hillary Clinton delivered her June 7th speech clinching the nomination as Democratic representative for president, she said, “Tonight’s victory is not about one person, it belongs to the women and men who struggled and sacrificed to make this moment possible.” Her speech was made in Brooklyn, the same location where Shirley Chisholm launched her candidacy at Concord Baptist Church on January 25, 1972. And yet Chisholm’s name was not mentioned during that speech.
The DNC Convention revealed how Black women are simultaneously frontlined and sidelined. They put their bodies and their brilliance in formation of uplifting a nation, even as that nation dismisses and discards them when it comes to policy to make their lives – and ultimately all lives – better.
Read more at EBONY
The Latest: Uncle, trainer of Floyd Mayweather Jr. found
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Latest on disappearance of uncle of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. (all times local):
1:20 p.m.
Las Vegas police say the uncle and longtime trainer of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been found safe after being missing overnight.
Authorities say 55-year-old Roger Mayweather was located Sunday morning and was reunited with his family.
Police did not say where he was found or how they determined his location.
Roger Mayweather was last seen Saturday afternoon less than a mile away from Mayweather Boxing Club.
Authorities were also searching for him because he has medical issues, including diabetes, and he did not have medication with him.
A former fighter, Roger Mayweather is also known for training boxers including his famous nephew.
He was replaced for some of his nephew's bouts last year by Floyd Mayweather Sr.
___
10:45 a.m.
Las Vegas police say boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s uncle and longtime trainer is missing.
Roger Mayweather was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday less than a mile away from Mayweather Boxing Club.
Authorities say the 55-year-old suffers has several medical issues and does not have his medication.
They are asking all area hospitals to check their registries.
Roger Mayweather, who is 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue sweatpants and white tennis shoes.
A former fighter, Roger Mayweather was replaced as his nephew's trainer for several fights last year by Floyd Mayweather Sr.
According to the club's website, Roger Mayweather has had a longtime struggle with diabetes.
1:20 p.m.
Las Vegas police say the uncle and longtime trainer of boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. has been found safe after being missing overnight.
Authorities say 55-year-old Roger Mayweather was located Sunday morning and was reunited with his family.
Police did not say where he was found or how they determined his location.
Roger Mayweather was last seen Saturday afternoon less than a mile away from Mayweather Boxing Club.
Authorities were also searching for him because he has medical issues, including diabetes, and he did not have medication with him.
A former fighter, Roger Mayweather is also known for training boxers including his famous nephew.
He was replaced for some of his nephew's bouts last year by Floyd Mayweather Sr.
___
10:45 a.m.
Las Vegas police say boxing champion Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s uncle and longtime trainer is missing.
Roger Mayweather was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday less than a mile away from Mayweather Boxing Club.
Authorities say the 55-year-old suffers has several medical issues and does not have his medication.
They are asking all area hospitals to check their registries.
Roger Mayweather, who is 5-foot-7 and 160 pounds, was last seen wearing a white shirt, blue sweatpants and white tennis shoes.
A former fighter, Roger Mayweather was replaced as his nephew's trainer for several fights last year by Floyd Mayweather Sr.
According to the club's website, Roger Mayweather has had a longtime struggle with diabetes.
Town accused of sending police to challenge African-American residents’ right to vote
When the deputy sheriff’s patrol cruiser pulled up beside him as he walked down Broad Street at sunset last August, Martee Flournoy, a 32-year-old black man, was both confused and rattled. The majority-white Hancock County Board of Elections and Registration was systematically questioning the registrations of more than 180 black Sparta citizens – a fifth of the city’s registered voters – by dispatching deputies with summonses commanding them to appear in person to prove their residence or lose their voting rights. The board’s aim, a lawsuit later claimed, was to give an edge to white candidates in Sparta’s municipal elections – and that November, a white mayoral candidate won a narrow victory. “A lot of those people that was challenged probably didn’t vote, even though they weren’t proven to be wrong,” said Marion Warren, a Sparta elections official who documented the purges and raised an alarm with voting-rights advocates. “People just do not understand why a sheriff is coming to their house to bring them a subpoena, especially if they haven’t committed any crime.”
The county attorney, Barry A. Fleming, a Republican state representative, said in an interview that the elections board was only trying to restore order to an electoral process tainted earlier by corruption and incompetence. The lawsuit is overblown, he suggested, because only a fraction of the targeted voters were ultimately scratched from the rolls.
“The allegations that people were denied the right to vote are the opposite of the truth,” he said. “This is probably more about politics and power than race.”
But the purge of Sparta voters is precisely the sort of electoral maneuver that once would have needed Justice Department approval before it could be put in effect. In Georgia and all or part of 14 other states, the 1965 Voting Rights Act required jurisdictions with histories of voter discrimination to receive so-called preclearance before changing the way voter registration and elections were conducted.
Read more here
The county attorney, Barry A. Fleming, a Republican state representative, said in an interview that the elections board was only trying to restore order to an electoral process tainted earlier by corruption and incompetence. The lawsuit is overblown, he suggested, because only a fraction of the targeted voters were ultimately scratched from the rolls.
“The allegations that people were denied the right to vote are the opposite of the truth,” he said. “This is probably more about politics and power than race.”
But the purge of Sparta voters is precisely the sort of electoral maneuver that once would have needed Justice Department approval before it could be put in effect. In Georgia and all or part of 14 other states, the 1965 Voting Rights Act required jurisdictions with histories of voter discrimination to receive so-called preclearance before changing the way voter registration and elections were conducted.
Read more here
Former Guard Admits To Falsifying Jail Log Befoe Sandra Bland's Death
A former Waller County Jail guard admitted, under oath, that he falsified entries on a jail log, according to the lawyer for Sandra Bland’s mother. He noted in the records that he looked in on Bland an hour before her death was discovered. According to his new admission, he did not check on her.
“There’s no question that it did not happen,” Cannon Lambert, her mother’s attorney, said.
Waller County lawyer Larry Simmons, who was also present at the deposition, interprets the former guard’s statement in a different way.
“Numerous depositions have been taken in the case involving dozens of hours of testimony,” Simmons said in a written statement. “It is a gross miscarriage of justice and a misrepresentation for any party to cherry-pick or mischaracterize a small portion of that testimony, and take it out of context.”
A source familiar with the state’s investigation of Bland’s death corroborates Lambert’s story. The source told the Houston Chronicle that special prosecutors were told about the falsified records, but a grand jury decided not to indict anyone associated with the sheriff’s office.
Read more at Blavity
“There’s no question that it did not happen,” Cannon Lambert, her mother’s attorney, said.
Waller County lawyer Larry Simmons, who was also present at the deposition, interprets the former guard’s statement in a different way.
“Numerous depositions have been taken in the case involving dozens of hours of testimony,” Simmons said in a written statement. “It is a gross miscarriage of justice and a misrepresentation for any party to cherry-pick or mischaracterize a small portion of that testimony, and take it out of context.”
A source familiar with the state’s investigation of Bland’s death corroborates Lambert’s story. The source told the Houston Chronicle that special prosecutors were told about the falsified records, but a grand jury decided not to indict anyone associated with the sheriff’s office.
Read more at Blavity
In the Face of Police Violence, African-Americans Move Their Money to Houston's Black-Owned Bank
Several black rappers opened up bank accounts on Tuesday at Unity National Bank in Houston's Third Ward as part of an effort to support black-owned businesses in the wake of high-profile police violence against black men.
The rappers aren't alone – in fact, over the last few days, many African-Americans have also opened up accounts at Unity, the only black-owned bank in Texas. As Black Lives Matter and other protests against police violence mount across the country, social media campaigns called #BankBlackBankSmallBankLocal (or variations thereof) have also sprung up, urging African-Americans to make their economic power heard and move their money to black-owned banks.
“To support a black-owned business is my priority,” said Karen Moore, who was opening a bank account at Unity on Thursday – despite living “50, 60 miles” away. She added, “If you look around our community, if we are to grow, we are to put back into the pot. If we just continue to take out of it and nothing goes in, then we would never expand. Supporting a black-owned business gives a future for my grandchildren.”
Moore said that her children opened bank accounts the same day that rappers Slim Thug, Paul Wall and Willie D (who writes a weekly column for the Houston Press), among others, opened theirs. She had told them that they had no choice but to support Unity, Moore said with a laugh.
ome of the rappers who opened accounts at Unity also met with Mayor Sylvester Turner Tuesday to discuss violence in Houston. The mayor's office did not immediately return the Press's requests for specifics about the meeting, which was closed to reporters.
“When I came two days ago, it was packed,” said Mary McCoy of the bank. McCoy was at Unity on Thursday to finalize her account application. “Probably every seat taken.”
Read more at Houston Press
The rappers aren't alone – in fact, over the last few days, many African-Americans have also opened up accounts at Unity, the only black-owned bank in Texas. As Black Lives Matter and other protests against police violence mount across the country, social media campaigns called #BankBlackBankSmallBankLocal (or variations thereof) have also sprung up, urging African-Americans to make their economic power heard and move their money to black-owned banks.
“To support a black-owned business is my priority,” said Karen Moore, who was opening a bank account at Unity on Thursday – despite living “50, 60 miles” away. She added, “If you look around our community, if we are to grow, we are to put back into the pot. If we just continue to take out of it and nothing goes in, then we would never expand. Supporting a black-owned business gives a future for my grandchildren.”
Moore said that her children opened bank accounts the same day that rappers Slim Thug, Paul Wall and Willie D (who writes a weekly column for the Houston Press), among others, opened theirs. She had told them that they had no choice but to support Unity, Moore said with a laugh.
ome of the rappers who opened accounts at Unity also met with Mayor Sylvester Turner Tuesday to discuss violence in Houston. The mayor's office did not immediately return the Press's requests for specifics about the meeting, which was closed to reporters.
“When I came two days ago, it was packed,” said Mary McCoy of the bank. McCoy was at Unity on Thursday to finalize her account application. “Probably every seat taken.”
Read more at Houston Press
We Need to Talk About Leslie Jones and Colorism in Our Community
A few of weeks ago, a friend tagged me in an article about how Saturday Night Live cast member and comedienne Leslie Jones hadn’t found a designer to dress her for the red carpet premiere of Ghostbusters yet. Though I’m usually relentlessly vocal about such discrimination against Black women, I was unmoved to speak on the matter at all. Over the past two years, Jones’ seeming willingness to do whatever necessary to further her career (most notable is a skit she performed on SNL where she made light of forced breeding of Black women during slavery), including furthering and endorsing racist stereotypes of Black women, had caused me to write her off. I had decided that her performance of Blackness was tailored for the white gaze. For me, that was an unforgivable offense.
Still, earlier this week when Jones announced her exit from Twitter after being the target of hundreds of brutal tweets since the release of Ghostbusters, I was furious. Regardless of the politics she engages in to survive in Hollywood, Jones didn’t deserve to be bombarded with sexually charged, racist tweets in a campaign to humiliate and silence her. Jones’ three white Ghostbusters costars have been notably silent. Mainstream white feminists, predictably, have been too.
I’m unsurprised by white feminists’ deafening silence on the matter, though. Black women have always known that white feminism is more about ensuring white women have the same rights and opportunities as their male counterparts than it is about fighting for the liberation of all women. So I’m completely disinterested in Tina Fey or Lena Dunham feigning solidarity with 140-character messages of support. And while I’m relieved that notorious Twitter troll, Milo Yiannopoulos, was permanently banned from Twitter for inciting the campaign that drove Jones to her breaking point, I’d rather this incident spark an honest conversation in the Black community about misogynoir’s vicious cousin, colorism.
While Black women of all shades can attest to the ruthless harassment that the anonymity of the Internet invites from racists, we have to be honest enough to admit that the brand of harassment Jones received is reserved for Black women who look like her. At 6-feet tall with dark skin, a wide nose, and full lips, Jones wasn’t just targeted because she is a Black woman. She was targeted because she’s fits a particular Black phenotype.
I won’t argue that if producers had opted to cast Maya Rudolph in Ghostbusters instead of Jones that she would have been protected from racist pushback, but I’m willing to bet that the biracial actress wouldn’t have been tweeted pictures of gorillas. The vitriol directed at Jones was strategic. Jones was a safe target because colorism is a phenomenon with the same oppressive value inside and outside the Black community.
This is particularly important in show business. Dark skinned Black women are reserved for comedic value in Hollywood, masculinized, dehumanized and degraded for laughs. Audiences howled for five seasons at Redd Foxx calling Lawanda Page’s Aunt Esther character a gorilla. Martin Lawrence spent just as long calling Tichina Arnold’s character a horse. On Living Single, Erika Alexander’s character Maxine’s perceived masculinity was constant fodder. The character of Dijonay in Disney’s The Proud Family proves that even when animated, the dark skin girl is designated as the ghetto one.
Any critique or confrontation we lob at Jones for always playing the loud, strong, masculine one, must be preceded by indictments of our own
community’s embrace of the stereotypes which continue to pigeonhole women like Jones. If we demand Jones remain cognizant of how she represents us at all times, then we need to first interrogate our own bias against her. We do not protect women like Leslie Jones. Too many of us sipped tea and watched Jones endure the punishment we decided she deserved. We were all too ready to sit back and watch as white men decimate her spirit.
Read more at EBONY
Still, earlier this week when Jones announced her exit from Twitter after being the target of hundreds of brutal tweets since the release of Ghostbusters, I was furious. Regardless of the politics she engages in to survive in Hollywood, Jones didn’t deserve to be bombarded with sexually charged, racist tweets in a campaign to humiliate and silence her. Jones’ three white Ghostbusters costars have been notably silent. Mainstream white feminists, predictably, have been too.
I’m unsurprised by white feminists’ deafening silence on the matter, though. Black women have always known that white feminism is more about ensuring white women have the same rights and opportunities as their male counterparts than it is about fighting for the liberation of all women. So I’m completely disinterested in Tina Fey or Lena Dunham feigning solidarity with 140-character messages of support. And while I’m relieved that notorious Twitter troll, Milo Yiannopoulos, was permanently banned from Twitter for inciting the campaign that drove Jones to her breaking point, I’d rather this incident spark an honest conversation in the Black community about misogynoir’s vicious cousin, colorism.
While Black women of all shades can attest to the ruthless harassment that the anonymity of the Internet invites from racists, we have to be honest enough to admit that the brand of harassment Jones received is reserved for Black women who look like her. At 6-feet tall with dark skin, a wide nose, and full lips, Jones wasn’t just targeted because she is a Black woman. She was targeted because she’s fits a particular Black phenotype.
I won’t argue that if producers had opted to cast Maya Rudolph in Ghostbusters instead of Jones that she would have been protected from racist pushback, but I’m willing to bet that the biracial actress wouldn’t have been tweeted pictures of gorillas. The vitriol directed at Jones was strategic. Jones was a safe target because colorism is a phenomenon with the same oppressive value inside and outside the Black community.
This is particularly important in show business. Dark skinned Black women are reserved for comedic value in Hollywood, masculinized, dehumanized and degraded for laughs. Audiences howled for five seasons at Redd Foxx calling Lawanda Page’s Aunt Esther character a gorilla. Martin Lawrence spent just as long calling Tichina Arnold’s character a horse. On Living Single, Erika Alexander’s character Maxine’s perceived masculinity was constant fodder. The character of Dijonay in Disney’s The Proud Family proves that even when animated, the dark skin girl is designated as the ghetto one.
Any critique or confrontation we lob at Jones for always playing the loud, strong, masculine one, must be preceded by indictments of our own
community’s embrace of the stereotypes which continue to pigeonhole women like Jones. If we demand Jones remain cognizant of how she represents us at all times, then we need to first interrogate our own bias against her. We do not protect women like Leslie Jones. Too many of us sipped tea and watched Jones endure the punishment we decided she deserved. We were all too ready to sit back and watch as white men decimate her spirit.
Read more at EBONY
Texas officer says blacks have 'violent tendencies'
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Patrol car video publicly released Thursday shows a white Austin, Texas, police officer violently throwing a black woman to the ground during a traffic stop, followed by another white officer telling her black people have “violent tendencies” and whites are justifiably afraid.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo condemned both officers’ actions. He called the officer’s comments on the video “disturbing” and said a criminal investigation has been opened against the officer who arrested Breaion King.
The traffic stop happened in June 2015 but was not made public until the Austin American-Statesman published the video Thursday. Acevedo called a news conference hours later and said both officers have been taken off street patrol and are on desk duty pending new internal investigations, which he said will include both officers’ conduct in the year since the incident.
The video is surfacing amid heightened nationwide tension over police treatment of black people.
“For those that think life is perfect for people of color, I want you to listen to that conversation and tell me we don’t have social issues in this nation,” said Acevedo, who is Hispanic. “Issues of bias. Issues of racism. Issues of people being looked at different because of their color.”
In one of two videos, Officer Patrick Spradlin is heard talking to King, who was pulled over for speeding, about race while driving her to jail.
“Why are so many people afraid of black people?” Spradlin asks.
King replies that she is also trying to figure that out.
“I can give you a really good idea why it might be that way,” he said. “Violent tendencies.”
Spradlin goes on to say that “I don’t blame” white people for being afraid because of violence in the black community. “Some of them, because of their appearance and whatnot, some of them are very intimidating,” he says.
The newspaper identified King as an elementary school teacher. Her attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Read more at Yahoo.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo condemned both officers’ actions. He called the officer’s comments on the video “disturbing” and said a criminal investigation has been opened against the officer who arrested Breaion King.
The traffic stop happened in June 2015 but was not made public until the Austin American-Statesman published the video Thursday. Acevedo called a news conference hours later and said both officers have been taken off street patrol and are on desk duty pending new internal investigations, which he said will include both officers’ conduct in the year since the incident.
The video is surfacing amid heightened nationwide tension over police treatment of black people.
“For those that think life is perfect for people of color, I want you to listen to that conversation and tell me we don’t have social issues in this nation,” said Acevedo, who is Hispanic. “Issues of bias. Issues of racism. Issues of people being looked at different because of their color.”
In one of two videos, Officer Patrick Spradlin is heard talking to King, who was pulled over for speeding, about race while driving her to jail.
“Why are so many people afraid of black people?” Spradlin asks.
King replies that she is also trying to figure that out.
“I can give you a really good idea why it might be that way,” he said. “Violent tendencies.”
Spradlin goes on to say that “I don’t blame” white people for being afraid because of violence in the black community. “Some of them, because of their appearance and whatnot, some of them are very intimidating,” he says.
The newspaper identified King as an elementary school teacher. Her attorney did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
Read more at Yahoo.
“BANKING BLACK” HAS TRANSFERRED NEARLY $1 MILLION DOLLARS INTO BLACK-OWNED BANKS
In light of the recent Black Lives Matter protests following the death of Alton Sterling and Philandro Castile, the Black community has teamed up to show just how much Black lives matter. The Black community has thus far transferred nearly $1 million dollars into Black owned banks.
Protests have been circulating through text messages and social media calling for the boycotting of many large companies and urging the Black community to “buy Black.” With the help of celebrities like Atlanta rapper Killer Mike, over 8,000 people have transferred at least $100 into Citizen’s Trust bank alone. That is over $800,000 dollars transferred into one Black owned bank in the last five days.
Boycotting began as a method to bring awareness to the importance of Black lives across the world. Following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s 1968 speech, “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop”, the idea behind the boycotting of non-Black owned businesses and banks are to show that Black money is essential to the economy. According to the Nielsen Company, more than $160 million were spent on products alone by the Black community. It also reports that national advertisers spend over two billion dollars in marketing geared toward Blacks.
Read more at The Source
Protests have been circulating through text messages and social media calling for the boycotting of many large companies and urging the Black community to “buy Black.” With the help of celebrities like Atlanta rapper Killer Mike, over 8,000 people have transferred at least $100 into Citizen’s Trust bank alone. That is over $800,000 dollars transferred into one Black owned bank in the last five days.
Boycotting began as a method to bring awareness to the importance of Black lives across the world. Following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.‘s 1968 speech, “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop”, the idea behind the boycotting of non-Black owned businesses and banks are to show that Black money is essential to the economy. According to the Nielsen Company, more than $160 million were spent on products alone by the Black community. It also reports that national advertisers spend over two billion dollars in marketing geared toward Blacks.
Read more at The Source
Miami shooting: Man shot by cops was lying down with hands up, lawyer says
(CNN)Charles Kinsey said he was lying in the middle of the street with his arms raised high when police shot him in the leg.
Kinsey, who works for an assisted living facility in North Miami, had gone outside Monday to assist one of his patients who had just had a behavioral incident when police showed up, his lawyer said.
They were called to the scene after they received reports of an armed man threatening suicide, authorities said.
Kinsey said that when police arrived, he tried to explain that he was a behavioral therapist at the nearby facility and that his patient has autism and that he was holding a toy truck, not a firearm.
He then asked his patient, a 23-year-old, to be still and lie down.
"I was more worried about him than myself," Kinsey told CNN affiliate WSVN.
Cell phone video from the scene released by his lawyer, Hilton Napoleon II, shows Kinsey lying on the ground with his arms raised and another man sitting cross-legged next to him.
"As long as I've got my hands up, they're not gonna shoot me, that's what I'm thinking," Kinsey said.
"Wow, was I wrong."
A second video provided by Napoleon shows Kinsey lying in the road, on his stomach and handcuffed. It's not clear if there is video of the actual shooting and what happened between the two videos provided by the lawyer.
'Why did you shoot me?'
North Miami Police said in a news release that they are investigating the shooting and have asked potential witnesses to come forward with any photos or video they may have from the incident.
Read more at CNN
Kinsey, who works for an assisted living facility in North Miami, had gone outside Monday to assist one of his patients who had just had a behavioral incident when police showed up, his lawyer said.
They were called to the scene after they received reports of an armed man threatening suicide, authorities said.
Kinsey said that when police arrived, he tried to explain that he was a behavioral therapist at the nearby facility and that his patient has autism and that he was holding a toy truck, not a firearm.
He then asked his patient, a 23-year-old, to be still and lie down.
"I was more worried about him than myself," Kinsey told CNN affiliate WSVN.
Cell phone video from the scene released by his lawyer, Hilton Napoleon II, shows Kinsey lying on the ground with his arms raised and another man sitting cross-legged next to him.
"As long as I've got my hands up, they're not gonna shoot me, that's what I'm thinking," Kinsey said.
"Wow, was I wrong."
A second video provided by Napoleon shows Kinsey lying in the road, on his stomach and handcuffed. It's not clear if there is video of the actual shooting and what happened between the two videos provided by the lawyer.
'Why did you shoot me?'
North Miami Police said in a news release that they are investigating the shooting and have asked potential witnesses to come forward with any photos or video they may have from the incident.
Read more at CNN
Judge Lets Bill Cosby Sue Rape Accuser, But Not for Talking to Law Enforcement
On Monday, Bill Cosby got a mixed ruling in his civil lawsuit against former Temple University employee Andrea Constand and her attorneys. A Pennsylvania federal judge has thrown out one key claim the embattled entertainer has made, but allowed others to move forward. Additionally, Cosby is being allowed to sue the parent company of National Enquirer.
Constand is the woman whose rape allegations have Cosby facing a pending criminal proceeding in the state. After the District Attorney brought charges this past December against Cosby over a sexual abuse alleged to have happened back in 2004, Cosby returned fire with a civil lawsuit against Costand, her mother, her attorneys Delores Troiani and Bebe Kivitz, as well as American Media for allegedly breaching the confidentiality provision of a 2006 settlement agreement.
In a ruling today, U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno has granted a motion to dismiss as it pertains to Constand, her mother and her lawyers talking to law enforcement.
Although the settlement agreement prohibited Constand and her reps from disclosing any aspect of her prior litigation against Cosby, the judge agrees with Troiani and Kivitz that such confidentiality is unenforceable because it violates public policy by purporting to prevent individuals from providing information concerning alleged criminal conduct.
Cosby argued from a reading of prior cases that public policy only prevented disclosures elicited through a subpoena, but Robreno rules that Cosby hasn't cited any support for the proposition that parties can be bound against voluntary disclosures to law enforcement officers.
As such, Cosby loses that aspect of his breach-of-contract claim, but he experiences better luck on how Constand's lawyers allegedly violated confidentiality by participating in the release of Cosby's decade-old deposition —the now infamous one where he admitted giving women drugs for the purpose of sex.
Troiani and Kivitz contended that they played no role in the release of the deposition transcript and that the court reporting service that leaked the transcript wasn't their vendor. But the judge says these are factual issues that can't be resolved at this preliminary stage.
Additionally, the judge declines to reject a claim directed at Constand over two 2014 tweets and an interview with the Toronto Sun. In one tweet, Constand wrote, "I won't go away, there is a lot more I will say," and in the other, she wrote, "It's not that everybody just forgot about it, truth is nobody cared."
Constand argued that the tweets couldn't form the basis of a breach of contract because she didn't name Cosby.
Read more at Hollywood Reporter.
Constand is the woman whose rape allegations have Cosby facing a pending criminal proceeding in the state. After the District Attorney brought charges this past December against Cosby over a sexual abuse alleged to have happened back in 2004, Cosby returned fire with a civil lawsuit against Costand, her mother, her attorneys Delores Troiani and Bebe Kivitz, as well as American Media for allegedly breaching the confidentiality provision of a 2006 settlement agreement.
In a ruling today, U.S. District Judge Eduardo Robreno has granted a motion to dismiss as it pertains to Constand, her mother and her lawyers talking to law enforcement.
Although the settlement agreement prohibited Constand and her reps from disclosing any aspect of her prior litigation against Cosby, the judge agrees with Troiani and Kivitz that such confidentiality is unenforceable because it violates public policy by purporting to prevent individuals from providing information concerning alleged criminal conduct.
Cosby argued from a reading of prior cases that public policy only prevented disclosures elicited through a subpoena, but Robreno rules that Cosby hasn't cited any support for the proposition that parties can be bound against voluntary disclosures to law enforcement officers.
As such, Cosby loses that aspect of his breach-of-contract claim, but he experiences better luck on how Constand's lawyers allegedly violated confidentiality by participating in the release of Cosby's decade-old deposition —the now infamous one where he admitted giving women drugs for the purpose of sex.
Troiani and Kivitz contended that they played no role in the release of the deposition transcript and that the court reporting service that leaked the transcript wasn't their vendor. But the judge says these are factual issues that can't be resolved at this preliminary stage.
Additionally, the judge declines to reject a claim directed at Constand over two 2014 tweets and an interview with the Toronto Sun. In one tweet, Constand wrote, "I won't go away, there is a lot more I will say," and in the other, she wrote, "It's not that everybody just forgot about it, truth is nobody cared."
Constand argued that the tweets couldn't form the basis of a breach of contract because she didn't name Cosby.
Read more at Hollywood Reporter.
Al Sharpton sued for allegedly swiping $16K from Arizona man
Shakedown Sharpton has struck again, according to an Arizona trucker, who says in a new federal lawsuit that the good reverend promised to help him, then took him for $16,000.
“He’s a crook, he’s a fraud, and that’s all he is,” complains Reggie Anders Sr., who sought out the Rev. Al Sharpton for help resolving a 2009 discrimination dispute with Verizon.
“He didn’t do anything he promised,” Anders said Saturday by phone from Mesa, Arizona. “Absolutely nothing.”
Anders reached out to Sharpton early last year on the advice of his own minister, the Rev. David Wade of Phoenix. Wade knew Franklyn Richards, the chairman of Sharpton’s National Action Network, and set up a meeting. Anders and his pastor flew east for the sitdown at NAN headquarters in Harlem in March 2015.
“I thought he was an honest guy,” Anders said of meeting Sharpton. “I thought he would do what he said he would do.”
Sharpton promised to go to bat for him against Verizon, a trucking client of Anders he had accused of discrimination and breach of contract in a federal suit that was dismissed in 2014.
Sharpton would “set up mediation meetings” and, if need be, “put the matter to the media” and even blast the telecom giant on his weekly radio broadcast, according to Anders’ lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan federal court. All Anders had to do was hand over $16,000. Sharpton was very clear about how he wished to be paid, Anders told The Post. “He wanted cash only. He didn’t say why.”
“He’s a crook, he’s a fraud, and that’s all he is,” complains Reggie Anders Sr., who sought out the Rev. Al Sharpton for help resolving a 2009 discrimination dispute with Verizon.
“He didn’t do anything he promised,” Anders said Saturday by phone from Mesa, Arizona. “Absolutely nothing.”
Anders reached out to Sharpton early last year on the advice of his own minister, the Rev. David Wade of Phoenix. Wade knew Franklyn Richards, the chairman of Sharpton’s National Action Network, and set up a meeting. Anders and his pastor flew east for the sitdown at NAN headquarters in Harlem in March 2015.
“I thought he was an honest guy,” Anders said of meeting Sharpton. “I thought he would do what he said he would do.”
Sharpton promised to go to bat for him against Verizon, a trucking client of Anders he had accused of discrimination and breach of contract in a federal suit that was dismissed in 2014.
Sharpton would “set up mediation meetings” and, if need be, “put the matter to the media” and even blast the telecom giant on his weekly radio broadcast, according to Anders’ lawsuit, filed Friday in Manhattan federal court. All Anders had to do was hand over $16,000. Sharpton was very clear about how he wished to be paid, Anders told The Post. “He wanted cash only. He didn’t say why.”
Atlanta cop who shot unarmed black man charged with murder
Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard announced that arrest warrants were issued Friday for the ex-Atlanta police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black motorist on June 22.
Howard said he will be seeking an indictment against Officer James Burns for felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of his oath of office for killing Deravis Caine Rogers outside a northeast Atlanta apartment complex.
Burns, who joined the force in 2013, was fired from the department July 1 after an internal affairs investigation determined that the shooting amounted to excessive force. Howard said he will take the case to a grand jury early next month.
“By reason of the evidence presented by several eye-witnesses, videos, and the findings of the Atlanta Police Department, we will proceed in this case in the same manner as any other defendant similarly charged — arrest, indictment and resolution,” Howard said in a statement.
More details on myAJC.com.
Howard said he will be seeking an indictment against Officer James Burns for felony murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of his oath of office for killing Deravis Caine Rogers outside a northeast Atlanta apartment complex.
Burns, who joined the force in 2013, was fired from the department July 1 after an internal affairs investigation determined that the shooting amounted to excessive force. Howard said he will take the case to a grand jury early next month.
“By reason of the evidence presented by several eye-witnesses, videos, and the findings of the Atlanta Police Department, we will proceed in this case in the same manner as any other defendant similarly charged — arrest, indictment and resolution,” Howard said in a statement.
More details on myAJC.com.
The Senate’s only black Republican just got real on race
Of the 100 senators in office right now, two are black. In a remarkable moment of raw honesty on the Senate floor Wednesday, one of those senators — GOP Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina — said that even in the highest levels of governance, being black can still get you stopped by the police.
In a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Scott shared that when he comes to Washington, he's sometimes felt more like a suspect than a member of the nation's most exclusive club. He said he's been stopped by police seven times in one year.
Scott went on to criticize law enforcement in America that he indicated too often treats people differently because of the color of their skin. (We'll post a full video of the speech as soon as it becomes available.)
"We’re not going to sugarcoat the fact that there is a problem," Scott told the Post and Courier's Emma Dumain before the speech, part of a three-part series he delivered this week on race in America.
Scott is known as a quiet man on Capitol Hill, a lawmaker who prefers to put conservatism and his Christianity first, and his race second — if at all. He is the first black Republican elected to the South in more than a century, but his colleagues say you won't hear him talking about that.
But since coming to the Senate in 2015, Scott's been forced to. After a white man killed nine black people at church in Charleston, S.C., Scott fought back tears on the Senate floor.
Read more at Washington Post
In a speech on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Scott shared that when he comes to Washington, he's sometimes felt more like a suspect than a member of the nation's most exclusive club. He said he's been stopped by police seven times in one year.
Scott went on to criticize law enforcement in America that he indicated too often treats people differently because of the color of their skin. (We'll post a full video of the speech as soon as it becomes available.)
"We’re not going to sugarcoat the fact that there is a problem," Scott told the Post and Courier's Emma Dumain before the speech, part of a three-part series he delivered this week on race in America.
Scott is known as a quiet man on Capitol Hill, a lawmaker who prefers to put conservatism and his Christianity first, and his race second — if at all. He is the first black Republican elected to the South in more than a century, but his colleagues say you won't hear him talking about that.
But since coming to the Senate in 2015, Scott's been forced to. After a white man killed nine black people at church in Charleston, S.C., Scott fought back tears on the Senate floor.
Read more at Washington Post
Donald Trump Gets 0% Support From Black Voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania: NBC/WSJ Polls
Zero.
That's the percentage of African-American voters who picked Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls.
In Ohio, where the two candidates are tied, 11 percent of the 848 registered voters in the poll were African American, and they broke for Clinton, 88 percent to 0 percent.
And in Pennsylvania, where Clinton was ahead by nine points, 10 percent of the 829 voters are African American, and they went for Clinton, 91 percent to 0 percent.
Related: Clinton Ahead or Even in Midwest Battlegrounds Polls
The other NBC/WSJ/Marist poll, of Iowa, didn't have enough African-American voters for a statistically significant sample.
Among white voters in Ohio, Trump bested Clinton by 10 points, 43 percent to 33 percent.
But in Pennsylvania, they were tied here, 40 percent to 40 percent.
The NBC/WSJ/Marist polls were conducted July 5-10 of 822 registered voters in Iowa (which has a margin of error of plus-minus 3.4 percentage points), 848 registered voters in Ohio (plus-minus 3.4 percentage points) and 829 registered voters in Pennsylvania (plus-minus 3.4 percentage points). Percentages don't always add up to 100 because None, Other, and Unsure were possible answers.
Read more at NBCNEWS.COM
That's the percentage of African-American voters who picked Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton in the battleground states of Ohio and Pennsylvania, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal/Marist polls.
In Ohio, where the two candidates are tied, 11 percent of the 848 registered voters in the poll were African American, and they broke for Clinton, 88 percent to 0 percent.
And in Pennsylvania, where Clinton was ahead by nine points, 10 percent of the 829 voters are African American, and they went for Clinton, 91 percent to 0 percent.
Related: Clinton Ahead or Even in Midwest Battlegrounds Polls
The other NBC/WSJ/Marist poll, of Iowa, didn't have enough African-American voters for a statistically significant sample.
Among white voters in Ohio, Trump bested Clinton by 10 points, 43 percent to 33 percent.
But in Pennsylvania, they were tied here, 40 percent to 40 percent.
The NBC/WSJ/Marist polls were conducted July 5-10 of 822 registered voters in Iowa (which has a margin of error of plus-minus 3.4 percentage points), 848 registered voters in Ohio (plus-minus 3.4 percentage points) and 829 registered voters in Pennsylvania (plus-minus 3.4 percentage points). Percentages don't always add up to 100 because None, Other, and Unsure were possible answers.
Read more at NBCNEWS.COM
Minneapolis police officers walk off WNBA security detail in protest of Black Lives Matter
Maya Moore and her Minnesota Lynx teammates sported T-shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement on Saturday night. (David Sherman/Getty Images)
The Minneapolis Police Department’s motto is “To Protect with Courage, To Serve with Compassion.”
Except when it comes to Saturday night’s Minnesota Lynx game at the city’s Target Center, it seems.
Four Minneapolis police officers, working the game as independently contracted security personnel, walked off the job before this past weekend’s game against the Dallas Wings in response to members of the Lynx wearing T-shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and calling for change in the wake of recent police shootings that left two black men dead, according to the Star Tribune.
“If we take this time to see that this is a human issue and speak out together, we can greatly decrease fear and create change,” Lynx guard, 2014 WNBA MVP and three-time league champ Maya Moore told reporters at a press conference players called prior to the game. “Tonight we will be wearing shirts to honor and mourn the losses of precious American citizens and to plea for change in all of us.”
Moore and her Lynx teammates sported black T-shirts with the words, “CHANGE STARTS WITH US … JUSTICE & ACCOUNTABILITY,” stacked on the front. On the back, the shirts featured the names Philando Castile and Alton Sterling — the two men fatally shot last week by police in Falcon Heights, Minn., and Baton Rouge, La., respectively — along with the phrase “BLACK LIVES MATTER” underneath.
Additionally, the shirts featured a Dallas Police Department emblem in honor of the five officers killed by a rogue sniper during a rally protesting the shooting deaths of Castile and Sterling. Lynx players also denounced the “senseless ambush” of the five fallen officers, according to the Star Tribune, and praised Dallas police for their efforts against the unnecessary use of deadly force in recent years.
So, it seems four Minneapolis police officers walking off a security detail for 7,613 fans in attendance at Saturday’s game was ill-advised at best and downright deplorable at worst. These officers are paid to protect and serve, albeit independently in this scenario, and one would think that should take precedence over political beliefs that clash with what was a rather reasoned take by the Lynx.
Making matters worse, Minneapolis Police Federation Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the city’s police union, stood firmly by the decision to leave their security post, even calling for others to do the same.
“I commend them for it,” Kroll told the Star Tribune. Adding that the four officers who walked off the job have refused to work future Lynx games and many of their colleagues have joined that lack of effort, Kroll said, “If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there.”
In other words, the Minneapolis police union is asking WNBA players to change their stance against racial profiling if the city would like officers protecting citizens in the stands at Target Center.
This is not good. Not good at all.
Read more at Yahoo
The Minneapolis Police Department’s motto is “To Protect with Courage, To Serve with Compassion.”
Except when it comes to Saturday night’s Minnesota Lynx game at the city’s Target Center, it seems.
Four Minneapolis police officers, working the game as independently contracted security personnel, walked off the job before this past weekend’s game against the Dallas Wings in response to members of the Lynx wearing T-shirts in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and calling for change in the wake of recent police shootings that left two black men dead, according to the Star Tribune.
“If we take this time to see that this is a human issue and speak out together, we can greatly decrease fear and create change,” Lynx guard, 2014 WNBA MVP and three-time league champ Maya Moore told reporters at a press conference players called prior to the game. “Tonight we will be wearing shirts to honor and mourn the losses of precious American citizens and to plea for change in all of us.”
Moore and her Lynx teammates sported black T-shirts with the words, “CHANGE STARTS WITH US … JUSTICE & ACCOUNTABILITY,” stacked on the front. On the back, the shirts featured the names Philando Castile and Alton Sterling — the two men fatally shot last week by police in Falcon Heights, Minn., and Baton Rouge, La., respectively — along with the phrase “BLACK LIVES MATTER” underneath.
Additionally, the shirts featured a Dallas Police Department emblem in honor of the five officers killed by a rogue sniper during a rally protesting the shooting deaths of Castile and Sterling. Lynx players also denounced the “senseless ambush” of the five fallen officers, according to the Star Tribune, and praised Dallas police for their efforts against the unnecessary use of deadly force in recent years.
So, it seems four Minneapolis police officers walking off a security detail for 7,613 fans in attendance at Saturday’s game was ill-advised at best and downright deplorable at worst. These officers are paid to protect and serve, albeit independently in this scenario, and one would think that should take precedence over political beliefs that clash with what was a rather reasoned take by the Lynx.
Making matters worse, Minneapolis Police Federation Lt. Bob Kroll, president of the city’s police union, stood firmly by the decision to leave their security post, even calling for others to do the same.
“I commend them for it,” Kroll told the Star Tribune. Adding that the four officers who walked off the job have refused to work future Lynx games and many of their colleagues have joined that lack of effort, Kroll said, “If [the players] are going to keep their stance, all officers may refuse to work there.”
In other words, the Minneapolis police union is asking WNBA players to change their stance against racial profiling if the city would like officers protecting citizens in the stands at Target Center.
This is not good. Not good at all.
Read more at Yahoo
Joe Paterno gave callous response to alleged sexual abuse, victim says
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A man who claims Jerry Sandusky sexually abused him in 1976 says in newly unsealed court documents that he told Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno about the incident the very next day, and Paterno responded callously.
Related: Men say coach Joe Paterno knew about sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky
The man identified as John Doe 150 testified in October 2014 that about six other boys in a shower heard him yell that Sandusky had sexually penetrated him with a finger.
A judge unsealed extensive records Tuesday, July 12, 2016 from Penn State’s insurance litigation over coverage of Sandusky-related claims.
John Doe 150 says he told several adults about the incident, then sought out Paterno to tell him what occurred.
He says Paterno’s response was that he didn’t want to hear about it and had a football season to worry about.
Paterno said before his death in 2012 that the first inkling he had that Sandusky might be abusing children was in 2001.
A lawyer for Paterno’s family claims there’s evidence that “stands in stark contrast” to the man’s story.
Read more at WQAD
Related: Men say coach Joe Paterno knew about sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky
The man identified as John Doe 150 testified in October 2014 that about six other boys in a shower heard him yell that Sandusky had sexually penetrated him with a finger.
A judge unsealed extensive records Tuesday, July 12, 2016 from Penn State’s insurance litigation over coverage of Sandusky-related claims.
John Doe 150 says he told several adults about the incident, then sought out Paterno to tell him what occurred.
He says Paterno’s response was that he didn’t want to hear about it and had a football season to worry about.
Paterno said before his death in 2012 that the first inkling he had that Sandusky might be abusing children was in 2001.
A lawyer for Paterno’s family claims there’s evidence that “stands in stark contrast” to the man’s story.
Read more at WQAD
Wendy Williams’ Mouth Causes Her to Lose Chevy Sponsorship: Report
*Welp! It looks like Wendy Williams‘ mouth has written a check her you-know-what can’t cash. And it’s all because of her outrageous comments this past week HBCUs and the NAACP.
Of course we’re referring to what she said about actor Jesse Williams’ BET Awards acceptance speech during her ‘Hot Topics’ segment. She went on to basically denounce the existence of both HBCUs and the NAACP.
“On the other hand, I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. We have historically black colleges. What if there was the National Organization for White People, only? There’s the NAACP,” the gossip talk show host said.
READ RELATED STORY: Wendy Williams Ripped for Comments About Jesse Williams & HBCU’s
Well, according to Love B. Scott, sources say that Wendy’s anti-HBCU and anti-NAACP comments led to her losing her show’s Chevrolet sponsorship!
In April of this year, The Wendy Williams show struck an all-inclusive deal with Chevrolet, Carat Media and ACE Media Corp. to include on-air promotion of the 2016 Chevy Malibu. The activation included custom digital content, social media marketing, and was set to continue for the rest of the year.
Not anymore.
Our sources say that Wendy has been “sobbing all week” over the loss, although she refuses to apologize.
We’re not sure who exactly pulled the plug, but it should be noted that Andrea Holmes Thompkins, President and CEO of ACE Media Corp (the company responsible for facilitating the Chevy partnership), graduated from Howard University.
Dang, if this is true, maybe now she’ll take the advice Roland Martin gave in his epic take-down of her in the video below:
Of course we’re referring to what she said about actor Jesse Williams’ BET Awards acceptance speech during her ‘Hot Topics’ segment. She went on to basically denounce the existence of both HBCUs and the NAACP.
“On the other hand, I would be really offended if there was a school that was known as a historically white college. We have historically black colleges. What if there was the National Organization for White People, only? There’s the NAACP,” the gossip talk show host said.
READ RELATED STORY: Wendy Williams Ripped for Comments About Jesse Williams & HBCU’s
Well, according to Love B. Scott, sources say that Wendy’s anti-HBCU and anti-NAACP comments led to her losing her show’s Chevrolet sponsorship!
In April of this year, The Wendy Williams show struck an all-inclusive deal with Chevrolet, Carat Media and ACE Media Corp. to include on-air promotion of the 2016 Chevy Malibu. The activation included custom digital content, social media marketing, and was set to continue for the rest of the year.
Not anymore.
Our sources say that Wendy has been “sobbing all week” over the loss, although she refuses to apologize.
We’re not sure who exactly pulled the plug, but it should be noted that Andrea Holmes Thompkins, President and CEO of ACE Media Corp (the company responsible for facilitating the Chevy partnership), graduated from Howard University.
Dang, if this is true, maybe now she’ll take the advice Roland Martin gave in his epic take-down of her in the video below:
Here's the Story About Philando Castile You Won't See on the News
As the St. Paul community mourns the death of Philando Castile, those who truly knew the man mourn the loss of “the gentle spirit” that people knew, and loved so well.
He was known as “Mr. Phil” at the JJ Hill Montessori School in St. Paul, where he worked in the cafeteria, and it was at that school that hundreds gathered on Thursday evening to hold a vigil in the 32-year-old man’s memory.
“I want his name respected,” ex-principal Katherine Holmquist-Burks said on Thursday, as the school’s flag flew at half-mast. “He was not a bad person. He was a great person. He was a warm person and a gentle spirit. This was a tragedy that he was murdered.”
Students also remembered the man that they knew and loved so well. Jas Gillman remembered how Castile “used to give you fist bumps, used to give you extra food when you were at the end of the lunch line." Another student told KMSP-TV that Castile would often comfort students when he noticed that they were feeling down. “He was really nice to everyone and he was one of the kindest people in the whole school,” they said.
A co-worker added, “Kids loved him. He was smart, over-qualified. He was quiet, respectful and kind. I knew him as warm and funny; he called me his ‘wing man.’ He wore a shirt and tie to his supervisor interview and said his goal was to one day ‘sit on the other side of this table.’”
As the community mourned the loss of a great man who was loved by so many, his mother, Valerie Castile, told the crowd, “Our nation is in trouble. Our Black children are on the endangered species list. Believe it or not, we are.” She also thanked the crowd, saying that while everyone at the vigil may not have known her son, if they had, “You would have loved him.”
Read more at BET
He was known as “Mr. Phil” at the JJ Hill Montessori School in St. Paul, where he worked in the cafeteria, and it was at that school that hundreds gathered on Thursday evening to hold a vigil in the 32-year-old man’s memory.
“I want his name respected,” ex-principal Katherine Holmquist-Burks said on Thursday, as the school’s flag flew at half-mast. “He was not a bad person. He was a great person. He was a warm person and a gentle spirit. This was a tragedy that he was murdered.”
Students also remembered the man that they knew and loved so well. Jas Gillman remembered how Castile “used to give you fist bumps, used to give you extra food when you were at the end of the lunch line." Another student told KMSP-TV that Castile would often comfort students when he noticed that they were feeling down. “He was really nice to everyone and he was one of the kindest people in the whole school,” they said.
A co-worker added, “Kids loved him. He was smart, over-qualified. He was quiet, respectful and kind. I knew him as warm and funny; he called me his ‘wing man.’ He wore a shirt and tie to his supervisor interview and said his goal was to one day ‘sit on the other side of this table.’”
As the community mourned the loss of a great man who was loved by so many, his mother, Valerie Castile, told the crowd, “Our nation is in trouble. Our Black children are on the endangered species list. Believe it or not, we are.” She also thanked the crowd, saying that while everyone at the vigil may not have known her son, if they had, “You would have loved him.”
Read more at BET
Michael Bennett slams Steph Curry for cost of kids' camp
Seattle Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett isn’t one to hold his tongue, especially when it comes to well-paid mediocre quarterbacks, and even when it comes to one of the most respected basketball players in the NBA.
Bennett, a Houston native who lives in Oahu, Hawaii, in the offseason, is hosting his fourth-annual football camp in the city this weekend, and the camp is free to all participants.
Over Fourth of July weekend, Curry, the reigning NBA MVP, hosted a basketball camp on the island that cost $2,000 for day campers and $2,250 for those wanting to stay overnight.
That didn’t set well with Bennett, and he said as much on KHON-TV.
“I see a lot of different athletes come through Hawaii whether it’s Steph Curry or whoever it is. They all come here and it makes me mad, because I live in this community and I understand this community — that there’s so many kids who can’t afford to pay such a high amount of money,” he said. “In my mind it’s like, how much money do you need before you start giving back for free? And I think a lot of athletes should start focusing on that.”
And he didn’t stop there.
“If you do have a camp and you charge money for it, you need to make sure that money that you take from this community, you give back to the kids that are paying for the camp. These are the kids that live here. When you leave Hawaii and you go back to wherever you’re at, or you come here and you go back from this vacation you leave with a piece of paradise, but these people still live here every day.”
Bennett has given of his time and money since moving to Hawaii (his wife is from the state), and believes that professional athletes should do the same.
Read more at Yahoo
Bennett, a Houston native who lives in Oahu, Hawaii, in the offseason, is hosting his fourth-annual football camp in the city this weekend, and the camp is free to all participants.
Over Fourth of July weekend, Curry, the reigning NBA MVP, hosted a basketball camp on the island that cost $2,000 for day campers and $2,250 for those wanting to stay overnight.
That didn’t set well with Bennett, and he said as much on KHON-TV.
“I see a lot of different athletes come through Hawaii whether it’s Steph Curry or whoever it is. They all come here and it makes me mad, because I live in this community and I understand this community — that there’s so many kids who can’t afford to pay such a high amount of money,” he said. “In my mind it’s like, how much money do you need before you start giving back for free? And I think a lot of athletes should start focusing on that.”
And he didn’t stop there.
“If you do have a camp and you charge money for it, you need to make sure that money that you take from this community, you give back to the kids that are paying for the camp. These are the kids that live here. When you leave Hawaii and you go back to wherever you’re at, or you come here and you go back from this vacation you leave with a piece of paradise, but these people still live here every day.”
Bennett has given of his time and money since moving to Hawaii (his wife is from the state), and believes that professional athletes should do the same.
Read more at Yahoo
Serena Williams beats Angelique Kerber in final, gets milestone win
WIMBLEDON, England — In her pursuit of one of the most elusive records in tennis, the third time proved the charm for Serena Williams at Wimbledon on Saturday, beating Angelique Kerber 7-5, 6-3.
With the victory, her seventh singles title at Wimbledon, Williams claimed her 22nd Grand Slam singles title, equaling the Open Era record held by Steffi Graf.
Williams had lost her previous two Grand Slam finals earlier this year, falling to Kerber at the Australian Open and Garbine Muguruza at the French Open.
The slow starts she had in those matches were nowhere to be found on Saturday, as Williams played with newfound purpose and power. She did not face a break point on her serve until late in the second set.
Kerber again proved a ferocious fighter, as she had in Melbourne. With her world class counterpunching, she routinely extended rallies, and defended her often vulnerable serve with tenacity.
Williams secured a final break in the eighth game of the second set, and then served out the victory with a forehand volley winner. Williams, who had friends Beyonce and Jay-Z watching from her player's box, then collapsed to the court in joy.
"It makes the victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked for it," Williams said.
Read more at USA Today
With the victory, her seventh singles title at Wimbledon, Williams claimed her 22nd Grand Slam singles title, equaling the Open Era record held by Steffi Graf.
Williams had lost her previous two Grand Slam finals earlier this year, falling to Kerber at the Australian Open and Garbine Muguruza at the French Open.
The slow starts she had in those matches were nowhere to be found on Saturday, as Williams played with newfound purpose and power. She did not face a break point on her serve until late in the second set.
Kerber again proved a ferocious fighter, as she had in Melbourne. With her world class counterpunching, she routinely extended rallies, and defended her often vulnerable serve with tenacity.
Williams secured a final break in the eighth game of the second set, and then served out the victory with a forehand volley winner. Williams, who had friends Beyonce and Jay-Z watching from her player's box, then collapsed to the court in joy.
"It makes the victory even sweeter to know how hard I worked for it," Williams said.
Read more at USA Today
Why African Americans are terrified
I didn’t even have a chance to emotionally process what happened in Baton Rouge on Tuesday when what happened near St. Paul, Minn., on Wednesday was added to a grim list of black people who died at the hands of police.
Staten Island, N.Y.
Ferguson, Mo.
Beavercreek, Ohio.
Chicago
Cleveland
North Charleston, S.C.
Tulsa
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Forgive me if a police shooting or killing of an African American is not listed above. There have been so many. And that list doesn’t include Waller County, Tex., where Sandra Bland went from routine traffic stop to hanged in her jail cell in July 2015. Nor does it include McKinney, Tex., where a video showed a police officer tackling Dajerria Becton, a bikini-clad 15-year-old, at a June 2015 pool party.
And if you take all that above and add the horror of Charleston, S.C., where nine African Americans were killed, allegedly by a white supremacist, in a historic black church, perhaps you will begin to understand the trauma black people across the country are suffering right now.
A broken taillight can get you killed (Philando Castile). Selling CDs outside a convenience store can get you killed (Alton Sterling). Selling loose cigarettes can get you killed (Eric Garner). Playing in a park with a toy gun can get you killed (Tamir Rice). Shopping in a Walmart can get you killed (John Crawford III). A missing license plate can get you killed (Samuel DuBose). Worshiping in your church can get you killed (the Mother Emanuel nine). A routine traffic stop can get you shot (Levar Jones) or killed (Sandra Bland, Walter Scott). And as every African American knows, a routine traffic stop is never routine when you’re black.
Read more at Washington Post
Staten Island, N.Y.
Ferguson, Mo.
Beavercreek, Ohio.
Chicago
Cleveland
North Charleston, S.C.
Tulsa
Baltimore
Cincinnati
Forgive me if a police shooting or killing of an African American is not listed above. There have been so many. And that list doesn’t include Waller County, Tex., where Sandra Bland went from routine traffic stop to hanged in her jail cell in July 2015. Nor does it include McKinney, Tex., where a video showed a police officer tackling Dajerria Becton, a bikini-clad 15-year-old, at a June 2015 pool party.
And if you take all that above and add the horror of Charleston, S.C., where nine African Americans were killed, allegedly by a white supremacist, in a historic black church, perhaps you will begin to understand the trauma black people across the country are suffering right now.
A broken taillight can get you killed (Philando Castile). Selling CDs outside a convenience store can get you killed (Alton Sterling). Selling loose cigarettes can get you killed (Eric Garner). Playing in a park with a toy gun can get you killed (Tamir Rice). Shopping in a Walmart can get you killed (John Crawford III). A missing license plate can get you killed (Samuel DuBose). Worshiping in your church can get you killed (the Mother Emanuel nine). A routine traffic stop can get you shot (Levar Jones) or killed (Sandra Bland, Walter Scott). And as every African American knows, a routine traffic stop is never routine when you’re black.
Read more at Washington Post
Dallas sniper attack: 5 officers killed during protests against police
A suspect who died after a standoff with Dallas police said he wanted to kill white people -- especially white officers -- and that he was upset about "the recent police shootings," and that he acted alone, Dallas Police Chief David Brown told reporters Friday.
The suspect eventually was killed by a bomb that authorities detonated, Brown said.
"We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to detonate where the suspect was," Brown said. "Other options would have exposed our officers to grave danger. The suspect is deceased as a result of detonating the bomb."
Five police officers were killed and seven others were injured in the ambush in Dallas that began Thursday night, officials have said, in the deadliest single incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11, 2001. Two civilians also were injured in the shootings, the office of Dallas' mayor has said.
Most of the injured Dallas police officers have been released from a hospital, Brown told reporters. The officers' conditions are improving, Brown said.
"All I know is that this must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens," Brown said. "We don't feel much support most days. Let's not make today most days. Please, we need your support to be able to protect you from men like these, who carried out this tragic, tragic event."
Brown said an investigation into the ambush continues.
"I'm not going to be satisfied until we've turned over every stone. We've got some level that this one suspect did do some of the shooting. But we're not satisfied that we've exhausted every lead," he said. "So if there's someone out there who's associated with this, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will bring you to justice."
[Original story, published at 8:17 a.m. ET]
Shooters killed five officers at a protest over police violence in downtown Dallas, sending screaming crowds scrambling for shelter and spurring an investigation into who was behind the ambush.
The deadly gunfire erupted in Dallas on Thursday night as videos showing two African-American men shot by police in Louisiana and Minnesota spurred protests and debate over police use of force across the country.
Authorities say three people are in custody and one suspect is dead in Dallas. They haven't revealed details about the shooters or their motives.
Twelve officers were shot, and some of the injured officers are undergoing surgery, authorities said. The shooting was the deadliest single incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11, 2001.
Two civilians were also wounded, according to Scott Goldstein, chief of policy and communications for the mayor.
Here's what we know:
-- At least 10 police officers were shot by snipers during the protests, Dallas police Chief David Brown said.
-- Brown said it's unclear how many suspects were involved, but three people are in custody.
-- Police negotiated and exchanged gunfire with a suspect for hours at a parking garage in downtown Dallas. That suspect is dead, a law enforcement official told CNN. The official did not say how the suspect died.
Read more at CNN
The suspect eventually was killed by a bomb that authorities detonated, Brown said.
"We saw no other option but to use our bomb robot and place a device on its extension for it to detonate where the suspect was," Brown said. "Other options would have exposed our officers to grave danger. The suspect is deceased as a result of detonating the bomb."
Five police officers were killed and seven others were injured in the ambush in Dallas that began Thursday night, officials have said, in the deadliest single incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11, 2001. Two civilians also were injured in the shootings, the office of Dallas' mayor has said.
Most of the injured Dallas police officers have been released from a hospital, Brown told reporters. The officers' conditions are improving, Brown said.
"All I know is that this must stop -- this divisiveness between our police and our citizens," Brown said. "We don't feel much support most days. Let's not make today most days. Please, we need your support to be able to protect you from men like these, who carried out this tragic, tragic event."
Brown said an investigation into the ambush continues.
"I'm not going to be satisfied until we've turned over every stone. We've got some level that this one suspect did do some of the shooting. But we're not satisfied that we've exhausted every lead," he said. "So if there's someone out there who's associated with this, we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will bring you to justice."
[Original story, published at 8:17 a.m. ET]
Shooters killed five officers at a protest over police violence in downtown Dallas, sending screaming crowds scrambling for shelter and spurring an investigation into who was behind the ambush.
The deadly gunfire erupted in Dallas on Thursday night as videos showing two African-American men shot by police in Louisiana and Minnesota spurred protests and debate over police use of force across the country.
Authorities say three people are in custody and one suspect is dead in Dallas. They haven't revealed details about the shooters or their motives.
Twelve officers were shot, and some of the injured officers are undergoing surgery, authorities said. The shooting was the deadliest single incident for U.S. law enforcement since September 11, 2001.
Two civilians were also wounded, according to Scott Goldstein, chief of policy and communications for the mayor.
Here's what we know:
-- At least 10 police officers were shot by snipers during the protests, Dallas police Chief David Brown said.
-- Brown said it's unclear how many suspects were involved, but three people are in custody.
-- Police negotiated and exchanged gunfire with a suspect for hours at a parking garage in downtown Dallas. That suspect is dead, a law enforcement official told CNN. The official did not say how the suspect died.
Read more at CNN
Wendy Williams Is Anti-NAACP and Anti-HBCU
Wendy Williams went fully “Wendy” during her Wednesday show. And this time she may have stepped on the wrong toes.
Today Williams learned that you don’t dare say anything bad about Jesse Williams, HBCUs or the NAACP. I mean, seriously? How could you say something negative about Williams or an HBCU? Now, the NAACP … well … that’s a little bit touchy for some folks.
Apparently Williams is cut from the same cheap cloth Stacey Dash is cut from. Just like Dash, Williams wants to know why there aren’t any HWCUs—or the NAAWP.
*Face slap*
Did Williams even graduate from college? Because if she had, you’d think she’d know the answers to these questions by now.
Read more at The Root
Today Williams learned that you don’t dare say anything bad about Jesse Williams, HBCUs or the NAACP. I mean, seriously? How could you say something negative about Williams or an HBCU? Now, the NAACP … well … that’s a little bit touchy for some folks.
Apparently Williams is cut from the same cheap cloth Stacey Dash is cut from. Just like Dash, Williams wants to know why there aren’t any HWCUs—or the NAAWP.
*Face slap*
Did Williams even graduate from college? Because if she had, you’d think she’d know the answers to these questions by now.
Read more at The Root
Woman live-streams aftermath of fatal officer-involved shooting
(CNN)Authorities say that a man is dead after being shot by police Wednesday evening after being pulled over in a traffic stop.
The incident took place in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, near Minneapolis.
The victim's name is Philando Castile, his mother Valerie told CNN affiliate WCCO.
No one besides Castile was injured in the shooting -- which comes amid a national debate in the U.S. on when officers can use lethal force -- Sgt. Jon Mangseth, the interim chief of the St. Anthony Police Department, told reporters.
In the car with him were a young girl and an adult woman, who live-streamed the immediate aftermath of the shooting on Facebook.
'A busted tail light'
"Stay with me," are the first words heard in her video. "We got pulled over for a busted tail light in the back."
The camera shows the woman speaking, then turns to a man in a white shirt, covered in blood. Out the window appears to be a police officer with his gun drawn.
The footage was streamed on a Facebook account under the name Lavish Reynolds. WCCO spoke to Castile's family who identified the woman as Diamond Reynolds.
In the video's first minute, Reynolds says that Castile is licensed to carry a firearm. She claims that before the shooting, her boyfriend was trying to get his ID from his wallet in his back pocket.
The video appears to be shot with the phone's front-facing camera, so the perspective is flipped, as letters would be in a mirror. Because of this, the steering wheel appears to be on the wrong side of the car.
Read more at CNN
The incident took place in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, near Minneapolis.
The victim's name is Philando Castile, his mother Valerie told CNN affiliate WCCO.
No one besides Castile was injured in the shooting -- which comes amid a national debate in the U.S. on when officers can use lethal force -- Sgt. Jon Mangseth, the interim chief of the St. Anthony Police Department, told reporters.
In the car with him were a young girl and an adult woman, who live-streamed the immediate aftermath of the shooting on Facebook.
'A busted tail light'
"Stay with me," are the first words heard in her video. "We got pulled over for a busted tail light in the back."
The camera shows the woman speaking, then turns to a man in a white shirt, covered in blood. Out the window appears to be a police officer with his gun drawn.
The footage was streamed on a Facebook account under the name Lavish Reynolds. WCCO spoke to Castile's family who identified the woman as Diamond Reynolds.
In the video's first minute, Reynolds says that Castile is licensed to carry a firearm. She claims that before the shooting, her boyfriend was trying to get his ID from his wallet in his back pocket.
The video appears to be shot with the phone's front-facing camera, so the perspective is flipped, as letters would be in a mirror. Because of this, the steering wheel appears to be on the wrong side of the car.
Read more at CNN
Alton Sterling shot, killed by Louisiana cops during struggle after he was selling music outside Baton Rouge store
Chilling cell phone video surfaced Tuesday of two Louisiana cops killing a 37-year-old man selling music outside a Baton Rouge convenience store after an anonymous caller claimed he had a gun.
The police gunfire sparked impassioned protests that continued past midnight outside the store — 24 hours after authorities shot Alton Sterling during a fatal 12:35 a.m. encounter. More than 100 demonstrators shouting “no justice, no peace” clogged the street, setting off fireworks and blocking an intersection to protest Sterling's death.
The grim 48-second cell phone video of the killing outside Triple S Food Mart shows two police officers tackling and wrestling a heavy-set man in a red shirt against the hood of a car before throwing him to the pavement.
“He’s got a gun,” one officer cries while the pair pinned Sterling to the ground.
“You f-----g move, I swear to God,” the other cop yells, before the two draw their weapons. The terrified bystander turns the camera phone away as five shots ring out — two of which a coroner said struck Sterling in the chest and back.
"They shot him?” a man’s startled voice says in the video. “Yes,” a woman replies between sobs.
Officers responded to the store about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday after an anonymous caller said a man selling CDs and wearing a red shirt threatened him with a gun, said Baton Rouge Cpl. L’Jean McKneely.
Read more at NY Daily News
The police gunfire sparked impassioned protests that continued past midnight outside the store — 24 hours after authorities shot Alton Sterling during a fatal 12:35 a.m. encounter. More than 100 demonstrators shouting “no justice, no peace” clogged the street, setting off fireworks and blocking an intersection to protest Sterling's death.
The grim 48-second cell phone video of the killing outside Triple S Food Mart shows two police officers tackling and wrestling a heavy-set man in a red shirt against the hood of a car before throwing him to the pavement.
“He’s got a gun,” one officer cries while the pair pinned Sterling to the ground.
“You f-----g move, I swear to God,” the other cop yells, before the two draw their weapons. The terrified bystander turns the camera phone away as five shots ring out — two of which a coroner said struck Sterling in the chest and back.
"They shot him?” a man’s startled voice says in the video. “Yes,” a woman replies between sobs.
Officers responded to the store about 12:35 a.m. Tuesday after an anonymous caller said a man selling CDs and wearing a red shirt threatened him with a gun, said Baton Rouge Cpl. L’Jean McKneely.
Read more at NY Daily News
Actress Jokisha Brown Murdered In Atlanta Just Hours Before Her Birthday
Actress Jokisha Brown was shot and killed in Atlanta Georgia Friday night just hours before her 36th birthday, according to VIBE.
The site reports:
“Jokisha Brown, of Duluth, Ga., was shot “multiple” times through the passenger seat of her black Mercedes SUV. The budding actress and model was at the location waiting to get her makeup done.”
One friend has confirmed that Brown recently got out of an abusive relationship. Police are actively looking for her ex Alfredo Capote, who is also being investigated for rape and kidnapping since April.
Read more at Global Grind
The site reports:
“Jokisha Brown, of Duluth, Ga., was shot “multiple” times through the passenger seat of her black Mercedes SUV. The budding actress and model was at the location waiting to get her makeup done.”
One friend has confirmed that Brown recently got out of an abusive relationship. Police are actively looking for her ex Alfredo Capote, who is also being investigated for rape and kidnapping since April.
Read more at Global Grind
NBA Kevin Durant jumping on the Warriors' bandwagon is the ultimate cop-out
It’s true that Kevin Durant can do whatever he wants with his career and his life. But this is also true: We don’t have to care, or even watch. As long as we do, we’re entitled to opinions about what he does, and I think his move to the Golden State Warriors stinks. It is a competitive cop-out, worse than saying, "If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em," because Durant could have beaten the Warriors, and he joined ’em anyway.
Forget this silliness about Durant’s “evolution as a man,” which Durant cited on The Players’ Tribune as a reason for the move. If Durant really wanted to evolve as a man, he would go to Sacramento, where he would age 10 years by Christmas. This is about having championship rings, plural, delivered via express shipping.
From a competitive standpoint, this makes LeBron James’s formation of a superteam in Miami seem like an enormous risk. Durant just pulled the ultimate bandwagon move. He left the NBA's second-best roster in Oklahoma City to join the best one in Oakland.
• Hushing Loud City: Durant says goodbye to the city he helped shape
Again: He can do this. It’s a free world and a free market. But where is Durant’s competitive spirit? Barely a month ago, Durant walked out of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals after his Thunder lost the last three games of an epic series. Competitive zeal should have made him want another shot at those guys. Isn’t that why we watch, why we play, why we care?
I can buy a ring, just as I can ask a tailor to make an ugly green sport coat, but that wouldn’t make me a Masters champion. If Durant wins a title with Golden State, as he probably will, it will be an impressive achievement. But there will be this lingering sense that he took the easiest possible way to do it.
Read more at SI
Forget this silliness about Durant’s “evolution as a man,” which Durant cited on The Players’ Tribune as a reason for the move. If Durant really wanted to evolve as a man, he would go to Sacramento, where he would age 10 years by Christmas. This is about having championship rings, plural, delivered via express shipping.
From a competitive standpoint, this makes LeBron James’s formation of a superteam in Miami seem like an enormous risk. Durant just pulled the ultimate bandwagon move. He left the NBA's second-best roster in Oklahoma City to join the best one in Oakland.
• Hushing Loud City: Durant says goodbye to the city he helped shape
Again: He can do this. It’s a free world and a free market. But where is Durant’s competitive spirit? Barely a month ago, Durant walked out of Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals after his Thunder lost the last three games of an epic series. Competitive zeal should have made him want another shot at those guys. Isn’t that why we watch, why we play, why we care?
I can buy a ring, just as I can ask a tailor to make an ugly green sport coat, but that wouldn’t make me a Masters champion. If Durant wins a title with Golden State, as he probably will, it will be an impressive achievement. But there will be this lingering sense that he took the easiest possible way to do it.
Read more at SI
Will More Black Celebrities Speak Up About Racism Now?
But freedom is somehow always conditional here. You’re free, they keep telling us. But she would have been alive if she hadn’t acted so …free.”
Jesse Williams’ powerful words spoke directly to the Ali-sized hole in our hearts. His freedom and unapologetic Blackness stroked us in areas where we are often cut. Those of us who are no stranger to Williams were not surprised by the unflinching truths he delivered in his speech at the BET Awards because the actor and activist has always spoken candidly about these issues at length. However, what we saw Sunday night came right on time. Similar to the surprise release of Beyoncé’s Lemonade on the heels of the death of Prince, Williams’ speech provided comfort in the wake of Muhammad Ali’s passing.
When Ali died, the world mourned the boxer, yet for the people he fought for outside of the ring, the loss represented something so much greater. Ali risked his personal freedom for his beliefs and his people, and because of it, his platform became our spotlight. Ali’s voice was our microphone, but last month, Parkinson’s disease finally achieved what racism failed to do—silence him forever. Our broken hearts found comfort in Williams’ speech, but it also shed a spotlight on his peers, too.
From violence against Black bodies to manipulating the way stories involving people of color are portrayed, the need for social activism is huge, but the silence by some celebrities is deafening. People-powered hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite have led to increased conversations, and actual improvements, in Hollywood about the need for diversity and how it impacts the way stories are told. Media matters. Stories help shape how people view the world, and often, how they views those in it. The lack of inclusion in Hollywood has ramifications beyond the screen, and often affects those behind the scenes too. Shows like Netflix’s Orange is the New Black recently came under fire for incorporating the Black Lives Matter movement in its storyline while having no visibly Black writers on staff. Many felt the OITNB writers missed the mark on such an important issue. Instead of capturing the nuanced lives of Black folks, critics accuse the show of capitalizing on Black pain for the sake of a storyline—and the bottom line.
Since Hollywood’s diversity problem came to the forefront, Black actors have been asked to weigh-in. While some, like David Oyelowo and Viola Davis, have been extremely critical of the film business for its lack of inclusion, others have suggested that Black actors just need to work harder if they want to make it in the film industry. In a recent interview with People magazine, Kevin Hart said, “People will look for any excuse to play the race card in Hollywood." Hart, who has been giving Samuel L. Jackson a run for the “hardest working man” title, credited his non-stop work ethic for his box office success.
Read more at EBONY
Jesse Williams’ powerful words spoke directly to the Ali-sized hole in our hearts. His freedom and unapologetic Blackness stroked us in areas where we are often cut. Those of us who are no stranger to Williams were not surprised by the unflinching truths he delivered in his speech at the BET Awards because the actor and activist has always spoken candidly about these issues at length. However, what we saw Sunday night came right on time. Similar to the surprise release of Beyoncé’s Lemonade on the heels of the death of Prince, Williams’ speech provided comfort in the wake of Muhammad Ali’s passing.
When Ali died, the world mourned the boxer, yet for the people he fought for outside of the ring, the loss represented something so much greater. Ali risked his personal freedom for his beliefs and his people, and because of it, his platform became our spotlight. Ali’s voice was our microphone, but last month, Parkinson’s disease finally achieved what racism failed to do—silence him forever. Our broken hearts found comfort in Williams’ speech, but it also shed a spotlight on his peers, too.
From violence against Black bodies to manipulating the way stories involving people of color are portrayed, the need for social activism is huge, but the silence by some celebrities is deafening. People-powered hashtags like #OscarsSoWhite have led to increased conversations, and actual improvements, in Hollywood about the need for diversity and how it impacts the way stories are told. Media matters. Stories help shape how people view the world, and often, how they views those in it. The lack of inclusion in Hollywood has ramifications beyond the screen, and often affects those behind the scenes too. Shows like Netflix’s Orange is the New Black recently came under fire for incorporating the Black Lives Matter movement in its storyline while having no visibly Black writers on staff. Many felt the OITNB writers missed the mark on such an important issue. Instead of capturing the nuanced lives of Black folks, critics accuse the show of capitalizing on Black pain for the sake of a storyline—and the bottom line.
Since Hollywood’s diversity problem came to the forefront, Black actors have been asked to weigh-in. While some, like David Oyelowo and Viola Davis, have been extremely critical of the film business for its lack of inclusion, others have suggested that Black actors just need to work harder if they want to make it in the film industry. In a recent interview with People magazine, Kevin Hart said, “People will look for any excuse to play the race card in Hollywood." Hart, who has been giving Samuel L. Jackson a run for the “hardest working man” title, credited his non-stop work ethic for his box office success.
Read more at EBONY
NYC Tourist Gets His Leg Blown Off in Central Park Explosion
In a type of accident that is sadly all too common over 4th of July weekend, an 18-year-old man named Connor Golden was rushed to a hospital after blowing off part of his leg on a firecracker. The explosion occurred just blocks away from the funeral service for Pulitzer Prize winning author, and Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel.
NYPD Deputy Chief John O'Connell said at a press conference following the explosion that there was "no evidence that (the explosion) was related to terrorism" and that there had been "no credible threats against New York."
Golden was reportedly climbing on rocks in Manhattan’s Central Park when the explosion went off. The Virginia native was treated my emergency responders by the scene and then taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital where he is in stable condition.
Read more at BET.COM
NYPD Deputy Chief John O'Connell said at a press conference following the explosion that there was "no evidence that (the explosion) was related to terrorism" and that there had been "no credible threats against New York."
Golden was reportedly climbing on rocks in Manhattan’s Central Park when the explosion went off. The Virginia native was treated my emergency responders by the scene and then taken to nearby Bellevue Hospital where he is in stable condition.
Read more at BET.COM
Report Shows White People Still Blame 'Baby Mamas' for Black Problems
Misinformation leads to bad choices, and nowhere is that more true than policy that affects Black Americans.
On Monday, Pew released results of a survey that show 61 percent or Black Americans, and 45 percent of their white counterparts, believe that race relations in our country are "generally bad." It has gone up dramatically since the poll was last taken in 2008, where the percentages were 59 percent and 34 percent respectively.
The survey reveals other interesting differences. While Black survey takers overwhelmingly blamed lower-quality schools and discrimination for why "some Blacks have a harder time getting ahead than whites," white people seem to be sticking to "family instability" and "lack of good role models" as the cause of the problems that face the Black community.
Philip N. Cohen, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, has debunked the outdated myth of "cultural poverty" in Black communities.
"Because African-Americans are worse off than whites, and they also have more family instability, it is not surprising that so many people confuse the cause and effect," Cohen said to Fusion. "People are always inclined to blame people's lower status on their visible behaviors. However, research shows that instability in Black families is much more a consequence of poverty and hardship than is its cause." He added, "Unemployment, discrimination, segregation, incarceration and health disparities all take a toll on Black family life in America, as they always have."
Unsurprisingly, Republican answers were even more dramatic, saying there is now too much discussion regarding race in America. The sentiment makes sense considering another result in the poll — that a third of white people blame President Barack Obama for making race relations worse.
Read more at BET
On Monday, Pew released results of a survey that show 61 percent or Black Americans, and 45 percent of their white counterparts, believe that race relations in our country are "generally bad." It has gone up dramatically since the poll was last taken in 2008, where the percentages were 59 percent and 34 percent respectively.
The survey reveals other interesting differences. While Black survey takers overwhelmingly blamed lower-quality schools and discrimination for why "some Blacks have a harder time getting ahead than whites," white people seem to be sticking to "family instability" and "lack of good role models" as the cause of the problems that face the Black community.
Philip N. Cohen, a sociologist at the University of Maryland, has debunked the outdated myth of "cultural poverty" in Black communities.
"Because African-Americans are worse off than whites, and they also have more family instability, it is not surprising that so many people confuse the cause and effect," Cohen said to Fusion. "People are always inclined to blame people's lower status on their visible behaviors. However, research shows that instability in Black families is much more a consequence of poverty and hardship than is its cause." He added, "Unemployment, discrimination, segregation, incarceration and health disparities all take a toll on Black family life in America, as they always have."
Unsurprisingly, Republican answers were even more dramatic, saying there is now too much discussion regarding race in America. The sentiment makes sense considering another result in the poll — that a third of white people blame President Barack Obama for making race relations worse.
Read more at BET
Poll: Donald Trump Has 1 Percent of Black-Voter Support
Surprise!
Donald Trump isn’t faring well with African-American voters. A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Hillary Clinton is doing extraordinarily well with African-American voters and has a commanding 91 percent-to-1 percent lead over the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
But despite Clinton’s enormous lead with African-American voters, the poll also shows that the race to the White House is tightening: Clinton is leading Trump by just 2 points—42 percent to 40 percent—overall, CNN reports.
CNN notes that the Quinnipiac University study is one of the few polls to show Clinton with such a slight lead, and adds that the Quinnipiac poll overlaps with data from an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll and a Washington Post-ABC News poll, both of which show Clinton to have at least a 4-point advantage.
A majority of voters surveyed—58 percent for Trump and 53 percent for Clinton—don’t think that either one would make a great president.
“It would be difficult to imagine a less flattering from-the-gut reaction to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton,” Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, said in a memo accompanying the poll results, CNN reports.
SEE ALSO
Pentagon Lifts Ban on Transgender Service Members in the Military
Watch: Woman Hurls Racist Rant at Reporter: ‘Get the F–k Out of Here, You Stupid F–king N–ger’
Lee Wesley Gibson, the Oldest Pullman Porter, Dies at 106
Parents Outraged After Elementary Student’s ‘Racist’ Comment About Brownies Prompts Police Response
“This is where we are. Voters find themselves in the middle of a mean-spirited, scorched-earth campaign between two candidates they don’t like. And they don’t think either candidate would be a good president.”
Read more at CNN.
Donald Trump isn’t faring well with African-American voters. A new Quinnipiac University poll shows that Hillary Clinton is doing extraordinarily well with African-American voters and has a commanding 91 percent-to-1 percent lead over the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.
But despite Clinton’s enormous lead with African-American voters, the poll also shows that the race to the White House is tightening: Clinton is leading Trump by just 2 points—42 percent to 40 percent—overall, CNN reports.
CNN notes that the Quinnipiac University study is one of the few polls to show Clinton with such a slight lead, and adds that the Quinnipiac poll overlaps with data from an NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll and a Washington Post-ABC News poll, both of which show Clinton to have at least a 4-point advantage.
A majority of voters surveyed—58 percent for Trump and 53 percent for Clinton—don’t think that either one would make a great president.
“It would be difficult to imagine a less flattering from-the-gut reaction to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton,” Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, said in a memo accompanying the poll results, CNN reports.
SEE ALSO
Pentagon Lifts Ban on Transgender Service Members in the Military
Watch: Woman Hurls Racist Rant at Reporter: ‘Get the F–k Out of Here, You Stupid F–king N–ger’
Lee Wesley Gibson, the Oldest Pullman Porter, Dies at 106
Parents Outraged After Elementary Student’s ‘Racist’ Comment About Brownies Prompts Police Response
“This is where we are. Voters find themselves in the middle of a mean-spirited, scorched-earth campaign between two candidates they don’t like. And they don’t think either candidate would be a good president.”
Read more at CNN.
Read the Full Transcript of Jesse Williams’ Powerful Speech on Race at the BET Awards
"Just because we're magic doesn't mean we're not real"
Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams was awarded BET’s Humanitarian Award on Sunday night. The outspoken human rights activist—who executive produced the recent documentary, Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement— delivered a powerful and political speech about the cause he’s worked so hard on.
Referencing recent victims of police brutality, Williams discussed the violence against black people and the struggles they’ve faced throughout history: “There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of. There has been no job we haven’t done. There is no tax they haven’t leveed against us,” he said.
The speech received a standing ovation by the audience, who went on to praise Williams on Twitter. A transcript of it has been published in multiple places, including The Washington Post and Bustle. Below, Genius‘s account of the speech:
Peace peace. Thank you, Debra. Thank you, BET. Thank you Nate Parker, Harry and Debbie Allen for participating in that .
Before we get into it, I just want to say I brought my parents out tonight. I just want to thank them for being here, for teaching me to focus on comprehension over career, and that they make sure I learn what the schools were afraid to teach us. And also thank my amazing wife for changing my life.
Now, this award – this is not for me. This is for the real organizers all over the country – the activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do.
It’s kind of basic mathematics – the more we learn about who we are and how we got here, the more we will mobilize.
Now, this is also in particular for the black women in particular who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves. We can and will do better for you.
Now, what we’ve been doing is looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm and not kill white people everyday. So what’s going to happen is we are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours.
Now… I got more y’all – yesterday would have been young Tamir Rice’s 14th birthday so I don’t want to hear anymore about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive-by on 12 year old playing alone in the park in broad daylight, killing him on television and then going home to make a sandwich. Tell Rekia Boyd how it’s so much better than it is to live in 2012 than it is to live in 1612 or 1712. Tell that toEric Garner. Tell that to Sandra Bland. Tell that to Dorian Hunt.
Now the thing is, though, all of us in here getting money – that alone isn’t gonna stop this. Alright, now dedicating our lives, dedicating our lives to getting money just to give it right back for someone’s brand on our body when we spent centuries praying with brands on our bodies, and now we pray to get paid for brands on our bodies.
There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of. There has been no job we haven’t done. There is no tax they haven’t leveed against us – and we’ve paid all of them. But freedom is somehow always conditional here. “You’re free,” they keep telling us. But she would have been alive if she hadn’t acted so… free.
Now, freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but you know what, though, the hereafter is a hustle. We want it now.
And let’s get a couple things straight, just a little sidenote – the burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander.That’s not our job, alright – stop with all that. If you have a critique for the resistance, for our resistance, then you better have an established record of critique of our oppression. If you have no interest, if you have no interest in equal rights for black people then do not make suggestions to those who do. Sit down.
We’ve been floating this country on credit for centuries, yo, and we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit. The thing is though… the thing is that just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real.
Thank you.
Time.com
Grey’s Anatomy actor Jesse Williams was awarded BET’s Humanitarian Award on Sunday night. The outspoken human rights activist—who executive produced the recent documentary, Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement— delivered a powerful and political speech about the cause he’s worked so hard on.
Referencing recent victims of police brutality, Williams discussed the violence against black people and the struggles they’ve faced throughout history: “There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of. There has been no job we haven’t done. There is no tax they haven’t leveed against us,” he said.
The speech received a standing ovation by the audience, who went on to praise Williams on Twitter. A transcript of it has been published in multiple places, including The Washington Post and Bustle. Below, Genius‘s account of the speech:
Peace peace. Thank you, Debra. Thank you, BET. Thank you Nate Parker, Harry and Debbie Allen for participating in that .
Before we get into it, I just want to say I brought my parents out tonight. I just want to thank them for being here, for teaching me to focus on comprehension over career, and that they make sure I learn what the schools were afraid to teach us. And also thank my amazing wife for changing my life.
Now, this award – this is not for me. This is for the real organizers all over the country – the activists, the civil rights attorneys, the struggling parents, the families, the teachers, the students that are realizing that a system built to divide and impoverish and destroy us cannot stand if we do.
It’s kind of basic mathematics – the more we learn about who we are and how we got here, the more we will mobilize.
Now, this is also in particular for the black women in particular who have spent their lifetimes dedicated to nurturing everyone before themselves. We can and will do better for you.
Now, what we’ve been doing is looking at the data and we know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm and not kill white people everyday. So what’s going to happen is we are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours.
Now… I got more y’all – yesterday would have been young Tamir Rice’s 14th birthday so I don’t want to hear anymore about how far we’ve come when paid public servants can pull a drive-by on 12 year old playing alone in the park in broad daylight, killing him on television and then going home to make a sandwich. Tell Rekia Boyd how it’s so much better than it is to live in 2012 than it is to live in 1612 or 1712. Tell that toEric Garner. Tell that to Sandra Bland. Tell that to Dorian Hunt.
Now the thing is, though, all of us in here getting money – that alone isn’t gonna stop this. Alright, now dedicating our lives, dedicating our lives to getting money just to give it right back for someone’s brand on our body when we spent centuries praying with brands on our bodies, and now we pray to get paid for brands on our bodies.
There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of. There has been no job we haven’t done. There is no tax they haven’t leveed against us – and we’ve paid all of them. But freedom is somehow always conditional here. “You’re free,” they keep telling us. But she would have been alive if she hadn’t acted so… free.
Now, freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but you know what, though, the hereafter is a hustle. We want it now.
And let’s get a couple things straight, just a little sidenote – the burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander.That’s not our job, alright – stop with all that. If you have a critique for the resistance, for our resistance, then you better have an established record of critique of our oppression. If you have no interest, if you have no interest in equal rights for black people then do not make suggestions to those who do. Sit down.
We’ve been floating this country on credit for centuries, yo, and we’re done watching and waiting while this invention called whiteness uses and abuses us, burying black people out of sight and out of mind while extracting our culture, our dollars, our entertainment like oil – black gold, ghettoizing and demeaning our creations then stealing them, gentrifying our genius and then trying us on like costumes before discarding our bodies like rinds of strange fruit. The thing is though… the thing is that just because we’re magic doesn’t mean we’re not real.
Thank you.
Time.com
IN THE U.S., BLACK IMPRISONMENT RATE RISES
Blacks in the U.S. are disproportionately imprisoned more than their white counterparts, a study released by The Sentencing Project finds.
In the report, “The Color of Justice: Racial and Ethnic Disparity in State Prisons,” researchers found that African Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at a rate that is 5.1 times the imprisonment of whites.
In New Jersey, Iowa, Minnesota, Vermont and Wisconsin, the disparity is more than 10 to 1.
The study suggests several factors in the criminal justice system that may explain why Blacks are more likely to be jailed.
“The particular drivers of disparity may be related to policy, offending, implicit bias, or some combination,” the report states. “Regardless of the causes, however, the simple fact of these disparities should be disturbing given the consequences for individuals and communities.”
According to researchers, racial disparities in incarceration can arise from a high rate of Black incarceration, a low rate of white incarceration, or a varying combination of circumstances.
Here are some key findings of the study:
In twelve states, more than half of the prison population is Black: Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. Maryland, whose prison population is 72% African American, tops the nation.
In eleven states, at least 1 in 20 adult Black males is in prison.
In Oklahoma, the state with the highest overall Black incarceration rate, 1 in 15 Black males ages 18 and older is in prison.
Read more on JetMag.com.