prairie view a&m basketball coach dawn brown was fired this week amidst controversy. earlier this season, brown suspended an assistant coach and player after she learned they were dating each other.
the university told brown she was removed because she violated title ix by discriminating against the players. brown says the school's own title ix administrator approved the players' suspension. "clearly, i feel betrayed and unjustly penalized by this action," brown said.
brown said the ladies' relationship broke a team rule she implemented before this season. the rule states, "players may not have nonprofessional relationships with other players, coaches, managers, trainers, or any other persons affiliated with the program." brown also said she "collaborated with my title ix office in drafting" the new rule.
brown further stated both former players were suspended indefinitely but retained their scholarships and remained at the school. moreover, brown said the players were punished for breaking other team principles - which she declined to specify.
the former players filed a complaint alleging their dismissal was due to their sexual orientation, and the resulting action violated title ix. the 1972 landmark case prohibits sexual discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
but according to the houston press, title ix wasn't applied to sexual orientation until three months ago. in december 2015, u.s. district judge dean pregerson in california ruled a case - involving two pepperdine university women's basketball players targeted by the coach for an intimate partnership - deserved legal protection.
garry rosenfield, brown's agent, said prairie view a&m gave his client a choice to resign or be terminated for cause. rosenfield said, "we definitely think this is a case of scapegoating." dennis cordell, president of coaches, inc., a sports marketing agency, said brown will appeal. "we feel she's been wrongfully terminated," cordell said.
brown led the panthers to the 2014 swac championship, and a number 16 seed in the ncaa tournament this year. prairie view a&m lost to connecticut 87-44 in the first round. brown was 41-51 in three seasons, including a 13-15 record this season.
i am
- mark j. tuggle
- harlem, usa
- same-gender-loving contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. community activist, feminist, health educator, independent filmmaker, mentor, playwright, poet & spiritual being. featured at, in & on africana.com, afrikan poetry theatre, angel herald, bejata dot com, bet tonight with tavis smiley, blacklight online, black noir, brooklyn moon cafe, gmhc's barbershop, klmo-fm, lgbt community services center, longmoor productions, nuyorican poets cafe, our corner, poz, pulse, rolling out new york, rush arts gallery, saint veronica's church, schomburg center for research in black culture, sexplorations, the citizen, the new york times, the soundz bar, the trenton times, the village voice, upn news, uzuri, venus, vibe, wbai-fm, wnyc-fm & wqht-fm. volunteered with adodi, bailey house, inc., black men's xchange-new york, colorofchange.org, drug policy alliance, east harlem tutorial program, imagenation film & music festival, presente.org, save darfur coalition, the enough project, the osborne association, the sledge group & your black world. worked on films with maurice jamal & heather murphy. writing student of phil bertelsen & ed bullins. mjt975@msn.com.
Monday, March 28, 2016
Friday, March 11, 2016
Joe's Crab Shack apologizes for a lynching photo on a dining table in Minnesota
on wednesday night, a black couple were dining at a joe's crab shack restaurant in roseville, minnesota. chauntyll allen and tyrone williams noticed a photo embedded inside their table top of a large group of white people watching at least one black person being lynched.
on the bottom of the picture it reads, "hanging at groesbeck, texas on april 12th 1985." at the top of the caption it says, "all i said was that i didn't like the gumbo."
the couple immediately spoke to a manager. "although the manager was apologetic about the lynching depiction, that does not change the fact that this sickening image of black men being lynched was intentionally embedded inside of a table," said williams.
allen said, "seeing a picture of two black men being lynched was the last thing that i expected to see at what was supposed to be a family-friendly restaurant. as you can imagine, seeing that imagine ruined my appetite and my pre-birthday dinner. it is hard to believe that this type of racism is still going on in 2016."
"this disturbing incident that occurred at joe's crab shack, demonstrates that racism is still alive and well in this country. it is sickening to know that someone would make a mockery of black men being savagely lynched and then use that imagery for decorative purposes," said nekima levy-pounds, minneapolis naacp president.
the minneapolis naacp is demanding an immediate public apology by the corporate offices of joe's crab shack. they want: 1) prompt removal "of any and all lynching or otherwise racially-offensive imagery," from its restaurants; and 2) a donation to a local community-based organization serving african-american youths and teenagers.
david catalano, coo ignite restaurant group, joe's crab shack parent company said,"we understand one of the photos used in our table decor at joe's crab shack restaurant in roseville, minnesota was offensive. we take this matter very seriously, and the photo in question was immediately removed. we sincerely apologize to our guests who were disturbed by the image and we look forward to continuing to serve the roseville community."
the city of roseville issued its own statement friday, calling on the restaurant chain to make sure this type of imagery is not displayed anywhere else. they stated, "the city of roseville was shocked and saddened to learn of the racist imagery being openly displayed at the roseville location of national restaurant joe's crab shack."
their statement also said, "the city condemns this type of display in the strongest possible terms and calls on joe's crab shack to remove any and all racist imagery not only from its roseville location, but all of its restaurants nationwide immediately. this type of display is wholly unacceptable and unwelcome in the city of roseville."
on the bottom of the picture it reads, "hanging at groesbeck, texas on april 12th 1985." at the top of the caption it says, "all i said was that i didn't like the gumbo."
the couple immediately spoke to a manager. "although the manager was apologetic about the lynching depiction, that does not change the fact that this sickening image of black men being lynched was intentionally embedded inside of a table," said williams.
allen said, "seeing a picture of two black men being lynched was the last thing that i expected to see at what was supposed to be a family-friendly restaurant. as you can imagine, seeing that imagine ruined my appetite and my pre-birthday dinner. it is hard to believe that this type of racism is still going on in 2016."
"this disturbing incident that occurred at joe's crab shack, demonstrates that racism is still alive and well in this country. it is sickening to know that someone would make a mockery of black men being savagely lynched and then use that imagery for decorative purposes," said nekima levy-pounds, minneapolis naacp president.
the minneapolis naacp is demanding an immediate public apology by the corporate offices of joe's crab shack. they want: 1) prompt removal "of any and all lynching or otherwise racially-offensive imagery," from its restaurants; and 2) a donation to a local community-based organization serving african-american youths and teenagers.
david catalano, coo ignite restaurant group, joe's crab shack parent company said,"we understand one of the photos used in our table decor at joe's crab shack restaurant in roseville, minnesota was offensive. we take this matter very seriously, and the photo in question was immediately removed. we sincerely apologize to our guests who were disturbed by the image and we look forward to continuing to serve the roseville community."
the city of roseville issued its own statement friday, calling on the restaurant chain to make sure this type of imagery is not displayed anywhere else. they stated, "the city of roseville was shocked and saddened to learn of the racist imagery being openly displayed at the roseville location of national restaurant joe's crab shack."
their statement also said, "the city condemns this type of display in the strongest possible terms and calls on joe's crab shack to remove any and all racist imagery not only from its roseville location, but all of its restaurants nationwide immediately. this type of display is wholly unacceptable and unwelcome in the city of roseville."
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Federal Judge Approves $940 Million Settlement between Native American Tribes and Obama Administration
a federal judge in albuquerque, new mexico on wednesday approved a $940 million settlement between native american tribes and the obama administration. the class-action lawsuit claims the government shorted tribes for decades on contract costs to manage education, law enforcement and other federal services.
the judge's recommendation begins a process to release payments to the tribes attorneys said could take several months. michael gross, a lawyer for the tribes said, "the end result was there were no objections to the settlement and no objection to the fee request. this showed a unity among indian tribes that is absolutely astounding."
the ruling also authorized a $1.2 million reimbursement for lead plaintiff's costs, and an agreement for attorneys to receive 8.5% of the final settlement amount. nearly 700 tribes, or tribal agencies, are expected to claim compensation, with amounts ranging from an estimated $8,000 for some alaska native villages and communities elsewhere to $58 million for the navajo nation.
val panteah, governor of zuni pueblo, described "a financial death spiral." he said it came as his government tried to offset losses from the contracts in new mexico. other tribal leaders described trying to stem losses from the underfunded contracts with painful budget costs as they tried to meet critical needs in their communities.
the case was originally filed in 1990 by the ramah navajo chapter, a community of about 4,000 people. they became the case's lead plaintiff, along with the oglala sioux tribe in south dakota and zuni pueblo.
in 2012, the case went before the u.s. supreme court. the court sided with the tribes and sent the case back to the lower courts before the interior department announced a proposed settlement last fall. since the supreme court ruling, congress has appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars to fully fund contract support costs for tribes.
the settlement is the latest in a recent string of major agreements between the interior department and native tribes to resolve legal disputes which languished for years. in the largest agreement, the government agreed to pay $3.4 billion to resolve claims over royalties owed to generations of individual landowners.
kevin washburn, former interior department assistant secretary for indian affairs said, "it just shows the obama administration has been working throughout two terms to stop litigating with tribes. now, even in the last year of the administration, they're getting this lengthy case settled."
the judge's recommendation begins a process to release payments to the tribes attorneys said could take several months. michael gross, a lawyer for the tribes said, "the end result was there were no objections to the settlement and no objection to the fee request. this showed a unity among indian tribes that is absolutely astounding."
the ruling also authorized a $1.2 million reimbursement for lead plaintiff's costs, and an agreement for attorneys to receive 8.5% of the final settlement amount. nearly 700 tribes, or tribal agencies, are expected to claim compensation, with amounts ranging from an estimated $8,000 for some alaska native villages and communities elsewhere to $58 million for the navajo nation.
val panteah, governor of zuni pueblo, described "a financial death spiral." he said it came as his government tried to offset losses from the contracts in new mexico. other tribal leaders described trying to stem losses from the underfunded contracts with painful budget costs as they tried to meet critical needs in their communities.
the case was originally filed in 1990 by the ramah navajo chapter, a community of about 4,000 people. they became the case's lead plaintiff, along with the oglala sioux tribe in south dakota and zuni pueblo.
in 2012, the case went before the u.s. supreme court. the court sided with the tribes and sent the case back to the lower courts before the interior department announced a proposed settlement last fall. since the supreme court ruling, congress has appropriated hundreds of millions of dollars to fully fund contract support costs for tribes.
the settlement is the latest in a recent string of major agreements between the interior department and native tribes to resolve legal disputes which languished for years. in the largest agreement, the government agreed to pay $3.4 billion to resolve claims over royalties owed to generations of individual landowners.
kevin washburn, former interior department assistant secretary for indian affairs said, "it just shows the obama administration has been working throughout two terms to stop litigating with tribes. now, even in the last year of the administration, they're getting this lengthy case settled."
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Florida's seatbelt violators are Racially Profiled
black motorists in florida are stopped and ticketed for seatbelt violations nearly twice as often as white residents statewide. in certain counties, blacks are stopped up to four times as often as whites, according to a new report from the american civil liberties union (aclu).
the study is based on data produced since the 2005 florida safety belt law was enacted. the aclu says black motorists tend to wear seatbelts less often than whites, yet this fact doesn't explain the large difference in racial disparity with seatbelt ticketing.
additionally, black motorists' higher rate of stops and tickets expose them to a disproportionate financial burden - and risk of police force: unlike white motorists with similar citations. the alarming report was featured in the january 27 issue of the guardian.
in response to these disturbing findings, the aclu is asking for an investigation by the florida attorney general's office of civil rights. the organization is also calling for the promotion of fair and bias-free policing, and for legislation to penalize agencies failing to collect and report data.
the study is based on data produced since the 2005 florida safety belt law was enacted. the aclu says black motorists tend to wear seatbelts less often than whites, yet this fact doesn't explain the large difference in racial disparity with seatbelt ticketing.
additionally, black motorists' higher rate of stops and tickets expose them to a disproportionate financial burden - and risk of police force: unlike white motorists with similar citations. the alarming report was featured in the january 27 issue of the guardian.
in response to these disturbing findings, the aclu is asking for an investigation by the florida attorney general's office of civil rights. the organization is also calling for the promotion of fair and bias-free policing, and for legislation to penalize agencies failing to collect and report data.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Maryland Legislature Expands Voting Rights for People with Felony Convictions
maryland lawmakers on tuesday expanded voting rights for people with felony convictions by overriding governor larry hogan's veto of house bill 980. the action restores voting rights to about 40,000 people on felony parole or probation. maryland was one of 35 states who disenfranchised people on parole or probation: individuals living in the community but unable to vote.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "maryland lawmakers have taken an important step in expanding the vote to people with felony convictions living in the community. restricting voting rights is deeply problematic for a democratic society and compounds the social isolation of formerly incarcerated persons from their communities."
nationally, 5.85 million americans are prohibited from voting due to laws disenfranchising citizens convicted of felony offenses. these policies vary by state, and arbitrarily oppress people in prison, on parole, probation, or with past convictions. maryland now joins connecticut and rhode island as states to recently expand voting rights to such people.
felony disenfranchisement has produced broad racial disparities in its impact as well. in america, one in every 13 black adults cannot vote as a result of a felony conviction. moreover, in two states in particular - florida and virginia - more than 20% of black adults suffer disenfranchisement.
civic participation has been linked to lower recidivism rates. in one study, among individuals who had been previously arrested, 27% of nonvoters were re-arrested, compared with 12% of voters. although the limitations of the data available preclude undeniable proof of direct causation, its clear voting appears to compliment pro-social behavior, which might impact lower crime rates.
nicole d. porter, director of advocacy of the sentencing project said, "we are encouraged by state officials who are reconsidering unfair disenfranchisement policies. 23 states have enacted reforms since 1997. this reform offers an opportunity to strengthen the democratic process and we hope this will be followed by a commitment to notify impacted persons their voting rights have been restored."
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "maryland lawmakers have taken an important step in expanding the vote to people with felony convictions living in the community. restricting voting rights is deeply problematic for a democratic society and compounds the social isolation of formerly incarcerated persons from their communities."
nationally, 5.85 million americans are prohibited from voting due to laws disenfranchising citizens convicted of felony offenses. these policies vary by state, and arbitrarily oppress people in prison, on parole, probation, or with past convictions. maryland now joins connecticut and rhode island as states to recently expand voting rights to such people.
felony disenfranchisement has produced broad racial disparities in its impact as well. in america, one in every 13 black adults cannot vote as a result of a felony conviction. moreover, in two states in particular - florida and virginia - more than 20% of black adults suffer disenfranchisement.
civic participation has been linked to lower recidivism rates. in one study, among individuals who had been previously arrested, 27% of nonvoters were re-arrested, compared with 12% of voters. although the limitations of the data available preclude undeniable proof of direct causation, its clear voting appears to compliment pro-social behavior, which might impact lower crime rates.
nicole d. porter, director of advocacy of the sentencing project said, "we are encouraged by state officials who are reconsidering unfair disenfranchisement policies. 23 states have enacted reforms since 1997. this reform offers an opportunity to strengthen the democratic process and we hope this will be followed by a commitment to notify impacted persons their voting rights have been restored."
Sunday, February 07, 2016
Denver Broncos Win Super Bowl 50
the denver broncos defeated the carolina panthers 24-10 to win super bowl 50 at levi's stadium in santa clara, california. denver linebacker von miller was named most valuable player. miller had six tackles, two and a half sacks and two forced fumbles.
denver (15-4) sacked carolina (17-2) qb cam newton seven times - a super bowl record for sacks by one team. broncos defensive lineman demarcus ware also had two sacks. one of miller's forced fumbles resulted in a touchdown early in the first quarter, and they never lost the lead.
broncos' peyton manning, 39, became the oldest qb to win a super bowl, and first starting qb to win on two different teams. he now has 200 career regular and playoff wins: most all-time. asked about his future plans, he said, "i'll take some time to reflect. i got a couple priorities first. i'm going to kiss my wife and kids. i'm going to drink a lot of budweiser tonight."
carolina's potent offense, number one during the regular season with 500 points, was held to its fewest points of the year. denver allowed just 194 yards, another super bowl record for the least amount given up by a vince lombardi trophy winner. league mvp newton completed 18 of 41 passes for 265 yards and no touchdowns.
denver (15-4) sacked carolina (17-2) qb cam newton seven times - a super bowl record for sacks by one team. broncos defensive lineman demarcus ware also had two sacks. one of miller's forced fumbles resulted in a touchdown early in the first quarter, and they never lost the lead.
broncos' peyton manning, 39, became the oldest qb to win a super bowl, and first starting qb to win on two different teams. he now has 200 career regular and playoff wins: most all-time. asked about his future plans, he said, "i'll take some time to reflect. i got a couple priorities first. i'm going to kiss my wife and kids. i'm going to drink a lot of budweiser tonight."
carolina's potent offense, number one during the regular season with 500 points, was held to its fewest points of the year. denver allowed just 194 yards, another super bowl record for the least amount given up by a vince lombardi trophy winner. league mvp newton completed 18 of 41 passes for 265 yards and no touchdowns.
Saturday, February 06, 2016
2016 NFL Honors and 2016 Hall of Fame Class
listed below are the winners of the 2016 nfl honors:
air player of the year - carson palmer, qb, arizona cardinals
ground player of the year - todd gurley, rb, st. louis rams
offensive rookie of the year - todd gurley, rb, st. louis rams
offensive player of the year - cam newton, qb, carolina panthers
salute to service award - vincent jackson, wr, tampa bay buccaneers
clutch performer of the year - drew brees, qb, new orleans saints
coach of the year - ron rivera, carolina panthers
art rooney award - charles woodson, s, oakland raiders
defensive rookie of the year - marcus peters, cb, kansas city chiefs
assistant coach of the year - wade phillips, denver broncos
greatness on the road award - antonio brown, wr, pittsburgh steelers
defensive player of the year - j.j. watt, de, houston texans
most valuable player - cam newton, qb, carolina panthers
rookie of the year - jameis winston, qb, tampa bay buccaneers
comeback player of the year - eric berry, s, kansas city chiefs
fantasy player of the year - antonio brown, wr, pittsburgh steelers
deacon jones award - j.j. watt, de, houston texans
walter payton man of the year - anquan boldin, wr, san francisco 49ers
performance play of the year - aaron rodgers, qb, green bay packers
2016 hall of fame class
eddie debartolo, owner
tony dungy, coach
brett favre, qb
kevin greene, lb
marvin harrison, wr
orlando pace, ol
ken stabler, qb
dick stanfel, ol
air player of the year - carson palmer, qb, arizona cardinals
ground player of the year - todd gurley, rb, st. louis rams
offensive rookie of the year - todd gurley, rb, st. louis rams
offensive player of the year - cam newton, qb, carolina panthers
salute to service award - vincent jackson, wr, tampa bay buccaneers
clutch performer of the year - drew brees, qb, new orleans saints
coach of the year - ron rivera, carolina panthers
art rooney award - charles woodson, s, oakland raiders
defensive rookie of the year - marcus peters, cb, kansas city chiefs
assistant coach of the year - wade phillips, denver broncos
greatness on the road award - antonio brown, wr, pittsburgh steelers
defensive player of the year - j.j. watt, de, houston texans
most valuable player - cam newton, qb, carolina panthers
rookie of the year - jameis winston, qb, tampa bay buccaneers
comeback player of the year - eric berry, s, kansas city chiefs
fantasy player of the year - antonio brown, wr, pittsburgh steelers
deacon jones award - j.j. watt, de, houston texans
walter payton man of the year - anquan boldin, wr, san francisco 49ers
performance play of the year - aaron rodgers, qb, green bay packers
2016 hall of fame class
eddie debartolo, owner
tony dungy, coach
brett favre, qb
kevin greene, lb
marvin harrison, wr
orlando pace, ol
ken stabler, qb
dick stanfel, ol
Sunday, January 31, 2016
Angelique Kerber and Novak Djokovic Win 2016 Australian Open Singles Titles
angelique kerber of germany stunned world #1 serena williams of the u.s. 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to win the 2016 australian open singles championship. kerber captured her first career major - while playing in her first major final - after 33 grand slam appearances.
kerber collected $3.4 million for her efforts and is now the #2 player in the world. kerber, 28, is the first german since steffi graf in 1994 to win here, and the first lefty to win down under since monica seles in 1996. ironically, she was down match point in her first round encounter.
"i was going out there and not thinking too much that it's a grand slam final. i was enjoying the whole two hours on court. i was going out there, trying, ok i can beat her; i beat her once. and just believe in myself. if you're just hoping, you can't win against her. that was my game plan: serving good, moving good and just going for it. it works," kerber said afterwards.
williams has 21 career major singles titles. she is one win away from equaling graf's 22 majors: an open era record since 1999. williams, 34, fell short for the second consecutive major. roberta vinci beat her in the u.s. open semifinals last summer. she told kerber, "you did so well let me be the first to congratulate you. you truly played so well in the moment."
world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated andy murray of great britian 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 to win the 2016 australian open singles championship. djokovic equaled roy emerson's record of six australian titles, and continued his unprecedented play in the last 15 months of his career.
the defending champion djokovic has won the last three major singles titles, including four of the last five. he lost the 2015 french open to stan wawrinka of swizerland. djokovic now has 11 career major singles championships, tying bjorn borg of sweden and rod laver of australia for fifth place on the all-time list.
afterwards djokovic said, "i never experienced this much crowd and this much love. i've had the fortune to win this trophy now six times, but i never experienced such support. everything is going well privately, as well, so i feel like i'm at the point in my life where everything is working in harmony. i'll try to keep it that way."
murray, 28, became only the second man to lose five finals at one major - all to djokovic in melbourne. his career record against djokovic was 9-21 before their encounter, losing 10 of his last 11 matches. murray said later, "it's been hard, regardless of today's result. i'm proud i got into this position, just quite looking forward to getting home now." his wife is due next month.
kerber collected $3.4 million for her efforts and is now the #2 player in the world. kerber, 28, is the first german since steffi graf in 1994 to win here, and the first lefty to win down under since monica seles in 1996. ironically, she was down match point in her first round encounter.
"i was going out there and not thinking too much that it's a grand slam final. i was enjoying the whole two hours on court. i was going out there, trying, ok i can beat her; i beat her once. and just believe in myself. if you're just hoping, you can't win against her. that was my game plan: serving good, moving good and just going for it. it works," kerber said afterwards.
williams has 21 career major singles titles. she is one win away from equaling graf's 22 majors: an open era record since 1999. williams, 34, fell short for the second consecutive major. roberta vinci beat her in the u.s. open semifinals last summer. she told kerber, "you did so well let me be the first to congratulate you. you truly played so well in the moment."
world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated andy murray of great britian 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 to win the 2016 australian open singles championship. djokovic equaled roy emerson's record of six australian titles, and continued his unprecedented play in the last 15 months of his career.
the defending champion djokovic has won the last three major singles titles, including four of the last five. he lost the 2015 french open to stan wawrinka of swizerland. djokovic now has 11 career major singles championships, tying bjorn borg of sweden and rod laver of australia for fifth place on the all-time list.
afterwards djokovic said, "i never experienced this much crowd and this much love. i've had the fortune to win this trophy now six times, but i never experienced such support. everything is going well privately, as well, so i feel like i'm at the point in my life where everything is working in harmony. i'll try to keep it that way."
murray, 28, became only the second man to lose five finals at one major - all to djokovic in melbourne. his career record against djokovic was 9-21 before their encounter, losing 10 of his last 11 matches. murray said later, "it's been hard, regardless of today's result. i'm proud i got into this position, just quite looking forward to getting home now." his wife is due next month.
Tuesday, January 26, 2016
U.S. Supreme Court Retroactive Ban on Mandatory Life Without Parole for Juveniles
the u.s. supreme court, in their 6-3 ruling on monday in the case of montgomery v. louisiana, written by justice kennedy, stated "children who commit even heinous crimes are capable of change." several thousand inmates could potentially be impacted by their decision.
the court's rulings in a series of cases over the past decade suggest children are different: making the mandatory, permanent sentence of life without parole (lwop) inappropriate. though mandatory sentencing of lwop was ruled unconstitutional in miller v. alabama, states differed widely on applying the ruling retroactively.
the united states is the only country in the world to allow such unconscionable sentences for children. in 2010, the sentencing project released findings from a nationwide survey of almost 1,600 people serving these sentences. they found many of these kids had been traumatized and victimized before they hurt others.
the sentencing project also cited extreme poverty, poor legal counsel and significant racial disparities with the imposition of life sentences for juveniles. despite many disturbing patterns, they also noticed meaningful change and reform from the inmates over the years, sometimes decades, after their incarceration.
mandatory sentences of lwop rose exponentially in the 90's during the so-called 'super-predator era,' which has now been wholly discredited as fear-based media hype and political rhetoric.
the sentencing project works for a fair and effective u.s. justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
the court's rulings in a series of cases over the past decade suggest children are different: making the mandatory, permanent sentence of life without parole (lwop) inappropriate. though mandatory sentencing of lwop was ruled unconstitutional in miller v. alabama, states differed widely on applying the ruling retroactively.
the united states is the only country in the world to allow such unconscionable sentences for children. in 2010, the sentencing project released findings from a nationwide survey of almost 1,600 people serving these sentences. they found many of these kids had been traumatized and victimized before they hurt others.
the sentencing project also cited extreme poverty, poor legal counsel and significant racial disparities with the imposition of life sentences for juveniles. despite many disturbing patterns, they also noticed meaningful change and reform from the inmates over the years, sometimes decades, after their incarceration.
mandatory sentences of lwop rose exponentially in the 90's during the so-called 'super-predator era,' which has now been wholly discredited as fear-based media hype and political rhetoric.
the sentencing project works for a fair and effective u.s. justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
Friday, January 22, 2016
Black college student wins $45K settlement against Barney's
a young black male won a $45,000 settlement against barney's on wednesday, january 20. trayon christian, 18, sued the high-end clothing store and the new york police department (nypd) in october, 2013, claiming they profiled him for credit card fraud and buying a $349 designer belt on april 27, 2013.
christian, a queens resident, was hassled by two nypd detectives after he purchased the reversible black and white ferragamo's belt. an engineering student and part-time employee at the new york city college of technology at the time, christian felt he was detained because they believed he couldn't afford the belt.
christian said, "they said my card wasn't real, it was fake. they said someone at barney's called to report it." they detectives asked to see his id and look in his bag and whether and where he worked. he said, "the detectives were asking me, 'how could you afford a bag like this?' where did you get this money from?"
the detectives cuffed christian and took him to the 19th precinct station house, where he was kept in a holding cell for two hours. after he was released, the nypd said he was there for only 40 minutes. in august, 2014, barney's agreed to pay $525,000 in fines to settle racial profiling claims.
christian, a queens resident, was hassled by two nypd detectives after he purchased the reversible black and white ferragamo's belt. an engineering student and part-time employee at the new york city college of technology at the time, christian felt he was detained because they believed he couldn't afford the belt.
christian said, "they said my card wasn't real, it was fake. they said someone at barney's called to report it." they detectives asked to see his id and look in his bag and whether and where he worked. he said, "the detectives were asking me, 'how could you afford a bag like this?' where did you get this money from?"
the detectives cuffed christian and took him to the 19th precinct station house, where he was kept in a holding cell for two hours. after he was released, the nypd said he was there for only 40 minutes. in august, 2014, barney's agreed to pay $525,000 in fines to settle racial profiling claims.
White Male Officer Sentenced to 263 Years for multiple Sexual Assaults of Black Females
daniel holtzclaw, a former oklahoma city police officer, was sentenced to 263 years in prison for the rapes and sexual assaults of seven black women, and one black female teenager. holtzclaw received the maximum sentence and will serve each year consecutively.
holtzclaw is white.
during the sentencing hearing, the women each shared the pain and horror of their individual trauma. janie liggons, 59, the grandmother who blew the whistle on the predator, said she, "just wanted her life back."
in december, holtzclaw was found guilty of 18 of the 36 charges brought against him. he was found not guilty of charges brought in the sexual assaults and rapes of five black women. sentencing was delayed temporarily as holtzclaw's defense team argued for a new trial, claiming prosecutors withheld evidence to help their client.
the lawyers said a detective's social media post and an interview with a juror compromised proceedings. but judge timothy henderson denied the motion and holtzclaw was taken back into custody. supporters and organizers crowded the courtroom, including members of the african american policy forum and the black women's blueprint.
holtzclaw is white.
during the sentencing hearing, the women each shared the pain and horror of their individual trauma. janie liggons, 59, the grandmother who blew the whistle on the predator, said she, "just wanted her life back."
in december, holtzclaw was found guilty of 18 of the 36 charges brought against him. he was found not guilty of charges brought in the sexual assaults and rapes of five black women. sentencing was delayed temporarily as holtzclaw's defense team argued for a new trial, claiming prosecutors withheld evidence to help their client.
the lawyers said a detective's social media post and an interview with a juror compromised proceedings. but judge timothy henderson denied the motion and holtzclaw was taken back into custody. supporters and organizers crowded the courtroom, including members of the african american policy forum and the black women's blueprint.
Thursday, December 31, 2015
The U.S. Police killed almost 1200 people in 2015
u.s police killed more people in 2015 than in 2014. while exact numbers have various sources, the website killedbypolice.net stated almost 1200 people died because of police shootings in america.
their data shows white people are the largest group killed by the police. but collectively, asians, blacks, indigenous people and latinos surpass the number of people killed by the police.
thinkprogress noted black men are 21 times more likely to be killed by cops than young white men, according to a propublica analysis. in 14 cities this year, every victim of a police killing was black.
the centers for disease control and prevention also compiled similar data. they reported california, florida and texas lead the u.s. in terms of deadly police encounters.
their data shows white people are the largest group killed by the police. but collectively, asians, blacks, indigenous people and latinos surpass the number of people killed by the police.
thinkprogress noted black men are 21 times more likely to be killed by cops than young white men, according to a propublica analysis. in 14 cities this year, every victim of a police killing was black.
the centers for disease control and prevention also compiled similar data. they reported california, florida and texas lead the u.s. in terms of deadly police encounters.
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Will there be mercy or justice for Sandra Bland?
on december 21, the grand jury said it will bring no charges in the death of black lives matter activist sandra bland. she died in jail last july, three days after a traffic stop in waller county, texas. two videos of the stop went viral. the medical examiner said she hanged herself with a trash bag.
her family doubts it was suicide. jail officials did not think she was depressed, even after she told them she tried to take her life last year after a miscarriage. they did not put her on suicide watch.
"in prisons, it is not at all uncommon to find a prisoner hanged or burned to death in his cell. no matter how suspicious the circumstances, these deaths are always ruled "suicides." they are usually black inmates, considered to be a "threat to the orderly running of the prison." they are usually among the most politically aware and socially conscious inmates in the prison." - assata shakur.
the u.s. department of homeland security (dhs) admits they keep an eye on black matter lives through the internet for "situational awareness purposes" to ensure that critical information reaches appropriate decision-makers in federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments," but denies it keeps files on anyone in the movement.
the fbi behaved similarly with the black power movement in the 60's and 70's under cointelpro.
the grand jury heard nine hours of evidence. the hearing was in secret, there was no judge present, and no lawyer to question the evidence and witnesses presented by the prosecutor. these dynamics are common with grand juries.
the grand jury decision was presumably based mainly on the autopsy. yet, that same autopsy says bland had high levels of marijuana in her blood - levels so high she would have had to have smoked marijuana in jail.
the grand jury will meet again in january to decide "other issues." one such issue is whether the arresting officer, brian encinia, broke any laws during the traffic stop. encinia, a white male, is currently on paid leave.
the bland family has brought a wrongful-death civil lawsuit against the following: encinia, jail officers elsa magnus and oscar prudente, the sheriff's office, the texas department of public safety, and waller county.
there are key parts of the autopsy which are missing, and this has profoundly impacted their own independent autopsy. sadly enough, the bland family does not have the report on bland's arrest or her death. after the grand jury meeting in january, they hope more answers will be forthcoming.
her family doubts it was suicide. jail officials did not think she was depressed, even after she told them she tried to take her life last year after a miscarriage. they did not put her on suicide watch.
"in prisons, it is not at all uncommon to find a prisoner hanged or burned to death in his cell. no matter how suspicious the circumstances, these deaths are always ruled "suicides." they are usually black inmates, considered to be a "threat to the orderly running of the prison." they are usually among the most politically aware and socially conscious inmates in the prison." - assata shakur.
the u.s. department of homeland security (dhs) admits they keep an eye on black matter lives through the internet for "situational awareness purposes" to ensure that critical information reaches appropriate decision-makers in federal, state, local, tribal and territorial governments," but denies it keeps files on anyone in the movement.
the fbi behaved similarly with the black power movement in the 60's and 70's under cointelpro.
the grand jury heard nine hours of evidence. the hearing was in secret, there was no judge present, and no lawyer to question the evidence and witnesses presented by the prosecutor. these dynamics are common with grand juries.
the grand jury decision was presumably based mainly on the autopsy. yet, that same autopsy says bland had high levels of marijuana in her blood - levels so high she would have had to have smoked marijuana in jail.
the grand jury will meet again in january to decide "other issues." one such issue is whether the arresting officer, brian encinia, broke any laws during the traffic stop. encinia, a white male, is currently on paid leave.
the bland family has brought a wrongful-death civil lawsuit against the following: encinia, jail officers elsa magnus and oscar prudente, the sheriff's office, the texas department of public safety, and waller county.
there are key parts of the autopsy which are missing, and this has profoundly impacted their own independent autopsy. sadly enough, the bland family does not have the report on bland's arrest or her death. after the grand jury meeting in january, they hope more answers will be forthcoming.
When A Child Dies by Mumia Abu-Jamal
newsbreak: cleveland officials announce no charges to be filed in the police killing of 12 year-old tamir rice.
there is something shattering about the death, the killing, of a child.
when a child dies the natural order is torn, the stars weep and the earth quakes. we have become so accustomed to this system we suppose it is natural, instead of a human imposition.
politicians in the pocket of so called police unions bow before bags of silver and blink away the death of a child - especially if a black child.
what man-made institution is more precious than a child? what job? what so called profession? what office? what state? when a child dies, adults don't deserve to breathe their stolen air.
when a child dies, the living must not rest until they have purged the poison that dared harm such a one. when a child dies, time runs backward and attempts to right such a wrong.
this should inspire movements worldwide to fight like never before. for something vile has happened. a child has been killed, and in america, because it's a black child - it means next to nothing.
from imprisoned nation, this is mumia abu-jamal
there is something shattering about the death, the killing, of a child.
when a child dies the natural order is torn, the stars weep and the earth quakes. we have become so accustomed to this system we suppose it is natural, instead of a human imposition.
politicians in the pocket of so called police unions bow before bags of silver and blink away the death of a child - especially if a black child.
what man-made institution is more precious than a child? what job? what so called profession? what office? what state? when a child dies, adults don't deserve to breathe their stolen air.
when a child dies, the living must not rest until they have purged the poison that dared harm such a one. when a child dies, time runs backward and attempts to right such a wrong.
this should inspire movements worldwide to fight like never before. for something vile has happened. a child has been killed, and in america, because it's a black child - it means next to nothing.
from imprisoned nation, this is mumia abu-jamal
Tuesday, December 22, 2015
2016 NFL Pro Bowl Team
the carolina panthers (14-0) have 10 players selected to the 2016 nfl pro bowl. the arizona cardinals, new england patriots and seattle seahawks each have seven pro bowl players.
patriots quarterback tom brady received the most votes. panthers qb cam newton was second. three rookies were selected: kansas city chiefs cornerback marcus peters, seahawks return man tyler lockett and st. louis rams running back todd gurley.
offensive players
quarterbacks: brady; newton; carson palmer, arizona cardinals; aaron rodgers, green bay packers; ben roethlisberger, pittsburgh steelers; russell wilson, seahawks.
running backs: devonta freeman, atlanta falcons; gurley; doug martin, tampa bay buccaneers; lesean mccoy, buffalo bills; adrian peterson, minnesota vikings.
fullbacks: marcel reese, oakland raiders; mike tolbert, panthers.
wide receivers: odell beckham jr., new york giants; antonio brown, steelers; larry fitzgerald, cardinals; a.j. green, cincinnati bengals; deandre hopkins, houston texans; calvin johnson, detroit lions; julio jones, falcons; brandon marshall, new york jets.
tight ends: tyler eifert, bengals; rob gronkowski, patriots; travis kelce, chiefs; greg olsen, panthers.
centers: travis frederick, dallas cowboys; ryan kalil, panthers; alex mack, cleveland browns; mike pouncey, miami dolphins.
guards: david decastro, steelers; mike iupati, cardinals; zack martin, cowboys; josh sitton, packers; trai turner, panthers; marshal yanda, baltimore ravens.
tackles: jason peters, philadelphia eagles; tyron smith, cowboys; joe staley, san francisco 49ers; joe thomas, browns; andrew whitworth, bengals; trent williams, washington redskins.
defensive players
ends: ezekiel ansah, lions; michael bennett, seahawks; chandler jones, patriots; khalil mack, oakland raiders; j.j. watt, texans; muhammed wilkerson, jets.
interior lineman: geno atkins, bengals; calais campbell, cardinals; fletcher cox, eagles; aaron donald, rams; gerald mccoy, buccanneers; kawann short, panthers.
inside/middle linebackers: navorro bowman, 49ers; luke keuchly, panthers; clay matthews, packers; bobby wagner, seahawks.
outside linebackers: jamie collins, panthers; thomas davis, jr., panthers; tamba hali, chiefs; justin houston, chiefs; von miller, denver broncos; demarcus ware, broncos.
cornerbacks: malcolm butler, patriots; chris harris, broncos; josh norman, panthers; marcus peters, chiefs; patrick peterson, cardinals; darrelle revis, jets; richard sherman, panthers; aqib talib, broncos.
free safeties: tyrann mathieu, cardinals; reggie nelson, bengals; earl thomas, seahawks.
strong safeties: eric berry, chiefs; kam chancellor, seahawks; charles woodson, raiders.
special teams players
placekickers: stephen gostkowski, patriots; dan bailey, cowboys.
punters: sam koch, ravens; johnny hekker, rams.
return specialists: darren spoles, eagles; tyler lockett, seahawks.
special teamers: matthew slater, patriots; justin bethel, cardinals.
patriots quarterback tom brady received the most votes. panthers qb cam newton was second. three rookies were selected: kansas city chiefs cornerback marcus peters, seahawks return man tyler lockett and st. louis rams running back todd gurley.
offensive players
quarterbacks: brady; newton; carson palmer, arizona cardinals; aaron rodgers, green bay packers; ben roethlisberger, pittsburgh steelers; russell wilson, seahawks.
running backs: devonta freeman, atlanta falcons; gurley; doug martin, tampa bay buccaneers; lesean mccoy, buffalo bills; adrian peterson, minnesota vikings.
fullbacks: marcel reese, oakland raiders; mike tolbert, panthers.
wide receivers: odell beckham jr., new york giants; antonio brown, steelers; larry fitzgerald, cardinals; a.j. green, cincinnati bengals; deandre hopkins, houston texans; calvin johnson, detroit lions; julio jones, falcons; brandon marshall, new york jets.
tight ends: tyler eifert, bengals; rob gronkowski, patriots; travis kelce, chiefs; greg olsen, panthers.
centers: travis frederick, dallas cowboys; ryan kalil, panthers; alex mack, cleveland browns; mike pouncey, miami dolphins.
guards: david decastro, steelers; mike iupati, cardinals; zack martin, cowboys; josh sitton, packers; trai turner, panthers; marshal yanda, baltimore ravens.
tackles: jason peters, philadelphia eagles; tyron smith, cowboys; joe staley, san francisco 49ers; joe thomas, browns; andrew whitworth, bengals; trent williams, washington redskins.
defensive players
ends: ezekiel ansah, lions; michael bennett, seahawks; chandler jones, patriots; khalil mack, oakland raiders; j.j. watt, texans; muhammed wilkerson, jets.
interior lineman: geno atkins, bengals; calais campbell, cardinals; fletcher cox, eagles; aaron donald, rams; gerald mccoy, buccanneers; kawann short, panthers.
inside/middle linebackers: navorro bowman, 49ers; luke keuchly, panthers; clay matthews, packers; bobby wagner, seahawks.
outside linebackers: jamie collins, panthers; thomas davis, jr., panthers; tamba hali, chiefs; justin houston, chiefs; von miller, denver broncos; demarcus ware, broncos.
cornerbacks: malcolm butler, patriots; chris harris, broncos; josh norman, panthers; marcus peters, chiefs; patrick peterson, cardinals; darrelle revis, jets; richard sherman, panthers; aqib talib, broncos.
free safeties: tyrann mathieu, cardinals; reggie nelson, bengals; earl thomas, seahawks.
strong safeties: eric berry, chiefs; kam chancellor, seahawks; charles woodson, raiders.
special teams players
placekickers: stephen gostkowski, patriots; dan bailey, cowboys.
punters: sam koch, ravens; johnny hekker, rams.
return specialists: darren spoles, eagles; tyler lockett, seahawks.
special teamers: matthew slater, patriots; justin bethel, cardinals.
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Race and Bail in America
the bail system for people of african descent in america is criminal. richard pryor once said, "there is no justice for black people - just us." listed below are statistics recently cited by the pretrial racial justice initiative (prji).
* african-americans are 2.5 times more likely to be arrested than white americans.
for non-violent drug arrests:
* african-americans are 2 times more likely to be detained than whites.
* hispanics are 2.5 times more likely to be detained than whites.
* 1 in 15 african-american males are incarcerated.
* 1 in 36 hispanic males are incarcerated.
* 1 in 106 white males are incarcerated.
race and bond amounts are significantly correlated:
* african-american men - 35% higher bond than white men.
* hispanic men - 19% higher bond than white men.
drivers of racial discrimination:
* implicit biases of system actors.
* jurisdictions that allow non-lawyers to make bail decisions.
* lack of adequate information to make informed decisions.
* monetary bail system.
* no oversight of discretionary decision-making.
short periods of pretrial detention increases the likelihood of:
* failure to appear in court.
* new criminal activity while awaiting trial.
* post-disposition recidivism.
defendants held for the entire trial period faced:
* four times greater likelihood of being sentenced to jail.
* three times greater likelihood of being sentenced to prison.
* three times longer jail sentences.
* two times prison sentence.
pretrial risk assessment can help to level these disparities through:
* education of implicit biases.
* move from monetary to risk-based system.
* multiple stages of release.
* oversight and accountability.
* require articulation of bail decisions.
* review of bail determinations.
* african-americans are 2.5 times more likely to be arrested than white americans.
for non-violent drug arrests:
* african-americans are 2 times more likely to be detained than whites.
* hispanics are 2.5 times more likely to be detained than whites.
* 1 in 15 african-american males are incarcerated.
* 1 in 36 hispanic males are incarcerated.
* 1 in 106 white males are incarcerated.
race and bond amounts are significantly correlated:
* african-american men - 35% higher bond than white men.
* hispanic men - 19% higher bond than white men.
drivers of racial discrimination:
* implicit biases of system actors.
* jurisdictions that allow non-lawyers to make bail decisions.
* lack of adequate information to make informed decisions.
* monetary bail system.
* no oversight of discretionary decision-making.
short periods of pretrial detention increases the likelihood of:
* failure to appear in court.
* new criminal activity while awaiting trial.
* post-disposition recidivism.
defendants held for the entire trial period faced:
* four times greater likelihood of being sentenced to jail.
* three times greater likelihood of being sentenced to prison.
* three times longer jail sentences.
* two times prison sentence.
pretrial risk assessment can help to level these disparities through:
* education of implicit biases.
* move from monetary to risk-based system.
* multiple stages of release.
* oversight and accountability.
* require articulation of bail decisions.
* review of bail determinations.
Tuesday, December 01, 2015
Chicago Police Superintendent Fired after video of slain black teen surfaces 13 months later
chicago police superintendent garry mccarthy was fired tuesday by chicago mayor rahm emanuel amid disturbing racial issues within the department. after the video of 17 year-old laquan mcdonald being executed by a police officer last year surfaced just last month, community outrage and national protests led to his dismissal.
in the shocking dashboard camera video, mcdonald is seen walking away from a line of police cruisers. just six seconds after getting out of his car, officer jason van dyke shoots mcdonald. he spins around, writhing on the ground, and van dyke continues to shoot: 16 times. mcdonald had a three-inch blade knife, but didn't threaten the officer.
several patrol cars responded, yet only van dyke fired his weapon. the cook county medical examiner conducted an autopsy on mcdonald. the examiner lists the 16 wounds one by one: arms, back, chest, elbow, hand, left scalp, legs and neck. nine of the gunshots entered from the back.
van dyke is white. mcdonald is black.
jay darshane, district manager for a burger king where mcdonald was seen running in the video, said shortly after the teenager was fatally shot, four chicago police officers demanded to see the security film. darshane also said 86 minutes of the film was deleted by the police department.
a spokesperson for the independent police review authority said, "we have no credible evidence at this time that would cause to believe cpd purged or erased any surveillance video." but darshane says the cameras were up and running all night. he said, "we had no idea they were going to sit there and delete files. i mean, we were just trying to help the police officers."
jeff neslund, an attorney for the mcdonald family said, "our first time down at the burger king restaurant when we started talking to employees, watching the burger king video, when we realized video had been deleted, or is missing, absolutely we knew something was up." van dyke was charged with first-degree murder - a first in chicago for a cop.
chicago's black caucus and the chicago sun-times called for mccarthy's immediate ouster. under his tenure, the city has suffered with recurring street violence and controversial police-related shootings. last month, nine year-old tyshawn lee was shot and killed in an alley on the south side of the city. his tragic death was reportedly gang-related.
in 2012, rekia boyd was shot by detective dante servin. a week after servin was acquitted in boyd's death, mccarthy defended the detective. he said dervin shouldn't have been indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges because he "hit the individual who he was aiming at," and only "happened to hit" boyd.
servin is white. boyd is black.
emanuel said (of mccarthy), "he has become an issue, rather than dealing with the issue, and a distraction." the mayor also said mccarthy was fired because of "the undeniable fact that the public trust in the leadership of the department has been shaken and eroded."
last year, chicago surpassed new york as the nation's murder capital. additionally, the city has spent millions of dollars trying to defend racist police misconduct. undaunted, the black and brown people disproportionately impacted by their oppressive dehumanization continue to demand justice.
in the shocking dashboard camera video, mcdonald is seen walking away from a line of police cruisers. just six seconds after getting out of his car, officer jason van dyke shoots mcdonald. he spins around, writhing on the ground, and van dyke continues to shoot: 16 times. mcdonald had a three-inch blade knife, but didn't threaten the officer.
several patrol cars responded, yet only van dyke fired his weapon. the cook county medical examiner conducted an autopsy on mcdonald. the examiner lists the 16 wounds one by one: arms, back, chest, elbow, hand, left scalp, legs and neck. nine of the gunshots entered from the back.
van dyke is white. mcdonald is black.
jay darshane, district manager for a burger king where mcdonald was seen running in the video, said shortly after the teenager was fatally shot, four chicago police officers demanded to see the security film. darshane also said 86 minutes of the film was deleted by the police department.
a spokesperson for the independent police review authority said, "we have no credible evidence at this time that would cause to believe cpd purged or erased any surveillance video." but darshane says the cameras were up and running all night. he said, "we had no idea they were going to sit there and delete files. i mean, we were just trying to help the police officers."
jeff neslund, an attorney for the mcdonald family said, "our first time down at the burger king restaurant when we started talking to employees, watching the burger king video, when we realized video had been deleted, or is missing, absolutely we knew something was up." van dyke was charged with first-degree murder - a first in chicago for a cop.
chicago's black caucus and the chicago sun-times called for mccarthy's immediate ouster. under his tenure, the city has suffered with recurring street violence and controversial police-related shootings. last month, nine year-old tyshawn lee was shot and killed in an alley on the south side of the city. his tragic death was reportedly gang-related.
in 2012, rekia boyd was shot by detective dante servin. a week after servin was acquitted in boyd's death, mccarthy defended the detective. he said dervin shouldn't have been indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges because he "hit the individual who he was aiming at," and only "happened to hit" boyd.
servin is white. boyd is black.
emanuel said (of mccarthy), "he has become an issue, rather than dealing with the issue, and a distraction." the mayor also said mccarthy was fired because of "the undeniable fact that the public trust in the leadership of the department has been shaken and eroded."
last year, chicago surpassed new york as the nation's murder capital. additionally, the city has spent millions of dollars trying to defend racist police misconduct. undaunted, the black and brown people disproportionately impacted by their oppressive dehumanization continue to demand justice.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Kentucky Governor Restores Voting Rights to 100,000 People
kentucky governor steve beshear issued an executive action today. his progressive order will automatically restore voting rights to about 100,000 people with nonviolent felony convictions who completed their sentences.
kentucky, florida, iowa and virginia are the only states which disenfranchise people with felony convictions after completing their sentences. voting rights in these states can only be restored through a governor's action or pardons board. about 243,000 felons in kentucky lost their voting rights, including 180,000 who completed their sentence.
almost six million americans can't vote because of the legal disenfranchisement with their felony convictions. policies vary from state to state. the most extreme states restrict voting rights even after people serve their sentences, and are no longer on parole or probation: individuals in these states make up about 45% of the entire disenfranchised population.
felony disenfranchisement has produced broad racial disparities in its impact. nationwide, one in every 13 black adults have been stripped of their right to vote. in florida and virginia, over 20% of black adults experience disenfranchisement.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "in issuing this executive action, governor beshear has demonstrated bold and necessary leadership. denying the right to vote to an entire class of citizens is deeply problematic for a democratic society and counterproductive to effective reentry."
nicole d. porter, director of advocacy at the sentencing project said, "we are encouraged by state officials who are reconsidering archaic disenfranchisement policies, with 23 states having enacted reforms since 1997. yet, there is much more work to do, both in kentucky and other states, to allow the full democratic participation of all citizens."
kentucky, florida, iowa and virginia are the only states which disenfranchise people with felony convictions after completing their sentences. voting rights in these states can only be restored through a governor's action or pardons board. about 243,000 felons in kentucky lost their voting rights, including 180,000 who completed their sentence.
almost six million americans can't vote because of the legal disenfranchisement with their felony convictions. policies vary from state to state. the most extreme states restrict voting rights even after people serve their sentences, and are no longer on parole or probation: individuals in these states make up about 45% of the entire disenfranchised population.
felony disenfranchisement has produced broad racial disparities in its impact. nationwide, one in every 13 black adults have been stripped of their right to vote. in florida and virginia, over 20% of black adults experience disenfranchisement.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "in issuing this executive action, governor beshear has demonstrated bold and necessary leadership. denying the right to vote to an entire class of citizens is deeply problematic for a democratic society and counterproductive to effective reentry."
nicole d. porter, director of advocacy at the sentencing project said, "we are encouraged by state officials who are reconsidering archaic disenfranchisement policies, with 23 states having enacted reforms since 1997. yet, there is much more work to do, both in kentucky and other states, to allow the full democratic participation of all citizens."
Thursday, November 19, 2015
2015 Major League Baseball Awards
here are the major league baseball post-season award winners for 2015:
most valuable player, american league - josh donaldson, toronto blue jays
most valuable player, national league - bryce harper, washington nationals
cy young award, american league - dallas keuchel, houston astros
cy young award, national league - jake arrieta, chicago cubs
manager of the year, american league - jeff banister, texas rangers
manager of the year, national league - joe maddon, chicago cubs
rookie of the year, american league - carlos correa, houston astros
rookie of the year, national league - kris bryant, chicago cubs
hank aaron award, american league - josh donaldson, toronto blue jays
hank aaron award, national league - bryce harper, washington nationals
relief man award, american league - andrew miller, new york yankees
relief man award, national league - mark melancon, pittsburgh pirates
relief man award, american league - andrew miller, new york yankees
relief man award, national league - mark melancon, pittsburgh pirates
Thursday, November 12, 2015
The Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015
the sentencing reform and corrections act is a bipartisan, bicameral reform bill introduced in early october in congress. the legislation would take a number of steps forward to reduce harsh penalties which are costly to families and taxpayers.
among other initiatives, the bill intends to expand the existing safety valve, and give judges enhanced discretion to exempt a substantial number of individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses from harsh mandatory sentences.
the bill also seeks to make the fair sentencing act of 2010 - which scaled back the unfair sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine - retroactive to allow nearly 6,000 current prisoners to petition for sentence reductions; and provide sentence reduction incentives for prisoners who take part in rehabilitative programming.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project, calls the bill, "the most substantial criminal justice reform legislation introduced since the inception of the 'touch on crime' movement." the sentencing project works for a fair and effective u.s. justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
among other initiatives, the bill intends to expand the existing safety valve, and give judges enhanced discretion to exempt a substantial number of individuals convicted of non-violent drug offenses from harsh mandatory sentences.
the bill also seeks to make the fair sentencing act of 2010 - which scaled back the unfair sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine - retroactive to allow nearly 6,000 current prisoners to petition for sentence reductions; and provide sentence reduction incentives for prisoners who take part in rehabilitative programming.
marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project, calls the bill, "the most substantial criminal justice reform legislation introduced since the inception of the 'touch on crime' movement." the sentencing project works for a fair and effective u.s. justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
2015 AL & NL Gold Glove Winners
the 2015 rawlings american league and national league gold glove award winners were announced on tuesday night. the players are listed below:
american league
pitcher: dallas keuchel, houston astros
catcher: salvador perez, kansas city royals
first baseman: eric hosmer, kansas city royals
second baseman: jose altuve, houston astros
third baseman: manny machado, baltimore orioles
shortstop: alcides escobar, kansas city royals
left field: yoenis cespedes, detroit tigers
center field: kevin kiermaier, tampa bay rays
right field: kole calhoun, los angeles angels
national league
pitcher: zack greinke, los angeles dodgers
catcher: yadier molina, st. louis cardinals
first baseman: paul goldschmidt, arizona diamondbacks
second baseman: dee gordon, florida marlins
third baseman: nolan arenado, colorado rockies
shortstop: brandon crawford, san francisco giants
left field: starling marte, pittsburgh pirates
center field: a.j. pollock, arizona diamondbacks
right field: jason heyward, st. louis cardinals
american league
pitcher: dallas keuchel, houston astros
catcher: salvador perez, kansas city royals
first baseman: eric hosmer, kansas city royals
second baseman: jose altuve, houston astros
third baseman: manny machado, baltimore orioles
shortstop: alcides escobar, kansas city royals
left field: yoenis cespedes, detroit tigers
center field: kevin kiermaier, tampa bay rays
right field: kole calhoun, los angeles angels
national league
pitcher: zack greinke, los angeles dodgers
catcher: yadier molina, st. louis cardinals
first baseman: paul goldschmidt, arizona diamondbacks
second baseman: dee gordon, florida marlins
third baseman: nolan arenado, colorado rockies
shortstop: brandon crawford, san francisco giants
left field: starling marte, pittsburgh pirates
center field: a.j. pollock, arizona diamondbacks
right field: jason heyward, st. louis cardinals
Monday, November 02, 2015
Kansas City Royals Win 2015 World Series
the kansas city royals captured their first world series championship in 30 years with an impressive five-game victory over the new york mets. they won 7-2 in a dramatic 12th inning flurry on a chilly sunday night at citi field in new york.
royals catcher salvador perez, who hit .364 during the series, was named most valuable player. the humble all-star led the majors in games and innings caught in each of the last two seasons. perez is the first catcher to win world series mvp since pat borders of toronto in 1992.
kc scored five runs in the decisive 12th inning. the go-ahead rbi came from reserve infielder christian colon - who singled in his only at bat during the series. it was their eighth comeback win of the postseason, and the sixth time they overcame a deficit of least two runs: both world series records. kc scored 41 runs in the eighth inning or later, another world series record.
before the game, royals manager ned yost said, "i felt from the beginning this group, after what they accomplished last year and saw the heartbreak in their eyes after game seven, that we had unfinished business to do. and yeah, i sit there sometimes and think this is just the way it's supposed to be."
kc third baseman mike moustakas also said before the game, "we knew the only way to get rid of last year's feeling is to go out there and finish the deal." royals first baseman eric hosmer said, "we all realize that these opportunities don't come often. and i think that's one thing that we all really focused in on in spring training was the fact that we came so close to winning a world series."
royals pitcher edinson volquez started game five and threw six innings of two-hit baseball - just three days after burying his 63 year-old father, who died in his native dominican republic. volquez later said, "my mom told me before i got here, go over there and enjoy the game like you always do and be proud. we are proud of you. and be proud, and make people proud, more proud than they are."
royals catcher salvador perez, who hit .364 during the series, was named most valuable player. the humble all-star led the majors in games and innings caught in each of the last two seasons. perez is the first catcher to win world series mvp since pat borders of toronto in 1992.
kc scored five runs in the decisive 12th inning. the go-ahead rbi came from reserve infielder christian colon - who singled in his only at bat during the series. it was their eighth comeback win of the postseason, and the sixth time they overcame a deficit of least two runs: both world series records. kc scored 41 runs in the eighth inning or later, another world series record.
before the game, royals manager ned yost said, "i felt from the beginning this group, after what they accomplished last year and saw the heartbreak in their eyes after game seven, that we had unfinished business to do. and yeah, i sit there sometimes and think this is just the way it's supposed to be."
kc third baseman mike moustakas also said before the game, "we knew the only way to get rid of last year's feeling is to go out there and finish the deal." royals first baseman eric hosmer said, "we all realize that these opportunities don't come often. and i think that's one thing that we all really focused in on in spring training was the fact that we came so close to winning a world series."
royals pitcher edinson volquez started game five and threw six innings of two-hit baseball - just three days after burying his 63 year-old father, who died in his native dominican republic. volquez later said, "my mom told me before i got here, go over there and enjoy the game like you always do and be proud. we are proud of you. and be proud, and make people proud, more proud than they are."
Thursday, October 22, 2015
FCC Caps Predatory Prison Phone Rates
today the federal communications commission (fcc) is voting to cap the costs of predatory prison phone calls. their decision will make all calls from prisons and detention centers around the country more affordable for families and their loved ones.
the vote is a major victory for black families and communities of african descent, who already cope with disproportionate incarceration rates, racially oppressive policing, and overly priced phone companies.
for over a decade advocates have fought to end the phone industry monopolization. families are often forced to choose between food and communication. prison phone companies like global tel link have made billions of dollars charging outrageous prices for inadequate services.
in 2013, over 25,000 color of change members called on the fcc to end predatory prison phone prices for people calling across state boundaries. earlier this month, they hand delivered 65,000 signatures from their members to the fcc to lower those prices.
commissioner mignon clyburn, chairman tom wheeler and commissioner jessica rosenworcel have shown tremendous leadership in holding the fcc accountable. as such, the fcc is now poised to fix what clyburn says is, "the clearest, most egregious case of market failure ever."
nearly three million children in the u.s. have a parent in prison. one of every nine of these kids are black. consistent communication plays a critical role in maintaining family unity, reducing inmate recidivism and working to cultivate successful productive members of society.
the vote is a major victory for black families and communities of african descent, who already cope with disproportionate incarceration rates, racially oppressive policing, and overly priced phone companies.
for over a decade advocates have fought to end the phone industry monopolization. families are often forced to choose between food and communication. prison phone companies like global tel link have made billions of dollars charging outrageous prices for inadequate services.
in 2013, over 25,000 color of change members called on the fcc to end predatory prison phone prices for people calling across state boundaries. earlier this month, they hand delivered 65,000 signatures from their members to the fcc to lower those prices.
commissioner mignon clyburn, chairman tom wheeler and commissioner jessica rosenworcel have shown tremendous leadership in holding the fcc accountable. as such, the fcc is now poised to fix what clyburn says is, "the clearest, most egregious case of market failure ever."
nearly three million children in the u.s. have a parent in prison. one of every nine of these kids are black. consistent communication plays a critical role in maintaining family unity, reducing inmate recidivism and working to cultivate successful productive members of society.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Minnesota Lynx Win 2015 WNBA Title
the minnesota lynx defeated the indiana fever 69-52 in game five to win the 2015 wnba championship. the lynx captured their third crown in five years. center sylvia fowles, acquired from the chicago sky on july 27, was named the finals mvp. she had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
the last five game series was in 2009. in 2011, the lynx captured their first franchise crown. they lost the following year to the indiana pacers, and beat the atlanta dream in 2013. minnesota now join the houston comets, detroit shock and phoenix mercury as the only teams to win three wnba finals. the comets won the league's first four titles.
this was the first championship minnesota clinched at home. the raucous crowd at the target center inspired a defensive masterpiece: indiana scored just four points in the second quarter. the lynx forced 21 turnovers and held the fever to 36% field goal shooting.
lynx coach cheryl reeve later praised veteran all-stars seimone augustus, rebekkah brunson and lindsey whalen for their leadership, resiliency and toughness in overcoming injuries all year. augustus finished with 16 points, and brunson had 10 points and 14 rebounds.
augustus said, "the way we grinded together, a lot of things happen throughout the season that people don't even know. we kept grinding and working despite everything that we've been through." coach reeve was asked how they persevered. before shedding tears, reeve sarcastically remarked, "it was a piece of cake. i'm just proud."
Tuesday, October 13, 2015
Texas Court halts execution of death row inmate
the texas court of criminal appeals on monday halted the execution of an inmate on death row. his lawyers argued he was sentenced based on false testimony from major witnesses. the court stayed the november 3 execution of julius murphy without elaborating on its decision.
murphy, 36, was convicted in 1988 of fatally shooting jason erie in the head during a 1997 robbery. lawyers for murphy asked the court in september to put the execution on hold. they said they have new evidence which shows prosecutors coerced dishonest testimony.
"mr. murphy's conviction and death sentence were procured through prosecutorial misconduct," said catherine stetson, a lawyer for murphy. the office of the texas attorney general was not immediately available for comment. it previously said murphy was properly convicted.
murphy's lawyers said prosecutors relied heavily on the testimony of two witnesses, christina davis and javarrow young. the lawyers said they had sworn statements which show both witnesses were unduly coerced into testimony - and lied about the evidence.
in his new statement, young said one of murphy's co-defendants was the actual shooter. murphy's lawyers said young was threatened with a murder charge if he did not testify against their client. they also said davis was threatened with a conspiracy to commit murder charge if she did not testify.
lawyers for murphy have tried unsuccessfully to halt the execution by arguing he was mentally disabled, and putting him to death would be unlawful. since the u.s. supreme court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, texas has executed 529 inmates - the most of any state in the nation.
in recent years, texas has instituted various reforms in the judicial process. although some activists believe these measures are woefully inadequate, the initiatives are designed to increase funding for public defenders, and provide greater oversight of prosecutors.
murphy, 36, was convicted in 1988 of fatally shooting jason erie in the head during a 1997 robbery. lawyers for murphy asked the court in september to put the execution on hold. they said they have new evidence which shows prosecutors coerced dishonest testimony.
"mr. murphy's conviction and death sentence were procured through prosecutorial misconduct," said catherine stetson, a lawyer for murphy. the office of the texas attorney general was not immediately available for comment. it previously said murphy was properly convicted.
murphy's lawyers said prosecutors relied heavily on the testimony of two witnesses, christina davis and javarrow young. the lawyers said they had sworn statements which show both witnesses were unduly coerced into testimony - and lied about the evidence.
in his new statement, young said one of murphy's co-defendants was the actual shooter. murphy's lawyers said young was threatened with a murder charge if he did not testify against their client. they also said davis was threatened with a conspiracy to commit murder charge if she did not testify.
lawyers for murphy have tried unsuccessfully to halt the execution by arguing he was mentally disabled, and putting him to death would be unlawful. since the u.s. supreme court reinstated the death penalty in 1976, texas has executed 529 inmates - the most of any state in the nation.
in recent years, texas has instituted various reforms in the judicial process. although some activists believe these measures are woefully inadequate, the initiatives are designed to increase funding for public defenders, and provide greater oversight of prosecutors.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
NBA Player Thabo Sefolosha Found Not Guilty in April 2015 NYPD Incident
atlanta hawks guard thabo sefolosha was found not guilty on all charges against him relating to an incident outside of a manhattan night club in april of this year. sefolosha was visibly relieved, but has not decided on whether to file a civil lawsuit against the nypd.
police claimed sefolosha and hawks teammate pero antic were slow to leave the area where they investigated the stabbing of indiana pacers forward chris copeland. sefolosha's lawyers argued he was falsely apprehended. he suffered a broken bone in his right leg - after his arrest.
sefolosha said after the decision on thursday, "i want to assure (jury) this was the right verdict. they were on the right side of truth and justice." nba players association director michele roberts tweeted, "thabo acquitted! justice prevails! thabo had the courage to fight the charges. we are so proud! #notguilty."
the swiss-born defensive specialist has returned to practice. however, sefolosha did experience leg pain late last month. the team is unclear when he'll be ready to play at 100% capacity. the eastern conference finalists' hawks open the regular season against the detroit pistons october 27.
police claimed sefolosha and hawks teammate pero antic were slow to leave the area where they investigated the stabbing of indiana pacers forward chris copeland. sefolosha's lawyers argued he was falsely apprehended. he suffered a broken bone in his right leg - after his arrest.
sefolosha said after the decision on thursday, "i want to assure (jury) this was the right verdict. they were on the right side of truth and justice." nba players association director michele roberts tweeted, "thabo acquitted! justice prevails! thabo had the courage to fight the charges. we are so proud! #notguilty."
the swiss-born defensive specialist has returned to practice. however, sefolosha did experience leg pain late last month. the team is unclear when he'll be ready to play at 100% capacity. the eastern conference finalists' hawks open the regular season against the detroit pistons october 27.
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Family of Black Man killed by White Cop reaches $6.5 million settlement with North Charleston
the family of the late walter scott has reached a settlement with the city of north charleston, south carolina for $6.5 million. the north charleston city council approved the decision on thursday night.
scott was fatally shot by former north charleston police officer michael slager on april 4 this year. the unarmed 50-year old scott was reportedly pulled over for a broken brake light, and later was struck in the back after running from the police.
scott is black. slager is white.
slager was charged with murder in the high profile case. state circuit judge clifton newman denied him bond last month. newman said his possible release "would constitute an unreasonable danger to the community."
the city of north charleston faced the possibility of a tedious, polarizing and expensive legal battle with the scott family. but after the announcement of this rare financial agreement - involving a black male and white cop - the lawsuit is now over.
"i'm glad the city and the family were able to reach a settlement without the necessity of a lawsuit," said north charleston mayor keith summey. the mayor praised scott's family amidst their pleas for calm immediately after the national outrage scott's tragic death spurred.
scott's mother, judy scott, told cnn's anderson cooper she "felt forgiveness in my heart, even for the guy that shot and killed my son." anthony scott, walter's brother, said his family will donate portions of the settlement to the ongoing red cross disaster relief efforts. parts of south carolina have recently succumbed to deadly flooding and torrential rains.
scott publicly thanked the small-town city for their big-time compromise on behalf of his brother. scott said, "the city of charleston's actions have ensured that walter did not die in vain. the city sent a message, loud and clear, that this type of reckless behavior will not be tolerated."
scott was fatally shot by former north charleston police officer michael slager on april 4 this year. the unarmed 50-year old scott was reportedly pulled over for a broken brake light, and later was struck in the back after running from the police.
scott is black. slager is white.
slager was charged with murder in the high profile case. state circuit judge clifton newman denied him bond last month. newman said his possible release "would constitute an unreasonable danger to the community."
the city of north charleston faced the possibility of a tedious, polarizing and expensive legal battle with the scott family. but after the announcement of this rare financial agreement - involving a black male and white cop - the lawsuit is now over.
"i'm glad the city and the family were able to reach a settlement without the necessity of a lawsuit," said north charleston mayor keith summey. the mayor praised scott's family amidst their pleas for calm immediately after the national outrage scott's tragic death spurred.
scott's mother, judy scott, told cnn's anderson cooper she "felt forgiveness in my heart, even for the guy that shot and killed my son." anthony scott, walter's brother, said his family will donate portions of the settlement to the ongoing red cross disaster relief efforts. parts of south carolina have recently succumbed to deadly flooding and torrential rains.
scott publicly thanked the small-town city for their big-time compromise on behalf of his brother. scott said, "the city of charleston's actions have ensured that walter did not die in vain. the city sent a message, loud and clear, that this type of reckless behavior will not be tolerated."
Saturday, October 03, 2015
WNBA 2015 Year-End Awards
the wnba year-end awards highlight the outstanding achievements of players, coaches and executives in 2015. listed below are the winners:
most valuable player - elena delle donne, chicago sky
rookie of the year - jewell loyd, seattle storm
defensive player of the year - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
sixth woman of the year - allie quigley, chicago sky
most improved player - kelsey bone, connecticut sun
coach of the year - bill laimbeer, new york liberty
kim perrot sportsmanship - delisha milton-jones, los angeles sparks
peak performers
scoring - elena delle donne, chicago sky, 23.4 points per game
rebounds - courtney paris - tulsa shock, 9.3 rebounds per game
assists - courtney vandersloot, chicago sky, 5.8 assists per game
all-wnba first team
forward - elena delle donne, chicago sky
forward - maya moore, minnesota lynx
center - tina charles, new york liberty
guard - dewana bonner, phoenix mercury
guard - angel mccoughtry, atlanta dream
all-defensive team
center - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
forward - tamika catchings, indiana fever
forward - nneka ogwumike, los angeles sparks
guard - briann january, indiana fever
guard- angel mccoughtry, atlanta dream
all-rookie team
jewell loyd, seattle storm
ramu tokashiki, seattle storm
brittany boyd, new york liberty
kiah stokes, new york liberty
natalie achonwa, indiana fever
ana dabovic, los angeles sparks
most valuable player - elena delle donne, chicago sky
rookie of the year - jewell loyd, seattle storm
defensive player of the year - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
sixth woman of the year - allie quigley, chicago sky
most improved player - kelsey bone, connecticut sun
coach of the year - bill laimbeer, new york liberty
kim perrot sportsmanship - delisha milton-jones, los angeles sparks
peak performers
scoring - elena delle donne, chicago sky, 23.4 points per game
rebounds - courtney paris - tulsa shock, 9.3 rebounds per game
assists - courtney vandersloot, chicago sky, 5.8 assists per game
all-wnba first team
forward - elena delle donne, chicago sky
forward - maya moore, minnesota lynx
center - tina charles, new york liberty
guard - dewana bonner, phoenix mercury
guard - angel mccoughtry, atlanta dream
all-defensive team
center - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
forward - tamika catchings, indiana fever
forward - nneka ogwumike, los angeles sparks
guard - briann january, indiana fever
guard- angel mccoughtry, atlanta dream
all-rookie team
jewell loyd, seattle storm
ramu tokashiki, seattle storm
brittany boyd, new york liberty
kiah stokes, new york liberty
natalie achonwa, indiana fever
ana dabovic, los angeles sparks
Monday, September 14, 2015
Flavia Pennetta and Novak Djokovic Win 2015 US Open Singles Titles
flavia pennetta of italy defeated (her best friend and countrywoman) roberta vinci, 7-6, 6-2, to win the 2015 us open singles championship on saturday in new york city. pennetta, seeded #26, captured the first major singles title of her 15-year career.
pennetta recorded straight-set wins over stosur, kvitova and halep - all ranked ahead of her - to reach the final. "i just tried to play every match i can from the first, tried not to think of the draw and go match by match. i tried to focus on what i had to do when i go on court, and here i am, so i'm really happy," pennetta said afterwards.
she received a $3.3 million paycheck for her unexpected, yet proudly successful efforts. during her acceptance speech with espn's robin roberts, in a surprising move, pennetta humbly announced her retirement from the sport. she later admitted to making the decision a month ago. pennetta said, "it's the way i'd like to say goodbye to tennis. i couldn't think to finish in a better way."
pennetta, 33, and vinci, 32, are the oldest women to play in a major singles final in the open era. pennetta is the oldest woman to become a major champion for the first time. this was also the first major singles final for each participant, and the first time since 1975 two us open finalists were out of the top 20. ironically, both women were opponents and doubles partners as kids.
world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated world #2 roger federer of switzerland 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2015 us open singles championship on sunday in new york city. djokovic became the eighth man in history to hold 10 major singles crowns.
his career record against federer is now 21-21, and they are now the only men to win three majors in one year - multiple times. djokovic reached the finals of all four majors this year, losing the french open to stan warwinka, federer's countryman and doubles partner. "it's been an incredible year. next to 2011. all those results and achievements are motivation for me to win more," djokovic said.
djokovic, 28, currently holds a 63-5 record for the year, which is the best on tour. he's been the number one player for most of the last four years. djokovic recently married and became a proud father. but the raucous, pro-federer crowd of nearly 23,000 in arthur ashe stadium clearly wanted his opponent to win his elusive 18th major title.
but djokovic saved 19 of 23 break points during the rain-delayed and highly-competitive match. he's one major behind bjorn borg and rod laver, and only two behind roy emerson. djokovic is coached by multiple-slam winner boris becker of germany. he cites a gluten-free diet, regular meditation and yoga as keys to his success. he fluently speaks eight languages and is working on two more.
pennetta recorded straight-set wins over stosur, kvitova and halep - all ranked ahead of her - to reach the final. "i just tried to play every match i can from the first, tried not to think of the draw and go match by match. i tried to focus on what i had to do when i go on court, and here i am, so i'm really happy," pennetta said afterwards.
she received a $3.3 million paycheck for her unexpected, yet proudly successful efforts. during her acceptance speech with espn's robin roberts, in a surprising move, pennetta humbly announced her retirement from the sport. she later admitted to making the decision a month ago. pennetta said, "it's the way i'd like to say goodbye to tennis. i couldn't think to finish in a better way."
pennetta, 33, and vinci, 32, are the oldest women to play in a major singles final in the open era. pennetta is the oldest woman to become a major champion for the first time. this was also the first major singles final for each participant, and the first time since 1975 two us open finalists were out of the top 20. ironically, both women were opponents and doubles partners as kids.
world #1 novak djokovic of serbia defeated world #2 roger federer of switzerland 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2015 us open singles championship on sunday in new york city. djokovic became the eighth man in history to hold 10 major singles crowns.
his career record against federer is now 21-21, and they are now the only men to win three majors in one year - multiple times. djokovic reached the finals of all four majors this year, losing the french open to stan warwinka, federer's countryman and doubles partner. "it's been an incredible year. next to 2011. all those results and achievements are motivation for me to win more," djokovic said.
djokovic, 28, currently holds a 63-5 record for the year, which is the best on tour. he's been the number one player for most of the last four years. djokovic recently married and became a proud father. but the raucous, pro-federer crowd of nearly 23,000 in arthur ashe stadium clearly wanted his opponent to win his elusive 18th major title.
but djokovic saved 19 of 23 break points during the rain-delayed and highly-competitive match. he's one major behind bjorn borg and rod laver, and only two behind roy emerson. djokovic is coached by multiple-slam winner boris becker of germany. he cites a gluten-free diet, regular meditation and yoga as keys to his success. he fluently speaks eight languages and is working on two more.
Sunday, August 23, 2015
Michael Jordan awarded $8.9 million for unethical Dominick's ad
a federal judge on friday ordered the owners of dominick's to pay michael jordan $8.9 million for using his identity without his permission in an advertisement.
in 2009, the now defunct supermarket chain used jordan's identity for its rancher's reserve steaks in a special issue of sports illustrated. the ad commemorated his elevation to the nba hall of fame.
lawyers for dominick's owner, safeway, argued they should pay $126, 900. but after deliberating for more than six hours at the end of a week-long trial, the jury decided on an amount closer to what jordan wanted - $10 million.
during the five-year court battle, a judge previously assigned to the case described jordan's demands as "greedy." however before the case went into trial, the court said dominick's was liable for running the ad: the jurors' lone decision was how much should they pay.
jordan said, "it is my name, and i've worked hard for it for 30-something years, and i'm not just going to let someone take it. it's not the type of court i like to win at, but unfortunately we ended up in this court, and i'm very happy with the result."
in 2009, the now defunct supermarket chain used jordan's identity for its rancher's reserve steaks in a special issue of sports illustrated. the ad commemorated his elevation to the nba hall of fame.
lawyers for dominick's owner, safeway, argued they should pay $126, 900. but after deliberating for more than six hours at the end of a week-long trial, the jury decided on an amount closer to what jordan wanted - $10 million.
during the five-year court battle, a judge previously assigned to the case described jordan's demands as "greedy." however before the case went into trial, the court said dominick's was liable for running the ad: the jurors' lone decision was how much should they pay.
jordan said, "it is my name, and i've worked hard for it for 30-something years, and i'm not just going to let someone take it. it's not the type of court i like to win at, but unfortunately we ended up in this court, and i'm very happy with the result."
Monday, August 17, 2015
Julian Bond Makes Transition at 75
julian bond made his transition saturday night. bond was 75 years old, and he died in fort walton, florida, after a brief illness. he was an activist, educator, humanitarian, organizer, politician and writer.
bond was a nashville, tennessee native who attended morehouse college. while in school, bond co-founded the student non-violent coordinating committee (sncc). he became their communications director and was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.
bond served 20 years in the georgia legislature. his anti-war protests were not supported by some of his political colleagues when america fought in vietnam. he was elected to the georgia house of representatives in 1965, but some angry white members - and seven black members - accused him of disloyalty and refused to let him take his seat.
a unanimous u.s. supreme court ruling in favor of bond confirmed his seat in office. the court said denying him his seat would be a violation of his freedom of speech. generally well-liked and respected, he was not a polarizing figure, but the u.s. role in the war divided americans from all walks of life.
in 1986, bond ran to represent georgia in the house of representatives. he was defeated by john lewis, a fellow activist and sncc co-founder. later, bond served as the board chairman for the 500,000 member national association for the advancement of colored people (naacp) for 10 years. bond declined to run for (another) one-year term in 2010.
bond would often appear as a commentator on various programs like nbc's today show, or the news hour with jim lehrer on pbs, and the tavis smiley show. bond was an adjunct professor at american university, and was a professor of history at the university of virginia.
after his death, lewis said their congressional race created "a little schism for awhile" between them, but nothing could weaken their lasting friendship. lewis said bond was "a wonderful writer, a poet. he had a great sense of humor. he could make you laugh until you wanted to cry. but he worked very hard. he was just smart. just smart. brilliant."
southern poverty law center co-founder morris dees said, "with julian's passing, the country has lost one of its most passionate and eloquent voices for the cause of justice. he advocated not just for african-americans, but for every group, indeed every person subject to oppression and discrimination, because he recognized the common humanity in us all."
president barack obama said, "julian bond was a hero and, i'm privileged to say, a friend. justice and equality was the mission that spanned his life. julian bond helped change this country for the better. and what better way to be remembered than that."
bond was a nashville, tennessee native who attended morehouse college. while in school, bond co-founded the student non-violent coordinating committee (sncc). he became their communications director and was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement.
bond served 20 years in the georgia legislature. his anti-war protests were not supported by some of his political colleagues when america fought in vietnam. he was elected to the georgia house of representatives in 1965, but some angry white members - and seven black members - accused him of disloyalty and refused to let him take his seat.
a unanimous u.s. supreme court ruling in favor of bond confirmed his seat in office. the court said denying him his seat would be a violation of his freedom of speech. generally well-liked and respected, he was not a polarizing figure, but the u.s. role in the war divided americans from all walks of life.
in 1986, bond ran to represent georgia in the house of representatives. he was defeated by john lewis, a fellow activist and sncc co-founder. later, bond served as the board chairman for the 500,000 member national association for the advancement of colored people (naacp) for 10 years. bond declined to run for (another) one-year term in 2010.
bond would often appear as a commentator on various programs like nbc's today show, or the news hour with jim lehrer on pbs, and the tavis smiley show. bond was an adjunct professor at american university, and was a professor of history at the university of virginia.
after his death, lewis said their congressional race created "a little schism for awhile" between them, but nothing could weaken their lasting friendship. lewis said bond was "a wonderful writer, a poet. he had a great sense of humor. he could make you laugh until you wanted to cry. but he worked very hard. he was just smart. just smart. brilliant."
southern poverty law center co-founder morris dees said, "with julian's passing, the country has lost one of its most passionate and eloquent voices for the cause of justice. he advocated not just for african-americans, but for every group, indeed every person subject to oppression and discrimination, because he recognized the common humanity in us all."
president barack obama said, "julian bond was a hero and, i'm privileged to say, a friend. justice and equality was the mission that spanned his life. julian bond helped change this country for the better. and what better way to be remembered than that."
Sunday, August 09, 2015
NYC Taxi Driver Fined $25K for not picking up black family
a yellow taxi driver in new york city must pay $25,000 in fines and compensation for discrimination against a black family. the driver, baqir raza, refused to pick up cynthia jordan and her two daughters outside macy's in midtown, but let two white females into his cab instead.
raza told jordan he was off-duty, locked the doors and then drove 25 feet to pick up the white consumers. office of administrative trials and hearing (oath) judge raymond kramer ruled last week raza must pay $10,000 in compensation to jordan, and a $15,000 civil fine.
jordan, 57, a queens resident and vice president at a stock transfer firm, said, "i'm happy for the judgment. hopefully, someone will hear about this, and it will affect the way taxi drivers pick up fares in new york."
jordan says she routinely faces discrimination when trying to hail a cab. jordan said, "i'm always out with my young daughter trying to grab a cab. there is nothing threatening about us, and you should see how many people drive right past us."
on october 19, 2013, jordan's daughter, chiley holder, saw raza pull his taxi over to let a passenger exit. his on-duty light was on, but raza locked the door when holder tried to open it. raza said he was taking a break and switched his off-duty light on. but he then picked up the white females.
jordan ran up to his cab exclaiming, "are you kidding me? you picked up these two white bitches...instead of me and my family...i'm going to report you. jordan said raza wasn't fazed by her threat. "he said, yeah, go ahead and report me," she recalled.
holder works for the city's 311 system and urged her mother to file a complaint with the taxi and limousine commission (tlc), and the human rights commission. raza paid a $200 fine to the tlc in november, 2013. he plead guilty to a violation for refusing to pick up the jordan family.
however, the city's commission on human rights brought charges against raza at the oath hearing overseen by judge kramer. the commission must still approve kramer's recommendation for the $25,000 in penalties.
jordan says she hopes the obstinate fines will teach raza a lesson. jordan said, "you don't have impunity to do whatever you do. if you drive a cab, then drive a cab and pick up all fares. that's what you're supposed to do."
raza told jordan he was off-duty, locked the doors and then drove 25 feet to pick up the white consumers. office of administrative trials and hearing (oath) judge raymond kramer ruled last week raza must pay $10,000 in compensation to jordan, and a $15,000 civil fine.
jordan, 57, a queens resident and vice president at a stock transfer firm, said, "i'm happy for the judgment. hopefully, someone will hear about this, and it will affect the way taxi drivers pick up fares in new york."
jordan says she routinely faces discrimination when trying to hail a cab. jordan said, "i'm always out with my young daughter trying to grab a cab. there is nothing threatening about us, and you should see how many people drive right past us."
on october 19, 2013, jordan's daughter, chiley holder, saw raza pull his taxi over to let a passenger exit. his on-duty light was on, but raza locked the door when holder tried to open it. raza said he was taking a break and switched his off-duty light on. but he then picked up the white females.
jordan ran up to his cab exclaiming, "are you kidding me? you picked up these two white bitches...instead of me and my family...i'm going to report you. jordan said raza wasn't fazed by her threat. "he said, yeah, go ahead and report me," she recalled.
holder works for the city's 311 system and urged her mother to file a complaint with the taxi and limousine commission (tlc), and the human rights commission. raza paid a $200 fine to the tlc in november, 2013. he plead guilty to a violation for refusing to pick up the jordan family.
however, the city's commission on human rights brought charges against raza at the oath hearing overseen by judge kramer. the commission must still approve kramer's recommendation for the $25,000 in penalties.
jordan says she hopes the obstinate fines will teach raza a lesson. jordan said, "you don't have impunity to do whatever you do. if you drive a cab, then drive a cab and pick up all fares. that's what you're supposed to do."
Saturday, August 08, 2015
2015 NFL Football Hall of Fame Class
the 53rd class of the national football league hall-of-fame will be honored saturday night in canton, ohio. the celebrated men are jerome bettis, tim brown, charles haley, bill polian, junior seau, will shields, mick tinglehoff and ron wolf.
bettis played 13 seasons with the los angeles/st.louis rams and pittsburgh steelers. he ranks fifth all-time in rushing with 13,662 yards. a six-time pro bowl selection, bettis ("the bus") rushed for 100 yards or more 61 times.
brown played 16 years with the los angeles/oakland raiders, and one (his final) season with the tampa bay buccaneers. he caught 1,094 career receptions for 14,934 yards and 100 touchdowns. brown also totaled 4,555 yards and four touchdowns and kickoff and punt returns.
haley is the only nfl player to win five super bowl titles. he racked up 100.5 sacks in his 12-year career with the dallas cowboys and san francisco 49ers. haley posted double-digit sack totals in six different seasons.
polian helped build the 1990s buffalo bills, and launched the expansion carolina panthers in 1995. he led the indianapolis colts to unprecedented success in the 2000s. the colts won super bowl 41 following the 2006 season. he was nfl's executive of the year by the sporting news six times.
seau played 20 nfl seasons with the san diego chargers, miami dolphins and new england patriots. he's regarded as one of the best linebackers in history. seau made first-team all-pro eight teams, was selected to the pro bowl 12 times, and was named defensive player of the year in 1992.
shields played 224 games during his 14-year career with the kansas city chiefs. he never missed a game. shields was named to the all-decade team of the 2000s, selected first-team all-pro three tines, and played in 12 straight pro bowls.
tinglehoff was signed as a free agent by the minnesota vikings. he earned a starting role as center - as a rookie - and never missed a game during his 17-year career. tinglehoff was a seven-time all-league selection, and was named to six consecutive pro bowls.
wolf spent 23 years with the los angeles/oakland raiders. those gritty and rugged teams had 17 winning seasons under his budding leadership. wolf later transformed the green bay packers into super bowl champions.
the hall currently limits the number of inductees to eight per year. they adjusted its bylaws in 2014 to give added consideration to contributors like polian and wolf. both men were architects of numerous super bowl teams during their years as general managers.
this year the hall is making an exception to its ceremonial rules, which do not allow for live speeches on behalf of deceased honorees. but sydney seau will speak about her father, who committed suicide in 2012. she and her three brothers will unveil his bust at the enshrinement ceremony.
"our goal is to maintain our policy regarding enshrinement speeches, but also show compassion and understanding," said hall of fame president david baker, in a statement. next year's hall-of-fame class will be determined in february prior to super bowl 50. brett favre and terrell owens are among those eligible in 2016.
bettis played 13 seasons with the los angeles/st.louis rams and pittsburgh steelers. he ranks fifth all-time in rushing with 13,662 yards. a six-time pro bowl selection, bettis ("the bus") rushed for 100 yards or more 61 times.
brown played 16 years with the los angeles/oakland raiders, and one (his final) season with the tampa bay buccaneers. he caught 1,094 career receptions for 14,934 yards and 100 touchdowns. brown also totaled 4,555 yards and four touchdowns and kickoff and punt returns.
haley is the only nfl player to win five super bowl titles. he racked up 100.5 sacks in his 12-year career with the dallas cowboys and san francisco 49ers. haley posted double-digit sack totals in six different seasons.
polian helped build the 1990s buffalo bills, and launched the expansion carolina panthers in 1995. he led the indianapolis colts to unprecedented success in the 2000s. the colts won super bowl 41 following the 2006 season. he was nfl's executive of the year by the sporting news six times.
seau played 20 nfl seasons with the san diego chargers, miami dolphins and new england patriots. he's regarded as one of the best linebackers in history. seau made first-team all-pro eight teams, was selected to the pro bowl 12 times, and was named defensive player of the year in 1992.
shields played 224 games during his 14-year career with the kansas city chiefs. he never missed a game. shields was named to the all-decade team of the 2000s, selected first-team all-pro three tines, and played in 12 straight pro bowls.
tinglehoff was signed as a free agent by the minnesota vikings. he earned a starting role as center - as a rookie - and never missed a game during his 17-year career. tinglehoff was a seven-time all-league selection, and was named to six consecutive pro bowls.
wolf spent 23 years with the los angeles/oakland raiders. those gritty and rugged teams had 17 winning seasons under his budding leadership. wolf later transformed the green bay packers into super bowl champions.
the hall currently limits the number of inductees to eight per year. they adjusted its bylaws in 2014 to give added consideration to contributors like polian and wolf. both men were architects of numerous super bowl teams during their years as general managers.
this year the hall is making an exception to its ceremonial rules, which do not allow for live speeches on behalf of deceased honorees. but sydney seau will speak about her father, who committed suicide in 2012. she and her three brothers will unveil his bust at the enshrinement ceremony.
"our goal is to maintain our policy regarding enshrinement speeches, but also show compassion and understanding," said hall of fame president david baker, in a statement. next year's hall-of-fame class will be determined in february prior to super bowl 50. brett favre and terrell owens are among those eligible in 2016.
Friday, July 17, 2015
Eric Garner Family Receives $5.9 Million Settlement from NYC
almost one year after he died at the hands of new york city police officers, the family of eric garner accepted a pretrial settlement from the city on monday. garner's estate, which filed a claim against the city in october, 2014 for damages related to his untimely demise, will be paid $5.9 million.
new york city comptroller scott springer's office is charged with settling claims against the city. springer said, "following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of eric garner that is in the best interest of all parties."
cell phone video of garner's death in july, 2014 emerged, fueling conflicts between the nypd and the community. garner, an unarmed 41 year-old black man, was put in an illegal chokehold by a white cop who hasn't been charged with a crime. officers alleged garner was selling loose cigarettes before his fatal encounter.
"we are all familiar with the events that led to the death of eric garner and the extraordinary impact his passing has had on our city and our nation. it forced us to examine the state of race relations, and the relationship between our police force and the people they serve." and, while the settlement "acknowledges the tragic nature of mr. garner's death, the city has not admitted liability," said springer.
new york city mayor bill de blasio said the anniversary of his death was on his mind, as it was for many other new yorkers. but the mayor said, "i think the important thing is to stay focused on the work of the reform. i think we've come a long way, even in the last year, in terms of bringing police and community together."
new york city comptroller scott springer's office is charged with settling claims against the city. springer said, "following a judicious review of the claim and facts of this case, my office was able to reach a settlement with the estate of eric garner that is in the best interest of all parties."
cell phone video of garner's death in july, 2014 emerged, fueling conflicts between the nypd and the community. garner, an unarmed 41 year-old black man, was put in an illegal chokehold by a white cop who hasn't been charged with a crime. officers alleged garner was selling loose cigarettes before his fatal encounter.
"we are all familiar with the events that led to the death of eric garner and the extraordinary impact his passing has had on our city and our nation. it forced us to examine the state of race relations, and the relationship between our police force and the people they serve." and, while the settlement "acknowledges the tragic nature of mr. garner's death, the city has not admitted liability," said springer.
new york city mayor bill de blasio said the anniversary of his death was on his mind, as it was for many other new yorkers. but the mayor said, "i think the important thing is to stay focused on the work of the reform. i think we've come a long way, even in the last year, in terms of bringing police and community together."
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
President Obama Commutes Prior Sentences of 46 Drug Offenders
president barack obama on monday commuted the prison sentences of 46 drug offenders. the commander-in-chief said the move was part of his larger attempt to reform the criminal justice system, including reducing punishments for non-violent crimes and reviewing sentencing laws.
obama has commuted about 90 sentences - more than any president since lyndon b. johnson. most have been for federal prisoners incarcerated for drug offenses with long sentences mandated under guidelines set in the 1980's. under current sentencing guidelines, most of these individuals would have served their time.
of the 46 people commuted on monday, 13 were serving life sentences. most of these commuted sentences will now end in november, 2015. this is a several month transition period officials said allowed for arrangements to be made in halfway homes and other related facilities.
after they're released, the former prisoners will be supervised by probation officers and subject to conditions set during their original sentencing, which for some includes drug testing. earlier this year, 22 prisoners convicted of drug crimes were granted release. in late 2014, eight criminals were also given commutations.
unlike a presidential pardon, a commutation does not erase a criminal conviction, it only reduces a sentence. obama has granted 64 pardons in his presidency. the white house on monday posted a letter written by obama to each of the 46 men and women granted commutations.
obama wrote, "i am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. it will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances. but remember that you have the capacity to make good choices."
later this week, obama is expected to discuss his plans for more criminal justice reform. on tuesday he travels to philadelphia to speak at the annual naacp convention. on thursday obama will become the first president ever to visit a federal prison, when he tours the el reno facility in oklahoma. "i believe that at its heart, america is a nation for second chances, and i believe these folks deserve their second chance," obama said.
obama has commuted about 90 sentences - more than any president since lyndon b. johnson. most have been for federal prisoners incarcerated for drug offenses with long sentences mandated under guidelines set in the 1980's. under current sentencing guidelines, most of these individuals would have served their time.
of the 46 people commuted on monday, 13 were serving life sentences. most of these commuted sentences will now end in november, 2015. this is a several month transition period officials said allowed for arrangements to be made in halfway homes and other related facilities.
after they're released, the former prisoners will be supervised by probation officers and subject to conditions set during their original sentencing, which for some includes drug testing. earlier this year, 22 prisoners convicted of drug crimes were granted release. in late 2014, eight criminals were also given commutations.
unlike a presidential pardon, a commutation does not erase a criminal conviction, it only reduces a sentence. obama has granted 64 pardons in his presidency. the white house on monday posted a letter written by obama to each of the 46 men and women granted commutations.
obama wrote, "i am granting your application because you have demonstrated the potential to turn your life around. now it is up to you to make the most of this opportunity. it will not be easy, and you will confront many who doubt people with criminal records can change. perhaps even you are unsure of how you will adjust to your new circumstances. but remember that you have the capacity to make good choices."
later this week, obama is expected to discuss his plans for more criminal justice reform. on tuesday he travels to philadelphia to speak at the annual naacp convention. on thursday obama will become the first president ever to visit a federal prison, when he tours the el reno facility in oklahoma. "i believe that at its heart, america is a nation for second chances, and i believe these folks deserve their second chance," obama said.
Monday, July 13, 2015
Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic Win 2015 Wimbledon Singles Titles
serena williams of the united states defeated garbine muguruza of spain 6-4, 6-4 to win the 2015 wimbledon singles championship. williams now has six career singles titles at the all-england club in london. the historic win on saturday improved her majors finals record to 21-4.
williams became the first player to win four consecutive majors twice; the first time in 2002-03. her unique feat is known as the "serena slam." at 33, she's the oldest to win a major title in the open era - 16 years after her first championship at the u.s. open. the world #1 is one major victory away from tying steffi graf of germany, who has 22 grand slam trophies.
"i've been trying to win four in a row for 12 years, and it hasn't happened. i've had a couple of injuries. you know, it's been an up and down process. i honestly can't say that last year or two years ago or even five years ago i would have thought that i would have won four in a row," williams said.
williams has six titles at the australian open, wimbledon and the u.s. open, and three at the french open. muguruza, 21, upset williams in the second round at roland garros last year. the hard-hitting woman reached her first major final, and will enter the top 10 for the first time in her bright and promising young career.
novak djokovic of serbia beat roger federer of switzerland 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 to win the 2015 wimbledon singles title. the world #1 now has nine major singles victories in his career, including three at the all-england club in london. he defeated federer in five thrilling sets last year.
djokovic won the australian open in january, lost the french open final to stan warwinka of switzerland, and defended his wimbledon title against federer on sunday. djokovic has reached 15 of the last 20 major singles finals - winning eight. his major finals record is 9-8, but he's never won at roland garros.
djokovic later praised coach boris becker, whom he hired in december, 2013. becker has six majors, including three at wimbledon. "it's definitely been a long run since we started working together. it took a while to understand each other. he is german. i'm serbian, so there are significant differences! we managed to find common ground and the right chemistry. this is his trophy as much as mine, he said."
the 28 year-old serb now has a 20-20 career record against federer. last year, federer held serve in 88 of 89 games through the semifinals, but was broken four times by djokovic - the greatest returner in history. this year, federer held serve in 89 of 90 matches before the semis, and was broken by djokovic four times (again) in the finals.
williams became the first player to win four consecutive majors twice; the first time in 2002-03. her unique feat is known as the "serena slam." at 33, she's the oldest to win a major title in the open era - 16 years after her first championship at the u.s. open. the world #1 is one major victory away from tying steffi graf of germany, who has 22 grand slam trophies.
"i've been trying to win four in a row for 12 years, and it hasn't happened. i've had a couple of injuries. you know, it's been an up and down process. i honestly can't say that last year or two years ago or even five years ago i would have thought that i would have won four in a row," williams said.
williams has six titles at the australian open, wimbledon and the u.s. open, and three at the french open. muguruza, 21, upset williams in the second round at roland garros last year. the hard-hitting woman reached her first major final, and will enter the top 10 for the first time in her bright and promising young career.
novak djokovic of serbia beat roger federer of switzerland 7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 to win the 2015 wimbledon singles title. the world #1 now has nine major singles victories in his career, including three at the all-england club in london. he defeated federer in five thrilling sets last year.
djokovic won the australian open in january, lost the french open final to stan warwinka of switzerland, and defended his wimbledon title against federer on sunday. djokovic has reached 15 of the last 20 major singles finals - winning eight. his major finals record is 9-8, but he's never won at roland garros.
djokovic later praised coach boris becker, whom he hired in december, 2013. becker has six majors, including three at wimbledon. "it's definitely been a long run since we started working together. it took a while to understand each other. he is german. i'm serbian, so there are significant differences! we managed to find common ground and the right chemistry. this is his trophy as much as mine, he said."
the 28 year-old serb now has a 20-20 career record against federer. last year, federer held serve in 88 of 89 games through the semifinals, but was broken four times by djokovic - the greatest returner in history. this year, federer held serve in 89 of 90 matches before the semis, and was broken by djokovic four times (again) in the finals.
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
Virginia Governor Removes Barriers to Voters with Felony Convictions
virginia governor terry mcauliffe recently announced individuals with felony convictions no longer have to pay outstanding court costs before they're eligible to have their voting rights restored. mcauliffe also said they will now be able to include that information on their official police record.
"these men and women will still be required to pay their costs and fees, but their court debts will no longer serve as a financial barrier to voting, just as poll taxes did for many years in virginia," said governor mcauliffe.
historically, virginia has been one of the most oppressive states restoring voting rights to felons. their colonial polices disproportionately impact black residents: in 2010, over 20% of the voting-age black population could not vote due to felonies. civil rights history scholar helen gibson says virginia's felony disenfranchisement laws can be "traced back to 19th century attempts to undercut the voting strengths of african-americans."
mcauliffe's administration took steps to streamline the voter restoration process. those steps include reducing the waiting period before applying for people convicted of violent crimes from five years to three. and, removing drug crimes from the list of felony offenses requiring a waiting period.
in his first 17 months in office, governor mcauliffe restored voting rights to over 8,000 people - more than any previous governor in their four-year term. 71% of those people have already registered to vote. the aclu of virginia says they're working hard to place a constitutional amendment for automatic restoration on the 2018 ballot.
"these men and women will still be required to pay their costs and fees, but their court debts will no longer serve as a financial barrier to voting, just as poll taxes did for many years in virginia," said governor mcauliffe.
historically, virginia has been one of the most oppressive states restoring voting rights to felons. their colonial polices disproportionately impact black residents: in 2010, over 20% of the voting-age black population could not vote due to felonies. civil rights history scholar helen gibson says virginia's felony disenfranchisement laws can be "traced back to 19th century attempts to undercut the voting strengths of african-americans."
mcauliffe's administration took steps to streamline the voter restoration process. those steps include reducing the waiting period before applying for people convicted of violent crimes from five years to three. and, removing drug crimes from the list of felony offenses requiring a waiting period.
in his first 17 months in office, governor mcauliffe restored voting rights to over 8,000 people - more than any previous governor in their four-year term. 71% of those people have already registered to vote. the aclu of virginia says they're working hard to place a constitutional amendment for automatic restoration on the 2018 ballot.
Monday, June 29, 2015
2015 Rent Guidelines Board Increase
on monday june 29, the new york city rent guidelines board (rgb) voted for a zero percent increase on one-year lease renewals for rent-stabilized apartments. this vote is the first time in 50 years the rgb has approved a rent freeze for one-year lease renewals.
there are over 1.2 million new yorkers who live in rent-stabilized units. most of these residents' leases will end sometime this year, and they share deep concerns about their future. tonight's historic vote means the following:
1) if you sign a one-year lease renewal between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2016, your rent won't increase; 2) if you sign a two-year lease renewal lease between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2016, your rent will increase two percent; 3) if you're facing harassment from your landlord, call 311 and report it now.
there are over 1.2 million new yorkers who live in rent-stabilized units. most of these residents' leases will end sometime this year, and they share deep concerns about their future. tonight's historic vote means the following:
1) if you sign a one-year lease renewal between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2016, your rent won't increase; 2) if you sign a two-year lease renewal lease between 10/1/2015 and 9/30/2016, your rent will increase two percent; 3) if you're facing harassment from your landlord, call 311 and report it now.
Thursday, June 18, 2015
Warriors Beat Cavs To Win 2015 NBA Title
the golden state warriors on tuesday beat the cleveland cavaliers 105-97 in game six on the road to become the 2015 nba champions. the warriors' first title in franchise history was 40 years ago. golden state forward andre iguodala was named nba finals most valuable player - the first such honored after not starting a regular season game.
iguodala, an 11-year veteran, was taken out of the starting lineup at the beginning of the season in order for harrison barnes to start. although he didn't approve of the decision, iguodala neither privately nor publicly questioned the bold move of warriors' rookie coach steve kerr. moreover, iguodala is known as the team's resident sage.
kerr said, "he had never come off the bench once in his entire career, and he sacrificed to make harrison better, to make our bench better, and that set the tone for our entire season. an all-star, an olympian saying, 'ok, i'll come off the bench? it set the tone for everything we were able to accomplish, so it feels like full-circle to me that andre received the award. couldn't happen to a better person."
the warriors' draymond green finished the game with a triple-double: 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. but he also remembers the naysayers who doubted his pro ability. "i was a second-round pick, and a lot of people said i could never play in this league. too slow, too small, can't shoot well enough, can't defend anybody. what does he do well? he doesn't have a skill. i've got heart, and that's what stands out," green said.
nba mvp stephen curry was asked what he learned about his first nba finals as the series progressed. curry said, "to block out the noise, that's the biggest thing." about his teammates, iguodala said, "we have a lot of different personalities. draymond's loud. klay's quiet. then we've got everything in between. but the common denominator is guys were like really hungry to show what they could do individually, and then we believed in our team as a group."
golden state fought back from a two-to-one deficit against cleveland. they showed the mental fortitude and physical toughness critics accused them of lacking during the regular season, after their 67-15 league-best record. but they were also down two games to one against memphis and houston in this year's playoffs; they persevered in each series - clinching game six on the road each time.
despite their youth, the warriors are the first team since the 1991 chicago bulls to win an nba championship without a single player with nba finals experience. golden state matured in front of the entire world. iguodala said, "the first three games, they were bringing the fight to us. we were just reacting. i felt like games 4, 5 and 6, we were proactive. we brought the fight to them."
iguodala, an 11-year veteran, was taken out of the starting lineup at the beginning of the season in order for harrison barnes to start. although he didn't approve of the decision, iguodala neither privately nor publicly questioned the bold move of warriors' rookie coach steve kerr. moreover, iguodala is known as the team's resident sage.
kerr said, "he had never come off the bench once in his entire career, and he sacrificed to make harrison better, to make our bench better, and that set the tone for our entire season. an all-star, an olympian saying, 'ok, i'll come off the bench? it set the tone for everything we were able to accomplish, so it feels like full-circle to me that andre received the award. couldn't happen to a better person."
the warriors' draymond green finished the game with a triple-double: 16 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists. but he also remembers the naysayers who doubted his pro ability. "i was a second-round pick, and a lot of people said i could never play in this league. too slow, too small, can't shoot well enough, can't defend anybody. what does he do well? he doesn't have a skill. i've got heart, and that's what stands out," green said.
nba mvp stephen curry was asked what he learned about his first nba finals as the series progressed. curry said, "to block out the noise, that's the biggest thing." about his teammates, iguodala said, "we have a lot of different personalities. draymond's loud. klay's quiet. then we've got everything in between. but the common denominator is guys were like really hungry to show what they could do individually, and then we believed in our team as a group."
golden state fought back from a two-to-one deficit against cleveland. they showed the mental fortitude and physical toughness critics accused them of lacking during the regular season, after their 67-15 league-best record. but they were also down two games to one against memphis and houston in this year's playoffs; they persevered in each series - clinching game six on the road each time.
despite their youth, the warriors are the first team since the 1991 chicago bulls to win an nba championship without a single player with nba finals experience. golden state matured in front of the entire world. iguodala said, "the first three games, they were bringing the fight to us. we were just reacting. i felt like games 4, 5 and 6, we were proactive. we brought the fight to them."
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Chicago Blackhawks Win 2015 NHL Stanley Cup
the chicago blackhawks defeated the tampa bay lightning 2-0 in game six to win the 2015 nhl stanley cup title in front of a raucous crowd of 22,424 fans in chicago's united center. the blackhawks' sixth championship in franchise history is their third in the last six years. the emerging dynasty was also victorious in 2010 and 2013.
the hawks' duncan keith was unanimously given the conn smythe trophy as most valuable player. keith scored once and led a dominant defense against a high-powered offense. "it feels so great. you want to keep being a part of these things. you don't get these awards without being on great teams with great players and like i said, i'm just proud to be a part of this group of guys who cares so much and do whatever it takes, keith said."
chicago's all-star center and captain jonathan toews raised the stanley cup over his head after the thrilling game. toews said, "we won it for each other, for the city. in so many ways, winning a championship like this in our home city, i think it really transcends the sport. everyone wants to be a part of it. it's amazing."
the hawks' all-star left wing patrick kane scored his first (and only) goal of the final in the second period. he also added an assist, helping his team clinch the cup on home ice for the first time since 1938. kane said, "just wanted to play my best game and control the puck as much as possible and try to step up for my team."
chicago goalie corey crawford, who was pulled from their first-round series against nashville, had 25 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout. this was the first stanley cup for kimmo timonen, who plans to retire. the 40 year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade from philadelphia - after he missed the start of the season due to blood clots in his legs and lungs. the hawks' record in game sixes is 13-1 since the 2009 playoffs.
the hawks' duncan keith was unanimously given the conn smythe trophy as most valuable player. keith scored once and led a dominant defense against a high-powered offense. "it feels so great. you want to keep being a part of these things. you don't get these awards without being on great teams with great players and like i said, i'm just proud to be a part of this group of guys who cares so much and do whatever it takes, keith said."
chicago's all-star center and captain jonathan toews raised the stanley cup over his head after the thrilling game. toews said, "we won it for each other, for the city. in so many ways, winning a championship like this in our home city, i think it really transcends the sport. everyone wants to be a part of it. it's amazing."
the hawks' all-star left wing patrick kane scored his first (and only) goal of the final in the second period. he also added an assist, helping his team clinch the cup on home ice for the first time since 1938. kane said, "just wanted to play my best game and control the puck as much as possible and try to step up for my team."
chicago goalie corey crawford, who was pulled from their first-round series against nashville, had 25 saves in his fifth career playoff shutout. this was the first stanley cup for kimmo timonen, who plans to retire. the 40 year-old defenseman was acquired in a trade from philadelphia - after he missed the start of the season due to blood clots in his legs and lungs. the hawks' record in game sixes is 13-1 since the 2009 playoffs.
Wednesday, June 03, 2015
40 Reasons American Jails and Prisons are full of Black and Poor People
the united states department of justice (doj) reports 2.2 million people are currently in our nation's jails and prisons. 4.5 million people are on parole or probation. one of every 35 u.s. adults is in jail, prison, parole or probation.
most people behind bars are black or poor. here are 40 reasons why...
1) crime rates have risen and fallen independently of our growing incarceration rates.
2) black and poor people are targeted by the police, who discriminate against both.
3) police traffic stops racially target people in cars.
4) black and latino motorists are likelier to get tickets than white drivers.
5) once stopped, black and latino drivers are likelier to get searched than white drivers.
6) traffic tickets are big business.
7) unpaid traffic tickets lead to jail time.
8) in schools, black kids are likelier to be referred to the police than other kids.
9) black kids account for 28% of total juvenile arrests.
10) despite using at the same rate, blacks are 3.7 times likelier to be arrested for possession of marijuana than whites.
11) the u.s. has much tougher drug laws and significantly longer sentences for drug offenses than most other countries.
12) the bail system penalizes poor people, who remain in jail, presumed to be innocent, awaiting trial, unable to pay to get out of jail.
13) the prison industrial system provides jobs to local, state and federal officials.
14) about 75% of people in jail are for non-violent offenses.
15) criminal bonds take in about $14 billion annually.
16) the rate of mental illness is four to six times higher inside jails than outside.
17) most of the people who need drug treatment in jail don't get it.
18) people who are chemically dependent, mentally ill and/or poor usually remain locked up until their trial dates.
19) poor people normally rely on public defenders, and many facing misdemeanor charges never see a lawyer at all.
20) public defenders are overworked and underfunded when they represent poor people with felony charges.
21) poor people plead guilty not knowing their legal rights.
22) guilty pleas are often coerced by police, leading to wrongful convictions.
23) over 95% of criminal cases are finished by plea bargains.
24) poor people are four times likelier to receive a prison sentence than those who got out on bail.
25) 75% of people imprisoned for drug offenses are black and latino.
26) in new york city, blacks are jailed about 12 times the rate of whites.
27) black males are imprisoned five times the rate of white males.
28) prisons are a lucrative private business.
29) blacks account for almost half of the people serving life sentences.
30) some telephone calls are as high as $12.95 for 15 minutes.
31) 3.9 million people are on probation.
32) 850,000 people are on parole.
33) as many as 100 million people have a criminal record, and over 94 million of those records are online.
34) arrest records and court records are easily accessible online, and 87% of employers conduct background checks.
35) employers are likelier to check the criminal history of black male applicants than white male applicants.
36) 180,000 women are subject to lifetime bans from temporary assistance to needy families because of felony drug convictions.
37) more than 60% of formerly incarcerated people are unemployed one year after being released.
38) the u.s. spends $80 billion on the corrections system annually.
39) jail creates poverty.
40) a criminal record serves as both a direct cause and consequence for poverty.
most people behind bars are black or poor. here are 40 reasons why...
1) crime rates have risen and fallen independently of our growing incarceration rates.
2) black and poor people are targeted by the police, who discriminate against both.
3) police traffic stops racially target people in cars.
4) black and latino motorists are likelier to get tickets than white drivers.
5) once stopped, black and latino drivers are likelier to get searched than white drivers.
6) traffic tickets are big business.
7) unpaid traffic tickets lead to jail time.
8) in schools, black kids are likelier to be referred to the police than other kids.
9) black kids account for 28% of total juvenile arrests.
10) despite using at the same rate, blacks are 3.7 times likelier to be arrested for possession of marijuana than whites.
11) the u.s. has much tougher drug laws and significantly longer sentences for drug offenses than most other countries.
12) the bail system penalizes poor people, who remain in jail, presumed to be innocent, awaiting trial, unable to pay to get out of jail.
13) the prison industrial system provides jobs to local, state and federal officials.
14) about 75% of people in jail are for non-violent offenses.
15) criminal bonds take in about $14 billion annually.
16) the rate of mental illness is four to six times higher inside jails than outside.
17) most of the people who need drug treatment in jail don't get it.
18) people who are chemically dependent, mentally ill and/or poor usually remain locked up until their trial dates.
19) poor people normally rely on public defenders, and many facing misdemeanor charges never see a lawyer at all.
20) public defenders are overworked and underfunded when they represent poor people with felony charges.
21) poor people plead guilty not knowing their legal rights.
22) guilty pleas are often coerced by police, leading to wrongful convictions.
23) over 95% of criminal cases are finished by plea bargains.
24) poor people are four times likelier to receive a prison sentence than those who got out on bail.
25) 75% of people imprisoned for drug offenses are black and latino.
26) in new york city, blacks are jailed about 12 times the rate of whites.
27) black males are imprisoned five times the rate of white males.
28) prisons are a lucrative private business.
29) blacks account for almost half of the people serving life sentences.
30) some telephone calls are as high as $12.95 for 15 minutes.
31) 3.9 million people are on probation.
32) 850,000 people are on parole.
33) as many as 100 million people have a criminal record, and over 94 million of those records are online.
34) arrest records and court records are easily accessible online, and 87% of employers conduct background checks.
35) employers are likelier to check the criminal history of black male applicants than white male applicants.
36) 180,000 women are subject to lifetime bans from temporary assistance to needy families because of felony drug convictions.
37) more than 60% of formerly incarcerated people are unemployed one year after being released.
38) the u.s. spends $80 billion on the corrections system annually.
39) jail creates poverty.
40) a criminal record serves as both a direct cause and consequence for poverty.
Tuesday, June 02, 2015
Reparations for Slave Owners in America
according to the national archives and records administration, the district of columbia emancipation act paved the way to compensate slave owners. they were paid handsomely for their "loyalty to the union," and for the loss of income they incurred by freeing enslaved africans.
on april 16, 1862, president abraham lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the district of columbia. passage of this historic law came eight and a half months before the commander-in-chief issued his provocative emancipation proclamation.
the act ended what anti-slavery advocates called the "national shame" of slavery in the nation's capitol. it provided for immediate emancipation, compensation to former owners loyal to the union up to $300 for each freed enslaved african, voluntary colonization of former enslaved africans to locations outside the u.s., and payments up to $100 for each person choosing emigration.
over the next nine months, the board of commissioners appointed to administer the act would approve 930 petitions - completely or in part - from former slave owners for the freedom of 2,989 formerly enslaved africans.
on april 16, 1862, president abraham lincoln signed a bill ending slavery in the district of columbia. passage of this historic law came eight and a half months before the commander-in-chief issued his provocative emancipation proclamation.
the act ended what anti-slavery advocates called the "national shame" of slavery in the nation's capitol. it provided for immediate emancipation, compensation to former owners loyal to the union up to $300 for each freed enslaved african, voluntary colonization of former enslaved africans to locations outside the u.s., and payments up to $100 for each person choosing emigration.
over the next nine months, the board of commissioners appointed to administer the act would approve 930 petitions - completely or in part - from former slave owners for the freedom of 2,989 formerly enslaved africans.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
Republican Maryland Governor Vetoes Bill to Restore Voting Rights to about 40,000 people
maryland republican governor larry hogan vetoed a bill to restore voting rights to people immediately after prison, rather than waiting until they've completed parole or probation. the bill would have an impacted an estimated 40,000 disenfranchised people.
the senate passed the measure with the minimum votes needed to override a veto, but the house was just two votes short of an override. governor hogan wrote a provocative letter to legislative leaders expressing his views about the bill.
hogan said restoring voting rights to people after they have completed parole or probation, "achieves the proper balance between repayment of obligations to society for a felony conviction and the restoration of the various restricted rights."
communities united, a social justice advocacy group supporting the progressive measure, criticized the veto. the group said, "governor hogan has learned nothing from the uprising in baltimore and what the city and state residents needs. freddie gray's west baltimore neighborhood has the highest rate of disenfranchisement in the state. former felons need a voice and the ability to influence what happens in their communities and lives."
democratic senator joan carter conway says she needs to gather just a handful of votes in each chamber to override the veto when the general assembly convenes next january.
the senate passed the measure with the minimum votes needed to override a veto, but the house was just two votes short of an override. governor hogan wrote a provocative letter to legislative leaders expressing his views about the bill.
hogan said restoring voting rights to people after they have completed parole or probation, "achieves the proper balance between repayment of obligations to society for a felony conviction and the restoration of the various restricted rights."
communities united, a social justice advocacy group supporting the progressive measure, criticized the veto. the group said, "governor hogan has learned nothing from the uprising in baltimore and what the city and state residents needs. freddie gray's west baltimore neighborhood has the highest rate of disenfranchisement in the state. former felons need a voice and the ability to influence what happens in their communities and lives."
democratic senator joan carter conway says she needs to gather just a handful of votes in each chamber to override the veto when the general assembly convenes next january.
Sunday, May 24, 2015
Senate Passes Historic Bipartisan Medical Marijuana Bill for Veterans
the senate appropriations committee passed a bipartisan amendment yesterday. the historic measure allows veterans administration (va) doctors to recommend medical marijuana to their patients in states where medical marijuana is legal. the vote was 18-12.
"veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor and use it if it's medically necessary. they have served this country valiantly, so the least we can do is allow them to have full and open discussions with their doctors," said michael collins, drug policy alliance policy manager.
the veterans equal access amendment was sponsored by senator steve daines (r-mont) and senator jeff merkley (d-ore). it was added in committee to a must-pass military construction and veterans affairs spending bill. the bill is expected to pass on the senate floor.
t.j. thompson, a disabled navy veteran said, "veterans see this victory as a major step forward in restoring our first amendment rights within the va. this will allow for a safe, open dialogue between providers and patients, and allows veterans to be treated the same as any patient."
in 2002, the ninth circuit court of appeals affirmed in conant v. walters the right of physicians to recommend medical marijuana, regardless of its illegality under federal law, as well as the right of patients to receive accurate information.
currently, the department of veterans affairs specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program.
there are numerous federal health care programs besides the va, such as medicaid, medicare and chip - but only the va prohibits physicians from discussing and recommending medical marijuana to their patients. a medicare patient may freely discuss medical marijuana use with their doctor, but a returning veteran is denied the same right.
studies show medical marijuana helps treat post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, two illnesses typically suffered by veterans. last year, a study (by the new mexico medical cannibas program) of people with ptsd showed a greater than 75% reduction in severity of symptoms when patients were using marijuana to treat their illness, compared to when they were not.
in 2014, the u.s. house voted five times in favor of letting states set their own marijuana policies. one of the amendments, prohibiting the justice department from spending any money in fiscal year 2015 undermining state medical marijuana laws, made it into the final spending bill signed into law by president obama.
"veterans in medical marijuana states should be treated the same as any other resident, and should be able to discuss marijuana with their doctor and use it if it's medically necessary. they have served this country valiantly, so the least we can do is allow them to have full and open discussions with their doctors," said michael collins, drug policy alliance policy manager.
the veterans equal access amendment was sponsored by senator steve daines (r-mont) and senator jeff merkley (d-ore). it was added in committee to a must-pass military construction and veterans affairs spending bill. the bill is expected to pass on the senate floor.
t.j. thompson, a disabled navy veteran said, "veterans see this victory as a major step forward in restoring our first amendment rights within the va. this will allow for a safe, open dialogue between providers and patients, and allows veterans to be treated the same as any patient."
in 2002, the ninth circuit court of appeals affirmed in conant v. walters the right of physicians to recommend medical marijuana, regardless of its illegality under federal law, as well as the right of patients to receive accurate information.
currently, the department of veterans affairs specifically prohibits its medical providers from completing forms brought by their patients seeking recommendations or opinions regarding participation in a state medical marijuana program.
there are numerous federal health care programs besides the va, such as medicaid, medicare and chip - but only the va prohibits physicians from discussing and recommending medical marijuana to their patients. a medicare patient may freely discuss medical marijuana use with their doctor, but a returning veteran is denied the same right.
studies show medical marijuana helps treat post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, two illnesses typically suffered by veterans. last year, a study (by the new mexico medical cannibas program) of people with ptsd showed a greater than 75% reduction in severity of symptoms when patients were using marijuana to treat their illness, compared to when they were not.
in 2014, the u.s. house voted five times in favor of letting states set their own marijuana policies. one of the amendments, prohibiting the justice department from spending any money in fiscal year 2015 undermining state medical marijuana laws, made it into the final spending bill signed into law by president obama.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
2015 All-NBA and All-NBA Defensive Teams
2015 all-nba first team
guard - stephen curry, golden state warriors.
guard - james harden, houston rockets.
forward - lebron james, cleveland cavaliers.
forward - anthony davis, new orleans pelicans.
center - marc gasol. memphis grizzlies.
2015 all-nba second team
guard - russell westbrook, oklahoma city thunder.
guard - chris paul, los angeles clippers.
forward - lamarcus aldridge, portland trailblazers.
forward- demarcus cousins, sacramento kings.
center - pau gasol, chicago bulls.
2015 all-nba third team
guard - kyrie irving, cleveland cavaliers.
guard - klay thompson, golden state warriors.
forward - blake griffin, los angeles clippers.
forward - tim duncan, san antonio spurs.
center - deandre jordan, los angeles clippers.
2015 nba all-defensive first team
guard - chris paul, los angeles clippers.
guard - tony allen, memphis grizzlies.
forward - kawhi leonard, san antonio spurs.
forward - draymond green, golden state warriors.
center - deandre jordan, los angeles clippers.
2015 nba all-defensive second team
guard - jimmy butler, chicago bulls.
guard - john wall, washington wizards.
forward - anthony davis, new orleans pelicans.
forward - tim duncan, san antonio spurs.
center - andrew bogut, golden state warriors.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Population at Youth Facilities Cut 50% Since 1999
new figures were released from the office of juvenile justice and delinquency prevention (ojjdp). the united states experienced a 50% decline in youth placed in residential facilities since 1999, totaling 54,148 in 2013. the data proves lower youth crime rates reduce states' institutional populations.
despite the encouraging news, racial disparities persist. black youth comprise 40% of detained youth. the decades-long trend of disproportionate detention for black youth is troubling and underscores the need to reauthorize the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act (jjdpa).
senators charles grassley (r-iowa) and shedlon whitehouse (d-rhode island) have introduced sb 1169 to reauthorize the jjdpa. the grassley-whitehouse bill intends to strengthen an important requirement of the jjdpa by mandating states to identify and reduce ethnic and racial inequities at various points of contact with the justice system.
despite the encouraging news, racial disparities persist. black youth comprise 40% of detained youth. the decades-long trend of disproportionate detention for black youth is troubling and underscores the need to reauthorize the juvenile justice and delinquency prevention act (jjdpa).
senators charles grassley (r-iowa) and shedlon whitehouse (d-rhode island) have introduced sb 1169 to reauthorize the jjdpa. the grassley-whitehouse bill intends to strengthen an important requirement of the jjdpa by mandating states to identify and reduce ethnic and racial inequities at various points of contact with the justice system.
Thursday, May 07, 2015
2015 KIA NBA Performance Awards
the 2015 kia nba performance award winners are listed below:
most valuable player - stephen curry, golden state warriors.
rookie of the year - andrew wiggins, minnesota timberwolves.
defensive player of the year - kawhi leonard, san antonio spurs.
most improved player of the year - jimmy butler, chicago bulls.
sixth man of the year - lou williams, toronto raptors.
coach of the year - mike budenholzer, atlanta hawks.
executive of the year - bob myers, golden state warriors.
sportsman of the year - kyle korver, atlanta hawks.
most valuable player - stephen curry, golden state warriors.
rookie of the year - andrew wiggins, minnesota timberwolves.
defensive player of the year - kawhi leonard, san antonio spurs.
most improved player of the year - jimmy butler, chicago bulls.
sixth man of the year - lou williams, toronto raptors.
coach of the year - mike budenholzer, atlanta hawks.
executive of the year - bob myers, golden state warriors.
sportsman of the year - kyle korver, atlanta hawks.
Sunday, May 03, 2015
Mayweather defeats Pacquiao in 12 rounds by unanimous decision
floyd mayweather on saturday emerged victorious after 12 rounds in a hard-fought, competitive and technically sound win over manny pacquiao in "the fight of the century." judge dave moretti scored the bout 118-110, while both burt clements and glenn feldman had it 116-112.
the mgm grand garden arena in las vegas, nevada was jam packed and sold out with athletes, celebrities and musicians from around the world in the house. the commentary was shared by hbo and showtime on the second ever joint pay-per-view (ppv) telecast between the networks, as were the ring announcing duties.
the event is expected to shatter every revenue and ppv buy rate record, with upward of $300 million and 3 million buys in play. the welterweight battle cost a record $99.99 in high definition. ringside tickets were sold for $10,000 - none of the seats were open to the general public.
mayweather's (48-0, 26 KOs) previous 13 opponents connected on an average of 19% of their punches against him. pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) connected on 19% of his punches against him last night. afterwards, mayweather said, "when the history books are written, this fight will have been worth the wait."
hbo ringside analyst roy jones, jr. said pacquiao looked about 10 mph slower than mayweather. pacquiao's hall of fame trainer freddie roach thought his charge fought too flatfooted most of the night. george foreman calls mayweather a defensive genius. but pacquiao, 36, felt he moved around too much. pacquiao said, "if he would've stayed in one place i could've thrown more punches."
mayweather, 38, picked up a fifth title belt against pacquiao. he's won championships in five weight classes spanning his impeccable career (130 pounds, 135, 140, 147 and 154). mayweather beat victor ortiz in september, 2011, miguel cotto in may, 2012, canelo alvarez in september, 2013 and marcos maidano in may, 2014.
at a press conference on sunday, mayweather vowed to relinquish all of his belts on monday. he said, "i want to give other fighters a chance. i'm not greedy. i'm fortunate to be a champion in two weight classes right now. i'm the undisputed welterweight champion. i have the wbc and wba belt at super welterweight. i have the wbo, wba and wbc at 147. it's time to let other fighters fight for the belts."
mayweather says his final fight will take place in september. in addition to creating an opportunity for young boxers, he will avoid the sanctioning fees which accompany a title defense. the fight will be 12 rounds. if he wins, mayweather intends to retire with a 49-0 career record - tying rocky marciano, internationally respected one of the greatest boxers in history.
the mgm grand garden arena in las vegas, nevada was jam packed and sold out with athletes, celebrities and musicians from around the world in the house. the commentary was shared by hbo and showtime on the second ever joint pay-per-view (ppv) telecast between the networks, as were the ring announcing duties.
the event is expected to shatter every revenue and ppv buy rate record, with upward of $300 million and 3 million buys in play. the welterweight battle cost a record $99.99 in high definition. ringside tickets were sold for $10,000 - none of the seats were open to the general public.
mayweather's (48-0, 26 KOs) previous 13 opponents connected on an average of 19% of their punches against him. pacquiao (57-6-2, 38 KOs) connected on 19% of his punches against him last night. afterwards, mayweather said, "when the history books are written, this fight will have been worth the wait."
hbo ringside analyst roy jones, jr. said pacquiao looked about 10 mph slower than mayweather. pacquiao's hall of fame trainer freddie roach thought his charge fought too flatfooted most of the night. george foreman calls mayweather a defensive genius. but pacquiao, 36, felt he moved around too much. pacquiao said, "if he would've stayed in one place i could've thrown more punches."
mayweather, 38, picked up a fifth title belt against pacquiao. he's won championships in five weight classes spanning his impeccable career (130 pounds, 135, 140, 147 and 154). mayweather beat victor ortiz in september, 2011, miguel cotto in may, 2012, canelo alvarez in september, 2013 and marcos maidano in may, 2014.
at a press conference on sunday, mayweather vowed to relinquish all of his belts on monday. he said, "i want to give other fighters a chance. i'm not greedy. i'm fortunate to be a champion in two weight classes right now. i'm the undisputed welterweight champion. i have the wbc and wba belt at super welterweight. i have the wbo, wba and wbc at 147. it's time to let other fighters fight for the belts."
mayweather says his final fight will take place in september. in addition to creating an opportunity for young boxers, he will avoid the sanctioning fees which accompany a title defense. the fight will be 12 rounds. if he wins, mayweather intends to retire with a 49-0 career record - tying rocky marciano, internationally respected one of the greatest boxers in history.
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