"black panther" shattered box office records with an estimated $235 million in u.s. and canadian ticket sales for the four-day holiday weekend. the previous record holder was "deadpool," which made $152 million domestically over the four-day holiday in 2016.
the marvel entertainment release, the first global superhero blockbuster with a black director and predominantly black cast, set records for a february opening, and for a presidents day weekend debut. "black panther" is fifth highest domestic opening weekend of all-time.
one of the most highly-anticipated films of the year, "black panther" landed an a-plus audience rating from cinemascore, and a 97% "fresh" rating among critics on rotten tomatoes. as such, it is now the most well-received superhero film ever.
"results like this go beyond anything anyone ever could have hoped for. the momentum that the film has, has left us unable, even, to keep up with projections. it's unbelievable," said dave hollis, president of global distribution at disney.
some folks in hollywood believe films with predominantly black casts don't succeed at the foreign box office. but disney reported $169 million in international ticket sales - a figure expected to climb dramatically when "black panther" opens in major markets including china, japan and russia.
hollis said, "it's a testament to an extraordinarily made film. but also, a big part of it too says very clearly that inclusion and representation matter. it's a powerful thing for people to see themselves and know that they're seen in the films we put up in a movie theater. audiences deserve to see themselves on screen. not only because it's the right thing to do, but it makes for better, richer storytelling."
an ethnically diverse audience pool gave "black panther" five out of five stars on a comscore/screen engine posttrak audience survey. the moviegoers were 37% black, 35% white, 18% latino, 5% asian, and 5% other.
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.
Thursday, February 22, 2018
Monday, February 05, 2018
Eagles beat Patriots in Super Bowl 52
the philadelphia eagles defeated the new england patriots 41-33 to win super bowl 52 at us bank stadium in minnesota on sunday. eagles quarterback nick foles was named mvp. foles completed 28 of 43 passes for 373 yards and four touchdowns, including one td reception.
foles is the first backup to win a super bowl since patriots qb tom brady. he's the first player in super bowl history to have a passing and receiving td in the same game. foles said, "we've played this game since we were little kids, we dreamed about this moment. there's plenty of kids watching this game right now dreaming about this moment and someday will be here."
eagles owner jeffrey lurie was asked what the win meant to the city of philadelphia. lurie said," if there's a word, it's called everything. that's what it means to eagles fans everywhere. and for eagles fans everywhere, this is for them."
foles led a 75-yard drive to the winning score, an 11-yard td pass to tight end zach ertz with 2:21 to go in the game. the ball popped into the air when ertz crossed the goal line, and was challenged by the pats. "if they would have overturned that, i don't know what would have happened to the city of philadelphia, but i'm glad they didn't overturn it," ertz said.
eagles defensive end brandon graham strip-sacked brady and derek barnett recovered, setting up rookie jake elliott's 46-yard field goal for an eight point lead. brady led the defending champs to midfield, but his desperation pass in the end zone with nine seconds left failed. graham said, "for us, it was all about one stop we had to make. we went out here and made that one stop."
in a highly-competitive, thrilling shootout, both teams combined for 1,151 yards, the most by two teams in any game (preseason, regular or playoff). brady threw for a postseason record 505 yards. eagles coach doug pederson is a champion in just his second year in charge. patriots coach bill belichick is now 5-3 in super bowls.
the philadelphia eagles are nfl champs for the first time since 1960.
foles is the first backup to win a super bowl since patriots qb tom brady. he's the first player in super bowl history to have a passing and receiving td in the same game. foles said, "we've played this game since we were little kids, we dreamed about this moment. there's plenty of kids watching this game right now dreaming about this moment and someday will be here."
eagles owner jeffrey lurie was asked what the win meant to the city of philadelphia. lurie said," if there's a word, it's called everything. that's what it means to eagles fans everywhere. and for eagles fans everywhere, this is for them."
foles led a 75-yard drive to the winning score, an 11-yard td pass to tight end zach ertz with 2:21 to go in the game. the ball popped into the air when ertz crossed the goal line, and was challenged by the pats. "if they would have overturned that, i don't know what would have happened to the city of philadelphia, but i'm glad they didn't overturn it," ertz said.
eagles defensive end brandon graham strip-sacked brady and derek barnett recovered, setting up rookie jake elliott's 46-yard field goal for an eight point lead. brady led the defending champs to midfield, but his desperation pass in the end zone with nine seconds left failed. graham said, "for us, it was all about one stop we had to make. we went out here and made that one stop."
in a highly-competitive, thrilling shootout, both teams combined for 1,151 yards, the most by two teams in any game (preseason, regular or playoff). brady threw for a postseason record 505 yards. eagles coach doug pederson is a champion in just his second year in charge. patriots coach bill belichick is now 5-3 in super bowls.
the philadelphia eagles are nfl champs for the first time since 1960.
Sunday, February 04, 2018
Lewis, Moss, Owens and Urlacher among eight players in the 2018 NFL Hall of Fame
middle linebackers ray lewis and brian urlacher, and wide receivers randy moss and terrell owens headline the eight players honored on saturday in the 2018 nfl hall of fame. offensive linemen robert brazile and jerry kramer, personnel executive bobby beathard and safety brian dawkins were also inducted by the 47 voters.
lewis helped the baltimore ravens win the super bowl in 2000, and was super bowl mvp. lewis is a two-time ap defensive player of the year, and was all-pro for eight seasons. urlacher was the 2005 defensive player of the year on the chicago bears, and joined lewis on the 2000s all-decade team.
moss led the nfl in td catches five times, including his record 23 for new england in 2007, and earned four all-pro selections. moss finished his 14-year career with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards. he ranks second all-time with 156 td receptions. owens ranks second to jerry rice with 15,934 yards and is third - just behind moss - on the all-time td receptions list with 153.
dawkins spent most of his 16-year career with the philadelphia eagles. dawkins was a first-team all-pro five times, and registered 37 interceptions and 26 sacks. he became the first player in history with a sack, interception, fumble recovery and td catch - in the same game - against houston in 2002.
kramer, a senior inductee, helped anchor the green bay packers offensive line for 11 years and win six nfl titles. kramer's block cleared the way for bart starr's td sneak in their 1967 super bowl victory. brazile played a decade for the houston oilers, making all-pro five consecutive years. beathard helped build four super bowl champions in miami and washington, and made seven trips to the title game in 30 years as a personnel executive.
lewis helped the baltimore ravens win the super bowl in 2000, and was super bowl mvp. lewis is a two-time ap defensive player of the year, and was all-pro for eight seasons. urlacher was the 2005 defensive player of the year on the chicago bears, and joined lewis on the 2000s all-decade team.
moss led the nfl in td catches five times, including his record 23 for new england in 2007, and earned four all-pro selections. moss finished his 14-year career with 982 receptions for 15,292 yards. he ranks second all-time with 156 td receptions. owens ranks second to jerry rice with 15,934 yards and is third - just behind moss - on the all-time td receptions list with 153.
dawkins spent most of his 16-year career with the philadelphia eagles. dawkins was a first-team all-pro five times, and registered 37 interceptions and 26 sacks. he became the first player in history with a sack, interception, fumble recovery and td catch - in the same game - against houston in 2002.
kramer, a senior inductee, helped anchor the green bay packers offensive line for 11 years and win six nfl titles. kramer's block cleared the way for bart starr's td sneak in their 1967 super bowl victory. brazile played a decade for the houston oilers, making all-pro five consecutive years. beathard helped build four super bowl champions in miami and washington, and made seven trips to the title game in 30 years as a personnel executive.
Friday, February 02, 2018
Former Knicks All-Star Charles Oakley cleared of assault charges
former new york knicks all-star forward charles oakley was cleared of misdemeanor assault charges. the charges stemmed from an incident last year before a knicks regular season game at madison square garden.
the new york post on friday reported a manhattan judge dismissed the charges. oakley got into a scuffle with several madison square garden security guards, was handcuffed and removed from the garden, to a chorus of boos from the fans.
oakley and prosecutors agreed to a deal last august. their deal stated the charges would be dropped if oakley stayed out of trouble for six months. oakley's lawyer, alex spiro, says oakley has been "completely vindicated."
the beloved former all-star power forward played for the knicks from 1988 to 1998. but in recent years, his turbulent relationship with knicks owner jim dolan has been public fodder. in fact, the night of the incident, dolan was sitting in the front row - and he did nothing to diffuse the situation.
dolan later publicly accused oakley of having anger management issues and a problem with alcohol. dolan, an admitted recovering alcohol (sober over 20 years), was chastised by journalists, former knicks players, many knicks fans, and people on social media for his disrespectful, insensitive and unkind remarks.
oakley was accused of striking a madison square garden security guard before the knicks game on february 8, 2017. oakley has filed a lawsuit against dolan. the suit alleges oakley was the one assaulted.
the new york post on friday reported a manhattan judge dismissed the charges. oakley got into a scuffle with several madison square garden security guards, was handcuffed and removed from the garden, to a chorus of boos from the fans.
oakley and prosecutors agreed to a deal last august. their deal stated the charges would be dropped if oakley stayed out of trouble for six months. oakley's lawyer, alex spiro, says oakley has been "completely vindicated."
the beloved former all-star power forward played for the knicks from 1988 to 1998. but in recent years, his turbulent relationship with knicks owner jim dolan has been public fodder. in fact, the night of the incident, dolan was sitting in the front row - and he did nothing to diffuse the situation.
dolan later publicly accused oakley of having anger management issues and a problem with alcohol. dolan, an admitted recovering alcohol (sober over 20 years), was chastised by journalists, former knicks players, many knicks fans, and people on social media for his disrespectful, insensitive and unkind remarks.
oakley was accused of striking a madison square garden security guard before the knicks game on february 8, 2017. oakley has filed a lawsuit against dolan. the suit alleges oakley was the one assaulted.
Sunday, January 28, 2018
Caroline Wozniacki and Roger Federer win 2018 Australian Open Singles Titles
world #2 caroline wozniacki of denmark on saturday night in melbourne defeated world #1 simona halep of romania 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to win the australian open singles championship. this was the first career major singles title for wozniacki, and she was in tears after match point.
wozniacki lost her first major singles final at the u.s. open to serena williams in 2009. while clutching the winner's trophy, wozniacki said, "i'm sorry i'm just taking a second to hug daphne. i dreamt of this moment so many years, to be here now, it's a dream come true." neil diamond's "sweet caroline" played over the speakers as she carried the daphne akhurst memorial cup around rod laver arena.
on monday the popular 27 year-old regains the top ranking for the first time in six years - beating williams' record of five years and 29 days between stints at number one. wozniacki, humbly cognizant of being criticized by the pundits for being #1 and not winning a major, said, "i'm never going to get the question about being a world number one without a slam."
world #2 roger federer of switzerland on sunday night in melbourne defeated world #6 marin cilic of croatia 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win the 2018 australian open singles championship. federer's 20th major singles title is the most by any man in history.
''i'm so happy, it's unbelievable. of course, winning is an absolute dream come true...the fairytale continues for us, for me, after the great year i had last year, it's incredible. i love you guys. thank you," federer said. he held up the trophy and got a standing ovation as tears streamed down his face.
at the age of 36 years, 173 days, federer is the second oldest man to win a major singles final in the open era. ken rosewall won the australian open in 1972 at age 37. federer missed the last six months of 2016 due to injury. yet he's won three of the last five majors. he now joins margaret court (24), serena williams (23) and steffi graf (22) with 20+ major singles wins.
wozniacki lost her first major singles final at the u.s. open to serena williams in 2009. while clutching the winner's trophy, wozniacki said, "i'm sorry i'm just taking a second to hug daphne. i dreamt of this moment so many years, to be here now, it's a dream come true." neil diamond's "sweet caroline" played over the speakers as she carried the daphne akhurst memorial cup around rod laver arena.
on monday the popular 27 year-old regains the top ranking for the first time in six years - beating williams' record of five years and 29 days between stints at number one. wozniacki, humbly cognizant of being criticized by the pundits for being #1 and not winning a major, said, "i'm never going to get the question about being a world number one without a slam."
world #2 roger federer of switzerland on sunday night in melbourne defeated world #6 marin cilic of croatia 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to win the 2018 australian open singles championship. federer's 20th major singles title is the most by any man in history.
''i'm so happy, it's unbelievable. of course, winning is an absolute dream come true...the fairytale continues for us, for me, after the great year i had last year, it's incredible. i love you guys. thank you," federer said. he held up the trophy and got a standing ovation as tears streamed down his face.
at the age of 36 years, 173 days, federer is the second oldest man to win a major singles final in the open era. ken rosewall won the australian open in 1972 at age 37. federer missed the last six months of 2016 due to injury. yet he's won three of the last five majors. he now joins margaret court (24), serena williams (23) and steffi graf (22) with 20+ major singles wins.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Aetna to pay $1.15 million civil penalty after leaking 2,460 members' HIV status
aetna will pay a $1.15 million civil fine, and vowed to improve it's privacy settings to settle charges it leaked the hiv-positive status of 2,460 new york members. during a mailing last summer, the confidential information could be seen in large transparent envelope windows.
new york attorney general eric schneiderman on tuesday said names, claim numbers and hiv medication instructions in the july 28, 2017 mailing were "clearly visible" to outsiders because of how aetna folded letters and inserted them into the envelopes.
the mailing was intended to notify members of a class action settlement permitting them to buy hiv medication at discounted prices, rather than by mail - where their privacy might be compromised if families or neighbors saw the drug packages.
"through it's own carelessness, aetna blatantly violated its promise to safeguard members' private health information," schneiderman said in a statement. the attorney general said his office uncovered similar issues with a september 25, 2017 mailing by aetna to 163 new york members with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart condition.
the hartford, connecticut-based company neither admitted nor denied any wrongdoing. however, aetna did agree to retain an independent consultant for two years to monitor its efforts to improve member privacy.
also, last week they agreed to a $17.2 million settlement in the federal court in philadelphia of private litigation over similar claims by more than 11,000 members in new york and other states.
"we have worked to address the potential impact to members following this unfortunate incident. we are implementing measures designed to ensure something like this does not happen again as part of our commitment to best practices in protecting sensitive information," aetna said in a statement.
last month, aetna was bought by cvs health corp in a $69 billion transaction.
new york attorney general eric schneiderman on tuesday said names, claim numbers and hiv medication instructions in the july 28, 2017 mailing were "clearly visible" to outsiders because of how aetna folded letters and inserted them into the envelopes.
the mailing was intended to notify members of a class action settlement permitting them to buy hiv medication at discounted prices, rather than by mail - where their privacy might be compromised if families or neighbors saw the drug packages.
"through it's own carelessness, aetna blatantly violated its promise to safeguard members' private health information," schneiderman said in a statement. the attorney general said his office uncovered similar issues with a september 25, 2017 mailing by aetna to 163 new york members with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart condition.
the hartford, connecticut-based company neither admitted nor denied any wrongdoing. however, aetna did agree to retain an independent consultant for two years to monitor its efforts to improve member privacy.
also, last week they agreed to a $17.2 million settlement in the federal court in philadelphia of private litigation over similar claims by more than 11,000 members in new york and other states.
"we have worked to address the potential impact to members following this unfortunate incident. we are implementing measures designed to ensure something like this does not happen again as part of our commitment to best practices in protecting sensitive information," aetna said in a statement.
last month, aetna was bought by cvs health corp in a $69 billion transaction.
Saturday, January 06, 2018
ESPN fires McNabb, Davis after sexual harassment allegations
espn has severed their professional relationships with former all-star football players donovan mcnabb and eric davis because of sexual harassment allegations which surfaced during their recent employment with nfl network.
mcnabb and davis were named in a lawsuit this past october alleging sexual harassment at nfl network. the suit alleges mcnabb sent explicit and inappropriate text messages to former wardrobe stylist jamie cantor. davis allegedly touched cantor's genitals without her consent.
both mcnabb and davis were employed by espn after leaving nfl network. espn confirmed friday neither mcnabb nor davis would be employed by their network after an investigation into the allegations were concluded.
mcnabb and davis served as nfl analysts for espn. they were both suspended by the network in december, when the allegations by cantor were initially made public.
mcnabb and davis were named in a lawsuit this past october alleging sexual harassment at nfl network. the suit alleges mcnabb sent explicit and inappropriate text messages to former wardrobe stylist jamie cantor. davis allegedly touched cantor's genitals without her consent.
both mcnabb and davis were employed by espn after leaving nfl network. espn confirmed friday neither mcnabb nor davis would be employed by their network after an investigation into the allegations were concluded.
mcnabb and davis served as nfl analysts for espn. they were both suspended by the network in december, when the allegations by cantor were initially made public.
Sessions abolishes protections for state marijuana laws
the department of justice on thursday said they've abolished existing policies to prevent federal prosecutors from interfering states who legalized marijuana. attorney general jeff sessions indicated he'll use the power of the federal government to attack each states' ability to decide their own laws.
sessions' intentions will affect millions of americans who voted to approve the legalization of marijuana in their state. his decision may encourage federal raids on licensed, regulated and tax-paying businesses.
these companies employ thousands of employees and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for various public services, which include new school construction and substance abuse treatment programs.
president donald trump agrees with sessions. during his presidential campaign, he said this should be an issue to be decided by the states, not the federal government, despite the overwhelming feelings of many americans who feel otherwise.
sessions' intentions will affect millions of americans who voted to approve the legalization of marijuana in their state. his decision may encourage federal raids on licensed, regulated and tax-paying businesses.
these companies employ thousands of employees and generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for various public services, which include new school construction and substance abuse treatment programs.
president donald trump agrees with sessions. during his presidential campaign, he said this should be an issue to be decided by the states, not the federal government, despite the overwhelming feelings of many americans who feel otherwise.
Friday, December 22, 2017
Venus Williams will not be charged in fatal accident in Florida
tennis legend venus williams is not going to face criminal charges for her role in a fatal car accident this past june 9. the driver of the car which struck williams' suv in an intersection was also not charged.
palm beach gardens police determined neither individual violated the right-of-way. initially, police said williams should be reprimanded for not yielding the right-of-way. but in july, video surfaced vindicating williams entered the intersection lawfully.
the video showed a car not involved in the collision forced williams to stop in the intersection. the traffic light changed, and a sedan which struck williams' van had a green light. jerome barson, 78, the passenger in a sedan colliding with williams' car died june 22. his wife, linda barson, drove that sedan.
the barson family has filed a wrongful death suit against williams.
palm beach gardens police determined neither individual violated the right-of-way. initially, police said williams should be reprimanded for not yielding the right-of-way. but in july, video surfaced vindicating williams entered the intersection lawfully.
the video showed a car not involved in the collision forced williams to stop in the intersection. the traffic light changed, and a sedan which struck williams' van had a green light. jerome barson, 78, the passenger in a sedan colliding with williams' car died june 22. his wife, linda barson, drove that sedan.
the barson family has filed a wrongful death suit against williams.
Tuesday, December 19, 2017
Jay-Z threatened by George Zimmerman over upcoming Trayvon Martin Documentary
jay-z was threatened by george zimmerman last weekend for his role in the upcoming documentary of trayvon martin. zimmerman, a self-proclaimed "neighborhood watchman" shot and killed martin - an unarmed black male teen - february 26, 2012 in florida, and was acquitted of manslaughter charges the following year.
entertainment website blast reports zimmerman claims his family was mistreated by the camera and production crew. zimmerman said they made unannounced visits to the homes of his parents, and an uncle in florida. he said jay-z and executive producer michael gesparro "harassed" his family.
on saturday, zimmerman said, "i know how to handle people who f--- with me. i have since february 2012." zimmerman benefited from the controversial "stand your ground" laws in florida, and his trial polarized americans with the verdict. he holds jay-z and gesparro responsible, and "anyone who ----s with my parents will be fed to an alligator."
zimmerman, 34, complained over money he clams has been paid to his ex-wife for her participation in the documentary. he also said his family members and parents have not been paid by producers for their cooperation in the documentary.
the six-part docuseries titled "rest in power: the trayvon martin story," is based on the book, "suspicion nation," by attorney lisa bloom. the series will chronicle the life of martin, who was on his way home after stopping at a local store to get a bag of skittles.
jay-z didn't comment, but snoop dogg immediately defended him on instagram. "if one hair on jay's hair is touched that's when the revolution will b televised. we one, and to thank the system, let the b---- *ss mutha----- get away with murder try it again. trayvon martin gone but not forgotten."
entertainment website blast reports zimmerman claims his family was mistreated by the camera and production crew. zimmerman said they made unannounced visits to the homes of his parents, and an uncle in florida. he said jay-z and executive producer michael gesparro "harassed" his family.
on saturday, zimmerman said, "i know how to handle people who f--- with me. i have since february 2012." zimmerman benefited from the controversial "stand your ground" laws in florida, and his trial polarized americans with the verdict. he holds jay-z and gesparro responsible, and "anyone who ----s with my parents will be fed to an alligator."
zimmerman, 34, complained over money he clams has been paid to his ex-wife for her participation in the documentary. he also said his family members and parents have not been paid by producers for their cooperation in the documentary.
the six-part docuseries titled "rest in power: the trayvon martin story," is based on the book, "suspicion nation," by attorney lisa bloom. the series will chronicle the life of martin, who was on his way home after stopping at a local store to get a bag of skittles.
jay-z didn't comment, but snoop dogg immediately defended him on instagram. "if one hair on jay's hair is touched that's when the revolution will b televised. we one, and to thank the system, let the b---- *ss mutha----- get away with murder try it again. trayvon martin gone but not forgotten."
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Five NFL players and one executive named in sexual harassment lawsuit by former colleague
espn has suspended eric davis and donovan mcnabb after a lawsuit filed monday night by a female colleague alleging sexual harassment while working for nfl network. davis and mcnabb will not appear on espn or espn radio airwaves while the network investigates the claims.
nfl network on monday suspended heath evans, marshall faulk and ike taylor, while the ringer announced president eric weinberger had been placed on leave. davis, evans, faulk, mcnabb, taylor and weinberger are named in the lawsuit filed by a former colleague.
jami cantor worked as a wardrobe stylist for nfl network. cantor filed a wrongful termination suit in october against nfl enterprises in los angeles superior court. she described incidents of harassment by evans, faulk and taylor, as well as weinberger, a former network executive producer and current president of the bill simmons media group.
in the suit, cantor alleges faulk groped her breasts and ass, and asked "deeply personal and invasive questions" about her sex life. cantor said taylor and weinberger sent inappropriate pictures - taylor sent her a video of him masturbating in the shower.
cantor alleges weinberger said she was "put on earth to pleasure me," and pressed his crotch against her, asking her to touch it. she alleges mcnabb sent explicit text messages to her. mcnabb is a former nfl network analyst who currently appears on espn.
nfl network on monday suspended heath evans, marshall faulk and ike taylor, while the ringer announced president eric weinberger had been placed on leave. davis, evans, faulk, mcnabb, taylor and weinberger are named in the lawsuit filed by a former colleague.
jami cantor worked as a wardrobe stylist for nfl network. cantor filed a wrongful termination suit in october against nfl enterprises in los angeles superior court. she described incidents of harassment by evans, faulk and taylor, as well as weinberger, a former network executive producer and current president of the bill simmons media group.
in the suit, cantor alleges faulk groped her breasts and ass, and asked "deeply personal and invasive questions" about her sex life. cantor said taylor and weinberger sent inappropriate pictures - taylor sent her a video of him masturbating in the shower.
cantor alleges weinberger said she was "put on earth to pleasure me," and pressed his crotch against her, asking her to touch it. she alleges mcnabb sent explicit text messages to her. mcnabb is a former nfl network analyst who currently appears on espn.
Tuesday, December 05, 2017
Diamond Reynolds, girlfriend of slain Philandro Castile, reaches $800K settlement with St. Anthony, Minnesota
diamond reynolds live-streamed the police shooting of her boyfriend, philandro castile, july 6, 2016. their four year-old daughter was in the car when her father was killed. tuesday night, officials in st. anthony, minnesota announced she would receive an $800,000 settlement.
the settlement, which still must be approved by a judge, is a likely final legal development in a polarizing case for black and brown community members, law enforcement, political representatives and state officials. jerry faust, st, anthony mayor, said the agreement "opens the door to continued healing within our community."
the $800,000 settlement includes $675,000 from st. anthony as well as $125,000 from the nearby city of roseville, and an insurance fund. reynolds, who claimed emotional distress and false arrest, said the settlement confirmed what she experienced that night as "wrong."
reynolds said, "while no amount of money can change what happened, bring philandro back, or erase the pain that me and my daughter continue to suffer, i do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward."
castile, a young black male, was pulled over near the state fairgrounds by officer jeronimo yanez of the st. anthony police. yanez said his car had a broken brake light - and he matched the description of a robbery suspect. reynolds was in the passenger seat.
the routine exchange led to yanez shouting at castile not to reach for his gun. reynolds said her boyfriend meant no harm and complied with yanez, who fired several shots into the car, fatally striking castile. reynolds' video showed yanez cursing and pointing his gun through the window.
officer yanez was later charged with second-degree manslaughter, but was acquitted at a trial in june. he told jurors he feared for his life when castile reached for his gun. "i was scared to death. i thought i was going to die," said yanez. reynolds testified for the prosecution, saying, "i felt broken, hurt, confused, lost."
this summer, st. anthony agreed to pay a separate, nearly $3 million settlement to castile's estate. the city also reached a separation agreement with officer yanez and said he would not return to work there. st. anthony officials said some of the money paid to reynolds would be placed in a trust fund for her daughter's education.
the settlement, which still must be approved by a judge, is a likely final legal development in a polarizing case for black and brown community members, law enforcement, political representatives and state officials. jerry faust, st, anthony mayor, said the agreement "opens the door to continued healing within our community."
the $800,000 settlement includes $675,000 from st. anthony as well as $125,000 from the nearby city of roseville, and an insurance fund. reynolds, who claimed emotional distress and false arrest, said the settlement confirmed what she experienced that night as "wrong."
reynolds said, "while no amount of money can change what happened, bring philandro back, or erase the pain that me and my daughter continue to suffer, i do hope that closing this chapter will allow us to get our lives back and move forward."
castile, a young black male, was pulled over near the state fairgrounds by officer jeronimo yanez of the st. anthony police. yanez said his car had a broken brake light - and he matched the description of a robbery suspect. reynolds was in the passenger seat.
the routine exchange led to yanez shouting at castile not to reach for his gun. reynolds said her boyfriend meant no harm and complied with yanez, who fired several shots into the car, fatally striking castile. reynolds' video showed yanez cursing and pointing his gun through the window.
officer yanez was later charged with second-degree manslaughter, but was acquitted at a trial in june. he told jurors he feared for his life when castile reached for his gun. "i was scared to death. i thought i was going to die," said yanez. reynolds testified for the prosecution, saying, "i felt broken, hurt, confused, lost."
this summer, st. anthony agreed to pay a separate, nearly $3 million settlement to castile's estate. the city also reached a separation agreement with officer yanez and said he would not return to work there. st. anthony officials said some of the money paid to reynolds would be placed in a trust fund for her daughter's education.
Friday, December 01, 2017
Demographic Differences in Sentencing: An Update to the 2012 Booker Report
in 2010, the united states sentencing commission published an analysis of federal sentencing data which examined whether the length of sentences imposed on federal offenders was correlated with demographic characteristics of those offenders.
in 2012, the commission updated this analysis by examining cases in which the offender was sentenced after the release of the 2010 report. the commission examined factors which include changes in sentence length for offenders of particular race, drug trafficking, firearms, fraud, gender pairings and the type of offense committed.
recently, the commission examined cases from october 1, 2011 to september 30, 2016. this new time period is referred to as the "post-report period." the commission also included data regarding violence in an offender's criminal history - which might help explain some of the differences in sentencing noted in their work.
some of the key findings are listed below:
black male offenders received sentences 19.1% longer than white male offenders in similar situations.
black male offenders were 21.2% less likely than white male offenders to receive a non-government sponsored downward departure or variance during the post-report period. when black male offenders received a non-government sponsored departure or variance, their sentences were 16.8% longer than white male offenders in similar situations.
black male offenders received sentences on average 20.4% higher than white male offenders in similar situations, accounting for violence in an offender's past in fiscal year 2016, the only year such data is available. this figure is almost the same as the 20.7% difference without accounting for past violence, which doesn't appear to account for demographic sentencing differences.
female offenders of all races received shorter sentences than white male offenders during the post-report period, as they had for the previous four years. the differences in sentence length decreased slightly during the five-year period after the 2012 booker report for most offenders.
in 2012, the commission updated this analysis by examining cases in which the offender was sentenced after the release of the 2010 report. the commission examined factors which include changes in sentence length for offenders of particular race, drug trafficking, firearms, fraud, gender pairings and the type of offense committed.
recently, the commission examined cases from october 1, 2011 to september 30, 2016. this new time period is referred to as the "post-report period." the commission also included data regarding violence in an offender's criminal history - which might help explain some of the differences in sentencing noted in their work.
some of the key findings are listed below:
black male offenders received sentences 19.1% longer than white male offenders in similar situations.
black male offenders were 21.2% less likely than white male offenders to receive a non-government sponsored downward departure or variance during the post-report period. when black male offenders received a non-government sponsored departure or variance, their sentences were 16.8% longer than white male offenders in similar situations.
black male offenders received sentences on average 20.4% higher than white male offenders in similar situations, accounting for violence in an offender's past in fiscal year 2016, the only year such data is available. this figure is almost the same as the 20.7% difference without accounting for past violence, which doesn't appear to account for demographic sentencing differences.
female offenders of all races received shorter sentences than white male offenders during the post-report period, as they had for the previous four years. the differences in sentence length decreased slightly during the five-year period after the 2012 booker report for most offenders.
Sunday, November 12, 2017
New York signs a bill to give PTSD patients access to medical marijuana
a bipartisan bill to add post-traumatic stress disorder (ptsd) as a qualifying condition for new york's medical marijuana program was signed into law by governor andrew cuomo during veteran's day weekend.
the senate passed s 5629 in june (50 to 13), and the assembly version, a 7006, received overwhelming approval in may (131 to 8). new york is now the 28th state to allow medical marijuana to be used to treat ptsd.
the bill was sponsored by assemblyman richard gottfried and senator diane savino. also, mike avella, vince marrone, the new york state council of veterans organizations, the marijuana policy project foundation lobbyists and others led this advocacy effort.
"governor cuomo should be applauded for helping thousands of new york veterans find relief with medical marijuana...ptsd is a serious problem facing our state, and now we have one more tool available to alleviate suffering," said bob becker, legislative director fore the new york state council of veterans organizations.
the senate passed s 5629 in june (50 to 13), and the assembly version, a 7006, received overwhelming approval in may (131 to 8). new york is now the 28th state to allow medical marijuana to be used to treat ptsd.
the bill was sponsored by assemblyman richard gottfried and senator diane savino. also, mike avella, vince marrone, the new york state council of veterans organizations, the marijuana policy project foundation lobbyists and others led this advocacy effort.
"governor cuomo should be applauded for helping thousands of new york veterans find relief with medical marijuana...ptsd is a serious problem facing our state, and now we have one more tool available to alleviate suffering," said bob becker, legislative director fore the new york state council of veterans organizations.
Thursday, October 26, 2017
David Stern wants the NBA to remove marijuana from their banned substance list
former nba commissioner david stern believes marijuana, particularly medical marijuana, should be removed from the league's banned substance list. stern recently appeared on a documentary hosted by former nba player al harrington titled, "the concept of cannabis.'
stern said, "i don't think there's been a proper spokesperson for this subject. i think that if medical marijuana is available, then it's up to the individual team doctor. you tell me it worked for you and it worked for others that you knew, then we should find a way to get that defined and made official, and then proceed to educating team docs."
"i think we've got to change the collective bargaining agreement, then, and let you do what's legal in your state. if marijuana is now in the process of being legalized, i would think you should be allowed to do what's legal in your state. so now it's up to the sports leagues to anticipate where this is going, and maybe lead the way. i think it's a very interesting subject, and i think it's a place where the leagues have an opportunity to do something, led by their players unions and the league offices."
stern presided over the nba at the time of drastic changes to the collective bargaining agreement. in 1999, under pressure from the league's owners, a "stiffening" of the player conduct policy was instituted to ban marijuana outright. additionally, the nba implemented a mandatory annual test of players for marijuana use.
adam silver, the current nba commissioner, spoke briefly about the provocative subject in august. his progressive views are similar to stern. both men view the issue from a health perspective, not a moral judgment. silver said he's "very interested in the science" of medical marijuana.
stern said, "i don't think there's been a proper spokesperson for this subject. i think that if medical marijuana is available, then it's up to the individual team doctor. you tell me it worked for you and it worked for others that you knew, then we should find a way to get that defined and made official, and then proceed to educating team docs."
"i think we've got to change the collective bargaining agreement, then, and let you do what's legal in your state. if marijuana is now in the process of being legalized, i would think you should be allowed to do what's legal in your state. so now it's up to the sports leagues to anticipate where this is going, and maybe lead the way. i think it's a very interesting subject, and i think it's a place where the leagues have an opportunity to do something, led by their players unions and the league offices."
stern presided over the nba at the time of drastic changes to the collective bargaining agreement. in 1999, under pressure from the league's owners, a "stiffening" of the player conduct policy was instituted to ban marijuana outright. additionally, the nba implemented a mandatory annual test of players for marijuana use.
adam silver, the current nba commissioner, spoke briefly about the provocative subject in august. his progressive views are similar to stern. both men view the issue from a health perspective, not a moral judgment. silver said he's "very interested in the science" of medical marijuana.
Monday, October 23, 2017
12 South Africans detained in Tanzania for promoting homosexuality
12 south africans were arrested in tanzania last week for what their country's government calls "promoting homosexuality." south africa's high commissioner thami mseleku said they have been kept in custody without charge.
dar es salaam police head lazaro mambosasa said, "we arrested the criminals at (the hotel) peacock; they were promoting homosexuality. two are south africans, one ugandan, and nine tanzanians. tanzanian law forbids this act between people of the same sex."
the group of 12 people were arrested while preparing for a provocative case. the case challenges the tanzanian government's recent decision to ban drop-in centres who serve people at risk for contracting the hiv virus.
mseleku said, "they have not been charged with anything...and have not been told what the police are investigating. the matter that you saw in the media at the briefing by the chief of police here - saying that the people are arrested for promoting homosexuality - that is something police have said in public. but to the people they have not said that this is what we are investigating."
according to government officials, the reason the group was kept detained without charge on friday was because the matter was being investigated at a higher level. apparently, there were concerns the detainees might interfere with the investigation.
memory sosibo, public secretary for the national association of democratic lawyers (nadel) said the actions by the tanzanian law-enforcement agencies were a clear attempt to instill fear among those who wished to legally challenge the actions of the tanzanian government.
sosibo said, "members of the public should feel free to consult with a legal professional in seeking legal recourse when they feel that any of their rights are violated. it would be a sad day for justice should lawyers be unable to defend their clients. we condemn in the strongest possible form the actions of the tanzanian law enforcement in this matter."
nadel wants the tanzanian government to allow the foreign nationals whose passports have been seized to leave the country. richard lupembe, counselor to the tanzanian high commission to south afirca, said, "the high commission does not have any information of an ongoing crackdown against gays in tanzania. what we heard is they will send them to court."
dar es salaam police head lazaro mambosasa said, "we arrested the criminals at (the hotel) peacock; they were promoting homosexuality. two are south africans, one ugandan, and nine tanzanians. tanzanian law forbids this act between people of the same sex."
the group of 12 people were arrested while preparing for a provocative case. the case challenges the tanzanian government's recent decision to ban drop-in centres who serve people at risk for contracting the hiv virus.
mseleku said, "they have not been charged with anything...and have not been told what the police are investigating. the matter that you saw in the media at the briefing by the chief of police here - saying that the people are arrested for promoting homosexuality - that is something police have said in public. but to the people they have not said that this is what we are investigating."
according to government officials, the reason the group was kept detained without charge on friday was because the matter was being investigated at a higher level. apparently, there were concerns the detainees might interfere with the investigation.
memory sosibo, public secretary for the national association of democratic lawyers (nadel) said the actions by the tanzanian law-enforcement agencies were a clear attempt to instill fear among those who wished to legally challenge the actions of the tanzanian government.
sosibo said, "members of the public should feel free to consult with a legal professional in seeking legal recourse when they feel that any of their rights are violated. it would be a sad day for justice should lawyers be unable to defend their clients. we condemn in the strongest possible form the actions of the tanzanian law enforcement in this matter."
nadel wants the tanzanian government to allow the foreign nationals whose passports have been seized to leave the country. richard lupembe, counselor to the tanzanian high commission to south afirca, said, "the high commission does not have any information of an ongoing crackdown against gays in tanzania. what we heard is they will send them to court."
Friday, October 13, 2017
Latino and Native Youth Incarceration Disparities Persist
indigneous youth are 300% more likely than white youth to be detained or committed to youth facilities. latino youth are 65% more likely than white youth to be detained or committed to youth facilities.
for latino youth the disparity has declined a little since 2001. for indigenous youth, the disparities have grown. differential treatment of youth of color - not differences in behavior - has driven the scale of the disparities.
in 37 states, latino youth are more likely to be in custody than white youth. from 2001 to 2015, latino youth to white youth disparities grew in 20 states. these comparisons are often complicated by the small number of indigenous youth in several states.
in almost all states except new mexico, where indigenous youth are a scant proportion of all youth, they're likelier than white youth to be incarcerated. in four states, minnesota, south dakota, north dakota and washington, indigenous youth are at least four times likelier to be incarcerated.
for latino youth the disparity has declined a little since 2001. for indigenous youth, the disparities have grown. differential treatment of youth of color - not differences in behavior - has driven the scale of the disparities.
in 37 states, latino youth are more likely to be in custody than white youth. from 2001 to 2015, latino youth to white youth disparities grew in 20 states. these comparisons are often complicated by the small number of indigenous youth in several states.
in almost all states except new mexico, where indigenous youth are a scant proportion of all youth, they're likelier than white youth to be incarcerated. in four states, minnesota, south dakota, north dakota and washington, indigenous youth are at least four times likelier to be incarcerated.
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Most Indigenous Tribes reject the death penalty for their community
most of the indigenous tribes have chosen not to use the death penalty to punish citizens who've committed federal crimes on their land. a tribe's decision to opt out of the death penalty is not made on a case-by-case basis; it's an overarching policy.
"congress expanded the list of death penalty eligible crimes in the mid-1990's, allowing tribes to decide if they wanted their citizens subject to the death penalty," said russell contreras and felicia fonseca, reporters for the associate press.
since 1994, only one tribe, the sac and fox nation of oklahoma, uses the death penalty. tribes have opted out for cultural and religious views, lack of fairness in the justice system and past treatment of indigenous people. tribal council speaker lorenzo bates says, "navajos see life as precious, good or bad, and so we don't pick or choose...all life is precious."
16 tribal folks have been executed since 1976 for crimes committed off tribal land, or in states where the federal government does not have jurisdiction over major crimes committed on reservations. also, tribes cannot opt out of the death penalty for some federal crimes, including carjacking, kidnapping resulting in death, or killing a federal officer on reservation land.
"congress expanded the list of death penalty eligible crimes in the mid-1990's, allowing tribes to decide if they wanted their citizens subject to the death penalty," said russell contreras and felicia fonseca, reporters for the associate press.
since 1994, only one tribe, the sac and fox nation of oklahoma, uses the death penalty. tribes have opted out for cultural and religious views, lack of fairness in the justice system and past treatment of indigenous people. tribal council speaker lorenzo bates says, "navajos see life as precious, good or bad, and so we don't pick or choose...all life is precious."
16 tribal folks have been executed since 1976 for crimes committed off tribal land, or in states where the federal government does not have jurisdiction over major crimes committed on reservations. also, tribes cannot opt out of the death penalty for some federal crimes, including carjacking, kidnapping resulting in death, or killing a federal officer on reservation land.
Sunday, October 08, 2017
Minnesota Lynx Win 2017 WNBA Championship
the minnesota lynx beat the los angeles sparks in a game five thriller 85-76 to win the 2017 wnba championship. lynx all-star center and league mvp sylvia fowles was named finals mvp. fowles led a balanced scoring attack with 17 points and 20 rebounds - breaking the finals record of 18 she set earlier in the series.
the lynx are now tied with the houston comets as the only wnba franchises to win four titles. this is their fourth crown in seven years, winning in 2011, 2013, and 2015. additionally, minnesota has been to the finals six times in the last seven years, and many pundits are calling them a dynasty.
fowles said, "last year in game five within the last two minutes we lost two rebounds, and that hurt me for a long, long time. we came in at the beginning of the season and were like, look, we lost off rebounds so that was at the top of our mindset going into game five. i said to myself if you don't do anything else, you have to rebound."
the lynx have a winning percentage over .700 since 2011. they've placed four of their members (fowles, seimone augustus, maya moore and lindsey whalen) on the u.s. olympic squad. forward rebekkah brunson, 35, the leading rebounder in wnba finals history, became the first wnba player to win five championships.
but their magnanimous accomplishments go largely unnoticed by the larger media. last year, lynx head coach cheryl reeve said, "it's a microcosm of society and where we place women's sport. this group deserves to be celebrated for its sustained excellence."
minnesota has succeeded consistently year in and year out, despite having four starters over 31. in fact, the lynx have four of the five oldest players in the league - all current or former all-stars. their window might be closing soon, but moore says, "i think it will be hard to find another group as talented, as deep but as selfless as this group."
the lynx are now tied with the houston comets as the only wnba franchises to win four titles. this is their fourth crown in seven years, winning in 2011, 2013, and 2015. additionally, minnesota has been to the finals six times in the last seven years, and many pundits are calling them a dynasty.
fowles said, "last year in game five within the last two minutes we lost two rebounds, and that hurt me for a long, long time. we came in at the beginning of the season and were like, look, we lost off rebounds so that was at the top of our mindset going into game five. i said to myself if you don't do anything else, you have to rebound."
the lynx have a winning percentage over .700 since 2011. they've placed four of their members (fowles, seimone augustus, maya moore and lindsey whalen) on the u.s. olympic squad. forward rebekkah brunson, 35, the leading rebounder in wnba finals history, became the first wnba player to win five championships.
but their magnanimous accomplishments go largely unnoticed by the larger media. last year, lynx head coach cheryl reeve said, "it's a microcosm of society and where we place women's sport. this group deserves to be celebrated for its sustained excellence."
minnesota has succeeded consistently year in and year out, despite having four starters over 31. in fact, the lynx have four of the five oldest players in the league - all current or former all-stars. their window might be closing soon, but moore says, "i think it will be hard to find another group as talented, as deep but as selfless as this group."
Sunday, October 01, 2017
2017 WNBA All-Star Team
the players listed below were acknowledged on september 29 as members of the 2017 wnba all-star first place and second place teams:
first team
center - sylvia fowles, minnesota lynx
forward - tina charles, new york liberty
forward - candace parker, los angeles sparks
guard - skylar diggins-smith, dallas wings
guard - maya moore, minnesota lynx
second team
center - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
forward - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
forward - nneka ogwumike, los angeles sparks
guard - chelsea gray, los angeles sparks
guard - diana taurasi, phoenix mercury
fowles, the league mvp, earned 39 of 40 first team votes from a national panel of broadcasters and sportswriters. fowles led all players with 195 votes. charles had 166 votes, diggins-smith had 151 votes, parker had 137 votes and moore had 127 votes, among first-team members.
each player on the first team receives $10,000 and each player on the second team receives $5,000.
first team
center - sylvia fowles, minnesota lynx
forward - tina charles, new york liberty
forward - candace parker, los angeles sparks
guard - skylar diggins-smith, dallas wings
guard - maya moore, minnesota lynx
second team
center - brittney griner, phoenix mercury
forward - jonquel jones, connecticut sun
forward - nneka ogwumike, los angeles sparks
guard - chelsea gray, los angeles sparks
guard - diana taurasi, phoenix mercury
fowles, the league mvp, earned 39 of 40 first team votes from a national panel of broadcasters and sportswriters. fowles led all players with 195 votes. charles had 166 votes, diggins-smith had 151 votes, parker had 137 votes and moore had 127 votes, among first-team members.
each player on the first team receives $10,000 and each player on the second team receives $5,000.
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