Virginia Governor restores voting rights to about 200,000 people

democratic governor of virginia terry mcauliffe issued an unprecedented executive order to immediately restore voting rights to an estimated 200,000 people. each of these individuals have completed their felony prison, probation and parole sentences.

virginia is one of four u.s. states, along with florida, iowa and kentucky, to disenfranchise all people with felony convictions for life, unless they can secure a pardon from their governor. mcauliffe's decision will remain in effect until at least the end of his term in 2018.

this order does not cover people who are released in the future. according to his aides, mcauliffe intends to issue similar executive orders each month to continue to restore voting rights to people as they complete their sentences.

mcauliffe said, "there's no question that we've had a horrible history in voting rights as relates to african-americans; we should remedy it." virginia previously had the fourth highest rate of felony disenfranchisement in the nation - and the third highest for black people.

marc mauer, executive director of the sentencing project said, "this will be the single most significant action on disenfranchisement that we've ever seen from a governor. it's noteworthy that it's coming in the middle of the term, not the day before he leaves office. so there may be some political heat but clearly he's willing to take that on, which is quite admirable."

       

NBA 2016 Regular Season Leaders

listed below are the nba regular season leaders for 2016:

individuals

points - stephen curry, golden state warriors: 30.1

assists - rajon rondo, sacramento kings: 11.7

rebounds - andre drummond, detroit pistons: 14.8

steals - stephen curry, golden state warriors: 2.14
blocks - hassan whiteside, miami heat: 3.68
field goal % - deandre jordan, los angeles clippers: .703
free throw % - stephen curry, golden state warriors: .908
three-point % - j.j. reddick, los angeles clippers: .475  

teams

points - golden state warriors: 114.9
assists - golden state warriors: 28.9
rebounds - oklahoma city thunder: 48.6
steals - houston rockets: 10.0
blocks - miami heat: 6.5
field goal % - golden state warriors: 48.7
free throw % - new york knicks: .805
three-point % - golden state warriors: .416
turnovers - charlotte hornets: 11.9

Golden State Warriors' 73rd Win Sets All-Time NBA Record

On a Wednesday night in raucous Oracle Arena in Oakland, California, the inspired Golden State Warriors beat the wounded Memphis Grizzlies 125-104, to win their 73rd game of the year. Their magnanimous victory came on the final regular season contest, and the defending world champions surpassed the Chicago Bulls' all-time record of 72-10 in 1996.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr, a key role player for the Bulls championship team in '96 said, "I thought (72 wins) was like (Joe) DiMaggio's hit streak, and I was wrong. I will say the same thing now that I said 20 years ago. I don't think this one will ever be broken. Somebody's got to go 74-8 and I don't see it. I hope our fans aren't expecting that next year."

GS All-Star guard and 2015 MVP Stephen Curry had 46 points, including 10 three-pointers (six in the first quarter). Curry finished 2016 with 402 threes, breaking his own record of 286 last year. He won the scoring title for the second consecutive year - increasing his average by 6.3 points, another record, surpassing Larry Bird, who upped his previous year's scoring title by 3.8 points per game.

When asked to compare the '96 Bulls and his current team. Curry said, "The game has evolved a lot and we have our certain identity of how we play. Shooting at a high level, moving the ball, everybody has a role. We have fun doing it. I don't know specifically any differences, but one similarity is we love winning, we love to compete and we love to push ourselves. That's what pushed us to the opportunity we had tonight."

After the history-making triumph, Warriors All-Star forward Draymond Green snatched the game ball at center court. Green said, "73 wins means I'm a part of the best team ever. Not many people can say that. 15 guys can say that, and that's amazing." But he also said, "relief doesn't happen until you win a championship." 

In a congratulatory statement Wednesday night, Bulls legend Michael Jordan said, "The game of basketball is always evolving and records are made to be broken. The Warriors have been a lot of fun to watch and I look forward to seeing what they do in the playoffs." Earlier in the month, Green said Jordan told him he hopes Golden State breaks the Bulls record.



  

U.S. Supreme Court Unanimously Affirms One Person, One Vote Doctrine

the u.s. supreme court on monday decided, unanimously, in evenwel v. abbott, a case out of texas which challenges the court's interpretation of the 'one person, one vote' doctrine. the court disagreed with the plaintiffs charge to only count 'eligible' voters.

congressional districts are created for each district to have an equal number of people. officials use population numbers drawn from the u.s. census bureau, which attempts to count all of the people residing in the u.s. every 10 years.

the case questioned the fairness of non-eligible voters - including children, incarcerated people and non-citizens - to be counted in the population numbers shaping each district. texas state republican executive committee member sue evenwel and her co-plaintiffs argued the spirit of the doctrine is to count only eligible voters.     

justice ruth bader ginsburg wrote, "as the framers of the constitution and the 14th amendment comprehended, representatives serve all residents, not just those eligible to vote. nonvoters have an important stake in many policy debates and in receiving constituent services."

ginsburg said, "by ensuring that each representative is subject to requests and suggestions from the same number of constituents, total-population apportionment promotes equitable and effective representation."

the surprisingly unanimous decision sparks debates around demographics and power. some groups are more likely to be eligible to vote than others. nearly 80% of white people in america are citizens over the age of 18. but fewer than half of hispanics in america fit the same description.

carving up congressional districts based on eligible voters would result in fewer representatives for heavily asian and hispanic parts of the country. moreover, the seats they would have replaced are mostly democratic.

the court hasn't issued a ruling on the other 'one person, one vote' case it heard last december. in harris v. arizona independent redistricting commission, a group of arizona voters argued the commission created legislative maps to bolster the population and violate the principle in the state's republican-leaning districts.

2016 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Class

in houston, texas on monday, before the ncaa men's championship game between north carolina and villanova, the following people were inducted into the 2016 naismith basketball hall of fame:

* allen iverson - played 14 seasons; 11 all-star games; four scoring titles; averaged 26.7 points and 6.2 assists; 2001 mvp.

* tom izzo - current head coach (since 1985) at michigan state; 2000 ncaa title; seven final four appearances.

* yao ming - played eight seasons; houston rockets #1 pick in the 2002 draft; eight-time all-star. 

* shaquille o'neal - played 19 seasons; 15 all-star games; 1993 rookie of the year; 2000 mvp; four-time champion; three-time finals mvp; two scoring titles; averaged 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds.

* jerry reinsdorf - chicago bulls owner since 1985; led bulls to six titles, 1991-93 and 1996-98.

* sheryl swoopes - first player signed by the wnba in 1996; four-time champion; six all-star games; three-time defensive player of the year; three-time mvp; three olympic gold medals.

additionally, listed below are people who were inducted posthumously:

* zelmo beatty - two-time nba all-star; three-time aba all-star; 1971 aba champion; 1971 aba finals mvp; averaged 17.1 points and 10.9 rebounds. 

* darell garretson - nba referee for 27 years; nba supervisor of officials for 17 years; officiated more than 2,000 games.

* john mclendon - high school and college coach from 1941-1968; three-time naia coach of the year; three consecutive titles at tennessee state, 1957-59; first black head coach in professional sports, cleveland pipers, 1962; pioneered four corners offense and full court press. 

* cumberland posey - played basketball from the early 1900s through the mid-1920s; four-time colored basketball world champiomship titles; baseball player, manager and owner in the negro leagues.

Obama Commutes Sentences of 61 Federal Inmates with drug offenses

president barack obama commuted the sentences of 61 federal inmates on wednesday, all of whom were held on drug charges. the progressive actions demonstrate the administrations' ongoing commitment to grant clemency to people with unforgiving convictions during the so-called war on drugs era.

the announcement came one day after the commander-in-chief vehemently criticized the previous american policy of engaging in a "war on drugs." during a national drug abuse and heroin summit on wednesday, obama said, "for too long we've viewed drug addiction through the lens of criminal justice...drug abuse is a health problem, not a criminal one."

over 33% of the people granted early release yesterday would have otherwise served life sentences. none of them, however, were serving life sentences for marijuana-only crimes. the commutation makes those sentences expire on march 30, 2017, and would remit the unpaid balance of the fine.

each of the 61 individuals were primarily charged with distribution of drugs. they were sentenced when the government prided itself on ruthlessly prosecuting folks with drug charges - an oppressive tactic which disproportionately warehoused men of african descent. 

"i am gratified that president obama continues to use his powers to release individuals who deserve a second chance at life," said anthony papa, the drug policy alliance's media relations manager. papa was granted clemency in new york after serving 12 years for a first-time nonviolent drug offense. he was sentenced to 300 months imprisonment with five years supervised release.

"with so many people waking up each day with the hope that they too will find mercy and redemption, i hope that today's grants portend even more grants over the remaining ten months left in president obama's term," said cynthia w. roseberry, project manager for clemency project.  pro bono legal project clemency project 2014 helped process clemency applications for 25 of the prisoners.

obama has reduced more sentences than all (!) of the last six presidents - combined. these were the first clemency grants he issued since december, when he granted the largest set of commutations in his presidency: 95 federal prisoners, and two pardons. obama has now commuted the sentences of almost 250 people.

norman l. reimer, executive director of the national association of criminal defense lawyers, and a partner in the project to process inmate applications said, "the 61 grants today add to an increasingly impressive total, but we urge the president and his team to vastly increase the pace, and continue granting commutations on a regular basis throughout the remainder of his term."

deputy attorney general sally yates said, "through cooperative bipartisan efforts with congress, the u.s. sentencing commission and reform advocacy groups, we hope to soon realize systemic change in the length of prison sentences for these low-level drug offenders and to provide better tools for a safe and successful reentry into the community."  






  

Overrepresentation of Native Americans in the Criminal Justice System

the overrepresentation of native americans in the criminal justice system is a nationally underreported story, according to a feb 11 article in nieman reports. the national council on crime and deliquency revealed native americans were admitted to prison at over four times the rate for whites.

a 2014 report by the centers for disease control (cdc) showed police kill native americans at almost the same rate as black folks. researcher christopher josey said, "news media are communicating that native americans are not a vital part of the national conversation on race."

earlier this month, a report by the council of state governments justice center stated native americans make up seven percent of the population in montana. yet, they account for nearly 20% of the state's arrests.

montana's commission on sentencing will reconvene in june and september to analyze successful prison diversion efforts recently undertaken in new mexico and washington. some of their goals include reducing both racial disparities and the overall prison population. 

jim taylor, legal director at the aclu of montana, said the state's department of corrections has more than three decades of documented native american oppression. 

taylor said, "there's really been no interest in drilling down and seeing what's going on. we think there needs to be more study done by the state and more training throughout the system on cultural differences and the effects of historical trauma."

Women's basketball coach fired after sexual orientation discrimination charges from assistant coach and player

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.  

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."  

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."

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.  

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."

   

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.

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

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. 

   

  

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.  

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.





   

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.

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. 

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.