american black

Is Baltimore’s Central Booking our Abu Ghraib?

Over the past two years approximately 1.2 prisoners have died every month at Baltimore’s Central Booking, the city’s intake jail.

Prisoners have been denied medical care.

Cells designed for seven to eight prisoners are holding 17 to 18.

Conditions are so overcrowded that those jailed have been forced to lie in vomit.

The Baltimore City Police Department’s policy of “zero tolerance” has compounded the problems with neighborhood sweeps and indiscriminate arrests. There is now a police quota of arrests per officer and per district, which encourages harassment and arrest.

Some 100,000 people have been arrested out of a population of approximately 650,000. Thirty-three percent of those arrested have never been charged with a crime.

2 corrupt cops were arrested last month for using their police powers to detain drug dealers. They would take drugs and cash then let the dealers go without filing any charges.

Crack Cocaine: What's In It For You

Douglas A. Berman found this potent editorial entitled "Bring Fairness to Drug Sentencing" that is focused on the sentencing disparity between crack and powder cocaine offenses. Here's an interesting paragraph:

Congress spawned a national trend toward discriminatory sentencing when it drew a false distinction between powdered cocaine and crack cocaine for law enforcement purposes during the 1980’s. Crack is simply powdered cocaine cooked in baking soda. The theory at the time - that it was more addictive and generated more violence than powder - was later proved false. By then, however, Congress had made crack the only drug that mandates a sentence for a first offense and fixed high sentences for people caught with relatively small quantities.

Let's continue with Luke's comments posted at The War Report:

The “distinction", is that crack is more addictive and causes more violent behavior. This, of course, has no scientific basis and was disproved over and over again. But for the drug prohibition advocates, this type of hyperbole or lying is simply par for the course. Can we really expect a modicum of candor from people who liken recreational marijuana use to Russian Roulette? 

What this crack/coke distinction breeds is the disproportionate incarceration of blacks. The argument that the drugs are “tomato/toe-mah-toe” in that while each ethnic group has his own drug, that in no way suggests one drug is more heavily enforced. But that’s exactly what happens. While coke might have a more profitable trade, it doesn’t exist with the same prevalence at the street level and is not as easily purchased given its high price tag. This naturally translates into street cops coming into contact with crack with significantly higher frequency. This is almost identical to the government making both FUBU and Versace clothing illgeal (irrational in its own right), then arguing on top that FUBU wearers deserve higher punishment because those who wear the clothing are more prone to violence. And white people are baffled at black suspicion of the government?

Nancy Grace, Lisa Wayne and the reasons people climb cranes.

Former crooked prosecutor Nancy Grace complained that she lost respect for her guest  Defense Attorney Lisa Wayne,for saying that the murder suspect on the crane actions "may lean toward his innocence."

Here's why Lisa Wayne is right and Nancy Grace is  just a blowhard.

Carl Edward Roland, 41, whom Florida authorities are seeking in the death of Jennifer Gonzalez, is Black. If he is innocent, the idea of going to Atlanta and drawing attention to his case by climbing an 18-story crane at a construction site, was brilliant. Black folks run Atlanta. They won't let the city destroy some Black guy just because the victim was Hispanic. If he was arrested in Pinellas County, Fl. where the victim was found, the case would be considered solved. Now everyone is paying attention. And everyone now wants to know what he has to say.

Now even I will admit that the Brother looks guilty but it was nice having a smart Sister giving another view.

Firefighter to stand trial on hate crime charge

The guy pictured on your right, Mark Weber, was ordered to stand trial Thursday on a hate crime charge accusing him of using a handgun to threaten a Black man from Milwaukee during an encounter in April.

Mark J. Weber was ordered to stand trial after a preliminary hearing in which the Milwaukee man broke down in tears while recounting the incident April 19 in the Town of Merton.

Mark Bratton told Waukesha County Court Commissioner Thomas Pieper that he feared for his life when Weber pointed a handgun in his direction after encountering Bratton, who was fishing at a roadside pond on Highway E, south of Monches. Bratton said he did nothing to provoke the incident and was merely fishing with his family.

The defense?

Weber's attorney, Franklyn M. Gimbel, said he intends to challenge the constitutionality of the state's hate crime law now that the case has advanced to trial court.

Canada court delays hearing on ex-Black Panther's extradition to Chicago

A former Blank Panther who was apprehended in Toronto last year for allegedly shooting a Chicago police officer 36 years ago had his extradition hearing delayed Wednesday because his defense attorneys said he has a hearing problem, authorities said.

Joseph C. Pannell, 55 at the time of his arrest last July, is wanted in Cook County on charges of attempted murder and aggravated battery for the 1969 shooting of Officer Terrence Knox and for jumping bail, officials said.

Pannell, who has lived in Canada under the alias of Gary Douglas Freeman for more than 20 years, suffers from tinnitus, a condition that causes ringing in the ears. Pannell also had surgery on his ears, which hinders his hearing too.

The judge ordered Pannell to have tests done Thursday and have an informed representative from the Toronto jail report back to the court the following day.

While in Canada, Pannell married, started a family and had been working as a reference librarian for 13 years.

“Obese-sized black lesbian” sues Apple

Everybody loves Apple. It has gotten to the point where one of my favorite bloggers has turned his site into another Apple worship blog. One of the advantages of being a contrarian is that when you end up being right you look like a genius. I have spent a lot of time complaining to music industry friends about Apple. What they are doing is not good for the music industry. Jobs is an egomaniac. And he doesn't like bloggers. Oh, and he hates lesbians...

Shaune Patterson worked as a human resources compensation consultant for Apple and alleges she was suspended for one month and then wrongfully fired, after she complained that her white counterparts, who were junior to her, were making higher salaries than she was.

Patterson alleges that the suspension came one day after she complained of racial discrimination.

Earlier this month, she also amended her original complaint to include claims of sexual orientation and genetic characteristic discrimination. Prior to her one-month suspension, Patterson alleges that one of Apple's managers wrote a memo describing her as a "rather obese-sized black lesbian".

Now I'm sure most Apple worshippers will laugh this off but I think they should take this lawsuit seriously. Why? Because Patterson's San Francisco-based lawyer, Waukeen McCoy was the lead plaintiffs' attorney in one of the largest US racial discrimination suits, Carroll v. Interstate Brands, which ended with a $133 million verdict.

Clash Of The Titans Delayed

The Supreme Court avoided a dispute over whether international law is binding on American courts.

In an unsigned decision, justices dismissed as premature the case of Jose Medellin, who argued he was entitled to a federal court hearing on whether his rights were violated when a Texas court tried and sentenced him to death in 1994 on rape and murder charges without consular access.

The court cited a last-minute maneuver by President Bush ordering state courts to revisit the issue, making Supreme Court intervention unnecessary at this time. It reserved the right to hear the appeal again once the case had run its full course in state court.

AB Celebrity Noise (Beyonce's Dad, Bobby Brown and P.Diddy edition)

Two members of singer Bobby Brown's entourage were hospitalized with knife wounds after an incident at a restaurant early Monday morning.

The stabbing happened around 1:30 a.m. at Justin's Restaurant and Bar in Atlanta's Buckhead neighborhood, Atlanta police detective D.L. Dixon said.

Justin's Restaurant and Bar is owned by rapper and producer Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.

Sanctuary Group’s Chief Executive Officer Merck Mercuriadis, but not Mathew Knowles himself,  released a statement denying any trouble at the label.

      “Contrary to recent reports, Beyonce has not made a change in management. Her father Mathew Knowles continues to be her manager and he continues to be employed and have our support as the President of Sanctuary Urban.”

Bad Boy prez, Sean Combs just closed on a $5 million deal to purchase Simmons’ recently-vacated downtown New York penthouse at 114 Liberty. His clothing company also is facing a sexual harassment lawsuit.
 

 

 

The La-Van Hawkins Story (or How To Go From Nothing To Nothing And Be A Millionaire Inbetween)

Once considered one of the nation's most influential African-American businessmen,  La-Van Hawkins had a food and beverage empire that was listed as the 12th-largest black-owned company in America with sales of $246 million in 2002.  Hawkins is now facing a maximum sentence of 125 years in prison and fines totaling $1.75 million.

His former lawyer Norman Yatooma, accompanied by three Detroit police officers and a half-dozen movers, Yatooma had a locksmith use a power drill to gain entry into the apartment on Detroit's riverfront.

Among the confiscated items were custom-tailored suits and dozens of exotic animal-skinned shoes. Other things removed from the ninth-floor condo included a vintage jukebox, a black leather living room set, several porcelain jazz figurines and a computer, along with cash and jewelry.

Everything removed from the condo is to be sold at auction within 10 days.

Read how Hawkins went from Gangmember to Millionaire to nothing.

Creditors seeking $1 million+ from Hawkins

Hawkin's Assets Seized at Home

La-Van Hawkins is having a bad week...

Racially Motivated?

Reefer Madness

To the surprise of most of my friends, I don't do any drugs. I had a bad experience with acid back when I was 17 which has completely kept me away from any drugs  for the last 20 years.
That being said I think drugs should be legalized. The  government has no business in people's personal lives. Everybody I know does a little weed and  a lot of those folks are pretty smart.  Now,thanks to this recent bust the prices of the good stuff will be going up.
(please note that Homeland Security was involved in this arrest. Shouldn't they be going after Gays or something?)

Eight individuals alleged to be part of a large-scale marijuana trafficking ring, with ties to a Jamaican criminal organization,  were busted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers.