PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EDITION
Volume 123 No. 23
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JANUARY 10, 2015 - JANUARY 16, 2015
CBC Holds 44th Swearing-In Ceremony
Crime in the county for 2014 was overall lower than the year before.
Prince George’s County Ends Year With Drop in Crime By Courtney Jacobs AFRO Staff Writer
Even though a series of murders happened over Prince George’s County’s roll into the new year, crime in the county for 2014 was overall lower than the year before, according to a media spokesperson from the police department. “We finished 2014 with dramatic drops in crime,” Lt. William Alexander told the AFRO in an email Jan. 7. “Overall crime, violent crime, and property crime, are all (individually) down 9 [percent] for the year (2014 vs 2013), which is on top of historic drops in crime since
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County Executive [Rushern] Baker took office in 2010 and appointed Chief Mark Magaw.” Alexander said overall crime was down 33.4 percent since 2010, property crime was down 32.9 percent, and violent crime was down 36.5 percent. He added that the county had 54 homicides in 2014, which was the lowest number of homicides since 1985. “While we are not happy with any level of crime, we are certainly proud of the progress we have made over the last 4 years,” Alexander said. “We are continuing to work to further reduce crime in our community, and fully expect to announce further reductions in 2015.” However, the first homicide of 2015 happened only a few hours into the new year with a reported shooting in the early morning of Jan. 1. Officers were called to the 9600 block of Milestone Way in College Park where they found 22-year-old Stefon Donnell Powell of Addison Road in District Heights in a parking garage suffering from Continued on A3
By James Wright Special to the AFRO
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus pledged Dec. 6 to fight for African Americans to be first-class citizens during a ceremonial swearing-in for current and newly-elected members of the 114th Congress. Forty-six members were eligible to take the ceremonial oath of office for the CBC, which was an all-time high for the organization. President Obama, when he served in the Senate, was a member of the CBC and the organization’s only senator, but now Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, in the only senator in the CBC. Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah) is the only Black Republican, out of the three in Congress, who opted to join the Continued on A5
U.S. Rep. G. K. Butterfield is chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus. Courtesy Photo
Brooke Praised for Life of Public Service By James Wright Special to the AFRO
“Ed Brooke stood on the forefront of the battle for civil rights and economic fairness.”
Courtesy Photo
The late Edward Brooke was the first Black elected U.S. senator and state attorney general.
Political leaders from both major parties and District residents recently reflected on the life of Edward W. Brooke III, the first popularly elected African-American senator representing Massachusetts. He was a native Washingtonian. He died on Jan. 3 of natural causes in Coral – President Obama Gables, Fla. He was 95. As a moderate Republican, Brooke was elected in 1966 as a senator at a time when only a handful of Blacks were in the House of Representatives and fewer Blacks served in elected offices. Brooke also made history in 1962 when he was elected as the Massachusetts attorney general, the first Black to be elected to that position in the nation. President Obama, upon hearing of Brooke’s passing, said in a statement that “Senator Brooke led an extraordinary life of public service” and “Ed Brooke stood on the forefront of the battle for civil rights and economic fairness.” Brooke received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award Congress has to honor civilians, in October 2009. The late senator also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2004 from President George W. Bush. Brooke served in the Senate from 1967-1979 and was an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights, federal raid to the poor, increased foreign support for African and Caribbean countries, and a critic of African countries, such as Rhodesia and South Africa, that were ruled by White supremacists. He was one of the first lawmakers to call for President Richard Nixon to resign in light of the Watergate scandal and, according to his book, “Bridging the Divide: My Life,” he was considered a vice presidential and a U.S. Supreme Court prospect. While Brooke was a passionate Republican, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Continued on A3
Jaydan Stancil, 9, Recovers After Being Shot in Head
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complex. Two men were also shot but their injuries were not life threatening. No arrests have been made at this time. “Initially when he was shot the policemen took him to The recovery of nine-year-old Jaydan Stancil is Prince George’s Hospital,” Nichols said. “But they told remarkable. me there was nothing they could do despite them being a “I feel all right,” he told the AFRO. Jaydan was shot and trauma center.” saved by three policemen with only minutes to live. He was Even though Jaydan’s condition was critical, she recalled released from the hospital on Dec. 30. a moment when the hospital’s clergy took the boy’s hand. “He is truly a miracle,” said his mother, Monique Just as suddenly, Jaydan pulled his hand away. Nichols said Nichols. it was a sign that he was saying “Don’t count me out, I’m The front of his head shows a small indication of where still alive.” he was shot, a slight jut that’s hardly noticeable. From Jaydan endured several surgeries and blood transfusions one side of his face to the other there is a scar that follows due to bullet fragments in his head. He now has a brain Jaydan and his mother the front of his hairline. Also inside the back of his head shunt or a narrow piece of tubing in his head. It will remain remains the stray bullet that almost took his life. there for the rest of his life. Jaydan was recently released from MedStar National Nichols said the bullet, which entered through Jaydan’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Northwest, where he stayed right eye and settled to the back of his head, had made his for two months. Nichols is thankful the youngest of her four children is left side immobile for some time. “Most of his motor skills have returned and alive. Jaydan was also hospitalized at Children’s National Medical Center in his left leg was paralyzed,” she said. Jaydan now wears a brace on that leg. Northwest. In her inaugural address Jan. 2, Mayor Muriel Bowser said, “We’re going to “Throughout this whole process in which Jaydan has progressed, he took it work together so that the violence that has shaken so many of our communities upon himself to do something amazing,” Nichols said. comes to an end. Little Jayden should not be scared to go home, dear Relisha “Amazing” is a word that truly describes Jaydan, should be doing the things that little girls do, and no man or especially when doctors told Nichols he only had 30 to 45 woman should live with violence in their home.” She, along minutes to live. with Councilmember Yvette M. Alexander and the three On Oct. 3, Jaydan was caught in a shooting that policemen who saved Jaydan’s life attended a prayer vigil occurred at the Mayfair Mansion Apartments in the 3700 for the boy in October. block of Hayes Street NE around 9 p.m. He was outside A fundraiser is set up for Jaydan to cover medical – Monique Nichols with his brother playing. His mother was at work. There expenses. To contribute, go to www.gofund.com and search was an exchange of gunfire in the parking lot of the “Pray for Jaydan.” By Linda Poulson Special to the AFRO
“He is truly a miracle.”
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