Brian Flores to Get His Day in Court Against NFL

AUnited States Judge in New York has ruled that the NFL–along with three of its teams–will have to answer in open court to the charges of racist hiring practices brought by Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores.

While certain aspects of the case, including Flores’ retaliation claim against the Dolphins, will be handled through private arbitration, U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni ruled that the NFL, the Denver Broncos, New York Giants and Houston Texans will have to address Flores’ claims of systematic discrimination against Black coaches in the league.

"We are pleased that Coach Flores’ class claims of systematic discrimination against the NFL and several teams will proceed in court and ultimately before a jury of his peers," Flores' attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement.

"We are disappointed the court compelled arbitration of any claims before Mr. Goodell as he is obviously biased and unqualified to rule on these matters. We expect him to delegate those matters to a truly neutral arbitrator as a matter of fundamental fairness."

LISA COLLINS Staff

Flores initially filed his lawsuit alleging that the NFL was “rife with racism” in February of 2022 after being fired by the Dolphins, and while being interviewed by several NFL teams, he was unable to secure another head coaching job. The lawsuit alleged that the teams who interviewed him did so in order to satisfy the NFL’s “Rooney Rule”, requiring them to interview at least one minority candidate for head-coaching jobs.

In her written decision, Judge Caproni noted that it was difficult to understand how there was only one Black head coach at the time Flores filed his lawsuit in a league of 32 teams with Black players making up about 70% of the rosters.

D.T. CARSON Staff

L.A. County Launches Program to Protect Homeowners from Title Fraud

Attorney and L.A. native, Alois Phillips was about to sell her home and relocate to a new neighborhood, but her dream abruptly turned into a nightmare after falling victim to real estate title fraud. What has become a growing criminal activity across the U.S., deed fraud occurs when someone obtains the title to your property by changing the ownership from your name to theirs.

Phillips became a captive in her own house fearful that if she left the fraudster could take possession of her home, which was for a time was in his name.

Council President Nury Martinez and the others we heard in that secret recording was an impetus to remove him from office, weaken Black political power, deny voting rights, due process and the presumption of innocence, nullify election results. It speaks to the pernicious effect of racially motivated animosity and a level of injustice that could easily be visited upon any Black leader,” said Walden. “That’s another reason we stand in solidarity with and in support of Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas.”

“Each faith tradition represented places a premium on the values of truth and justice. We will pray that these values prevail, and that Ridley-Thomas receives a fair trial by a jury of his peers that has not been influenced by the pernicious public attempts of his political adversaries to punish him before he has had his day in court,” said retired Rabbi Steven B. Jacobs, civil rights and antiracist leader.