se
se rican-Amer o t in han Cooper. ican deathld quadruple The allegeddcuffs and ha New row inmate in ci Cooper’s 1som’s decision could d en Flori t wa making ouda Today reports t Hills famil 985 conviction in lead to the overtu t. y th rn A an e u in th k d g il o ling of a ru their 11-y ri Enough Of of has the Your Lovtie”es say t Californiapnotential, some polieatir-old house guest. ral Chino and a s. The case cal watcher s say, to d Both the C ivide aliforn and more an a dozenia and United States past appeath lo su w p er courts hav re ls. e rejectedmCe courts “I take no p ooper’s osition regar nocence at about the h this time,” Newsodming Mr. Cooper’s g uilt or inigh-profile said in his terest. N ca ex se free 2. When you see a photo or ad with the Observer 1. Get for that hby Yothe as downloading rk Tapp drawn inteecutive order Sen. Kamew im es ’ co rn lu al at m Interactive logo scan over the whole photo with your it from Google Play or The Apple App a io n is H n al in t Nic arri have all ca lled for res -tand reality TV starholas Kristof, U.S.tablet or smartphone. forensic Store technology. esting using curr Kim Kardashian SUL ent, more The ACLU gorilla suitPHUR, La. (AP) – P se n si an ti ve groups hav d other hu mattress befbroke into a Louisiaol man rights e also urged ore oCounty a deeper in an fficers arrest n October is Breast Serving NewsKern ves gation California state o d social justice outl46 h et into Cooper fficials to la Gov. Newtiso sp quote Sued o Cancer Awareness Month for Over k es man Mel Es Years unch ’s convictio lphu m’s order F tion issued st o es ffi n in ce . rs saw Jerem Th test four by former Gov. riday expands previo ie Moran wursday costume. Th us direcrry Brown ey lowed analpyieces of crime scenJe h ad in son looking received caalkin D ember lls a into homes to an orange sts to perform DNe evidence. Brownec . Estes says prosecutorstowel; and the hanA re-testing on a t’sanorder al- bo M o p ra ro n ac ran into a hed but w dle and sh dies in the say Cooper T-shirt; as discover eath Ry In th new u charges incl ed investigatseiod in the murders. of a hatchet Joshua Ryen, theen’s home with a total u d of hair frois in g re tr sisting an hoidin y, meth poss victims’ 8-y wound on of 143 stab button Com the victims’ hannd, analysts will look es ea h w si is in ro o g in the San u o son, su throat. He In Louisian n and wearingffia c ffered a slnasds. the al was the old Bernardino tigators plaoper’s attorney No s, blood samples anat strands tack. a, a person in n p ly le h u g County are blic survivor of ations Coo nvicte Angeles Co nted at the scene rman Hile mainta d a green le After Coopers’s per’s attorn not surprise the at- D.A.’s office most. Excecan be sentencedco in g o ja u al f s n il ly ty th in ey b to d . p e v re st S s M ab esti uperior Co ay crime. A re ak thre ar vestigation o an o n ed , e u s ra y in t m ar in ci v o h ak e es al biases an f em freq olidays like al a ho in tigat also urt judge w . ti d discrimth Halloweenlowed for relig uently comg about their ill oversee rethd Los familsay they found eviduse next door to thors found, he il- complaints Cooper, 61 in It at an p ’s la io dM unclear if M e victims. ence in th y’s statio in abou are hand n in the e in, has main years. His g ment. oran has a ardi G tained his For some,nGwagon that tied Coe Ryen’s home and inThey unang prosecutor Miclehd. Just last month,way their cases ort lawy by Gov. Nlawyers hope the re in n o ce d a o ae er o n p th S v. l er ce an ing inGroup sults Newsom’sofo Southern ewso to thCalifornia Volume 46 Number October 16, 2019 over Observer e murders. e on so pressure for makin Selyem, who is W BernardinWednesday, e caseNewspapers hel6 p p o rder to broad is being met rove theirm, which could taokfe the re-testing orderthe of the th cial media. en mu ers Jo client’s inn ed him. His insultgscrude and racist anhdite, resigned shua Ryenwith dismay. The lonDNA test- chelle Obama, U ocence ansedveral months, will porters of rd an e ,S. Rep. M targeted former Firstcomments th su B d e finally exo lack shooti In 1 axine Water nerate they are disappoRyens and Hughesfamily, friends andrvivor n g v on four co9u85, a San Diego Co ic ti s and an uLnady Mi“Unfortunatinted with the gov all across the statesup- Lo Thomas R. Parkmer. named 26 and an nts of murder. At unty jury convicte s er , A el sa n a former d ngeles office y ep cord - incluescaped prison inmthe time of his arre d Cooper nfor justice in this cay,seover time it seemosr’s decision. , u b ty el head of the ieves This guy is o District st, he was e victims’ d FBI’s in Pennsylv ding several burglaate. His lengthy crim innocent,” Cooper. Attorney Jamatters less and leth esire “The evidence “Prior DN ries and the ania – did ss h in e ,” so al to S n an ld re A w n as A B th d er o not help his te er e p n n Cooper, form rape of a m st la so N ar th in n ew n d te e g icl sa d st th aimed ou Y , he was fr and.” case inor erly named in 1958 nea ld exoneratat Mr. Cooper sougidh in a statement. amed, theork Times. What has k per’s guilw Richard G. o e him have t, agreed to cops lied t.” ep By Stacy M. Brown months old, rh Pittsburgh, Pennsy t a odman, was th fe all confirm e case goin deral appel and Yet persuas born ed g la During his e was adopted an lvania. When h te M an NNPA Newswire Correspondent ec co r. dC ution and re urt Cooe w six monies and al ive arguments b childLos d renamed LAKE FOR hoodAngeles iew the ca’ssedecision in 2004 toooper alive - is and he sp12, On Saturday, October , his parCenter ased on co legations o Kevin Coas Gov. Newvso re ent at ST, Cwoman as en isTexas w stay hWORTH, o it recov(AP) a ts n f h n o ab g ev FORT black fl p p alif. (APwas m o er ic le is h id o ju o ering–afAterE y ti . d part of with q en m ex re si veniland n u D Studios in California, conjunction its ca ’s g ce es sc N ll d te ti ie ) – Offic ta y e detin ec A o n st m n ab ti is ig te s p fi io at ad u ab beinofficer st er c en y se n o o in o ev in o rs d ti n le u to g g id o g struck u t sc h ro fatally shot by a white Fort Worth, Texas, inside , n se co th en im k al en ad ce a mentalBlack d ee e lo m ce ce to n m p in w es . C anniversary, the nonprofit Hollywood Education te ra et li n al S rs an b ea v ai is h o if y a polic in . o in u l rl o o In d C g th th y rn at g h s o in ea er er ta 1 an in ia o 9 n ck lt p d G se 8 ro th er h C 2 , stories overn veral . Thre , Co e te oher Lagunpolice home uearly after were called aliforntoia.the and nd oSaturday cility initsPen Cal(BHERC) and Resource Center inaugural ifornia. willfapresent f a B f ea th ch e nsylvania obper escaped from three attackerin sworn testimony,e weapons were usedinvesti- have high expectatioor whose supporterrm th P p olice Office rofor e Oranauthorities gress a iv welfare ge Countysaid. s onresidence e socheck, Faith-based InspirationalDFilm s who were efore movin n Jo r Thomas uringFestival. the The politishooting his at Registetold meone’after White. Heshua Ryen said hein the solve “DNA testing shs.o cal Left occurred g to could have been H muLos a neighbor rd r he inthe s ed p.m. er p The 11 a.m. togu11 Angeles Center et that Cevent tr sa w la u it ia ld th w h is te l, en p r e o p im F an te o R ro eb th F p st ic m y se u . e er en ifi . ed rt 1 Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he called the police noncu ca ed k 9. her compli iately take Ryen illed husbthe t darted inially th case and fi that they Chiang sa Studios in California will “Emanuel,” story oftors successfull , thfeature ei an an ca r n p 1 ti d n al 0 la id n am -y an ly ce g y d ear-oAfrican dw McGthe front door to the home front th ed Diana R line to report that ensure juemergency uring the ca to ar neigmurder ld daughAmericans that DNA a white supremacists’ nine hbor Chof sticopen. oper camee prosecutions’ claim mpaign. “N ter Jessica ifane Doug and Peggy- belonging to e is servedre- the animaluire says when he g ri ev st id o was p en h fo er s, ce rw ,” b ot out to ch a ot nly is it Hughofes“Amazing can at bible study. There will also be a screening was bigger ut testing in . lice fou d an 11-year-old inal. She turnher former boyfrien ard with bloody cl womthan provcamera Anreleased this case whoelp law enforcemoen In body video by police, two officers im a en h al nd the blo d o Grace,” the documentary of the late Queen of Soul,PoAretha ed th C use cat. ec w o th in E h n o d t g e u v trolflashlights estroyed it. solvthe was a violen ld come at en though evidence ov to an officers ruobefore e crim odied search home from the outside with an im es is n N , t al er Franklin. A question and answer session with several o sh cr b ew h co o to im ed the ble o ld som st toshouts, spitalme the police, , trauhands the stat“Put African Am , whyour ma. up, show one ere ithands.’’ e.” your but they issue thathe is treading carefu’sll decision in th prominent local pastors will follow each screening. w ericans, His as e diagnose C C o y o perisca Dr. Kriastwindow. shot then through panics and se fired watching. alifornia voters acro on a potentiOne “This is also our 25th year for our main film festival i Krause, a ally Police other mino sh p H e o ss e ex la v th is ri p said in a statement that the woman was et ec zi e k er n p ri ts the 11-p eeping his inarian, tell g bac ties liv- Co which provides a forum for emerging African American l spec ouTarrant focus on ofaliticapronounced ntinued o nd (5-kilCounty intoscene. at kthe the wilThe e filmmakers,” stated Sandra Evers-Manly, who founded ogram) castth irness andtrum ardead n page A d af te r 2 M to it ju Medical Examiner’s Office her as 28-year-old cGidentified re stice g u ai ir n BHERC. e that if he se visited the bob s strength. Atatiana Jefferson. es ca “It is critical for black filmmakers to share their t on Friday it again, he’ . The officer does not identify himself asllpolice the issue aintick talent,” Evers-Manly states. “We must create avenues that video. Police said the officer, who’s been on the force sinceet for j allow people to express themselves through the arts. In my April 2018, was placed on administrative leave pending opinion, film is one of the most powerful mediums of art the outcome of an investigation. there is. The goal is to make sure that black artists are in In the statement, police said the responding officers an industry that is welcoming; an inclusive industry where saw a person near the window inside the home. The they don’t have to fight to tell their stories. We have seen officer fired the single shot after “perceiving a threat,’’ the some breakthrough but still have a long way go.” statement said. The bodycam video also included images The 25th annual African American Film Marketplace of a gun inside the residence, but it’s unclear if the firearm and S.E. Manly Short Film Showcase festival will open was found near the woman. with the Los Angeles Premiere of Five films funded by Authorities said the bodycam footage was released Films With a Purpose (FWAP) a BHERC initiative. The soon after the shooting to provide transparency, but any Festival will take place Wednesday October 23 – Sunday, video taken inside the house could not be distributed due October 27, 2019 held at Cinemark 18 Theatres at The to state law. Promenade @ Howard Hughes LA Complex in Los The incident comes less than two weeks after a Angeles, California and The Nate Holden Performing white former Dallas police officer was sentenced to 10 Arts Center in Los Angeles. The Festival will present a years in prison for killing her black neighbor inside his combination of over 90 documentaries and short films, over 50 filmmakers and concludes with a Q&A after each Past Youth Diversity Filmmakers with talented actress Wendy Raquel Robinson, festival directors and own apartment. Amber Guyger said during her trial that mistook Botham Jean’s apartment for her own, which was film block. The community-at-large is invited to celebrate teachers (Courtesy Photo) one floor below Jean’s. the artistry of this year’s filmmakers whose projects cover Guyger, 31, was convicted of murder for Jean’s diverse topics, stories, techniques and broad themes multi- Young the 2019 class of honorees are: primetime sitcom and receive a major studio deal; • Ivan Dixon Award of Achievement: Charles Floyd • Lifetime Achievement Award: Oz Scott, Director\ September 2018 death. layered with humor, drama, and reality. Johnson, Executive Producer CBS Television Series, The Opening Night Reception and Award Gala are set Producer and Executive Producer “Black Lightning”; “NCIS,” three-time Emmy award winner and first • Paul Robeson Legacy Award: Harry E. Johnson, Sr., to be held at the Nate Holden Performing Arts Center in African-American to produce a Primetime Drama Los Angeles to honor the behind-the-scenes professionals President and CEO, The Memorial Foundation Series; who have made laudable contributions to Black Hollywood (Builders of the King Memorial) and the community on Friday, October 25. Hosted by • President’s Award: Neema Barnette, Writer\Director\ Producer, First African American Woman to direct a Continued on page A6 award-winning and veteran Actor/Director William Allen
Welcome to Observer Interactive
Man in Go Breaks in r Hides UndH e
Deeper Content. Pictures Move. Ads Talk. Live Shopping.
FREE!
News Observer Bakersfield
Black Films with a Purpose ‘
’
BobWoman cat Recov Officer Kills e A f t e r Being Hi Inside Her Home PoliceCall Car After Welfare
Jury Deadlocks in Police Chief’s The Truth, The Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth Hate-Crime Trial
Judge Tammy Kemp One on One
Judge Tammy Kemp (Photo Caption: Cheryl Smith / I Messenger Media L.L.C.)
By Cheryl Smith Publisher of Texas Metro News/I Messenger Media L.L.C. I Messenger Media (Texas Metro News/Garland Journal/I Messenger) sat down recently with Judge Tammy Kemp to discuss criticism she has received as a result of her actions following the conclusion of the Amber Guyger murder trial last week. On October 1, 2019, Ms. Guyger, a former Dallas police officer, was convicted by a Dallas County jury of murder for fatally shooting 26-year-old Botham Shem Jean, in his apartment at the Southside Flats on September 6, 2018. Ms. Guyger claimed self-defense as she said she thought she was in her apartment and that Mr. Jean was an intruder. Mr. Jean’s apartment, #1478, was located on the fourth floor and Guyger’s apartment, #1378, was located directly beneath his on the third floor. The jury found her guilty of murder and sentenced Ms. Guyger to serve 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. After Judge Kemp read the jury’s punishment verdict, she thanked the jury for their service, released them from the court’s previous restrictions regarding reading or watching coverage or engaging in/ consuming social media content about the trial and offered contact information for counseling services should they find themselves in need of assistance following the trial. The jury exited the courtroom, the trial was over and the court was officially off the record. However, as is customary in any case where there is a victim of a crime, the victim’s family has a right to make a victim impact statement to the defendant before he/she is transported from the courtroom. In this case, Brandt Jean, the 18-year-old brother of Botham Jean, took the witness stand to address Amber Guyger directly and delivered an undoubtedly unexpected, yet powerful message of forgiveness and love to the woman who took his brother’s life. Then in a stunning turn of events, the victim’s brother asked Judge Kemp if he could “give her a hug.” He pleaded with Judge Kemp, “Please.” There was a brief pause of silence before Judge Kemp responded, “Yes.” Mr. Brandt descended from the witness stand and approached Ms.
Guyger, who ran to him and they embraced and whispered to each other for a couple of minutes before releasing from the embrace and returning to their respective seats. Next Judge Kemp walked over to the Jean Family and after a short conversation, there were embraces. The next exchange was between Judge Kemp and Ms. Guyger and also ended in an unexpected hug; one that not only sent shock waves across the nation but has drawn fire from the African American community in particular as well as a formal complaint filed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. I Messenger reached out to Judge Kemp to provide the facts and set the record straight on several issues that were raised during and after the trial. I Messenger: Explain the difference between a jury trial and a trial before the court. Judge Kemp: In the State of Texas, a jury trial is when the accused has his or her case argued before a jury of 12 citizens. Jurors are selected by prosecutors (the State) and defense attorneys prior to the trial during the jury selection process. In a jury trial, the defendant has two decisions to make — who will decide guilt/innocence, the judge or a jury, and if convicted, who will decide punishment, again the judge or a jury. In contrast, a trial before the court or TBC, is when a defendant has his or her case presented to the judge of a specific court and the judge decides both guilt/innocence and any associated punishment for that individual. Both the State and the defense have to agree to a trial before the Court. Just to be clear, the State vs. Amber Guyger was a jury trial in which the defendant, Ms. Guyger, decided to have both guilt/innocence and punishment decided by a jury. I Messenger: One source of contention was your ruling to allow the jury to consider the Castle Doctrine Continued on page A7
California to End Private Prisons By DON THOMPSON and AMY TAXIN Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ California will ban the use of for-profit, private detention facilities, including those under contract to the federal government to hold immigrants awaiting deportation hearings, under a bill that Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday that he had signed. The Democratic governor said the measure helps fulfill a promise he made to end private prison use, which he said contributes to over-incarceration and does “not reflect our values.’’ The state’s prison system was already phasing them out, despite having to comply with an inmate population cap imposed by federal judges. Immigrant advocates have praised the bill authored by Democratic Assemblyman Rob Bonta, which they said would put an end to almost all immigration detention in California in the next year. However, one private prison company said it expects most if not all of the law would fail a legal challenge, particularly requiring the federal government to end its contracts. “States cannot lawfully pass legislation mandating the closure of federal facilities that displease them on the basis of ideological differences,’’ The Geo Group of Adelanto, Continued on page A6
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) _ A federal jury has deadlocked in the trial of a white former police chief charged with a hate crime against a handcuffed black suspect. A judge declared a mistrial Friday after jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on hate crime assault and deprivation of civil rights charges. On Wednesday, they had convicted Frank Nucera of lying to the FBI. Authorities alleged the former Bordentown Township police chief smashed the 18-year-old’s head into a doorjamb while he was being escorted by two officers from a hotel in 2016. They said the assault was driven by racial hatred. Nucera’s attorney argued that some officers wanted to get rid of Nucera because of his tough disciplinary policies. The U.S. attorney’s office said Friday it would retry Nucera on the two deadlocked counts.
Killer of Black Man in Parking Dispute Gets 20 Years A white Florida man who told detectives he was irritated by people who illegally park in handicapped spots was sentenced on Thursday to 20 years in prison for the fatal shooting of an unarmed black man outside a convenience store. Circuit Judge Joseph Bulone called 49-year-old Michael Drejka a “wanna-be’’ law enforcement officer and a self-appointed “handicapped parking space monitor.’’ Jurors found Drejka guilty of manslaughter in August. Drejka showed no emotion when the judge sentenced him. Drejka confronted Markeis McGlockton’s girlfriend Britany Jacobs in July 2018 for parking in a handicapped space at a Clearwater convenience store. McGlockton had gone inside the store with his 5-year-old son to buy drinks. As the confrontation continued, a customer went into the store and alerted McGlockton. Security video shows McGlockton leaving the store and shoving Drejka to the ground. Seconds later, Drejka pulls out a handgun and shoots the 28-year-old McGlockton as he backs away. Initially, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said he wouldn’t arrest Drejka, saying the shooting was not a crime under the state’s ‘stand your ground’ law, which allows someone to use deadly force if they believe it necessary to prevent death or great bodily harm.\ A security video from the store, however, shows McGlockton appearing to step back and turn away as Drejka fires the shot, which strikes McGlockton in the side. McGlockton’s family hired a lawyer and held a news conference demanding justice, while U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson asked the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. Authorities later decided to charge Drejka. The judge said he found it most ironic that Drejka drove up, illegally parked next to Jacobs’ car and then confronted her about parking illegally in a handicapped space. “He just seems to come out of nowhere, kind of like a superhero, to see that he enforces the handicapped parking spot,’’ Bulone said. Jacobs, along with McGlockton’s parents, spoke before the sentencing. “There are no words to fully describe what his loss has done to our family,’’ said Jacobs, who had four children with McGlockton. “Our youngest two children will never have memories of their daddy.’’ Defense attorney Theresa Jean-Pierre Coy read a letter from Drejka’s wife in which she defended her husband, saying he was not a bad person. She also wrote that she and other family and friends had received threats and decided to stay away from the courtroom.