VALLEY'S 8.22.19 4C

e

n han ooper. an-American q ruple death rowuad The allegeddcuffs and ha New inmate incident wa Cooper’s 1som’s decision could F lo ri making ouda Today reports t Hills famil 985 conviction in lead to the overtu t. y th rning of and their 1 e killing of Enough Of Authorities say t has the 1-y a ru Your Love” Californiapnotential, some polieatir-old house guest. ral Chino and a s.

Th cal watcher s say, to de case Both the C ivide aliforn and more an a dozenia and United States past appeath lower court su p re ls. s have reject me courts “I take no p ed Cooper’s osition regar nocence at about the h this time,” Newsodming Mr. Cooper’s g uilt igh-profile said in his terest. N ca executive oor inse free 2. When you see a photo or ad with the Observer 1. Get for downloading that hby Yothe as rk Tapp d rder ra Sen. Kamew im w n inte es’Play colum rn al at Interactive logo scan over the whole photo with your it from Google or The Apple App a io n is H n al t ar N in ri ic have all ca lled for res -tand reality TV starholas Kristof, U.S.tablet or smartphone. forensic Store es K ting using im technology.

SUL current, m Kardashian The ACLU gorilla suitPHUR, La. (AP) – P o re sensitive and other h groups hav mattress befbroke into a Louisiaol o n a deeper in e also urged Califuoman rights and soci News ouretl officers arrested ha ves gation rnia state o al et into Cooper fficials to lajustice s Gov. Newtiso sp quote Sulp okesm M unch ’s con m’s hu tion issu el Estes in officers saan Thursday by formerorder Friday expandviction. w Je test four ed re m s G ie p co o M re v. st v o p u io Je ra me. ey h n walkin lowed an ieces of crime scen rry Brown in D us direcad received son lookinTh ember to calls a g into hom an orangealysts to perform DNe evidence. Brownec es.

Estes says prosecutorstowel; and the hanA re-testing on a t’sanorder al- bo M ora proached b dle and sh dies in the say Cooper T-shirt; ut was disncoran into a eath Ry In th new u charges incl vered investigatseiod in the murders. of a hatchet Joshua Ryen, theen’s home with a total u d of hair frois try, meth p ing resisting an hidin v n w o ic m , f o ti an 1 u th m 4 n al 3 e s’ d y v st o st o 8 offic ictims’ han ss sion an ab n his throat -y r-old so button Co ds, blood ssawill look at strands tack. d In Louisiaes oper’s atto . He was ea n, sufferedwounds. ing in the San Bern tigators pla na, a persowearing a m the only su mples and rney Norm th ar a e d in sl in al as p le o h u g C b n at n li o te a io s Cooper rvivor of th unty are n c an Hile m After Coop d at the sc green nvicte Angeles most. Excecan be sentencedco ain ins in e at- D.A.’s officen t surprised en to thre . Many of’s attorneys are moak ptions are al ves- legally stayed in eras’s jail break, inves about vestigatioCnounty Superior Coeuof the crime. A ta ra ci h al o in li ti th b lo re al days like H gators foun house next g out th iases and d em . so y they wed for li tire rt judge wil ei d, e il- complaints iscriminatio frequently compab d fo g l oversee thd Los familsa Coo er, 61 It’s unclearalloween and Marre lain aboutr y’s station uwnd evidence in thoeor to the victims. hTh are handle n e in, has main in years. Hispla di G th if g e an w M m d R g ay . o ag en y ta ey Ju p ra en o th ro t. in n st n ’s w ei se ed h la th h r y cu For some, G as a lawy o e and in st ers hope th at tied Coo ca

by Gov. N e results ohfis innocence over th ov. Newsom per to themm the under pressuretor Michael Selyem,month, a San Bernarses or ewsom, w the case Newspapers the re-testin for making w d help41 ’s e oinf g in Group u Volume 34 Number Observer of Southern California Thursday, August 22, 2019 in h o h rd o o o rd ic n er pro is h is er s. so W b co

to ci ei v u h e al m ng met wit b aden D g ordered cr ld ke sev ite, their client’ the murder him. h ismay. ro er A test- chelle Obamedia. His insults taurgde and racist and co resigned s innocenta The lone N ce and final months, will porters of the sRJoshua Ryen anddfa mments et a, ed U ,S fo su B . rm R la In 1985, a rv ep. Maxine ck shooting ally exoner er First Lad ivor yens and H mily, friend they are dis San Diego at W v on four cou s u e ic at g ap an ti h er m es pointed wit d s and an un y Mi“Unfortun h the goverall across the statesup- Los AThomas R. Parker., named 26 and an nts of murder. ACt ounty jury convicte at el sa n a n o y, fo y fo g r’ eles office, rmer deputy cord - incluescaped prison inmthe time of his arre d Cooper n r justice in this caseover time it seems s decision. b el h ie ea Th v es ooper. d of the FB is guy is in o District st, he was e victims’ d in Pennsylv ding several burglaate. His lengthy crim I’s Attorney Jamatters less and leth nocent,” C esire “The evidence “Prior DN ries and the ania – did ss,” San Ber he told the in so al n re A w n as A d o n te er p n o n Cooper, form rape of a m st la so N t help his ca ar th in n ew n d te e g icl sa d st th ai Y , id an o at m h rk d.” e was fram in ed ould ex Mr. Cooper inor se. erly named in 1958 ed, the copTimes.

What has k onerate him sought, agarestatement. per’s guilw s lied t.” months onldear Pittsburgh, PenRichard Goodman, ep h ed av t a to th e fe al e d an er l ca d confirmed al appellate se going nsylvania. was born Yet persuas During his , he was adopted an M an W ec co r. d u h u C iv ti en C rt ooon and re ie e argumen ’s o he was six monies and LAKE FOR and he spenchildhood, his par d renamed Kevin ts ased on w the casedecision in 2004 tooper alive - is Gov. Newvso ESTlawmaker ents physica is (AP) w stay his exCooper. reasonable qualeslegations of evidenbce t a good p co INDIANAPOLIS who it , Calif. (AP recov–erAn h n fl m ic juvenile det o ti m re n instory D ’s g sc gIndiana ar

N ll d te ti ie ) – Offici afteabout t ta y ec A o n st o m n ab ti is if g te r beinga st s p fi io at ad u ab st er y postedc nooses under a Facebook black man o evidence n ro ad a mental h ention centers. In olescence living sed him at ors used to nail Co out the methods ing, keep raising Californ ing comes early n to allow an ru ck racin Scriticism . rape is drawing by a polic outhern C other roguilty in ea ta 1 an in ia pleading to for using o 9 ck lt p d G se 8 th er h 2 , st o v . u , e L fa al er an v o Th n C er ag ifornia. ries cility in Pen te of th al d of California. d o n re u e progress ist imagery. nsylvania obper escaped from three attackerin sworn testimony,e weapons were usedinvesti- have high expectatioor whose supporterrm the Orangnea Beach Police Offi ive stateso s on the pRepublican s who were cer Thomas efore movin ns.

Joshua Ryen During his C in o th “D u n co Rep. Jim Lucas, from e ty N u o A ld R li m tical Left egisteSeymour, White. He testing sho have been H eone’s pet w g to murder tria said he saw solve th gued that C runder h e la u posted a picture of a gallows with two nooses ld h is te l, en p r e o p im F an testified that Ry eb. 19. the cat darteinitaially th Further com ic m Ryen, their oper killed husban rosecutors succes they Chiang said den case and finally ediately taWISH-TV d in front plicating .th Dozier’s case. ke place tostory about Marquise an sf 1 d n 0 u am -y an ll y ea d M ed en u ar rw ri e cGpunish neighbor C D sure justice Lucas says o ng the cam re-he wanted rosecutions’ uire sathe that DNA to man and believes y s hristopherld daughter Jessica ifane Doug and Peggy belonging toiana Roper came foprw w th p is h ev ai e cl en se g an id ai n. “Not onin capital punishment. rv he goin imalfaces her former Hughes. Po d was up to 72 years t oprisDozier ut to chec d with bloo ms, a wom- but testing in thence can help law en ly is it proed,” boyfriend ar lice foundan 11-year-old inal. She turned Animal Cobigger than a house dy clothing is case wou forcemenon. ven w th the bloodie E h n o d t cat. e v tr es so w ld en ev o to tr as lv l idence over co oyed it. o th an e a violent cr ffi m cr o ce u an e im d g rs at im h es rush no cost to Lucas Newsom’s says, he’strau previouslyal posted image under hospitalthe to the poli im- is bold, he is tr ed the ble th African Am , d w ec e m h st is ce a. ea er at io , but they issue that ding carefu e.” white offenders. Lucas says heeisn’t n in thstories it wracist ericans, His as diagnose e Coopinvolving Dr. Kriis. er cabelieve panics and doesn’t se shthe photo watching. California voters acllroy on a potentiand sti Krause, al other mino ly p H e o ss a veter Caucus e is keepin larichair pects thBlack zing of the ex e politi l sp The rities liv- C arian, tells e 11-pLegislative g his focuth back Indiana ectruthe ound (5-kin ontinued th

By Lauren Victoria Burke into the w s on fairncaesblasted m ar photo. e ilogram) ca on page A il d s after it regaitells anDemocratic d justice state M t to 2 NNPA Newswire Contributor Rep. Shackleford The cGuRobin ir n e s st v is re ited the boto be conn th. that if imagery On August 19, New York City Police Commissioner Indianapolis Star noose “In this case, the unintended consequence of Mr. he sees itisagwell-known bcat on Fgri aiAmericans n, he’ll issu nected to the lynchings of African and the James O’Neill announced the firing of Officer Daniel Garner’s death must have a consequence of its own,” e a ticket fodray. “normalization of racism’’ must end.

Pantaleo. Pantaleo. Pantaleo choked Eric Garner, 43, to O’Neill stated. “There are absolutely no victors here today,” ja death on a sidewalk in Staten Island New York on July he added.

17, 2014, after Pantaleo stopped Garner for selling loose “After five long years, justice finally breathes. But cigarettes. firing this guy is just the beginning,” wrote Professor Ibram The video of Garner begging for his life and repeating Kendi of American University moments after the news was the words “I can’t breathe” eleven times, catapulted the case released. into the national spotlight and made it an often-mentioned The head of the Police union in New York had another example of police brutality. view.

Pantaleo was later assigned to desk duty and had his “He will lose his police department,” said Patrick salary raised. Five months after the Garner killing, a Staten Lynch, president of the city’s Patrolmen’s Benevolent Island grand jury declined to indict Pantaleo. Then-District Association.

By BILL BARROW Attorney Dan Donovan made the decision and was later Eric Garner’s death on video at the hands of Pantaleo Associated Press elected to Congress. occurred less than a month before the shooting death of COLLEGE PARK, Ga. (AP) _ Bernie Sanders and In his August 19 announcement, NYPD unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo. by Elizabeth Warren framed their Democratic presidential Commissioner James O’Neill said he expects rank and police Officer Darren Wilson. bids in personal, faith-based terms Saturday before black file officers to be upset with him for firing Pantaleo. “If I Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent journalist millennial Christians who could help determine which The video of Garner begging for his life and repeat- was still a cop, I would probably be mad at me.” Police in and writer for NNPA as well as a political analyst and candidate becomes the leading progressive alternative to ing the words “I can’t breathe” eleven times, cata- New York have long been accustomed to winning political strategist as Principal of Win Digital Media LLC. She may former Vice President Joe Biden. pulted the case into the national spotlight and made battles in public and rarely does the Commissioner admit be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at Sanders, the Vermont senator whose struggles with it an often-mentioned example of police brutality. mistakes by individual officers. @LVBurke black voters helped cost him the 2016 nomination, told (Photo: Eric Garner.) the Young Leaders Conference assembly that his family history has shaped his approach to President Donald Trump’s divisiveness and the rise in white nationalism in the United States.

“I’m Jewish. My family came from Poland. My father’s whole family was wiped out by Hitler and his white nationalism,’’ Sanders said at the forum led by the Black Church PAC, a political action committee formed by prominent black pastors. “We will go to war against white nationalism and racism in every aspect of our lives.’’

Warren, a Massachusetts senator and United Methodist, quoted her favorite Biblical passage, which features Jesus instructing his followers to provide for others, including the “least of these my brethren.’’

“That’s about two things,’’ Warren said. “Every single one of us has the Lord within us. .... Secondly, the Lord does not call on us to sit back. The Lord does not just call on us to have a good heart. The Lord calls on us to act.’’

Sanders and Warren are looking for ways to narrow

By Jeffrey L. Boney as to why he was stopped, five seconds later, the officer Police Department. the gap with Biden, who remains atop primary polls partNNPA Newswire Contributor who told him he was free to go, comes up behind him and “We are here to make this plea and this demand, that ly because of his standing with older black voters. Polls Police brutality…Will it ever end? commands him to “put your hands behind your back.” this pattern of abuse by the Baytown Police Department All eyes across the nation have been on the city of Confused and afraid for his life, Crawford asks why he on minorities must cease immediately,” said Crump. suggest that younger black voters, however, are far more Baytown, Texas, ever since an unarmed Black woman, is being asked to put his hands behind his back and why he “Baytown, you cannot continue to attack American citizens divided in their support among the many Democratic 44-year-old Pamela Turner, was shot to death on video is being handcuffed, repeatedly asking the officer, “What just because of the color of their skin.” candidates.

by Baytown Police Officer Juan Delacruz back on May did I do?”

According to a released statement by the Baytown Both senators connected their biblical interpreta13, outside of her apartment complex on Garth Rd. in The officer, seemingly hostile, sternly notifies Crawford Police Department, they state that, “at one point the officer tions to their calls for major changes in how government Baytown. not to resist and emphatically makes a threatening searching the vehicle locates several small pieces of plastic approaches everything from economic regulation and Since the incident, no charges have been filed against statement saying, “I will drop you!” bag, each of which contained several pills. Recognizing this taxation to criminal justice and health care. the officer, although the killing was squarely caught on According to a statement released by the Baytown to be consistent with narcotics packaged for sale, officers “This is a righteous fight,’’ Warren said, who noted video. Nothing has been done about the police killing Police Department, officials described the encounter as attempted to place Mr. Crawford in handcuffs at which that she’s taught “fifth-grade Sunday School.’’ of Turner since that time, except that Officer Delacruz justified, proclaiming that Crawford’s “demeanor changes time Mr. Crawford began resisting by pulling away from Sanders, while not quoting Scripture as did Warren, returned back to work after being on paid leave for three as he becomes increasingly nervous even though officers are the officer.” declared that “the Bible, if it is about anything, is about days. being polite and cordial.”

Crawford states that the items found in his car were justice.’’ His campaign, he said, is about “not just defeatFast forward a few months later, and another highIn looking at this disturbing video footage, it is clear actually antibiotics prescribed to him and not drugs for ing the most dangerous president in modern American profiled incident was also caught on camera, not too far that Crawford is visibly confused and extremely unaware of sale. Crump states that Baytown Police Department history. We are about transforming this nation to make it from where Pamela Turner was fatally shot at close range why he is being treated this way by the officers. has not provided any proof of their claims to justify the work for all of us.’’

by Officer Delacruz.

Crawford then is seen on the video continuously asking instantaneous ramped up attack on Crawford.

Black Church PAC leaders described the forums as a Slightly before midnight on the evening of July 6th, the officers “What is going on?” until out of nowhere the “Remember, he (Crawford) committed no crime,” an unarmed Black man, Kedrick Crawford, 45, is seen on officer is heard screaming out that he is about to use the said Crump. “So the question is, how can you justify way for presidential candidates to reach a slice of the eleccamera being unsuspectingly and undeservedly assaulted by Taser on him. torate that is often glossed over, even given the emphasis doing him (Crawford) like this after you just told him that Baytown Police officers that left him having to be treated at In the video, you hear Crawford screaming and he was free to go? It is unjustifiable and they (Baytown Democrats place on reaching black voters.

Ben Taub Hospital for significant injuries to his face, chest, emphatically crying out that he was going to get killed, Police Department) haven’t offered anything to justify that “Anybody who’s not talking to every community, right eye, head and hands. while continuing to profess his innocence, along with a because they cannot.” particularly within the African American community, Crawford states that he pulled into a local H-E-B plea to the officers to be told exactly what he did wrong.

The Baytown Police Department acknowledged the you’re running a fool’s race,’’ said the Rev. Leah Daughtry, parking lot on Garth Rd. to put an address into his GPS One of the most shocking things about the video physical claims brought forth by Crawford in their released a pastor from Washington, D.C., and member of the navigation app to get directions on his cell phone. As he footage, is when a third party in civilian clothing (blue statement, saying that “due to Mr. Crawford’s persistent Democratic National Committee who co-moderated the was parked, he states that Baytown Police officers pulled shirt and blue jeans) is seen on the video appearing to place resistance, and the fact that the Taser failed to momentarily forum. up and approached his vehicle. After being confronted and Crawford in a chokehold while wrestling with him on the incapacitate Mr. Crawford, one of the officers delivered Three other 2020 candidates _ Sen. Cory Booker of questioned by police after claims that he looked suspicious ground. a series of elbow strikes and a closed fist strikes to Mr. New Jersey, former Obama housing chief Julian Castro while sitting in his parked vehicle, Crawford says that he The Baytown Police officers do nothing to stop this Crawford’s head area in an attempt to disorient him so they and Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Indiana – atgave police permission to search his vehicle upon their individual from physically interacting with Crawford, nor could get him into custody.” tended the conference on Friday. request. do they identify the person in the video as being a member Crump says that the assault on Crawford was Mike McBride, a pastor who was Daughtry’s fellow Crawford said he was not worried about giving police of law enforcement. To date, that person’s identity has not unnecessary and plans to exhaust all measures to get down moderator, stressed that the black church and the black the consent to search his vehicle, because he was confident been publicly disclosed. to the bottom of how the assault transpired and what led community as a whole are not monolithic. Democrats, he he had done nothing wrong.

After a few minutes of Crawford being tasered and to that action in the first place.

In the video, released by the Baytown Police beaten, the officer’s body camera goes dark, where at this said, must reach beyond the traditional Sunday services “We are going to analyze the video, once we hopefully department and obtained from the dash cam video of one point, all you can hear is audio of him continuing to scream get all the video, and allow our experts to look at every angle in places such as South Carolina, the first primary state of the officers, you can hear Crawford tell the officer that and demand answers. with a significant black population. “We need candidates of it,” said Crump. “Once we finish our review, we hope he had insurance and whatever else they needed to verify After the incident, Crawford reached out to nationally- that we don’t see police doing inappropriate maneuvers, as to show up on our turf, not always asking us to show up his identity and legitimacy, to which the officer is heard on recognized civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump to take I have seen in other cases around America, where they try on their turf,’’ he said. camera responding, “And what does that have to do with on his case. Crump is already representing the family of to create a scenario to seem like a person is resisting when Daughtry said all Democratic candidates were inanything?”

Pamela Turner. they are not resisting.” vited, and she noted the absence of other leading candiAfter the officers’ response, Crawford then asks the Crump, along with Crawford, his family and The daughter and sister of Pamela Turner called on dates, including Biden, who is hosting fundraisers in the officer, “So when am I free to go?” to which the officer supporters, and the family of Pamela Turner, held a major Harris County District Attorney Kim Ogg to do something Northeast this weekend. responds, “Whenever man!” press conference in front of the Harris County Civil about the killing of their loved one and get involved before “He missed an opportunity,’’ she said, to reach Crawford then asks a clarifying question to confirm Courthouse, where they demanded justice for Crawford, more things happen as a result of the actions of Baytown “younger black voters who don’t know him like older that the officer told him that he was free to go whenever Turner and for there to be accountability for what Crump Police Department officers. folks do.’’ he wanted to, and as he continues to look on in confusion is calling a “pattern of excessive force” by the Baytown “This is what happens when you stall District Attorney Ogg. When you push it to the side and sweep things under the rug, you keep getting instances like this,” said Chelsie Ruben, daughter of Pamela Turner. “The brutality keeps going on. It happens over and over, and it will keep happening until you do your job and do what you say you’re going to do. Thank God it’s not as worse as what happened to my mom.”

“I’m asking you to do your job Attorney Kim Ogg,” said Antoinette Dorsey-James, Turner’s sister. “When we met with you D.A. Ogg, you told me that there will be an investigation and to be calm and to take one step at a time.

How long does an investigation take? It is clearly on the video, that my sister’s life was wrongfully killed and her life was taken away from her. My sister’s blood is already PITTSBORO, N.C. (AP) _ Commissioners in on Officer Delacruz’s hands. Don’t let it be on yours too.”

North Carolina say the United Daughters of the ConCrawford was subsequently arrested and charged with federacy must soon come up with a plan for removing aggravated assault on a peace officer, to which the Harris a Confederate monument from a county courthouse’s County District Attorney’s Office ironically has chosen to grounds. accept those charges.

The News & Observer reports Chatham County The Baytown Police Department says its Internal commissioners voted 4-1 Monday to ask the chapter to Affairs Division is still investigating the incident.

All in all, Crawford states that he is just happy to be bring a removal plan by Oct. 1. If the deadline isn’t met, alive after seeing many other incidents like his end up with the county said it would declare the monument public the loss of life, but remains focused on continuing his quest trespass and take steps to remove it. Monument supportfor justice due to the assault committed against him by the ers shouted that the board members were ``traitors.’’

Baytown Police officers.

The county’s efforts could be complicated by a state “First of all, I am grateful to God that I’m still alive,” law that largely restricts removal of such monuments on said Crawford. “I was, and I am, hurting all over my body. public land.

My chest is bruised. My ribs hurt. My face was all messed The monument was placed at the Pittsboro courtup. All you have to do is watch the video to see what happened to me. I just don’t know why they did this to house in 1907. Commissioner Karen Howard says nome.” body has suggested destroying it, but she proposed movCivil Rights Attorney Benjamin Crump and Baytown, Texas beating victim Kedrick Crawford at press conferBoth Crump and Crawford are calling on the federal ing it and forming a reconciliation panel. government to look into this matter. ence held at Harris County Civil Courthouse in Houston, Texas.

Welcome to Observer Interactive

Deeper Content. Pictures Move. Ads Talk. Live Shopping.

Man in Go Breaks in r Hides UndH e

News Observer The Valley’s

NY Police Officer Who Choked Black Man to Death on Video is Finally Fired

FFRREEEE!!

Bobcat Re cove Lawmaker AftUnder er Being H Fire for Posting i Police Car Noose Picture

In his August 19 announcement, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill said he expects rank and file officers to be upset with him for firing Pantaleo. “If I was still a cop, I would probably be mad at me.” Police in New York have long been accustomed to winning political battles in public and rarely does the Commissioner admit mistakes by individual

Warren, Sanders Get Personal with Black Christians

Another Black Man Targeted, Tasered and Beaten by Police

Incident Caught on Camera Months after Tragic Shooting of Black Woman in Same Texas City

Daughters of Confederacy Asked to Remove Monument

A2

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

World & Nation

Justice for the Judge No One is Above the Law

including judges and prosecutors,” Ohio State Senator Cecil Thomas said. However, in an Aug. 13 letter to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, Thomas said Hunter’s prosecution and subsequent conviction violated the law.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

News Observer The Valley’s

Adjudicated a Newspaper of General Circulation on July 2, 1991, Los Angeles Superior Court Decree, Case No. BS007262, Government Code 6023.

Bulk Mailing Permit 724 Bakersfield, CA 93385 Published every Thursday by The Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California, Inc.

Member: National Newspapers Publishers Association, Associated Press, Better Business Bureau, GLAAACC

President: Ellen Coley Operations Manager: Jon Coley Editor: James Luckey

Credo-The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are solely the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

“The judge refused a motion for a retrial after he refused to poll the jury, in clear violation of the law and at the request of my attorney,” Tracie Hunter told NNPA Newswire during the annual National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) annual convention in Cincinnati.

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent Former Judge Tracie Hunter, who became Hamilton County Ohio’s first black juvenile court judge, is receiving support from Ohio State Senator Cecil Thomas, who argues that her conviction should be overturned.

Thomas said Hunter didn’t receive a fair trial and that she appears to have been the victim of corruption.

After being convicted of providing confidential documents to her brother in an attempt to help save his job as a corrections officer and exhausting her appeals, Hunter was literally dragged off to jail last month.

“No one is above the law, including judges and prosecutors,” said Thomas. However, in an Aug. 13 letter to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, Thomas said Hunter’s prosecution and subsequent conviction violated the law.

On Sept. 17, 2013, Prosecutor Joe Deters filed a motion requesting special prosecutors for the case against Hunter.

On that same day, Judge Beth Myers filed an entry with the Hamilton County Clerk of Courts appointing special prosecutors, to fully investigate Hunter.

“By filing the motion without due diligence, Judge Myers subsequently appointed Prosecutor Joe Deters’ lawyers and friends who have represented [Deters] in personal litigation,” said Thomas.

One of the attorneys is a partner in the law firm that represented Deters in his divorce, the senator noted, adding, “There are numerous examples that will show just how close these attorneys are to Deters.”

When publicly questioned regarding the appointments, Myers said she “dealt with things as they were presented to me. I will continue to do that,” according to Thomas.

Deters has maintained that he didn’t recommend the appointments and that they were done strictly by the Common Pleas Court. However, Thomas said the appointed lawyers have twice referenced Deters’ role in the appointments.

“Joe Deters requested a special prosecutor because he had a conflict. As such, by law, his only participation is to make the request and provide reasoning,” Thomas said.

“Judge Myers’ role is to decide whether to honor the request and if so, to appoint with the assurance that there

are no conflicts,” he said.

“It appears neither Deters nor Myers followed the law to assure Judge Hunter received a fair trial, free of any biases and [Myers] appears to have played a role in unlawfully securing a public contract,” Thomas said.

By appointing Deters’ lawyers, any reasonable person can conclude there are inherent conflicts, Thomas continued.

“First, the mere personal relationship speaks for itself.

Second, by honoring his recommendation to hire his personal lawyers, in essence, [Myers] played a role in using her public office to secure a public contract of approximately $700,000 for the personal lawyers of another public official,” Thomas said.

A spokeswoman for the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office said they hadn’t seen the complaint.

Yost’s office declined to comment.

As Thomas submitted his letter, attorneys for Hunter formally asked that she be released.

The judge who carried out her sentence is reportedly waiting for the special prosecutor in the case to respond before deciding.

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER Bakersfield News Observer Los Angeles News Observer 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Phone (661) 324-9466 FAX. (661) 3249472 emails- General info: observernews@gmail.com Advertising: observeradvertising@gmail.com Online: www.ognsc.com

Hunter, who’s also a church pastor in Cincinnati, has had the support of so many including The Coalition for a Just Hamilton County which is composed of members from the Interdenominational Ministry Alliance; the Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP; the local chapter of Al Sharpton’s National Action Network; the Black United Front; the Southern Christian Leadership Council; the Nation of Islam and others.

“They’ve tried to stop me from telling my truth and all I have is my truth,” she told NNPA Newswire in June.

She said she had mostly refrained from giving interviews because the local media has only used sound bites to try and embarrass her.

“I’ve lost hope in the justice system which is why I became a judge in the first place,” Hunter said. “I’ve not lost faith in God even though they’ve tried to drive me out of this city.”

Florida Cop Investigated for Planting Drugs During Traffic Stops

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent A Tallahassee, Florida attorney said as many as 30 clients were victimized by a dirty police officer who was caught by his own body cam footage planting drugs in a woman’s car and arresting her.

Mary Maddox said Officer Zachary Wester’s behavior would have gone undetected had it not been for the eagle eye of an assistant State Attorney who was responsible for reviewing evidence in the pre-trials of the accused.

Wester’s misdeeds came to light in a video first posted online by the blog, Rare.

The video, which Wester recorded after mistakenly believing he had shut off his body and dash cam, shows the officer pulling a woman over for an alleged traffic violation.

Wester then claimed he smelled marijuana and conducted a search of the vehicle.

While searching the car, the officer could be seen putting substances into compartments before claiming that he found methamphetamine and marijuana.

Wester arrested the woman and proceeded to continue that practice of planting evidence to effect an arrest. One man, who was allegedly victimized by Wester’s activities,

was arrested and charged $1,100 in fines and court fees and sentenced to one year in jail.

Seven months into his sentence in Sept. 2018, the state attorney’s office dropped the charges along with 118 others involving Wester, who has been terminated from his job.

Now, the state’s attorney is conducting a criminal investigation into the former police officer’s activity.

Rare reported that nine individuals have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit accusing Wester and two other Florida deputies of planting drugs and making an illegal arrest.

They’ve also sued the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. “[The alleged victims] suffered grave mental anguish, pain, and suffering, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, embarrassment, humiliation, lost employment opportunities, lost wages, and emoluments,” Maddox said in the lawsuit.

She reportedly plans to add as many as 20 more individuals to the lawsuit.

“This represents only the tip of the iceberg,” Maddox said.

Why I’m Visiting the Border The video, which Wester recorded after mistakenly believing he had shut off his body and dash cam, shows the officer pulling a woman over for an alleged traffic violation.

By Derrick Johnson NAACP President and CEO As I ventured to the southern border near Laredo, Texas, I could not help but think about the tragic shootings in El Paso and Dayton, which are stark reminders of the dangers that plague our communities under the resurgence of white nationalism, domestic terrorism, intolerance and racial hatred germinating from the White House.

The crisis at the border will now create a new generation of people of color that will be reeling from the discriminatory policies of the Trump Administration.

People of color are feeling less safe today and any day when we see the realities of domestic terrorism and racially-motivated acts of violence.

However, we’ve yet to see any tangible measures and policy initiatives from President Trump, only the repeated dehumanization of people who are the opposite image of what this administration believes Americans should look like.

This is why it was imperative that the NAACP traveled to Texas, not only to raise awareness and visibility of the ongoing humanitarian crisis at the border but to examine the current plight of immigrants that have been demonized and made actual targets of Trump’s hate filled rhetoric.

As I walked through the doors of The Holding Institute – a non-profit community center located in Laredo that is committed to alleviating the cruel and inhumane conditions faced by immigrants – I was told that the facility can service as many as 25-100 people a day. Prior to coming to the facility, all processing documentation is given to people in English, which makes it more likely to be processed inaccurately and not properly vetted.

I heard stories of immigrants from Ghana, Congo, and Angola who traveled to Brazil to assist with the construction for the 2016 Olympics, who were kicked out of their home countries and remain at the border seeking asylum. This was a much-needed reminder that the immigration crisis doesn’t just reside within the Hispanic and

Latin American community but touches Black people, and people of color from all over the world.

I met a woman named Maricella who had to leave her teenage daughter in Honduras. She traveled 22 days from her country to the border where she was separated from her 27-year-old son and has not seen him since. She now fears bringing her daughter to the border as most young girls have a high-likelihood of being sold into sex-trafficking.

I was also told a story of a young mother and daughter being held at a nearby detention center, who had not had a warm bath in months and were only allowed one-COLD burrito to eat a day to share between the two of them.

I shook hands with a 13 year-old-boy whose mother told him to make eye contact and shake hands firmly. Even in the midst of horrific living conditions and imprisonment, children at the facility are still being taught to treat people with respect, while being treated less than human.

As a community of people who were ripped away from our homeland 400 years ago, Black America understands the detrimental effects of family separation.

The century that followed our emancipation saw the creation of policies that discriminate against Black people and largely excluded them from wealth building, creating an inherited disadvantage for future generations.

Trump’s handling of the immigration system is racist, petty and inhumane. He is doing all he can to punish immigrants that he believes are undeserving this country and uses this as a rallying cry for his base.

The crisis at the border will now create a new generation of people of color that will be reeling from the discriminatory policies of the Trump Administration.

My heart may have been troubled when I left the facility but our work at the border doesn’t stop here. In the face of this cruelty, the NAACP – as always – is refusing to agonize, and instead, will continue to organize. We will demand that the Trump Administration and Congress: • Immediately remove the “zero tolerance” and “family separation” policies; • Limit the time to detain children to 20 days and requires immigration officials to give detained minors a certain quality of life (including food, drinking water, medical assistance in emergencies, toilets, sinks, temperature control); • Demand appropriate adequate funding to correct the cruel and inhumane conditions of detention centers and alleviate the current hearings backlog, shortage of judges and administrators to discharge asylum petitions; • Call for a moratorium on deportation raids; and • Continue to file lawsuits in defense of DREAMERS and on behalf of thousands of hard-working individuals negatively impacted by xenophobia and racist immigration policies This country was built on the backs of slaves and immigrants. Now is not the time to turn away from the crisis at hand but work to create realistic, sustainable and effective pathways to citizenship for immigrants in America.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A3

Legal Notices / Features Experiencing the Desert’s Hidden Gems

PUBLIC NOTICE

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2019192998 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: PHOTOPOP CO./ PHOTOPOP CO. at 2 Arcadia Terrace, Santa Monica, Ca. 90401 Mailing Address: 1815 Morton Ave B105, Los Angeles, Ca. 90026 County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): ANGELA SHEN, 1815 Morton Ave B105, Los Angeles, Ca. 90026 The business is conducted by: Individual SIGNED: ANGELA SHEN, Owner The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: N/A This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: July 15, 2019 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: JUANITA CARPENTER, Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on July 15, 2024 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Aug 15, 22, 29, Sept 5, 2019 �������������������������������� ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE FOR CHANGE OF NAME CASE NUMBER 19SMCP00364 Superior Court of the State of California, for the county of LOS ANGELES, 1725 Main Street., Santa Monica, Ca. 90401 Santa Monica Courthouse-West District PETITION OF: PAUL GONZALEZ FOR CHANGE OF NAME TO ALL INTERESTED PERSONS: Petitioner: PAUL GONZALEZ for a decree changing names as follows: Present name PAUL GONZALEZ Filed a petition with this court Proposed name PAUL GONZARI THE COURT ORDERS: that all persons interested in this matter appear before this court at the hearing indicated below to show cause, if any, why the petition for change of name should not be granted. Any person objecting to the name changes described above must file a written objection that includes the reasons for the objection at least two court days before the matter is scheduled to be heard and must appear at

PUBLIC NOTICE

the hearing to show cause why the petition should not be granted if no written objection is timely filed, the court may grant the petition without a hearing.

NOTICE OF HEARING Date: Oct 11, 2019 Time: 8:30 a.m.

Dept: K The address of the court is: Same as noted above.

A copy of this Order to Show Cause shall be published at least once a week for four successive weeks prior to the date set for hearing on the petition in the following newspaper of general circulation, printed in this county LOS ANGELES NEWS OBSERVER Date: Aug 8, 2019 LAWERENCE CHO JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT Petitioner or Attorney: Paul Gonzalez 209 S Doheny Dr., Apt 1 Beverly Hills, CA., 90211 Phone: E-Mail: paulgonzari@gmail.com LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Aug 15, 22, 29, Sept 5, 2019 ��������������������������������

FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT FILE NO: 2019206880 The following person(s) is (are) doing business as: INFINITY SKIN AND BEAUTY CARE at 3756 W Ave 40 RM 2B, Los Angeles, Ca. 90065 Mailing Address: Same County: LA REGISTERED OWNERS(S): LYDIA A. CRUZ, MDN, 1263 El Paso Drive, Los Angeles, Ca. 90065 The business is conducted by: Individual SIGNED: LYDIA A. CRUZ, MD, Owner The date registrant started to transact business under the fictitious business name or names listed above: 07/2019 This statement filed with the County Clerk of Los Angeles County on: July 29, 2019 DEAN C. LOGAN, Los Angeles County Clerk By: C MAFFITT, Deputy NOTICE: IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUBDIVISION (a) OF SECTION 17920, A FICTITIOUS NAME STATEMENT GENERALLY EXPIRES ST THE END IOF FIVE YEARS FROM THE DATE OF WHICH IT WAS FILED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY CLERK EXCEPT, AS PROVIDED IN SUBDIVISION (b) OF SECTION 17920, WHERE IT EXPIRES 40 DAYS AFTER ANY CHANGE IN THE FACTS SET FORTH IN THE STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 17913 OTHER THAN A CHANGE IN THE RESIDENCE ADDRESS OF A REGISTERED OWNER. A NEW FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE FILED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION. EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2014, THE FICTITIOUS BUSINESS NAME STATEMENT MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE AFFIDAVIT OF IDENTITY FORM. This statement expires on July 29, 2024 LOS ANGELES BAY NEWS OBSERVER (E) PUB: Aug 22, 29, Sept 5, 12, 2019 ��������������������������������

“Finding New Roads” with Chevy’s Bolt EV Bolt EV is the first affordable all-electric car to offer an EPA-estimated 238 miles of range on a single charge.† It has a long list of impressive characteristics, including some of the most technologically advanced features, stand-out looks and plenty of space. Because life never stops, here’s an electric vehicle that can keep up. (Courtesy Photo)

By James Luckey Jr. Editor-Observer Group Newspapers of So. California Inc. After a long work week it was a great time to get away from the Los Angeles city life and tour the desert to see some of the desert’s “hidden gems”. The destination was Palm Springs, Ca. 107 miles east of Los Angeles gave a good amount of time to sight see and put Chevy’s 2019 Bolt EV all-electric car to use. Chevrolet’s first affordable all-electric car was the perfect selection with the Palm Springs excursion in mind. On a full single charge the Bolt EV offered 238 miles of maximum range which was more than enough. On my first look at the car I thought to myself how would I fit inside with my 6’5 frame and all my belongings, but I was pleasantly surprise by how much leg room I was given.

The car has many great features. (Scan over the pictures attached to this review with your “Observer Interactive” app to see every feature) Some of the best features that

The internet connection was better than connecting to my hotspot on my phone. Another great in vehicle feature was extensive parking assist features. The car has front, back, and bird’s eye view cameras. Parking has never been easier!

The first stop once making it to Palm Springs was The Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. Dispute the 60 wait and the 30 minute wait to get back down once to the top the view of the city was amazing. Definitely something to put on your list when visiting if you have time.Some other stops in the city were Agua Caliente Casino, Crazy Mel’s Burgers, Sunrise Square Shopping Center, and The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. The highlight of the day for me was the Palm Springs Art Museum. There were three floors of some

amazing paintings, sculptures, ancient pottery, and creative things made with the use of some of the most simplest things.

All in all Palm Springs was great long as you stay cool in the triple digit weather. The Chevy Bolt EV was even better! The idea of not having to pay for gas, no more oil changes, and a tax credit was music to my ears and bank account. I defiantly recommending stoping by your nearest Chevrolet dealer and test driving the Bolt EV today! Also bee sure to download our “Observer Interactive” app if you haven’t already to check more cool features on the Chevy Bolt EV and see some more hidden gems from the desert of Palm Springs I found along the way.

Now You Can Get The Valley’s News Observer Online!

Bolt EV has front, back, and bird’s eye view cameras.

Parking has never been easier! (Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

Outside the front of Palm Springs Art Museum. (Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

jumped out to me was the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot inside the car! During the trip I used the Chargepoint app to find the nearest charging stations on the route. I stopped to charge up at a Chargepoint Fast Charging DC station and while doing that I opened my laptop, connected to the wifi, and started to write this article you are reading now.

ognsc.com A section on the first floor inside of the Palm Springs Museum. Be sure to use your “Observer Interactive” App to see more pictures inside of the Museum. (Los Angeles News Observer Photo)

A4

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Sports

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Did Jay Z’s Deal with the NFL Hijack Colin Kaepernick Protesting Efforts?

From left, Howard University Athletic Director Kery Davis, Howard student Otis Ferguson, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, and Howard University president Wayne Frederick pose for photographs together following a news conference at Langston Golf Course in Washington, Monday, Aug. 19, 2019, where Curry announced that he would be sponsoring men’s and women’s golf teams at Howard University. Ferguson’s suggestion that they play golf during a visit by Curry to Howard earlier this year lead to this announcement. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

NBA’s Steph Curry Helps Howard U. Start Division I Golf Team NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and Jay-Z greet each other last week at Roc Nation in New York City. (Photo Credit Kevin Mazur Getty Images for Roc Nation)

By Cameron Buford whatsgoodinsports.com Rapper and Entertainment mogul Shawn “Jay Z” Carter inked a deal with the NFL last week to amplify their social justice efforts. Though many of his fans, along with fans of the NFL, remain unclear as to what this deal means or looks like. Having worn an exclusive Kaepernick jersey on stage during his appearance on Saturday Night Live, Jay-Z has also been instrumental in rappers not performing at the Super Bowl in Atlanta earlier this year. We know from his lyrics, that Jay Z turned downed an opportunity to perform at the Super Bowl stating in “Apeshit” one of his latest hit songs, “I said no to the Super Bowl. You need me, I don’t need you! Every night we in the endzone, tell the NFL we in stadiums too!”. Understanding his previous position adds more confusion to this new partnership with the NFL. It’s been three years since Colin Kaepernick chose to bring awareness to the social injustices in America by kneeling in protest during the National Anthem.

The situation was then hijacked and the narrative of Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem brought major attention to the systemic oppression that has been unarguably pervasive in the country. Subsequently, many Americans argued that this wasn’t the proper forum to make such a protest since they could not debate the truth of the facts based around police brutality, racial oppression and social injustices which continue to be committed on minorities in this country.

Just as fans and supporters questioned Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid for accepting their deal with the NFL, Jay Z fans and detractors alike are questioning the deal he, and Roc Nation, recently signed with the NFL. Many fans want to know why, and what this deal means for the culture. Though Kaepernick spoke briefly about his purpose, it was widely evident what his stance was about.

Many black Americans vowed to protest the NFL and stop watching because Kaepernick appeared to be blacklisted from the NFL. I’m not sure Jay Z gained any fans when he said, “I think we’ve moved past kneeling. I think it’s time to go into actionable items. So, what are we going to do? Reach millions and millions of people, or we got stuck on Colin not having a job?” Understanding that he’s been in support of Kaepernick until the NFL called to strike a deal with him. “With its global reach, the National Football League has the platform and opportunity to inspire change across the country,” explained Jay Z. He continued on the say that, “Roc Nation has shown that entertainment and enacting change are not mutually exclusive ideas; instead, we unify them. This partnership is an opportunity to strengthen the fabric of communities across America.”

I, along with other fans of Jay Z, am eager to hear specifically how this partnership between the Roc Nation and the NFL will “strengthen the fabric of communities across America”? As this deal between Jay Z and the NFL appears to be the NFL reaching out to an influencer in the black community to regain those fans, they may have lost over the past few years due to the Kaepernick controversial exclusion from the NFL. On the surface, this is a genius move by the NFL. They now have the most popular hiphop artist on their side, and they can easily say they are doing their part to provide social equality by partnering with someone who speaks glowingly about being from the inner city. Yet because the specifics of this deal are unknown and this partnership has created another debate which seemingly forces the urban community to pick aside.

It is very admirable for Jay Z, an admittedly proud capitalist, and his company Roc Nation to not only negotiate

this type of deal with the NFL but to carry the baton of change and inclusion with the NFL. Nevertheless, many feel that without the involvement of Colin Kaepernick, this partnership steps on the efforts of Kaepernick and his purpose of kneeling.

However, without knowing the specific details of this agreement the NFL came to with Colin Kaepernick and Eric Reid earlier this year, can we truly criticize the partnership Roc Nation and the NFL came to last week?

Jay Z was vague in response to his conversation with Kaepernick and it’s unclear as to whether Colin is or will be a part of this deal in some way in the future. It has also come out that Jay Z, will become part-owner of an NFL team in the future. Some think that this ensures Colin should and would then get a tryout for a starting role on said team.

I am here to say that even though Kaepernick is likely better than many of the second-string quarterbacks currently in the NFL, he hasn’t played in 3 seasons and we are a long way from when he led the 49ers to a Super Bowl berth in 2013. Kaepernick lost his job to Blain Gabbert in 2015 before relieving Gabbert in 2016 and finishing the season with a record of 1-10 as a starter for the 49ers. Those numbers coupled with his desire to kneel in protest have most owners willing to draft a quarterback or bring in a less controversial quarterback to compete for their backup quarterback position.

One thing we do know about the NFL, if you can play, they will find a way to get you on the field! As we have seen murderers, domestic violence offenders and players being found guilty of crimes get multiple chances to regain their positions. Should Jay Z be granted a team next season, Kaepernick would be 4 years removed from playing in the NFL and this type of layoff would seemingly lessen his effectiveness on the field. Would it be a prudent move for Jay Z then to offer Kaepernick a spot on his team?

I don’t think so.

So, either way, I do not see Kaepernick returning as a player to the NFL. Maybe Jay Z should bring Colin in as a consultant to the team or partner with Kaepernick to continue to keep social injustices awareness on the forefront of NFL fans hearts and minds. I understand that Jay Z has his voice, and many entertainers who would gladly parrot his position, however that’s the rub within the urban community. Does this agreement that Roc Nation came to with the NFL spit in the face of Colin Kaepernick and his protest? Or is this the next step of the protest? I mentioned in a previous article that any comparisons of Kaepernick to Ali or any other civic leaders are preposterous! Though Kaepernick has certainly raised awareness on the disparity in race relations in America for those who cared to hear his message, he has also been working on his “Know Your Rights” campaign. I would still like to hear from Kaepernick and Reid on the details of their deal with the NFL, just as I would love to hear, or see, from Jay Z and Roc Nation on what the success of their deal with the NFL looks like for them.

Additionally, I’d be just as interested in hearing your position on this situation with Colin Kaepernick and the NFL as well as Roc Nation, Jay Z, and the NFL. Please share your thoughts and feedback on these sensitive topics with us by commenting in the comment section of this article on www.whatsgoodinsports.com or by following me on Twitter at “Voice of the Fans” for immediate engagement. Additionally, subscribe to our weekly “Voice of the Fans” Podcast which is available for you on Apple and Google Podcasts including Spotify, TunedIn, and iHeart Radio. We certainly appreciate you for making our voice your choice!

By ASHRAF KHALIL Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — What started as an innocuous conversation during a public event has evolved into a golf partnership between NBA star Stephen Curry and Howard University.

The two-time NBA MVP announced Monday that he is helping Howard re-establish a golf program. Curry is providing a donation that will allow one of the country’s most prominent historically black universities to launch Division I women’s and men’s teams for the 2020-21 academic year.

The 31-year-old Curry, who has won three NBA championships with the Golden State Warriors, has long been known as a passionate golfer. But the idea of partnering with Howard didn’t start until January, when Curry went to the campus for a screening of the documentary “Emanuel.”

After watching the film — which chronicles the 2015 shooting of nine black worshippers at a church in South Carolina — Curry was approached by Howard student Otis Ferguson. The senior explained to Curry how he had

been unsuccessfully trying to start up an official university golf team. Howard previously fielded a Division II golf team but that was discontinued.

At a Monday news conference, Curry singled out Ferguson for applause and recalled their chance meeting.

“We connected on golf,” he said. “Accountability, competition, discipline — all those different ideals we learned through the game of golf.”

The exact amount of Curry’s donation has not been disclosed, but the university announced it would be a sixyear partnership. Sports apparel company Under Armour, which sponsors Curry and is based in nearby Baltimore, will provide the uniforms and golf club manufacturer Callaway will supply the equipment.

“I’m going to be following every part of the journey as we go into next year when the team takes the course for the first time,” Curry said. “This is going to go way beyond the game of golf, way beyond Howard. This is huge.”

“Trojan Talk” (L to R) Kevin Shaw, Harvey Hyde and Pete Arbogast share a moment at Settebello Pizzeria Napoletana in Pasadena where some 100 Trojan fans gathered to hear “The Harvey Hyde Show- Voice of the Trojans”. Arbagast was the guest of the week. (Earl Heath Photo)

Harvey and Pete Two “City Guys” Talk

By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer The Settebello restaurant in Pasadena was the scene as two legends of football-Harvey Hyde and Pete Arbogast gave an awesome treat talking college football and life. They were joined by some 100 Trojans fans cheering and laughing.

It was the “The Harvey Hyde Show” which could be heard weekly on 1490 “The Talk” based in the Inland Empire and on this night his special guest was the Voice of the USC Trojan football Arbogast.

Hyde was the former head coach at Pasadena City College and UNLV where he coached the likes of Randall Cunningham, Suge Knight and Ickey Woods and spends a lot of time in Las Vegas. He got into Broadcasting after coaching and for years has had his own radio show working out of Las Vegas and Southern California. For several years he has done Trojans pre-game and post-game shows.

Arbogast grew up in Los Angeles where he attended Marshall high and Los Angeles City College. Some Marshall Alums include longtime NFL Coach Andy Reed and NFL Hall of Famer Mike Haynes. When in town during football season you can catch Arbogast on the sidelines Friday nights keeping stats for the Barristers of Marshall. With these two you have football loving and fun “City Guys.”

For the Past 23 years he has been the voice of Trojan football in taking over for the late Tom Kelly who passed in 2016. His Classic Calls “How do you do” and naming of former player Mazio “Rolls” Royster have been staple throughout his career. October of 2018 he called his 300th game at USC. The event took place before camp opened. When asked by Hyde, ”How would the Trojans do the upcoming

year?” Arbogast replied, “A lot depends on the O-line. If they have grown over the summer and play as a unit they will be alright.”

His findings come from watching the young Trojans in spring practice. Graham Harrell comes from North Texas State and is the new offensive coordinator. From listening to the players of the offense Harrell’s offense has become simplified.

“Its gonna take some time to perfect the offense, It takes time to put this thing together and be good at it,” added Arbogast.

He was really impressed with RB Markese Stepp the 6’ 230 pounder was the best player on the field during the spring. A head injury only allowed him to play in 4 games in 2018.

“I saw the competition (among USC players) improve since last year,” said Hyde. “They looked a bit more aggressive against each other during practice.”

Former Trojan great and Arbogast partner John Jackson has been on a lot of folks minds. Earlier in the year he suffered a stroke and underwent surgery. Since, he has improved greatly.

Arbogast gave us an update. “He remembers everything now and he’s got all his faculties. He is up walking around and his goal is to be at the Coliseum at the first game to see his son run out of the tunnel.“ ADD USC: From listening to the offensive players the offense has become simplified. “Things are much easier to pick up; they aren’t as complicated” said senior WR Michael Pittman. “We all have a good grasp on how things are suppose to run.”--USC games can be heard on 790 KABC Radio this year. The Trojans open the 2019 season at home against Fresno State and Stanford.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

Entertainment

Ending a Drought for R-Rated Comedies,

By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) – The R-rated comedy, left for dead by some Hollywood studios, again reached No.1 at the box office over the weekend thanks to the raunchy coming-of-age tale “Good Boys,'' about a trio of 12-yearolds on a crude misadventure.

“Good Boys'' surpassed expectations to debut with $21 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, dethroning the “Fast & Furious'' spinoff “Hobbs & Shaw,'' which slid to second with $14.1 million in its third weekend. Not since Melissa McCarthy's “The Boss'' came in No. 1 all the way back in April 2016 has an R-rated comedy topped the North American box office.

“This is like a unicorn sighting,'' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore.

In recent years, R-rated horror has largely taken the place of R-rated comedy at the box office, as Hollywood has increasingly ceded the genre to TV and streaming services. But Universal Pictures, which released “Good Boys,'' has kept the flame. The studio was behind “The Boss'' as well as the intervening years' highest grossing domestic comedies: 2017's “Girls Trip'' and 2018's “Night School.''

“Good Boys'' broke out of a crowded late-summer field of new releases. The weekend's other new widely released films _ the animated sequel “The Angry Birds Movie 2,'' the shark attack sequel “47 Meters Down: Uncaged,'' the Bruce Springsteen-inspired drama “Blinded by the Light'' and Richard Linklater's Cate Blanchett-led “Where'd You Go Bernadette'' _ all fizzled.

“Good Boys'' rode a buzzy premiere at South By Southwest, good reviews (80% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and the imprimatur of producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg ("Good Boys'' is much like a tween version of “Superbad'') to notch the best opening for an original comedy this year. Second place is Universal's body-switch comedy “Little.''

Directed by Gene Stupnitsky (who co-wrote the script with Lee Eisenberg), “Good Boys'' stars Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams and Brady Noon as sixth graders trying to make it to their first kissing party. The movie's muchwatched red-band trailer traded on its ironies. As Rogen says, Tremblay, Williams and Noon are all too young to see their own movie alone.

Jim Orr, distribution chief for Universal, credited Rogen and Goldberg's Point Grey Pictures and the film's clever marketing for the film's performance.

“This is a genre that is very difficult to do and we're having great success as a studio with a very diverse slate,'' Orr said. “One of the common denominators there is our marketing department. They just over-deliver constantly with a broad range of films.''

The challenge of “Good Boys'' was to turn out moviegoers older than the movie's pipsqueak protagonists, and it did. Only 7% of the audience was under age 18, according to Universal, though 41% was under 25. Crowds split evenly between the sexes: 52% male, 48% female.

The release strategies behind some of the weekend's other new films were harder to discern.

Sony's “The Angry Birds Movie 2,'' on a budget of $65 million, opened with a paltry $10.5 million domestically, though it added $19.4 million internationally. Hoping to snarl kids before school starts, Sony released the film on Tuesday. But it didn't come close to the $38.2 million domestic debut of the first installment in 2016 despite notably better reviews (76% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes).

‘Good Boys’ is No. 1 Sony's “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,'' however, grossed $53.7 million overseas after expanding to 46 markets _ the largest foreign launch for any Quentin Tarantino film, and the best worldwide haul for any film this weekend.

“47 Meters Down: Uncaged,'' from Entertainment Studios, also showed little bite. It debuted with $9 million, a slight downtick from the $11.2 million the first one opened with in 2017.

A pair of films that might have been platform released to build word-of-mouth instead opened wide in bids to stand out in the traditional dumping-ground of late summer. But the results were mixed.

“Blinded by the Light,'' which Warner Bros. plunked down $15 million for at the Sundance Film Festival, took in $4.5 million from 2,307 locations. The film, which has been warmly reviewed, is about a British-Pakistani teen

Paule Marshall, Novelist, Dead at 90

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 1991 file photo, author Paule Marshall poses during an interview, in New York.

The acclaimed fiction writer has died at 90. Marshall’s son, Evan K. Marshall, told The Associated Press that she died Monday, Aug. 12, 2019 in Richmond, Va. Marshall was an exuberant and sharpened storyteller who drew upon classic and vernacular literature and her mother’s kitchen conversations for such fiction as “Brown Girl, Brownstones,” “Daughters” and “Praisesong for the Widow.” (AP Photo, File)

By HILLEL ITALIE AP News NEW YORK (AP) — Paule Marshall, an exuberant and sharpened storyteller who in fiction such as “Daughters” and “Brown Girl, Brownstones” drew upon classic and vernacular literature and her mother’s kitchen conversations to narrate the divides between blacks and whites, men and women and modern and traditional cultures, has died at age 90.

Marshall’s son, Evan K. Marshall, told The Associated Press that she died Monday in Richmond, Virginia. She had been suffering from dementia in recent years.

First published in the 1950s, Marshall was for years virtually the only major black woman fiction writer in the U.S., a bridge between Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison, Alice Walker and others who emerged in the 1960s and ’70s. Calling herself “an unabashed ancestor worshipper,” Marshall was the Brooklyn-born daughter of Barbadian immigrants and wrote lovingly, but not uncritically of her family and other upholders of the ways of their country of origin.

“Paule Marshall was a profound and luminous writer, as well as a generous teacher, mentor, and friend,” the Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat wrote in an email to the AP. “Her work delved deeply into what she considered her triangular journey from her ancestral homeland on the African continent, to the Caribbean, then the United States. Reading her novels often felt like reading my own family’s history on a global scale. She will be greatly missed.”

From the start, Marshall contrasted the values of Americans and other Westerners with those from the Caribbean and tallied the price of assimilation. In “Brown Girl, Brownstones,” her autobiographical debut, a young

Brooklyn woman seeks her own identity amid the conflicting values of her Barbadian parents — her hardheaded mother and tragically hopeful father. In “The Chosen Place, the Timeless People,” idealistic American project workers in the Caribbean encounter the skepticism of the local community. “Praisesong for the Widow” tells of an upscale American black woman’s awakening during a Caribbean vacation.

“I like to take people at a time of crisis and questioning in their lives and have them undertake a kind of spiritual and emotional journey and to then leave them once that journey has been completed and has helped them to understand something about themselves,” Marshall told The Associated Press in 1991.

Marshall’s admirers included Walker, Dorothy Parker and Langston Hughes, an early mentor who sent her encouraging postcards in green ink, brought her on a State Department tour of Europe and urged her to “get busy” when he thought the young writer was working too slowly. Marshall received several honors, among them MacArthur and Guggenheim Fellowships and, in 2009, won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for books “that have made important contributions to our understanding of racism and human diversity.” She taught at Virginia Commonwealth University and New York University.

Other fellow writers mourned her passing, which came a week after the death of Morrison. Nicole Dennis-Benn, Ishmael Reed and Jason Reynolds were among those posting tributes on social media. Award-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, Marshall’s goddaughter, tweeted that Marshall was the “first champion” of her work and had urged her mother to “Just let her write.”

“I wouldn’t be here without her,” Nottage wrote. ”#RIP Another beloved elder has crossed over.”

Born Valenza Pauline Burke in Brooklyn, she was an immersive reader who loved old British novels, from “Tom Jones” to “Great Expectations.” But she longed for books that included people more like herself and so made an instant and deeper connection to the poetry in dialect of Paul Laurence Dunbar, and later to writings by Hurston and Hughes among others. All along, she had been listening to her mother and various neighborhood women gather in the kitchen and expound in “free-wheeling, wide-ranging” style, voices she fictionalized in “Brown Girl, Brownstones” and other works.

“They were women in whom the need for self-expression was strong, and since language was the only vehicle readily available to them they made of it an art form that — in keeping with the African tradition in which art and life are one — was an integral part of their lives,” she wrote in “The Poets of the Kitchen,” a 1983 essay.

Marshall graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Brooklyn College and during much of the 1950s worked as a magazine researcher, traveling to Brazil and the West Indies among other places. Since childhood she had been “harboring the dangerous thought” of becoming a writer and in her spare time completed “Brown Girl, Brownstones,” published by Random House in 1959 after editor Hiram Haydn suggested she trim her 600-page “sumo-sized manuscript” to the “slender, impressive” novel buried within.

In her early 20s, she had married Kenneth Marshall, with whom she had Evan Marshall, but they divorced when their son was still little. (She later married Nourry Menard, a Haitian businessman.) Raising a child alone weighed down her already deliberate style and she published just five novels, a memoir and two books of short fiction. She disparaged the old expression “As for living, our servants will do that for us” by adding, “Well, I was the servant.”

Virtually all of her books not only featured women, but also women who had adventures and influence. One of her favorite characters was Merle Kinbona of “The Chosen Place, the Timeless People,” a brave and troubled and conflicted soul torn between the Caribbean, England and Africa, a sage and an eccentric who never stops talking, but somehow keeps those around her listening.

“Traditionally in most fiction men are the wheelers and dealers. They are the ones in whom power is invested,” Marshall wrote in Essence magazine in 1979. “I wanted to turn that around. I wanted women to be the centers of power. My feminism takes its expression through my work.

Women are central for me. They can as easily embody the power principles as a man.”

growing up in 1980s England whose life is transformed after he discovers Springsteen.

And United Artists' “Where'd You Go Bernadette'' grossed $3.5 million from 2,404 locations. Based on Maria Semple's 2012 comic novel, Linklater's film earned lukewarm reviews for its tale of a missing mother (Blanchett).

The “Good Boys'' debut gave Universal, also behind “Hobbs & Shaw'' its third straight weekend at No. 1 and 10th this year _ second only to Disney.

With two weeks to go, the overall summer movie season is running 1.9% behind the pace of last summer, according to Comscore.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.

Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included.

1. “Good Boys,'' $21 million ($2.1 million international).

2. “Hobbs & Shaw,'' $14.1 million ($45.7 million international).

3. “The Lion King,'' $11.9 million ($33.8 million international).

4. “The Angry Birds Movie 2,'' $10.5 million ($19.4 million international).

5. “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,'' $10.1 million ($4.4 million international).

6. “47 Meters Down: Uncaged,'' $9 million.

7. “Dora and the Lost City of Gold,'' $8.5 million ($6.6 million international).

8. “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,'' $7.6 million ($53.7 million international).

9. “Blinded by the Light,'' $4.5 million.

10. “Art of Racing in the Rain,'' $4.4 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore.

1. “Once Upon a Time ... in Hollywood,'' $53.7 million.

2. “Hobbs & Shaw,'' $45.7 million.

3. “Ne Zha,'' $39.5 million.

4. “The Lion King,'' $33.8 million.

5. “The Angry Birds Movie 2,'' $19.4 million.

6. “Bodies at Rest,'' $18.9 million.

7. “The Bravest,'' $15.9 million.

8. “The Secret Life of Pets 2,'' $9.7 million.

9. “The King's Avatar: For the Glory,'' $9.7 million.

10. “Toy Story 4,'' $8.6 million.

Tarell Alvin McCraney, right, creator/executive producer of the OWN series “David Makes Man,” poses with executive producer Michael B. Jordan, left, and cast member Akili McDowell for a portrait during the 2019 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour at the Beverly Hilton, Friday, July 26, 2019, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

‘David Makes Man’ Explores the Power of a Teen’s Imagination

By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr. AP News BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — When Michael B. Jordan first met with “Moonlight” writer Tarell Alvin McCraney, the two surprisingly discovered through an emotional conversation that both had more in common than they realized.

McCraney might jokingly attest, but Jordan said during a recent interview that their lengthy talk years ago about creating a new television project “ended in tears.”

That’s when the “Creed” and “Black Panther” star knew he wanted to work with McCraney to develop their drama series “David Makes Man,” which airs Wednesdays on Oprah Winfrey’s OWN. “It was the first time honestly that I actually heard my own internal thoughts through somebody else,” said Jordan, who is a co-executive producer of the series through his Outlier Society Productions company along with Winfrey.

“You know like the things that he experienced growing up — family, throughout his community, the choices, the mental struggle of trying to make the right decision, trying to make the right choices, and trying to burden himself with being the man in the family taking care of everybody,” he continued. “Trying to fix everything for everyone and putting yourself last. To actually hear somebody else say it, I’m like ‘Wow, OK.’ I’m not the only person that thinks like that or feels that way.”

“David Makes Man” is partially based on McCraney’s upbringing. The series follows 14-year-old David, played

by Akili McDowell, who tries to juggle relationships between his magnet school friends and drug dealers in his South Florida impoverished neighborhood.

McCraney said he felt more confident about the project after meeting with Jordan.

“MBJ and I didn’t grow up in the same environment and yet we were burdened with some of the same intersections,” said McCraney, who won an Academy Award for co-writing “Moonlight,” an adaption of his play “Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.”

“That means that there are more people around the world who indeed need space at the hearth,” he added.

“We all need the warmth of these stories to remind ourselves and see ourselves better. That was one of the reasons why we wanted to be at OWN as well. We wanted to be amongst stories about black people. This show is black — blackity, black, black, black.”

The story explores David’s childhood trauma after the death of his close friend and mentor, Sky, who was a drug dealer. His former drug-addict mother also relies on him to find a way out of poverty through higher education.

McCraney said David is very different than Chiron, the main character in “Moonlight.” He said the series will explore David’s multiple personas, calling it “code switch.”

‘Moonlight’ has a deep vantage point of me growing up and finding my queer identity. ... But David is night and day different than Chiron,” McCraney said. ”(David) walks into a school, I’m a new person. He walks out of school, I’m another person. I’m in front of the drug boys, I’m a different person. That dexterity to me is a whole avenue of humanity that we experience in the black community that we don’t talk about, that we haven’t talked about.

At least I haven’t seen it.”

McDowell said David uses his vivid imagination to endure life’s challenges. His character randomly holds animated conversations with an imaginary sky.

“This show is to let kids know that you’re not alone,” he said. “It’s OK to cry sometimes. It’s OK to scream sometimes just to let it go, because you need that to vent. Also, the power of imagination. That’s what helps people survive out here.”

Jordan said McDowell, 16, has grown as an actor and took hold of the lead role.

“I see a lot of myself in him,” Jordan said. “Honestly, like watching his tapes and going through the whole process and camera reads and casting process, which is not easy by any means for a young talent like himself. But he was resilient. He came to work every day. You can see him progress.”

A6

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Local

2019 Back to School Trends With Staples

Staples is encouraging you to #ThankATeacher and to enter them for the chance to win $10,000 in Staples gift cards for school supplies. (Courtesy Photo)

Staples store associates are ready to help customers with their back to school shopping needs. (Courtesy Photo)

By Taliah McGuire Contributing Writer-Los Angeles News Observer It’s back to school season.

A time where a new pair of shoes gets to come out of it’s box, where backpacks are a big topic of conversation, and most importantly, when stores offer great deals.

Currently, Staples, one of the biggest office supply stores in the nation, is not only offering a plethora of trendy school supplies but a few major sales and rewards.

Price Match In stores only, customers can bring in any other competitors’ product, including amazon, and Staples will match the price and give an additional 10% off.

Better Supplies According to Andrew Angliss, Staples’, general manager at the Venice location, “Corporate has done a great job at getting more of an assortment of designs for our products.”

Backpacks, notebooks, and pencils come in different trendy prints such as 90s themes, animal prints, television characters, and pastel colors to give students a creative way to express themselves.

According to the 2017 Kids in Need Foundation’s Impact Report, colorful supplies, as opposed to plain or none, raise students’ self-esteem and make them subconsciously want to be more organized!

California Now Has One of the Strongest Police Use-of-Force Laws In the Country

“We still carry great brands like Jansport and simpler designs,” Angliss says, “for those who are in high school or college.”

Teacher Lists This year, there’s no need for teachers to pass out unnecessary paper because Staples has your students school supply lists on hand at their website.

Classroom Rewards They are also offering a classroom rewards program which contributes five percent of a parents back to school purchases to a teacher or a school of their choice.

Teachers just need to sign up online and can receive up to two-hundred and fifty dollars in rewards.

Angliss says, “General managers have going out to a bunch of schools in the area talking about it… the feedback we’ve been getting from teachers is out of this world.”

This program is especially to the teachers who have to purchase classroom supplies out of pocket, rather than with funds provided by the school.

Thank a Teacher Thank a teacher is new national Staples campaign encouraging people to thank a teacher that has impacted

their life in some way.

“Obviously, this year we’re really trying to focus on the teachers,” says Angliss.

People can get involved by nominating their teacher of choice and sharing a story on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtags #Sweepstakes and #ThankATeacher. People can also walk into any Staples store and write down their choice on a chalkboard placed around the store.

At the end of the season, ten teachers and/or schools will be selected to receive ten-thousand dollars.

“Overall, it’s just an exciting time of year for us… we’ve partnered with St. Mark private school here in Venice and have taken care of all of their school supplies for the year.”

Angliss also describes the back to school block party select stores have been having. “… We partner up with schools, vendors, and small businesses to get some excitement from kids and their families… it’s just a really good time.”

Head over to Staples to participate in these festivities before this back to school season ends.

Wildlife, pastels, ‘90s and fashion prints are among the trending patterns for 2019 back to school products.

(Courtesy Photo)

Governor Gavin Newsom signs AB 392 “California Act to Save Lives” with family members and advocates standing by his side along with the author Assemblymember, Dr. Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) and legislative leaders August 19, 2019.

By Tanu Henry California Black Media Today Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law one of the strongest measures in the country intended to deter police officers from killing civilians while pursuing criminal suspects.

After a grueling yearlong process that survived bitter fights, tense negotiations and impassioned speeches, on July 8 the Senate voted 29-1 to pass AB 392, the California Act to Save Lives.

In May, law enforcement organizations, once staunch opponents of the bill, held a private meeting with the governor and members of the legislature and reached common ground on some of the language in the legislation. Advocates of the bill said those amendments helped the bill gain wider support among members of the Assembly and Senate, many of whom were strongly opposed when the proposal was first introduced.

Assemblymember Shirley Weber (D-San Diego) introduced the legislation she co-authored with Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D- Sacramento). Both lawmakers are African American.

Inspired in part by the 2018 shooting of an unarmed 22-year-old African-American man, Stephon Alonzo Clark, by police officers in Sacramento, the bill proposes changes to California’s penal code regarding “justifiable homicides” by “peace officers.” It’s language requires cops to only use deadly force “in defense of human life” when a suspect poses an “imminent threat of death or serious boldly injury to themselves or others.”

Senate Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) championed the bill in the Senate.

“With so many unnecessary deaths, I think everyone agrees that we need to change how deadly force is used in California,” said Weber, who is also chair of the California Legislative Black Caucus. “We can now move a policy forward that will save lives and change the culture of policing in California.”

The bill, which was initially sponsored by the civil justice group Black Lives Matter (BLM), also calls for police officers to rely on training and exhaust all resources available to them, whenever possible, before shooting to kill.

The bill defines “imminent harm” as a threat that must be “instantly confronted.” It rules out fear of future harm - no matter how great or likely the potential danger is.

In April, the “Act to Save Lives” cleared its first hurdle when the Assembly Public Safety Committee voted 5-2 in favor of the legislation.

Shortly after, state law enforcement groups – including the California Highway Patrol, the Peace Officers Research Association of California and the California State Sheriffs’ Association – announced that they had taken a neutral position and would no longer oppose the proposal after meeting with Gov. Newsom to smooth out differences.

When Weber presented the revised version of AB392 with the input of the police groups, Black Lives Matter dropped its sponsorship.

“We knew that it would be an uphill battle, especially with police associations opposing the bill,” said Melina Abdullah, co-founder of the Los Angeles chapter of Black Lives Matter. “Unfortunately, in efforts to get law enforcement to lift their opposition, the bill was so significantly amended that it is no longer the kind of meaningful legislation we can support.”

In its original form, AB 392 explicitly redefined the state’s legal standard for police officers’ use of lethal force, replacing the description “reasonable” with “necessary.”

Necessary force, it spelled out, is when “there is no reasonable alternative.”

Although the word “necessary” remains in the current language of the law, its definition has been omitted, leaving it up to the courts to determine on a case-by-case basis.

After the revisions, the bill now requires investigators and prosecutors to consider “the totality of circumstances” leading up to a police officer’s use of lethal force. Before the passing of AB 392, the law only took into account the immediate actions taken before the shooting.

This latest iteration of AB 392 also allows for the behavior of the suspect to be examined.

“This is an important bill, one that will help restore community trust in our criminal justice system,” said Governor Newsom. “I would like to thank Assemblymember Weber, Senate Pro Tem Atkins, Speaker Rendon and our legislative leaders who all worked tirelessly to get us to this point.”

In California, there have been more incidents of police officers using lethal force against African Americans and Latinos than in any other state. In 2017 alone, cops killed 172 civilians. Latinos made up a disproportionate 47.1 percent of that total number, and Blacks accounted for 15.1 percent.

“We are proud to stand with Assemblymember Weber in support of AB 392,” said Peter Bibring, Police Practices Director for the The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of California. The ACLU is a leading supporter of the legislation.

“For far too long, California has ignored the problem of deadly police shootings, their devastating aftermath on families and communities, and the enormous racial disparities that accompany these shootings,” he said. “This groundbreaking bill draws directly from use of force policies that individual law enforcement agencies have successfully adopted throughout the country.”

Abdullah insists some of the changes to the bill are “problematic.” But, overall, she still sees it as progress.

“We still think its important legislation,” she says.

“Just not as far-reaching as we hoped it would be.”

Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood) says AB 392 would move California from being one of the most permissive states when it comes to the use of police force to one of the toughest.

“We need this resolution to save lives, protect public safety, and guarantee justice in every community,” he says.

WIRELESS CONNECTION

T

Mobile

3420 W. SLAUSON AVE. SUITE G LOS ANGELES, CA 90043

323.903.6241

Now Streaming On All Platforms.