Shaka Smart leaves Texas A11
Richmond Free Press © 2021 Paradigm Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.
VOL. 30 NO. 14
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA
www.richmondfreepress.com
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Meet this week’s Personality B3
APRIL 1-3, 2021
‘I believe I witnessed a murder’ Witnesses to George Floyd’s deadly arrest in Minneapolis tell jury of their shock, horror Free Press wire reports
REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg
Former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin watches a screen showing video of the scene outside Cup Foods during his trial March 30 for second and third degree murder and second degree manslaughter in the death of Mr. Floyd in Minneapolis in this courtroom sketch from a video feed of the proceedings.
media, went viral around the world. She was among those who MINNEAPOLIS passed the scene by happenstance Darnella Frazier said she and became eyewitnesses to police sometimes lays awake at night brutality that would rock the nation, “apologizing to George Floyd for trigger months of “Black Lives not doing more and not physiMatter” protests in Richmond cally interacting and not saving and across the country and rev up his life.” efforts for police reform. Mr. Floyd Now 18, Ms. Frazier is the perLike other witnesses, Ms. Frason who took the cell phone video on May zier was asked to recount before a jury what 25, 2020, that showed former Minneapolis they saw outside Cup Foods, a convenience Police officer Derek Chauvin, 45, kneeling store where the events began. Police were on the neck of a handcuffed Mr. Floyd for called after Mr. Floyd purchased items with more than 9 minutes until he died. a $20 bill an employee at the store reported Mr. Chauvin, whose trial got underway as counterfeit. in Minneapolis on Monday with prosecutors’ In her case, Ms. Frazier was walking her and defense attorneys’ opening arguments, is 9-year-old cousin to buy some snacks at the facing decades in prison if he is convicted of store. When she saw what was happening, second degree murder, third degree murder and she told her cousin to go into the store, manslaughter in the death of Mr. Floyd. Ms. Frazier’s video, posted on social Please turn to A4
State elections board investigating allegations involving city Electoral Board’s handling of Nov. 3 election By Jeremy M. Lazarus
Did the Democratic-controlled Richmond Electoral Board break state law in trying to produce results after the Nov. 3 election amid challenges from COVID-19? That is unclear and unproven. The Free Press has learned, however, that the state Board of Elections held a closed Mr. Nachman meeting Wednesday to consider whether action against the Richmond board may be warranted after the Richmond Circuit Court referred a complaint it received from the Richmond Republican Committee. The Richmond Circuit Court appoints the members of the three-person Richmond Electoral Board. Two of the members must be of the same political party as the sitting governor, while the third must be of the opposite party. Neither of the Democrats, Chairman James M. Nachman and Vice Chair Joyce K. Smith, were invited to participate in the closed-door session that revolved around the allegations the Republican city committee wrote up with support from the city
Snoozing VUU Panthers anxious for wake-up call By Fred Jeter
Living a year under
Electoral Board’s Republican member, C. Starlet Stevens. According to emails and documents obtained by the Free Press before the state board’s meeting, the GOP committee’s top two complaints involve actions taken after the polls closed on the Nov. 3 election, including an allegation that some of the sealed envelopes containing tapes from voting machines were Ms. Stevens opened prematurely. The meeting takes place as the Richmond board prepares for the June 8 Democratic primary election as it moves ahead with appointing a replacement for veteran city Voter Registrar
Kirk Showalter. Ms. Showalter was fired Feb. 1 and is contemplating a lawsuit against the city board. Currently, Jerry Richardson, who had been the deputy registrar, is serving as acting city voter registrar. According to the Electoral Board minutes, all three board members voted to approve Ms. Richardson to fill the position on Feb. 26 although state law appears to require anyone appointed to fill the registrar’s post to be able to vote in the locality. As a non-city resident, Ms. Richardson cannot vote in Richmond. Asked about the GOP committee’s complaint, Mr. Nachman
Casino proposals offer a range of sweeteners for city By Jeremy M. Lazarus
First there were six. Now there are three companies competing for the Richmond license for a casino after a city panel discarded three other proposals last week. Soon there will be just one. In a month or two, City Hall’s internal evaluation panel will recommend one project to Richmond City Council, and if approved there, the proposal would be sent to the voters for approval as a ballot item in the November general election. Voter passage would clear the way for development. The finalists the evaluation panel announced last week include the nation’s largest Black-owned radio and media company, Urban One of Silver Spring, Md.; casino developer and operator Bally’s Corp. of Lincoln, R.I.; and real estate developer and casino operator The Cordish Companies of Baltimore. All three are pitching their individual projects as big winners for the city and the Black community. All are promising jobs and significant inclusion of Black investors and Blackowned businesses, and each proposal is touting other benefits, including sweeteners
such as enhanced revenue for the city or assistance in meeting critical needs. The casino has been forecast to be a revenue gusher, even if plenty of people must gamble and lose to generate such cash. The city’s consultants have projected that a casino would generate $19 million to $21 million a year as the city’s share of the state gaming tax, plus an extra $10.5 million a year from real estate, meals, lodging and other taxes. Here are some of the highlights of each project. Urban One’s proposed One Casino + Resort would provide an upfront payment of $60 million to the city plus continue an additional $6 million annually to the city from
casino revenues above the city’s share of the state gaming tax, according to Alfred C. Liggins III, chief executive officer of Please turn to A4
Free COVID-19 testing
Few gyms have enjoyed more raucous victory celebrations than Virginia Union University’s venerable BarcoStevens Hall. But more recently, few gyms have been more silent. The “legends” of Barco have been fast asleep. Dozens of colorful individual and championship banners dangling from the rafters have become little more than dust collectors. All of that proud tradition just got a year older, quietly, with no fanfare. “It’s been rough, especially in March — the month of March Madness. We’re just trying to weather the storm,” said Panthers basketball Coach Jay Butler. The “storm” Coach Butler was referencing is the coronavirus,
Free community testing for COVID-19 continues. The Richmond and Henrico County health districts are offering testing at the following locations: • Thursday, April 1, 1 to 3 p.m., Second Baptist Church of South Richmond, 3300 Broad Rock Blvd. Drive-thru testing. • Thursday, April 8, 10 a.m. to noon, Regency Square rear parking deck, 1420 N. Parham Road, Western Henrico. Drive-thru testing. Appointments are encouraged by calling the Richmond and Henrico COVID-19 Hotline at (804) 205-3501 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or by registering online at https://bit.ly/RHHDCOVID. Testing will be offered while test supplies last. The Virginia Department of Health also has a list of COVID-19 testing locations around the state at www.vdh.virginia.gov/coronavirus/covid-19-testing/covid-19-testing-sites/. Want a COVID-19 vaccine? Seniors ages 65 and older who live in Richmond or Henrico County can call the Richmond and Henrico Health Districts COVID-19 hotline (804) 205-3501 from
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COVID
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Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press
Score! Four-year-old Max Stephen works on his soccer game in Byrd Park, practicing all the moves and maneuvers to get the ball into the goal and score. The youngster was enjoying the outdoors last Saturday with his mother, Lisa Morton, and father, Valentine Stephen.