The New Tri-State Defender - April 27-May 3, 2023

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April 27 - May 3, 2023

VOL. 72, No. 17

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Strickland’s last budget reflects an effort to improve policing

Africa in April ...

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Ifasola Elesije, a fitness guru and insurance product representative, took in Africa in April with his wife, Ololadie, and their son, Ifasola Elesije Jr. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender) See related story, photos on Community, Page 8.

Charles Lampkin with parent group Memphis LIFT addressed school board members Monday with criticisms of its superintendent search process. He was supported by a coalition of others calling on the board to rebuild trust. (Photo: Laura Testino/Chalkbeat)

MSCS board not ready yet!

Supt. search remains on hold until members agree on an approach

by Laura Testino Chalkbeat Tennessee

Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members decided Monday to keep their search for a new superintendent on pause while they try to reach consensus on what they want for the district and its next leader.

The search came to an abrupt halt after an April 15 meeting, where some board members signaled their dissatisfaction with the outside search firm that selected three finalists for the job. Board members sought to

clarify future steps during a special called meeting on Monday.

The board dismissed a motion to fire the search firm, appearing instead to accept responsibility for regaining the community’s trust in the search process.

Rather than saying, “Oh well, let’s do something different,” the board should “stick our hands together … . come up with a better plan and move forward,” said board Vice Chair Sheleah Harris, who has emerged as a leading critic of the search process so far.

Members voted unanimously to

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reconvene at some point within two weeks for a nonvoting meeting. A key issue they’ll still have to resolve is how strictly to apply a board policy on the minimum requirements for a superintendent. The search firm that recruited candidates for the job, Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, said it didn’t enforce a board policy requiring 10 years of inschool experience when it screened applicants.

Harris wants the board to adhere to that policy in its final selection, which

SEE SEARCH ON PAGE 2

With the clock ticking on his second and last term, Mayor Jim Strickland presented the Memphis City Council with a $792 million budget for fiscal year 2023-24 on Tuesday (April 25).

While the proposal is stay-thecourse, such as continued investments in MATA and capital improvements throughout the city, the $42 million increase from the fiscal 2022-23 budget, which ends June 30, also features aggressive efforts to improve policing in the city.

This includes a five-year public safety initiative that bundles technology and training to aid with officer and public compliance, safety, and transparency.

And the mayor’s proposal includes a pay raise for police and firefighters that, if the council approves, would make them the highest paid in the region.

The new fiscal year begins July 1 and council members will soon begin hearings on the proposed budget, which is the term-limited Strickland’s last before leaving of-

fice Dec. 31.

Strickland said his budget does not require a property tax increase.

The current tax rate is $2.71 per $100 assessed value.

Regarding the public safety initiative, Strickland told councilmembers, “This solution would provide new body-worn cameras for all employees.

“Ones that are currently used are almost eight years old; provides for automatic censors, complete camera systems and outfitted camera and recording systems for every interview room, all coordinated with the Real Time Crime Center.

“This is a $55 million, five-year investment in the future of law enforcement, public safety and transparency in field operations.”

The proposed investment is a follow-through on efforts to improve policing after the MPD-related fatal beating of Tyre Nichols, who died Jan. 10 after being stopped allegedly for reckless driving on Jan. 7.

The mayor’s budget also seeks to beef up the MPD and Fire Department payrolls. Throughout his term, retention numbers have

SEE BUDGET ON PAGE 2

Residency rules – Council says let voters decide TSD Newsroom Memphis voters next year will get a chance to decide how long candidates for mayor and City Council must live in Memphis prior to an election.

The council on Tuesday (April 25) approved the third reading and final vote to place a residency referendum on the August 2024 ballot.

The council’s vote will not impact the upcoming Oct. 5 city elections.

If voters approve the referendum, it will go into effect for the 2027 city elections.

Voters also will decide whether to lower the requirement for mayoral and council candidates from 30 years to 18 years old.

The council’s vote took place as residency requirements for Memphis mayor are in litigation.

Two mayoral candidates – Shelby County Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr. and Memphis NAACP President Van Turner Jr., a former Shelby County commissioner – have sued the Shelby County Election Commission for enforcing the five-year residency requirement. The lawsuits have been combined.

Neither has lived in Memphis for five years.

The litigation could settle conflicting legal opinions, regarding residency. Attorney Robert Meyers, former Election Commission chairman, has opined that the five-year residency requirement is still in effect.

City Council attorney Allan Wade has written opinions saying it is not in effect, citing a 1996 vote.

The city administration has not weighed in on the matter.

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The New Tri-State Defender

SEARCH

CONTINUED FROM FRONT could be a deciding factor for finalist Toni Williams, the interim superintendent, whose public school experience is in finance, not academics.

Several of the two dozen public commenters at Monday’s meeting urged the board to enforce the policy as a way of restoring transparency to the search process. Others, though, said the district could benefit from a business-minded leader like Williams who looked to others for academic direction.

Kevin Woods reiterated Monday that the board controls the policy and the process, and ought to determine what type of leader it wants, whether that’s an experienced chief financial officer or a career educator.

“I think the candidates brought forth by the search firm allow you to make that decision through your up or down vote,” Woods said. “But if the community believes that it’s important for us to review our policy and clearly articulate what that looks like, then we can do that also. But it’s OK to own that.”

But Woods cautioned the board against becoming a “de facto search firm” that would adjudicate applicants itself, and argued for keeping Hazard Young.

Harris and board member Amber Huett-Garcia agreed that the firm did what it was asked, but said it did not act on input from all board members.

Still, Huett-Garcia said her constituents faulted the board, not the candidates, for the muddled outcome.

BUDGET

CONTINUED FROM FRONT lagged compared to other departments around the state.

Memphis-trained officers and firefighters often move to other area departments for a better wage. A five percent pay hike did little to buck the trend.

For the MPD, recruitment numbers have also remained stagnant, despite a nine percent signing bonus. Both shortcomings have prevented the force from hitting its 2,500-officer-complement goal.

“To remain competitive and gain ground on that issue, I have collaborated with our partners at Memphis Police Association and the International Association of Fire Fighters to devise a plan that we believe, collectively, will give Memphis the much-needed enhancement in base salaries for our police officers and fire fighters,” said Strickland.

“If executed, it would bring a 14 percent base salary increase on July 1 and for the first time in many years, Memphis police and firefighters would have the highest salaries in the area.”

To achieve this, the signing bonus would be converted into a permanent salary increase.

It is currently funded by a sales tax referendum passed in 2019, dedicated for the funding of police raises and recruitment.

It also matches the five percent increase in pay agreed to last year. According to Strickland, the plan already has the blessing of the Tennessee comptroller. The mayor expressed confidence that the increase is sustainable.

“Because of the significant growth of the sales tax dedicated to that fund, it was determined that the program had ample and sufficient

“It is the way that we handled it,” Huett-Garcia said.

“It feels, whether that’s true or not, that we did this in the dark.”

Huett-Garcia called for new leadership in the search process, which has been led so far by board Chair Althea Greene.

In its evaluation process, Hazard Young scored candidates who met the board’s minimum requirements — which include professional academic experiences — higher than those who did not. But it did not exclude candidates who didn’t meet them, search firm president Max McGee explained in a voice call to board members during the meeting.

Williams, the interim superintendent and former district CFO, said in a statement that she was proud of the “proven track record” of her interim superintendency. While she didn’t plan to seek the permanent role, she said, she did so after board members and other community leaders supported her application.

Williams is alongside two other top contenders, both career educators: Carlton Jenkins, superintendent of Madison Metropolitan School District in Wisconsin, and Angela Whitelaw, Memphis’ top academic official. Four other high-scoring candidates have withdrawn from the process.

Said Harris after the meeting: “I would encourage all current applicants, if they look at board policy as it exists right now and they know that they qualify, I would strongly encourage them to stay in the race.”

(Laura Testino at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.)

funding to provide a fiveyear public safety employee retention program and provide secure funding for pre-kindergarten education through 2027.”

The budget proposal also includes a 2 percent pay hike for other city employees.

Strickland’s budget continues investment in public transit. This has been achieved through the creation of a Transit and Mobility Special Revenue Fund. In 2016, at the start of his first term, MATA funding amounted to $23 million per year.

“My proposal to you for FY24 is slightly more at $33.4 million, which is a 45 percent increase in eight years. When you include CIP (capital involvement plan) dollars, the increase is 48 percent. This is the largest increase in MATA history and the largest percentage increase of any city division.”

The budget also attempts to provide a place to go, particularly for area youths.

The proposal makes allowances for Play at Your Park, the summer program that provides activities to children at area parks. It has been expanded from 15 to 20 locations.

The budget also doubles the summer jobs program to 2,000 teens. Summer camps, field trips and family fun nights also potentially will receive more funding.

The proposal continues to fund scholarships to Nike Jr. Golf Camp, as well as free golf to any Memphis resident under 17. Ten swimming pools will also be open for the summer.

“As you know, providing our young people with meaningful activity, when they’re not in school, is one of the determining factors between them choosing the wrong path and the right path,” said Strickland.

April 27 - May 3, 2023

Page 2

NEWS

Humes Middle School, along with four other Achievement School District charter schools, lost initial bids to join MemphisShelby County Schools as charter schools. The board will vote on revised applications later this summer.

(Photo: Caroline Bauman/ Chalkbeat)

MSCS board turns away 10 charter school applications

by Laura Testino

MSCS, board forced to reckon with fallout of ASD

The Memphis-Shelby County Schools board on Tuesday denied initial applications from 10 charter schools, including several low-performing schools that are seeking to return to the district as charters after a failed turnaround effort by the state.

It is typical for the district to recommend denials in the initial round of applications, and ask applicants to revise their proposals. The board will make final determinations on the charter school applications later this summer, after applicants have a chance to make requested revisions.

The board took up the 10 applications in two batches.

One was a group of existing schools leaving the Achievement School District, the state turnaround program for low-performing schools. The other is a group of new proposed charters, primarily from operators that want to offer career and technical education programming, a new state priority.

The set of charter applications before the board show the impact in Memphis of two things happening at the state level: the chaotic unraveling of Tennessee’s charter-focused school turnaround effort, and this summer’s arrival of a new state education funding formula that provides extra money for career education programs.

The five schools from the ASD were once operated by the district. When the state designated them as low performers, it assigned them to charter operators to reform under 10-year contracts. State leaders have acknowledged for years that the turnaround effort failed.

Now, as the 10-year contracts near expiration, the school operators are applying to continue managing the schools as charters under the MSCS umbrella. That’s one of the possible exit routes outlined by the state for ASD schools, most of which are in Memphis.

Board member Stephanie Love appeared to suggest the ASD schools, which have high academic needs, should undergo a different process.

“I don’t think the ASD should be treated as a regular charter school,” said Love, whose district includes several of the schools.

The five Achievement School District charters that sought approval from the MSCS board are Humes Middle School, Martin Luther King Jr. College Prep High School, Cornerstone Lester Prep Elementary, Journey Coleman School, and Fairley High School.

The ASD applicants lost points for lacking details in their proposed transition plans to the district. They were also dinged for remaining low-performing.

Low academic performance regularly puts Memphis charter schools in jeopardy of closure.

“It appears to me that they’re still just floating money in a sinkhole,” board member Keith Williams said of the schools in a recent committee meeting.

The board has approved one ASD school to operate as a charter, but that school has not yet opened. Other former ASD schools have reentered the district’s own turnaround program called the iZone, which brings students at traditional public schools additional academic support. The program isn’t available for charter schools.

MSCS board members have started discussions about reabsorbing the other ASD schools as traditional public schools under the iZone. This could happen if the charter applications are rejected again by the MSCS board and by the state charter commission.

Dozens of Fairley High

Chalkbeat Tennessee

School students, families, and staff members urged the board on Tuesday to approve the bid by their charter operator, Green Dot Public Schools Tennessee, to continue running the school.

“Growth matters…. We are proud of the work we have done to support Fairley High School, and we look forward to continuing to support Fairley and the Lakeview community,” Jocquell Rodgers, the executive director of Green Dot, told board members.

Research has shown turnaround models like the iZone and the ASD are hard to sustain. Board member Amber Huett-Garcia requested data to compare the performance of ASD charters against MSCS’ lowest-performing schools in the iZone.

During a committee meeting, Huett-Garcia said she was unsure how the ASD charters offered something “different than what we do” at MSCS. The board’s ultimate decisions about the ASD schools are likely to intersect with its upcoming facilities plan.

State law says that MSCS regains control of the physical school building once a school exits the ASD, and MSCS has indicated its facilities plan could include decisions about the ASD school buildings. A new Frayser high school, for instance, would mean MLK College Prep closes.

New career and tech applicants part of ‘next wave’ of charters The five new charter schools

seeking approval from MSCS are Memphis Grizzlies Prep STEAM School for Girls, Empower Memphis Career and College Prep, Change Academy, Pathways in Education-Memphis, and Tennessee Career Academy.

Three of the five have a career and technical education focus.

Career and technical education “is kind of this next wave” of charters across the state, Brittany Monda, the district’s assistant superintendent of charter schools, told board members recently. Previous waves have been college prep-focused or STEM-focused, she said.

Tennessee’s new school funding formula uses a per-pupil funding model, with direct funding allocations for career and technical education.

MSCS officials said approving the new charter schools would cost the district’s traditional operations $60 million in revenue.

Monda praised the applicants’ ideas, but said they needed to return with more detail. Board member Sheleah Harris requested more information from the district about what academic needs charter schools could fill districtwide to help the board decide.

Of the remaining two schools, one is a returning applicant that was denied last year. The second is a former alternative high school that closed after its charter contract expired with the ASD. (Reach Laura at LTestino@ chalkbeat.org).

The New Tri-State Defender

April 27 - May 3, 2023

Page 3

NEWS

Upcoming Haley-related reunion is themed ‘The Story Behind The Search’

by Clennon “Wayne” Murray and Brandon Murray

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The highly anticipated and long-awaited Murray-Haley Family Reunion is set for July 20 through July 23 and will spread over Memphis, Henning and Ripley.

The planning of the reunion event was initially discussed with the late William (Bill) Alexander Haley, Sr. in 2011 and was planned for the summer of 2013. It was, he said, time to have another family reunion because the last significant get-together was held when his father, Alexander (Alex) Murray Palmer Haley, was alive in July of 1982.

Family members from various parts of the United States have assembled a reunion planning committee and are ready for this momentous occasion this summer. We envision it as one of the most significant Murray-Haley family reunions of the last four decades.

The itinerary has been strategically planned to cover a wide array of activities focusing on the heritage of the Murray-Haley family and other historical sites in the area.

Murray-Haley Family outside of Alex Haley’s Boyhood Home in 2022.

Murray-Haley family inside the Alex Haley Museum & Interpretive Center in Henning in 2022. (Photos: Brandon Murray/Bran Media) We’re planning on visiting: • Alex Haley Museum & Interpretive Center (Henning) • Bethlehem Cemetery (Henning) • West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center & Tina Turner Museum (Brownsville) • Family Reunion Picnic at Ripley City Park (Ripley) • Full Gospel Tabernacle Church (The Rev. Al Green’s Church) in Memphis

Alex Haley’s boyhood home, now The Alex Haley Museum, is where the 1977 Pulitzer Prize-winning author lived with his grandparents (1921-29). On the front porch, young Haley listened to his relatives tell family stories.

During long summer evenings, young Alex sat engrossed in the tales of his ancestors, who were brought to

America as slaves. It’s where he learned about Kunta Kinte, Queen and Chicken George.

His imagination was stirred, and he never forgot what he heard. When Alex grew up, he used those stories to author the book we all know as “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” (1976). It sparked interest in people around the world wanting to find their own

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family history.

In 1977, the television adaptation titled “Roots” led to a cultural sensation in the United States, racking up over 40 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and eight wins and becoming one of the mostwatched TV mini-series of all time.

The award-winning series was followed by “Roots: The Next Generation” (1979) and “Roots: The Gift” (1988), which was a Christmas movie special.” Alex Haley’s Queen” (1993) was another mini-series based on Alex’s family (his paternal grandmother). In 2016, the History

channel created “Roots”, a remake of the original 1977 mini-series with the same name.

Alex passed away on February 10th, 1992. His legacy lives on. The Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center features a plethora of family memorabilia, artifacts, and more.

If there are any family and friends interested in sharing and participating in this momentous occasion, please contact The Murray-Haley Reunion Team/Committee at murrayhaleyreunion@gmail. com.

PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, April 27 - May 3, 2023, Page 4

Harry Belafonte’s celebrity-activist journey covered a lot of ground NEW YORK (AP) – Harry Belafonte was the model and the epitome of the celebrity activist. Few kept up with his time and commitment and none his stature as a meeting point among Hollywood, Washington and the Civil Rights Movement.

Belafonte, the civil rights and entertainment giant who began as a groundbreaking actor and singer and became an activist, humanitarian and conscience of the world, died Tuesday at 96.

According to publicist Ken Sunshine, Belafonte died of congestive heart failure at his New York home, his wife Pamela by his side.

Belafonte was one of the first Black performers to gain a wide following on film and to sell a million records as a singer; many still know him for his signature hit “Banana Boat Song (Day-O),” and its call of “Day-O! Daaaaay-O.” He forged a greater legacy once he scaled back his performing career in the 1960s and lived out his hero Paul Robeson’s decree that artists are “gatekeepers of truth.”

Belafonte participated in protest marches and benefit concerts and helped organize and raise support for them. He worked closely with his friend and generational peer the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., often intervening on his behalf with both politicians and fellow entertainers and helping him financially.

He risked his life and livelihood and set high standards for younger Black celebrities, scolding Jay-Z and Beyoncé for failing to meet their “social responsibilities,” and mentoring Usher, Common, Danny Glover and many others. In Spike Lee’s 2018 film “BlacKkKlansman,” he was fittingly cast as an elder statesman schooling young activists about the country’s past.

Belafonte’s friend, civil rights leader Andrew Young, noted that Belafonte was the rare person to grow more radical with age. He was ever engaged and unyielding, willing to take on Southern segregationists, Northern liberals, the billionaire Koch brothers and the country’s first Black president, Barack Obama, whom Belafonte would remember asking to cut him “some slack.”

Belafonte responded, “What makes you think that’s not what I’ve been doing?”

Belafonte had been a major artist since the 1950s. He won a Tony Award in 1954 for his starring role in John Murray Anderson’s “Almanac” and five years later became the first Black performer to win an Emmy for the TV special “Tonight with Harry Belafonte.”

In 1954, he co-starred with Dorothy Dandridge in the Otto Preminger-directed musical “Carmen Jones,” a popular breakthrough for an all-Black cast. The 1957 movie “Island in the Sun” was banned in several Southern cities, where theater owners were threatened by the Ku Klux Klan because of the film’s interracial romance between Belafonte and Joan Fontaine.

His “Calypso,” released in 1955, became the first officially certified million-selling album by a solo performer, and started a national infatuation with Caribbean rhythms (Belafonte was nicknamed, reluctantly, the “King of Calypso”).

Belafonte befriended King in the spring of 1956 after King called and asked for a meeting. They spoke for hours, and Belafonte would remember feeling King raised him to the “higher plane of social protest.”

Then at the peak of his singing career, Belafonte was soon producing a benefit concert for the bus boycott in Montgomery,

Harry Belafonte singing in 1954.

(Photo: Carl Van Vechten – Van Vechten Collection at Library of Congress, Public Domain)

The National Civil Rights Museum saluted civil rights activist and cultural legend Harry Belafonte as a 1999 Freedom Award honoree.

Alabama, that helped make King a national figure. By the early 1960s, he had decided to make civil rights his priority.

“I was having almost daily talks with Martin,” Belafonte wrote in his memoir “My Song,” published in 2011. “I realized that the movement was more important than anything else.”

The Kennedys were among the first politicians to seek his opinions. John F. Kennedy was so anxious for his support that during the 1960 election he visited Belafonte at his Manhattan home. Belafonte explained King’s importance and arranged for King and Kennedy to meet.

“I was quite taken by the fact that he (Kennedy) knew so little about the Black community,” Belafonte told NBC in 2013.

“He knew the headlines of the day, but he wasn’t really anywhere nuanced or detailed on the depth of Black anguish or what our struggle’s really about.”

Belafonte would often criticize the Kennedys for their reluctance to challenge the Southern segregationists who were then a substantial part of the Democratic Party.

He argued with Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, the president’s brother, over the government’s failure to protect the “Freedom Riders” trying to integrate bus stations. He was among the Black activists at a widely publicized meeting with the attorney general, when playwright Lorraine Hansberry and others stunned Kennedy by questioning whether the country even deserved Black allegiance.

In 1963, Belafonte was deeply involved with the historic March on Washington.

He recruited his close friend Sidney Poitier, Paul Newman and other celebrities and persuaded the left-wing Marlon Brando to

co-chair the Hollywood delegation with the more conservative Charlton Heston, a pairing designed to appeal to the broadest possible audience. In 1964, he and Poitier personally delivered tens of thousands of dollars to activists in Mississippi after three “Freedom Summer” volunteers were murdered – the two celebrities were chased by car at one point by members of the KKK. The following year, he brought in Tony Bennett, Joan Baez and other singers to perform for the marchers in Selma, Alabama.

When King was assassinated, in 1968, Belafonte helped pick out the suit he was buried in, sat next to his widow, Coretta, at the funeral, and continued to support his family, in part through an insurance policy he had taken out on King in his lifetime.

King’s death left Belafonte isolated from the civil rights community. He was turned off by the separatist beliefs of Stokely Carmichael and other “Black Power” activists and had little chemistry with King’s designated successor, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy.

But the entertainer’s causes extended well beyond the U.S. He helped introduce South African singer and activist Miriam Makeba to American audiences, the two winning a Grammy in 1964 for the concert record “An Evening With Belafonte/Makeba.” He coordinated Nelson Mandela’s first visit to the U.S. since being released from prison in 1990.

A few years earlier, he had initiated the allstar, million-selling “We Are the World” recording, the Grammy-winning charity song for famine relief in Africa.

Belafonte was very much a human being. He acknowledged extra-marital affairs, negligence as a parent and a frightening temper, driven by lifelong insecurity.

In his memoir, he chastised Poitier for a “radical breach″ by backing out on a commitment to star as Mandela in a TV miniseries Belafonte had conceived, then agreeing to play Mandela for a rival production. He became so estranged from King’s widow and children that he was not asked to speak at her funeral. He later sued three of King’s children over control of some of the civil rights leader’s personal papers, and would allege that the family was preoccupied with “selling trinkets and memorabilia.”

He made news years earlier when he compared Colin Powell, the first Black secretary of state, to a slave “permitted to come into the house of the master” for his service in the George W. Bush administration. He was in Washington in January 2009 as Obama was inaugurated, officiating along with Baez and others at a gala called the Inaugural Peace Ball. But Belafonte would later criticize Obama for failing to live up to his promise and lacking “fundamental empathy with the dispossessed, be they white or Black.”

He was married three times, most recently to photographer Pamela Frank, and had four children. Three of them — Shari, David and Gina — became actors. He is also survived by two stepchildren and eight grandchildren.

Harry Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. in 1927, in Harlem. His father was a seaman and cook with Dutch and Jamaican ancestry and his mother, part Scottish, worked as a domestic. Both parents were undocumented immigrants and Belafonte recalled living “an underground life, as criminals of a sort, on the run.″ The household was violent: Belafonte sustained brutal beatings from his father, and he was sent to live for several years with relatives in Jamaica. Belafonte was a

poor reader — he was probably dyslexic, he later realized — and dropped out of high school, soon joining the Navy. While in the service, he read “Color and Democracy” by the Black scholar W.E.B. Du Bois and was deeply affected, calling it the start of his political education.

After the war, he found a job in New York as an assistant janitor for some apartment buildings. One tenant liked him enough to give him free tickets to a play at the American Negro Theatre, a community repertory for black performers. Belafonte was so impressed that he joined as a volunteer, then as an actor.

Belafonte met Brando, Walter Matthau and other future stars while taking acting classes at the New School for Social Research. Brando was an inspiration as an actor, and he and Belafonte became close, sometimes riding on Brando’s motorcycle or double dating or playing congas together at parties. Over the years, Belafonte’s political and artistic lives would lead to friendships with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Lester Young to Eleanor Roosevelt and Fidel Castro.

His early stage credits included “Days of Our Youth″ and Sean O’Casey’s “Juno and the Peacock,” a play Belafonte remembered less because of his own performance than because of a backstage visitor, Robeson, the actor, singer and activist.

“What I remember more than anything Robeson said, was the love he radiated, and the profound responsibility he felt, as an actor, to use his platform as a bully pulpit,” Belafonte wrote in his memoir.

His friendship with Robeson and support for left-wing causes eventually brought trouble from the government. FBI agents visited him at home and allegations of Communism nearly cost him an appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.″ Leftists suspected, and Belafonte emphatically denied, that he had named names of suspected Communists so he could perform on Sullivan’s show.

Starting in 1954, he released such top 10 albums as “Mark Twain and Other Folk Favorites” and “Belafonte,” and his popular singles included “Mathilda,” “Jamaica Farewell” and “The Banana Boat Song,” a reworked Caribbean ballad that was a late addition to his “Calypso” record.

He was a superstar, but one criticized, and occasionally sued, for taking traditional material and not sharing the profits. Belafonte expressed regret and also worried about being typecast as a calypso singer, declining for years to sing “Day-O” live after he gave television performances against banana boat backdrops.

Belafonte was the rare young artist to think about the business side of show business. He started one of the first all-Black music publishing companies. He produced plays, movies and TV shows, including Off-Broadway’s “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” in 1969. He was the first Black person to produce for TV. Mindful to the end that he grew up in poverty, Belafonte did not think of himself as an artist who became an activist, but an activist who happened to be an artist.

“When you grow up, son,″ Belafonte remembered his mother telling him, “never go to bed at night knowing that there was something you could have done during the day to strike a blow against injustice and you didn’t do it.″ (Former Associated Press writer Mike Stewart contributed to this report.)

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The New Tri-State Defender

April 27 - May 3, 2023

Page 5

RELIGION

Bishop Joseph Chase offers the prayer of protection for bikers gathered in the parking lot of Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

Some of God’s people ride bikes – bless them!

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Bishop Charles H. Mason Patterson Sr. asked God to show him a “new face” for evangelism and God gave him bikers.

Motorcycle riders gathered Sunday (April 23) at Pentecostal Temple Church of God in Christ for a “City-wide Blessing of the Bikes.”

Bishop Patterson said the event was a “first” for him, but bike clubs and pastors all over the country have annual prayer ceremonies at the beginning of “riding season.”

“I got the idea from my good friend Bishop Joseph Chase,” said Bishop Patterson. “We are both members of the riding community, and he told me about these prayer ceremonies held every year. Bishop Chase conducted our blessing ceremony, and it was beautiful.”

Bishop Patterson said the prayer service is a part of his effort to increase Pentecostal’s outreach to the community.

“God has given me a desire to connect with the community, to be in tune with the needs,” said Bishop Patterson. “I want the church’s fingerprint on the community.

I asked the Lord to show me a new face of evangelism.

‘Blessing of the Bikes’ is the beginning of this new face of evangelism.”

Bishop Chase, a member of COGIC’s Board of Bishops, said Bishop Patterson inspired him as he shared his vision for discovering a “new face on evangelism.”

“Ministry must extend beyond the church walls,” said Bishop Chase. “Bishop Patterson’s ‘new face of evangelism’ struck a chord with me because we live in a day when the church must be creative in sharing the gospel of Jesus.

“I came home with a desire for new opportunities for outreach. We are a mouthpiece for Jesus, but He also needs our hands and feet.”

Bishop Chase is founding prelate of the Greater Jamaica Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. He pastors New Community Temple COGIC in Portsmouth, Virginia.

Bishop Chase started biker blessings more than a decade ago.

“I wanted to reach out to bikers all over the city,” said Chase. “Virginia has a huge biking community. When riding season begins in spring, we hold a blessing service, asking for God’s protection.

“It actually started because my church would pray for me because they would be concerned for my safety. I wanted to extend that concern to other bikers.”

Bishop Chase said there is a second blessing ceremony at the end of riding season that looks different from the first blessing.

“At the first blessing, we ask God for protection,” said Bishop Chase. “But at the end of the season … we are

Bishop Charles H. Mason Patterson Sr. and his wife, LaShaundra “Bonnie” Patterson, are avid motorcycle riders. Bishop Patterson plans on hosting another blessing of the bikes when the riding season ends in the fall. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender) thanking the Lord for His protection. It is a praise service.”

Bishop Patterson gave each biker a prayer cloth and a small vial of anointed oil.

“We gave out handkerchiefs and oil which we had prayed over,” said Patterson. “Bikers can keep those with them throughout the riding season. We believe God will honor those tokens of prayer as they ride all across the country.”

James Franklin, public relations officer for “Pound 4 Pound Motorcycle Club,” said the blessing is a must, especially when riding season begins.

“Some bikers only ride during the season, but we ride all year ’round,” said Franklin. “Besides getting a blessing, when we are on the road, we always form a circle and pray together for God’s protection.”

Johnny Gray, a member of the “Notorious Ones,” said the old image of the rough, motorcycle rider no longer exists.

“Believe it or not, bikers are very spiritual,” said Gray, who club members call ‘Joka.’

“I’m self-employed. Many bikers are business owners, doctors, attorneys, ex-military — professional men and women. We believe in getting the blessing. And when it’s time to travel, we don’t pull onto the road unless we have prayed. We even have a chaplain.”

Franklin, who is called “Wild Child,” said bikers don’t just ride for pleasure.

“We have charitable projects and events throughout the year, especially Christmas,” said Franklin. “Bikers I know are some of the best guys you’ll ever meet.”

5th Pastoral Anniversary…

“By God’s Grace,” drawn from 1 Corinthians 15:10, was the theme as the 5th Pastoral Anniversary of Senior Pastor Melvin D. Watkins Jr. and his wife, Loie Watkins, was celebrated at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church-Westwood, 620 Parkrose Rd. The Rev. Watkins succeeded the Rev. James L. Netters Sr., the church’s longtime pastor, a pioneering Memphis City Councilman and local civil rights stalwart. Watkins served 20 years in ministry at Mt. Vernon before being named senior pastor. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

The New Tri-State Defender, April 27 - May 3, 2023, Page 6

Actress Essence Atkins inspires as a ‘Hollywood survivor’ at the Women’s Foundation annual event

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

Actress Essence Atkins believes that for women, who lead, to make a positive difference in the world they must be willing to re-invent themselves when facing new challenges.

That was the message she urged during an interview with The New Tri-State Defender.

The message meshed with the theme of this year’s Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis’ annual Tribute Luncheon, “Connect. Invest. Empower,” on April 20.

Atkins was the keynote speaker.

Nearly1,500 foundation supporters converged on Downtown’s Renasant Convention Center for the organization’s signature event that has garnered the support of major corporate sponsors and local organizations for nearly three decades.

Before lunch got underway, the 51-year-old beauty talked to The New TSD about her faith, her divorce, and becoming a strong and effective thought leader.

“If we are to make a positive impact upon our world, we, as women who lead, must learn the art of re-inventing ourselves,” said Atkins. “Addressing new challenges requires the strength of character to serve others with compassionate outreach. All women must be ‘re-inventors,’ not just in Hollywood.”

This was the first annual luncheon for newly anointed President and CEO Shante Avant, who has served in various capacities with the foundation for more two-and-ahalf decades.

Avant expressed gratitude for the unwavering support of Memphis partners that have faithfully supported WFGM over the years.

“We are grateful for the support of the community and our corporate partners who help us to advance our mission,” said Avant. “This year’s luncheon highlights the importance of all sectors in our city, including nonprofits, government entities, residents, and community leaders…

“The Women’s Foundation is committed to creating a more equitable and just Memphis through connecting, investing and empowering women and families to reach their fullest potential.”

Avant said Atkins’ encouraging words of encouragement from the keynote speaker were ideal for this year’s luncheon theme.

Atkins got her first, big break in acting when she was only 13, appearing in the ground-breaking, family sitcom, “The Cosby Show.”

Since that time, Atkins became a familiar face in comedy sitcoms and films. Among them are “Half & Half,” “Malibu Shores,” “Smart Guy,” “Are We There Yet,” and “A Haunted House.”

Atkins is a trained dancer, a product of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company, and dreamed of becoming a professional dancer. But she did some of that “re-inventing” she talked about and said “yes” to opportunity.

So many actors and actresses of a certain age fail to sustain a career in Hollywood, no matter how stellar and bright their beginning.

But Atkins consistently has worked in television and the big screen, enjoying the prestige and esteem of award-caliber recognition.

Twice Atkins was nominated for the NAACP Image Award. The first nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series was for her role as Dee Dee Thorne on the sitcom, “Half & Half.”

The second nomination was in the same category for her

“Connect. Invest. Empower” was the theme of this year’s Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis Tribute Luncheon, with actress Essence Atkins helping bring it to life during her keynote address. (Photos: Andrea Zucker)

Rubiani, a LaRose Elementary School student, was a special guest at this year’s Women’s Foundation for a Greater Memphis Tribute luncheon.

She was embraced by President Shante Avant (left) and Immediate Past President Ruby Bright, who befriended her during one of the group’s outreach efforts. role as Suzanne Kingston-Persons in the sitcom “Are We There Yet?” Some actors have not been blessed to enjoy decades-long success in the entertainment industry. Atkins invokes some power of influence and guidance others don’t.

Atkins will readily tell you that “God is the source” of all her success. Even when her life took an unfavorable turn, Atkins said God devised a unique avenue for getting through that difficult period.

Atkins weathered a public divorce from what she

thought would be her life-long love, former Puerto Rican collegiate football free safety star Jaime Mendez, with whom she has a son. The two announced their divorce in 2016.

Remarkably, Atkins seemed to walk through the pain and disillusionment of divorce with poise and grace.

“Divorce is very much like death,” said Atkins. “There is a grieving process, and you must walk through it. Both my husband and I had our son, Varro, utmost in our minds and what he must have been feeling. We were committed as parents to promote his peace and joy above anything we were experiencing.”

Motherhood, Atkins said, “changes you forever. A mother loves in a way she has never loved before,” said Atkins.

“There is just nothing you would not do for your child.

Varro is so thoughtful, so compassionate. He’s such a good kid. As his father and I co-parent, we are always looking for the best possible circumstance for his sake. Always, his happiness and peace come first. We continue to build from the ashes.”

But, Atkins said, God did something special for her during that time.

“Only weeks after filing for divorce, Marlon Wayans called with a project, ‘Marlon.’ It was a comedy sitcom based on his life.

“I played a newly divorced woman co-parenting with my ex. Marlon is such a good friend. He is Fred Astaire to my Ginger. God orchestrated that situation. As an actor, you recalibrate yourself to tell the story. That whole experience helped me tremendously.”

So, is the vivacious and alluring 50-something giving love a second chance?

“I want to start dating again, but this time, I’ll let God do it,” said Atkins. “There are some things I’m not going to do. So, I’m an outlier in that respect. But I’m open, and I have no doubt that God will send me His best.”

“If we are to make a positive impact upon our world, we, as women who lead, must learn the art of re-inventing ourselves.”

— Essence Atkins

The New Tri-State Defender

April 27 - May 3, 2023

ENTERTAINMENT

Page 7

Could former anchor Don Lemon sue CNN over firing?

by Jessica Washington The Root

Former CNN News Anchor Don Lemon isn’t taking his ousting lying down. The longtime host, who became embroiled in scandal last month, took to Twitter immediately after CNN announced he was being let go from the network to share that no one in management had the “decency” to tell him that directly after 17 years at the network.

But is Lemon all talk here, or could we potentially see this saga play out in the courts? The Root spoke to employment attorneys to see if Lemon’s departure could set the stage for the next dramatic media courtroom battle.

CUNY Law Professor Rick Rossein, an expert in employment and anti-discrimination law, did not mince words when discussing what comes next after Lemon’s ousting. “There’s no doubt there will be a lawsuit. And probably a likely settlement,” he says.

See when regular employees like you or I get fired, there’s typically not a lot we can do. Since most of us are at-will employees, explains Rossein. But someone like Lemon with an extensive contract that reportedly doesn’t end until 2026 typically has more rights when it comes to contesting their firing. And there’s a very good chance he’ll

use them, says Rossein.

We don’t know the specifics of why Lemon is being fired, which makes speculating about any lawsuit difficult. But, his ousting does come in the wake of public comments saying Republican Presidential candidate Nikki Haley was not in her prime. “A woman is considered to be in her prime in her 20s and 30s and maybe 40s,” said Lemon. “I’m just saying what the facts are – Google it.”

He was also the subject of a scathing Variety article, which alleged a pattern of sexist behavior against female colleagues, and allegations of a relationship with a 22-year-old junior staffer when Lemon was in his 40s.

Rossein says there’s a good chance Lemon has a section in his contract about bringing reputational harm to the company, even if there’s nothing in there specifically about workplace relationships. “All contracts these days have a broad clause which says that if you do something morally incorrect that severely damages the company’s corporate reputation, you could be discharged.”

But that certainly wouldn’t prevent Lemon from suing, especially since that clause is often incredibly vague, says Rossein.

Lemon could still sue alleging that CNN violated their contract with him by firing him before his contract ended. It’s also

possible that Lemon’s attorneys will look for any potential discrimination case they could bring against CNN, says Rossein.

“Certainly his lawyers are gonna be searching for some type of violation of both the state and federal civil rights law, which now includes sexual orientation discrimination,” says Rossein.

Menaka Fernando, a Partner at Outten & Golden, a firm which specializes in employment law, says this might get handled behind closed doors. “There will be a lot of talks and negotiations that happen between Mr. Lemon’s team and CNN’s Lawyers before it ever gets to the point of a lawsuit,” says Fernando.

Certainly the way this is playing out publicly adds to the confusion, says Fernando. (We’ve already seen a Twitter back and forth between CNN and Lemon, with the news network saying they attempted to have a private meeting before Lemon tweeted about his ousting.)

“The situation certainly raises more questions than answers,” says Fernando.

“The basic information that we have is that he did have a contract... until 2026 and that he was given very short or no notice. And that raises some questions around whether there were a contractual obligations that were breached.”

Like Rossein, Fernando, also thinks that whether the firing was discriminatory

CNN this week fired “CNN This Morning” co-host Don Lemon, who had worked at the network for 17 years. (Photo: Don Lemon/Twitter) could come into play in a potential legal case. “Race is certainly going to be a part of the conversations as well, whether there are double standards,” says Fernando.

The civil rights of the employees mentioned in the Variety piece could also come into play in this case, she says. Once allegations of that nature are raised, the company is likely obligated to investigate, says Fernando.

“Depending on the findings of that investigation, then company also has a duty to remedy any hostile work environment situations that are corroborated, she says.

“And that could include a variety of conduct including terminating the bad actors.”

However, at this point, we really don’t know why Lemon was let go and if it had anything to do with his comments about Haley, that many found sexist and ageist, or the alleged workplace misconduct.

“There’s just a lot of questions that are unanswered at this point,” says Fernando.

“So it’s really hard to know what his legal claims are.”

COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, April 27 - May 3, 2023, Page 8

Council still not on same page about redistricting lines

River City Links honor charter members, mark 30th anniversary

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The River City Links recently celebrated 30 years of uplifting young girls and underserved communities.

Elegantly dressed members and their guests converged on The Guest House at Graceland to celebrate the organization’s anniversary last Sunday.

The affair reflected the dignity and elegance of African-American women, organizing to assist disenfranchised and underserved communities.

River City Links Chapter President Michelle L. Fowlkes praised the meaningful contributions to young people over the decades.

“The 30th Anniversary celebration recognizes the contributions of African-American women and their commitment to transformational programs for youth in Memphis and in Jamaica,” said Fowlkes.

“These women are selfless sheroes who form strategic alliances with many groups to empower communities, advance educational opportunities for young girls, and promote the classic arts.”

The event’s theme was, “Celebrating 30 Years of Legacy: Leadership, Friendship, Service, and Philanthropy.”

On May 15, 1993, co-organizers and founders Emma Jean Hubbard Stotts and Dr. Elma Hubbard Mardis brought together 19 other prominent women, who became charter members of River City (Tennessee) Chapter of The Links, Inc. River City became the 244th chapter of The Links, the 10th in the state of Tennessee, and the third in Memphis.

Charter members and the first initiate were honored for their decades of committed service, including Rose Jackson Flenorl, Gwendolyn Washington Jones, Margaret H. Strong, Jewel G. Wilburn.

And alumnae members Lorraine Petties Bell, Josephine Bennett, Shirley Cobbins Peace, Melanie McWilliams Stafford, Charlene Turner, and first initiate Beverly Robertson.

Guests from across Memphis and around the state and the nation were in attendance.

Other featured guests included the 14th Central Area Director Delores Henderson, who spoke at the unveiling of the 3rd History Book; Central Area Director of The Links Monica Boone Allen from the Windy City (Illinois) Chapter, and National President of The Links

by James Coleman

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The River City Links 2023. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)

The 1993 Charter Members and First Initiate received a proclamation from the State Senate, presented by the Links Chapter President Michelle L. Fowlkes. Pictured from left are: Dr. Inetta F. Rogers, Lorraine Petties Bell, B. J. Worthy, Margaret Hubbard Strong, Rose Jackson Flenorl, President Michelle L. Fowlkes, Gwendolyn Washington Jones, Shirley Cobbins Peace, Beverly C. Robertson – first Initiate, and Melanie McWilliams Stafford.

Ethel Issacs Williams, J.D., from the West Palm Beach (Florida) Chapter.

Program awards, known as the Facet Awards, were bestowed upon the following organizations for contributions in their respective fields, as well as their continued support of River City Chapter: • Services to Youth – LeMoyne-Owen College.

• The Arts – Hattiloo Theatre and Collage Dance Collective.

• National Trends, and Services – Memphis-Shelby County Schools.

• International Trends and Services – Binghampton Christian Academy.

• Health and Human Services – Methodist Hospital-South.

Students from the Collage Dance Collective gave a classical ballet performance.

Dr. Inetta F. Rogers, who chaired both the Book Unveiling and the anniversary event, expressed gratitude and delight for the

chapter’s strong community support.

“Preserving the chapters and sharing with Memphis and Shelby County the impactful and sustainable service of River City Links over the past 30 years is such a worthwhile endeavor,” Rogers said. “I count it another historic moment in the mutually beneficial relationship of the community and the River City Chapter.

The Links, Inc., is an international, nonprofit corporation, established in 1946. The present membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of African descent in 299 chapters in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom.

It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations. The Links Inc., is committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African descent.

Africa in April works around rain to deliver cultural gifts

by Dr. Sybil C. Mitchell

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival drew over 20,000 people as attendees and participants worked around a rainy day.

Scheduled for Friday, the International Parade was beset with rain so heavy that the drummers for Hillcrest and Youth Villages had to hold up getting off the bus.

“But when it let up just a little, they got off the bus with those drums, and I tell you the truth, they got the job done,” said Dr. David Acey, Africa in April’s executive director.

While the 2023 cultural awareness gathering suffered that first day in Robert R. Church Park in Downtown, thousands came out Saturday to salute this year’s honored country, the Republic of Rwanda.

The 36th annual festival kicked off with the traditional Wednesday night brunch. Garnering the Executive of the Year Award was Shannon A. Brown, retired senior vice-president of FedEx’s Eastern Division of Operations and chief diversity officer.

“Shannon Brown has used his platform to ensure that FedEx is a leading community partner in organizing charitable events,” said Dr. Yvonne Acey, the festival’s co-founder. “Families in the Memphis community are much better off because of Shannon’s desire to serve. He is well-deserving and an easy choice.”

Africa in April has always been about the children. (Photo: Gary S. Whitlow/ GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)

Africa in April Cultural Awareness Festival co-founder Yvonne Acey (center) was in good company. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender) Almost 150 showcased a variety of fashions,

food, toys and other items. Live music, featuring multiple genres greeted attendees. Sunday focused on the celebration of “black gospel music” as an integral part of African-American heritage.

A children’s activity center was a huge part of the festival’s success this year.

“We’ve always said that returning to the community and rebuilding ‘the village’ has always been the main goal,” said Dr. David Acey.

“It’s about giving young people a sense of pride, and showing them how to honor their heritage. Africa in April is Black legacy.”

Once again, plans to redraw Memphis City Council district lines ahead of the Memphis city elections on Oct. 5 stalled after a majority of council members opted to abstain from voting during an executive session on Tuesday (April 25).

The rejection is the latest in an effort to approve new district boundaries. On April 5, Council chairman Martavius Jones halted a vote. That followed a letter from the Shelby County Election Commission denying his request for an extension on the April 14 deadline for approval.

Another vote, scheduled for April 11, also failed to happen.

During Tuesday’s meeting, council members asked for more information on the proposed new lines.

“We’ve gone through these maps….

We’ve made changes based on the concerns and the questions of the committee. This is just the final result of what we worked on and what we discussed,” said consultant Dr. Derek Harris, who drew the lines for the council.

“In my analysis, I did find a couple of problems with the current structure of the council’s district map based on the census data that was presented.”

The biggest shifts are in District 5, where north and south Cordova will be combined into one district.

District 1, meanwhile, will be moved “primarily” to the Raleigh area and expanded to pick up population. Communities in the Downtown area were also combined into one district.

“I think the census numbers were “I think 633,102, which did the census not back out the areas numbers that were de-annexed.

That created a probwere lem on two fronts, 633,102, with deviation and also with the populawhich did tion balance…,” said not back out Harris. the areas Population deviations or disagree- that were dements between annexed.” census data and district lines above 10 — Dr. Derek percent have been Harris deemed unconstitutional for violating the one-person, one-vote standard that requires parity of population among districts.

The problem may not present a legal quandary, according to council attorney Allan Wade.

“Those deviations are not as material as Dr. Harris says. Legally…you are allowed to have some deviation. It may not be 10 percent, but I do believe we have to address (the deviations) in the event this plan doesn’t pass.”

To get safely within the margins, the northeast part of District 5 “would go back to District 2,” which is in East Memphis.

The change would shift 7,000 people back to its population.

According to Wade, it would eliminate the deviation question, while not affecting poll locations or superdistrict lines.

“Out of an abundance of caution, I would probably recommend we make that one move and fix it, if this plan doesn’t pass,” Wade said.

The proposed map is the first to be drawn with the input of Memphians. Councilmember Michalyn Easter-Thomas led an ad hoc subcommittee that featured council members and residents from each district to draw the possible new lines. Community members also provided input.

There are seven single-member council districts and two superdistricts, each containing three council members.

Despite blowing the commission’s deadline, Wade has assured members that a new map could withstand a legal challenge.

The New Tri-State Defender

April 27 - May 3, 2023

NEWS

Page 9

Fugees rapper Pras found guilty of political conspiracy

by Lindsay Whitehurst The Associated Press

WASHINGTON – A Fugees rapper accused in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies spanning two presidencies was convicted Wednesday after a trial that included testimony ranging from actor Leonardo DiCaprio to former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Prakazrel “Pras” Michel was accused of funneling money from a now-fugitive Malaysian financer through straw donors to Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign, then trying to squelch a Justice Department investigation and influence an extradition case on behalf of China under the Trump administration.

A jury in Washington, D.C., federal court found him guilty of all 10 counts, including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government.

The defense argued the Grammy-winning rapper from

the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees simply wanted to make money and got bad legal advice as he reinvented himself in the world of politics.

Michel declined to comment after the verdict, but his attorney said he’s “extremely disappointed” in the outcome of the case and plans to appeal.

“This is not over,” attorney David Kenner said. “I remain very, very confident we will ultimately prevail.”

Michel first met Malaysian financer Low Taek Jho in 2006, when the businessman usually known as Jho Low was dropping huge sums of money and hobnobbing with the likes of Paris Hilton. Low helped finance Hollywood films, including “The Wolf of Wall Street.” DiCaprio testified Low had appeared to him as a legitimate businessman and had mentioned wanting to donate to Obama’s campaign.

Michel also testified in his own defense. He said Low wanted a picture with Obama in 2012 and was willing to pay millions of dollars to get

it. Michel agreed to help and used some of the money he got to pay for friends to attend fundraising events. No one had ever told him that was illegal, he said.

Prosecutors said Michel was donating the money on Low’s behalf, and later tried to lean on the straw donors with texts from burner phones to keep them from talking to investigators.

After the election of Donald Trump, prosecutors say Michel again took millions to halt an investigation into allegations Low masterminded a money laundering and bribery scheme that pilfered billions from the Malaysian state investment fund known as 1MDB. Low is now an international fugitive and has maintained his innocence.

Michel also got paid to try and persuade the U.S. to extradite back to China a government critic suspected of crimes there without registering as a foreign agent, prosecutors said.

On that charge, the defense

Ex-officer who fatally shot Breonna Taylor hired as a deputy

by Dylan Lovan Associated Press

CARROLLTON, Ky. — A former Louisville police officer who fired the fatal shot that killed Breonna Taylor has a new job in law enforcement - a controversial hiring that drew protesters to a rural Kentucky county northeast of the city.

The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday confirmed the employment of Myles Cosgrove, who was fired from the Louisville Metro Police Department in January 2021 for violating use-offorce procedures and failing to use a body camera during the raid on Taylor’s apartment, according to media reports.

About a dozen people showed up in downtown Carrolton Monday morning to object to his hiring, holding signs and chanting “Cosgrove has got to go.”

“I think he should be in jail,” said Haley Wilson, a 24-yearold resident of the small Kentucky town near the Ohio River. She said it is “absolutely ridiculous” that Cosgrove is now policing her town.

Investigators said that Cosgrove fired 16 rounds into the apartment after Taylor’s front door was breached during a narcotics raid on March 13, 2020. Thinking an intruder was breaking in, Taylor’s boyfriend fired a shot from a handgun at the officers. Officer Jonathan Mattingly was struck in the leg, and the officers returned fire, killing Taylor in her hallway.

An FBI investigation determined that Cosgrove and Mattingly struck Taylor, a 26-yearold Black woman, and that Cosgrove likely fired the fatal shot. Neither officer was charged by a 2020 state grand jury in Taylor’s death, and a two-year investigation by the FBI also cleared Cosgrove and Mattingly of any charges.

The FBI probe found that other superior officers had crafted a faulty drug warrant that contained false information about Taylor. U.S. Attorney Merrick Garland said in August that the officers who

went to Taylor’s apartment with the warrant “were not involved in drafting the warrant affidavit and were not aware that it was false.”

Robert Miller, chief deputy in Carroll County, pointed out that Cosgrove was cleared by the state grand jury when speaking of his hiring at the small Kentucky sheriff’s department.

In November, the Kentucky Law Enforcement Council voted not to revoke Cosgrove’s state peace officer certification. That meant he could apply for other law enforcement jobs in the state.

Brett Hankison, an officer who fired shots but didn’t hit anybody during the raid, was found not guilty by a jury of wanton endangerment charges. But he still awaits trial on federal civil rights charges for his actions during the raid, as do two other officers who were involved in obtaining the warrant. A third officer pleaded guilty to conspiracy in the crafting of the warrant.

There is no national database of officers who resign or are fired in misconduct cases, meaning in a lot of cases they can apply for jobs in other police agencies and departments.

In some cases, agencies that hire officers who were fired somewhere else may be unaware of the officer’s history because they failed to do a proper background check, said Ben Grunwald, a Duke University law school professor and co-author of a study published in 2020 on socalled “wandering officers,” or those fired by one agency who later find work at another. In Cosgrove’s case, however, his history was highly publicized.

In some cases, it’s possible the hiring agency sees a previously fired officer’s history as a benefit, rather than a risk, Grunwald said.

“Maybe that’s exactly what they want,” he said. “Maybe they are looking for a cowboy cop who has gotten in trouble in the past, but they think they got a bad shake.”

(Associated Press reporter Alanna Durkin contributed to this story from Boston.)

pointed to testimony from Sessions, who was Trump’s top law enforcement officer until he resigned in 2018. Sessions said he’d been aware the Chinese government wanted the extradition but didn’t know Michel. The rapper’s ultimately futile efforts to arrange a meeting on the topic didn’t seem improper, the former attorney general said.

Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, left, a member of the 1990s hip-hop group the Fugees, accompanied by defense lawyer David Kenner, right, arrives at federal court for his trial in an alleged campaign finance conspiracy, Thursday, March 30, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/ Andrew Harnik, File)

SPORTS

The New Tri-State Defender, April 27 - May 3, 2023, Page 10

If the Grizzlies take the playoff series from the Lakers now, well …

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

LOS ANGELES – Now it’s about playoff survival for the Memphis Grizzlies. Win three games in a row – starting with a FedExForum home-court advantage on Wednesday night – and they dam up what has been an overwhelming surge to a 3-1 series lead by the Los Angeles Lakers.

Sure, the Grizzlies felt they should have won Game 4 in L.A. on Monday night, but they didn’t. They lost 117-111 in overtime and now are on the survivor’s end of a commanding 3-1 lead in the NBA Western Conference bestof-seven, opening-round Terry series.

Davis “We have to go back to the crib and regroup,” said Memphis power forward Jaren Jackson Jr., the league’s Defensive Player of the Year.

“We played better than we did in Game 3. We have to hone in on some things we should have cleaned up in (regulation) instead of going to overtime.”

Better than Game 3 when they only scored nine points in the first quarter and fell behind by 26? Most definitely! The Grizzles scored the first six points of Game 4 while matching the Lakers’ expected energy. Yet they still trailed (29-23) at the quarter’s end.

Shooting guard Desmond Bane, two-time All-Star point guard Ja Morant and Jackson, a first-year All-Star, mounted a 14-1 run to end the second quarter to pull the Grizzlies within a basket (54-52). The Grizzlies grabbed their first lead (68-66) of the second half (68-66) with 7:05 left in the third and heading to a fourth quarter that would be close throughout.

Bane, who led the Grizzlies with 36 points, gave Memphis a 7-point lead (97-90) with 5:13 left in the game. But the Grizzlies could not hold back the Lakers and with 10.2 seconds to go, the score was score tied at 102.

With Memphis in possession of the ball, Morant found Bane for a trailing layup with 6.7 seconds left to play defense.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins fields questions before the tipoff of Game 4.

“We have to go back to the crib and regroup.”

— Jaren Jackson The Lakers called timeout and advanced the basketball. A play was designed for, of course, LeBron James.

“It comes down to game plan discipline,” said Bane. “LeBron has always been a strong right-side driver since coming into the league.

He gets to his right side. We have two guys that are supposed to be there to help. We did not execute.”

The Lakers controlled the overtime and now they control the series.

Morant and Dillon Brooks choose not to talk to media after the game.

Memphis head coach Taylor Jenkins spoke sparingly: “It was a competitive game. We did not come up with some offensive rebounds on some crucial possessions late. LeBron gets to his right hand late in the game, which can’t happen.”

But it did!

LeBron James got to his powerful right side late in the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies were not ready for it. The mistake opened the door for overtime, which the Lakers controlled to take a 3-1 series lead. (Photos: Terry Davis/The New Tri-State Defender)

Desmond Bane didn’t have it going from deep for most of the game, so he took it to the hoop, scoring 36 points.

(Visit TSDMemphis.com for the Game 5 story.)

With the paint heavily guarded, Ja Morant looks to pass.

Football Tigers ‘spring’ into formation at Blue-Gray game

by Terry Davis

Special to The New Tri-State Defender

The University of Memphis held its annual Blue-Gray game last Friday (April 21) with a traditional game format. With the roster sporting 100-plus players, the teams were divided into separate units as the Blue vs Gray teams played four 12-minute quarters.

The first half was dominated by the defensive units. The Blue team intercepted a couple of QB Tevin Carter’s passes, but the offense could not capitalize on the turnovers. Carter did find DeMeer Blankumsee for o70plus yard touchdown.

Returning QB Seth Henigan, sporting a new number this spring (2) was very effective.

The running game appears to be heading in the right direction even though Brandon Thomas, who is expected to be next season’s featured running back, was held out of the game.

Head coach Ryan Silverfield said, “We should be much more productive from this position. We are going to hang our hats on two to three guys.…”

Silverfield noted that it was difficult to get a measure on the offensive line at this point in the Spring.

Returning QB Seth Henigan at the Blue-Gray game. (Photos: Terry Davis/The New Tri-State Defender) avoid season-ending injuries, both of which were accomplished.

The running backs are expected to be a strength unit for the Tigers.

Stadium update

“We had six different guys to snap the football tonight,” he said. “If you talk to Seth, he will tell you that the offensive line is getting better and better throughout spring.”

Henigan said he liked the team format that was used this year for the spring unveiling of players.

“It gave more of a game-like atmosphere. All of the guys on the Blue team were chirping with the guys on the Gray team. It was really cool to compete with one another and have a winner and loser.”

As quarterback, Henigan was working on developing chemistry

Last year, the University of Memphis administration presented a master plan for the renovation of Simmons Bank Stadium.

Last week, the state of Tennessee came through on a $350 million Memphis-directed commitment, with the bulk of that money allocated to the FedExForum and an undetermined amount to be used to start the renovation of the stadium.

The construction will start at the end of this season and should be completed by the start of the 2025 season. During the 2024 season, there may be a construction zone

with the receiving group.

“It has been great. The guys coming had to learn a new offense. They were established at their old schools.

When you come to a new place, you have to reestablish at the new place.

They are trying to prove themselves.”

Jaylon Allen is tasked finding a new sidekick on defense.

“There are great players on the defensive line,” he said.m”From Josh Eliiott and Cormontae Hamilton, there is so much growth on defense. I am going to find somebody.”

The goals entering spring camps were to get better as a team and to

for the ongoing construction. The final design will not be released until the university knows the exact amount of funding the City of Memphis will be providing for the improvements.

Laird Veatch, vice president and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, said the impact of the funding is transformational for the university and Memphis “This is a result of alignment in leadership and believing in a shared vision,” he said. “For us, it is a massive step forward in what could be a university-wide transformation.”

The Tigers will return for fall practice in early August and will host Bethune-Cookman in the season-opening game on September 2 at 7 p.m.