brooklyn, state trooper, girl's death, murder charges

by Daniel Johnson

August 24, 2024

Former Florida Deputy Charged With Manslaughter In Killing Of Black Airman Roger Fortson

Eddie Duran could spend up to 30 years in prison if found guilty.

Eddie Duran, the former Okaloosa County sheriff’s deputy who shot and killed U.S. Airman Roger Fortson in May, has been charged with manslaughter, according to Florida authorities.

According to NPR, Duran will be charged with one count of manslaughter with a firearm.

Gregory Marcille, the assistant state attorney for Okaloosa County, told the outlet that that particular charge carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. However, the Okaloosa County State Attorney’s Office declined to make any additional comments due to the nature of the ongoing investigation.

Ginger Brown Madden, the Okaloosa County State Attorney, also told NPR that there is an outstanding warrant for Duran’s arrest.

Benjamin Crump, who is one of the lawyers representing Fortson’s family, said in a statement that the manslaughter charge represents a step toward “real justice” for Fortson’s family.

“Nothing can ever bring Roger back, and our fight is far from over, but we are hopeful that this arrest and these charges will result in real justice for the Fortson family,” Crump said.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department issued its own statement, declaring that it has been “accountable and transparent” during its discussions with Fortson’s family and counsel and their communications with the U.S. Air Force.

“The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) has been fully accountable and transparent in its compliance with statutory requirements, providing numerous public statements, making accessible the available body-worn camera footage and other related records, meeting with Mr. Fortson’s family and legal counsel, and communicating openly with the U.S. Air Force and our community-at-large.”

As BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, Fortson was allegedly shot and killed by Duran when Duran responded to a call about a disturbance at Fortson’s apartment. However, when Duran approached his door, Fortson was alone and on FaceTime with his girlfriend.

According to NPR, bodycam footage shows Duran announcing himself as law enforcement after knocking on his door, and Fortson appears holding a gun to the ground on the other side of the door. Duran fired several shots into Fortson, who later died at a hospital.

According to Brian Barr, another of the Fortson family’s lawyers, the call Duran was sent to respond to did not correspond to Fortson’s apartment and Crump said in May that Duran was not even supposed to come into Fortson’s apartment.

Originally, the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Department went with Duran’s self-defense claim, but after an internal investigation concluded that Duran’s use of deadly force was “not objectively reasonable and therefore violated agency policy,” Duran was fired.

Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden released a statement following the firing of Duran saying that the killing of Fortson should never have happened.

“This tragic incident should have never occurred,” Aden said. “The objective facts do not support the use of deadly force as an appropriate response to Mr. Fortson’s actions. Mr. Fortson did not commit any crime. By all accounts, he was an exceptional airman and individual.”

livestreamed murder, Birmingham, young mother, three charged

by Mary Spiller

August 24, 2024

Three Charged In Livestreamed Murder Of Young Mother

Asia Alyce Poole's fatal shooting was livestreamed on Facebook.

Three people have been charged in the killing of Asia Alyce Poole, who was fatally shot at a Birmingham, Alabama, apartment complex. The incident was streamed live on Facebook.

Justin Jamond Hendrix, 20, and Taylor McCloud, 22, have been charged with murder in the killing of the 21-year-old woman. Both have also been accused and charged with the attempted murder of Poole’s best friend after he survived the shooting.

BcCloud and Hendrix are being held without bond at the Jefferson County Jail.

The alleged incident began when 19-year-old Janiyah Hendrix — Justin’s sister — fought with Poole just before the shooting. Although she fled the scene, she’s been charged with first-degree auto theft. Janiyah was booked into county jail under a $30,000 bond.

According to sources close to Poole, she and Janiyah were involved in an ongoing dispute over an unnamed man. That tension escalated in the parking lot of the Birmingham apartment complex of Monarch Ridge, where the shooting took place.

Video evidence, which came in the form of a Facebook livestream, showed Poole and Janiyah physically fighting in the parking lot. After the pair moved to the breezeway of the complex, other people arrived on the scene just before a flurry of bullets was fired at Poole outside of her vehicle.

When police arrived on the scene, Poole was found unresponsive and bleeding in the “breezeway of her apartment building. Birmingham firefighters pronounced her dead on the scene at 10:31 p.m.”

Police reported that they documented at least 168 rounds fired.

Following the shooting, Janiyah fled the scene in Poole’s Ford sedan, which was later abandoned in a chicken spot parking lot.

Poole was a single mother to a kindergarten-aged daughter.

Residents of the complex and witnesses to the shooting said it was like “something out of a movie.” They described seeing multiple different shooters in masks and carrying Glock switches to “assault-type rifles.”

One resident said, “They came for this. They were so organized. They had everything blocked off, everyone corralled in.”

According to police, the investigation into Poole’s shooting is still ongoing.

“We do believe there were more than just these two shootings, so we’ll see where that leads us,’’ Officer Thurmond said.

Police ask anyone with information or additional videos of the incident to call detectives at 205-254-1764 or Crime Stoppers at 205-254-7777.

Special Needs Man, Hot Car, Caretaker, Dontarius Batts

by Mary Spiller

August 24, 2024

Special Needs Man Dies After Allegedly Being Left In Hot Car By Caretaker

Dontarious Batts was in his mid-20s and non-verbal.

A North Carolina man named Dontarius Batts, in his mid-20s with special needs, has died after allegedly being left in a hot car by his caretaker for several hours on Aug. 20. According to police reports, police were called at around 5 P.M. at the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. They were contacted by 55-year-old Rogers Lee Inge Jr., Batts’ caretaker, who claimed that he was responsible for the death of a person under his care.

After peacefully being taken in by police, Inge — who is an employee at Universal Health Care and responsible for taking care of Batts — told arresting officers that he brought Batts to work with him at his second job at Cleveland High School.

He reportedly continued to tell police that he left Batts — who is both autistic and non-verbal — in the car while he went to do his janitorial duties with the windows up and the engine turned off at 8 A.M. He checked on him once at 10, and he was allegedly alive at the time.

Inge returned to his car after completing his day of work at 4:17 P.M. and found that Batts had died.

Inge was captured saying in the original 911 call, “It’s my fault. I didn’t think it was that hot today. I didn’t check on him. I forgot. I was working.”

Inge is being held at Johnston County jail with a bond of less than $35,000, and he’s been released from his job at the school.

According to People, the temperature at the time of the incident was 81 degrees and sunny at the high of the day. However, the National Weather Service warned that the inside of a vehicle parked in the sun can get up to 50 degrees higher than the listed outdoor temperature.

Batts’ sisters, Tierra and Tiquana, started a GoFundMe in Batts’ name. It has since raised over $2,500.

Ikea, teens, Detroit, Michigan, Black united Fund

by Mary Spiller

August 24, 2024

Teens Pitch Business Ideas To Ikea

The Black United Fund teamed with Ikea for teens to pitch their business proposals.

A new program in southeast Michigan is giving kids in Canton opportunities. The Black United Fund is bringing teens to Ikea and allowing them to pitch their self-made business proposals to the stores’ receptive leadership team.

One of the program’s judges sat down with WXYZ News to talk with the program participants about the new opportunity.

Future entrepreneur and program winner Brendan White, in 11th Grade, opened up about his plans for the future.

“I wish to own my own real estate agency and start a multitude of passive income — such as vending machine businesses,” he said.

Recognizing how important it was to make a good impression on Ikea’s managerial board, Brendan didn’t take the meeting lightly.

“I did a little research before I came today,” he told the outlet. “I felt like I had to make an impression, a big impression. I can get a little jittery, so I’m still working on that.”

On Aug. 22, he and 15 other metro Detroit high schoolers met with Canton Ikea business leaders. They each pitched marketing ideas to potentially have the multimillion-dollar company bring them to life as part of its Retail Business Program, which is partnering with the Black United Fund to make it all happen.

BUF member Carlotta Tutt Holloway explained, “We wanted to make sure that they learn lessons from some of the top retailers.”

She continued, “Many students aren’t actually aware of these types of opportunities, so we wanted to make sure that they can do this aware that they can be marketing experts, aware of the fact that they can start their own business.”

The program is one week long and focuses on representation, fostering leadership, and equity.

Ikea Area Marketing Manager Kevin Matthews added, “Being from the Detroit area originally. Being a little Black boy that did not understand the types of jobs available in the creative space. It just felt like a good thing to do. To expose other Black and brown kids to opportunities and jobs we may not know about.”

“I also just wanted to make sure there was representation of an African American leader, so I felt like it was important to be a part of it.”

Brendan won the competition by pitching an idea to bring Detroit rapper Skilla Baby to the store. He will work with the furniture retailers over the next year to continue growing his business instinct.

Olympic medalist, Financial Advisor, Lauryn Williams, Nike, CFP

by Stacy Jackson

August 24, 2024

From Olympic Gold To Financial Advisor: Lauryn Williams Trades $200K Nike Deal For $12-An-Hour Internship To Follow Her Passion

As a certified financial planner, the former Olympian supports and educates younger athletes as an advisor through her firm, Worth Winning.

After a 10-year athletic career, Olympic gold medalist track star Lauryn Williams went from making a $200,000 annual salary with Nike to a $12-an-hour internship to expand on her current passion as a financial advisor and educator for younger athletes and professionals.

After a decade-long career in sports, Williams may have been financially secure by age 30, but now, at 40, she recognizes that her athletic earnings won’t sustain her for life. In an interview with CNBC Make It, the former Olympian, who studied finance at the University of Miami, discussed how she now focuses on financial planning for athletes and young professionals through her firm, Worth Winning, and serves as an ambassador for the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning.

After passing her CFP exam in 2017, following two unsuccessful attempts in 2013 and 2015, Williams sought an internship through her coursework and was brought on by a CFP firm owner. “It was a perfect fit for me,” she said. In her CFP bio, she stated, “CFP certification is a worthwhile journey…Helping people is the best part of the work.”

Williams, also a motivational speaker, retired from track and field in 2013 following an injury. She completed her Olympic career after winning a silver medal in the bobsled in 2014. Navigating the ups and downs of managing her finances throughout her career as a professional athlete fueled her desire to further understand the intricacies of finances.

“What people don’t realize, even with a $200,000 income, is that your agent takes 20% of that. And then you have to pay taxes as well,” she said. “The money doesn’t go quite as far as people think it does.” Experiencing situations with her financial advisors that weren’t suitable during her career prompted her dedication to helping others make smarter financial decisions.

“Olympic sports, in general, are kind of like the world,” she said. “You have a 1% that is earning very, very well and has more money than they will ever need, you have the vast majority of people who are getting by, and you have the people who are struggling.” Olympic headliners who rake in more than enough to live off of after retirement must organize their finances properly if they desire to never work again. However, for several of Williams’ gold medal-winning clients, they weren’t even making $100,000 a year.

Williams shared that spending all of her 20s as a competitive athlete triggered insecurities. She said she lacked real work knowledge while her friends were already pursuing careers as doctors and lawyers. She advises everyone to prioritize themselves by automating their savings and opening a retirement account.

Check out Williams’ 2022 interview with Parity as she discusses generating income for student-athletes.

judge, Judge Christina Peterson, Atlanta, arrest, trial

by Stacy Jackson

August 24, 2024

Dismissal Of Charges Delayed After Hearing For Former Judge Christina Peterson Postponed

The former judge awaits a new hearing after her attorney, who appeared to be at the Democratic National Convention this week, is a no-show.

An Aug. 22 hearing in Georgia was delayed for former Douglas County judge Christina Peterson, who awaits to have her criminal charges dismissed from a June incident where she allegedly punched an Atlanta officer during a confrontation outside of a Buckhead nightclub.

The postponed hearing comes after Peterson’s attorney, Fulton County Commissioner Marvin Arrington Jr., told BLACK ENTERPRISE via email that neither he nor his client received any notice of Thursday’s court date. According to Atlanta News First, Arrington filed a leave of absence three weeks before the hearing. However, the prosecutor for the case told the judge she wasn’t aware of the notice until late Wednesday.

According to recent posts on his Instagram page, Arrington attended the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week. In one post, he appears wearing a DNC badge.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Marvin Arrington Jr (@marvinarringtonjr)

As previously mentioned by BE, Arrington Jr. is expecting a complete exoneration for the ex-judge who was arrested on June 20 and hit with several counts of misconduct after she allegedly struck an officer in the head, what Peterson’s attorney described as actions of a “good Samaritan” who was only trying to protect an assault victim. Although video footage revealed the judge was breaking up a fight between a man and woman, the incident at Peachtree Road Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge left Peterson with charges that included simple battery against a police officer and obstruction of law enforcement.

Peterson, who officers said appeared to be “under the influence” the night of the altercation, waived her first appearance on June 20, which was scheduled in front of the Fulton County Magistrate Court.

The Georgia Supreme Court removed Peterson from the bench due to a pattern of judicial misconduct and replaced her with attorney Valerie Vie. The Judicial Qualifications Commission also decided to have Vie serve the remainder of her position until January 2025, and Peterson was barred from holding any Georgia judicial office for seven years.

Atlanta News First reported that a new date for Peterson’s hearing has not been set.

by Stacy Jackson

August 24, 2024

Family Mourns Death Of Beloved Brooklyn Journalist, Shrim Sa High Priestess Maitefa Angaza

The journalist will be remembered for the cultural impact she had through her roles as a writer, filmmaker, and arts activist.

Maitefa Angaza, a writer, editor, and filmmaker from Brooklyn, New York, has died after years of dedication to community and cultural empowerment as an influential journalist and spiritual leader.

Angaza’s family announced the news about the beloved journalist on Aug. 13, days after she died on Aug. 8. According to the late author’s official website, she will be missed as a wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and community member.

“In celebrating her life, her words and work are the best way to honor her,” the Angaza family shared in a statement.

“Not only was she book smart, but she also possessed an emotional, social, and spiritual intelligence…She took African culture and sisterhood seriously. She was a consummate connoisseur of art from the African diaspora and kept her sisterhood and others abreast of art exhibits, live music, theatre, dance, literary conferences, etc.”

The co-founder and High Priestess of the Afro-Kamitic spiritual organization Shrim Sa impacted the spiritual lives of many through her dedication to connecting individuals to their cultural roots. The cultural arts advocate produced notable projects that connected individuals to the rich history and contributions of the Black community. Her documentary, In Our Heads About Our Hair, explores self-identity and politics, and her Heads Up! A Soulful Celebration of Our HAIRitage event salutes Black heritage.

As a writer, she immersed herself in her reporting by producing investigative pieces, features, profiles, arts and book reviews for major publications, including Essence Magazine, Black Issues Book Review, The New York Amsterdam News, and Black Star News.

“You have to be a listener to be a journalist and an observer,” said Brenda Brunson-Bey, whose story was once “beautifully” told by Angaza on the front page of Our Time Press.

“I felt her humbleness. She knew I was there,” she said, according to the outlet. The storyteller has also served in several editorial roles for The City Sun, African Voices magazine, and Our Time Press. Angaza was deeply involved in the Kwanzaa principles she wrote about in her nonfiction book Kwanzaa: From Holiday to Every Day. The literature pays homage to the holiday her family celebrated for over four decades.

Angaza was heavily invested in initiatives that reflected her legacy as a cultural curator. Her involvement and support towards their missions impacted organizations like Reel Sisters, Geb Hetep Wholistic Health Center, Nu Web Order, 500 Men Making A Difference, The Big Black Book, and The Black Track. She is the mastermind behind a plethora of influential content, blogs, newsletters, and marketing campaigns that have resonated with the community online.

According to Brunson-Bey, Angaza leaves behind sons who are continuing on her legacy in the arts. The family hasn’t specified the cause of death.

Kentucky Student, N-Word , Assaulting, Black Woman, Jail

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 24, 2024

Black Death Row Inmate Argues For Resentencing Based On North Carolina’s History Of Racial Bias

Attorneys for Hasson Bacote are asking for him to be resentenced to life in prison due to the state's documented history of racial discrimination.

Attorneys for a Black man who is currently on death row are arguing for their client to be resentenced to life in prison due to the state’s documented history of racial discrimination.

According to NBC News, Hasson Bacote was convicted on a first-degree charge of murder for the 2007 shooting death of an 18-year-old man during a home robbery attempt. The jury that convicted him comprised 10 white and two Black jurors. One of his attorneys, Henderson Hill, senior counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union, argued that white jurors “get shown the box. Black jurors with the same background get shown the door” during closing arguments on Aug. 21.

Bacote is allowed to argue his case because of North Carolina’s Racial Justice Act of 2009. The act allows inmates on death row to seek resentencing based on racial bias being a factor in their convictions. After the act was repealed in 2013, the state Supreme Court reversed it, allowing inmates like Bacote to argue their case under this act.

Experts from several fields gave testimony to reveal a history and pattern of discrimination used in jury selection, not just for Bacote’s trial but others that have taken place in Johnston County. Another attorney representing Bacote, Ashley Burrell, senior counsel at the Legal Defense Fund, explained how the statistics show racial disparities in death penalty cases. In Johnston County, she disclosed that of the 17 capital cases reviewed, six Black defendants were sentenced to death. She also revealed that with the remaining 11 white defendants, more than half of those individuals were spared death sentences.

Department of Justice Attorney Jonathan Babb disagrees with Bacote’s argument and stated that if the test under the Racial Justice Act is “whether racism has existed in our state, then there is no need for a hearing in this case or any other case. But that’s not the question before this court. Rather, the question is whether this death sentence in this case was solely obtained on the basis of race. The defendant has not shown that his sentence was solely obtained on the basis of race.”

Superior Court Judge Wayland Sermons Jr. will make a ruling but has given no deadline.

Depending on Sermons’ decision, if Bacote emerges victorious, more than 100 other death row inmates in the state could also see their sentences similarly commuted.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

August 24, 2024

50 Cent Dropped His Boxing Promoter Dream After Just One Fight, Claims Oscar De La Hoya

When one of 50's boxers got knocked out in 2015, "that was the end of 50’s promotional career,” De La Hoya said.

Successful recording artist and television executive Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson once tried to enter the boxing business as a promoter. According to former boxer and current promoter Oscar De La Hoya, the Queens rapper decided to bow out before getting knocked out.

On a recent episode of Shannon Sharpe’s Club Shay Shay, Sharpe asked De Le Hoya about 50’s foray into the boxing profession. He questioned whether 50 and his former friend, undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather, tried to be in business together.

De La Hoya responded by telling Sharpe that the two of them did business together, but after the first fight they collaborated on, 50 threw in the towel on his career as a boxing promoter.

“We did business together, actually. Canelo (Alvarez ) fought (James) Kirkland. 50 Cent had just signed Kirkland to a promotional contract. We had a fight together. Canelo knocked him out, and that was the end of 50’s promotional career,” De La Hoya said with a laugh about the 2015 fight.

The boxing promoter claimed that 50 tried to sign Mayweather, who was previously signed to De La Hoya’s promotion company, Golden Boy.

“He was trying to do something with Floyd, and then Floyd just got bigger than 50 or something,” said Oscar. “Egos got in the way, and you know how that goes. The only business deal I’ve ever made with 50, Canelo knocked them out, and that was the end.”

That boxing loss may have given 50 the mindset to become more involved in television work. The “Get Rich or Die Trying” power player, who is worth $40 million, has recently opened a production studio, G-Unit Film & Television Studio in Shreveport, Louisiana, after the success of his “Power” Universal consisting of several shows that revolved around the Starz series, “Power.”

Due to the studio’s opening, the city declared April 18 Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Day, and he was given a key to the city.

by Sharelle Burt

August 23, 2024

Black Woman Alleges She Overheard Staffing Agency Workers Refer To Her As ‘White Trash’

This is just wrong.....

Ashley Chapman, a Black woman from Chicago, filed a discrimination complaint against a staffing agency after allegedly overhearing employees call her “white trash” on a voicemail, WGN TV reports.

Chapman searched for employment after moving to the Windy City from North Dakota. After enlisting the help of a staffing agency in the suburban neighborhood of Elgin, she received a voicemail; however, the caller failed to hang up properly and allegedly made some derogatory remarks, thinking Chapman was white. “Let’s see what Ashley Newman looks like,” one speaker was allegedly overheard saying.

“I don’t think she’s Black … I think she’s white … Yeah, I think she’s white trash.”

Chapman claims she also allegedly heard the caller say, “Your baby daddy’s married, and you’ve had unprotected sex.”

During a press conference, Chapman admitted that regardless of what she thought she may have heard, she still called the agency back. “I don’t have a lot of family to help me. I need a job. I need money for my kids,” the single mom of two said, according to Atlanta Black Star.

“People make mistakes, but they just took it too far.”

Chapman then reached out for legal representation and found David Fish, who called the message “repulsive.” The team filed a formal complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR), a prerequisite for any upcoming lawsuit, and hopes the company is investigated. “It was a repulsive message, and in cases like this, you don’t find out why decisions were made. Usually, people aren’t stupid enough to leave a voicemail like this,” Fish said.

“What we’ve alleged in our charge of discrimination is that there’s marital status discrimination, that there’s gender discrimination, and that there’s race discrimination.”

The state agency is responsible for enforcing the state’s Human Rights Act, which bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, military status, age (40 and over), order of protection status, marital status, sexual orientation, unfavorable military discharge, and physical and mental disability.

The department’s responsibility is to review requests for charges of alleged unlawful discrimination concerning employment, housing, financial credit, and public accommodations. The next step prompts an investigation into the case and then filing a civil complaint if evidence of discrimination is found.