Idaho Lawmakers Pass Bill That Would Allow Execution By Firing Squad
On Monday, Idaho lawmakers passed a bill that would allow for execution by firing squad for those convicted of premeditated crimes, according to the legislature’s website.
State Rep. Bruce D. Skaug confirmed the decision in a statement to CNN.
“H186 has now passed the Idaho Senate and House with a veto- proof majority,” Skaug wrote in an email. “Upon signature of the governor [Brad Little, a Republican], the state may now more likely carryout justice, as determined by our judicial system, against those who have committed first-degree murder.”
In a system that routinely hands down harsher sentences to Black and Brown people, a move like this could cause irreparable damage to those awaiting clemency or reprieve.
The bill details that death by firing squad will only be employed when the state cannot obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections; an issue that has caused several states to pause executions, allowing inmates to file lawsuits that claim the injections are inhumane. Idaho will also be able to employ firing squads in situations where courts deem the usual means of carrying out death penalty sentences unconstitutional.
The bill, which passed through with a 24-11 vote from officials, also carries a pretty hefty price tag. In order to meet “safety and execution requirements for the firing squad”, the Department of Correction must be refurbished to the tune of $750,000.
If the bill is signed into law, Idaho will not be alone in the questionable choice as South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, and Oklahoma all have approved the use of firing squads over the last decade.
Though the decision has been in effect in other states for quite some time, the last time a firing squad was actually used to carry out an execution was in 2010 for the death of convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner in Utah.
New Edition Considering Las Vegas Residency To ‘Give Our Fans Something Special’
New Edition’s nationwide tour has the legendary R&B group considering its odds with turning its live show into a Las Vegas residency.
Ronnie DeVoe, Bobby Brown, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Ralph Tresvant, and Johnny Gill were guests on Sherri Sheperd‘s show on Tuesday where they were asked about the possibility of embarking on a Las Vegas residency.
“We’ve talked about it throughout the years and we’ve had offers to do it, Tresvant revealed.
But with a musical legacy dating back to the 1980s and generations of fans, New Edition wants to ensure their residency would be properly organized before signing on the dotted line.
“When we’ve always gone to the Last Vegas shows, they were big. The sets were big; they were elaborate,” Tresvant explained. “And it just seemed like there was a lot of time, effort, and money put behind whoever the artist was that was up there. So, they could really showcase themselves in a way that they can’t do it on the road. So, for New Edition, it’s the same thing.”
While offers have been made, New Edition hasn’t been presented with the right deal that would ensure the group can give their fans the show they deserve.
“Some of the offers just haven’t been at that level yet …where we are like, ‘Why can’t we do it like we’ve seen the other artists do it?’” Tresvant continued.
“So we’re waiting for it to come together and we can do it right and give our fans something special.”
“When you think about Vegas, we just want to be able to come and be able to give the best display of who we are,” Gill added.
The group is currently traveling nationwide as part of its “Legacy Tour” where fans can see the iconic six-member group dance and belt out the lyrics to classic hits like “Candy Girl,” “Cool It Now,,” “Mr. Telephone Man,” and the smooth sounds of “Can You Stand the Rain.”
Ben Crump Is Crowdfunding For Former Florida Gubernatorial Candidate Andrew Gillum’s Legal Defense
When someone is in trouble, they know who to get on their team.
WFSU reports civil rights attorney Ben Crump has been crowdfunding for Andrew Gillum’s legal defense. The former Tallahassee mayor and 2018 gubernatorial candidate is accused of lying to the FBI and wire fraud in a campaign finance scheme. Gillum and accused co-defendant Sharon Lettman-Hicks, were indicted last June on charges that they illegally pocketed campaign donations.
The 43-year-old allegedly spent the money on lavish trips, including one to New York, where money was spent on hotel rooms, Statue of Liberty boat rides, and tickets to the Broadway show Hamilton. According to Tallahassee Democrat, the charges came about after an undercover FBI probe, Operation Capital Currency, led to prior bribery convictions against former Mayor Scott Maddox, his aide, Paige Carter-Smith, and businessman John “J.T.” Burnette.
Crowdfunding for public figures has grown popular at an eye-raising but effective rate. Former federal prosecutor Timothy Jansen says it opens doors for serious money to be raised. “I’ve seen GoFundMe become more popular recently, probably in the last three to five years,” Jansen said. “I’ve seen some high-profile cases where GoFundMe was utilized to help cover the cost of an expensive trial and try to get really good lawyers to defend them.”
The downside is there is no way to track where the money comes from, especially if gifts are made anonymously, which causes more legal problems.
Gillum’s lawyers, David Markus and Katherine Miller of Miami, requested to unseal a government motion accusing the FBI of using drugs, alcohol, and women to “ensnare” their targets. However, U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor shot them down earlier this week. Prosecutors claim they have no reason to believe those allegations are anything more than agents “conducting an appropriate investigation.”
In an email, Markus thanked Crump and others for their fundraising efforts, with Gillum’s trial set to begin in April.
What’s Beef?: Dave Chappelle and Katt Williams Clear Air On Twitter Feud
When it comes to comedy giants, few are bigger than Dave Chappelle and Katt Williams. And there tends to be an unbreakable camaraderie amongst vets, so many fans were surprised to see Williams and Chappelle in a war of words on Twitter a few years ago.
On a recent episode of The Midnight Miracle, the podcast Chappelle hosts alongside rappers Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli, he and Williams told the true story behind their beef.
According to Chappelle, it all started because he arrived late to Twitter. “I went to see who was using it and it was a fake Dave Chappelle. This n— had my pictures, this when I thought Twitter was brand new,” he explained. “And I thought, you know, put a stop to this, and then I started reading this n—’s tweets and they were hilarious.”
The Mark Twain Prize recipient said he became obsessed with his impersonator, going as far as making reading the imposters tweets with his morning coffee.
It was all fun and games until the fake Chappelle began to go after celebrities; some of which the comedy great knew personally, including Williams.
“Katt Williams wasn’t having that s—,” said Chappelle. Shortly after, an account believed, at the time, to be Williams, himself, began to respond to the fake Dave Chappelle. “The problem was Katt Williams was saying things to fake Dave Chappelle that was hurting real Dave Chappelle’s feelings”, Dave explained, before detailing a confrontation between the two in Los Angeles.
“I said, Yo, Katt can I talk to you?’ and he’s like, ‘Of course.’ And I go, ‘Away from Suge [Knight],’” said Chappelle before sharing that they went on to realize that neither of them actually had accounts on the social media app but that it was a beef between two people impersonating them.
“I still don’t have a Twitter account”, revealed Williams. “It turns out it was fake Dave Chappelle and fake Katt Williams. But Katt’s fake was funnier than my fake,” said Chappelle.
Though the legendary “beef” between the pair took place over a decade ago, fans were happy to hear the two set the record straight.
Sydney Leday, Woman Shot in the Head on the Same Night of Takeoff’s Death, Owes $200K in Medical Bills
When Migos group member Takeoffwas killed in Houston last year, he wasn’t the only one caught in the crossfire. A surviving victim of the night’s gun violence was hit in the head that fateful night. She has recently stated that due to her injuries, she has medical bills exceeding $200,000. In a video shown on The Shade Room, the shooting victim, Sydney Leday, discusses what occurred on the night Takeoff was killed. She expressed that she and her friends were invited to the after-hours party at the bowling alley. The invitation was given to them while they were already out, and they accepted it. She states she is trying to cope with what happened to her that night.“I’ve never been in this situation or known anybody that had to go through what I’m going through,” Leday told The Shade Room. “I’m just working on trying to get back to a normal [life] as much as possible.” She explained that she arrived at the venue after midnight. “I would say we got there about one o’clock in the morning.” Toward the end of the event, she said, “Everybody seemed like they knew each other. We got outside, and it was time for everybody to go home. That’s when things changed.” She witnessed Quavoarguing with someone as other people came outside to see what was going on. After some back and forth, she stated someone pulled out a weapon, but she did not hear the gunshots until she was at an escalator.“I remember running away and then falling to the ground. I felt the sting in my head,” as her friend picked her up. “I didn’t realize what actually happened to me, and fortunately, I had on a wig and a wig cap. So, I took the wig off and noticed that I had a lot of blood.” She was rushed to the hospital and was in a coma for days.In the meantime, her bills have piled up, and her family has set up a GoFundMe account to cover the costs of caring for her.“The Murder Of TakeOff in Houston at 810 Billiards and Bowling, not only took the life of a World class Artist (TakeOff); But devastated my family on another spectrum. This senseless act of violence left my daughter, Sydney, who was an innocent bystander, with a GUNSHOT to the head. We are very fortunate that she survived, but has been left with substantial medical bills that are still accruing. (Hundreds Of Thousands). Both Physical and Mental, Disabling Damages requiring treatment that is likely to abide with her for the balance of her Natural Life. These Lifealtering Debilitating Injuries has left my once happy girl completely traumatized. Sydney was an unfortunate victim of violence and we are calling on our Family, Friends and Community for support. (SHE HAS NO INSURANCE) Thanks in advance.”
Her mother, Sakhara Carmon, hopes to raise $150,000; so far, a little over $15,000 ($16,566) has been donated.
Student Accused of Shooting Two Faculty Members in Denver Found Dead
The student who was accused of shooting and wounding two faculty members at his Denver high school has been found dead near his vehicle in Park County.
The Park County Coroners Office confirmed in a Facebook post that the body belonged to 17-year-old Austin Lyle, who shot faculty members as they were patting him down for weapons as part of a “safety plan” devised for the youth based on previous behavioral issues.
The East High School student fled the shooting scene on foot immediately after Wednesday’s violence, which unfolded just before 10 a.m. local time (1600 GMT).
Denver Police Department had said in a tweet that a body was located near the suspect’s vehicle, adding that the identity and cause of death would be determined by the Park County Medical Examiner’s Office.
“This particular student had a safety plan that was in place where they were to be searched at the beginning of the school day every day,” Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas told reporters during a news conference earlier.
Neither police nor education authorities disclosed the specific conduct that led the school to adopt an individualized security protocol for the student. A wanted bulletin issued after the shooting included a photo of the student and of a car similar to one he might be driving.
The dean of the school and other staff members were conducting the search when several shots were fired, and the student fled, apparently still armed with the handgun used in the attack.
The two victims were taken to an area hospital where one was listed in critical condition and undergoing surgery, and the other was in serious but stable condition, Thomas said.
The bloodshed came three years after the Denver school board voted to eliminate its program of assigning armed city police officers, known as school resources officers, to its public school campuses, relying instead on the school district’s own security team.
In light of Wednesday’s shooting, two armed police officers will be returned to East High School, located in Denver’s City Park neighborhood, for the rest of the current academic year, said Alex Marrero, the district superintendent.
Classes for the school’s 2,500 students will be canceled for the rest of the week, Marrero said.
Sold Out: Bryson Tiller Fans React After His Presale Tour Tickets Sell Out In Minutes
If you’re trying to get tickets for Bryson Tiller’s comeback tour… don’t.
The 30-year-old singer took to Instagram to announce his return with a photo that references the 1985 film classic Back To The Future with a caption that read, “It’s simple. We back.” He said, “Taking a trip to the past and giving y’all a glimpse of the future. Five whole years without touring. Time really does fly… See y’all soon.” Though the “Sorry Not Sorry” singer hasn’t released new music since Anniversary in 2020, he holds one of the most loyal fanbases in music. And much to their delight, Tiller plans to retake the stage, offering presale tickets for a tour that kicks off on May 4 in California.
Potential concertgoers’ joy was short-lived as they flooded Ticketmaster on March 22 only to find extra long wait times and ultimately sold-out shows. Much like fans of artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, who also found it nearly impossible to acquire tickets for their concerts, Tiller’s fans took to Twitter to air their frustrations.
“Ain’t no way 2000 mfs in front of me for these Bryson Tiller tickets,” one Twitter user wrote. Another fan wondered why the singer had opted to play smaller venues after such a long time away, leaving them “starving.” Mounting calls to action for ticket buying measures to become more easily navigable for users and for them to help eliminate hiking resale prices have followed.
The highly anticipated 25-city tour will start in San Diego and travel across the country with stops in Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Atlanta, Miami, and more before ending in Seattle on June 12. DJ Nitrane will join Tiller on the road. In the near decade that the singer has been active in the music industry, he’s collaborated with some major heavy-hitters like Drake, Big Sean, Rihanna, and more—we hope he’ll bring some of his famous friends along for the ride.
Trip to Africa Inspires Black Activist to Write a Reality Fiction Book on the Global Water Crisis
It’s so easy to take water for granted until it’s gone. For author and activist Papi Kymone Freeman, the best approach to explain the global water crisis was after his trip to Africa, when he decided to write a fictional book using Marvel-like superheroes to tell the story of climate change, global warming and the privatization of water. NINEVEH (pronounced ni·nuh·vuh) is a fiction novel about a conflict over water set in the future in a post-oil-depleted dystopian society. NINEVEH novel releases on March 22, 2023 – World Water Day.
“I spent the summer in Nairobi, Kenya, with a fellowship from the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization dedicated to service, where we were forced to use bottled water to brush our teeth,” said Kymone Freeman, author of NINEVEH. “I saw people collecting water where goats were drinking. I saw parents feed babies Coca-Cola in their bottles because the soda was safer than the available water. Today, we see the water crisis even in America, from the Flint water crisis to now in Jackson, Mississippi.”
In NINEVEH, old cities are now underwater as a result of climate change, and new cities have emerged. A massive global drought combined with an epic contamination of the world’s limited fresh water supply combined with the privatization of the remaining unpolluted aquifers has created a crisis of biblical proportions. As a result, water has been priced beyond the affordability of the masses, forcing them to collect rainwater, which constitutes as the new contraband. With a mind-altering drug introduced into the limited public supply, few resisters dared to defy the ultimate fascist system.
The Resistance is led by Ndbele, a gifted teacher and sage. His daughter, Evolon, is his greatest warrior, and Bethlehem is his most trusted ally. NINEVEH is ruled ruthlessly by Nimrod, the head of the Global Water Corporation that has a stronghold on the world’s water market. He has only one weakness, his nymphomaniac son Saisir.”
After reading NINEVEH, Shaka King, director of the two-time Oscar-nominated film Judas & the Black Messiah, expressed the importance of this body of work. “There is great utility to escapist art. But this novel threads the needle pretty well by refusing not to acknowledge trauma just to make a piece of entertainment.”
Purchase the pre-order sale of the paperback edition for $18.99 and hardcover for $24.99 on NinevehNovel.com. The publisher is Strong Arm Press, an independent publishing house dedicated to progressive issues and activism.
United Health Foundation Awards $2 Million Grant to Rainbow Health To Increase Access to Mental Health Care for BIPOC + LGBTQ Youth
The United Health Foundation, the philanthropic foundation of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), today announced a three-year, $2 million grant partnership to address disparities related to suicide, depression and anxiety among LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth and young adults ages 14-25 in Minnesota.
The partnership will support Rainbow Health, a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for and serving the LGBTQ+ community, people living with HIV, and all those facing barriers to equitable health care in Minnesota. The initiative will provide culturally responsive, high-quality mental health care and substance use services to more than 250 new clients and connect them to support services, such as transitional housing, health insurance and transportation assistance to help address high rates of homelessness and other unmet social needs.
his work is extremely important because it signals yet another shift along this continuum as we move toward full inclusivity and justice,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “It requires all of us to step up and I am so glad that the United Health Foundation did just that.”
“We believe every person deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life, and we are determined to do our part to break down the barriers to equitable health care, wherever they exist,” said Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson, executive vice president and chief medical officer, UnitedHealth Group. “This grant underscores our commitment to advancing health equity and improving health outcomes by increasing access to mental health care for LGBTQ+ and BIPOC youth in the Twin Cities.”
A new report from the CDC found 70% of LGBQ+* youth experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year and almost 25% attempted suicide during the past year. Additionally, the report found the percentage of adolescents across every racial and ethnic group who felt persistently sad or hopeless increased over the past 10 years, with the highest rates among multiracial, Hispanic, American Indian or Alaska Native and white youth. It also revealed Black adolescents were more likely than Asian, Hispanic, and white youth to attempt suicide.
In Minnesota, 4 of 5 LGBTQ+ respondents of all ages included in Rainbow Health’s 2021 Voices of Health Survey reported they were experiencing moderate to severe mental distress at the time of the survey. In addition, 23% of LGBTQ+ respondents reported that there was a time in the past year they needed to see a doctor but did not because they thought they would be disrespected or mistreated as an LGBTQ+ person.
“At a time when LGBTQ+ youth are increasingly at risk across the country, now more than ever, affirming and accessible mental health care is essential,” said Jeremy Hanson Willis, chief executive officer, Rainbow Health. “We are so grateful for partners like the United Health Foundation for stepping up to support this life-saving work and make a meaningful impact on reducing health disparities. Together we are fighting for a community where every child is important, valued and supported to be their authentic selves.”
*The CDC report does not include data from the Transgender population.
Akon, Lil’Yachty, Ne-Yo and Soulja Boy Settle With SEC Over Crypto Violations
These celebrities are getting involved in everything, and it is starting to catch up with them.
Semafor reports Lil’ Yachty, Ne-Yo, Akon, and Soulja Boy have been charged with illegally using cryptocurrency. The Securities and Exchange Commission says these celebs failed to disclose they were getting paid for promoting these companies, Tronix and BitTorrent.
After settling with the SEC, some celebrities, except Soulja Boy, agreed to pay over $400,000 without admitting or denying their guilt.
The agency claims the celebrities were paid to promote both crypto asset securities offered for sale by three companies owned by Justin Sun, a Chinese national. According to ABC News, Sun is the permanent representative of Grenada to the World Trade Organization and is accused of living in Singapore or Hong Kong. In 2017, Sun allegedly offered to sell billions in unregistered securities and dabbled in manipulative trading, creating secondary markets where Tronix and BitTorrent could be traded.
In a statement, the chair of SEC, Gary Gensler, says Sun’s campaign left out key information. “Sun further induced investors to purchase TRX and BTT by orchestrating a promotional campaign in which he and his celebrity promoters hid the fact that the celebrities were paid for their tweets.”
This isn’t the first time Black celebrities have gotten into trouble with cryptocurrency. Late last year, Shaquille O’Neal was mentioned as a defendant in a lawsuit against FTX, once one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges. Now bankrupt, the lawsuit claimed O’Neal promoted the company in a commercial in June 2022. The SEC alleged the FTX endorsement was fraudulent and accused the founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, of misusing customer funds for his benefit and his crypto hedge fund.
O’Neal said that when it comes to FTX, he was only a celebrity being used for an ad.
