MGM Grand, Black Jack, casino
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Detroit Woman Denied $127K Jackpot by MGM Grand for ‘Trespassing’ Now Suing Casino

Denise Ezell claims she's been going to the casino regularly since 2015.

A Detroit woman won a $127,000 jackpot while playing progressive blackjack at the MGM Grand in Detroit last October. It’s July, and she still hasn’t received her winnings, so she is suing the casino.

According to the Detroit Free Press, 65-year-old Denise Ezell thought she was walking out of the casino she frequented with her winnings but remarked, “I walked out of there penniless.”

In the lawsuit, she stated that she and a friend were at the venue when she won a side bet while playing progressive blackjack on October 30. She was then told by the casino that she would not be getting any money because she was trespassing.

Although she had visited the place every week since 2015, she said she was never informed that she was a trespasser.

“I had no clue as to what the hell they were talking about!” Ezell said. “Do you think I would have gone down there and spent my money for eight years, knowing I was trespassing?”

She was told that it was from an incident that took place in 2015. The casino accused Ezell of panhandling and ordered her out of the building. She said it was a misunderstanding. Ezell attended that day with her cousin. When they gambled together, if one ran out of money, the other would supply the one who needed it with some cash. She was on the losing end and asked her cousin for some money and was rejected, which led to the two of them arguing.

“A security guard came up and said, ‘You’re bothering this patron,'” Ezell recalled. “I said, ‘This is my god—- cousin.'” But, the security guard didn’t believe her and allegedly told her: “‘You have to leave. You’re panhandling.'”

After leaving, she said she was never given notice that she may have been banned from the casino. She claimed she returned to the MGM Grand two weeks later and has been a regular since.

On the night she won the jackpot, she said people were congratulating her when the pit boss approached her and requested a player’s card or her driver’s license. She was then informed that she wasn’t eligible to take home the money.

Ezell’s attorney, Ivan Land, said, “We wasted three months trying to get action.”

“They allowed her to gamble there and spend her hard-earned money for eight years, and then, when she hits the jackpot, they run this crap, ‘Hey, you shouldn’t be here in the first place?'” Land said. “We know the casinos always win.”

CNN
by Sharelle Burt

July 12, 2024

CNN Eliminates ‘Race and Equality’ Team As Part Of Layoffs

So much for diversity and inclusion...

The Race and Equality team at CNN no longer exists after the network’s “newsgathering operations restructure,” Phil Lewis reported in his What I’m Reading newsletter.  

CNN’s new chief executive, Mark Thompson, announced the news on July 10. One reporter was laid off. The other two were reassigned to different departments in the newsroom. 

The award-winning team produced coverage on Black maternal mortality, police brutality, and other topics pertinent to Black viewers. In 2020, a memo by former CNN president Jeff Zucker, who created the team, hailed it as a “significant, sustained commitment to ensure race coverage is a permanent part of our journalism.”

“The recent conversations we’ve had in our newsrooms have been informative and constructive. We have valued them, we heard you, and we will continue listening,” the memo read. “There are structural changes and investments we can and will make to better cover what is happening in our society. We are committed to doing that.”

In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement, segmented by the killing of George Floyd, a number of companies and media organizations, including CNN, made a pledge to fight against what was labeled a “racial reckoning” by examining internal policies and making donations to civil rights organizations. 

According to the New York Post, a spokesperson claimed the team was still employed as a mission-oriented unit, but later recanted.

“For all intents and purposes, the team is not a team anymore,” the spokesperson said. “They’re assigned to different areas so that their perspective and work [are] brought into all of our types of programming. It’s not a unit in the way it was before, but race and equality is very much still their focus.”

CNN’s laid off nearly 3% of the workforce, or 100 employees, including high-profile names like media critic Brian Lowry and senior tech writer Samantha Murphy Kelly. The network made headlines in 2023 after firing star anchor Don Lemon after 17 years. Rumors of Lemon leaving the network came after former CEO Chris Licht wanted to pull news coverage back to the center, catering to both sides of the spectrum regarding specific topics.

Under Thompson’s leadership, CNN will roll out its first-ever subscription product for the website. The subscription offerings will be “want to use” content produced by lifestyle journalists.

DeRay Mckesson, Lawsuit, First Amendment Rights
by Shanique Yates

July 12, 2024

Landmark Ruling In DeRay Mckesson Lawsuit Protects First Amendment Rights

A landmark ruling in the case against prominent civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson upholds that a protest organizer cannot be held responsible for another person's violent actions during the time of the rally.

Civil rights activist DeRay Mckesson will not be held responsible for injuries inflicted upon an officer during a 2016 protest, upholding his First Amendment rights.

On July 10, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana ruled in favor of Mckesson and, in turn, changed the landscape around a person’s right to protest. The court held that, legally, a protest organizer cannot be held responsible for injuries inflicted by another person’s violent behavior at the time of the outcry. 

After an officer was injured during a protest organized by Mckesson to honor the life of Alton Sterling, the Black man shot and killed by two on-duty officers, on July 9, 2016, a lawsuit was filed against the prominent civil rights activist, claiming that he was a “negligent protest leader.”

“The goal of this lawsuit was to prevent people from showing up at a protest out of the fear that they might be held responsible if anything happens, which makes this decision a win not only for me but for all protest organizers and leaders across the country who are going to continue to show up and speak out. It’s heartening to know that the Constitution still protects our right to protest,” said Mckesson in a statement. “This has been a grueling eight-year process, and now that it is behind me, I can continue to channel all of my energy into the day-to-day work of envisioning a world beyond policing.”

Previously, the Supreme Court refused to hear Doe v. Mckesson, sending the case back to the district court in April 2024. However, thanks to a statement emphasizing a similar case, the Court’s decision in Counterman v. Colorado, Justice Sonia Sotomayor argued that the ruling, which determined that “negligence can never be the proper standard when it comes to political speech and that intent is necessary for incitement,” should also “govern any future proceedings in this case.” 

The district court agreed with Sotomayor’s statement. American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) legal director David Cole noted that the Supreme Court has “long recognized that peaceful protesters cannot be held liable for the unintended, unlawful actions of others.”

“Cases like this are used as a scare tactic to stop communities from organizing with a fear of being held accountable for any and all actions that take place,” said Billy Gibbens, an attorney with Schonekas, Evans, McGoey & McEachin. “We are thrilled that this ruling protected the rights of DeRay Mckesson, and all organizers and protest leaders.”

Additional members of Mckesson’s legal team also celebrated the landmark ruling and its implications for the future protection of a person’s First Amendment rights.

“This win is not just important here in Louisiana, but across the nation,” said Donahue & Goldberg attorney David Goldberg. “It ensures the fundamental right to protest that this country was built upon stands strong.”

As Americans continue exercising their First Amendment rights, the ruling in Doe v. Mckesson affirms that protest leaders and organizers are neither liable nor responsible for another person’s actions during the events. 

RELATED CONTENT: College Students Tasered By Atlanta Police During 2020 George Floyd Protest Get $2M Settlement

Alpha Phi Alpha, Transgender
by Stacy Jackson

July 12, 2024

Alpha Phi Alpha To Determine Transgender Ban During Chicago Convention

Some Alpha Phi Alpha members believe the proposed amendment to ban transgender members is politically motivated.

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, is currently deliberating a contentious bylaw amendment that could potentially bar transgender members from joining the historic African American brotherhood.

This decision is set to be finalized during the Constitutional Convention in Chicago, to be held July 10-14. The proposed amendment, as reviewed by GLAAD, would limit membership to “any male defined as a human being naturally born male, who remains and continually identifies as a male.”

This move has sparked a heated debate within Alpha Phi Alpha, revealing a generational and ideological divide between the more traditional national leadership and the often younger, more progressive general body and chapter leadership.

Deandre Miles-Hercules, a self-described “gender creative” Alpha who uses they/them pronouns, strongly criticized the proposal. “Their decision to alienate trans and nonbinary people from membership is reactionary, asinine, and unbecoming of an organization with a professed commitment to human rights…It’s ludicrous to be the fraternity of Thurgood Marshall and Martin Luther King Jr. and come up with a policy that bans trans people.”

The Constitutional Convention, described by General President Willis L. Lonzer, III as an “opportunity to be a part of history,” will see delegates from over 700 chapters worldwide debating proposed amendments. In Lonzer’s letter to membership, he indicated the cultural shift, noting that “while the character and values of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. are as steadfast as the Great Sphinx of Giza, society’s are not.”

Many Alpha Phi Alpha members, including those from the GBTQ+ community, feel betrayed by the consideration of this amendment.

Lennex Cowan, who helped organize a letter to Alpha leadership in March, expressed disappointment that the amendment is still under consideration despite assurances it would be withdrawn. The potential bylaw change not only affects transgender members but highlights broader issues of inclusivity within Alpha Phi Alpha. The fraternity has reportedly never officially recognized Pride month, despite calls from GBTQ+ members for greater acknowledgment and support.

As the fraternity grapples with these issues, it faces a crucial moment that could define its future with the GBTQ+ community, college campuses, and current members.

Serena Williams, Drake, ESPYS, Kendrick Lamar, host,
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Serena Williams Takes Shots While Hosting ESPYS

'The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re gonna Forrest Gump him.'

It seems like Drake can’t catch a break! Retired tennis icon Serena Williams took a jab at the Canadian rapper while hosting the ESPYS on July 11.

Williams poked fun at the rap beef, siding with rapper Kendrick Lamar. The Compton rapper grew up in the same town as Williams. Although the tennis great and Drake were once an item, the OVO label head dissed her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, on his 2022 song, “Middle Of The Ocean.”

It’s safe to say that Williams hasn’t forgotten. During her opening monologue at the ESPYs, Williams stated it was not a good move to go against Lamar, her Compton neighbor.

“And if I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that none of us—not a single one of us, not even me—should ever pick a fight with Kendrick Lamar.” At that moment, Lamar’s hit diss record, “Not Like Us,” played in the background, and Serena danced to the song with the crowd cheering her on. “He will make your hometown not like you. The next time Drake sits courtside at a Raptors game, they’re gonna Forrest Gump him. ‘Seat’s taken!'”

Drake wasn’t Serena’s only target. She dissed the Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker for comments he made about women’s place in society in his Benedictine College commencement speech earlier this year. CNN reported that during his speech, Butker suggested that women should find fulfillment by getting married and having children rather than pursuing a career.

While standing on stage with her sister, Venus Williams, and “Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson, the three women encouraged the audience to “go ahead and enjoy women’s sports” as much as they would men’s sports. After Venus gives that advice, Serena then says, “Except you, Harrison Butker. We don’t need you.” With Brunson adding, “At all. Like Ever.”

The retired tennis icon held her own as only the fourth woman to host the ESPYs in its history.

RELATED CONTENT: Serena Williams Fourth Woman To Host The ESPYs:’This Is A Dream Come True’

Dawn Staley, Coach Of The Year, ESPY Awards
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Dawn Staley References Pay Disparity At ESPY Awards

'How do I not fight pay disparity when I do the same job and get paid less but win more?'

The ESPY Awards took place on July 11, and winning South Carolina basketball head coach Dawn Staley was awarded the Jimmy V Award, spotlighting perseverance. During her acceptance speech, Staley called out pay disparity by stating that she does “the same job” and gets “paid less” but wins more.

Stale is fresh off an undefeated season and her third NCAA Championship win with the South Carolina Gamecocks. The former WNBA player spoke about the pay difference women experience when doing the same job as men, yet not receiving matching salaries and compensation. Staley’s advocacy for equity matches the spirit and purpose of the Jimmy V Award, given to someone who has overcome obstacles in their journey.

Staley spoke about her influence on young women, specifically her impact as a head coach for the Gamecocks’ basketball team.

“How do I not fight injustice when I ask them to do things the right way? How do I not fight for fairness when I ask them not to cheat themselves? How do I not fight for equity when I tell them they can climb as high as they want, they can be all that they want.”

The veteran athlete also recognizes that the fight is still unfair regarding compensation between the genders. Staley is one of the most recognizable and successful basketball players and coaches (male or female), but her pay does not reflect her accomplishments. Staley took the opportunity to use her voice in the same way she encourages those who look up to her to use theirs.

“How do I not fight pay disparity when I do the same job and get paid less but win more? I can’t ask them to stand up for themselves if I’m sitting down. Nor can I ask them to use their voice for change if I’m only willing to whisper.”

RELATED CONTENT: Serena Williams, Fourth Woman To Host The ESPYs: ‘This Is A Dream Come True’

Biden Campaign Assesses VP Harris’ Viability As Democratic Nominee In New Poll
by Stacy Jackson

July 12, 2024

Biden Campaign Assesses VP Harris’ Viability As Democratic Nominee In New Poll

The Biden Campaign's new poll aims to evaluate whether Vice President Harris might perform better, worse than or the same as President Biden.

A new poll commissioned by the Biden campaign’s analytics team is quietly assessing Vice President Harris’ viability against Donald Trump in a head-to-head survey.

The Biden campaign’s evaluation aims to compare Harris’ performance to Biden’s current polling standings. Insiders told NBC News that the decision to conduct the new poll this week comes amid growing concerns within the Democratic party. Several key allies involved in the Biden campaign’s re-election efforts now view his chances of securing the Democratic nomination as slim to none. There’s a growing sentiment that he should step aside, potentially paving the way for Vice President Harris to secure the Democratic nomination.

One Biden campaign official said, “He needs to drop out,” while another person working on the re-election effort said, “No one involved in the effort thinks he has a path.” Their concerns stem from questions about Biden’s cognitive abilities, fundraising challenges, and polls showing declining support for the Biden campaign.

Despite these worries, other members of the Biden campaign remain optimistic. Campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon and manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez emphasized in a memo that Biden’s chances of winning are still possible. “Our internal data and public polling show the same thing: this remains a margin-of-error race in key battleground states,” they wrote. “The movement we have seen, while real, is not a sea-change in the state of the race — while some of this movement was from undecided voters to Trump, much of the movement was driven by historically Democratic constituencies moving to undecided.”

The new poll and others have prompted some within the party to question whether Vice President Harris might be better positioned to secure the Democratic nomination and face Trump in the general election. While some Democrats still see a path to victory for the Biden campaign, others believe that the goal of defeating Trump should take precedence over supporting Biden. As one person working to elect Biden pondered, “The question for me, and a lot of us, is: Who is the best person to beat Donald Trump?”

Recent polls have concerned some Democrats, including an AARP survey showing Biden trailing in Wisconsin, previously considered his most robust battleground state.

Louisiana, prison, Michael Maurice Mack
by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

July 12, 2024

Louisiana Prison Forced To Keep Inmates Safe By Federal Judge

Originally Published July 21, 2023.

A federal judge handed down a ruling to Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola that may change the way It treats the incarcerated population who work the prison’s Farm-Line.  According to WAFB, a federal ruling, on July 3, ordered the facility to establish a “memorandum with proposed remedies” to keep inmates safe on the prison’s Farm-Line.

Ronald Marshall, Chief Policy Analyst at VOTE spoke on the conditions:

“Officers on horseback with shotguns monitor as men soaked in their own sweat toil day in and day out in fields without safety gear or fair wages often suffering near-death injuries and heat exhaustion,” Marshall said.“

I witnessed these stories play out daily, and every day, I prayed for the men to find the strength to endure. Today’s ruling marks a crucial step towards safeguarding those men.”

Check out BE’s coverage of Louisiana State Penitentiary’s facility and its treatment of youth inmates.

***

According to a federal court filing, young inmates in a Louisiana prison are not only suffering through treacherous summer heat but reside in psychologically scarring isolation and have a lack of basic services such as clean water and schooling.

Advocates are requesting that the youth be moved to a facility in better condition and away from the prison the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, a former death row prison, the Associated Press reports. 

The paperwork, filed in Baton Rouge, claims officials had not kept promises to place inmates in a constitutionally acceptable facility, which was supposed to happen in spring 2023. Now, advocates for the juveniles are requesting that an order to end the housing of juveniles at the Angola facility be placed and the young inmates moved. 

“Defendants promised safe and sanitary conditions. Defendants broke that promise, locking children in barred cells with only a metal bed and metal toilet/sink, unclean faucets, and no drinkable water source, and allowing excessive heat in the housing areas to go unremediated during this hot summer in Louisiana,” the juvenile advocates stated.

Attorneys working with the American Civil Liberties Union and other inmate advocates supplied affidavits from three youths who are or have been housed at the facility. They spoke of foul water from unsanitary faucets in their jail cells and inedible food. One inmate accused a correctional officer of slamming him against the wall and stated that he was overcome by a chemical irritant that had drifted from another part of the jail when it was used on another prisoner.

There are claims that the heat is unbearable: temperatures in southeast Louisiana regularly went above 100 degrees and sometimes as high as 130 degrees.

A medical expert said the prolonged solitary confinement of the youths can cause a “significant risk of serious psychological harm.” Another expert said there are physical and psychological dangers of keeping them in un-airconditioned cells with unreliable fans.

“The youth at OJJ Angola Unit are at substantial risk of serious physical and psychological harm due to their extensive and continued exposure to high temperatures and heat index during the summer months in Louisiana,” Dr. Susi Vassallo wrote.

In summer 2022, a lawsuit was filed questioning the ability to protect the juveniles and provide them with needed services at the prison.

“Given the fact that 83% of youth in OJJ’s secure care system are Black, it is statistically likely that Black youth will disproportionately suffer the brunt of the Governor’s transfer plan,” stated the attorneys in the lawsuit.

RELATED CONTENT: 

summer, hair, sun, protective styles
by Brittany Dandy

July 12, 2024

Avoid Hair Damage While Out In The Summer Heat

Celebrity stylist Kim Kimble discusses how to keep hair healthy and manageable this summer.

Originally Published July 29, 2015.

Everyone loves a little fun in the sun, but too much time spent under those summer rays without the proper haircare routine can leave your once beautiful beach hair in need of help.

BLACK ENTERPRISE caught up with LA Hair star and celebrity stylist, Kim Kimble, to get her five tips for maintaining summer hair. She shares how you can keep your tresses manageable, stylish, and healthy in the warm weather.

Natural hair during the summer is a great choice

It’s low maintenance and it’s nice to give hair a break from the stress of chemical treatments, especially when it’s going to be taking on stress from the heat and sun.

Sunlight is not your friend

It’s not only damaging to skin, but to hair. Using hair products with SPF or wearing a hat or scarf when you are out in the sun is a must.

Rinse your hair both before and after swimming

If your hair is already wet, it is harder for chemicals, like chlorine, to latch on. And, of course, you want to wash out any chemicals or salt as soon as you can after swimming. If you do swim a lot, it might be worth it to invest in a shampoo designed to get rid of chlorine.

Protective styles work

Box braids or other protective styles, like buns or braided updos, can be a nice change of pace—especially when it gets really hot out.

If you feel like your hair is starting to feel dry or straw-like, indulge in a little extra TLC. Deep conditioning treatments–look for a product with silk amino acids–can help damaged hair. Hot oil treatments are great. (I love natural coconut oil.) It will also help if you can avoid blow-drying or using heat on the hair.

RELATED CONTENT: Baltimore Teacher Keeps His Job After Student Hair-Braiding Controversy

water, graduation, Joe Biden, pro-Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, students, protesters, UCLA, Columbia University, president
by Sharelle Burt

July 12, 2024

President Joe Biden Reassures Voters He’s Going To ‘Finish The Job’ During High-Stakes Press Conference Amid Calls To Step Down 

Think he made his case?

President Joe Biden told reporters he is “going to finish the job” during a rare press conference to address the calls for him to leave the race. 

In a pivotal moment for Biden’s reelection campaign, the President addressed reporters at the 2024 NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11. After an eight-minute speech, reporters came out swinging with questions surrounding the growing list of Democrats pushing for Biden to step down. However, Biden fought to reassure Democratic voters that he was the man to vote for in November 2024. “I think I’m the most qualified person to run for president. I beat him once, and I will beat him again,” Biden said. 

“I’ve gotta finish this job. I’ve gotta finish this job because there’s so much at stake.”

The President addressed vital foreign policy questions while celebrating NATO’s 75th anniversary, including his concerns about Ukraine and China’s rising threat to the U.S. However, his presidential responses were overshadowed by questions about mishaps that occurred earlier in the day.

During a scheduled event, Biden mistakenly introduced Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian President Vladimir Putin before quickly correcting himself. At the start of the press conference, Biden made another noticeable flub by referring to former President Donald Trump as the Vice President after a reporter from Reuters asked if Vice President Kamala Harris had the ability “to beat Trump if she were at the top of the ticket.”  “I wouldn’t have picked Vice President Trump to be vice president if I think [sic] she was not qualified to be president,” Biden mistakenly replied. 

He failed to correct himself and carried on with the next question. 

Since Biden’s poor debate performance, concern for his health and mental capacity has heightened after reports of a meeting between expert neurologist Dr. Kevin Cannard and Biden’s doctor, Dr. Kevin O’Connor. The President took the time to address the rumors, stating that he is in good health and has no problem taking a cognitive exam if needed. “If my neurologist tells me I need another exam…if they think it’s a problem, then I’ll do it,” he told reporters.  

While Biden admitted to needing more time to “pace” himself, seemingly placing the blame on his team for running a tight schedule, he took some jabs at Trump, suggesting that while he is having back-to-back meetings, his GOP opponent is relaxing in Mar-A-Lago. 

The goal of the press conference was to reignite faith within his party’s lawmakers and voters. Biden highlighted the fact that regardless of what he decided, someone would be disappointed.

“No matter what I did, no one is going to be satisfied,” he said. And just four minutes after Biden gave his final question response, Rep. Jim Himes (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, according to CNBC, released a statement calling on Biden to exit the race. Rep. Scot Peters (D-Calif.) followed in his footsteps.

“The stakes are high, and we are on a losing course,” Peters said.

However, despite rumors of Harris being groomed to step up to the plate, the Vice President issued her continuous support of her boss on X. “Presiden @JoeBiden speaks from the heart, shows an unshakable resilience, and when he gets knocked down, he gets back up,” she wrote. “That is what winning looks like.”

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