by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 11, 2024

Former Oakland Police Chief Files Lawsuit Alleging Wrongful Termination And First Amendment Violation

Ex-Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong has filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against the city and Mayor Sheng Thao, in an effort to return to his role.

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A former police chief in Oakland is suing the city and its mayor on the grounds of wrongful termination. LeRonne Armstrong has now entangled his former work-home and its Mayor Sheng Thao in the lawsuit.

Armstrong and his lawyer claim that he was unlawfully let go from his position in the force in February 2022, allegedly for his critique of the federal government monitoring the department, as reported by ABC7. According to his attorney, Billie Wenter, he was specifically targeted and punished for speaking out about this overseeing of their operations.

“Chief Armstrong was illegally terminated,” explained Wenter, who stated that the firing violated the ex-chief’s First Amendment Right to free speech. “In particular he was retaliated against.”

The lawyer also expressed Armstrong’s passion for his old job and the love he held for his community, but noted that the lawsuit also seeks to expose the “improper purpose” behind the federal monitor, which Oakland has been under for two decades. Currently, the monitor is Robert Warshaw, who the lawsuit names as someone trying to profit off the city through his role.

“The other goal and among others are to continue to reveal and shed some light on the improper purpose behind the monitor continuing to assert these false criticisms against the Oakland police department,” continued Wenter.

However, Armstrong’s chance to return to the force seems extremely slim. Mayor Thao spoke back in October that, despite Armstrong being listed under the Oakland Police Commission’s recommendations for the position he was axed from, she would not approve his reinstatement to the role.

“My direct answer in regard to Mr. LeRonne Armstong is that I am determined to get us out of the federal oversight, which we have been under for the last 20 years, that is not only costing us dollars that we could be spending for our parks and libraries, but it’s also about time we get of it so we can actually do policing work,” she explained. “With that being said, the next police chief is going to have to be able to work with the monitor and with the federal judge as well. And I do believe that, in this case, it will not be LeRonne Armstrong in this case. I do not have the belief that he can lead this city out through that process.”

However, the City Attorney’s Office has released a statement in regards to the suit, stating that they have yet to be served the complaint.

RELATED CONTENT: Black Journalist Accuses Oakland NAACP Of Betraying The City After Calling For ‘Tough-On-Crime’ Tactics

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 11, 2024

Baltimore Police Captain, Once Charged In Death Of Freddie Gray, Promoted To Public Integrity Bureau

Freddie Gray, 25, died in 2015 of injuries suffered while in police custody.

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Capt. Alicia White, the Baltimore Police Captain who was charged for her involvement in the 2015 arrest and death of Freddie Gray, has been promoted to the department’s Public Integrity Bureau. She is set to take on the position, overseeing misconduct allegations, on Feb. 11.

On April 12, 2015, Freddie Gray, a 25-year-old Black man, was detained by the Baltimore Police Department for possessing a knife within legal limits. During his time in police custody, Gray suffered severe injuries and was transported to the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center. Gray passed away on April 19, 2015, with his death attributed to injuries sustained to his cervical spinal cord.

According to The Baltimore Sun, White’s appointment was reviewed by an interview committee, which selected two commanders of the force to take on this next level of duty and were formally approved by the city’s police commissioner. White will be part of the Investigative section, where fellow officers or the general public can complain about the police.

White, who was a lieutenant at the time of Gray’s death, was a supervisor who saw Gray after his arrest, at a point in which he was already injured. According to the city’s then-state attorney Marilyn Mosby, who launched a case against six officers in the matter, White did not properly investigate the arrest or his injuries. White has maintained that when she asked Gray about any issues, his lack of response led her to believe he was uncooperative and no further assistance was needed.

“Unfortunately, that day someone lost their life,” White said in 2016. “But I feel like everything I was trained to do, I did.”

Despite the claims by Mosby that White inadequately handled Gray’s arrest and ultimately played a role in his death, former commissioner Kevin Davis dropped White’s charges in 2017. She was promoted to her role as Captain in August 2022.

In the aftermath of the controversial case, the Baltimore Police Department was investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice in 2016, which determined that the agency failed to uphold proper training and accountability toward officers for not abiding by guidelines. Upon changes being made to their processes, the Public Integrity Bureau will undergo a compliance assessment to ensure systemic improvements are enacted.

RELATED CONTENT: Reports: Freddie Gray Death Ruled a Homicide; World Reacts for Justice

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 11, 2024

Willow Smith First In Star-Studded Family To Achieve A Billion Music Streams

The 2015 track was released simultaneously as the second and final single of her debut album "Ardipithecus."

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Willow Smith is the first member of her A-list family to achieve achieve one billion Spotify streams, thanks to her hit song “…Wait a Minute!”

The 2015 track was released simultaneously as the second and final single of her debut album Ardipithecus.

In celebration of his daughter’s accomplishment, Will Smith shared a photo of Willow’s Spotify Artists profile, complete with the 1 billion streams and counting for the song.

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A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

“@willowsmith is the first person in the family to have a song with a BILLION streams,” captioned the proud dad. Willow is his only daughter and youngest of three.

Willow commented below her father’s congratulatory post, stating, “love u daddy,” alongside a heart emoji. The 23-year-old is the younger of Smith and wife Jada Pinkett-Smith’s two kids; her older brother is a fellow musician who goes by his first name, Jaden. Will has another son., Trey, by his first wife.

Willow now belongs to the famed billions club, a part of the cohort of successful artists such as The Weeknd, Drake, Ariana Grande, and Taylor Swift. Spotify also has a playlist deemed “Billions club” which features the hit songs that have crossed the significant finish line.

However, the honor should not come as a surprise to fans, as music runs in one of Black Hollywood’s most famous families. The patriarch himself got his start as a rapper, receiving the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989 as part of rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. He later performed as a solo artist.

Pinkett-Smith also has a background in the music scene, with her daughter’s alt-rock style potentially stemming from her own experience as lead singer of nu metal band Wicked Wisdom. Jaden, on the other hand, has taken after his father’s footsteps with his dive into rap.

Willow boasts 12.3 million monthly listeners on the app, with her second biggest hit, “Meet Me At Our Spot” with The Anxiety and Tyler Cole, reaching over 500 million streams.

RELATED CONTENT: Will Smith Discusses The Power Of Films In Saudi Arabia

by Daniel Johnson

February 11, 2024

After Contract Buyout, NBA Star Kyle Lowry Expected To Sign With Hometown 76ers

Kyle Lowry has agreed to a contract buyout, clearing the way for him to play for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.

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After coming to the Charlotte Hornets as part of the trade that sent Terry Rozier and a first round pick to Miami, NBA star Kyle Lowry has agreed to a contract buyout, clearing the way for him to play for his hometown Philadelphia 76ers.

As CBS Sports reported, since the Hornets are currently rebuilding, so they didn’t see a need to retain Lowry, an 18-year veteran. The 76ers are not. In 2021, the tem pursued him at the trade deadline, but couldn’t secure a deal.

A hype video featuring Lowry, who played his high school ball in Philly before going on to a decorated college basketball career at Villanova has been making the rounds on Twitter/X. Fittingly, the video opens up with Skylar Grey’s version of “I’m Coming Home” while featuring highlights from Lowry’s high school games and a shot of the Wells Fargo Center, the Sixers’ home court. 

The Sixers, currently without the services of MVP candidate Joel Embiid due to a knee surgery, are hoping the recent acquisitions of Buddy Hield and Lowry can help keep them afloat in the Eastern conference while they wait for their franchise player to return.

Though Lowry, 37, is well past his prime, he should be able to provide defense and leadership to the team’s second unit. Despite only averaging 8.5 points on the season, his lowest total since 2011, he remains an efficient shooter, posting a three-point percentage of 38.5% for the Miami Heat. 

The move also reunites Lowry with head coach Nick Nurse, with whom he won an NBA championship in 2019 with the Toronto Raptors. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, Lowry has great respect for Nurse. “Nick was the (Raptors assistant coach) I shot with, worked out with; he was in the system when I first got here,” he told reporters in 2022.

“So me and him had a great relationship prior to him even being the head coach,” Lowry added. “We always had this same type of mantra about winning…and trying to be innovative. Nick’s a friend of mine, and we got closer and closer. And as the years went on, we trusted each other more and more.”

It remains to be seen exactly how much playing time Lowry will get. The team also has Cameron Payne and Terquavion Smith, who is signed on a two-way deal, which gives the team more flexibility in using Lowry.

RELATED CONTENT: That’s a Wrap! Philadelphia 76ers Fire Doc Rivers After Game 7 Playoff Elimination

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

February 11, 2024

Martin Lawrence Flexes His Strength For Shannon Sharpe In Oikos Super Bowl Commercial

This is Martin Lawrence's first-ever Super Bowl commercial.

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Martin Lawrence is bringing his comedic chops to the Super Bowl in a commercial with NFL player turned popular podcaster Shannon Sharpe. The duo will be featured in an advertisement for Oikos yogurt.

In Lawrence’s first-ever Super Bowl commercial, titled “Hold My Oikos,” he and Sharpe debate what to do about their golf cart that was driven into the lake. The ad was released on Oikos’ YouTube account ahead of football’s biggest night.

In the 30-second snippet, Lawrence displays his unlikely strength against the very muscular Sharpe, as he lifts the golf cart out the lake, all with the help of the brand’s “protein-packed” yogurt. Of their debut together on screen, Lawrence spoke on Sharpe’s more reserved demeanor off-screen, as well as his professionalism, different from his vibrant persona as a media personality.

“Shannon’s very quiet, and if you talk to him between takes, he’ll communicate with you and everything, but when it’s time to shoot, he’s very focused, and he goes into his work,” said Lawrence, Essence reports. “That’s the good thing about Shannon because I’m a lot like that as well. I don’t talk too much before I start my acting or whatever I’m doing. But he’s a lot of fun and has a lot of knowledge.”

As Sharpe continues to make waves with his new interview podcast, Club Shay Shay, Lawrence has his own projects. “Well, you can expect Bad Boys 4 on June 14th,” he said. “And this one has a chance to be the best one of them all. Then, I’m going to be heading out for a tour at some point.”

While no further details have been made regarding Lawrence’s new tour, viewers can expect to see him joke around with Sharpe in the new commercial during the Feb. 11 game.

RELATED CONTENT: Martin Lawrence Joins The Cast Of ‘Demascus’ On AMC

by Daniel Johnson

February 11, 2024

Texas Mother Arrested By SWAT Team After Allegedly Attempting To Put Child In Oven

Lul Top also allegedly threatened to cut off one child's tongue while holding up a knife to their tongue.

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An Allen, Texas, woman was arrested following a SWAT raid at her home, during which she attempted to place one of her children inside the oven.

NBC 5 obtained a search warrant affidavit. Officers investigated allegations that Lul Top was being abusive to her six children. According to jail records, the 36-year-old mother is facing six charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon stemming from the arrest.

According to authorities, Top retreated to and barricaded herself in the attic of her home when officers arrived to serve the arrest warrant on Monday, February 5. Following nearly two hours of negotiations and attempts to contact Top, police used chemical agents. She surrendered at approximately 10:50 a.m. 

According to neighbors, police were familiar with Top’s home and were often called to the residence, but things escalated when the SWAT team appeared. The affidavit states that in January, Top used a piece of wood taken from the door frame to assault her husband, causing bodily injury. According to the children, Top drinks a lot of alcoholic beverages, and often enlists them to help her find them. One child alleged Top held up a knife to another child’s tongue, threatening to cut it off. Another said that Top tried to put her inside the oven while it was still on. 

“The sweetest kids ever,” neighbor William Whitney told NBC 5. “It’s unfathomable. I don’t know how a parent could do that to their kids. If what they are saying is true was happening then I am so happy for the kids to get them out of that situation because it could have been a lot worse.”

According to court records, Top denied having ever caused harm to her children. Court documents indicate that Top’s husband filed for a protective order against her in early February. A hearing on that order is set for the week of Feb. 17. It is currently unknown whether or not Top has obtained or been assigned an attorney. She is currently being held in the Allen County Jail on a $600,000 bond.

RELATED CONTENT: DC Mother Who Said She Threw Out Son’s Body Allegedly Stabbed to Death by Baby’s Father

by Daniel Johnson

February 11, 2024

Ozzy Osbourne Blasts Kanye West’s Sampling Of Black Sabbath, Issues Cease-And-Desist Order

West played the sample at an album release party on Feb. 8, despite allegedly not receiving Osbourne’s permission to use the sample.

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Rock star and former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne says he denied Kanye West permission to use a live recording of the group’s song “Iron Man” played at the U.S. Festival in 1983. As The Hill reported, Osbourne claimed on Twitter/X that his denial of West’s request to sample the song was driven by the rapper’s history of antisemitic remarks.

Osbourne wrote, “KANYE WEST ASKED PERMISSION TO SAMPLE A SECTION OF A 1983 LIVE PERFORMANCE OF ‘IRON MAN’ FROM THE US FESTIVAL WITHOUT VOCALS & WAS REFUSED PERMISSION BECAUSE HE IS AN ANTISEMITE AND HAS CAUSED UNTOLD HEARTACHE TO MANY.” Osbourne made his point even clearer, writing, “HE WENT AHEAD AND USED THE SAMPLE ANYWAY AT HIS ALBUM LISTENING PARTY LAST NIGHT. I WANT NO ASSOCIATION WITH THIS MAN!”

Osbourne went on to send West a cease-and-desist order.

West played the sample at an album release party on Feb. 8, despite allegedly not receiving Osbourne’s permission to use the sample. According to a report from Page Six, Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy’s wife, said that “Kanye f—ked with the wrong Jew this time.” She added that Black Sabbath normally accepts requests for samples, but claimed Black Sabbath had a “special f—king occasion to say no” to Ye.

West has had very public instances of antisemitism, which cost the rapper numerous partnerships, such as when Adidas halted production of his popular Yeezy line.

West’s history of antisemitic remarks also prompted controversial talk show host Bill Maher not to air an interview he recorded with Ye during an appearance on Maher’s podcast, citing the rapper’s history of antisemitism.

“The problem, I think, is that he appeals mostly—of course he’s a rock star—to young people,” Maher told TMZ, according to Variety. “They don’t know much and they surely don’t know much about the Middle East or Jews. So the combination of Kanye out there — I feel like he was helpful for spreading the fertilizer, and I do mean fertilizer, for this idea that Israel and the Jews are the worst people in the world.”

“We were here for two hours,” he added. “By the way, we had an amazing, fun time. He’s a very charming antisemite. And by the way, he’s not the only one in America who feels that way. It’s not like the Jews are universally loved except for Kanye West. He’s a very charming antisemite. I’m not going to contribute to this.”

In an effort to counteract the damage, West issued an apology on Instagram in December written in Hebrew followed up by a 40-minute apology in January.

In the social media post, he wrote, “I sincerely apologize to the Jewish community for any unintended outburst caused by my words or actions, it was not my intention to hurt or disrespect, and I deeply regret any pain I may have caused,” read West’s message, translated from Hebrew. “I am committed to starting with myself and learning from this experience to ensure greater sensitivity and understanding in the future.”

RELATED CONTENT: Bill Maher Axed Two-Hour Kanye West Interview Because ‘He’s A Very Charming Antisemite’

by Mary Spiller

February 11, 2024

Survey: Majority Of Black Americans Feel ‘Somewhat Successful’

In terms of how they defined success, most of the survey's respondents listed the ability to provide for their family as an important factor.

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According to the results of a new survey by the Pew Research Center, the majority of Black Americans feel somewhat successful in their life but continue to feel external financial pressure despite their stable incomes.

Nearly 5,000 Black Americans were asked about what they define success as, how they feel they fit into it, and what kinds of things prevent them from achieving it.

Pew researchers wrote in the release, “Most Black Americans (66%) consider themselves at least somewhat successful, a quarter (26%) of people surveyed characterized themselves as extremely or very successful.” They additionally found a correlation between those with higher grossing incomes and the latter category. 

In terms of how they defined success, most respondents listed the ability to provide for their family as an important factor. Another prominent answer was “being happy.” Others included having leisure time and having stable material items such as real estate. 

There was a distinction that Pew made in terms of gender, noting that, “Black women are more likely than Black men to say being debt-free, being able to pass down financial assets, and being able to retire early are essential to their definition of financial success.”

Pew continued, “Black adults with lower levels of family income are more likely than those with middle or upper incomes to say being debt-free and owning a business are essential. Far fewer see personal relationships having a significant role in success.”

The Pew survey found that the biggest support factors for being able to gain financial success are having supportive family members, good connections and mentors, and having a college degree.

Despite the majority of respondents feeling satisfied with their success, most Black adults reported feeling stressful financial pressures such as worrying about paying their bills, debt, rent, grocery shopping, healthcare, and even paying for retirement.

RELATED CONTENT: Identify Your Entrepreneurial Strength In 3 Easy Steps

by Mary Spiller

February 11, 2024

Ex-DEA Informant Sentenced To Life In Prison For Role In Assassination Of Haitian President

Jovenel Moïse, the president of Haiti, was killed in his home in 2021.

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Joseph Vincent, a former informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), has been sentenced to life in prison by federal courts for his part in the 2021 assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.

According to The Guardian, Vincent admitted to aiding in the plot to kill Moïse while he was in his Port-au-Prince home. Vincent is one of 11 defendants being prosecuted for crimes ranging from supplying weapons and money to carry out the act, attending the assassination, and providing information on Moïse’s schedule and associates. 

On the night of the attack, the assailants who entered Moïse’s home claimed to be DEA agents, but the agency confirmed that Vincent and another Haitian American involved were not acting on its behalf. Immediately afterward, nearby residents called authorities and reported hearing gunshots and seeing men dressed in all black fleeing the home. 

“This was a well-orchestrated commando attack,” Bocchit Edmond, the Haitian ambassador to Washington. “They presented themselves as DEA agents, telling people they had come as part of a DEA operation.” 

A video taken near the crime scene showed a man repeating into a megaphone, “DEA operation. Everybody stands down. DEA operation. Everybody back up, stand down.”

Moïse’s widow, the first lady Martine Marie Étienne Moïse, was injured during the assassination of her husband but recovered in time for the trials. She said in 2021 that the people who killed her husband “came to kill his dream, his vision, his ideology.”

She also referenced how Haiti had been destabilized by the event, with “violence from street gangs and vigilantes prevalent, and communities fighting back with bloody reprisals of their own.”

by Daniel Johnson

February 11, 2024

Sports Legend Bo Jackson Wins $21 Million Extortion Lawsuit Against Family Members

According to the lawsuit, Jackson feared for his safety and the safety of his family as the result of his niece and nephew’s actions.

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Bo Jackson, who remains the only athlete to ever be named to the NFL and MLB all-star teams, won $21 million in a civil suit against his niece and nephew. The lawsuit was filed in April 2023, and alleged that Jackson’s nephew, Thomas Lee Anderson, and his niece, Erica M. Anderson Ross, attempted to extort Jackson for $20 million using extortion and harassment.

As ESPN reported, the judge’s Feb. 2 decision included a permanent protective order barring the pair from contacting or contacting either Jackson or his immediate family members. They also must stay at least 500 yards away from the Heisman Trophy winner and remove any content on social media they posted about Jackson.

The 61-year-old Jackson alleged that the conduct from his family members began in 2022 and included threatening messages and social media posts, false public allegations that painted him in a negative light, and the public disclosure of private information that was intended to cause him emotional distress. Jackson said Thomas Anderson posted on Facebook that he would release photos, texts, and medical records in order to “show America” that he wasn’t playing around, according to the lawsuit.

Jackson alleged that his niece and nephew enlisted the help of an Atlanta attorney to demand $20 million in exchange for stopping their campaign. Jackson said that the pair threatened to show up at a restaurant near the home of Jackson and to disrupt a charity event he hosted in Auburn in April as a way to harass and intimidate him.

According to the lawsuit, Jackson feared for his safety and the safety of his family as the result of his niece and nephew’s actions. The suit sought unspecified damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy, as well as a civil conspiracy claim and a protective order due to the stalking Jackson claimed to have experienced. The court determined that there was no legitimate reason for the siblings’ actions and their flagrant disregard for the cease and desist letter that Jackson’s attorneys sent to the pair.

Judge Jason D. Marbut, Cobb County Superior Court Judge, said in his court order that neither the siblings nor their attorneys were able to challenge Jackson’s claims successfully, nor did they participate in the case following a May 2023 hearing during which they agreed to abide by a temporary protective order. The judge determined that Jackson’s niece and nephew were in default, meaning they accepted all of his claims as true, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Marbut wrote in his decision, “Reasonable people would find defendants’ behavior extreme and outrageous,” Marbutt explained. “The court saw evidence that an attorney representing defendants claimed his clients’ conduct would cease for the sum of $20 million.”

Jackson’s attorneys, Robert Ingram and David Conley, celebrated the decision with a news release on Feb. 5, “Unfortunately for those attempting to extort 20 million dollars from Jackson and his family, Bo still hits back hard.”