Former NFL Player Sergio Brown Pleads Not Guilty To Killing Mother
The former New England Patriot player has pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree murder and concealing a homicide
Sergio Brown, a former NFL player, pleaded not guilty on Dec. 6 to charges of murdering his mother. The body of his mother, Myrtle Brown, was found on Sept. 16, and her son has been charged with first-degree murder and concealing a homicide.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Brown gave his plea in a Maywood courtroom in front of Cook County Judge Geary Kull. Brown was allegedly the last person to see his 73-year-old mother, as the two lived together. He was seen burning fabric on Sept. 14, the night that she died, according to prosecutors. Brown traveled to Cancun, Mexico, the next day, after purchasing a one-way ticket.
Myrtle’s body was found on Sept. 16 wrapped in a sheet in tall grass less than 200 feet from the home she shared with her son. She was discovered near a creek about 12 miles west of Chicago. A Cook County medical examiner determined that she suffered several injuries from being assaulted. She died from blunt force trauma, and her death was ruled a homicide.
Brown was arrested on Oct. 10 after he was found partying in Mexico after his mother died. According to an unidentified law enforcement report by CNN, he was taken into custody near San Diego after an arrest warrant was issued in Illinois for the former New England Patriots player.
Brown played football while attending Proviso East High School in Maywood, his hometown, before graduating to a collegiate career at Notre Dame between 2006 and 2009. He played in the NFL as an undrafted player who was signed by the New England Patriots in 2010. He then went out to play with the Indianapolis Colts and the Jacksonville Jaguars before being signed by the Atlanta Falcons. After seven days, on August 27, 2016, the Falcons released him; several months later he was picked up by the Buffalo Bills, where he ended his career.
Convicted Chicago Man Will Get New Trial After Finding Out Witness Was Legally Blind
Darien Harris had his murder conviction overturned by a Cook County judge but must stand trial again.
A man who was convicted of a 2011 murder and has been in jail for 12 years is getting set for a new trial after it was revealed that one of the witnesses in his case was legally blind when he testified.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Darien Harris had his murder conviction overturned by a Cook County judge on Dec. 5 after discovering that the main eyewitness to the murder was discovered by the defense team to be legally blind.
Harris, who was 18 at the time, was found guilty in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Rondell Moore. The killing took place at a South Side BP gas station in Woodlawn on June 7, 2011.
Prosecutors charged the then-high school senior in an ambush-style shooting that left Moore dead and another person seriously injured. Harris has always maintained his innocence, claiming he was watching the NBA finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks. He was found guilty in 2014 and was given a prison sentence of 76 years.
Harris was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated battery with a firearm.
Over four years ago, at the urging of Harris’ family, the conviction integrity unit of Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx decided to take another look at the case. It stated, among other arguments, that the key witness did not disclose to the judge that he was legally blind due to glaucoma. After investigating, Cook County prosecutors decided to vacate Harris’ conviction and sentence — but he must stand trial again.
On Nov. 5, Cook County Judge Diana Kenworthy granted Harris’s request, saying, “So we are going to start over.”
Nakesha Harris, Darien’s mother, expressed her disappointment over the prosecutors wanting to retry the case instead of just dismissing the charges.
“They’re wasting taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” she said. “We’re retrying a case with no physical [or] DNA evidence. All the witnesses recanted [and] changed stories, and the judge based his verdict off the testimony of a blind man.”
A statement issued by the prosecutors said they weren’t opposed to vacating Harris’ conviction “due to shifts in witness testimony and available evidence, in the interest of justice and to ensure that the principles of fairness and due process are upheld.
“This decision is not made lightly, but with a profound sense of responsibility towards the integrity of our legal system and the community we serve, and securing justice for the victim,” the statement read. “We are committed to a fair and just resolution of this case, guided by the evidence and the law.”
5 Pieces of Money Advice For Young Adults About To Face The Real World
Adopting these habits will help new graduates and other young adults to face the real world with less stress and a better financial future.
Originally Published May 18, 2018
Spring is in sight, and right about now, you’ll see that anxious look on the faces of college seniors and other young adults about to face the real world for the first time. Even if they’re fortunate enough to have a job lined up, they are far from secure financially and often have no idea how to handle their finances.
If this is you or someone you know, adopting these financial habits now will take the stress out of newly independent adulthood and pay off big in the long run.
5 Pieces of Money Advice for Young Adults
Create a Spending Plan: A.K.A. Your Budget
It doesn’t have to be complicated–it’s just about listing and keeping track of all your expenses and income on a weekly or monthly basis. It may not be pretty, but it’s better than the stress of not knowing your financial status. Also, there are plenty of great budgeting tools that are easy to learn and use. A budget is key to gaining control of your spending, and a sense of control as you face the real world on your own for the first time will reduce your anxiety.
Follow the First Rule of Personal Finance: Pay Yourself First
Begin building up your emergency savings right away, even if it’s only $20 or $30 a month. Save at least 10% of every dollar you get from any source. This money should go into a fund for emergencies only–i.e., job loss–and should be separate from all other savings and other accounts you have. Click here for dos and don’ts of creating and maintaining your emergency fund.
The earlier you get into the habit of paying yourself first, the easier it becomes, and the more secure you’ll be in the long run. Build these savings into your budget. It’s only smart to face the real world with a financial cushion should you have to deal with an unexpected setback.
Attack Your Student Loans–or, at Least, Don’t Ignore Them
If you have student loans, explore your repayment options and exercise them if you have to buy yourself time or reduce your payments. Whatever you do, don’t just ignore them. Not only will they not go away, but they will just become bigger, thanks to interest and penalties, and even more intimidating over time. Besides, ignore them for too long, and your lenders may just take action and garnish payments from your paycheck, anyway.
Staying on top of your student loans is also important for another reason: protecting your credit, which can impact everything from employment considerations to renting an apartment. It is much tougher to face the real world with poor credit.
Pay Your Bills–and Don’t Abuse Credit
Yes, paying your bills when they are due matters as much as it matters to you that you actually get paid on payday. In addition to avoiding late fees and other penalties you can’t really afford, 35% of your credit score is based on your payment history. (Click here to learn the other components of your credit score.)
Also, don’t abuse credit by using it to pay for things you don’t have the cash for. Keep credit card balances to no more than about 30% of the credit you have access to. That means if you have a credit card limit of $1,000, do your best to limit your balance owed to under $350.
5. Don’t Pass Up Job Benefits
If and when you get a job, don’t skip the employee benefits, including health insurance and making contributions toward a retirement savings account. Sure, your take-home pay will be smaller, but the benefits are more valuable over time–especially if you get sick or injured.
The Bottom Line on Money Advice for Young Adults
The longer you put these off, the more costly it will be to you over time, and the more you will regret it. Bite the bullet and adopt good money habits early. You’ll get used to doing it sooner, and they’ll pay off in the long run. Best of all, you’ll be able to face the real world with optimism, not fear.
College Board Expands And Revises Controversial AP African-American Studies Course For 2024
The College Board's latest updates seek to provide a more holistic approach to learning of Black history in America.
The College Board has announced its revised curriculum for the Advanced Placement (AP) African-American Studies course, set to be enacted during the 2024 academic year. The controversial class will expand on topics such as housing discrimination and the Tulsa Race massacre.
The revised course will also detail the history of Black Americans in the entertainment and sports industries, creating a more comprehensive look at the plight and triumphs of Black people. According to The Associated Press, the change is more inclusive, following criticism regarding the company’s initial compromise with conservative lawmakers’ demands.
After Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis threatened to ban the course’s inclusion in statewide public schools, the College Board began removing certain political topics, such as Black Lives Matter and reparations for slavery, from the course’s final exam. In a move assumed to be a correction from this act, the College Board’s latest updates seek to provide a more holistic approach to learning of Black history in America.
While the new revisions will include written feminist works, including a unit on “The Black Feminist Movement, Womanism, and Intersectionality,” other writings that were removed from the course have returned as well, but solely as an optional resource. Among the provocative writers returning to the curriculum are Amiri Baraka, bell hooks, and Audre Lorde. As for who informed the revisions, educators played a major role in developing the framework.
“The updates are based on teacher recommendations, and changes coincide with the latest scholarship and resources used at the collegiate level,” shared Nelva Williamson, one of the framework authors.
Since the new framework was unveiled, The College Board has stated its commitment to providing a factual account of the Black American experience to students, sharing that the content “represents more than three years of rigorous development by nearly 300 African American Studies scholars, high school AP teachers, and experts within the AP Program.”
While states are still fighting what “racially charged” topics are taught to public school students, the new course will be available across the U.S. for schools to offer if they choose.
At times, it may seem like finding money to fund your business is as difficult as striking it rich from the lotto, but never fear. Here are 7 great ways to garner funding.
Originally Published Nov. 7, 2017
At times, it may seem like finding money to fund your business is as difficult as striking it rich from the lotto, but never fear, there are many ways to accomplish this feat. When you have a startup or a small/medium business that you are looking to get off the ground, there are several ways to draw in some additional cash and gain funding for small business.
Pitch Competitions
These things are popping up all over the place and they are happening with intense frequency. I have a friend who won two in one week, no joke. These competitions allow you to receive earnings ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $650,000.
Grants
Like the above, these surface often, but you have to do a little more research to track them down. The beauty of a grant is, unlike the options below, you don’t have to pay it back; and because you are a minority, you already qualify for a number of them.
Loans
They can come directly from the bank or from friends or family members, although I would be a little cautious with the latter. I’ve seen some relationships end very badly over this exchange. You must pay this money back and it usually comes with an interest rate attached.
Crowdfunding
A lot of entrepreneurs use this process to test the market and see if there’s a demand. They will host their project with several rewards attached and if the audience bites, they know they’ve got something. Some popular platforms include Indiegogo and Kickstarter.
Angel Investment
This is when a high net-worth individual decides to spend their own money to help you fund your dreams. In some cases, angels are institutional investors or former CEOs of companies with extra cash to invest. Either way, they are a good option to tap into.
Venture Capital
This investment consists of you selling shares, i.e., an ownership stake in the company. These deals have been known to be structured in many different ways. They can show up as a Convertible Note or SAFE, both forms of debt set to convert to equity. (Click the links to learn why this works in your favor). The ultimate goal for the investor is for your company to get an equity/priced round. That is when they can actually start to make a return on their investment.
Equity Crowdfunding
This is becoming a more common way of raising money in the venture community, especially among African Americans. Entrepreneurs are finding it harder and harder to raise from investors so they look to their peers to invest.
Killing Spree Suspect Allegedly Funded Crimes With $700K Settlement From LA Police
Jerrid Powell, the suspect accused of randomly killing four individuals on Nov. 27, is alleged to have funded his criminal activities with a $700,000 settlement from Santa Monica.
Authorities in Central LA have disclosed that Jerrid Powell, the suspect accused of randomly gunning down four individuals on Nov. 27, may have financed his killing spree with a $700,000 settlement from the City of Santa Monica. Powell, 33, faces charges for the murder of four men, including three homeless individuals, between Nov. 26 and Nov. 29.
Powell’s recent arrest in Beverly Hills followed a police sighting of his BMW, captured near the crime scene of Nicholas Simbolon’s murder. Authorities believe Powell trailed the LA County project manager from an electric vehicle charging station in West Covina, eventually shooting him at his San Dimas home. Simbolon’s wife discovered his body, and paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.
Jose Bolanos, 37, Mark Diggs, 62, and an unnamed 52-year-old homeless man were among Powell’s other victims. The suspect appeared in court for an arraignment hearing, charged with four counts of murder, residential robbery, and being a felon with a firearm. He did not enter a plea and is set to return to court on Jan. 8.
Police Chief Michel Moore revealed that a handgun found in Powell’s car matched the one used in the killing of three homeless men. Powell, previously convicted of assault with a deadly weapon in 2018, has a history of violence. LA County Sheriff Robert Luna defended the controversial license plate reader technology, which was crucial in identifying Powell’s car. Despite concerns raised by civil liberties groups, Luna emphasized the system’s role in preventing further harm, stating, “If we did not enter that plate into the system, this individual that we believe is responsible for at least four murders may have been out there and reoffended. The next objective is to put this guy away at minimum forever because he doesn’t deserve to be out on the street.”
The suspect filed a 2020 lawsuit alleging negligence in a 2019 incident, leading to the city’s settlement this year. Powell had attempted to sue a landlord for $3.3 million in 2019, but the case was dismissed.
The unsettling details emerged as investigators uncovered Powell’s possible connection to a significant settlement awarded after a 2019 incident where a Santa Monica Harbor Services Officer accidentally ran over him on a beach. The city settled a lawsuit alleging negligence, stating that the officer rolled over Powell while he lay in a ditch in the sand, responding to a fire call.
4 Quick Money Tips For Black Women Transitioning Into Entrepreneurship
Black Enterprise talked with financial planner Andrea K. Williams on four quick money tips for Black women seeking to become entrepreneurs.
Originally Published Apr. 22, 2018
A recent survey found that though many Black women are confident and have dreams of entrepreneurship, they are not so confident when it comes to financial planning. Northwestern Mutual, a leading financial services company, asked women about finances; 48% consider themselves confident, but the survey findings show that more than one-third of women attribute this to not having a financial plan in place.
“I think oftentimes, as women, we’re not talking about [financial planning] as much. It’s not part of our daily conversations—it’s more private,” says Andrea K. Williams, a certified financial planner with Northwestern Mutual. “The more we have conversations about these things, I think that will set them in the right direction to better prepare for [financial goals including] entrepreneurship.”
Black Enterprise talked with Williams about four quick money tips for women 9-to-5ers seeking to become more confident in taking charge in planning for entrepreneurship.
The Four Quick Money Tips:
Check your motives for transitioning and prepare while working, not after a rash decision. The timing for taking the leap shouldn’t be based on emotion or being tired of your boss. Prepping early to become the person responsible for all business activities is a must. “A lot of people will quit their jobs, and then on Monday, there’s nothing to do, and they don’t have the contract in hand—they don’t know how to go out and find new business,” Williams says. “They’re in trouble because they haven’t aligned their time with activities that genuinely generate revenue. Those are the people who end up having to [go back into the workforce] because the job had all those things already in place—salespeople who find customers, and so on. You have to identify what is in your control and [ask yourself] does it make economic sense to do this.”
As cliché as it sounds, invest in a good, certified planner
“You develop more than just a financial account,” Williams says. She adds that the key with a planner is that you’re building a long-term strategy—whether it’s to pay off your credit card debt, pay student loans, or finding the best ways to save enough money so you can be in a position to venture out and cover the costs of a startup. “Discuss your goals and personal priorities,” she adds. “What are your financial habits?” Also, a planner knows about other avenues to save money or ensure cash flow for the future, and they can keep you organized and accountable.
Think beyond what your employer usually offers when it comes to the products you include in your financial plan
“It’s not just about IRAs and 401(k)s. [Consider things like] estate planning and special-needs planning,” she says. “Also, a lot of people don’t know you can insure your salary… When you’re at your job, you have a W2, and an insurance company can help you insure that income. Also, if you ever become sick or injured, when you leave an employer, you no longer have benefits to cover the loss of income, and that can leave you exposed. You want to be prepared and proactive.”
Know your financial habits and keep it real with your adviser.
“One of the things I’ve realized in 10 years of being in financial planning; when people hit a personal recession—someone loses their job—there are a lot of things that do not change as a result of that. People still get their hair done, their nails done.” You have to identify the things that you still consume regardless of our financial situations and the decisions we make on a continual basis.” This will help you make a realistic savings plan and nip a few habits in the bud in terms of helping you meet your goal of transitioning from employee to boss.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ Approval Falls To Historic Low
New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ approval rating has hit a historically low 28%.
According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ approval rating has hit a historically low 28%.
The New York Timesreported the approval rating is the lowest for a New York City mayor in a Quinnipiac poll since it began polling in 1996. The approval rating also exposes how Adams’ legal issues and political decisions have hurt his standing as mayor.
In recent weeks, Adams had his phone and tablet seized by the FBI as part of an investigation into whether the Turkish government benefited from his 2021 mayoral campaign, including his top fundraiser. Last month, Adams was accused of sexual assault by a former co-worker. Adams has also announced steep and unpopular budget cuts to the NYPD, Education Department, and city libraries.
Additionally, City Comptroller Brad Lander, who is mulling a run for Adams’ seat, stripped the mayor of his emergency power to enter city contracts to house and support migrants, citing reporting about his dealings with a migrant services contractor, DocGo, whose $432 million no-bid contract has been rife with scandal.
“This is certainly a sobering snapshot for this moment in time for Mayor Adams, but also for the city,” Mary Snow, an assistant director of the Quinnipiac University poll, told the Times. “Voters are worried about a number of big issues affecting New York City right now, and they’re not happy about the way things are going.”
The issues are among the reasons 58% of city residents disapprove of Adams’ tenure as mayor, and their dissatisfaction has hit several areas. Most of those polled believe Adams does not possess strong leadership qualities, does not understand the issues facing city residents, and is not honest or trustworthy.
Additionally, just 22% of voters approved of his handling of homelessness and the city budget.
Fabian Levy, the deputy mayor for communications under Adams, told the Times Adams allegedly questioned the poll, saying the numbers prove Adams is doing a solid job as mayor.
“The real numbers cannot be questioned: Crime is down, jobs are up, and we continue to deliver billions of dollars into the pockets of working people,” Levy said. “There will always be more work to do, but there is no question that this city is in a better place under Mayor Adams’s leadership.”
Adams’ approval rating is the lowest for a New York mayor since Michael Bloomberg received a 31% approval rating in July 2003.
Despite the low ratings among residents in general, Adams did receive positive reviews among Black residents, who gave him a 48% approval rating.
Rastafarian Cop Sues South Fulton Police Department For Allegedly Violating CROWN Act
Myrie relocated from New York after receiving a job offer from the South Fulton County Police Department.
Milton Myrie filed a lawsuit against the City of South Fulton Police Department when he was allegedly forced to cut his dreadlocks to keep the job he had acquired.
Myrie is a practitioner of the Rastafarian religion, where devotees grow dreadlocks as an outward symbol of their faith.
According to the lawsuit, the aspiring officer was about to sign his contract when former Deputy Chief Connie Rogers, who also had locs, informed him that he would have to cut his hair. The 36-year-old man said he requested religious accommodations several times but was denied.
Myrie attempted to comply with the policy and shaved his head several times. According to the Georgia-based lawsuit, the repeated shaving led to a chronic skin condition, which makes it difficult for him to grow his hair back.
“They’re important to him as part of his Rastafarian religion, his family, all of them have locks. And because of this situation, he is the only one in this family who doesn’t have locks at this point.” Myrie’s attorney, Arnold Lizana, told 11 Alive News.
Lizana continued, “He understands that this fight is bigger than him, and he hopes that there will be some significant change as a result of it.”
Court documents claim that Myrie experienced “humiliating gender-based double standards,” pointing out that female officers were allowed to wear the same hairstyle without receiving any push-back from the department.
The lawsuit states that the City of South Fulton violated the CROWN Act, which makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against employees over their natural hair.
“CROWN stands for Create a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair. The City of South Fulton CROWN Act states residents with natural hair do not experience workplace discrimination for religious, cultural or racial reasons.”
The lawsuit also states that the City of South Fulton violated the Civil Rights Act by failing to accommodate a religious hairstyle.
Songwriter Pens Open Letter To Diddy Backing Cassie’s Claims, ‘You Traumatized Me’
Red revealed that she is the anonymous friend named in the singer's lawsuit against the Bad Boy Records founder.
Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Tiffany Red has penned an open letter to Sean “Diddy” Combs backing abuse claims made by his longtime girlfriend, Casandra “Cassie” Ventura. Red, who revealed she is the anonymous friend named in the singer’s lawsuit against the Bad Boy Records founder, struck up a friendship with the “Me And U” artist in 2015, Rolling Stone reports.
Red’s letter comes on the heels of Combs’ first public statement addressing the mounting allegations against him and corroborates events outlined in Ventura’s lawsuit. One incident in question allegedly occurred on the singer’s 29th birthday after Cassie wanted to leave.
“You were not happy that she was leaving. I remember your people hovering around us, trying to discourage Cassie from leaving, but we went anyway. You followed us and arrived just a little bit after we did. It was instantly uncomfortable,” Red wrote. “When I walked out of the room, you had her backed into a corner in the hallway outside of the door, and your security surrounded you two as you cursed her out with your hands in her face. She and I briefly made eye contact. I felt helpless.”
The songwriter goes on to detail that Cassie allegedly confided in her that on that night, she was forced to engage in sexual acts at the behest of Combs while being heavily under the influence of both drugs and alcohol.
“She later told me you made her have a ‘Freak Off’— which Cassie described in her lawsuit as an ‘arrangement’ where you would make her perform sexual acts with male sex workers — that night,” she continued. Red also alleges that Combs made gregarious sexual advances toward Ventura, who, throughout the evening, explicitly expressed that she did not want to leave with the music icon.
“I was terrified for Cassie and completely traumatized,” she said.
Red addressed Combs as a “literal pillar in Black music” while expressing her disappointment in his dangerous “abuse of power” that she claimed “inflicted ongoing harm on countless individuals, including myself, my friends, and my peers.”
While the songwriter acknowledged her fear of coming forward, she felt it necessary to speak out to support Ventura.
“The power imbalance makes it nearly impossible to fight back and terrifying to speak up,” Red continued. “But despite that, here I am, standing beside my friend. There are moments in life when some of us have to face the hard choice of speaking truth to power or not.”
