October 13, 2016
By Xavier Higgs
Contributing Writer
Attacks, counter-attacks and trenchant rhetoric were the game plan for California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez during last Wednesday night’s one and only Senate debate.
Both quarreled over comprehensive immigration, curtailing global terrorism to legalizing marijuana, to supporting or opposing Prop. 57, the Juvenile Criminal Proceedings and Sentencing. Initiative Constitutional Amendment and Statute.
Sanchez accused Harris of taking money from Trump “to fly in first class and stay in first class hotels” rather than aggressively pursuing legal action against Trump University. Harris attacked Sanchez’s attendance record in congress, “you may have lots of stamps on your passport but you have not showed up once to an anti-terrorism task force meeting.”
The evening was not without it’s lighter moment. While running over her allotted time, the Orange County congresswoman engaged in a little dabbin’, her affirmation to popular culture.
A perplexed Harris responded, “So, there’s a clear difference between the candidates in this race.”
Harris’ responses were crafty and measured amidst sharp criticism from her opponent.
Sanchez’s theatrics were often distracting and not subtle. Including her off-the-cuff style, interrupting Harris and defied the moderator’s attempts to keep her answers within the allotted time.
Both were asked how they would resolve the contradiction between state and federal laws if California voters approve Prop 64, the Marijuana Legalization Initiative Statute.
Harris says voters will pass the initiative and asserting that State laws must change the mandatory sentencing laws. She also admits “the war on drugs has been a failure.”
“Some people talk about doing things, we actually do things in my district,” says Sanchez. “I’ve been fighting in congress to get marijuana off the Schedule 1 sentencing.”
Harris, who is considered the front-runner, has capturing the support of Gov. Jerry Brown, the California Democratic Party, President Barack Obama and U.S. sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
California Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris and Orange County Rep. Loretta Sanchez were invited to a debate on Sept. 20 however the two Democratic Senate candidates failed to reach agreement so it was scrapped.
During the primary, five candidates met on a stage for two debates.
On June 7 Harris finished first with 39.9% of the votes, and Sanchez came in second with 18.9%.
This set up the first-ever statewide matchup between two members of the same party.
Harris and long-serving Rep. Sanchez — both are women of color and daughters of immigrants, Mexico in Sanchez’s case and from Jamaica and India in Harris’.
Their presence would be special: In the precious chamber they seek to inhabit, there is currently one woman of color in the entire Senate, Hawaii’s Mazie Hirono, an Asian-American. There has only been one black woman senator. There has never been a Latina senator.
October 13, 2016
LAWT News Service
On Thursday, October 6, the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), announced that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) has planned a national advertising campaign with the trade group to reach Black voters.
“This is our first national ad buy, this year, with one of the two major political parties,” stated Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., the president and CEO of the NNPA. “With all of the talk about how important the Black vote is in 2016, it is significant that it was the DNC that made the strategic decision to buy print ads with the NNPA. It was a wise, respectful and timely decision, and will unquestionably help to raise public awareness in the Black community about the importance of voting in 2016.”
In an earlier statement, Donna Brazile, the interim chairwoman of the DNC, said that minority voters will play a critical role in the success of Democrats in November.
“The future of the country is at stake,” said Brazile. “We know how critical it is to reach voters where they are, and the DNC is determined to remind voters that the best way to protect the tremendous progress we’ve made, under President Obama’s leadership, is to elect Democrats across the country from the courthouse to the White House.”
The DNC’s half page ad titled, “Protect Our Legacy,” includes the text: “The next president will either build on Barack Obama’s legacy or tear it apart. On November 8th, vote for Democrats so we can keep this country moving forward.”
October 06, 2016
By EMERY P. DALESIO
Associated Press
A North Carolina prosecutor said Monday that criminal charges will not be filed against a white police officer whose own department said he violated its “use of force” policy when he arrested and punched a black man sitting on the front porch of his mother’s home.
Guilford County Chief Assistant District Attorney Howard Neumann said neither Travis Cole, an eight-year veteran of the Greensboro Police Department, nor six-year veteran Charlotte Jackson committed any crimes when they arrested Dejuan Yourse on June 17. The officers were dispatched to the home of Yourse's mother in Greensboro after neighbors reported a possible break-in.
The case erupted into public view last week after video of the arrest taken from the body cameras worn by Jackson and Cole was shown at a Greensboro City Council meeting. The incident had been under internal police investigation since Yourse’s arrest. Neumann originally announced that no charges would be filed against the officers in August.
The footage captures Cole questioning Yourse amicably for several minutes. Seated on the porch, Yourse explains that he is waiting for his mother to return home. He doesn't have a house key or identification, but he says neighbors know who he is. Yourse answers the officer’s questions with a respectful “Yes, sir.”
Yourse at one point then stands up, apparently thinking he would lead Cole to a familiar neighbor, but the officer touches his chest and presses Yourse backward and into his seat. Yourse fails to reach his mother by cell phone. He calls someone else and urges that person to come over because police are hassling him.
Cole then grabs Yourse’s phone, wrestles him to the floor of the porch, punches him and, with Jackson’s help, places handcuffs on him. Yourse says, “I’m not resisting! I'm not resisting!” Cole insists that Yourse is resisting arrest and had assaulted the officer. Yourse was charged with both crimes.
Greensboro Police Officers Association attorney William Hill said in a statement that the use of force was reported to the officers' supervisor at the scene. An administrative investigation of the arrest then filtered up several levels until it was brought to Police Chief Wayne Scott's attention on Aug. 9.
Cole resigned 10 days later, and the charges against Yourse were dropped. Jackson resigned last week.
An internal investigation completed Aug. 30 determined that Cole violated police department policies including use of force, courtesy toward the public, and search and seizure, department spokeswoman Susan Danielsen wrote in an email Monday.
At a meeting on Sept. 26, city council not only showed the body camera video; officials also apologized to Yourse and his mother, Livia.
“It was ugly. It was brutal. It was completely unnecessary,” Mayor Nancy Vaughan said.
Scott, the police chief, expressed dismay.
“We’re very unhappy with what’s contained in that video,” Scott said.
In a letter released Friday, Hill criticized city council’s action, accusing it of pursuing “a politically motivated witch hunt” in how it handled the matter.
October 06, 2016
City News Service
An attorney for the family of a man who died following a struggle with Pasadena police, who twice used a Taser on him, blasted officers for using what she called excessive force even though they did not fire their weapons.
“Just because Pasadena police says we used less lethal force does not mean they did not use excessive force,” attorney Caree Harper said at a news conference outside police headquarters.
Harper was surrounded by relatives of 36-year-old Reginald “J.R.” Thomas, who was described as mentally unstable by his girlfriend and died after an early morning confrontation on September 30 at an apartment complex in the 200 block of East Orange Grove Boulevard.
Thomas had eight children and one on the way, according to his pregnant girlfriend.
His death sparked anger among some residents who gathered at the scene last Friday demanding more information and confronting a sheriff's official who arrived to brief reporters. A crowd of around 100 people marched Friday night in protest of Thomas’ death. The group started at the shooting scene, then made its way to police headquarters at 207 Garfield Ave. before proceeding through the city's Old Town.
No arrests were reported.
Harper alleged that officers hit and kicked Thomas while he was restrained — something police have denied.
“Hands-on (force) can be just as lethal as a bullet,” she said. “A boot to the head can be just like a bullet to the head if you keep kicking the man when he’s down. They should have let the man live. And we're here to ask you to keep that theory in the media’s eyes.”
Harper said the family plans to file a federal lawsuit alleging civil rights violations, wrongful death and excessive force. She suggested officers should have contained Thomas in some way and given him time to calm down before engaging in a struggle.
According to police, officers received a call at 2:20 a.m. Friday “regarding a domestic disturbance with a suspect at the location armed with a knife.”
In the 911 call made public over the weekend, the caller, who is believed to be Thomas’ brother, tells a police dispatcher Thomas was armed with a knife and acting strangely but had not threatened anyone.
When the dispatcher asked if the suspect had any mental illnesses, the caller replied that he didn’t know. The dispatcher also asked if the suspect was on drugs and the caller replied that he was.
The sheriff’s department, which is assisting in the investigation, reported that when officers arrived, the man had a large knife under his left arm and a fire extinguisher in his right hand, and he refused orders to drop both.
A Taser was deployed, causing Thomas to drop both items, according to the sheriff’s department.
“The male was still not cooperative with the verbal commands given by the officers, and a second Taser was deployed, which seemed to have little effect on the male,” according to Deputy Ryan Rouzan of the Sheriff's Information Bureau.
In the ensuing struggle with officers, Thomas continued to be uncooperative, Rouzan said.
“The officers applied a hobble restraint around the male’s feet, in order to control his legs,” according to the deputy. “The male was then taken into custody.”
While in custody, Thomas “went into distress and stopped breathing,” Rouzan said.
Officers started CPR, which was continued by arriving paramedics, who eventually pronounced the man dead at the scene, according to Rouzan.