Denver Broncos Safety Kareem Jackson Says NFL Does Poor Job Teaching Defensive Players To Avoid Illegal Hits

by Derek Major

December 13, 2023

Denver Broncos Safety Kareem Jackson Says NFL Does Poor Job Teaching Defensive Players To Avoid Illegal Hits

He has been ejected from two games, fined $89,670, and suspended for six games—this season.

This season, Denver Broncos Safety Kareem Jackson has been ejected from two games, fined $89,670, and suspended six games.

According to Jackson, it’s because the NFL isn’t a good teacher.

The Daily Mail and the Associated Press reports Jackson, a 14-year NFL veteran with 22 career interceptions, said he’s being singled out by the NFL for his hard- hitting playing style because it has no adequate answers on how he’s supposed to change his style to conform to the league’s decision to minimize hard hits on offensive players.

Jackson met with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell late last month following a four-game suspension, his second suspension of the season, to discuss his fines and his aggressive playing style.

“I was told that I’m responsible for the offensive guys’ protection,” Jackson said Monday, according to the Daily Mail. “So, I’m not really sure how I protect myself, make plays and protect them, as well. But that’s what I was told and I’m not really sure what I do moving forward as far as playing this game. So, hopefully I’ll figure it out.”

Jackson’s words should concern his teammates, who are one game behind the Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) for first place in the AFC West. The Broncos, under first-year head coach Sean Payton, have rebounded to a 7-6 record after starting the season 1-5.

Jackson isn’t the only one who is criticizing the way the game is played today.

“The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game; the product, in my opinion, is less than what it’s been,” NFL legend Tom Brady told Stephen A. Smith. “I look at a lot of players like Ray Lewis and Rodney Harrison and Ronnie Lott and guys that impacted the game in a certain way, and every hit they would’ve made would’ve been a penalty. You hear coaches complaining about their own player being tackled and not necessarily why they don’t talk to their players about how to protect himself. We used to work on the fundamentals of those things all the time; now they’re going to be regulated all the time.”

The standard for roughing the quarterback, unnecessary roughness, and hitting a defenseless receiver calls are much lower than in the 1990s. However, the NFL has made these changes due to the $1.2 billion it might have to pay out in its concussion settlement and disability payments.

fentanyl, los angelos county, overdose, drug, resident

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 13, 2023

How Fentanyl Hit Los Angeles’ Black Community By Becoming The Deadliest Drug In 2022

Fentanyl disproportionately affected Black communities in Los Angeles County.

Fentanyl has attacked the United States with a vengeance but for the African American community in Los Angeles, it took lives in 2022 at a higher rate than any other racial group.

The drug killed 1,910 LA County residents in 2022, beating out methamphetamine as the lead cause of overdoses. Data, according to L.A. County’s public health department, showed a rise of 13% in fentanyl deaths compared to 2021. That number went up 1,652% from the 109 deaths first recorded in 2016.

If that’s not alarming enough, health officials are paying close attention to how those numbers are tied in with racial disparities. Black residents made up 21% of deaths in 2022 but only 8% of Los Angeles County’s population.

Substance use researcher and assistant professor at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, David Goodman-Meza, thinks the numbers are surprising, especially from the Black community.

“It’s really striking what the rates are now for Black individuals dying of fentanyl,” Goodman-Meza said. “Unfortunately, because of systematic racism that Black individuals suffer in Los Angeles County, they tend to live in more marginalized communities. And they are less likely to access services.”

Fentanyl deaths were more prominent in white residents when it first arrived at alarming levels in 2016. Seven years later, people of color are dying at increasing rates. In 2019, Black and white residents tied at dying from fentanyl overdoses at a rate of 7.2 people per 100,000 residents. By 2022, the deadly drug hit Black communities the hardest, with 49.5 deaths per 100,000 residents—about twice as many as white fatalities.

Dr. Gary Tsai, director of substance use prevention and control at the L.A. County Department of Public Health, said fentanyl was first typically used as an alternative to prescription opioids, which are popularly used by white residents.

Now, fentanyl is easy to find and added to any other street drug, which, according to Chelsea Shover, health services researcher and assistant professor-in-residence at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine, means any demographic that is prone to using illicit drugs also has a high risk of fentanyl overdoses.

“Fentanyl death rates among African Americans rising in L.A. is in line with what we see in the national stats, and in terms of all the different overlapping public health risk factors that people of color face,” Shover said. “People experiencing homelessness are quite overrepresented among drug overdoses generally and African Americans are absolutely overrepresented among people experiencing homelessness.”

Fentanyl is taking over other cities and states. In Michigan, fentanyl overdoses have doubled in the past five years, going from 23.8 deaths per 100,000 population in 2017 to 47.6 deaths per 100,000 in 2021. In 2021, Louisiana recorded close to 2,463 overdose deaths largely blamed on the drug, equaling 95% of all overdose deaths.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 13, 2023

Meek Mill Is Not With Using Rap Lyrics As Evidence In Court

Meek Mill shares on X of his opinion regarding rap lyrics being used as evidence in court, revealing that rappers collaborate by sharing their own lines to use on other artist's songs.

Meek Mill is chiming in on the growing conversation surrounding rapper’s lyrics being used as evidence in court. The hip-hop artist shared his thoughts on the matter on social media, explaining how rappers feed one another lines for their songs.

In his rant on X, Meek Mill, whose real name is Robert Williams, spoke on the songwriting process for rappers in the studio. In his opinion, lyrics should be impermissible to use in court, given that, oftentimes, rappers will share lyrics to put on other artists’ music.

It should be impossible to charge thug and lucci for lyrics because in the studio we all give eachother lines and don’t remember who said what after a high night in the studio…. I have done it with both of them … they both gave me lyrics b4… we all do this!
— MeekMill (@MeekMill) December 12, 2023

“It should be impossible to charge thug and lucci for lyrics because in this studio, we all give each other lines and don’t remember who said what after a high night in the studio,” shared the Philadelphia native. “I have done it with both of them … they both gave me lyrics [before]… we all do this!”

His reference to rappers Young Thug and YFN Lucci and their ongoing court cases highlights the ongoing debate over the emcees’ lyrics being used by prosecutors to suggest they were involved in criminal activity. Young Thug is facing racketeering, better known as RICO, charges in Fulton County, Georgia, for alleged gang activity with his record label, YSL, with his fellow Atlanta artist indicted on the same charges.

Meek Mill has advocated for prison reform since his own release after issues with his probation. He co-founded the Reform Alliance in 2019 alongside Jay-Z to promote legislation and policy for those wrongfully imprisoned or under unjust probation to seek justice. He most recently tweeted about bill SB 838 in Pennsylvania, which will aid in probation reform within the state.

I spent 10 years on probation in PA. They sent me to prison multiple times for violations. Happens every day to Black men in Philly everyday, being incarcerated for not committing any crimes!

It’s time to get #sb838 probation reform done. @reform
— MeekMill (@MeekMill) December 12, 2023

“I spent 10 years on probation in PA,” shared the 36-year-old rapper. They sent me to prison multiple times for violations. Happens every day to Black men in Philly every day, being incarcerated for not committing any crimes! It’s time to get #sb838 probation reform done.”

Meek Mill and his reform organization hope to see the bill passed before the state’s legislative session concludes.

Jonathon majors, Grace, Jabbari, cab driver, initiated attack, suicide, two pills, officers, trial

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 13, 2023

Jonathan Majors Called Cops Day Of Arrest For Ex’s Attempted Suicide

Cops testifying in the Jonathan Majors' domestic assault trial reveal that the actor called 911 to report his ex's, Grace Jabbari, alleged suicide via overdose back in March.

Another revelation in the domestic assault trial against Jonathan Majors has been exposed to the public. Cops involved in the matter testified on Dec. 12 that Majors made a 911 call on the day of his arrest to report his ex, Grace Jabbari, attempted suicide.

According to the two cops who responded to the call, the day Majors was arrested for the March incident that prompted the trial, Jabbari allegedly overdosed in a suicide attempt. The cops’ testimony detailed the rundown of events, with one stating that Majors reported the suspected overdose himself.

One cop explained that as they arrived on the scene, Jabbari lay down on the floor of her former partner’s apartment. Upon awakening, she asked the officer how she had gotten in, then asked if Majors was inside. The officers also noted small stains of blood on Major’s comforter in his bedroom but did not detect blood elsewhere in the apartment. When they spoke to Jabbari, she stated that the actor had assaulted her several times by hitting her in the head and grabbing her by the throat.

One officer also detailed how he aided Jabbari in filing a domestic violence report. However, neither on the stand could remember all the details regarding the incident when cross-examined by Majors’ defense team. One question asked was whether they knew Jabbari had taken two sleeping pills the night before, as they could not determine if the woman had made them aware of that at the time.

This latest testimony comes after an SUV driver took the stand on Dec. 11 to recall his interaction with the former couple, relaying how they had gotten into a fight while in the vehicle. However, the driver maintained his belief that Jabbari initiated the physical assault. The case has sparked a media frenzy, as new details cloud public judgment on the matter. Majors has yet to take the stand.

RELATAED CONTENT: Jonathan Major’s Ex Flees Courtroom After Videos Shown: ‘This Is Going To Make Me Sick’

by Rafael Pena

December 13, 2023

West Philadelphia Man Dies Two Months After Pit Bull Attack

Antonio Shaw of West Philadelphia, who had become non-verbal due to a series of strokes, died this month after being attacked by two pit bulls in October.

Daily Mail reports 63-year-old Antonio Shaw of West Philadelphia, who had become non-verbal due to a series of strokes, died earlier this month when he was attacked by two pit bulls after mistakenly entering the wrong house on North 62nd Street on October 4.

After a prolonged hospitalization that included 15 surgeries, Shaw died from his injuries on December 4.

“These dogs were very vicious and hungry.,” said Shaw’s sister, Sharese Jackson, who witnessed the incident. “These dogs were eating him like a piece of steak.” Despite Shaw’s inability to call for help, a neighbor eventually saw the pit bulls attacking and dialed 911. Police shot one of the dogs on the scene and injured the other, who was later euthanized by animal control. Five dogs were in the house at the time.

Shaw’s health complications, combined with the dog bites and resulting infections, led to a deteriorating condition. (He underwent a leg amputation due to the severity of the injuries.)

“He was hanging in there, but it just turned for the worse,” said Michelle Shaw, the sister of the beloved father of three.

“I want Antonio to know we love him, and he will never be forgotten and he was a great person,” added Shaw, according to the Daily Mail. “He was very outstanding. Everyone loved him and everyone is going to miss him.”

As of now, no charges have been filed against the owners of the house where the incident occurred. The family has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise approximately $3,000 for Antonio Shaw’s funeral expenses. “We have money but not enough to cover his service, so I ask if you can help this family so we can have a proper homegoing for my brother,” Sharese Jackson wrote.

As of press time, the campaign is a little more than $500 from reaching its goal.

Florida School Board Asks Moms for Liberty Founder To Resign After Threesome Scandal

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 13, 2023

Florida School Board Asks Moms for Liberty Founder To Resign After Threesome Scandal

Ziegler says the board can't force her to resign but the governor can step in to make things happen.

The Sarasota County School Board is asking conservative group Moms For Liberty Founder Bridget Ziegler to resign after allegations of her engaging in a threesome with her husband, Christian, have emerged. During the final meeting of the year on Dec. 12, four board members voted to have the sexually liberated mother resign from the board after the three-way sexcapade became public during a rape and sexual battery investigation. Before the meeting, board Chairwoman Karen Rose and members Tom Edwards and Tim Enos individually called for Ziegler to resign. However, there are no signs that the matriarch is willing to step down.

In her first public appearance since the bombshell allegation, Ziegler’s demeanor was described as defiant. She asked the board’s legal counsel, Patrick Duggan, why the resolution was presented in the first place, as the board doesn’t have the authority to remove a member. Ziegler said she was disappointed by the conversation. “You know, I am disappointed. As people may know, I serve on another public board, and this issue did not come up, and we were able to forge ahead with the business of the board,” she said, referring to her other governor-appointed position on the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

She won her most recent election in August 2022, ending her term in 2026 if she chooses not to resign. But Gov. Ron DeSantis can do something about it and remove her. If she decides to leave, the governor must appoint someone to serve until the subsequent 2024 election cycle.

According to Politico, during the investigation, the group founder told the police that she, her husband, Christian Zeigler, and a third party had sex together in 2022. Arrest affidavits report Christian and the victim have known each other for more than 20 years, but on the day of the alleged incident, the husband tried to arrange the activity with the victim, but she backed out after learning his wife wouldn’t be there.

As Ziegler isn’t looking to resign from the Sarasota board, the scandal has brought about other fallout and consequences. She resigned as vice president of school board programs at the nonprofit Leadership Institute, which is dedicated to aiding conservatives running for office. A Moms for Liberty chapter in Pennsylvania split from the national group in November 2022 after the chair told a local news outlet, “It’s hard to advocate for parental rights when the co-founder is caught up in the scandal.”

body cam, North Carolina, Pierre, punch, excessive force, woman

by Rafael Pena

December 13, 2023

Body Cam Footage Released Of North Carolina Police Punching Black Woman

In an incident captured on body camera footage, police in North Carolina tackled, punched, and kneed a Black woman.

According to Daily Mail, in an incident captured on body cam footage, police in North Carolina tackled, punched, and kneed a Black woman, Christina Pierre, during an arrest, sparking outrage and condemnation from community leaders. The incident occurred on Nov. 13, when Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officers confronted Pierre and Anthony Nathaniel Lee, who were sitting on a park bench smoking marijuana.

Both bystander and body cam footage revealed the alleged violent arrest, with officers grabbing and restraining Pierre while using alleged excessive force. The incident drew swift criticism, prompting an internal affairs investigation that resulted in the suspension of Officer Vincent Pistone, who repeatedly punched Pierre. Despite the investigation clearing six of the seven officers involved, all charges against Pierre and Lee were dropped.

Police said Pierre began ‘laying on her hands and not allowing officers to arrest her,’ so one cop began striking her thigh and shouted at her repeatedly to ‘stop resisting.’

CMPD said in a statement, ‘These are tense situations that have the potential to escalate quickly.’

‘Police use of force is never easy to watch. Officers are trained to strike large muscle groups in order to gain compliance during an arrest.’

Community leaders expressed their concerns, with Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott acknowledging the severity of the crime and the unnecessary use of force. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department defended the officers’ actions, stating that force is applied to gain compliance during an arrest. However, the incident ignited public outrage, with local residents and activists condemning the excessive use of force.

‘It doesn’t really matter, unless someone takes a gun out and points at you, you shouldn’t be beating on anyone,’ local man Abdul Evans told WSOC-TV after viewing the bystander video.

‘It took 17 blows to get her to complain. That’s insane to me,’ activist Kass Ottley told the broadcaster. ‘The use of force does not fit the situation and they are supposed to de-escalate the situation,’ she added.

‘Like many other Charlotteans, we were shocked and saddened by the video of an incident between Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police and a Bojangles employee,’ the fast food chain said.

The video captured Pierre being arrested and subsequently seated in a police car, with her charges of assault on a government official, resisting officers, and marijuana possession later dropped. The fast-food chain Bojangles, where Pierre and Lee were employed, confirmed that the individuals had recently finished their shifts, expressing shock and sadness over the incident. Bojangles pledged full cooperation with any investigation and confirmed that both employees remain employed by the company.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 13, 2023

Master P’s Son Mercy Miller Sets High School Record By Scoring 68 Points

Miller is averaging 33 points, 12 rebounds and six assists a game for the Notre Dame Knights

Hip-hop recording artist and businessman Percy Miller, better known as Master P, once dreamed of playing in the NBA and may be able to see his son pursue that dream after a recent scoring outburst.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Master P’s son, Mercy Miller, set a scoring record at the high school he currently plays for when he pored on 68 points in a recent game. The 6-foot-4 guard plays for California’s Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (the same school that LeBron James’ youngest son, Bryce, just transferred from) and accomplished the feat on Monday, Dec. 11.

Mercy’s older brother, Romeo Miller, posted clips after his younger brother’s game on Monday night to his Instagram account.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Romeo Miller (@romeomiller)

The senior already had 25 points by halftime in Sherman Oaks’ contest against North Hollywood Oakwood. But his output increased in the second half when he exploded for 43 more points to finish with a record-breaking 68 points. The school record, set in 1969 by Bud Fabian, was 66 points.

Notre Dame won the game by a score of 104-44. Miller’s teammate, junior point guard Angelino Mark, created another school record when he dished out 20 assists. With this special victory, the team remains undefeated for the season at 7-0.

The coach of the Notre Dame Knights, Matt Sargeant, saw how Miller was playing and realized that he was on the verge of doing something special.

“Everything was happening kind of in the flow of the game, and then we had a really explosive third quarter,” Sargeant told the media outlet during a phone interview on Tuesday. “He had 30 in the third quarter, so at that point, it was like, ‘Oh, wait a second, he has a chance to do this. We should help support him.’”

The son of Master P is having an explosive year after signing a letter of intent with the University of Houston in November. This young season, Miller is averaging 33 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists a game, significantly above last year’s average of 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game.

Carla Smith Becomes The First Black Person To Head NYC’s LGBTQ+ Community Center

As only the third executive director in the center's 40-year history, Smith will be the first Black person to hold the position.

Carla Smith will serve as the newly appointed chief executive officer of New York City’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center.

Smith, who assumes her new role on Feb. 12, has a long history of service in marginalized communities, according to the Advocate. She draws inspiration from her grandmother, who always welcomed anyone in need to her kitchen table.

She comes to the center after serving as deputy CEO of the Urban Resource Institute, the nation’s largest provider of domestic violence services. She has also held leadership roles at the New York City Anti-Violence Project, My Sisters’ Place, and Housing Works — all major social service organizations.

“I can’t imagine being in any other sector,” Smith stated, according to the Advocate.

As only the third executive director in the center’s 40-year history, Smith has some big shoes to fill. She succeeds Glennda Testone, who has led the organization skillfully for over a decade. Smith will be the first person of color to hold the position. As an African American cisgender lesbian, she reflects the diversity of the center’s constituency.

Having benefited from the center’s services when she first moved to New York City in the 1990s, Smith feels she is “coming home” to the role. “I know what the center offered me,” she said. She is eager to build on the center’s current work in healthcare, career development, youth programming, and more — including an increased focus on racial equity.

However, Smith first intends to consult with staff, board members, and clients to shape a collective vision for the center’s future direction. As she put it, “It’s really important to talk to the community,” the outlet noted. She emphasized the diversity of challenges facing the LGBTQ+ community and the intersectionality of identity. “We have to be nimble,” Smith said.

Smith emerged as the top candidate after an extensive national search that attracted 200 applicants. She holds a doctorate in education with a focus on executive leadership. When her appointment was announced, board president Rahul Tripathi praised her as “an accomplished, visionary, and dynamic leader with 25 years of experience in social services and an unwavering commitment to centering historically neglected populations.”

“I feel privileged to have this opportunity to positively impact New York’s LGBTQ+ community,” the incoming CEO summarized her outlook modestly but passionately.

Former St. Louis Prosecutor,Misusing Public Funds

by Rafael Pena

December 13, 2023

California Mom Who Sedated And Hid Son In A Closet Gets 25 To Life In Prison

Veronica Aguilar, the California mom found guilty of hiding her 11-year-old son in a closet, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.

Veronica Aguilar, the California mom who was found guilty of sedating her 11-year-old son and hiding him in a closet which resulted in his death, was sentenced Dec. 8 to 25 years to life in prison, People reports.

Yonatan Daniel Aguilar was discovered lifeless in a closet in their Los Angeles home in August 2016, prompting an investigation. Veronica Aguilar, 46, pleaded no contest to the charge of assault on a child causing death before receiving her sentence.

Reports indicate that Yonatan weighed 34 pounds at the time of his death, displaying pressure sores more commonly associated with elderly nursing home patients or those with prolonged immobilization. Authorities said the child died from the effects of multiple drugs, dehydration, and generalized neglect.

City News Serivce, citing court records, reported that Yonatan had been confined to the closet for three years leading up to his death. During a 2019 preliminary hearing, police testified that the boy appeared significantly younger than his actual age, describing him as “gaunt” and “frail.”

“He was deprived of food for a very long time,” Dr. Janet Arnold-Clark, a child abuse pediatrics specialist, testified in 2019. “Two inches in growth in 4 1/2 years is really marked and concerning, and the only real explanation of that is that he had been malnourished for several years.”

During the recent sentencing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler characterized the case as “tragic,” acknowledging the profound fear and terror the boy must have experienced. Deputy District Attorney Alexander Bott emphasized the gravity of the crime, stating that Aguilar’s plea reflected an outcome commensurate with the years of neglect and abuse.

Detective Sandra Platero, who testified during the 2019 hearing, said that Aguilar claimed her son was “pure evil.” The detective outlined how Aguilar administered medication to sedate the child and forced him to sleep in a closet. The boy’s stepfather, unaware of the situation, reported Yonatan’s death to 911, dispelling earlier beliefs that the child was in Mexico with a family friend.