• News

by Atiya Jordan

March 9, 2023

Massachusetts Man Arrested After Trying to Open Exit Door Mid-flight, Attacking Flight Attendant

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A 32-year-old man from Leominister, MA is facing charges after allegedly attacking a flight attendant with a makeshift weapon and attempted to open an emergency exit door on a Boston-bound United Airlines plane midflight.

Francisco Severo Torres has been charged with one count of interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, WCVB5 reported. Due to the use of the weapon, Torres is facing imprisonment for any term of years or for life.

The incident occurred about 45 minutes before United Flight 2609 landed in Boston from Los Angeles, according to court documents. The flight crew received a warning in the cockpit that a side door situated between the first class and coach sections of the aircraft was disarmed. It was discovered that the locking handle of the Boeing 757’s door was moved out of the fully locked position.

Once the door and emergency slide were secured, a flight attendant reported that he saw Torres near the door and believed Torres had tampered with the door. When Torres was confronted about the door, he asked if there was any footage proving his involvement.

A passenger on the flight recorded Torres having an intense outburst at some point during the flight.

“So where’s the Homeland Security with the gun? Because I’m waiting for them to point the gun at me, so I can show everybody that I won’t die when I take every bullet in that clip to wherever in my body they shoot it, and then I will kill every man on this plane! So where are they?! … You don’t have Homeland Security. You’re not going to try and stop me? So you’re all cowards?” Torres said from his seating row.

“I don’t care if I’m scaring you. I don’t care. I don’t care. The women will be fine. Sit back down,” Torres told a flight attendant. “Why are you scared? … Well, tell them to bring SWAT to shoot me down because they’re going to have to shoot me down today. Remember that.”

Thanks to the help of good Samaritans onboard, Torres was eventually restrained and taken into custody.

According to a previous report, Torres has a history of threatening behavior, including the assault of his mother in 2017 by grabbing her wrist to take her car keys away from her. He was also charged with trying to rob a convenience store in 2015. Both charges were dismissed.

Mike Epps is clearing up any speculation surrounding his recent run-in with TSA police while traveling to his hometown of Indianapolis.

The Upshaws star took to Instagram on Wednesday to apologize to his fans after he was caught with a loaded handgun at Indianapolis International Airport.

“I want to give a shout-out to all my fans out there. I want to apologize if you’re seeing any negativity about a gun charge at an airport,” Epps said in his video.

Epps said he “forgot” the handgun was on him after a “long night” hosting a show at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse with D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer, Fox News reported.

“I had a long night. I had a show in my hometown and I literally forgot that I had my pistol in my bag,” he said.

 

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The Next Friday star explained why he always keeps a gun on him.

“If you want to know why I carry a gun, I carry money all the time,” he quipped. “I be having jewelry on, and these dudes is out here robbing people.”

“So I just want to make sure I make it clear I ain’t out here doing nothing wrong. But I keep a gun on me ’cause I gotta protect myself. Sometimes I ain’t with my security.”

“Just want to let y’all know that I’m still on some positive vibes. And sorry that it happened. All I can tell you is the world is crazy; stay strapped,” he said in conclusion.

“Thank you for understanding.”

Epps’ video came a few days after Transportation Security Administration officers discovered a Smith & Wesson .38-caliber pistol in his backpack on Sunday. The comedian wasn’t arrested but could possibly face charges.

However, Michael Leffler, a Marion County prosecutor’s office spokesperson, said cases of this type “rarely result in criminal charges.”

Not everything is as it seems on the television screen.

Actress and television personality Tami Roman got down to specifics about her struggles with body dysmorphia during a recent interview with The Breakfast Club.

The former Basketball Wives star discussed the condition that she said she’s dealt with since she was a young girl.

“The thing is, I have a condition that’s called body dysmorphia and I’ve had it since I was 13 years old,” Roman said. “It is a mental disorder based on either trauma or genetics and mine is trauma-based.”

“What happens with that is the way I look at myself and the way people see me are two different things. I think about myself as My 600-Lb. Life. No matter how I look to people, when I look at myself, I can always pick something apart. I always feel like I’m overweight.”

Rapper Remi Ma also joined Roman as a guest on the show, and gave her opinion that every girl deals with body dysmorphia and feels a certain way about themselves.

“This is different because there can literally be nothing wrong, but I will find something. With the average woman, it’s like ‘Well, i think I wanna lose a few pounds’, but if they don’t, they’re OK. But with me, it’s like, ‘No, I’ve got to lose the pounds because I see this fold on my wrist right here,’” Roman explained.

 

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Johns Hopkins Medicine listed symptoms for body dysmorphic disorder that includes avoiding mirrors, not believing other people when they say you look fine, seeing many healthcare providers about your appearance, and trying to hide your body part under a hat, scarf, or makeup.

Roman spoke with BLACK ENTERPRISE in 2021 about her experience battling body dysmorphia.

“It’s something that I don’t talk about often, so this is like the first time because I feel comfortable to talk to you ladies about it,” she said at the time. “I suffer from body dysmorphic disorder. I’ve been dealing with this since I was 13 years old. And so a lot of people don’t know it’s either hereditary or genetic or comes from a negative experience where your self-image has been annihilated,” she said.

It has been nearly ten years since Raven-Symoné came out as gay, living her truth out loud and unapologetically. But the award-winning actress admitted that the truth revealed a lot of challenges.

Last weekend, the Disney Channel star reflected on her coming out journey during her acceptance speech for an Icon award at the 9th Annual Better Brothers Los Angeles Truth Awards. The ceremony, which honors and recognizes members of the Black LGBTQ+ community, was held on March 4.

Raven-Symoné, who tied the knot with Miranda Maday in 2020, humbly accepted her award, explaining to E! News that “there were a lot of challenges” on the path to fully embracing her identity.

“There was the crumbling of the wall that I had put up for so many years. And I felt very vulnerable, it was an interesting wound that was opened up in public,” she said.

L/Studio, created by Lexus, featured the The Cosby Show actress in an “It Gets Better” video released in 2016.  She explained that she was aware of her sexuality at age 12, but there was too much riding on the Raven-Symone brand, until she fell in love.

“I never thought I would come out because my personal life didn’t matter,” she said in the video, adding that she didn’t see where other people coming out publicly was a positive experience for them. She referenced Ellen DeGeneres when she publicly came out in 1997.

Last year, Raven-Symoné and Maday started a YouTube channel, dubbed 8PM. They entertain with daily vlogs, recipes, art, beauty, and “some good ol’ tea spillage.” It’s been a while since the pair uploaded a new video, but Raven-Symoné is still intentional about amplifying representation in her work as a creator.

“I want to make sure I’m creating content that reflects the community that we’re a part of,” the 37-year-old noted. “Respectfully and with dignity.”

Although she turned down the Disney channel’s attempt to make her Raven’s Home character a member of the LGBTQ community, as BLACK ENTERPRISE previously reported, she is a proud nonbinary who doesn’t have to play one onscreen.

An icon in her own right, Raven-Symoné shared some words of advice: “Y’all better keep going because y’all are changing all kinds of conversations that I didn’t even know was possible!” she said. “But also respect your elders at the same time.”

Tyrese Gibson is blaming a bad reaction to his depression medication for why he falsely claimed Will Smith gave him $5 million.

It was 2017 when the Fast & Furious star shouted out Will Smith for giving him a few million to go toward legal fees in his divorce from Norma Mitchell, Insider reported. But six years later, Gibson, 44, admitted he fabricated the claims while under the influence of the depression medication Rexulti.

“Will Smith is gonna give me $5 million? I never even talked to Will Smith. I was out of my mind,” Gibson said Wednesday on “Sway’s Universe.”

The Baby Boy star explained that he was prescribed the depression medication after losing custody of his and Mitchell’s daughter, Shayla.

“I travel and I move all the time. I’m used to being away from my baby,” Tyrese shared. “But to take my baby away for 100 days? Oh, I was fu*king miserable. So then the psychiatrist says, ‘Here’s some psych meds that’ll help stabilize your mood, because you barely sleep, you’re stressed the fu*k out, and your firstborn was taken away from you.'”

“You put some sh*t like Rexulti in my system, it’s going to have the worst adverse effects ever,” he continued. “So I’m online talking about Will Smith giving me $5 million.”

Gibson went on to admit that his relationship with the Smiths hasn’t been the same since he made the false allegations,

I never talked to Will Smith and I still haven’t recovered from the damage that I did to him and his family. They didn’t deserve them phone calls.”

At the time, Gibson included Will and Jada Pinkett Smith in his rant about his divorce in a since-deleted Instagram post.

“My wife kept the news away from me ’cause I’ve been on with lawyers all day, but our family and our sister Jada Pinkett-Smith and my brother Will Smith just sent us 5 million dollars to help keep us afloat,” the actor/singer wrote at the time.

“The Smiths and their whole family has always shown up for The Gibson’s. Uncle Will you’re an uncle for real.”

The Smiths were quick to refute Gibson’s claims to TMZ and told the outlet they were worried the singer was having “some sort of breakdown.”

• News

by Atiya Jordan

March 9, 2023

Jackson Mahomes, Brother of NFL Star Quarterback, Accused of Assaulting Kansas Restaurant Owner, Waiter

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The younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been accused of assault by a waiter and the owner of Aspen’s Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, KS.

Jackson Mahomes, 22, is currently under police investigation for allegations involving him in two incidents last weekend. On Feb. 25, after shoving a waiter multiple times, Mahomes was caught on surveillance footage “forcibly” kissing owner, Aspen Vaughn in her office, The Kansas City Star reported.

According to Vaughn, Mahomes appeared to be intoxicated when he was shown grabbing her by the throat and kissing her at least twice in her office shortly after 10 p.m. She claimed to the news outlet that, “He forcibly kissed me out of nowhere.”

“And I’m telling him, pushing him off, saying ‘What are you doing?’ and then he proceeded to do it two more times,” Vaughn recalled. “Where the last time I was pushing him off, and I can see on the cameras that somebody was outside the office door, and I was yelling for them to come help because he’s big and massive.”

Mahomes, who is reportedly 6-foot-6, left a faint bruise on Vaughn’s neck.

“I was in shock,” she continued. “It’s disgusting,” she said she told Mahomes. “Like you’re a child and he was trying to say ‘We should be a power couple,’ and I’m like ‘Clearly you’re out of your mind right now.’”

The alleged assault occurred before Mahomes arrived at the restaurant with five friends, with whom he made his way to the basement office. The 19-year-old waiter, who wished to remain anonymous, said he attempted to retrieve his water bottle from the office, but Mahomes did not allow him to enter, “pushing” him out.

“And he’s like, ‘No, get out, get out,’” recalled the waiter, who did not show indications of filing charges.

After making his way to the VIP room, Vaughn said she wanted to speak to Mahomes regarding the incident with her waiter. The details leading up to Vaughn’s alleged assault prompted the police to pursue her alleged sexual assault, regardless.

“Jackson has done nothing wrong,” Mahomes’ attorney Brandan Davies told The Star.

In a statement to People magazine, Davies said “We have provided law enforcement with the tools and evidence they need to evaluate the claims against Jackson.”

He added, “Every interaction between people needs to be placed in the proper context. Releasing a short clip of any video does not provide proper context. We have faith in the process and look forward to a swift resolution of the matter.”

Chris Rock unloaded the clip on Will and Jada Pinkett Smith at the end of his Netflix comedy special, and his scathing jokes reportedly “hurt” the Smiths’ feelings.

Rock finally broke his year-long silence on the infamous Oscars slap during the close of his Selective Outrage special that aired live on Netflix on Saturday. The famed comedian called out the famous couple and accused Will of showing “selective outrage” when he slapped the comedian live on stage during the 2022 Academy Awards.

“Will Smith practices Selective Outrage. Everybody who really knows, knows I had nothing to do with that s—t. I didn’t have any entanglements,” Rock said.

He was referencing the Smiths’ infamous Red Table Talk episode in 2020 where Jada admitted to engaging in an “entanglement” with singer August Alsina while she and Will were separated.

“We all been cheated on. Everybody in this industry has been cheated on,” Rock continued during his live set. “None of us have ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television. Why the f—k would you do that s—t? She hurt him way more than he hurt me, OK?”

Now, in the wake of the comedy special, insiders say Will is “hurt and embarrassed” by Rock’s jokes.

“Will is embarrassed and hurt by what Chris said about him and his family in his Netflix special,” a source told Entertainment Tonight.

According to sources, Will and Jada knew about Rock’s comedy special, but opted out of watching it for obvious reasons.

“He didn’t watch it, but he had people tell him what Chris said,” the insider said, noting that “Will and Jada (Pinkett Smith) have seen comments about it.”

Will reached out to Rock to apologize and make amends, to no avail. Now, after a year of the slap making headlines, the Smiths just want it to be over.

“Will apologized to Chris and would like for Chris to let it go,” the source added.

The Emancipation star also reportedly thinks Netflix was “distasteful” in agreeing to air Rock’s live comedy special.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 9, 2023

Double Standard? D.C. Police Sergeant Charged with Murder of Black Man Sleeping in His Car

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The family of An’Twan Gilmore is finally getting some justice.

CBS News reported Sergeant Enis Jevric of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C will face federal murder charges for the death of Gilmore. He also faces a federal civil rights violation.

In 2021, police received reports of a man sleeping in his car or unconscious behind the wheel of a Black BMW sitting at a stoplight. Close to 3 a.m., one officer approached the car and allegedly spotted a handgun tucked in the man’s waistband. Shortly after, backup was called as several officers, with bulletproof gear, got a closer look. Bodycam footage showed officers tapping on the window before the car began to move before stopping again.

As officers yelled, “Don’t move!,” the vehicle started moving again and officers sprayed close to nine bullets into the car. Gilmore, who was 27 years old, was pronounced dead at the hospital. D.C. U.S. Attorney, Matthew Graves, said this was a major safety violation. “When an officer willfully disregards the safety of a citizen he is sworn to protect, he violates the trust placed in him by virtue of his badge,” Graves said.

According to NBC 4, Jevric has been on paid administrative leave since the incident but pleaded not guilty on Tuesday and was released on personal recognizance.

Metropolitan Police claimed to have worked diligently through this investigation and look forward to outcome. “We are confident that the subsequent criminal proceedings will be deliberated fairly and do recognize this is a difficult matter for everyone involved,” a police statement said.

Other officials don’t understand how something like this could happen in the first place. D.C. Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, questioned the difference, on Twitter, between this incident and one happening a week prior when a man, professing to having a bomb, was parked in a pickup truck outside the Library of Congress.

Sitting here trying to figure out how law enforcement can successfully deescalate a white domestic terrorist in a truck threatening to blow up the Capitol with a bomb but not a Black man who fell asleep in his car? https://t.co/AQDICRLYfY

— Janeese Lewis George (@Janeese4DC) August 25, 2021

The charges claim Jervis violated Gilmore’s civil rights by “willfully depriving” him of “his right to be free from the use of excessive force.” If convicted, Jervis faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

• News

by Sharelle B. McNair

March 9, 2023

Self-Made: African Self-Taught Chef Awarded Star by Michelin Guide

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Don’t ever let someone tell you your “little talent” won’t take off. Just ask Georgiana Viou.

Viou is a self-taught African chef from Benin who just received a star from the Michelin Guide, according to The Associated Press. Known as the holy grail of cooking, Viou received the star for her cuisine at her restaurant, Rouge, located in Nimes, France. A total of 44 stars were awarded, however, Viou stands out as being awarded as the only woman working single-handed.

The 45-year-old is proud of her Benin heritage, and has already published several books. Viou described her food as a mix of French Mediterranean drizzled with Benin’s feel good texture, crowned for her  “singular cuisine … celebrating her Mediterranean environment and Benin roots.” The chef said she was overwhelmed by this recognition. “Today is really top,” Viou said. “At Rouge, we’re not a team. We’re a family,”

Her cooking journey started by watching her mother, who owned a small restaurant in Cotonou, Benin; but that wasn’t always her dream. The Seattle Times reported Viou came to France in the late 90’s hoping to become an interpreter. She landed a job at a communications agency until her love for cooking took over. She climbed the ladder in the culinary world and started to make a name for herself.

Just last year, Viou was on the jury of the hit TV show MasterChef, years after being a contestant. She thanked her grandmother for giving her the strength to persevere, as the culinary industry can be looked at as an all-boys club. She claimed to not like being categorized due to her skin color to gender, saying that “it’s completely ridiculous.” Viou wants the food to speak for itself.

Viou stands on the shoulders of other women and self-taught chefs who have walked away with a star. Anne-Sophie Pic has won three times and Eric Girardin started his career as an electrical engineer.

• News

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

March 9, 2023

19-Year-Old Arrested for Shooting 15-Year-Old Involved in Romantic Affair With Same Older White Woman

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In a love triangle gone bad in Florida, two teenagers vying for the affections of an older woman led to one shooting the other.

According to Law and Crime, police officials at Rockledge Police Department arrested Diante Stokes after he was accused of shooting a younger teenager who was involved with a 35-year-old woman they both share a romance with. The shooting victim, who is 15, is presently at a hospital in critical condition. Because of his status as a minor, his name has not been revealed.

The incident took place on Saturday night near the pool at the Hammock Harbor Apartment complex.

On Sunday, the woman who is allegedly involved with the victim and the alleged shooter, Chanel Williams, was arrested in connection with the shooting.

Brevard County jail records show that Stokes has been charged with one count of attempted murder, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two parole violations. He is currently being held without bond.

Meanwhile, Williams is being charged with one count each of child neglect with great bodily harm, furnishing a weapon to a minor, causing a child to commit an act of delinquency, and unsafe storage of a firearm. Her total bond for the charges was set at $45,000 after a court appearance on Monday.

Stokes allegedly said to Williams in a message on Snapchat, “Something bad is going to happen and I am going to jail for a long time.”

An arrest warrant revealed that two witnesses stated that they heard around eight separate gunshots. One witness said that the alleged shooter, Stokes, had been “beefing” with the younger victim and had threatened him via social media and text messages.

Police officials said that Stokes shot the younger boy at least two times and drove off. He was apprehended on Tuesday after being wanted for several days after the shooting. Police said that Williams gave the 15-year-old victim a gun to protect himself from the older teenager.

Florida Today reported that the unidentified teen, when discovered, had gunshot wounds to the chest and leg. He was treated by paramedics on the scene and then airlifted to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Women in Orlando.