Not Hearing It: Highest Court in Texas Denies 3rd Request for Appeal for Ex-Officer Amber Guyger, Who Murdered Botham Jean
by Wendy Medina

April 3, 2022

Not Hearing It: Highest Court in Texas Denies 3rd Request for Appeal for Ex-Officer Amber Guyger, Who Murdered Botham Jean

​​Disclosure: This post involves mention of murder.

Former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger was convicted to 10 years in prison for the murder of Botham Jean, a 26-year-old Black man who was an accountant and a Harding University alumnus.

Last August and November, Guyger was denied two appeals where she claimed there was not sufficient evidence of murder. Last Wednesday, the state’s highest criminal court, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, for the third time denied her appeal for the murder conviction, reports the Fort-Worth Star Telegram. 

In September 2018, Guyger maintained that she believed she had entered her own home, one floor down from where she entered Jean’s apartment. Her attorneys claimed Guyger was acting in self-defense when she shot and killed Jean in his own apartment, believing he was an intruder.

In 2019, she was tried and sentenced to a Gatesville, Texas, prison where she is to serve her conviction. 

After the Court of Appeals for the Fifth District of Texas in Dallas upheld the conviction in the summer of 2021, she then took her request to the Court of Criminal Appeals in Austin, where the court insisted that in criminal law, the self-defense argument doesn’t fit the circumstances of Jean’s death.

This prompted the killer cop to seek a third appeal from the highest court of the state. 

Seven of the nine judges of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals voted to deny her petition for a discretionary review, leaving Judges Kevin Yeary and Michelle Slaughter the only ones to file a dissent.

They believe if Guyger is allowed to bring her request to the Court of Criminal Appeals, she would “consider and finally resolve” the terms of her sentencing, per the Dallas Morning News. After this third request, she has exhausted all possibilities for overturning her sentence.

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot said in a statement, “We are pleased that the sentence is finalized at this point and will be carried out according to the law.” 

At the time of the original appeal, Creuzot’s office stated, “When, intending to kill, you shoot an unarmed man in the chest while he’s sitting on his couch eating ice cream, that’s murder regardless of where you think you are when you do it.”

Guyger is currently incarcerated at Mountain View Unit in Coryell County. She will be eligible for parole in 2024.

Woman Who Was Set to Give Baby Up For Adoption Unexpectedly Delivers Baby In Toilet and Decides to Now Keep Him
by Yolanda Baruch

April 3, 2022

Woman Who Was Set to Give Baby Up For Adoption Unexpectedly Delivers Baby In Toilet and Decides to Now Keep Him

A Louisiana woman was visiting Atlanta for a work trip and delivered her baby while in the bathroom at the Dunwoody hotel, reports 11 Alive.

Victoya Venise, a graphic designer and social media manager, thought she had contracted a stomach bug like her 4-year-old daughter. When she went to use the restroom, she quickly registered that she was in labor, according to Fox 5.

“I turned around, and it was the baby, and I was like ‘gasp.’ I hurried up, and I grabbed him out of the toilet,” she told the news outlet who gave birth on Friday on April Fools Day.

“I found a towel and I wrapped him up. I was sitting on the toilet and I called my mom. I was like mom, I just had the baby. I was like he fell in the toilet. She was like, “Call 911, call 911,” said the single mother to Fox 5.

Both mother and child went to Northside Hospital. Doctors and other medical personnel told the danger she and her newborn, named Rocky, could have experienced. Still, luckily the two did not suffer any health issues when they left the hospital Friday night.

She and baby Rocky were taken to Northside Hospital- just a couple of miles away. Venise says doctors and paramedics have told her how dangerous it could have been for them, but the two are healthy and leaving the hospital Friday night, she said to Fox 5.

“They actually thought my due date was May 15 because I was so small. So that was kind of the conflict with them. They thought I was not as far as long,” she said, according to 11 Alive.

Surprisingly, Venise intended to give up baby Rocky for adoption to an expectant family but had a change of heart after this life-altering episode.

“I feel like the experience made me connected to him and made me want to keep him. So I’m going to keep him.”

Venise was already caring for her daughter and did not think she would be equipped to handle another child, but her experience with her new son showed her that she could overcome life’s challenges.

“It happened to teach me that you can do this. Even though I’m a single mom, you can take care of him. It gave me more courage and made me believe I can do this. If I can do that, I must be able to do a lot,” Fox 5 reports.

Venise is now excited to purchase baby items for her newborn.

by Wendy Medina

April 3, 2022

Eddie Murphy in Talks To Play Godfather of Funk George Clinton in Upcoming Biopic

Golden Globe-winner and veteran comedian Eddie Murphy is said to be in early talks regarding a role where he would emulate another legend, Parliament-Funkadelic icon George Clinton in a new biopic, reports Variety. 

A Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who is widely considered a one of the pioneers of the funk musical genre and whose career stems since the late 1960s, Clinton revolutionized music for generations to come through the emergence of his bands Funkadelic and its sister act Parliament.

The project would recount the Godfather of Funk’s childhood in 1940s North Carolina to his legacy that propelled and inspired future hip-hop artists and genres, including Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, Outkast and Wu-Tang Clan, among others.

Clinton graced the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame back in 1997, with 15 other rotating members of Parliament-Funkadelic.

Besides starring as the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award-winner, Murphy is also slated to produce the biopic, alongside Davis Entertainment’s John Davis, Catherine Davis and John Fox, per Deadline. 

While the project is still in its early stages, Davis Entertainment is working to secure the rights with Clinton as well as scour for writers before they shop the film.

Murphy previously worked with Davis, starring as the Blaxploitation film star and creator of the character Dolemite, Rudy Ray Moore, in Netflix’s Dolemite Is My Name, which received critical acclaim.

Coming 2 America, the sequel to his 1988 classic, quickly followed after Murphy locked down a three-film, first-look deal with Amazon Studios last year. 

The comedy icon is additionally set to star in another Netflix film, You People, with co-stars Jonah Hill and Lauren London, directed by Kenya Barris. 

The Norbit star will also return this summer as his legendary role of Detective Axel Foley in the fourth installment of his Beverly Hills Cop film series after a 28-year hiatus, Beverly Hills Cop 4, expected to drop in by late 2022 or 2023. 

Charges Dropped Against Black Man Who Shot At Pensacola Police SWAT Team Serving Search Warrant
by Yolanda Baruch

April 3, 2022

Charges Dropped Against Black Man Who Shot At Pensacola Police SWAT Team Serving Search Warrant

Corey Marioneaux Jr., a Pensacola man, will not be charged for firing at the Pensacola Police Department SWAT Team when they entered his Florida home in February to serve a search warrant, said prosecutors, according to Pensacola News Journal.

The State Attorney’s Office issued a press release announcing its decision not to move forward with criminally charging Marioneaux.

“State Attorney Ginger Bowden Madden announces that after diligent investigation and review no criminal prosecution will be commenced against Corey Marioneaux Jr. for a shooting incident that occurred during the lawful execution of a search warrant at his residence on February 3, 2022,” read the release, according to Pensacola News.

 

Marioneaux’s attorneys — James Bryant, Carlos Moore, Rodney Diggs, and Reganel Reeves, also issued a joint statement reacting to the state attorney’s decision.

“We are pleased that prosecutors have opted to drop all charges against Corey Marioneaux, Jr. today,” read their statement. “If officers with the Pensacola Police Dept. had simply taken a moment to fully evaluate the situation, he wouldn’t have been arrested in the first place. Mr. Marioneaux is completely innocent and deserves to have his record cleared and good name restored,” the Pensacola News reports.

In a news conference, Marioneux said his faith in God during the ordeal gave him the strength to see “light in this situation,” he told WEAR-TV.

On February 3, 2022, Marioneaux was charged with the attempted murder of a police officer when he fired at a PPD SWAT team member who entered his home to deliver a search warrant summons at his home, according to the Pensacola News.

Marioneaux believes justice was served since his charges were dropped, but now he is seeking justice for his children.

“Yes, from my situation, I think justice has been served but I still need justice for my kids,” Marioneaux told WEAR-TV.

His two children, ages 1 and 3, were inside his residence when the shooting occurred. The 1-year old named Cylen was in the custody of the police sitting in the backseat of a PPD vehicle when he fell out and injured his face, nose, and head, WEAR-TV reports.

Black Chicago Teen Awarded Over $1M in Scholarships, Accepted to Over 30 Colleges
by Wendy Medina

April 3, 2022

Black Chicago Teen Awarded Over $1M in Scholarships, Accepted to Over 30 Colleges

Chicago’s Bogan Computer Technical High School senior Stephen Thomas has been awarded over $1 million in scholarships and offered admission to more than 30 universities.

The Chicago, Illinois, 17-year-old will be graduating with a 4.47 GPA this summer and on top of being a straight-A student, is part of multiple extracurriculars in and out the classroom.   

“The ones that I know off the top of my head are Loyola, North Central, Northern Illinois, Eastern Illinois, DePaul,” said Thomas when recalling his acceptance offers, in a local news clip.

Thomas comes from a seven-sibling home raised by a single mother. He says he’d like to use his story to provide inspiration to others like him who have faced hardship but want to continue in pursuing their goals.  

“When I am recognized, I won’t just have been another Black teen on the news for something bad like gang violence or me getting wrongfully shot. I want people to look at me and be like ‘wow he’s really out there doing something that we really thought we couldn’t do just because of how we looked,’” Thomas said.

His mother Ericka is an educator herself and Thomas’ first teacher.

“No matter what life presents you just go for it you write your own story we know there are narratives out here about our Black boys but it is our responsibility to change that narrative,” she said.

The high school senior humbly hopes others are motivated to put in the work while also destroying the negative stereotypes placed on Black boys. He dreams of attaining higher education to become a psychologist.

“As a student, just keep your head down, blinders on and think about the end goal. Whatever is going on in your life, it will pass – just make sure you’re keeping yourself first and keep doing what needs to be done,” Thomas said.

“It’s not impossible. Again, I am just a kid from Chicago that put the work in and put the time in, and (hopefully) somebody else is seeing this and they’re like ‘wow I can do it too,'” he said.

Georgia To Pay $4.8M Settlement in Traffic Stop Murder of a Black Man
by Wendy Medina

April 3, 2022

Georgia To Pay $4.8M Settlement in Traffic Stop Murder of a Black Man

​​Disclosure: This post involves mention of murder, police brutality.

 

A Black man was fatally shot by police in Georgia in 2020, and now the state is paying his family $4.8 million to settle the case. On Friday, the office of Georgia’s attorney general confirmed the settlement, reports the Associated Press.

Julian Lewis, 60, was killed by former state trooper Jacob Thompson during a traffic stop for a broken tail light in the town of Sylvania, a rural area near the Georgia-South Carolina state line.

Per the Georgia State Patrol, Thompson was immediately fired and charged with felony murder, however a grand jury in Screven County returned a “no bill,” failing to indict him for the killing. 

“This is a classic case of driving while Black,”said Atlanta attorney Andrew Lampros. “That is all that Mr. Lewis, I believe, was guilty of.”

On Aug. 7 2020, Thompson attempted to pull Lewis over for the broken tail light and when the 60-year-old didn’t instantly stop, the disgraced trooper pursued and proceeded to use his cruiser to push Lewis’ car off the road and into a ditch, known as a PIT maneuver, before shooting him in the head immediately after. Dash cam video confirms that one second elapsed between the time Thomposn stepped out his vehicle and firing his gun at an unarmed Lewis.

Thompson was arrested and charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.

As previously reported, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents have alleged that Thompson gave inconsistent statements regarding events leading up to the shooting.

He claimed that he thought Lewis was about to run him down after he allegedly revved the engine, but authorities found that Lewis’s car was actually disabled when Thompson fired the fatal shot.

Thompson’s attorney claimed his client committed no crime and was acting in self-defense.

Lewis’ family has urged District Attorney Daphne Totten to enlist another grand jury in an attempt to get an indictment, as well as federal charges.

While U.S. Attorney David Estes issued a statement they were “in consultation with the FBI,” the family has not seen the charges move forward.

Still, Lampros said the settlement will offer some comfort to his family.

“There is some confirmation, if you will, an acknowledgement that Mr. Lewis’ life was valuable and meant something,” Lampros said.

Netflix Puts A Halt On Will Smith’s Film ‘Fast and Loose’ Other Projects Will Likely Follow
by Yolanda Baruch

April 3, 2022

Netflix Puts A Halt On Will Smith’s Film ‘Fast and Loose’ Other Projects Will Likely Follow

The fallout from the Oscar ceremony where Will Smith slapped Chris Rock has now affected his upcoming projects, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Smith had a Netflix movie planned for release titled Fast and Loose, but the director David Leitch withdrew from the project to work on Fall Guy, starring Ryan Gosling, a week before the Academy Award fracas. The sudden change caused them to fall into a tailspin to find another director for the film, but after Smith assaulted Rock, his project is now in limbo. 

Fast and Loose is the story of a crime boss who suffers memory loss after an attack and discovers clues that help him realize that he has two identities — one as a wealthy mobster and as a CIA agent, Variety reports. 

Netflix has not confirmed if Smith will remain on the project, according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Smith’s other film, the Apple+’s slave escape drama Emancipation is currently in post-production and was set for release sometime in 2022; however, Apple did not comment on the project. Sony has also paused Bad Boys 4, which was in development; a source told the Hollywood Reporter. 

Many people are discussing the fate of Smith’s career on one side; some believe his career is over, while others hold to the notion that this scandal will eventually blow over.

Emmy award producer Robert Angelo tweeted that no one in Hollywood will likely work with the Oscar winner who is immersed in a scandal. 

 

Some Twitter users have pointed out that Smith hires himself through his Overbrook production company and notes that other stars who were once pariahs of Hollywood like Mel Gibson, Woody Allen, and Chris Brown have rebounded despite their personal controversy.

 

 

 

Even the rapper Game made a cogent point regarding the criticism of Smith, “This fool Alec Baldwin took a woman’s life on set & got sympathy from the same Hollywood that is trying to condemn one of our greatest actors in history,” said the rapper. “It just so happens that he’s black !!!! Harvey Weinstein didn’t have to forfeit any accolades or awards & Roman Polanski was guilty of having sex with a minor & then vanished, became a fugitive & was still given an award,” he said, according to Complex. 

On April 1, Smith stated that he is resigning from the Academy, “Change takes time, and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. 

Tatyana Ali Who Played Ashley Banks on Fresh Prince, Breaks Silence About the Infamous Will Smith Slap, ‘Wrong Is Wrong’
by BLACK ENTERPRISE Editors

April 3, 2022

Tatyana Ali Who Played Ashley Banks on Fresh Prince, Breaks Silence About the Infamous Will Smith Slap, ‘Wrong Is Wrong’

While the internet remains divided over the now infamous Will Smith five-finger fiasco slapping Chris Rock across the face, one of his former castmates is pretty solid on which side of the fence she’s on.

Tatyana Ali who played the exuberant younger cousin to Smith on the NBC hit show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, has finally spoken out about how she feels about the shocking turn of events at the Academy Awards. Ali says that while she still supports Smith, his actions were dead wrong.

She began, “Took me a while to get my thoughts together. Right is right, wrong is wrong, and love is love.”

Ali went on to say in part, “I love Will Smith very much. Chris Rock didn’t deserve to be hit. Period. My heart aches for what happened.”

So far, Ali and Janet Hubert, the original Aunt Viv, are the only former castmates to speak up in support of Smith. But Ali is the first to offer some form of condemnation for his actions.

Hubert put out a statement defending the King Richard star’s Oscar’s slap saying, “So PROUD OF YOU!” Hubert wrote on Instagram.

“Yes, there is only so much one can take…sometimes you have to slap back. Celebrate the win…nothing else matters. Both actions were incorrect but Chris didn’t need to go there.”

Hubert also took a deeper dig at Rock saying, “Met him once…. it was enough for me…. very mean spirited.”

Oscars Producer Will Packer Unpacks His Feelings Over Debacle

First-time Oscar producer Will Packer took to social media to comment on his entry into the televised award show. Without directly mentioning the Will Smith/Chris Rock fiasco, he did admit that the moment hit him deeply.

With Sunday’s telecast, the movie and television producer Will Packer made history when he led the first all-Black production team in Oscars history. Sadly, that will be a footnote as everyone continues to talk about Smith slapping Rock in the face on stage at the Academy Awards presentation.

Actor Michael Ealy Once Wanted To Punch Chris Rock In The Face
by Yolanda Baruch

April 3, 2022

Actor Michael Ealy Once Wanted To Punch Chris Rock In The Face

Will Smith slapping Chris Rock will continue to reverberate throughout cinematic history. Though he is the only actor who expressed his frustration at the comedian’s constant jabbing of his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, he is not alone. Actor Michael Ealy also fantasized about punching Rock in the face.

Ealy recalls when the comic hurled a cruel dig at him as an up-and-coming actor, according to a 2019 interview with the Chicago Tribune. 

The handsome blue-eyed actor was asked about the worst moment in his career, and he spoke about the time he was on set for the 2002 film Bad Company starring Anthony Hopkins and Chris Rock.

Director Joel Schumacher decided to write a small part for him to play. 

“Chris Rock was a little cold. He was probably at the height of his career at this point, and I idolized him — I had watched all his stuff and thought he was so funny, and I really respected him — but he was just kind of indifferent to me,” says the “Barbershop” actor, the Chicago Tribune reports. 

He continues with his story of having to participate in reshoots for the movie’s ending for the wedding scene between Rock and Washington.

“So we’re about to shoot this scene, I’m in my tux, I come on set, and Chris and Kerry are standing there, and…Chris looks over at me, and he says: ‘Oh (pause). Still in the business, huh?”

Ealy took Rock’s comment personally because Rock’s jab insinuated that he is surprised he is lasting in the industry. Washington came to his defense and rebuked her co-star’s rudeness. 

“And mind you, we didn’t speak much on set in the first place. For whatever reason he didn’t talk to me much. He was a big star and I had a small part, and maybe he didn’t think I was going to be around much, so he didn’t think it was important to be nice to me.

“I just stayed professional and did my best, but I was stuck there having to look like I’m happy to be at my friend’s wedding when really at this point, I wanted to punch him in the f—— face. The crying came later. In the moment, I wanted to punch him in the face. That was my Maryland upbringing coming into play (laughs) where you just fight,” he reveals. 

As Ealy moved forward in his career and eventually garnered a Golden Globe nomination for his 2005 Showtime drama “Sleeper Cell.” He remembers running into the Rock at the Golden Globes ceremony. 

“And you know what he said? ‘I love your work, and I apologize for what I said.’

“I forgive easy, but can you imagine if he hadn’t remembered that we had worked together on a movie before? That would have been the second punch, right?” he humorously discloses. 

Ealy held a grudge against Rock until they met up at the Globes and buried the hatchet. 

“But it also taught me early on how to treat people. I really learned that working with Will Smith and Halle Berry — when I worked with them, they both knew everybody’s name on the crew and they spoke to every actor, whether they were background or guest star.”

Ealy upholds the attitude that being cordial in this business is essential. He is grateful for his experience with Rock because it taught him how to cope in a high-pressure Hollywood environment. 

 

Spread Your Digital Message to the Masses With Flip Booklets
by Black Enterprise Shop

April 3, 2022

Spread Your Digital Message to the Masses With Flip Booklets

Magazine technology has improved a lot over the years. Not only can they now be delivered to and viewed on your computer or cell phone in nearly identical form, but magazine companies can also reach a far wider audience thanks to these advances.

PDF flipbooks have been the main vehicle by which magazine companies, businesses, and non-profits use to share brochures and publications with their audience. It’s widely popular, and more people are using it with each passing day.

The key, however, to successful online magazines, brochures, or publications is the proper software that allows the content to be viewed in clean form. Flip Booklets has gained a sterling reputation among those who use it, and for a limited time, it’s available for just $99. That’s a savings of 72% from its MSRP ($360).

Flip Booklets has been featured on Fox News, USA Today, NBC, CNN, and Digital Journal.

With one of the most intuitive interfaces out there, it’s easy to see why Flip Booklets is widely praised and used, as it creates stunning catalogs, brochures, magazines, and eBooks in a matter of mere minutes.

No ads will ever show over your material, it works on all devices with rapid response time, and it’s hyperlink friendly. Its Zoom capability allows users to zoom in and out of the pages for a better view.

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Flip Booklets’ basic plan comes with support for up to 10 books, with a maximum size of 15MB per book. Private PDFs and removable branding are also offered. All that’s needed to use this software is a modern browser.

If you’re an author, a public relations specialist, or a publisher, Flip Booklets can help you reach a broader audience through technical means. Purchase it today.

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