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OJ Appeals Conviction To Full Nevada Supreme Court

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 14:59:15 +0000

LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson asked the full Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday to do what three of its members have already declined to do – overturn his conviction and sentence in a botched Las Vegas hotel room heist.

Las Vegas lawyer Malcolm LaVergne argued in his last-step appeal to the state’s highest court that the jury in Simpson’s 2008 trial in Las Vegas wasn’t fully screened for bias, that blacks were improperly dismissed from the jury and that kidnapping charges weren’t proved.

“Simply stated, having an all-white jury sitting in judgment of an African-American who was at the epicenter of the most racially divisive criminal trial of all time during the mid-1990s is simply unacceptable, regardless of Mr. Simpson’s notoriety,” the 12-page document said.

The appeal was expected after a three-justice panel rejected Simpson’s appeal in October. The panel also denied Simpson a rehearing in February. Simpson is currently serving a 9 to 33 year sentence.

It also might not be the last word in the case if the former college and professional football star, actor, advertising pitchman and celebrity criminal defendant loses and appeals to federal courts.

The appeal was notable for the absence of involvement of Simpson trial attorney Yale Galanter. He represented Simpson before and after his arrest in Las Vegas, but he withdrew from the case in February for unspecified reasons.

Galanter told The Associated Press on Thursday he’s still Simpson’s lawyer, but he declined to say if he would return to the case if Simpson loses the Nevada Supreme Court appeal.

Article continues after gallery:

Galanter has been busy in recent months representing outspoken actor Charlie Sheen, the 45-year-old fired star of the hit CBS show “Two and a Half Men.” Sheen is suing show producers for breach of contract and recently reached a custody agreement with his estranged wife over their twin sons.

In Las Vegas, Clark County District Attorney David Roger was out of the office Thursday and didn’t immediately respond to messages about the Simpson case. Roger has said he believes the state high court thoroughly dealt with Simpson’s appeal.

An attorney who has followed the Simpson case from the start told AP on he didn’t think the seven Nevada high court justices will reach a different conclusion than their three colleagues.

“He most likely will not get a different outcome,” attorney Al Lasso said. “But it’s always good to get a fresh look with new eyes.”

Simpson “sits in prison with a 33-year sentence imposed for a brief confrontation that involved no bodily harm,” LaVergne said in Thursday’s filing, “over a dispute involving Mr. Simpson’s legitimate claim to property stolen from him.”

He called Simpson’s conviction on the most serious charges, kidnapping, flawed and “a mockery of real kidnapping cases and prior precedent.” He also said Simpson was prevented from arguing that the items taken during the hotel room heist belonged to him. He asked for the entire case against Simpson to be thrown out.

The 63-year-old Simpson was convicted with co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, of kidnapping, armed robbery and other charges stemming from a confrontation with two sports memorabilia dealers and a middle man in a room in a Las Vegas casino hotel in September 2007. Four other former co-defendants pleaded guilty to lesser charges, testified at trial and received sentences of probation.

Stewart served more than two years in prison before the Nevada Supreme Court granted him a new trial, ruling in October that Simpson’s fame tainted the proceedings.

One of the collectibles peddlers, Bruce Fromong, blames a host of woes on the confrontation, including shoulder and leg injuries, four heart attacks, an inability to work, vandalism at his North Las Vegas home and his need to take prescription medication.

LaVergne said Simpson’s notoriety meant Clark County District Court Judge Jackie Glass should have allowed more thorough questioning of prospective jurors to identify bias before testimony was presented in Las Vegas.

Glass had 500 potential jurors fill out 26-page questionnaires that included questions about Simpson’s 1995 acquittal in the slayings of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in Los Angeles. Half the Las Vegas jury pool was eliminated after expressing strong feelings that Simpson was guilty in that case.

Glass also instructed the final panel to put aside opinions about the Los Angeles case.

Through a court clerk, Glass declined comment Thursday.

OJ Simpson’s Armani Acquittal Suit Headed For Newseum In D.C.

Rihanna & Ciara Beef On Twitter

NewsOne Staff — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 03:23:00 +0000

Another night, another Twitter beef…This time it’s Rihanna vs. Ciara. Rihanna was not pleased with Ciara’s commentary tonight when she told Joan Rivers on E!’s “Fashion Police” that Rihanna wasn’t so nice to her the last time they saw each other. No sooner did the words come out of Ciara’s mouth, Rihanna went on Twitter and shots were fired immediately.

Check out the tweets and Ciara’s video below:

New Rihanna Beating Photos Surface Online

Chris Brown To Ask For Eased Restraining Order

Prison Official Says O.J. Simpson Beatdown Report Is “Bogus”

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 22:18:20 +0000

NEVADA-Steve Suwe, the public information officer for the Lovelock Correctional Center in Nevada has called the story of O.J. Simpson getting beat up in prison, “Totally Bogus.” Stuwe told USA today:

We laughed over that one pretty good

Read The Whole Story

O.J. Co-Defendant Takes Plea Deal In Las Vegas Heist

O.J. Simpson Beaten Unconscious By Skinhead In Prison (REPORT)

NewsOne Staff — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:05:56 +0000

NEVADA-O.J. Simpson was beaten unconscious in prison and had to spend three weeks in the infirmary according to a report in the National Enquirer.

Inmates cheered as a muscular young skinhead knocked him to the ground, punching and kicking him to a bloody pulp and inflicting injuries so severe he secretly spent nearly three weeks in the infirmary before he recovered.

According to the report, Simpson had been targeted by white supremacists for bragging about his sexual conquests of white women.

O.J. Co-Defendant Takes Plea Deal In Las Vegas Heist

Presidential Love: Barack & Michelle Obama [PHOTOS]

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:00:13 +0000

Happy Valentine's Day! Here's the only way we know how to celebrate V-Day on NewsOne, a gallery of Presidential love between Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. Read more..

Ray Lucas Chronicles Drug Rehab On Facebook

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 16:10:32 +0000

Former Jets quarterback Ray Lucas, who was admitted to a Florida drug rehabilitation facility last week to treat the painkiller addiction he developed during his NFL career, has been chronicling his experiences on Facebook, as the Daily News reported:

Lucas has decided to write about his journey through drug rehab on Facebook to draw attention to what he calls the NFL’s indifference to retirees’ chronic health problems and to encourage other retirees with addiction problems to seek help. He also wants to promote Pain Alternatives Solutions and Treatment, the New Jersey medical group that has provided Lucas and other needy former athletes with pro bono surgery and care. “PAST saved my life,” Lucas says.

Lucas is being assisted by Randy Grimes, the former Tampa Bay center who helped beat his own painkiller dependency thanks to BHOP and PAST and now works as a counselor for BHOP.

Maya Angelou To Host Her First Public Radio Show During Black History Month

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 22:04:48 +0000

African American writer, educator, and activist Dr. Maya Angelou is scheduled to host her first-ever public radio program in honor of this year’s Black History Month. The program, called ‘A Black History Month Special’ will be broadcast free of charge on all Public Radio affiliated stations.

Intimate and provocative stories, poems and conversations will illuminate African American history including comedy, film and family life, rounding out the hour with memories of “mother and sister friend,” the late civil rights activist Dorothy Height. The producer of the show is RCW Media Productions.

On comedy Maya Angelou observes, “Often in the black culture it is said, we laughed to keep from crying.” Joined by comedian Chris Rock, they discuss Rock’s childhood in Brooklyn, rise to Saturday Night Live and his view on comedy. As Rock defines the comic currents of our time, Maya Angelou offers historical perspective, reflecting on the 1930′s and 1940′s including Dusty Fletcher’s “Open the Door Richard” and the brilliance of early comedians who literally set the stage for African American comedy.

A film director in her own right of Down in the Delta (1988), Angelou explores African American films with a focus on the work of director Lee Daniels. Daniels and Angelou discuss the success of his movie “Precious” and how work from this filmmaker can impact and change dialogue in American Culture.

WBW Honors: Maya Angelou

Census Shows New Orleans Shrank After Hurricane Katrina

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:57:50 +0000

NEW ORLEANS — Data reported by the Census Bureau on Thursday shows that the city of New Orleans is 29 percent smaller than it was a decade ago.

The Census Bureau reported on Thursday that 343,829 people were living in the city of New Orleans on April 1, 2010, four years and seven months after it was virtually emptied by the floodwaters that followed the hurricane.

The numbers portray a significantly smaller city than in the previous census, in 2000, though it should be said that New Orleans had been steadily shrinking even then. In 1990, it was the 24th-biggest city in the country, in 2000, the 31st, and now it has surely dropped from the top 50.

The latest figure is lower than estimates cited widely by many here in recent months. It is lower, by roughly 10,000, than the official census estimate in the summer of 2009.

“It’s not an unqualified good thing to have big numbers,” said Mark VanLandingham, a professor at Tulane University who has expressed frustration with frequent calls from local officials, sometimes successful, for the Census Bureau to raise the city’s population estimate. “It made it very difficult to figure out what was actually going on.”

Redskins Star Haynesworth Charged In Road Rage Assault

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:56:23 +0000

WASHINGTON –A player for the Washington Redskins, Albert Haynesworth, is facing charges after a man told investigators he was assaulted by the defensive lineman in a road rage dispute.

Fairfax County police spokeswoman Shelley Broderick says a 38-year-old man told investigators he was driving a Honda Civic in suburban Washington when he saw a pickup truck tailgating him. The man says the driver then made a hand gesture.

Broderick says Haynesworth, who was driving the truck, got out when the vehicles stopped and assaulted the other driver.

Once Homeless Packers Star, James Jones, Gives Back To Youth

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:51:30 +0000

CALIFORNIA — Through his organization, The Love Jones 4 Kids Foundation, Green Bay Packer’s James Jones provides support for children in his hometown of San Jose, California. The organization partners with other nonprofits to support education, housing and other programs for poor and homeless youth.

Green Bay Packers wide receiver James Jones recently opened up about growing up homeless and how his past informs his generous spirit today.

Jones told reporters Wednesday he was “homeless from coming out of the hospital until I was a freshman in high school.” Now, the NFL star is enjoying a successful career with the Super Bowl-bound Packers, but he hasn’t forgotten the struggles of his early life — and he’s doing what he can to help children in need.

Jones was eventually able to move in with his grandmother during high school. His athletic performance in basketball and football attracted a scholarship to San Jose University and he was later drafted by the NFL.

Read more at HuffingtonPost.com

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Anderson Cooper: “I’m Still Scared Here In Egypt”

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 04 Feb 2011 21:03:01 +0000

EGYPT — A visibly shaken Anderson Cooper broadcast a video on Thursday from an undisclosed location in Egypt, saying he was “a little bit scared” for his life after constant violence in Cairo.

Cooper was punched repeatedly and attacked for minutes by a mob of supporters of President Hosni Mubarak on Wednesday. On Thursday, another group of pro-government forces smashed a rock through his car window while he and his crew were in it. Cooper had been reporting from the Cairo streets, but by Thursday night he had gone to ground.

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Egypt Protests

Kenneth Cole Tweet Uses #Cario To Promote Spring Collection

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 20:38:35 +0000

Egypt -- Millions are in uproar since Kenneth Cole invoked the Egypt uprising and Cairo hashtag to promote his spring line on Twitter this morning. The tweet read "Millions are in uproar in #Cairo. Rumor is they heard our new spring collection is now available online at http://bit.ly/KCairo." T... Read more..

Christina Applegate Gives Birth To Daughter

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:57:07 +0000

Christina Applegate, 39, has delivered a baby girl just two years after beating breast cancer following a double mastectomy.

The Going the Distance actress and her fiance, rocker Martyn LeNoble, welcomed Sadie Grace LeNoble on Thurs. Jan. 27 in L.A.. “Mother and daughter are doing great,” a rep says. Proud papa LeNoble posted the news on his Facebook page late Monday noting that Sadie Grace weighed in at 7 lbs., 8 oz.

A first-time mom, Applegate, 39, confirmed her pregnancy in September.

Melissa Etheridge Replaces Lead Singer In Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’ Musical

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 18:46:30 +0000

Melissa Etheridge says she has enjoyed getting in touch with her punk side as she prepares to temporarily replace Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong in the American Idiot
Broadway musical.

It’s been crazy. Oh my God, it’s so fun, though,” the folk rocker says. “I’m having a blast. I’m so outside of my comfort zone and I’m like living out high school fantasies.”

Etheridge, 49, takes over the part from Green Day’s lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong for eight shows, from Tuesday to Sunday. Armstrong, the composer and co-author of the musical, returns Feb. 10 as part of a 50-show stand.

The high-octane show follows three working-class characters as they wrestle with finding meaning in their lives. One joins the Army and is deployed to the Middle East, one becomes a father and struggles with domestic life, and one descends into a drug-fueled life in the city – thanks to St. Jimmy, a sort of charismatic dark angel originally written for a man.

Read more at HuffingtonPost.com

Tea Party Republican Launches Bid To Become Lone Black Senator

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:00:08 +0000

Texas — Michael Williams announced a bid Thursday for Texas’ Senate seat. The Tea Party loves him, but can he overcome a tough primary to become the Senate’s lone black member? Williams talks to Benjamin Sarlin about his plan to win, his friendship with George W. Bush, and his trademark bowtie.

On Thursday, Williams declared his candidacy for Senate, entering what’s expected to be a crowded and competitive Republican primary to replace the retiring Kay Bailey Hutchison. Political observers and early polls peg him as an underdog against Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst, who is expected to enter the race and enjoys better name recognition and a large personal fortune to help back his campaign. But Williams’ unconventional background and strong grassroots outreach gives him unusually high potential to break out as a national Tea Party star.

The boots are easy enough to explain. “Well, I’m from Texas,” Williams told The Daily Beast in an interview, his bass-heavy drawl reverberating from the phone. The bowtie? It started as a bit of a prank while he was serving as a White House education official under President George H.W. Bush. After being called up to testify in front of a hostile audience of Senate Democrats, his staff suggested he try to cut the tension and stand out from the crowd with some offbeat neckwear. “I wanted to bring a light moment to the hearing, be humorous,” he said. “We had a very confrontational hearing anyway. But I had bought all these bow ties…” Soon he had a trademark.

CNN Hires Black Managing Editor

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:30:09 +0000

New York — CNN announced Friday morning that Mark Whitaker, who had been serving as the Washington Bureau Chief at NBC news and who was the former editor of Newsweek, is joining CNN in the new role of executive vice president and managing editor of the network.

Whitaker most recently served as senior vice president and Washington bureau chief for NBC News, succeeding the late Tim Russert in July 2008. In that role, he was responsible for Washington-based programming for NBC and MSNBC, including Meet the Press and the network’s political coverage.

As managing editor, Whitaker will be responsible for overseeing and integrating news and editorial content across all of CNN’s domestic and international networks and digital platforms, and charting long-term editorial strategy for the organization.

Phylicia Barnes’ Family Offers $25K Reward For Missing Teen

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:00:53 +0000

NORTH CAROLINA — Phylicia Barnes’ friends and family marked the one-month anniversary of her disappearance Friday with a prayer vigil and an offer of $25,000 for information that helps solve the case.

The reward offer was announced during a morning news conference at Union Academy, the Monroe charter school where Phylicia is a senior. The money would come from a school foundation designed to help students in need.

Barnes, who was 16 when she disappeared, was last seen Dec. 28 at the northwest Baltimore apartment of her stepsister Deena Barnes, whom Phylicia was visiting over the holidays. Her stepsister’s ex-boyfriend told investigators the Monroe teen said she was leaving to get something to eat.

Marvel’s First African-American Superhero Movie In Development

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 23:05:16 +0000

Marvel is looking to breath life into mainstream’s first black superhero Black Panther (Also known as Prince T’Challa). There has been struggles to put ‘Black Panther’ on the big screen, which was in development back in the 1990′s with Wesley Snipes on board to play the role. However, things are changing for the better. According to information found on Hollywood Reporter, Marvel is back at work in developing ‘Black Panther,’ and is currently experiencing good progress in putting the project together.

Mark Bailey is on board to screenplay the film, whose resume normally consists of writing or editing stories on powerful HBO-Documentaries which include Pandemic: Facing AIDS and Ghost of Abu Ghraib. Kevin Feige is producing the film, though there is no director as of yet, nor is there anyone yet confirmed to fill role of the dark-skinned hero. With Bailey on board, it’s possible that Marvel is looking for a realistic story line, as well as a realistic and relevant take on the character.

Earth May Soon Have Two Suns

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 16:03:09 +0000

Earth could be getting a second sun, at least temporarily.

Dr. Brad Carter, Senior Lecturer of Physics at the University of Southern Queensland, outlined the scenario to news.com.au. Betelgeuse, one of the night sky’s brightest stars, is losing mass, indicating it is collapsing. It could run out of fuel and go super-nova at any time.

When that happens, for at least a few weeks, we’d see a second sun, Carter says. There may also be no night during that time frame.

Read more at HuffingtonPost.com

Cell Phone Video Shows Teacher Locking Students In Cage

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 17:10:07 +0000

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A shop teacher at a New Mexico high school has been put on paid on leave after cell phone video surfaced of her locking up a student in an outdoor cage.

Santa Fe police say the 15-year-old boy was acting out in class on Jan. 7. The teacher had other students help drag the boy outside and lock him in the chain-link enclosure used for storage.

Read more at HuffingtonPost.com

Will Smith, Jay-Z Plan Potential “Annie” Remake Starring Willow

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:00:30 +0000

New York– Looking to create another box office hit like he did with son Jaden, Will Smith is considering doing a remake of the musical ‘Annie‘ with daughter Willow as the star.

While it’s still in the development stage, Variety states that through his film company Overbrook, Smith would produce the film with megastar rapper Jay-Z collaborating on the music.

Details haven’t confirmed whether the film would be a contemporary version and whether it will include any original songs.

Will Smith hit paydirt when he remade ‘The Karate Kid‘ with Jaden as the star. The film made more than $350 million worldwide.

Willow made her acting debut in her dad’s film, ‘I Am Legend,’ and later appeared in ‘Kit Kittredge: An American Girl‘ alongside Abigail Breslin.

Read more at BlackVoices.com

LeBron James To Release Animated Show Called ‘The LeBrons’

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 11:41:00 +0000

New York– Despite a lot of basketball fans still hating on LeBron James for his “Decision” debacle last summer and his new team’s current struggle, he’s still in great spirits and excited about his new animated series.

Called, “The LeBrons,” the show will be based on his Nike commercials that featured him playing different versions of himself.

The show will debut this spring on YouTube as well as his website. Expect to see young LeBron, old LeBron, athletic LeBron and business LeBron on the series.

“I’m mostly a kid at heart,” James told the New York Times, “and I’m the athlete, of course, that everyone sees, but I also have a business side, a cool side and I love antique stuff and classical music. I guess that’s the old man side of me.”

Read more at BlackVoices.com

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Wyclef Jean To Host Benefit For Haitian Journalists

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:09:52 +0000

WASHINGTON D.C. — Wyclef Jean will head to Washington D.C. for a fundraiser benefiting the National Press Club to raise funds for journalists in Haiti next week.

The rapper, along with Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive, will be among the speakers at the Night of Solidarity for Haitian Journalists on Wednesday (January 26th) at the National Press’ headquarters.

200 Dead Cows Found In Wisconsin

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 18:55:06 +0000

WISCONSIN — 200 cows were found dead Friday on a farm in Portage County, Wisconsin. The dead cows had to be removed with semi-trucks. The rest of the farm has not been quarantined, as officials say no threat is posed toward humans or other animals, according the The AP.

The owner of the dead cows was working with a local veterinarian, who initially believed a virus such as infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) or bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) could be the culprit, according to The Wausau Daily Herald. WSAW News reports that more recent updates have suggested pneumonia as the cause of the mass cow deaths, though such widespread cases of pneumonia are rare. Tests are still underway to determine what is responsible.

Read full article at HuffingtonPost.com

300 Dead Birds Fall From Sky In Alabama

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Past Black Oscar Nominees (And Winners!) [PHOTOS]

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 17:49:47 +0000

Sure you probably know which African-Americans won themselves an Oscar but do you know how many Black people were nominated for an Academy Award? African-Americans have increasingly been nominated more and more over the years .

Take a look at the list in our gallery below:

Who do you think should have won but didn’t? Tell us in the comments section!

Vote On Health Care Repeal Postponed After Arizona Shooting

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:45:40 +0000

Washington — In his second written statement today, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., has announced that the House will delay its efforts to repeal the health care law next week as well as other legislative business “so that we can take whatever actions may be necessary in light of today’s tragedy.”

Lawmakers voted last week to schedule debate and a vote on repealing health care reform on Wednesday. Repeal was expect to pass in the House, but chances were less likely in the Senate and the White House threatened to veto it.

A House GOP retreat in Baltimore next week could also be delayed in the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting at an event held by Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona.

“All legislation currently scheduled to be considered by the House of Representatives next week is being postponed so that we can take whatever actions may be necessary in light of today’s tragedy,” Cantor said in a statement. “Further information relating to a revised House schedule will be released tomorrow.”

Charles Barkley: “Tucker Carlson Is A Nobody”

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 16:01:17 +0000

Atlanta — On Thursday’s edition of “Inside The NBA” on TNT, NBA analyst Charles Barkley ripped Tucker Carlson for saying Michael Vick should have been executed. Carlson made the statement while filling in for Sean Hannity on Fox News on Dec. 28.

“There’s some idiot on another station named Tucker Carlson, who called out Michael Vick,” Barkley said at the beginning of his rant. He started to praise Vick and wished him luck in the playoffs, then continued to fire at Carlson.

“Tucker Carlson, who’s a nobody. He used to work for us over here. We fired him because he sucked,” the NBA Hall of Famer said. “He said Michael Vick should be executed, which is total BS.”

Read more at HuffingtonPost.com

Doctor Says MJ Was Dead Before Arriving At Hospital

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:42:22 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Before paramedics wheeled Michael Jackson into the emergency room, Dr. Richelle Cooper was sure he was dead.

More than an hour of resuscitation efforts at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center didn’t change her opinion — the King of Pop had died in the bedroom of his rented mansion.

Based on what Jackson’s personal physician told her, though, she didn’t quite know why.

Murray told her he had seen Jackson stop breathing and immediately started CPR, but prosecutors say that’s not what happened. Instead, over three days and a dozen witnesses at a preliminary hearing, they have put forth a timeline in which Jackson died in the bedroom of his rented mansion and Murray delayed calling 911 to conceal his actions.

Cooper testified she authorized paramedics to pronounce Jackson dead at 12:57 p.m., but they declined at Murray’s request and because of the singer’s celebrity. After an ambulance ride trailed by paparazzi and more than an hour of efforts in the ER, Cooper officially pronounced Jackson dead at 2:26 p.m. on June 25, 2009.

She said that Murray never told her he had given Jackson the anesthetic propofol, which Cooper said she typically uses in the ER for patients with head trauma or serious injuries.

Read full article at TheGrio.com

Former Nigerian Soccer Player Found Dead In Texas

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 19:10:02 +0000

TEXAS — Uche Okafor, a defender on two World Cup teams for Nigeria who later played for the Kansas City Wizards in the U.S., has been found dead in his Dallas-area home, police said Friday. He was 43.

Okafor’s body was discovered Thursday afternoon by his wife in their house in Little Elm, a town about 30 miles northwest of Dallas, Detective Oscar Hinojosa said. The official cause of death was pending.

Police were not describing it as a homicide or a suicide, “we’re just saying it’s a death,” Hinojosa told The Associated Press. A spokesman for the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office said Okafor’s body would be examined Friday.

Read full article at HuffingtonPost.com

Tiger Woods Loses Another Endorsement Deal

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:49:43 +0000

HAWAII — Tiger Woods has one less endorsement deal, ending his 13-year relationship with golf’s biggest magazine when they couldn’t agree on how many hours he should devote to the job.

Golf Digest, with a circulation of 1.65 million, announced Thursday the mutual end of a relationship that began at the 1997 Masters. He made his debut in the magazine in June that year, and the endorsement had been his second-longest, behind Nike.

“We appreciate the insights Tiger has provided to our readers,” Jerry Tarde, chairman and editor-in-chief of the publication, said in a statement. Woods’ articles mainly were instructional tips.

Read full article at HuffingtonPost.com

Nebraska Teen Shooter Suspended The Morning Of Killing

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:56:14 +0000

NEBRASKA — More disturbing details are slowly emerging from the tragedy that occurred at Millard South High School In Omaha, Nebraska on Wednesday.

When 17-year-old Robert Butler Killed Vice-Principal Vicki Kaspar, and critically wounded Principal Curtis Case, his motive was unclear.

Police have since discovered that he was suspended from school that morning, after driving his car on the school’s football field and track New Year’s Day.

Yes, a woman was murdered in cold blood for suspending an errant student..After calmly accepting the suspension, the troubled teen went home to speak with his father and friends. Waiting until his father, a detective with the Omaha Police Department, left home, Butler stole his father’s service weapon, a .40-caliber semiautomatic pistol, from the closet and returned to the school to exact revenge.

Butler was called out of class at 8:10 a.m. Wednesday to meet with Assistant Principal Vicki Kaspar. He didn’t show any signs of violence as he was calmly escorted out of the school at 9:23 a.m., police said:

“He wasn’t acting like an out-of-control student at all,” Police Chief Alex Hayes said.

Read full article at BlackVoices.com

Wife Hears Hip-Hop In Background; Thinks Husband Is Held Hostage

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:13:43 +0000

CHICAGO — This story would actually be pretty funny if it wasn’t so sad and racist.

It all started in a suburb of Chicago, when a butt dial went horribly wrong.

The wife of a Winnetka school employee called out the SWAT Team, because she feared her husband had been kidnapped and was being held hostage.

Why did she think this terrible thing?

Because she received a call from her husband’s cell phone, but no one was there and all she could here was the sound of hip-hop music playing in the background.

“You know how when you sit on your phone when it’s in your back pocket and it calls the last number that was dialed? His wife was the last number he’d dialed,” said Winnetka police Chief Joseph De Lopez. Apparently,what she heard led her to believe there was someone holding him hostage so she called the police.

Read entire article at BlackVoices.com

Georgia Prisoners Allege Abuse; Beaten With Hammers After Protest

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 17:00:43 +0000

Reports are coming out of Georgia that prison guards have retaliated with violence in response to the Georgia Prison strike that took place last month. According to Georgia State NAACP President Edward Dubose, inmates have been beaten with hammers and other foreign objects allegedly in retaliation for their participation in the strike. President Dubose says that one inmate has been beaten beyond recognition and another has suffered significant brain damage.

“They said they [officers] were hitting inmates with hammers,” Williams told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “They [guards] said an inmate was trying to escape.”

The Department of Corrections has remained stoic and silent on the matter, even to the point of denying that a prison strike ever took place. But advocates for inmate human rights have argued all along that the conditions in Georgia prisons are simply unacceptable.

“Family members are frantic and mothers are crying and anguished after learning their loved ones have been badly injured. We cannot allow those cries to go unanswered,” said President Dubose. “Since the start of the December 9 peaceful work stoppage and appeal for reform and respect for human rights, some inmates have been targeted and others have simply disappeared. We are urging the Department of Corrections and Governor-Elect Nathan Deal to act now to halt these unjust practices and treat these men like human beings.”

In the course of the strike, the inmates demanded access to education, better healthcare, fair parole decisions, the right to a fair wage for their work (which is currently unpaid), job training programs and an escape from cruel and unusual punishment. Although inmates are not paid for their labor, many of them are charged for routine healthcare and phone calls to their families. Some have argued that it is inconsistent for someone who is unpaid for their work to be expected to pay for prison services. In a conversation I had with President Dubose, he mentioned that there are reports of inmates even being forced to shine shoes for guards and give them haircuts, which he connects to a form of slavery.

Read entire article at BlackVoices.com

Randy Moss Rewards Honor Students For Excellence

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 17:27:45 +0000

Tennessee — Mary Ingles Principal Tracy George asked her young students, patiently sitting Indian style in the school cafeteria, if they knew who was there to see them Wednesday.

Many were unaware of the 6-foot-4 visitor who was hiding behind lunch tables, but others loudly whispered their guess – “Randy Moss.”

And they were right. As part of his Rewarding Excellence program, the Tennessee Titans wide receiver and Rand native went to Mary Ingles in the Tad area of Campbells Creek and to Malden Elementary, where he attended school more than 20 years ago, to recognize students there.

Two years ago, Moss began the program in effort to reward students for making the honor roll and to give others an incentive to work harder in school. On Wednesday, about 79 students received toys and electronics Wednesday for their success in the classroom.

Moss, 33, and his friends arrived at the schools with a U-Haul full of items purchased mainly from Walmart and Toys-R-Us on Corridor G. Students whose grades warranted them a spot on the honor roll would have the opportunity to pick a toy from the selection. Those students whose grades weren’t high enough for the honor roll were urged not to be discouraged, but to keep working hard on their schoolwork to get to the honor roll.

“I’ve always felt that it’s important for parents and children to understand how important an education is,” Moss said. “It’s easy to lose track of the objective sometimes, but as a parent myself, my main goal is to make sure my children stay on top of thing.

Judith Jamison Retires From Alvin Ailey After 21 Years

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 18:00:53 +0000

New York — This past Sunday marked the Alvin Ailey American Dance Company’s final New York performance with the legendary Judith Jamison serving as Artistic Director.

A native of Philadelphia, Jamison began dancing at only ten years old, and later attended Fisk University and the Philadelphia Dance Company. She joined Ailey’s company under the direction of the late choreographer in 1965, becoming a principal dancer (and Ailey muse) shortly thereafter.

Jamison departed in 1980 to star in the Broadway musical, Sophisticated Ladies, based on the music of Duke Ellington. She was selected by Ailey to replace himself as Artistic Director for the company and did so following his death in 1989.

Toni Braxton Announces Possible Cover Shoot For Playboy

NewsOne Staff — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 16:30:11 +0000

Hollywood — Looks like the hits (of a different sort) keep on coming for Toni Braxton. Having just announced the pickup of a reality show, ‘Braxton Family Values,’ comes more news from the ‘Un-break My Heart’ singer.

This afternoon Braxton took to her Twitter account to ask fans their thoughts on the possibility of seeing the songstress grace the cover of Playboy magazine.

“New Year, New opportunities,” she tweeted.

“So I have been considering taking up Playboy’s offer to feature me on their cover this year. What do you think?”

Read more at BlackVoices.com

Tim Kaine: Obama Unlikely To Face Serious 2012 Primary Challenge

NewsOne Staff — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:30:05 +0000

WASHINGTON — The national Democratic Party chairman says he thinks the chances that President Barack Obama will face a serious primary challenger in 2012 are "virtually nil." Tim Kaine says there's always the possibility that a fringe candidate could try to mount a challenge. But Kaine says Democrats feel very good about Obama's re-election prospects if, as Kaine... Read more..

New Orleans’ FEMA Trailer Residents Being Forced Out

NewsOne Staff — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 18:14:48 +0000

New Orleans — The era of the FEMA trailer — a symbol of the prolonged rebuilding from Hurricane Katrina — might be drawing to a close in New Orleans.

Citing the remaining 221 trailers as blight, New Orleans officials have told the last remaining residents to be out by the start of 2011 or face steep fines.

New Orleans once had more than 23,000 trailers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency since the August 2005 storm, and for many people still living in them, they are akin to permanent homes. These residents say they will find it hard to make the city’s deadline.

Edwin Weber Jr., 62, lives with his brother in a trailer crammed with stuff. He was seething at a “notice of violation” letter taped to his door shortly before Christmas.

The letter said he would be fined — up to $500 a day — unless he took “immediate action” to move out. He said the notice was “worthy of Ebenezer Scrooge himself.”

Hawaii Newspaper Says Obama Vacation Cost More Than 1.4 Million

NewsOne Staff — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 21:10:35 +0000

Hawaii — The Hawaii Reporter has attempted to calculate the total cost of President Barack Obama’s family vacation. The cost information is not released by the White House, but the newspaper pulled together some data to make an estimate. The cost of Air Force 1, the president’s plane, as well as the cost of housing for he and his staff can make the tab quite high.

The government must also pay the Secret Service for protection and overtime for local police. These are just a few of the costs that come with protecting the world’s most powerful human being.

Some of the cost estimates presented by the newspaper include the early trip to Hawaii for Mrs. Obama (who flew out before the president), at $63,000. There is President Obama’s round trip, estimated to cost $1 million. Local police need an extra quarter million for overtime costs and there is the $134,000 estimated cost of housing the president’s staff.

Read more at BlackVoices.com

Discovery Channel Reenactment Of MJ Autopsy Causes Uproar

NewsOne Staff — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:30:03 +0000

Los Angeles- More than a year and a half after his death, the preservation of Michael Jackson‘s legacy continues to be a hot-button topic.

The executors of the late King of Pop’s estate and the Los Angeles county coroner’s office are strongly criticizing a new Discovery Channel television special which will reportedly attempt to re-enact Jackson’s autopsy.

In a letter to Discovery Communications, executors John Branca and John McClain accused the show’s producers of a “blind desire to exploit Michael’s death, while cynically attempting to dupe the public into believing this show will have serious medical value.”

The letter goes on to lambaste the show as “insensitive to Michael’s family” and “in shockingly bad taste.”

Read entire article at NYDailyNews.com