google-site-verification=cXrcMGa94PjI5BEhkIFIyc9eZiIwZzNJc4mTXSXtGRM Alabama’s first black mayor asks court to allow black residents to vote in November after decades of elections blocked by white officials - 360WISE MEDIA
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Alabama’s first black mayor asks court to allow black residents to vote in November after decades of elections blocked by white officials

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Alabama's first black mayor asks court to allow black residents to vote in November after decades of white officials blocking the election

A outstanding civil rights law firm has joined in a request for immediate motion against Newbern, Alabama, as part of a federal lawsuit filed in 2023 that alleges that white officials in the bulk Black city unfairly stayed in power by manipulating the voting process .

The lawsuit, filed in March 2023 by Alabama-based Quinn, Connor, Weaver, Davis and Rouco LLP, which was later joined by the Legal Defense Fund with an updated grievance in September 2023, alleged that white officials systematically in multiple cases they were taking control of the democratic process. decades, which allowed them to maintain full control over a city where 80 percent of the inhabitants are black.

The city has a population of about 200, of whom only 20 percent are white, but white people have at all times managed to retain most, if not all, of the seats on the town council.

Patrick Braxton is elected mayor of Newbern, Alabama. (Photo: Facebook)

Braxton et al.’s lawsuit v. Stokes et al. was filed on behalf of Newbern’s first Black Mayor and now lead plaintiff, Patrick Braxton, who took office nearly 4 years ago in absentia because he was the just one to file to run for mayor.

His predecessor, Haywood “Woody” Stokes III, who was named as a defendant in the lawsuit, and his handpicked, all-white city council, didn’t challenge Braxton on the time, breaking with long-held tradition.

However, when Braxton won the vote, white officials organized a rigged special election to prevent the brand new mayor from appointing a predominantly Black city council, and took other covert actions that prevented voters from selecting their preferred council members.

Last week, Braxton asked the court for a preliminary injunction, urging the court to force white officials to hold elections in November in order that Black Newberns can exercise their constitutional right to vote before a final ruling on the case is issued.

The order would immediately allow black residents to vote in a general election for the first time in years while stopping further racial discrimination until a final court ruling is issued.

The lawsuit alleges that White City officials illegally rescinded Braxton’s 2020 nomination and quickly re-elected Stokes as mayor, leading to an ungainly arrangement in which Braxton and Stokes have been doing dual roles for nearly 4 years.

Before Braxton, Newbern’s previous mayors were either appointed or ran unopposed, while some of these public officials held office for greater than a decade at a time, consolidating power over generations of white residents.

The lawsuit alleged that black residents of Newbern were completely unaware that they’d the appropriate to vote in the mayoral election and still didn’t know who the actual elected mayor was.

“By failing to organize or notify residents of municipal elections, Newbern officials continually prevent residents from electing representatives and holding office. It is imperative that the courts step in to ensure that Newberns can fairly and fully exercise their fundamental right to vote.” said the statement from Richard Rouco, one of the plaintiff’s co-counsel.

Racial tensions in the town made national headlines last summer as Braxton continued to grapple with overt racism and his tenure was plagued by every day harassment and intimidation that left him unable to effectively govern the town.

Last 12 months, Braxton expressed frustration with the situation, saying his white colleagues were “so stuck in their ways and they don’t want anything different for the city. They just want it to stay the same,” Braxton said: According to guardian. “I hope they break and just move on and give everything back to me. If not, we will just go to court.”

Braxton said the racism he encountered was just the tip of the iceberg, as black voters in Newbern have faced a lifetime of discrimination each time and wherever they tried to vote or run for office in the agricultural town, which takes hours and hours. .. half west of Montgomery.

“As a lifelong Newbern resident, I strongly believe in the importance of exercising my right to vote,” he said. “For decades, officials in my city have excluded me and other voters from voting and speaking out about what is happening here.”

Braxton emphasized that voter participation will probably be crucial to transforming the community and that Black people deserve a voice in determining the town’s future:

“Voting is not a privilege; it is a responsibility to help shape the direction and priorities of our community. We want to make sure our voices are heard and our votes are counted. We are asking the courts to enforce Newbern’s elections this November so we can vote and actively participate in the democratic process.”

The plaintiffs allege that by 2020, Newbern had not held a mayoral election in decades.

The Legal Defense Fund was founded by Thurgood Marshall in 1940 and was originally part of the NAACP before becoming an independent entity. The organization was involved in many landmark civil rights cases, including Brown v. Board of Education, which led to the desegregation of public schools in the United States.

Alabama’s first black mayor asks court to allow black residents to vote in November after decades of elections blocked by white officials

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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White House slams ‘racist’ Ole Miss video showing ridicule of black student

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The a given movie shows a gaggle of pro-Israel counter-protesters, mostly white men, shouting and criticizing a black woman, identified as Jaylin R. Smith, a 24-year-old college student. One of them imitated a monkey and the opposite called Smith “Lizzo”, apparently referring to her body size. Other counter-demonstrators shouted, “Lock her up!”

The student who taunted Smith with monkey gestures was subsequently expelled from the campus chapter of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which called his actions “racist” and “contrary to the values” of the organization. The University of Mississippi, known colloquially as Ole Miss, also launched an investigation into student conduct following the incident on campus.

University of Mississippi students scream and shout in September 1962 during an on-campus demonstration, shortly before James Meredith arrived in an attempt at integration. Mississippi Governor Ross Barnett refused to confess Meredith to Ole Miss. (Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

The university has an extended history of racism, including violent riots in 1962 over the admission of black student James Meredith during desegregation. President John F. Kennedy sent over 30,000 federal troops to quell the riots.

There was also backlash from U.S. Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.), who shared a racist video with the caption: “Ole Miss taking care of business.” In a letter to congressional leaders, the NAACP called for an ethics investigation in response to Collins.

“These actions by a member of the House of Representatives, regardless of his intentions, legitimize and promote racism and undermine the principles of equality and justice that our government is sworn to uphold,” the letter said.

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Following the controversy, MP Collins released the document statement condemning racism and arguing that the racist behavior depicted within the film was “the highlight of the film”. He claimed that by praising the video, he intended to focus on resistance to what he saw as disruption on campus.

“If a person is found to have treated another human being inappropriately on the basis of race, he or she should be punished appropriately and hopefully seek forgiveness,” Collins’ statement read. “I realize that it certainly seems like there is some potentially inappropriate behavior that none of us should glorify.”

Markus Batchelor, national political director at People For the American Way, said of Congressman Collins: “Mike Collins knew exactly what he was doing, and the softening of violence and racism that the video clearly shows is disgusting and dangerous.”


This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
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The survey shows that many voters are undecided between Trump and Biden

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President Biden, Donald Trump


A survey conducted amongst 1,000 potential voters indicates that there are many undecided voters within the upcoming presidential elections. It also indicates that Black support for Biden, which has dogged him through much of the campaign cycle so far, is declining.

As we reported, the poll, conducted jointly by USA Today and Suffolk University, has a 3% error in each directions, but it surely revealed that while Trump lost support amongst various demographic groups, Biden gained support. This has resulted in them being virtually tied with one another just 4 months before what David Paleologos, director of the University of Suffolk Center for Political Research, described as the brink election.

“When we think about a tie in a race with just 26 weeks left, we have to take into account that people don’t pay attention to politics and party conventions in July and August,” Paleologos told USA Today. “That leaves candidates with just 17 weeks to actively campaign, and it’s actually 13 or 14 weeks if you consider states where early voting begins a few weeks before Election Day. We are basically one step away from an election, and the outcome is a coin toss.”

Among those that have indicated a preference for third-party candidates, corresponding to Princeton professor Cornel West, who’s running as Green Party independent candidate Jill Stein, and independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., voters are malleable; 80% of Kennedy supporters, 88% of West supporters, 56% of Stein supporters, and 65% of respondents who planned to support a possible Libertarian candidate indicated that they remained open to changing their vote. Third-party voices are inclined to receive more attention in closely contested competitions, where their impact is most felt.

Young voters indicate that although they support Palestine more often than others, most young voters cite other concerns. Devon Schwartz, a student on the University of Texas at Austin, told the web site that their positions on Gaza are too just like raise concerns about his vote.

“When you have two presidents who have the same position on one issue, you automatically put that issue – I don’t want to say lower on the list because it’s obviously an important issue, but that doesn’t mean it’s an issue where I’m elected.” Donald Trump as an alternative of Joe Biden.” Schwartz still plans to vote for Biden, but notes that Biden needs to regulate his policies. “I want to see policy changes from Joe Biden,” he said. “I don’t want to vote for Donald Trump and then see the exact same policies.”

Cameron Driggers, a 19-year-old University of Florida student and member of the Florida Democratic Party youth council, told the web site that while he realizes Trump will likely be worse in all facets than Biden, Driggers worries that Biden is near crossing hard lines some.

“We are hearing from many people who are increasingly apathetic about voting for Joe Biden. “It continues to essentially spit in the face of youth organizers across the country,” he said. “It’s especially upsetting to people who are casting votes. “I realize that Trump will almost certainly be worse than Biden on all of these issues,” Driggers said. “But at some point, you know, there has to be a line” for Biden. “And I think he’s close to exceeding that.”


This article was originally published on : www.blackenterprise.com
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Ex-boyfriend out on bail kills woman minutes after she shared a video on Snapchat of him stalking her as she parked next to a police car out of fear

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Ex-Boyfriend Out on Bail Kills Woman Minutes After She Shares Snapchat Video of Him Stalking While She Was Parked Next to a Police Car Out of Fear

A 24-year-old white man from South Carolina was sentenced to 60 years in prison after being found guilty of murder within the 2021 ambush shooting death of his Black ex-girlfriend.

Justin Cole Carroll was sent back to custody by Judge Robert Bonds after a Colleton County jury convicted him of killing Donasia Alexus Holloway greater than three years ago within the parking zone of her residence in Walterboro, about 50 miles west of Charleston.

The April 24 verdict brought an end to a tragic tale of domestic violence that had unfolded over several years, culminating in Holloway’s senseless murder and the following trial that brought justice to Carroll.

Ex-boyfriend out on bail kills woman minutes after she shared a video on Snapchat of him stalking her as she parked next to a police car out of fear
Justin Cole Carroll was sentenced to 60 years in prison for allegedly shooting his ex-girlfriend, Donasia Alexus Holloway, in 2021. (Photos: 14th Circuit Solicitor’s Office)

Prosecutors said Carroll became furious when Holloway broke up with him after just a few months together because of his aggressiveness.

“Donasia was trying to end this toxic relationship and protect herself from her ex-boyfriend’s jealous rage,” said U.S. Attorney Hunter Swanson of the 14th Circuit, who prosecuted the case. “But Justin Carroll didn’t take no for an answer. He ignored the no-contact order, stalked her and killed her.”

Holloway ended her relationship with Carroll in January 2021 after Carroll was arrested for beating her, which led to domestic assault charges.

Five months later, on May 22, 2021, Carroll was out on bail when he reappeared on the Forest Point apartment complex where the woman lived and waited for Holloway to return home.

After pulling into the parking zone around 10 p.m., Holloway immediately spotted Carroll’s truck, prompting her to close the doors and park next to a Walterboro Police cruiser owned by a neighbor within the complex.

However, this small defensive move didn’t deter Carroll, who was now on foot and heading towards Holloway’s silver Lexus.

Not knowing what to expect, Holloway made the split decision to start recording herself live on Snapchat, which later revealed Carroll coming up from behind.

“She followed me to my apartment, I saw him behind me and locked herself in the car,” Holloway reportedly wrote on Snapchat in the ultimate minutes of her life. “I have asked him many times to leave me alone, trying not to feed him, but it has to stop!”

Carroll’s presence on the complex also violated a court order to steer clear of Holloway, who was now alone inside his reach, and he turned to social media relatively than calling police for help.

By the time authorities arrived, it was too late.

The officer Holloway’s patrol car was parked next to ran outside and discovered that a woman had been shot within the front seat.

Holloway was shot 4 times with a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson pistol, with fatal wounds to her head and neck.

The shooter fired through the car windows, which couldn’t protect Holloway.

Carroll fled the scene, but police caught up with him inside hours of the shooting.

That same night, Carroll’s truck was spotted at a traffic light, where police stopped him and checked his hands for gunshot residue.

Due to the domestic violence case, Carroll immediately became the prime suspect within the murder, and police soon questioned him in reference to the shooting, but Carroll denied any involvement after which ended the interrogation by asking for a lawyer.

At the time, police lacked the murder weapon or another physical evidence to hold Carroll, and he was released from custody, although he was not released as a suspect.

Two days later, investigators discovered a terrifying video recorded on social media by Holloway, by which Carroll was clearly visible within the background.

The apartment complex’s surveillance also captured Carroll approaching the woman’s car.

Several witnesses told police they saw a man running to his pickup truck and running away moments after they heard gunshots, prosecutors said.

It is price noting that Carroll had a head full of hair within the surveillance footage, but when he was arrested a few hours later, his entire head and face were clean shaven.

The footage, together with evidence of gunshot residue on Carroll’s hands and his attempt to erase his phone and alter his appearance, ultimately led to his arrest.

The video Holloway posted on Snapchat played a key role in Carroll’s conviction.

It is unclear whether Holloway was ever aware of Carroll’s troubled past.

Four years before meeting Holloway, Carroll was found guilty of first-degree assault and battery in 2016 and sentenced to eight years of probation. However, Carroll had his probation revoked following arrests for illegally carrying a pistol and possession of a controlled substance.

He served three years in prison before being released in 2020 and started dating Holloway.

Holloway’s mother said she received no consolation after Carroll’s conviction, which is able to never make up for the loss of her daughter.

“There should be tougher punishment for people who do this. They need to stay in jail, stay in jail because they are only hurting other families” – Shameka Holloway he told WCSC. “If he had stayed in prison, our daughter would be here today.”

She said her family is devastated by Holloway’s murder, while criticizing the U.S. justice system for failing to protect the general public from dangerous ex-convicts like Carroll.

“It’s so sad that (we knew) how this system worked. It’s terrible, they have to do better,” Shameka Holloway told the station. “We have a life sentence of heartache and pain that we will carry for the rest of our lives.”

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
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