City officials in Palmdale, California are officially backing the call for an independant investigation and autopsy to be done in the death of Robert Fuller, a 24-year-old Black man who was found hanging from a tree in Palmdale earlier this week. His body was found hanging at Poncitlan square next to City Hall in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday, June 10th. The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department ruled the death a suicide; however, his family and many others who've heard the story are not convinced that this was self-inflicted, and are calling for a new investigation into his death, believing it to be a lynching.
David McNew/Getty Images
After initially standing by the ruling, Palmdale city officials have since released a new statement, expressing their support for the call for an independant investigation. The statement was shared by the City of Palmdale on Saturday, June 13th.
"Following the death of Mr. Robert Fuller, the City of Palmdale is officially supporting the call for an independent investigation and an independent autopsy of Mr. Fuller who was found dead on June 10, 2020 at Poncitlan Square in Palmdale," the statement reads. "The City of Palmdale is joining the family and the community’s call for justice, and we do support a full investigation into his death. We will settle for nothing less than a thorough accounting of this matter. The City has already reached out to Mr. Fuller’s family, offering help and support, and will do everything possible to assist Mr. Fuller’s family during this difficult time as a complete vetting of his death is investigated. We join with our community and Robert Fuller’s family in mourning his tragic death."
David McNew/Getty Images
The Palmdale Sheriff originally claimed that there were no working security cameras in the area where Fuller was found; however, considering his body was found right next to City Hall, many find this highly suspect. Investigative journalist Billy Jensen pointed out that several businesses in the surrounding area also have outdoor security cameras.
As pointed out by Complex, Fuller is also the second Black man to be found hanging from a tree in California within the last two months. On May 31, 38-year-old Malcolm Harsch was found dead in Victorville, California, a hanging also ruled as a suicide.
A Change.org petition demanding "a thorough and transparent investigation by Palmdale PD" into Fuller's death has nearly reached its goal of 200,000 signatures. Fuller's sister, Diamond Alexander, also started a GoFundMe page to raise money for funeral costs. It has raised nearly $200,000 as of Sunday morning.
Minnesota Files Civil Rights Charge Against Minneapolis Police Department
The Minnesota Department of Human Rights will be launching an investigation of the Minneapolis Police Department.
We’ve seen a lot of movement in the wake of George Floyd‘s death. Protests have been sweeping, not only the United States, but Canada and Europe as well, in a show of support. We did see Derek Chauvin, the police officer who killed George Floyd, arrested rather quickly after the video of Floyd went viral. Now, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights is making another move, and charging the Minneapolis Police Department with civil rights charge.
Minnesota will launch an investigation into the Minneapolis Police Department, stemming from the death of George Floyd, Gov. Tim Walz announced on Tuesday. The investigation will be lead by Human Rights Commissioner Rebecca Lucero, and will look into 10 years of police procedures and policies, to “determine if the MPD has engaged in systemic discriminatory practices towards people of color and ensure any such practices are stopped.”
Minneapolis protests gather in support of George Floyd, taking over the highway – Scott Olson/Getty Images
Walz said, “We are going to establish peace on the streets when we address the systemic issues.” Walz said they are also seeking to make an agreement with the city’s police, in order to enact some more immediate measures that would address systemic racism.
Lucero said, “George Floyd should be alive. He deserved to live a life full of dignity and joy. Community leaders have been asking for structural change for decades. They have fought for this and it is essential that we acknowledge the work and commitment of those who have paved the path to make today’s announcement possible.”
This is the first time the Human Rights Department has ever launched a systemic investigation into the largest police department in MN, Walz said.
New York City To Investigate NYPD Treatment Of Protesters
New York City seems to be concerned with how the NYPD is handling the protests.
Protests have erupted all across the country in light of the murder of George Floyd and countless other people of color at the hands of the police. These protests have gotten violent although the escalation always seems to be induced by the cops and not the actus protesters themselves. In New York City, this is especially true as the police are constantly being caught on video getting rough with the people who are peacefully protesting.
According to reporter Lisa Evers, New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio has now revealed that the city will be doing an independent investigation into the way the police are treating protesters, although this review will also go both ways. It seems as though New York also wants to look at how protesters have been treating the police.
As of right now, it remains to be seen how these protests will continue to play out. Yesterday was the fifth night of protesting and the government doesn’t seem all that interested in restoring people’s faith. Simply put, people are angry and until some tangible change is created, these protests could go on for quite some time.
Stay tuned for all of the updates as we will be sure to bring them to you.
Ahmaud Arbery: Suspect Reportedly Had Ties To Victim Before Murder
A recused prosecutor reveals Gregory McMichael was involved in a previous prosecution of Ahmaud Arbery before killing the 25-year-old man.
The death of Ahmaud Arbery has sparked outrage across the country in the past few days, prompting the arrests of Gregory McMichael and his son Travis McMichael. For over two months, the suspects have been roaming the streets freely with no arrests actually being made on the case until recently.
Glynn County Sheriff’s Office Getty Images
According to AJC, Waycross Judicial Circuit District Attorney George Barnhill wrote a letter of recusal that revealed his son, a former prosecutor at the Brunswick DA’s office, and Gregory McMichaels, who served as an investigator at the same office, revealing that “both helped with the previous prosecution of (Ahmaud) Arbery.” Adding he learned about McMichael’s history with Arbery “three or four weeks ago.”
McMichael was noted to be a former Glynn County cop once news of Arbery’s murder began to gain traction. He claimed that he was making a citizen’s arrest after a string of robberies in the neighborhood, though no evidence suggested Arbery was responsible for this. Barnhill did not specify the exact prosecution. Arbery was sentenced to five years probation in high school for charges of carrying a weapon on school grounds and obstructing a law enforcement officer. He was later convicted of a probation violation in 2018 after he was charged for shoplifting.
Family attorney Lee Merritt did acknowledge the charges but said that references to “alleged conduct from high school or shoplifting is absurd and has nothing to do with his murder.”
“We’ve been here before whether it’s Tamir Rice or Trayvon Martin,” said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Arbery’s father. “When they kill our children, they then try to assassinate their character and I know they’re going to do that with Ahmaud Arbery.”
Thunder’s Terrance Ferguson Avoids Charges After Rape Accusation
Terrance Ferguson was accused of rape in 2018 but he will not be charged due to a lack of evidence.
Terrance Ferguson was a sophomore in the NBA back in 2018 and in September of that year, he was accused of rape in Oklahoma. According to the woman who accused him, the alleged transgression took place at a house party. Over the past couple of years, Oklahoma prosecutors have been investigating the case and deliberating on whether or not they are going to press any charges against the NBA star.
According to a new report from The Oklahoman, the district attorney has decided to shelve the case due to the fact that there is a lack of evidence. Now, Ferguson will be able to continue his NBA career without any legal troubles hanging over his head.
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
“Terrance Ferguson is a very respectful young man who has recently had to defend himself regarding some false allegations,” Ferguson’s attorney said. “He cooperated fully with the investigation and appreciates the professionalism of the investigators with the Oklahoma City Police Department and Mr. Prater’s office, which has declined to file charges. He continues to deny any wrongdoing and is looking forward to having this experience behind him.”
Ferguson is now in his third full year with the Oklahoma City Thunder and has been one of their more reliable bench players, tallying an average of 4.2 points per game.
[Via]
Josie Harris, Floyd Mayweather’s Ex-GF, Passes Away At 40
Josie Harris was found unresponsive in her car.
Josie Harris, Floyd Mayweather‘s ex-girlfriend and mother of three of his children, passed away on Monday night, according to TMZ. Harris was living in Valencia, California at the time and around 9:30 PM on Monday night, a call was placed to authorities. When they arrived at Harris’ house, they found her in her car where she was unresponsive. As of right now, police are investigating her death but not as a homicide. Based on the evidence so far, they have no reason to believe any foul play was involved.
Mayweather and Harris had a topsy turvy relationship that played out in the public eye. Back in 2010, Mayweather was convicted of domestic abuse and even had to go to jail for a couple of months. Harris accused of Mayweather of six separate domestic violence instances although the boxer was only convicted for one of them.
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
A few years ago, Mayweather did an interview in which he spoke about Harris’ claims, saying “Did I restrain a woman that was on drugs? Yes, I did. So if they say that’s domestic violence, then, you know what? I’m guilty. I’m guilty of restraining someone.”
Mayweather has yet to comment on Harris’ death. Stay tuned for updates on this case as we will be sure to bring them to you.
Vanessa Bryant Responds To Allegations Of Photos Circulating Of Crash Victims
Sheriff’s deputies allegedly shared photos of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others.
Earlier this week, TMZ reported that there is an ongoing investigation into claims that deputies of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were disrespectfully sharing photos of the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others on January 26. The first report stated that gruesome photos of the victims’ remains were being circulated amongst several deputies. The story was then updated with the discovery that a sheriff had pulled up this confidential content at a bar in an attempt to impress a woman, which led to a disgusted bartender reporting this offence to the sheriff’s department.
Kobe Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, has now responded to these reports. In a statement shared on her Instagram page, her lawyer, Gary C. Robb, wrote:
“Our client, Vanessa Bryant, is absolutely devastated by allegations that deputies from the Lost Hills Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and Los Angeles County Fire Department publicly disseminated photos from the helicopter crash site.
Mrs. Bryant personally went to the Sheriff’s office on January 26th and requested that the area be designated a no-fly zone and protected from photographers. This was of critical importance to her as she desired to protect the dignity of all the victims, and their families. At that time, Sheriff Alex Villanueva assured us all measures would be put in place to protect the families’ privacy, and it is our understanding that he has worked hard to honor those requests.
First responders should be trustworthy. It is inexcusable and deplorable that some deputies from the Lost Hills Sheriff’s substation, other surrounding substations and LACOFD would allegedly breach their duty. This is an unspeakable violation of human decency, respect, and of the privacy rights of the victims and their families. We are demanding that those responsible for these alleged actions face the harshest possible discipline, and that their identities be brought to light, to ensure that the photos are not further disseminated. We are requesting an Internal Affairs investigation of these alleged incidents.
Mrs. Bryant is grateful to the individual who filed an online complaint exposing these acts of injustice, and for the choice to protect human dignity.
We ask that anyone else who has information as to the facts underlying these alleged grievous and shameful incidents contact our office at 816–474-8080 or email www.robbrobb.com”
We will continue to keep you updated on this investigation.
Kobe Bryant Crash Site: Deputies Allegedly Shared Disturbing Photos
Kobe Bryant passed away in a helicopter crash and it looks like some deputies shared unauthorized photos.
Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna tragically passed away in a helicopter crash on January 26th, alongside seven other people. Since the crash, there have been various tributes to the victims and fans are still in mourning. Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash and are making sure they get all of the facts straight in order to diagnose exactly what happened.
Unfortunately, it appears as though some may have taken advantage of the situation. According to the Los Angeles Times, some deputies who were on the scene received unauthorized photos of the gruesome crash site, including the remains of the victims. These photos were allegedly shared amongst other deputies and were even discussed by first responders. Due to these allegations, the Sheriff’s Department is looking into the matter to see exactly what happened.
Elsa/Getty Images
Luckily, these photos were not shared with the public and we sincerely hope it’s kept that way. In fact, the Sheriff’s Department was forced to contact the families of the victims to let them know an inquiry into the situation was taking place. These families are still grieving and we can’t imagine how this latest development has affected them.
In the meantime, Vanessa Bryant has launched a lawsuit against the helicopter company that owned the aircraft that perished.
Antonio Brown’s Trainer Arrested Following Police Investigation
AB found himself in an interesting position yesterday.
Antonio Brown was in the news yesterday for reasons outside of the football sphere. Early yesterday afternoon, reports began to surface that Brown’s home in Florida was being surrounded by police. Eventually, it was revealed that Brown was being investigated for an alleged battery and burglary incident that took place between himself and a moving truck driver he hired. Police were trying to speak to Brown but he wouldn’t cooperate with the police and eventually, they left.
According to USA Today, Brown’s trainer Glen Holt was arrested and brought to Broward County Jail for his alleged role in the incident. Meanwhile, Brown locked himself in his home while the police tried to get in touch with him. Brown has not been arrested and police plan to give an update on the situation this morning.
Michael Reaves/Getty Images
This isn’t the first time Brown has had a police presence at his home. Earlier last week, the police responded to a domestic dispute between him and his baby mama. Brown alleged that the mother of his children was trying to steal cars off of his property which prompted the response.
Stay tuned for updates on this latest situation as we will be sure to bring them to you.
Joe Burrow Claims OBJ Gave Him Real Money Amid Investigation
There have been conflicting statements.
After defeating the Clemson Tigers in the National Championship game, the LSU Tigers had themselves quite the impressive celebration. Odell Beckham Jr. is an alumnus of the school and got to be a part of the festivities. On the field and in the locker room after the game, OBJ was seen giving stacks of cash to some of the players. The NCAA has strict rules about monetary gifts so the school was quick to claim that the money was fake and that it was all just a joke.
According to Sports Illustrated, an investigation is still ongoing and it could take an unexpected turn now that Joe Burrow has made an interesting admission. While speaking to Barstool Sports, Burrow confirmed that the money was, indeed, real. Burrow said he is no longer a part of the NCAA so he doesn't exactly care about owning up to this kind of thing.
The NCAA is one of the most strict organizations in the world when it comes to this sort of thing so it wouldn't be surprising to see them act swiftly if LSU did, in fact, break any rules. For now, the Tigers will remain under investigation until there is some sort of breakthrough.
Stay tuned for updates as we will be sure to bring them to you.