A Continuing Series On The Murder Case Of Phylicia Barnes

With just under a week away before the scheduled 2nd murder trial of Michael Maurice Johnson begins, who is accused of killing the promising honors student Phylicia Barnes, it’s sad that nearly three years later the pretty book smart kid’s story has failed to clear Baltimore City’s Circuit Court docket, and give her grieving family closure in one of the city’s most gripping and tragic stories. Johnson was actually convicted of 2nd degree murder in the child’s killing, but discovery law violations by the city state attorney’s office forced Circuit Court Judge Alfred Nance to throw out the verdict, while citing civil rights violations in the case.

During the first trial, Johnson was also acquitted of 1st degree murder, the most severe charge he faced, and the state can’t charge him a second time on that count. It’s a very disturbing realization considering the fact that the state’s failure to convict Johnson on that charge will almost certainly guarantee that Michael Johnson will walk the streets of Baltimore City again one day. It’s not even a lock that Johnson will be convicted a second time for killing the Barnes teen. The state gambled on a petty criminal name James McCray during the first trial, with his testimony placing Michael Johnson at the dead teen’s sister apartment in which he testified that he saw the girl deceased, and wrapped in a bed sheet.

It was a very compelling piece of testimony because McCray had not only put Johnson at the scene, but also stated that he advised Johnson to strip the child of her clothing, and advised him to dispose of her body in water to aid in the concealment of potential forensic evidence. Cops had found Barnes’ body during the spring of 2011 after thawing waters caused her nude body to surface in the Conowingo Dam in Northern Maryland where the child had apparently been placed after her killing. McCray’s testimony seemed to tie it all together, after all authorities had found Barnes dead, stripped of her clothing, and placed in a body of water just as McCray had testified to. Only the problem with McCray’s testimony is that he was a known criminal, which carries the burden of credibility issues for obvious reasons, and Johnson’s defense counsel were successful in doing damage to his testimony during cross examination.

Lawyers for Johnson picked away at his account by asking if he recalled when his allege encounter with Johnson and the child’s dead body had actually occurred, and McCray testified that Johnson had called him to the apartment prior to Christmas. The statement cast serious doubt on the accuracy and credibility of McCray’s testimony because the Barnes teen had gone missing on December 28, 2010 three days after the Christmas Holiday. However, jurors who were interviewed after Johnson had been convicted during the first trial, say they didn’t give McCray’s testimony too much weight, but rather believed that Johnson was guilty based on recorded jail house telephone conversations in which he discussed leaving the country to avoid prosecution.

In fact, jurors also told news outlets that Johnson never once proclaimed his innocence during those jail house phone recordings, and believed that he was guilty, had something to hide, and was trying to run from justice.  However, despite the problems a witness like McCray posed for the state, which was emphasized during inconsistent testimony during the trial, the jury still believed that Johnson had killed the child and came back with a conviction of 2nd degree murder.  The state had won it’s case, but Montgomery County State prosecutors had submitted documentation detailing that McCray had been scrapped as a witness for an unrelated murder case which McCray had testified during Johnson’s trial that he had in fact testified during that case.

The revelation completely decimated the state’s star witness’ testimony proving that McCray had as a matter of fact lied on the stand during Johnson’s first trial. Trouble for the state began when the state attorney’s office failed to inform Johnson’s attorneys that the documents existed as required by law. The state actually waited 13 days after they had received the documents impeaching McCray’s testimony.  Upon discovery of the Montgomery County documentation Johnson was almost certain to be guaranteed a new trial, but the states failure to be forthright with the discovery violated Johnson’s Civil Rights, and also cast a tremendous cloud over the entire prosecution of Michael Johnson. It almost gives the impression that the state was trying to railroad him in a case many believe they could have easily one, had the state utilized other compelling evidence that points to not only the involvement of Michael Johnson, but other members of his family in the killing of pretty young Phylicia Barnes.

Now with the testimony of the state’s star witness James McCray having been destroyed, many followers of this story wonder what direction the state will take it’s case to prove that Michael Johnson killed the Barnes teen. Judge Nance scolded the state during the first trial, citing that he believed the state’s case was “based on a theory”, and fell short of tossing the case entirely before sending the case to the jury. McCray’s testimony of having been summoned to the apartment where he observed Michael Johnson with the child’s dead body, is the only tangible evidence the state produced during the initial trial. Now that the state doesn’t have his testimony, it’s case has become even more circumstantial and may be a tough sell to a Baltimore jury historically known for it’s controversial rulings, and a complete mistrust of the Maryland judicial system as a cultural fact.

Although Johnson has remained locked up at the Baltimore City Detention Center pending the start of his second trial, many of his family members suspected by the public at the very least of conspiring to cover up the Barnes teen murder continue to walk freely in the streets of Baltimore. Though it’s widely believe that Johnson killed the child, many remain outraged that Phylicia’s half sibling Deena Barnes has eluded prosecution in this tragic case. The older Barnes lied to the child’s mother about who would be staying at her northwest Baltimore apartment while Phylicia came to visit. Her deception toward the child’s mother is what ultimately allowed Janice Mustafa to allow her beautiful daughter to start traveling to Baltimore to develop a relationship with her half siblings. Phylicia who was described by her parents as a fun loving, silly, naive, and book smart country girl was no match for the fast paced gritty street culture of Baltimore city that took her young life.

A toxic combination of drugs, alcohol, a freaky sex laced environment  with adult males, and coupled with lies and deceit developed into a horrible crime in which no one has yet been held accountable. Phylicia’s family tells TPC that they are prepared for any verdict in the upcoming second murder trial, but the story of Phylicia Barnes is textbook on how murderers escape the criminal justice system in Baltimore, and avoid paying the ultimate price for heinous crimes of this nature. Phylicia was a pretty flower thrown in a river, gone from us forever, but not forgotten.

To be Continued …

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

It’s a story which has been shared all over the world. The senseless and tragic killing of a beautiful hundred pound teen girl from Stone Mountain, GA name Vanessa “Honey” Malone went viral, as followers of her case struggled to understand why 4-6 masked gunman would shoot the unarmed young woman in the back and leave her for dead at a friends apartment that fateful day back on October 23, 2012. Vanessa’s killing seemingly sparked a revolution related to how young people are beginning to respond to gun violence against youth across the globe. The power of social media was influential in gaining wide spread outcry to have the teen’s killers brought to justice. While her story gained international prominence, the very community where the crime took place has failed to get people to start talking about what they know.

Sketchy details related to how “Honey” died which were given to cops by so called friends, continue to be a troubling factor for many following this unsolved murder mystery. A tale of gunman breaking down the door to the apartment that night, tying up three adults who all survived, and only resulting in “Honey” having been killed while she walked in on the alleged home invasion, is a fishy story that doesn’t make sense at all. Chiefly, “Honey’s” obvious lack of a threat to such a fierce and heavily armed cast of murderers, creates serious doubt about why she was killed, and coupled with the fact they shot the teen in the back and three other potential witnesses having been left behind alive points to the fact that “Honey” was an intended target of violence that night.

The cowardice nature of her killing is gut wrenching because if eye witnesses accounts are accurate, the teen couldn’t possibly have identified them at all as they were allegedly wearing mask. Unless the killers were all intimately known to “Honey”, who could be identified to her by the sound of their voices or the apparel they all were wearing. Even more disturbing is the fact that the alleged home invasion heist only landed the killers a score of loot consisting of a wallet and a cellphone. It just doesn’t add up and the suspicious circumstances surrounding one of the survivors having left the scene of the crime before police arrived, points to a potential conspiracy to cover up the teen’s killing by some of the very people who were suppose to be “Honey’s” friends.

It seems clear to everyone but the cops investigating this crime that the survivors of this horrific ordeal know more about what happened to “Honey”than what they’ve told.  Perhaps the greatest crime committed in this case is the refusal of people within the Stone Mountain community who may have information regarding the teen’s murder, but won’t cooperate or come forward to bring justice to “Honey” and her grieving family. Rumors have sense surfaced that some of the items taken in the alleged home invasion have been returned to their owners, highlighting the probability that some people may know at least one of the gunman involved in the case.

Without vital and necessary information pointing to the perpetrators of this terrible crime, the killers will never be captured and the murder of Vanessa “Honey” Malone will join the ranks of countless other unsolved cold murder cases from around the country. The continuing perpetuation of black on black violence is only shadowed by the growing number of violent crimes against women of color.  Sadly though, the culture of violence in black communities are harvested and cultivated out of the lingering conditions of slavery black people have endured. American slaves were indoctrinated into a code of secrecy and silence out of fear of being killed if they divulged knowledge of criminal details.  The exact same culture exist within the black community today, except black people are no longer fearful of reprisals from the slave master, but rather transfixed with fear from a polarizing culture of violent criminals who are now also blacks living in their own communities.

Someone knows who killed Vanessa “Honey” Malone and why. They should break the shackles of mental enslavement by rendering justice to “Honey”, her family, and their own community by coming forward to reveal what they know, or stay idle with a gasping silence which only leads way to the next victim of such a violent crime that could result in the lost of a loved one’s life or your very own. #justice4honey.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

Sigma Chi is one of the largest Greek-Letter social fraternities in North America with more than 240 active chapters in the United States and Canada and more than 300,000 initiates. Sigma Chi was founded on June 28, 1855 at Miami University in Oxford Ohio. According to the fraternity’s constitution, “the purpose of the fraternity shall be to cultivate and maintain the high ideals of friendship, justice, and learning upon which Sigma Chi was founded.” The largely white dominated membership host a bolstering list of prominent fraternity brothers ranges from members of Congress, entertainers, and scholars alike, but there is the memory of a black man name Gregory Johnson Jr. who mysteriously died in a Sigma Chi frat house on the campus of San Jose State University in 2008 that continues to haunt the otherwise unblemished Greek social group. The official reports surrounding the death of Gregory Johnson claims that the California native, who had no history of social or psychological issues committed suicide by hanging himself for no apparent reason.  

Denise Johnson who is Gregory’s mother, has been on a crusade for nearly 6 years in an effort to find the truth and what happened to her son that fateful day. The mother has even taken her fight for answers to the halls of the highest realm of justice in our land, only to have U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder’s office denied her access to investigative reports pertaining to Gregory’s death investigation, based strangely on the grounds that the documents were a matter of national security. Why the death of a black college kid in the basement of a frat house would be a compromise to the security of the United States of America is not only puzzling, but suspect to many following her son’s story.

The People’s Champion’s preliminary investigation into the Gregory Johnson Jr. death at San Jose State has found some of the usual components which normally exist when a black man is allegedly discovered hanging in this country. Gregory’s case isn’t unique related to the manner in which police agencies investigate death of black men by hanging. Although police reports indicate that there was in fact an investigation into his death, the reports appear to only highlight their pursuit of sufficient evidence to support that he had committed suicide. The questioning of his college professors and others that knew him focused largely around his behavior and any possible changes in his character leading up to the day he died.

Members of the Sigma Chi fraternity were questioned regarding his social interaction with the group’s members, all of which revealed no conflicts with members of the social group or any other despondent behavior at all. However, witness statements appear to be inconsistent with information that his family provided to police investigators, and the story provided to police by the fraternity brother who found Gregory Johnson hanging in the basement of the frat house was just simply too convenient. the reports indicate that he was found hanging, and conveniently had another fraternity brother on the phone while Gregory’s lifeless body was  found. The witness statement from the person on the phone states that he heard what appeared to be a cell phone dropped, screams for someone to call 911, and that Gregory had attempted to hang himself.

One police report revealed an inconsistency in that statement while another report describes Gregory as having been discovered deceased by his frat brother. The reports indicate that his body was taken down and placed in a chair, and that an orange colored extension cord tied in a noose was discovered just a few feet away. The fact that no one other than the Sigma Chi member who allegedly found Gregory’s body actually saw him hanging, should have made police more hard pressed to conduct a complete and thorough investigation into the crime scene. In fact, the reports are void of detailed and descriptive indications pointing to a timeline of where people actually were upon his discovery. The reports fail to disclose these details and other pertinent forensic evidence. For instance, there are no reports indicated that police investigators conducted finger printing of DNA testing on the extension cord to determine if Gregory Johnson had in fact touched it.

If no police official or any other person actually witnessed a body hanging, then such forensic evidence is crucial to measure the credibility of the account provided by the eyewitness who viewed the body hanging. Barring my suggestion related to this particular and rudimentary investigative fact finding measure, the cops simply took the Sigma Chi frat brothers story on it’s face as the gospel. The extended time the coroner’s office took to release his body to the family also raises some serious questions regarding the integrity of the investigation into Gregory Johnson’s death. The Coroner’s report indicates a 16 plus inch abrasion on Gregory’s neck, but photos taken by Denise Johnson of her son after she obtained custody of his body do not show marks or contusions of any kind. I suspect as rigor mortis settles into the body, soft tissue begins to harden, and the flesh begins to discolor, but the image below clearly illustrates that no ligature marks our abrasions existed around his neck.

The body of Gregory Johnson also had it’s neck broken. Even if Gregory had committed suicide as police and the coroner have suggested, the crime scene doesn’t support a scenario where his body would have adjusted itself to create enough pressure to break his neck while in a hanging position. Also, how could the coroner have possibly ruled the cause of death as asphyxiation when the neck had been racked? Bottom line, there is some fishy shit related to this man’s death. I’ll have my team on this case investigating who was there, and why the cops never conducted a more thorough and complete investigation into the death of Gregory Johnson Jr. Mean while, read the autopsy and police reports for yourselves.  http://justiceforgregory.com/coverup.html

To Be Continued ..

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

A Continued Series On the Murder of Phylicia Barnes

If someone would have told me that the murder case of Phylicia Barnes would span several years I would not have believed them. Sadly though, nearly three years after the book smart country girl from rural North Carolina went missing, her case continues to make it’s rounds through the Baltimore City Circuit Court System. The case has been listed in the Maryland Judicial Case Docket with a November 7, 2013 retrial date, and not the anticipated October 1, 2013 date previously listed. Rumors have circulated that defense counsel Russell Neverdon will no longer be representing Michael Johnson during his 2nd Degree Murder retrial for killing young Phylicia Barnes. There has also been speculation that Johnson will now be represented by a Public Defender (state paid attorney). The case file doesn’t have any new defense attorneys listed as having entered their appearance in the case, but the recent postponement more than likely centers around Neverdon’s recent public announcement that he will be running for the Baltimore City State’ Attorney post, and Johnson’s new legal counsel may have filed the motion for a new court date to allow the defense an opportunity to get up to speed on the merits of the case.

The current delay in court proceedings only compounds the frustrations of the murdered teen’s family and those within the public who have been following her tragic story. The jurors in Johnson’s first trial did their job by rendering a verdict of guilty on the count of 2nd degree murder, but shenanigans by state prosecutors set the stage for Johnson’s conviction to be overturned by a Circuit Court Judge who not only appeared to be eager to set the Barnes teen accused murderer free, but made his displeasure with the state’ case known in open court by chastising prosecutors for his personal perception of a weak case against Johnson. Nance’s comments were highly irregular for a sitting Circuit Court judge and caused many to question his objectivity while presiding over the case.

Judge Alfred Nance ripped into state attorney Lisa Goldberg before the case went into deliberations, citing that he believed the state had built a case against Johnson based on a theory with mostly circumstantial evidence. Nance fell just short of granting the defense’ motion to have the case tossed, but cited that the case should go to the jury. The defense won a reprieve when the state’ star witness James McCray lied on the stand about having testified in an unrelated homicide case. Prosecutors were aware that evidence had surfaced impeaching McCray’s testimony, but for some unknown reason the state failed to follow established discovery laws. State law requires prosecutors to turn over all exculpatory evidence against a defendant, by not doing so violated Johnson’s constitutional rights, and judge Nance ruled that “while the defendant isn’t guaranteed a perfect trial, he is entitled to a fair one” striking down Johnson’s conviction.

Misconduct by prosecutors related to the McCray witness isn’t the only eyebrow raising issue with the state’ case. The state actually rolled the dice on this witness and it became apparent when McCray testified that Johnson summonsed him to the teen’s older half sibling’s apartment soliciting help disposing of her body. McCray testified that Johnson admitted to him that he had strangled the child after he raped her and he couldn’t get her to stop crying. Prosecutors believed that McCray’s testimony would be powerful because he stated that he observed the teen’s dead body wrapped in sheets at the apartment. On cross examination the defense quizzed McCray on his memory pertaining to the actual date of his allege encounter with Johnson. When McCray testified that Johnson had called him for help prior to Christmas, the defense poignantly exclaimed “no further questions” to highlight that McCray’s testimony was suspect considering that Barnes had gone missing after Christmas on December 28, 2010.

The obvious inconsistency in McCray’s testimony pointed to serious credibility issues in the eyes of many, but others highlight the fact that despite the conflict in McCray’s testimony on that issue, the state’ allegations charging that Johnson strangled the child, stripped her of her clothing (to avoid possible forensic evidence detection), and disposed of her body in water, is precisely and very consistent with the details McCray testified to in open court surrounding the instructions and advice McCray said he gave Johnson. McCray’s testimony is identical to what prosecutors claim Johnson had committed when he killed the the girl. The state avoided tons of other evidence which not only pointed to the culpability of Johnson, but others related to him possible involvement at the very least in conspiring to cover up the child’s murder.

The state missed or ignored valuable evidence that pointed to involvement by others, and even possibly another scenario altogether of how the teen was murdered and disposed of. It has been proven at the very least, Johnson family members and friends had discussed among themselves what happened to Phylicia Barnes, and was even discretely mentioned on social media. A girlfriend of Johnson’s cousin tweeted on January 28, 2010 “it’s trapped at the dam, don’t pull the lever”, a shocking revelation which occurred months before the teen’s nude body was discovered at the Conowingo Dam in Northern Maryland. That information was given to the Maryland State Police from the public, and even prompted authorities to question the young woman regarding her comment on twitter. The state chose not to utilize that information as part of evidence in the trial for some strange reason.

Perhaps the argument could be made that judge Nance refused to allow the comment in court because the state failed to connect the tweet to Johnson, but it’s a no brainer that Johnson’s relative, one of the initial people questioned by police during the beginning of the Barnes teen disappearance investigation, more than likely had advanced information regarding what happened to Barnes. The connection is that the young woman and the Johnson cousin were regulars at Phylicia’s older half sibling’s apartment around the time the child had gone missing. It’s confusing how that information doesn’t get in the trial when it’s very compelling that the woman obviously knew where Barnes’ body was months before the cops found her floating in a river near a dam. There were also other tweets and comments on social media that painted a disturbing picture of who may have been involved in Barnes’ murder, and the police’s inability to connect the dots related to much of that extremely revealing and telling information is simply very poor police investigative work.

However, there may be other factors which could have created bias by police and judge Nance regarding the manner in which many of these suspicious and problematic issues failed to ever reach inclusion of the state’ summation of their charges against Johnson. Johnson whose mother is a Baltimore City Police Officer, and Deena Barnes who was responsible for taking care of Phylicia while she stayed in Baltimore, also has a relative who is a city police officer as well. In fact, the Barnes relative working for Baltimore police showed up at the apartment the day Phylicia was reported missing and began to conduct an unofficial investigation by questioning people. It’s very compelling that the officer’s presence at the scene of the missing person call may have been crucial in avoiding the Barnes teen disappearance having been taken seriously.

There were a volume of lies that were initially told to police during the early hours of Phylicia’s disappearance. Chiefly the fabricated story that Phylicia had gone to get something to eat and probably would be coming back to the apartment shortly. Many of the lies which that were told became unraveled during the trial when the teen’s half sibling had to admit that she gave her kid sister alcohol and marijuana (facts that she repeatedly lied about to the child’s mother, and various media organizations), allowed her to run around intoxicated completely nude with her boyfriend and other males, and that she had even witnessed Johnson attempting to fondle Phylicia in her presence. Th older half sibling’s failure to convey to police at the very least, what she had previously witnessed Johnson attempt to do to Phylica, is highly probable that the investigation may have been directed toward Johnson as a suspect early on, and may have also resulted in the child being found alive.

The Barnes relative who is a police officer may have went into protect mode simply looking out for the best interest of his niece, Deena Barnes. The presence of a police officer who just also happens to be related to people involved in a potential crime, has a very powerful persuasion upon police actively working a potential criminal case. It’s an obvious conflict of interest that should also been entered into the trial proceedings. The volume of missteps by the state is too convenient and coincidental considering police culture and the dynamics of the Baltimore City Criminal Justice process.

There are so many inter twined elements of this case which calculate to clear injustice for Phylicia Simone Barnes’ memory and her grieving family, and it’s also an unfortunate and unfair bi-product of a storied but troubled criminal justice system where murderers walk free on a regular basis in an extremely violent city. Those within the community who know how the system works in Baltimore and have their blinders off, can see clearly that the shuffling and juggling of the Michael Johnson murder case may be by design. With Johnson now possibly being represented by a Public Defender, it may spell trouble for those seeking justice in this promising kid’s murder case. Johnson will not have the luxury of lawyers utilizing resources to conduct independent investigations into forensics and other pertinent aspects of the case, but depending on his PD’s case load he may benefit from a overwhelmed court docket, and his counsel may be priming state prosecutors for a plea deal. In many instances State Public Defenders are consumed by a bolstering docket which results in brokered deals which allow some defendants in serious crimes to plea to a lesser included offense.

Johnson would only serve 25 years if convicted of 2nd degree murder, creating the possibility that because of his youth he may very well walk the streets again one day. The state failed to convict him of the most serious charge of 1st degree murder. He was acquitted of that charge and can’t be retried again on that count due to double jeopardy laws. Johnson could realistic plea down to Manslaughter and only serve 10-15 years in prison, and once he is adjudicated by prison officials on his conduct while incarcerated, Johnson could earn time off of his sentence for good behavior (11 days off of 30 in the Maryland Division of Corrections). In short, if he behaves himself while locked up he could only do 6-7 years of real jail time and win his release on early parole.

It’s a horrible scenario to consider when we digest the fact that a beautiful promising kid was killed for no other reason than the fact she trusted those around her who were suppose to protect her. It’s unimaginable that her case could have digressed to the disturbing possibilities that may result in this case. I can’t help but wonder if  family ties to police in the city of Baltimore has aided Johnson in his attempt to elude justice in the killing of Phylicia Barnes, and then again I can’t help but to wonder if justice will ever come at all in this case. A sad commentary on the inequities of justice for a pretty little girl snatched out of this world from us forever.

Part III of a series

To Be Continued …

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

It’s widely believed within the African American community that many white Americans have a distinct fear of big muscular black men, and it’s debatable if such fear is justified whether you rationalize the prevalence of black on black violence, or the inherited guilt many people believe white people manifest on their conscience for the enslavement of blacks. It really doesn’t matter which perspective one might resolve related to the issue, the bottom line is that fear of black people exist in almost every aspect of our society whether in the workplace or simply while walking pass people of color on the streets of America.

The sad reality is that when some white Americans who have limited interaction with black people encounter them, coupled with any awkward situation that may arise related to a black man it seems to cause some white people to default to panic and fear, and while thinking that their lives may be in danger based solely on the mere presence of a black man. The fear of black men intensifies when the very awkward situations I speak of places some fragile, cowardice, and gun happy white police officers in a position where they encounter black men during the course of their duties. Countless police shootings of unarmed black men across this country could have been avoided if police officers had used sound judgement and common sense prior to pulling the trigger.

Consider the actual act of firing a gun at another human being knowing the potential of fatality with the implementation of such a level of force, and I remind you that as a standard most police agencies train their officers to utilizes a variety of lesser levels of force before discharging a firearm. Even if we consider the plethora of arguments that Fraternal Order of Police and other police support groups have offered as rationalization for the killing of unarmed black men while citing that police often times have to make split second decisions when faced with aggressive and violent criminals, many of these police involved shootings occur while other options exist to put down a threat without having to resort to the use of lethal deadly force.

Over the years police agencies have instituted the use of tasers, while continuing to utilize other traditional methods of self defense such as batons, chemical agents (tear gas, pepper spray, cn, and cs gases, etc.) as proven methods of force that allow police to control any situation when confronted with a hostile combatant in the course of their work. Cops who default to discharging their service weapon as the initial force used to to put down a threat are in fact not following protocol in many instances. In many situations cops who kill unarmed black men are also almost never prosecuted.

Police agencies are creative in soliciting  a variety of premises why some cops use deadly force when it seems that the threat could have been handled less violently. They continue to argue that officer safety is the primary reason that society should accept such unnecessary violence by police in many of these shootings. I beg to differ, and firmly believe that most police involved shootings of unarmed black men are predicated solely on race and cowardice.  I mean some police are so frail and intimidated that it’s mind boggling that they ever even passed their shooting courses during training, and should have never been commissioned to walked the streets of America as a police officer.

Additionally, many police agencies have been safe havens for racist who lurk at the opportunity of killing black people. In fact the level of violence enacted upon black men who are seen as a threat without the benefit of the doubt by some white police officers has become a common practice in many police cultural settings, and widely accepted as business as usual when black men are gunned down unjustly by white police. Furthermore, society is conditioned to perceive blacks, young black men in particular as being a threat , and in many instances without any provocation what so ever.

The tragic shooting of unarmed Jonathan Ferrell in Charlotte, North Carolina this past weekend is indicative of the very police culture I have mentioned. It’s a classic example of how an approaching black man is automatically seen as a threat, and even more disturbingly how some police are eager and readily prepared to use deadly force as the only viable course of action to resolve their own purported fear and perceive threat. It doesn’t even matter if a black man is visibly unarmed, the use of deadly force is often times accepted as an appropriate action by some white police officers, and more importantly, creating a police culture which condones an unlawful, unjust, and prejudicial culture accepted by white America.

Although I am more disturbed that the caller to 911 described Ferrell as “breaking down” her door which created a heightened threat for responding police, professionally trained police officers must maintain sound judgement and the ability to swiftly analyze any given situation to authenticate an incident of actual aggression by an approaching unarmed black man juxtapose to a black man in distress. It’s inconceivable that three officers at the scene of a reported attempted home invasion, after determining that the alleged suspect was unarmed, that officers could not have resolved the incident without the use of deadly force, and considering the obvious determining and very telling factor  that Jonathan Ferrell was in fact coming toward them. I mean let’s be realistic, how many home invaders actually run toward the police?

Some police supporters may even attempt to rationalize that Ferrell could have been insane, on drugs, or had some other mental deficiency the night he approached police, justifying apprehensive fear for cops that night. However, police can never justify shooting anyone 10 times when the subject isn’t armed, and there is no evidence that police where in actual fear for their lives. Police say that attempts to tazer Ferrell failed, and only one of the officers discharged his firearm. When we consider how police typically respond to actual threats of violence, it’s a “no brainer” that a valid threat never existed from Ferrell, because the other two police officers at the scene didn’t fire their service weapons.

The acceptable practice within most police cultures in incidents such as the Ferrell case, is for all police personnel at the scene to compose their duty reports mirroring that of other officers. Protect my brother at all cost. It’s a standard practice which has made the “great blue wall of silence” extremely difficult to penetrate within the entire history of policing in America. Perhaps the lack of physical injury to police, Ferrell having been unarmed, and the eventual discovery of his vehicle later on that day created a situation where the other two officers were left with a career decision. Cops are often times placed in precarious situations deriving from a culture of silence by police corruption. Fortunately some incidents arise which make it extremely difficult for officers to falsify police reports to safe their colleagues neck, and the Ferrell case appears to be one of those very cases.

Ironically, the white police officer who killed Ferrell is now being represented by a black man probably provided by his police union. The attorney has been arguing that the investigation will prove that the officer was justified in the use of force that killed Ferrell, and the counselors statements are simply police supporter rhetoric often used to rationalize police related killing of unarmed citizens. It’s a constant theme of the very “banana bullshit” that the entire institution of American Policing has feed the public for centuries. The cop who shot Jonathan Ferrell is nothing more than another white cop either afraid of or prejudice toward an unarmed black man, and deserves to go to prison for murder.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

Background Checks.org

Top 50 Crime News Blogs

Community leaders, activist, and other grassroots advocacy groups and their members won’t tell you that they enjoy being acknowledged for the service they provide to the communities and venues whom they serve. When awards and other gestures of distinction is brought to light regarding ones diligence in serving humanity it’s compelling and often times very heartfelt, but when such acknowledgements comes from one’s peers it’s even more of a special pronouncement. I have never cared much about praise or being acknowledged when it comes to my commitment to crime and other ills that plague our society.

I have always harvested a genuine interest in the development of all people and of all ethnicity. Coming from an impoverished background I know first hand of the need for community, advocacy, and community policing. So, when other blogs advise me that they are acknowledging me for my work, like Background Checks.org (Top 50 Crime News), I’m always grateful that others find interest in what I have to say. I also support blogs who compile the best among our craft, and highlight them for much needed exposure. Such a concept also breeds collaboration from writer to writer and blog to blog, readily identifying perspective blogging communities on the web.

Your Perspective on The people’s Champion Blog:

1. The People’s Champion – Human interest stories are laced with advocacy in regular blog posts on People’s Champion.  Guest contributors wave the flag for personal freedom and equality among all races and ethnicities.  Other sociological issues are discussed, with special attention given to the ways they influence interactions between diverse peoples. Crime news includes updates about criminals of note, as well articles about victims of crime, especially those of color.  The politics of race and its role in the criminal justice system are consistently explored in blog entries on the site.

is by far a much better synopsis of what I do at TPC than I could have ever given.

Again, I am grateful and humbled by this gesture, and I’ll proudly wear Background Checks.org Top 50 Badge for 2013 on my blog, to further promote your efforts in order that another writer may have the benefit of such distinction in the future. Thanks.

The People’s Champion

David Adams.

Part II of a Series Leading to the Second Murder Trial

With less than three weeks away before the State of Maryland begins a retrial of Michael Maurice Johnson for killing young Phylicia Simone Barnes, those of us who have been diligently following the honors teen from Monroe, North Carolina case can’t help but look back at a volume of miscues police, investigators, and prosecutors made which ultimate resulted in Johnson’ first trial being overturned.  The defining moment came when prosecutors discovered that their star witness had lied on the witness stand about having testified in an unrelated murder case. When the sate learned that McCray had lied, they waited three weeks before revealing to Johnson’ defense counsel that McCray had lied, violating discovery laws which requires the state to turn over all exculpatory evidence to a defendant’s attorney.

Inmate James McCray, a petty criminal testified in the trial that Johnson called him the day Barnes disappeared and admitted to killing the teen after having sex with her and that he needed help to get rid of the body. That testimony was damaging to Johnson’ defense because it placed Johnson at the teen’ sister apartment with her dead body. Defense attorneys have said that the prosecutor inflated McCray’s credibility with the jury by telling jurors that McCray testified to facts that could have only come from “first-hand knowledge” because they had not been released to the public. Although a juror came forward and gave interviews detailing that jury deliberations didn’t focus too much on McCray’s testimony in determining a verdict of guilt for Johnson, the state’ failure to disclose McCray’ s perjured testimony left Circuit Court Judge Alfred Nance no other recourse but to grant Johnson a new trial.

When prosecutors fail to follow established trial laws to obtain convictions during any criminal trial it points to “concealment” rather than “disclosure,” and almost always results in a conviction being overturned by the courts, and is exactly what happened in Johnson’ initial murder trial. It’s widely believed that the state may have bungled the Phylicia Barnes murder case from the very start. It’s disputed whether the state should have gambled with McCray’s testimony when there was a volume of other evidence which not only pointed to Johnson’ guilt but clearly may implicate other members of his family as well.

Once investigators became aware that the accounts given to them by those who were around Phylicia when she disappeared were in fact not truthful, federal search warrants were obtained for social media accounts. Through Twitter, Facebook, and Text Messages a disturbing picture can be seen outlining what may have happened to young Phylicia. One of the most compelling aspects of how social media could have impacted the first trial was revealed when a girlfriend of one of the Johnson relatives tweeted on January 28, 2011, “It’s trapped at the dam, don’t pull the lever.” The fact that at the time of the tweet, Phylicia’s body had not been located, and when she was in fact subsequently discovered floating in a river several months later near the Conowingo Damn in Northern Maryland, it became obvious that not only did the girl possibly have vital information to the case, but that pertinent information to Phylicia’ disappearance was being discussed among Johnson family members and their friends.

When the tweet became public it was so widely talked about that the public dubbed the young female as the “Twitter Girl.” Webslueths and other concerned people form the public sent The People’s Champion Blog a volume of information which contained tweets and other post within social media. I personally contacted the Maryland State Police officials investigating the Barnes murder, but by the time I reached out to them investigators had already obtained information about the tweet. At that time efforts were being made to contact the female and get and interview with her regarding the coincidence of her twitter comment considering her close relationship with one of the initial people that police had questioned during the beginning of their investigation when Phylicia first went missing. The tweet stood out and I’m certain that investigators brought it to the attention of Lisa Goldberg (State Prosecutor).

It’s unclear whether cops ever caught up with the young female, what they may have learned after speaking with her, and the decision by the state prosecutors office not to introduce it as evidence during the trial let the girl and potentially others off the hook, who could at the very minimum be charged with obstruction of justice. The female, her boyfriend who is a cousin of Michael Jonson and other Johnson family members were hanging out at the apartment where Phylicia was staying prior to her disappearance. Many of them were also questioned by police surrounding the child’s disappearance as well. The least experienced of investigators could have utilized the tweet to do damage while pursuing information regarding what happened to Phylicia Barnes. The fact that the state dropped the ball on this extremely vital piece of information is simply disturbing to many followers of the case. The state’ decision to pursue Phylicia’s murder from the McCray testimony perspective demonstrates that they were on a course that potentially could have set Johnson free all together.

This woman tweeted “it’s trapped at the dam. don’t pull the lever”, months before Phylicia Barnes body was found near the Coniwingo Dam. She is friends with Glenton “Bootz” Johnson and Dorian Carpenter who were questioned about the disappearance and murder of Phylicia Barnes.

Additionally, police investigating Phylicia’s murder failed to properly analyze tweets from Michael Johnson, his brothers Glenton, Glenn, and cousin William Johnson. TPC outlined in an article how tweets from the men on the day Phylicia disappeared held valuable clues to what happened to her. In the article (read it here) information from Johnson family member comments on social media are utilized to show how Johnson more than likely wasn’t alone around the time he says he last saw the teen alive. Now that we have learned more information about the case from the first trial, it’s firmly believed that Glenton Johnson (Michael’s younger brother) was with him during the early morning hours just before Phylia went missing.

My previous article also details how one of the Johnson cousins William Johnson engaged TPC and readers in the Blog’s chat room, while revealing that Michael Johnson has a nickname (“Ease”) he obtained from a xbox game tag. The exchange in the Blog chat room caused many to believe that cops had compelling and sufficient evidence to charge Glenton “Bootz” Johnson along side his older brother Michael for the killing of Phylicia Barnes. The tweet that points to Glenton and Michael riding together in a car smoking marijuana is here:

12-28 12:59 pm Glenton twitter~~> –@AYOKrazie yo me an ease mixed some grass in da
hookah dat shyt had me stupid high like my second time smokin–

This shows that if William Johnson is correct that Michael’s nickname is in fact “Ease” then it means that he and Glenton were together minutes before the teen disappeared. Michael told cops that he last saw the pretty teen asleep on the couch at her sister’s apartment on December 28, 2010 around 1:30 p.m., but when we consider tweets from Glenton on the same day minutes before she was last seen alive by anyone, a  very scary picture is revealed and might indicate that Glenton and Michael may have in fact kidnapped the child and used force to get her to comply with their demands.

Tweets on December 28, 2010

12-28 1:03 pm Glenton twitter~~> –Whoop her ass #ladyinthestore–

12-28 1:23 pm Glenton twitter~~> –**** dat don’t tella twice whopp her ass–

Glenton’s tweets are both compelling and scary as he is telling someone to whoop a female’s ass just 7 minutes before Phylicia Barnes was reportedly last seen alive by Michael Johnson.

During the Peas In their pods interview of the Barnes siblings it’s revealed by Phylicia older half-sister that Michael Johnson went by her apartment early that morning to do laundry and that he eventually took his kid brother Delanie home because he didn’t have permission to be at the apartment. Many followers believed it was just a very bad idea to leave a pretty teen girl alone with males present that weren’t related to her. However, there are other tweets by Glenton Johnson that compels many of us to believe that  he and Michael wanted to isolate the child.

More Tweets from December 28, 2010

12-28 12:48 pm Glenton twitter~~>Rollin rd is gay
12-28 12:49 pm Glenton twitter Just a busy ass street for no reason–
12-28 12:51 pm Glenton twitter~~> Hurry up an buy!–

The tweets were made during the time that Glenton tweeted that he and “Ease” had put grass in a hooka getting high, it it also demonstrates that they were in a hurry by reading his tweets about Rolling Road being gay and slow for no reason. It’s compelling that they were in a hurry to get back to the apartment were young Phylicia was now alone after the younger Johnson Delanie having been taken home. It’s during that time many believe what ever happened to young Phylicia actually occurred during that time period and that Michael wasn’t alone. There were other tweets from that day that detailed the Johnson brothers active which included an older brother cautioning them to be careful of what they tweet:

12-28 3:31 pm Kevin Johnson Tweet Watch wat u tweet. “the man” is watching.. lok

The disturbing fact that police never indicated that they were aware that these tweets even existed and that the tweets never made it into court during the trial is simply unconscionable. There are so many missteps by police and the prosecutor’s office that it begs the question if they were even investigating the correct case. For some reason a tremendous amount of credibility ways given to the testimony of James McCray, which ultimately backfired for the state. Now with McCray’s credibility having been decimated by perjured testimony, it’s highly doubtful that the state will utilize him during the retrial, and has many questioning what approach, angle, or perspective the prosecutor’s office will use in an effort to obtain a second conviction of Michael Johnson. In a case that clearly has various others who could have been implicated in Phylicia’s murder, it now seems that they have slipped through the cracks of the justice system in a volatile city where killers go free all the time on the merits of prosecutorial misconduct and other technicalities.

Sadly though, it’s widely believed that Michael Johnson can not stand trial for first degree murder again, because he was acquitted on those charges during the first trial, and means that the state can only pursue second degree murder charges which is only holds a maximum of 25 years imprisonment. This would mean that if the state some how were able to obtain a second conviction, at Johnson’s age, he will one day walk the streets again. A very sad commentary of how our criminal justice system works even when violent crime cases seem positioned for certain conviction of defendants, that loop holes and poor judgement by those commissioned to protect the public fail miserably in the quest for justice. The system has made a mockery of this case and has only brought even more grief to the loved ones of the late Phylicia Simone Barnes.

Part II of a Series

To Be Continued …

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

While light rain trickled down during one of New York’s most anticipated festivities of the summer, nearly 3 million people gathered in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn for the annual West Indies Day parade, and it’s hard to imagine that such a celebration could spark any kind of pride at all considering the horrific crime that took place hours earlier only a few blocks away from the parade route. A precious baby boy name Antiq Hennis was in a stroller as his mother and father were out for a walk this past Sunday evening. The family outing soon turned tragic as a gunmen approached and began opening fire on the young family. 23 year old Anthony Hennis who cops say they believe was the suspected target, ran away leaving his son and the child’s mother behind. Police say the older Hennis was a known gang member with nearly 20 arrest. After having failed to shoot the man, cops say the gunmen walked up to the man’s 16 month old son, pointed the gun at his head, and executed the innocent child right on the street. The kid’s mother was reportedly unharmed, and community leaders are outraged that not only has violence continued to plague Brownsville city streets, but in this incident one of the city’s youngest victims has fallen prey to such senseless violence, a growing trend that signifies that a ruthless, heartless, and despicable culture of criminals have made it known that young children are fair game in the lore of retaliatory gang violence. Community leaders and police say they believe they know who the suspect is and are trying to bring him into custody. It’s a very said case of a father’s sins being brought home at the expense of his innocent child. To add insult to injury, the child’s father refuses to cooperate with police to help bring the gunmen to justice. In a typical practice of urban culture, the father most certainly has intentions on meting out retaliation in the form of his own brand of street justice, and it’s sad that more violence may in fact occur before there is any resemblance of closure to this heartbreaking story. This era of “pop culture” where “thugdom” and “gangsterism” has increasing become the order of the day, makes it crystal clear that there is an element within the black community that must be reckoned with. If the black community intends on moving forward to establish true freedom and prosperity in America, we must severe ties with a violent contingency of  young black men who have no regard for human life. Acts of violence of this nature against innocent children must rightfully be characterized as pure cowardice behavior, that cannot, and must not be tolerated within any civilized society. Just a week ago America celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the people’s march on Washington, for jobs and freedom. This symbolic protest for equality of all peoples in this country continues to be hindered by crimes such as black on black violence throughout the nation, and senseless acts of violence such as in the Brownsville case, only gives credibility to gun rights advocates who constantly lobby for the right to carry firearms, and justifiably out of apprehensive fear of potentially falling prey to gun violence at the hands of young black people.  Most importantly, the black community’ collective failure to demonstrate non tolerance for heinous black on black crimes of violence has created a platform for would be thugs and other criminals to reek havoc within our community with absolute impunity. Thousands of people of all ethnicity marched and protested around the country in outrage of George Zimmerman’s acquittal of killing young Trayvon Martin, but we haven’t hard even a ripple signifying any kind of outrage for the murder of young Antiq Hennis. This double standard of seeking justice when young blacks are unjustifiably murdered can not continue. We must began to speak out, march, protest, and demonstrate with just as much passion when the killers of black babies are in fact black themselves. My intention is not to downplay the tragedy of the Hennis child, but to speak out about our failure to bring those within our own community to justice when they are the perpetrators of violent crimes against children and others within our own community. Failure to do so literally aids and shields these cowards from justice. If your child is a killer and you help him to evade the criminal justice system, them you are just as responsible as if you committed the heinous act of violence yourself. We must become exhausted with “stop snitching” codes of silence, and began to point out the negative element within our communities who hinder the growth and progress of our people. We cannot remain silent any longer. Turn this cowardice bastard in.

Baby Shot Dead

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adams

In this multi cultural melting pot we call the United States of America echoes can be heard with resounding resignation calling for freedom, liberty, justice, and patriotism to America and the proclaimed majesty of “Old Glory” (our national flag). The historians have taught us that minute men rallied together, side by side, and in solidarity to win our independence from British rule. In that victory was forged a tradition which welcomed immigrants from all over the world to settle on our shores, and make America the land of the free and the home of the brave. It’s and ideology that many loyal red-blooded Americans revere, but freedom has come at a price to many brave Americans who have lost their lives in defense of so-called democracy. Centuries later, America continues to rely upon the bravery and patriotism of her citizens who travel across oceans to fight wars at the behest of our government. Consequently, many U.S. veterans return to the shores of our country battered, disabled, sick from PTSD, and without the proper support of our government whom they have fought for. As the streets throughout American cities continue to grow with disenfranchised American Veterans, who seemingly have been cast out by a society ungrateful for their service to this country, their poverty, homelessness, and psychological illness is a slap in a face to the loyalty, love of country, and faith in God promoted by American leaders over the years. The government’s failure to adequately support her fallen and struggling veterans has sparked grassroots efforts from churches, local civic groups, and other non-profit organizations to simply return a sense of dignity and humanity to the poor, homeless, and our beleaguered fellow countrymen who also just happen to be, in many instances, veterans who have defended America in many of her foreign wars. So when shelters, soup kitchens, and other homeless advocacy groups like “Love Wins Ministries” set up camp in the heart of the business districts within many American cities such as Raleigh, North Carolina, its not only a blessing, but an appropriate course of action when our government fails to honor its part in helping to insure the “pursuit of Liberty” for all of her citizens. Unfortunately, many communities in our nation are just as responsible for the lack of aid, support, and leadership when the plight of homeless Americans comes knocking. LWM in concert with several local church groups in the Raleigh area has consistently extended its support through no expense of taxpayers, to help lessen life burdens of homeless people within their community for more than 6 years. However, today all of that changed when LWM organizers and advocates  were threatened with arrest when they attempted to hand out breakfast (biscuits and coffee) to nearly a hundred people whom had gathered that morning for something to eat. There had never been an issue with the group’s efforts to feed poor Americans in the past, and police have often stopped by for coffee and breakfast as well. When organizers pleaded to simply feed people, they were told if they handed out food they would in fact “go to jail”. Organizers literally struggled to address American people whom had come for food and shamefully had to convey that the City Government of Raleigh, through its police prohibited them from displaying their usual merciful act of kindness, any they could no longer feed people. Baffled by the city’ seemingly impromptu injunction prohibiting distribution of food to homeless people, organizers failed to comprehend why such civic and Christian like practices had suddenly become a violation of Raleigh City Law. There was discussion regarding the fact that such activities in the park where the charitable efforts had previously taken place for years, was in fact inconsistent with the towns permit ordinance (assemblies of this nature usually require a city permit which cost $800 dollars per event), but the city had turned it’s head for years while LWM and other civic organizations engaged in charity for the poor, homeless, and suffering people within their community. Now it seems that if feeding poor people will continue at the traditional location it has in the past, it would cost LWM $1,600 dollars to hand out food to poor people on Saturday and Sunday respectively. The newly enacted policy of Raleigh City Law has left charity organizers scrambling for a new location to continue their work of giving to those in need. I’m sure that some organization, property owner, or a kind person will extend an act of benevolence to the church, and authorize such charitable acts of kindness to continue on private property that will shield organizers from police harassment. Yet, we are left with bitterness and anger over what appears to be nothing short of cruel, unjustified, and an obvious abuse of authority by city officials who have literally failed the most impoverished within their constituency. There simply is no rationalization that city officials can offer to explain why charity in the form of food for poor people is no longer legal for civic groups like LWM to offer its citizens in need, and even if for some unseen provocation the city’ actions are justified, the manner in which their enforcement of a newly adopted policy was carried out lacks decency , tack, and diplomacy. People following this story argue that town officials could have contacted church organizers well in advance before shutting them down entirely, and served noticed that their efforts would no longer be permitted at their traditional location. Perhaps an even better approach could have been adopted, while avoiding the appearance of officials being looked upon as careless tyrants, and shutting down their charity campaign without warning after having permitted such community service for so long. Many say the city could have partnered with the church in an effort to find more suitable facilities for the church to give back to the community. It seems that the brash and careless manner the city went about the entire matter was to send a message that there is opposition toward feeding homeless people in Raleigh, even if the source of such kindness derived from local churches. Organizers hinted that they were aware that the current site was only temporary while explaining that Raleigh had plans for property development in the area, but the church said they believed they had more time before such an acquisition would actually transpire. Even if the sudden change in town policy on the issue of homelessness has sparked over the required $800 dollar permit fee for events in the city, it’s unconscionable to think that officials would hinder aid to the poor over such a small monetary figure, considering the significance of how charity efforts by LWM has impacted struggling people within the community. We have encountered sickening human interest stories like this before in America, where the powers that be who are charged with representing the interest of the people, have used that exact sacred trust to suffocate the spirit of human dignity impacting those mostly in need of a helping hand during such hard economic times in this country.  Such deplorable actions are not only unjust, but it’s ungodly, and similar to the city having exporated sputum directly into the face of town clergy and it’s congregation who apparently are resolved to aid the poor in Raleigh. However, just like Christ, organizers plead for the community not to foster anger and hatred for the actions of city leaders, and have simply began to look for other venue to continue their work. LWM says they will continue to pray for God’s guidance, and even pray for those who have stopped them from helping poor people. Their efforts are truly the embodiment of the teachings of Jesus Christ and should be commended. Although this story is extremely moving and heartbreaking, the people must not be defined by the ineptness of public officials who just don’t get the concept of charity, support, and helping the people they are commissioned to do. I find it ironic that many of those who were there in need of food come from the black community, and while the church has never addressed such a coincidence, it’s clear that such heartless actions were more than likely driven by the seeds of racist hate in Raleigh, North Carolina. So, I urge all God-fearing people to rebuke these people who hinder righteousness, charity, and the spirit of humanity by contacting Raleigh public officials and voice complete outrage regarding this senseless matter. If your ever in Raleigh, North Carolina, don’t drink the water because it comes from a place without soul, dignity, and compassion.

“Love Wins Ministries” organizers address homeless people in Raleigh, North Carolina after having been advised by city police that they would be arrested if they proceeded in handing out breakfast to poor people. The church group has been feeding the homeless from that exact location for over 6 years, and police directives to stop, oddly comes one day after the 50th Anniversary of the “People’s March On Washington.”

The People’s Champion I’m David Adams

It was a day unlike any other in the history of the United States as the people came, marching side by side, blacks and white people alike, singing spirituals, and songs of freedom. The social climate in America had reached a breaking point and on August 28, 1963 the people marched on our nation’ capitol to confront a racist American society, who had continued to oppress her citizens of color with unwithering relentlessness, and on that day a message was sent that social change must not only come, but rather expeditiously. Many had come fresh from jail cells of historically racist states such as Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and from all over the world to take part in what was describe at that time as “the greatest demonstration for freedom in the history of America.”

It was an event which transpired before many of my generation had even been born. Hundreds of thousands of devoted freedom-fighters consisting of clergy, entertainers, politicians, and young Americans who took the call for drastic social change in this country directly to the door steps of the U.S. government. Leading the way was an articulate young Baptist Minister from Georgia name Dr. Martin Luther King. Kings great oratory prowess and distinct articulation, brought the message home clearly, decisively, and very poignantly. At stake was “the negro’s long night of captivity” on the shores of America, having been enslaved, lynched, raped of human dignity, and valued lesser than a human being. Jim Crow laws which promoted separatism through so called separate but equal legislation in many southern states of the country, had run it’s course, while the black man in American finally stood upright with profound indignation of his centuries of mistreatment at the hands of the ruling white class in America.

Rumors surfaced that there would be violence, but a well prepared team of organizers had successfully groomed marchers of the importance of peaceful protest. Fear had only developed within the white community because there had never been a protest of any kind by the negro in America the likes of which Dr. King and Southern Christian Leadership Council had brought to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on that day in 1963. Although the march failed to spark immediate sweeping social change in America, it was the foundation from which Civil Rights Laws for black people in America were ultimately born. However, the demonstration in it’s totality demonstrated to the U.S. government that the negro in America was now a developing organized community that would have to be reckoned with. Many of the surviving participants of the original march who were there that day, talk about the pride they felt when the black community came together, how they conquered racist hate through love and faith, and how the march was symbolic of what was to become of socialism in America.

Much of the accomplishments that were made during the Civil Rights era certainly most be attributed to Dr. King’s profound leadership, but if he were alive today, many say he would simply shrug off credit of any kind, and point to the cooperation of peaceful demonstrators who trusted his leadership and faith, by exposing themselves to vicious beatings at the hand of racist police, having police dogs let loose to attack them, attacked with high pressure water hoses, and jailed during peaceful protest for change. They say King would have given all credit to the people, and remark that he was only doing God’s will. Some historians say that King’s concept of protest through non violence is a hard campaign to sell considering the level of brutality many of the demonstrators endured.

Though King is rightfully credited for having made civil liberties a reality for blacks in America, his approach and idealism came with much criticism. Many other notable black leaders of his era were critical of the submissiveness of black people voluntarily offering themselves to senseless brutality in the name of peaceful protest. Malcolm X was once quoted as having called Dr. King “a glorious fool.” I might add that Malcolm’s remarks has merit considering many of the vicious attacks black people suffered during marches and protest, but the tactic was successful and brought much needed national exposure to the level of racist hate in our country, and literally showed America to it’s racist self via an international audience.

The Civil Rights era in America was an extremely turbulent time with war raging in Vietnam, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy. Malcolm X, eventually Dr. Martin Luther King himself, and all within the same decade.Fortunately freedom did come come for blacks in America at a violent, and costly price. A volume of people both black and white would perish through senseless violence on the road to freedom for people of color, and it’s a sacrifice that should be revered and cherished by every black person alive, because we have all benefited from the diligence of so many people who lost their lives so that all people could be free.

Sadly, the proper homage nor respect has not been given to the martyrs of black freedom in America. Many of our young people aren’t even aware of the march that took place in 1963, let alone the names of many of the notable leaders of that era, whose work and sacrifice is directly responsible for the very freedom they are now privileged with today. In fact, much of the social change which was orchestrated during the Civil Rights Movement has been inherited by an ungrateful, unworthy, and disgraceful generation that it is on a course of complete self destruction. Some will vigorously deny such assertion by pointing out that our youth face some of the greatest challenges unlike any other generation before their time.

Chiefly, it’s often promoted that many of the old oppressive tactics designed to suppress the social, educational, and economic development of black people are still at play in America, but are more covert, psychologically, and subliminally engineered to continue on a course of emancipation of black people as a whole. The American criminal justice system is often utilized as prima facie to substantiate the premise for argument related to indoctrinated systemic racism toward black people as a standard practice by white America. The alarming disproportionate rate in which blacks are incarcerated in this country in relationship to their counter parts of other ethnicity who are similarly situated in criminal cases, is categorized by many black scholars as being purposefully designed. However, though such arguments and other statistical data point to an unbalanced scale negatively impacting the black community, this is an area of disparity well within the scope of control of the black community itself.

Behavioral problems within our school system, in our communities, and within the black family as a whole is directly responsible for many of the incarcerations of black people detailed in most statistical data derived through research of the criminal justice system via the Department and Bureau of Prisons. In the 5 decades since we have fought for freedom, the black community in America has become more violent than societies within some of the most volatile places on earth, like Beirut, Iran, Mexico, and other traditionally violent third world nations around the globe. Every year in America black youth fall prey to violent street crime by the hundreds of thousands. Yet we continue to cry for freedom from white America when the black man is the most dangerous element that black people face within their own communities on a daily basis.

Moreover, leadership within the black community is for the most part non existent. Barring the blue collar  working class parent diligently striving to impact their impressionable kids, grassroots efforts developed through community outreach from local churches, and other localized community based organizations there are no other prominent figures who standout readily prepared to take the reigns of guidance for a people  vexed in a collective degenerate state of self inflicted oppression. When tragic stories like the Trayvon Martins, the Sean Belles, Rodney king, and other high profile cases of civil injustice occur, we see the race baiters the likes of defunct black leaders such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, and other political opportunist suddenly gain some degree of manhood. Often times their efforts only serves to bring the social climate in America regarding race, to further divide claiming that such cases are an injustice to the black community. Don’t get me wrong, they actually are, but so are the other hundreds of thousands of crimes committed against black people everyday in America by others who look just like them.

Today people will converge on Washington once again celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the people’s march with a theme of justice and freedom for black people in this country. There is tremendous legitimacy in such a protest, but black leaders should also be discussing how unjust we are as a black community to allow the killings of our kids by other black people, to go on for so long without taking a stand for the preservation of our youth. Where is the outrage for that? Even with the kind of racist incidents that black people still fall prey to at the hands of sick white people, the probability of a black man being killed by a white person today is highly improbable. Dr. King risked his life and died for the freedom of his people, and today I am ashamed of what his dream has become within the black community.

The People’s Champion

I’m David Adamsd