Federal Appeals Court Tosses Out Texas Voter ID Law

A federal appeals court Wednesday struck down a voter ID law in Texas, saying it violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act. A 5th Circuit three-judge panel ruled unanimously that the law does not equate to a "poll tax" but does discriminate against minority voters.

The 2011 law, considered one of the toughest in the country, was in effect during the midterm elections last year. It was one of a handful of voter ID laws enacted in Republican-governed states. The Texas law required voters to provide certain forms of identification before they could cast a ballot.

Read more: Federal Appeals Court Tosses Out Texas Voter ID Law

Half of blacks say police have treated them unfairly

A majority of blacks in the United States -- more than 3 out of 5 -- say they or a family member have personal experience with being treated unfairly by the police, and their race is the reason.

Half of African-American respondents, including 6 in 10 black men, said they personally had been treated unfairly by police because of their race, compared with 3 percent of whites. Another 15 percent said they knew of a family member who had been treated unfairly by the police because of their race.

This information, from a survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, comes as the Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, approaches its first anniversary and the nation continues to grapple with police-related deaths of black Americans.

Read more: Half of blacks say police have treated them unfairly

Two more "Bad Boys" films to be released!

Sony Pictures released a schedule of upcoming releases and that schedule includes two new Bad Boys sequels.

“Bad Boys 3″ is set for Feb. 17, 2017, with “Bad Boys 4″ slated to bow July 3, 2019. The first two pics starred Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, though it’s unknown whether those two actors are on board for the next two movies.

16 year old Shaynia Wilkerson is missing

The Camden County (NJ) Police Department is looking for a missing 16-year-old from Centerville.

Shaynia Wilkerson was reported missing today from the 600 block of Woodland Avenue. She is described as a black female, 5’2”, 125 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. She was last seen wearing black tights, sandals and a black jacket with lace. She has been reported missing previously and was last seen on the 1800 block of E. Allegheny Avenue in Philadelphia.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call the CCPD tip line at (856) 757-7042.

Samuel DuBose shooting: Other cops don't corroborate shooters dragging story

One of the two other University of Cincinnati officers that responded to the Sam DuBose shooting is clearly heard on a body cam video saying that he saw shooter Ray Tensing being dragged. While he said that at the scene, it's not the story he or the other cop told in their official statements or during interviews with the Cincinnati Police Department.

[SOURCE] County Prosecutor Joe Deters says Kidd and Lindenschmidt arrived as Tensing reached into DuBose's car. Their official statements about what happened matched what was shown on Tensing's body camera, and neither officer said in official interviews that he saw Tensing being dragged, according to Deters.

Both officers made comments at the scene but later were interviewed in depth by Cincinnati police about what they had witnessed, according to Deters.

"These officers have been truthful and honest about what happened and no charges are warranted," Deters said.

DuBose's family had asked prosecutors to investigate the other officers. The family's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said in email Friday that they are "still concerned with the initial rendition of facts given by the officers," but he said the family respects the grand jury's decision.