Breonna Taylor grand juror says panel was not advised to consider homicide charges

Looks like Kentucky Attorney General was less than honest when he said that a grand jury agreed with prosecutors that no one should be directly charged with killing Taylor.

A grand juror who won a court fight to speak publicly about the Breonna Taylor investigation took issue Tuesday with statements by Kentucky's attorney general and said the jury was not given the option to consider charges connected to Taylor's shooting death by police.

The juror released the following statement through an attorney:

Statement of Anonymous Grand Juror #1

Being one of the jurors on the Breonna Taylor case was a learning experience.The three weeks of service leading up to that presntation showed how the grand jury normally operates. The Breonna Taylor case was quite different. After hearing the Attorney General Daniel Cameron's press conference, and with my duty as a grand juror being over, my duty as a citizen compelled action. The grand jury was not presented any charges other than the three Wanton Endangerment charges against Detective Hankison. The grand jury did not have homicide offenses explained to them. The grand jury never heard anything about those laws. Self defense or justification was never explained either. Questions were asked about additional charges and the grand jury was told there would be none because the prosecutors didn't feel they could make them stick. The grand jury didn't agree that certain actions were justified, nor did it decide the indictment should be the only charges in the Breonna Taylor case. The grand jury was not given the opportunity to deliberate on those charges and deliberated only on what was presented to them. I cannot speak for other jurors but I can help the truth be told.

Anonymous Grand Juror #1

Kobe Bryant: Bryant’s Lakers Jersey Is Now on Display at the National Museum of African American History and Culture

The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is displaying basketball icon Kobe Bryant’s basketball jersey in the “Sports: Leveling the Playing Field” gallery, beginning Oct. 15. Bryant wore this important piece of basketball history during Game Five of the 2008 NBA Finals, the year he won the league’s MVP award. Bryant’s jersey will be on view next to a pair of LeBron James 15 “Equality” sneakers by Nike.

As a five-time NBA champion, Bryant earned the NBA MVP in 2008 and NBA Finals MVP awards in 2009 and 2010 with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent his entire NBA career. Bryant was also part of the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team that won gold medals in 2008 and 2012. The basketball icon’s life was tragically cut short in a helicopter crash Jan. 26, 2020.

The jersey is white with yellow panels and purple piping and accents. It features a sewn design across the front reading “Lakers/24” and on the back reading “Bryant/24.” The NBA logo is embroidered on the left shoulder. The display text accompanying the Bryant jersey reads: “In 1996, Kobe Bryant became the first guard to successfully make the leap from high school to the National Basketball Association. At the time, experts were skeptical that high school wing players could compete in the NBA. His success ushered in the modern era of younger players in the league.”

“Kobe’s contributions on and off the court are remarkable,” said Spencer Crew, interim director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. “As a founding donor, he understood the significance of this museum to the nation and the world. After postponing the March installation due to COVID-19, we believe now is the perfect moment in history to honor his memory by placing his jersey on view.”

As a founding donor of NMAAHC, Bryant urged his Twitter followers to visit the museum in 2016 by tweeting, “There is no greater testament to this country than the stories in this building.” The Kobe and Vanessa Bryant Family Foundation contributed at least $1 million to NMAAHC, and in 2017, Bryant donated his 2008 jersey to the museum.

For those who cannot visit the museum in person, Bryant’s jersey and more information about his career can be viewed online at https://nmaahc.si.edu/. Free timed-entry passes are required to access the museum and are available on the museum’s website.

NMAAHC is open Wednesdays through Sundays 11 a.m.–4 p.m. To protect visitors’ and staff’s health, the museum limits the number of passes to 1,100 per day. During this time, the museum will not accommodate any walk-up visitors.

African American Reports Interview with Jerri Haslem, the founder of the 8:46 Breathe Series Race

Hi, this is George Cook of African American Reports. Please check out my interview with Jerri Haslem, the founder of the 8:46 Breathe Series Race to honor George Floyd. Learn more and register for the event here: 846BreatheSeries

C. Vivian Stringer inducted in N.J. Hall if Fame

C. Vivian Stringer, the head coach of the Rutgers women’s basketball team was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame on Sunday.

Stringer was the first African American coach in college basketball to win 1,000 games as well as the first coach in basketball to take three college teams to the Final Four.“The greatest gift that I’ve had is the ability to do something that I really care (about) and love,” Stringer said, accepting the honor.

“To everyone that has been a part of this journey with me, I say thank you for helping me live my dream," she said.

[SOURCE NJ.COM]

Virginia State University creates John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership

Virginia State University, VA- Virginia State University (VSU) has announced a new venture focused on increasing African American political leadership across the Commonwealth of Virginia. During a press conference this the University announced the creation of the John Mercer Langston Institute for African American Political Leadership (JMLI).

The JMLI at Virginia State University is devoted to developing, empowering, and cultivating African American leadership in the Commonwealth of Virginia through innovative training, policy collection and assistance, programming, research, and networking.

Along with today’s announcement, the John Mercer Langston Institute kicked off the inaugural “Black Virginia Voters Poll”, which highlights the needs of Black Virginia voters from across the Commonwealth. The poll will be available on the VSU website.

According to Dr. Wes Bellamy, Chair of the VSU Department of Political Science, “This Institute will help develop a pipeline for Black political leadership across the state and ensure that the voices of those who are often unheard will be represented. We hear loud and clear the need for change, for new voices, a thirst for understanding political structures, and people eager to make a difference. The JMLI institute is here to do just that.”

VSU President, Dr. Makola M. Abdullah says “As we look at the current political climate, it is imperative that clear avenues for Black political development are available. VSU has consistently worked to ensure that our students are prepared and equipped to be viable assets to society in the Commonwealth and beyond. The JMLI will serve as an additional voice and pathway to make that happen.”

The JMLI will also host a formal institute to develop Black political leadership in February 2021. Registration for the institute will be available in December 2020.

John Mercer Langston was an American abolitionist, attorney, educator, activist, diplomat, and politician. He was the first president of Virginia State University and the first dean of the law school at Howard University.