UPDATE 3:51 P.M. Monday: A rep from Milano Market apologized over an incident in which Forest Whitaker was stopped and frisked by one of its employees on Saturday. The rep said the pat down was not racially motivated.

“The management of Milano Market deeply regrets the wrongful actions of our employee in stopping and frisking Forest Whitaker,” the rep told the entertainment news site. “While we can not delve into the employee’s mindset, we do not believe that he was racially motivated in his actions, simply misguided.”

The rep added that the market is taking steps to retrain employees so that such incidents do not happen again. Milano Market also wants to make a donation to a charity of Whitaker’s choice to make things right.
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UPDATE 1:00 P.M. Sunday: A store employee from Milano Market spoke to the New York Daily News about the pat down Forest Whitaker endured after he was accused of stealing from the establishment.

“It was around lunchtime and the store was packed,” said a Milano employee who refused to give his name. “We were like 50 people deep. The person walked in and out really quickly so our person just made a mistake. The employee apologized immediately. It was an honest mistake. I’ve been here 14 years and nothing like this has ever happened.”

Really? Perhaps Forest didn’t see what he wanted and simply walked out. What’s the crime in that?

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The employee’s comments still do not sit well with the Forest, according to his representative.

“This was an upsetting incident given the fact that Forest did nothing more than walk into the deli,” said his publicist, Jennifer Plante. She said the actor was on set and unavailable to discuss the incident.

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Not even the inside of a store can provide a Black man–in this case, Forest Whitaker— in New York City refuge from “Stop and Frisk.”

This time, however, the NYPD is not behind the act; it was allegedly an employee of the Upper West Side’s Milano Market who carried out the embarrassing pat down. TMZ reports that Whitaker said he was falsely accused of lifting an item off the store’s shelf and subsequently frisked by an employee. An eyewitness told the entertainment site that the Academy Award winner was frisked in plain view of everyone.

Of course, the shake down produced nothing belonging to the store and Whitaker left the establishment angry and embarrassed.

The actor’s rep told TMZ, “This was an upsetting incident given the fact that Forest did nothing more than walk into the deli. What is most unfortunate about this situation is the inappropriate way store employees are treating patrons of their establishment.

“Frisking individuals without proof/evidence is a violation of rights.”

The rep added, “Forest did not call the authorities at the request of the worker who was in fear of losing his employment. Forest asked that, in the future, the store change their behavior and treat the public in a fair and just manner.”

Milano Market has not released a statement on the incident.

President Obama with the Stars Start Gallery

UPDATE 2:10 P.M.:

A 7-year-old Detroit girl is expected to recover after her father shot her in the stomach , Fox 2 News Detroit reports.

“She’s had a few surgeries, but she’s pulling through,” said Amera’s mother Kelly Jones. “She can’t talk yet, or open her eyes, but she can hear you. She can nod her; squeeze your hand.”

Part of her arm and elbow was shattered during the shooting. The child also suffers from a debilitating muscle condition.

Ferdarius Shine, 28, is suspected in the shootings of his grandmother, aunt and daughter, Amera Jones. He checked himself into a hospital for a psych evaluation soon after he allegedly shot his three family members.

Shine reportedly has a history of mental illness. It is not clear when he will be charged for the shootings. Cops found a gun at the scene on Friday evening when the shooting took place. Shine has a permit to carry, but it is unclear when he got it. But family members question why he had one to begin with, given his reporte history of mental illness.

“They need to do more background checks before they release guns to anyone,” said Evelyn Sherman, Amera’s grandmother, who added that she has known Shine for 10 years and had no idea he suffered from any mental health issues. “

The little girl’s last words before being taken to the hospital were, “Granny, why did my daddy shoot me.”

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Ferdarius Shine checked himself into a Detroit hospital for a psychiatric evaluation early this morning after he allegedly shot his grandmother, aunt and young daughter, the Detroit Free Press reports.

The 66-year-old grandmother and the 44-year-old aunt were found dead at the scene. His 7-year-old daughter is in critical condition. The man’s mother was in the home at the time of the shooting, but she was not injured. It is not known what exactly caused the shooting.

Shine, 28, who Detroit police say suffers from mental illness, allegedly shot the three family members around 6:45 p.m. and fled the scene on a bicycle. Cops say Shine has a concealed pistol license.

Detroit Police Inspector Dwane Blackmon said Shine made unrecognizable statements before he began shooting. He also noted that mental illness may have triggered the shooting. Though, he expressed concern over how a man with Shine’s well-documented history of mental illness could have secured a gun permit.

“It’s a mystery to me as how a person with his mental capacity at this point could have a legal weapon,” he said.

NewsOne will update this story with new information as it becomes available.

Aydrea Meaders was arrested after she allegedly stepped onto the stage of her son’s school assembly and began stripping before an audience of 200-plus students and school staff, News 10 ABC reports.

Scroll down for news story video

Albany police responded to a call from North Albany Academy in upstate New York for a report of a woman exposing herself inside of the school. When the cops arrived on the scene, staff informed them that Meaders, 24, stepped onto the stage and began dancing with the students. No one expected her to join the assembly, though her dancing was not seen as anything appropriate.

“It had been going as a terrific event. The cafeteria was full. We probably had about 200 students in there from throughout the school,” said Ron Lesko of the Albany School District.

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But it didn’t take long for things to unravel, as Meaders allegedly began dancing as if she were auditioning for the “Playas Club.”

“Suddenly she stepped to the front of the group threw off her coat and stripped from the waist up,” said Lesko.

Staff quickly rushed to the stage, escorted her to the side and shielded her away from students while they waited for the cops to arrive. Looking back on the incident, Lesko said Meaders was not acting unusual until she decided that she wanted to strip.

“No behavior that anyone encountered during the assembly and she spent the time talking to the principal having perfectly normal conversation.”

She was charged with seven counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child and one count of Public Lewdness.

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius leaves the Boschkop police station, east of Pretoria, South Africa, Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013. Pistorius was taken into custody after a 30-year-old woman, Reeva Steenkamp, was shot dead at his home. (AP Photo)

PRETORIA, South Africa (AP) — Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius is “numb with shock, as well as grief” after the shooting death of his model girlfriend at his home in South Africa, the runner’s uncle said Saturday, as his family strongly refuted prosecutors’ claims that he murdered her.

Arnold Pistorius spoke with The Associated Press and two other South African journalists about his nephew’s arrest in the killing of Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot four times on the morning of Valentine’s Day. Arnold Pistorius spoke to reporters from his three-story home in the eastern suburbs of South Africa’s capital, Pretoria.

The statement, the first on camera and directly made in person by Pistorius’ family, also came out strongly against prosecutors seeking to upgrade the charge against Pistorius to one of premeditated murder, which carries a sentence of life in prison.

“After consulting with legal representatives, we deeply regret the allegation of premeditated murder,” Arnold Pistorius said. “We have no doubt there is no substance to the allegation and that the state’s own case, including its own forensic evidence, strongly refutes any possibility of a premeditated murder or murder as such.”

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The track star’s arrest in the killing of 29-year-old Steenkamp shocked South Africa, where Pistorius was a national hero dubbed the Blade Runner for his high-tech prosthetics and revered for overcoming his disability to compete in the London Games. She was discovered in a pool of blood before dawn Thursday by police called to Pistorius’ upscale home in a gated community in Pretoria. Authorities said she had been shot four times, and a 9 mm pistol was recovered at the home.

Pistorius remains held at a police station pending a bail hearing Tuesday. Police have already said they’ll oppose Pistorius being released before trial. A premeditated murder charge also makes it more difficult for his defense team to get bail.

There will be a variety of hearings before Pistorius, 26, could go on trial. In South Africa, there are no juries, so a judge ultimately would decide Pistorius’ guilt or innocence, sometimes with the advice of two advisers. At an initial hearing Friday, Pistorius sobbed and held his head in his hands at times. He has yet to enter a plea in the case.

The family denial that Pistorius committed murder doesn’t necessarily mean that they say he didn’t shoot her, as murder is a legal term. Initial speculation immediately after the shooting Thursday suggested that it could have been accidental, though police say they don’t believe that.

Arnold Pistorius did not discuss the circumstances of the shooting, but said that his nephew and Steenkamp had become very close since they started dating in November.

“They had plans together and Oscar was happier in his private life than he had been for a long time,” the uncle said.

As Arnold Pistorius read his statement, Pistorius’ sister Aimee stood nearby and broke down in tears at one point. Her uncle stopped reading for a moment to put his arms around her. Pistorius remains very close with his uncle, a man he once lived with as a teenager.

“Words cannot adequately describe our feelings,” his uncle said. “The lives of our entire family have been turned upside down forever by this unimaginable human tragedy and Reeva’s family have suffered a terrible loss. As a family we are trying to be strong and supportive to Oscar as any close family would be in these dreadful circumstances.”

Since news of the slaying, shock waves have rippled across South Africa, a nation of 50 million where nearly 50 people are killed each day, one of the world’s highest murder rates. U.N. statistics say the nation has the second highest rate of shooting deaths in the world, behind only Colombia. Others have focused their attention on Pistorius and his fascination with fast cars, cage fighting and firearms.

Steenkamp, who graduated from law school, is known in South Africa for appearing in commercials and as a bikini-clad model in men’s magazines. On Saturday, South Africa’s state broadcaster SABC planned to air a reality TV show featuring the model. Another portion of the show released earlier Saturday included a clip of her swimming with two dolphins, which tap her on the cheek with their snouts.

“I think the way that you go out, not just your journey in life, but the way that you go out and the way you make your exit is so important,” Steenkamp says in the video. “You either made an impact in a positive or a negative way, but just maintain integrity and maintain class and just remain true to yourself.

“I’m going to miss you all so much and I love you very, very much.”

Proving that conviction and consistency go hand and hand, Dr. Cornel West has once again called President Barack Obama a “war criminal” for his proliferation of a drone war that has killed an estimated 216 innocent children, reports Raw Story.

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Appearing on the radio with his comrade-in-arms, Tavis Smiley, West criticized the Commander-in-Chief for a strategic decision which seeks to minimize the loss of American lives by utilizing drone warfare that is both indiscriminate and inhumane.

“I think, my dear brother, the chickens are coming home to roost,” West told Smiley. “We’ve been talking about this for a good while, the immorality of drones, dropping bombs on innocent people. It’s been over 200 children so far. These are war crimes.”

In addition to the children killed, a recently exposed “White Paper” from the Department of Justice — an internal memo scooped by NBC — revealed that under the Obama Administration, citizens of the United States can be assassinated if they are believed to be members of Al-Qaeda.

Read DOJ “White Paper” by clicking here.

Kill List Exposed: Leaked Obama Memo Shows Assassination of U.S. Citizens “Has No Geographic Limit”

Obama has struggled with criticism of the drone war that has expanded dramatically under his administration. Indeed, according to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, there have been 6 times the number of drone strikes in Pakistan under the Obama Administration than under the Bush 43 Administration, and the CIA has been authorized to target funerals and rescuers.

“I think we have to be very honest, let us not be deceived: Nixon, Bush, Obama, they’re war criminals,” West said. “They have killed innocent people in the name of the struggle for freedom, but they’re suspending the law, very much like Wall Street criminals. The law is suspended for them, but the law applies for the rest of us. You and I, brother Tavis, if we kill an innocent person we go to jail, and we’re going to be in there forever.”

Critics have denounced the inhumanity of drone warfare — and rightfully so. The United Nations has launched an investigation into the legality of the expanding US drone war and The Bureau reports that 4,643 people have been killed in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen.

In a garishly hypocritical statement, President Obama, while framing Israel hurling rockets at innocent children in occupied Palestine as “self-defense,” said that he understands why vulnerable countries would criticize unmanned aerial attacks:

“There’s no country on Earth that would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside its borders,” he said in a press conference in Thailand.

Pot? Meet Kettle.

As previously reported by NewsOne, Dr. West has been extremely vocal when criticizing President Obama, and held none of his anger back when it was announced that he would be sworn in using the bible of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr. To illustrate the vast contrasts between the two men, West presents hypothetical questions that he would ask the slain Civil Rights leader if he were alive today about the direction of the country under the Obama Administration:

“Brother Martin Luther King, Jr., what you say about the New Jim Crow? What would say about the Prison Industrial Complex? What would you say about the invisibility of so many of our prisoners, so many of our incarcerated, especially when 62 percent of them are there for soft drugs and not one executive of a Wall Street bank gone to jail. Not one. Martin doesn’t like that. Not one wire-tapper, not one torturer under the Bush Administration — at all,” said West.

“Then what would he say about the drones on the precious brothers and sisters in Pakistan, and Somalia, and Yemen. Those are war crimes, just like war crimes in Vietnam, Martin Luther King, Jr., what would you say?”

Whether one agrees with Dr. West or not, this country under this president is responsible for the deaths of innocent children in the names of freedom and patriotism. That is fact. And it is past time that we have an honest discussion on the differences between terrorism and justice.

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President Obama said that the tragic, horrific massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut was the “worst day of [his] presidency,” and he called the victims by name. I would think that the murder of a child is the worst day of any parent’s life and out of respect for the hundreds of families who have lost children because of drones authorized by President Bush and President Obama, I list them here — by name.

RIP.

PAKISTAN
Name | Age | Gender
Noor Aziz | 8 | male
Abdul Wasit | 17 | male
Noor Syed | 8 | male
Wajid Noor | 9 | male
Syed Wali Shah | 7 | male
Ayeesha | 3 | female
Qari Alamzeb | 14| male
Shoaib | 8 | male
Hayatullah KhaMohammad | 16 | male
Tariq Aziz | 16 | male
Sanaullah Jan | 17 | male
Maezol Khan | 8 | female
Nasir Khan | male
Naeem Khan | male
Naeemullah | male
Mohammad Tahir | 16 | male
Azizul Wahab | 15 | male
Fazal Wahab | 16 | male
Ziauddin | 16 | male
Mohammad Yunus | 16 | male
Fazal Hakim | 19 | male
Ilyas | 13 | male
Sohail | 7 | male
Asadullah | 9 | male
khalilullah | 9 | male
Noor Mohammad | 8 | male
Khalid | 12 | male
Saifullah | 9 | male
Mashooq Jan | 15 | male
Nawab | 17 | male
Sultanat Khan | 16 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 13 | male
Noor Mohammad | 15 | male
Mohammad Yaas Khan | 16 | male
Qari Alamzeb | 14 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 17 | male
Abdullah | 18 | male
Ikramullah Zada | 17 | male
Inayatur Rehman | 16 | male
Shahbuddin | 15 | male
Yahya Khan | 16 |male
Rahatullah |17 | male
Mohammad Salim | 11 | male
Shahjehan | 15 | male
Gul Sher Khan | 15 | male
Bakht Muneer | 14 | male
Numair | 14 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Taseel Khan | 18 | male
Zaheeruddin | 16 | male
Qari Ishaq | 19 | male
Jamshed Khan | 14 | male
Alam Nabi | 11 | male
Qari Abdul Karim | 19 | male
Rahmatullah | 14 | male
Abdus Samad | 17 | male
Siraj | 16 | male
Saeedullah | 17 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Salman | 12 | male
Fazal Wahab | 18 | male
Baacha Rahman | 13 | male
Wali-ur-Rahman | 17 | male
Iftikhar | 17 | male
Inayatullah | 15 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Adnan | 16 | male
Najibullah | 13 | male
Naeemullah | 17 | male
Hizbullah | 10 | male
Kitab Gul | 12 | male
Wilayat Khan | 11 | male
Zabihullah | 16 | male
Shehzad Gul | 11 | male
Shabir | 15 | male
Qari Sharifullah | 17 | male
Shafiullah | 16 | male
Nimatullah | 14 | male
Shakirullah | 16 | male
Talha | 8 | male

YEMEN
Afrah Ali Mohammed Nasser | 9 | female
Zayda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 7 | female
Hoda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 5 | female
Sheikha Ali Mohammed Nasser | 4 | female
Ibrahim Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 13 | male
Asmaa Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 9 | male
Salma Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | female
Fatima Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 3 | female
Khadije Ali Mokbel Louqye | 1 | female
Hanaa Ali Mokbel Louqye | 6 | female
Mohammed Ali Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | male
Jawass Mokbel Salem Louqye | 15 | female
Maryam Hussein Abdullah Awad | 2 | female
Shafiq Hussein Abdullah Awad | 1 | female
Sheikha Nasser Mahdi Ahmad Bouh | 3 | female
Maha Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 12 | male
Soumaya Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 9 | female
Shafika Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 4 | female
Shafiq Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 2 | male
Mabrook Mouqbal Al Qadari | 13 | male
Daolah Nasser 10 years | 10 | female
AbedalGhani Mohammed Mabkhout | 12 | male
Abdel- Rahman Anwar al Awlaki | 16 | male
Abdel-Rahman al-Awlaki | 17 | male
Nasser Salim | 19

Chris Dorner Start Gallery

Ten metro Atlanta police officers have been charged with taking bribes from drug dealers in exchange for protecting them while they flooded the streets of Atlanta with cocaine, reports CBS.com.

Law enforcement officers arrested in the wide-spread corruption scheme:  Atlanta Police Department Officer Kelvin Allen, 42, of Atlanta; DeKalb County Police Department Officers Dennis Duren, 32, of Atlanta and Dorian Williams, 25, of  Stone Mountain, Ga.; Forest Park Police Department Sergeants Victor Middlebrook, 44, of Jonesboro, Ga. and Andrew Monroe, 57, of Riverdale, Ga.; MARTA  Police Department Officer Marquez Holmes, 45, of Jonesboro, Ga.; Stone Mountain Police Department Officer Denoris Carter, 42, of  Lithonia, Ga., and contract Federal Protective Services Officer Sharon Peters, 43, of Lithonia, Ga.

Former DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office jail officers involved in the scheme are Monyette McLaurin, 37, of Atlanta, and Chase Valentine, 44, of Covington, Ga.

U.S. Attorney Sally Yates says that officers involved in the scheme even suggested  using a school zone as a distraction:

“Remarkably, one of the police officers actually suggested that future drug deals be conducted in the parking lot of a local high school so they could exchange backpacks there, and that exchange of backpacks wouldn’t be something that caused suspicion,” Yates explained during a news conference Tuesday.

“This is a troubling day for law enforcement in our city. The law enforcement officers charged today sold their badges by taking payoffs from drug dealers that they should have been arresting,” Yates said. “They not only betrayed the citizens they were sworn to protect, they also betrayed the thousands of honest, hard-working law enforcement officers who risk their lives every day to keep us safe. We will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners to pursue this corruption wherever it lies.”

Drug trafficking, accepting illegal payouts and “using firearms during the commission of a crime,” were a few of the charges brought against the officers.

Read more at CBS Atlanta.

Chris Dorner Start Gallery

While most ladies got candy and flowers for Valentine’s Day, Rihanna says she got some weed, TMZ reports.

The singer showed off her gift on Instagram with the message, “Roses are green! Somebody knows how to make me happy.”

The the real question is who got her the gift. Chris Brown reportedly has a marijuana card in California. While he can buy weed for himself, he cannot purchase any for anyone else.

But ladies, let us know in the poll below which would you prefer: Weed or Candy?

Take Our Poll

U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., D-Ill., and his wife Chicago Alderman Sandi Jackson, thank family members at his election night party Tuesday, March 20, 2012, in Chicago after his Democratic primary win over challenger, former Rep. Debbie Halvorson, in the Illinois’ 2nd District. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green)

WASHINGTON — Former U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. was charged Friday with scheming to spend $750,000 in campaign funds on personal expenses. His wife was charged with filing false income tax forms.

Federal prosecutors filed a charge of conspiracy against the former congressman and charged his wife, Sandra, with one count of filing false joint federal income tax returns for the years 2006 through 2011. Both agreed to plead guilty in plea deals with federal prosecutors.

The charges represent a dramatic fall from political prominence for the couple. The son of a famed civil rights leader, Jackson entered Congress in 1995 and resigned last November. Sandi, as she’s known, was a Chicago alderman, but resigned last month.

In a statement, the ex-congressman said, “I offer no excuses for my conduct, and I fully accept my responsibility for the improper decisions and mistakes I have made.”

Jesse Jackson Jr.’s spending included $43,350 on a gold-plated, men’s Rolex watch and $9,587.64 on children’s furniture, according to court papers filed in the case.

“Defendant Jesse L. Jackson Jr., willingly and knowingly, used approximately $750,000 from the campaign’s accounts for personal expenses” that benefited him and his co-conspirator, who was not named in the one-count criminal information filed in the case. The filing of a criminal information, rather than an indictment, ordinarily signifies that a defendant is preparing to plead guilty.

Tom Kirsch, an attorney for Jackson’s wife says she has signed a plea agreement with federal prosecutors and would plead guilty to one tax count.

The charge against Sandi Jackson carries a maximum of three-year prison sentence. But Kirsch says the agreement “does not contemplate a sentence of that length.”

Although the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 sought to undermine the efforts of the northern anti-slavery movement and give power to southern slave masters, there were brave men and women who fearlessly challenged and protected those who broke free from their oppressors. One such group that exhibited great courage was the Boston Vigilance Committee, an anti-slavery group led by Unitarian minister Theodore Parker.

The group made history on this day for famously storming United States marshals and freeing Virginia fugitive slave Shadrach Minkins by force.

SEE ALSO: Successful Rescue Of Slave By Abolitionists Occurred In N.Y. On This Day In 1851

The Boston Vigilance Committee made a series of contributions, including offering finances for court fees to transport captives away from bounty hunters looking to return slaves to their southern captors. Parker was also part of the “Secret Six” – six individuals of wealth and influence who bonded together as abolitionists and supported the armed slavery revolt plans of John Brown.

Minkins was arrested while working as a waiter in Boston after the amended Fugitive Slave Law allowed escaped slaves to be captured in free states such as Massachusetts.

Although Parker was the spiritual leader of the Committee, the true hero in the Minkis case is a former slave named Lewis Hayden. A member of the non-violent American Anti-Slavery Society, with Frederick Douglas serving as a key leader, Hayden broke away from the group and embraced the use of armed resistance and liberation for his people.

Along with other Committee members, they overtook the authorities guarding Minkins by forceful means. Hayden performed the same actions for escapees Thomas Sims, Anthony Burns and William and Ellen Craft. Hayden was arrested and tried for his involvement in Minkis’ escape, but the case ended in a hung jury.

After the rescue, Minkins would find safe passage to Canada due to the group’s efforts, and he eventually made his home in Montreal.

Returning to his waiter work and opening restaurants of his own, Minkins would take up the trade of barbering and lived the life of a free man along with other African-Americans who escaped.

The actions sparked President Millard Fillmore to send troops to enforce the Slave Fugitive Law. The Committee continued to fight on behalf of Black men and women looking for advancement in a country that saw them as nothing more than cattle.

Although the Committee’s actions possibly reached a zenith with the Minkins rescue, their bold defiance not only gained a man freedom but also gave a glimmer of hope that African-Americans could combat slavery’s ugly reign by force or otherwise.

Joe Rickey Hundley, right, is accused of slapping 19-month-old Jonah, left.

Joe Rickey Hundley was arrested and charged with simple assault when he allegedly demanded that another passenger quiet her 19-month-old crying baby stating, “shut that n*gger baby up.” The man then reportedly followed up the shout with an open-handed slap across the child’s face, The Smoking Gun reports.

The incident occurred on Feb. 8 aboard a Delta Airlines flight. Hundley, who is president of an aircraft parts manufacturing plant headquartered in Hayden, Ohio, denied uttering the racial slur or even putting his hands on the child. The 60-year-old did admit to requesting that the 33-year-old mother of the boy, Jessica Bennett, keep her son, Jonah, quiet.

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Hundley, who was traveling to Atlanta to visit a hospitalized relative, told authorities he was distraught on the flight and had only consumed a single alcoholic beverage. Bennett, who was seated next to Hundley, said that her son began to cry when the flight was in its final descent. The young mom said that the altitude change must have disturbed her toddler whom she was desperately trying to calm down.

Bennett told authorities that Hundley did use the racial slur, followed by the open-handed slap across her son’s face which actually intensified his crying. The slap “caused a scratch below [the child’s] right eye,” she told The Smoking Gun.

After Bennett’s child was struck, she received assistance from a few nearby passengers. Todd Wooten, reportedly heard the slur and witnessed the slap. Bennett told authorities she thinks Hundley was intoxicated because he reeked of alcohol and the woman alleges she saw him consume several double vodkas during the two-hour flight.

The Smoking Gun reports that Hundley has had a few brushes with the law in the past:

According to Virginia state court records, Hundley was arrested in 2007 following a fight with his girlfriend. Initially charged with simple assault, carrying a concealed weapon, and public intoxication, Hundley subsequently pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor assault rap. Hundley told TSG that the weapon he allegedly brandished was a wine corkscrew.

If convicted of the misdemeanor charge Hundley could face up to a year in prison.

An unidentified nurse is suing Hurley Medical Center in Flint, Mich., over accusations of racism that resulted in her being reassigned to another area because the father of a newborn allegedly did not want his child being cared for by a Black woman, reports WNEM.com.

The nurse, who has been employed by Hurley since 1988, worked in the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital. The lawsuit contends that the father of a newborn in the unit witnessed the nurse caring for his child. The fuming father immediately demanded to speak with a nursing supervisor.

In no uncertain terms, the father allegedly informed the head nurse that he did not want any Black woman caring for his child. He then reportedly rolled up his sleeve to expose a tattoo, which is alleged to have been a swastika.

According to the attorney for the Black nurse, she was reassigned as a result. The nurse also stumbled upon a note on an assignment clipboard that allegedly stated, “No African-American nurse to take care of baby.” With regards to the nurse’s reaction, “[She] was shocked, offended and in disbelief that she was so egregiously discriminated against based on her race and re-assigned,” state the court documents.

When WNEM.com contacted Hurley regarding the litigation against them by the African-American nurse, the medical facility responded with the following statement: “Hurley Medical Center does not comment on past or current litigation.”

This Black History Month, NewsOne takes a look back at the top African-American moments from 2000 to 2012. Some will make you happy while others will undoubtedly make you angry and/or sad. Either way, here’s to the last 12 years of our living history. Enjoy!

Moment: Shani Davis Becomes First Black Athlete To Win Individual Olympic Winter Games Gold

Speed skater Shani Davis made history at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy, becoming the first Black athlete from any nation to win an individual gold medal in a Winter Games event. Davis, a Chicago native, notched the win in the 1,000-meter speed skating event and collected a silver medal in the 1,500-meter contest as well. Ranked as the fastest speed skater in the world, Davis has set eight world records with three of them still unchallenged. Winning 53 individual events as part of the ISUN Speed Skating World Cup circuit, the 30-year-old is the second all-time winning skater in the men’s division.

Watch Davis win the 2006 Winter Olympic Games here:

Pastor Jim Colerick (pictured) has put together a video he thinks will inspire youth who are seeking the “Christian truth.” The “inspirational message” this man of the cloth is sharing is called “Rapping for Jesus,” reports the Daily Mail. Though, the end of the first verse may make you cringe.

Here is the beginning of the song below:

“Well I wrote this song for the Christian youth

“I wanna teach kids the Christian truth.”

“If you wanna reach those kids on the street”

“Then you gotta do a rap, do a hip hop beat.”

“So heed my sermon, an urban kid”

My rhymes are fly, my beats are sick.”

My crew is big and it keeps getting bigger.”

“That’s cause Jesus Christ is my N*gga.

Yes, he said, “Jesus Christ is my N*gga.”

The controversial video, which was uploaded onto YouTube earlier this month by Brian Spinney, could have actually been produced some five years ago.  Spinney created his YouTube account on Jan. 15, the same day that Pastor Colerick’s church, West Dubuque 2nd Church of Christ’s website went live online. The website claims the church closed about nine years ago and Spinney, who reveals he was a high school student at the time, says he produced the video with Colerick and his wife.

Watch the video below

The video has been gaining popularity, especially via the social media site Reddit. Though it appears to be a parody with Colerick and his wife, Mary Sue, trying to mimic the moves of urban rappers. Many think the production is harmless. The papal pair with their Christian swag are just using the vehicle of rap to get the word out about Christ and critics should not label their intentions as ‘racist’ is the opinion that is being voiced by many on Reddit.

However, there are those who think such verses as “Jesus Christ is our Nig*a – let his light shine through ya” and “Let his love pop a cap in your butt and say, hallelujah,” are not only racist but blasphemous.

Where do you stand?

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This Black History Month, we honor the GAME CHANGERS: Everyday heroes whose actions make life better for the people around them. SEE ALL OUR GAME CHANGERS HERE.

Andre Dandridge

Place of Residence: Detroit

Why He is a Game Changer: When Dandridge was a 21-year-old senior at the University of Michigan, he found out he was going to be a Father. He also found out that there weren’t many resources geared toward young Black men to help him prepare.

SEE ALSO: Outdoor Enthusiast Connects African Americans To Nature, Great Outdoors

“My first reaction to the news was not joy,” Dandridge told the Michigan Bulletin. “I knew the responsibility of being a Father was going to be a life-changing experience, and I didn’t want to be irresponsible.”

That’s when the idea for Dandridge’s group, New Young Fathers, came into being. He knew there were other young men out there who wanted to be good Fathers to their children but they likely did not have had the guidance and resources to help them do so.

According to the U.S. Census, approximately 50 percent of Black children are being raised in single family households where the Mother is the head.

African-American children living in  households headed by a single male account for only 3.5 percent of the total.

Now 39, and married with two children, Dandridge, a law school graduate, is hoping to help young men 25 and younger become better fathers.

Dandridge has used New Young Fathers to host meetings and workshops for young Fathers that deal with everything from anger management to parenting skills. The group has also produced DVDs and materials to help young Fathers. A rap CD with stories told from the perspective of young Dads was another successful project. The goal is to teach young men how to successfully manage their responsibilities in one of the most-important jobs in the world: fatherhood.

“When I found out I was going to be a Father, I had to make some conscious decisions about my behavior,” Dandridge said. “I soon found out that I couldn’t afford to buy both liquor and diapers.”

For his much-needed efforts, Dandridge was named a 2012 recipient of a $25,000 grant from the Black Male Engagement Project from the Knight Foundation and Open Society Foundation. The foundations spotlight Black men working to improve their communities.

There is no cavalry coming to save the day in Black communities in America. The answers we’re looking for reside right within the hearts, hands, and heads of community residents, Shawn Dove, campaign manager of the Open Society Foundation’s Campaign for Black Male Achievement, said in a statement. BME recognizes Black men and boys as assets to the community, not as problems to be solved, and we’re thrilled to be a partner in this strategy.

Dandridge will use the money to give in-depth workshops to young Fathers with the goal of connecting them to a local support network.

“They could be the toughest dope-selling young men, but in their hearts they want to do good for their children.” Dandridge said. “They want to do good and we pull that out of them.”

Check out one of the videos from New Young Fathers offering support and advice to the young Fathers here:

 Today in Chicago, Illinois, President Barack Obama will travel to Hyde Park Academy to discuss proposals unveiled in his State of the Union address (SOTU) on Tuesday evening.  During perhaps the most moving part of his remarks, the President highlighted the tragic death of young Hadiya Pendleton who was gunned down by a stray bullet near her school in the windy city.

RELATED: Hadiya Pendleton: Two Men Charged With Murder In Death Of Chicago Honor Student [VIDEO]

The President discussed the senseless violence that took her precious life, and he literally brought everyone to their feet – even some of his biggest opponents – as he reminded us that all the victims of gun violence deserve action from us.

In a city like Chicago, where young children are dodging bullets just to get to school, this President has chosen to speak here today and address the crisis head on.

After attending far too many funerals than I would have ever imagined and after consoling countless grieving families across the country, I can’t even describe the sense of hope and relief I felt on Tuesday night, and that I feel yet again today.  I know I’m not alone. For far too long, we as a nation have ignored the anguish and suffering of parents, grandparents, and children: the veil has finally been lifted from our eyes.

On Tuesday, the President said the following about the slain Hadiya:

“One of those we lost was a young girl named Hadiya Pendleton,” said the President on Tuesday. “She was 15 years old.  She loved Fig Newtons and lip gloss. She was a majorette. She was so good to her friends they all thought they were her best friend.  Just three weeks ago, she was here, in Washington, with her classmates, performing for her country at my inauguration. And a week later, she was shot and killed in a Chicago park after school, just a mile away from my house.”

And as President Obama shared this tragic story, Hadiya’s parents sat in the First Lady’s box.

While addressing the nation during one of the most-important speeches, President Obama made sure that the victims of gun violence included young Black children who are dying on a daily basis on our streets. He mentioned Newtown, Gabby Giffords, Tucson, Oak Creek, Aurora – and he mentioned Hadiya.

For those of us on the ground that have been pushing back against rampant violence, this was a moment that can’t be understated.  All across the country, parents, teachers, grandparents, community activists, mentors, and young folks run after-school programs, counsel troubled youth, conduct gun buyback events, and even pull kids off of the street in order to provide food and shelter.

They are the unsung heroes that never look for a reward or acknowledgment – all they want is to create a better future for the next generation.  For those everyday champions, and the family members of victims in cities from state-to-state, the President’s inclusion of Hadiya spoke volumes.

Now the entire country can recognize that the face of the gun violence tragedy also includes our young Black and Brown babies.

While working as the National Executive Director of the National Action Network (NAN), I have come across more grief-stricken families than I would have ever imagined. But perhaps nothing moved me more than the heartbreaking story of young Lloyd Morgan Jr. last summer.

RELATED: Funeral For Slain 4-Year-Old Lloyd Morgan Wednesday

I don’t think I’ll ever be able to erase the image of a little white coffin from my memory.

The casket couldn’t have been more than 4 ft. long, and inside this tiny space lay the lifeless body of this innocent 4-year-old. I painfully watched Lloyd’s parents and loved ones bury this precious child whose life was cut short by a stray bullet near his home in the Bronx, N.Y.

No parent should ever face this sort of catastrophe in a country as advanced as ours.

In cities like Chicago, this unimaginable scenario has almost become a daily routine. I’m encouraged and hopeful that our President is addressing the issue where it affects people the most.

As the debate surrounding gun control measures continues in the weeks and months ahead, we as a country have to make sure that a two-prong strategy is created.  While we establish universal background checks, we must provide appropriate mental health services, job and educational opportunities to young people who are desperately in need of them.

And thanks to the President’s words on Tuesday, our collective job is a bit easier, but we can’t let the moment pass us; we must do something today.

Not tomorrow or later, but today, right now.  As we heard in the SOTU — and as we see daily on the news — the victims of gun violence are all of us.  It could be a playground near your house, the movie theater, the mall, the grocery store, a religious gathering, or just walking outside; sadly, violence can take place anywhere.

We should not have to live in fear like this. We need to enact a two-prong strategy immediately.  We owe it to Hadiya, we owe it to little Lloyd, we owe it to the babies of Newtown, and we owe it to ourselves.

As President Obama said:

“We were never sent here to be perfect. We were sent here to make what difference we can. … We were sent here to look out for our fellow Americans the same way they look out for one another every single day, usually without fanfare, all across the country.  We should follow their example.”

Sixties rock-and-roller Chubby Checker (pictured), who took the nation by storm with his classic hit, “The Twist,” is suing tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) over a novelty app for Palm OS of the same name that claims to check the size of a man’s “chubby.” The singer is seeking damages in excess of half a billion dollars reports NBC News.

Checker, whose actual name is Ernest Evans, filed the lawsuit in a St. Lucie County Florida federal court. The 71-year-old is claiming that he does not want his stage name associated with anything that is ”degrading and derogatory” in nature such as the penis measuring app. He contends that the app is tarnishing the image he has worked so hard to build and maintain for over 50 years.

According to the lawsuit, Checker has received “no compensation for the unauthorized use of the Chubby Checker name and trademark.” The legal document also demands that HP put a stop to selling anything that has Checker’s trademarked name or likeness.

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The sexual technical program which was reportedly downloaded only 84 times was removed from the market last September. In addition, HP did away with anything even remotely connected to the app such as the hardware, tablets, smartphones for the operating system that ran it in August 2011.

Famed attorney Willie Gary, who has fought some of the nation’s top corporate giants has taken on Checker’s case and says in a released statement, “This lawsuit is about preserving the integrity and legacy of a man who has spent years working hard at his musical craft and has earned the position of one of the greatest musical entertainers of all time,” commented Gary. “We cannot sit idly and watch as technology giants or anyone else exploits the name or likeness of an innocent person with the goal of making millions of dollars. The defendants have marketed Chubby Checkers’ name on their product to gain a profit and this just isn’t right,” says Gary.

Well, is “daddy really sleepin’ when mama ain’t around.”

Rappers Turned Academics Start Gallery

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A cousin of the late Emmett Till wonders if Lil Wayne understands just how damaging it was when he rapped a vulgar reference to the black U.S. teen whose death in 1955 became a significant moment in the civil rights movement.

Airickca Gordon-Taylor says Till’s family would like an apology from Lil Wayne for the brief but disturbing lyric on Future’s “Karate Chop” remix. But more than that, she’d like the platinum-selling New Orleans rapper to understand how his comparison of a sex act to the 14-year-old Chicago native’s torture death in Mississippi is hurtful to the black community.

“It was a heinous murder,” Gordon-Taylor said in a phone interview Thursday from Chicago. “He was brutally beaten and tortured, and he was shot, wrapped in barbed wire and tossed in the Tallahatchie River. The images that we’re fortunate to have (of his open casket) that `Jet’ published, they demonstrate the ugliness of racism. So to compare a woman’s anatomy – the gateway of life – to the ugly face of death, it just destroyed me. And then I had to call the elders in my family and explain to them before they heard it from some another source.”

The Future remix with Weezy guesting was leaked on the internet over the weekend. Epic Records said Wednesday it regretted the unauthorized remix version and that it was employing “great efforts” to pull it down. The brief reference – just seven words – will be stricken from the song when it’s officially released later.

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The rapper made a crude reference to rough sex and used an obscenity. He indicated he wanted to do as much damage as had been done to Till.

Gordon-Taylor says Epic Chairman and CEO LA Reid personally reached out to her on a conference call Wednesday evening that included the Rev. Jesse Jackson to explain and apologize. Jackson said in a phone interview Thursday that Reid said on the call that Future and Lil Wayne were cooperative.

“Once he got the point he realized this was beyond the zone and he immediately pulled it,” Jackson said. “And he talked with both artists, who agreed.”

Weezy has made no comment, nor has he addressed the issue on his Twitter account. Gordon-Taylor says there’s been no attempt to apologize so far.

Till was in Mississippi visiting family when he was killed for allegedly flirting with a white woman. He was beaten, had his eyes gouged out and was shot in the head before his assailants tied a cotton gin fan to his body with barbed wire and tossed his body into the Tallahatchie River. Two white men, including the woman’s husband, were acquitted of the killing by an all-white jury.

Till’s body was recovered and returned to Chicago where his mother, Mamie Till, insisted on having an open casket at his funeral. The pictures of his battered body helped push civil rights into the cultural conversation in the U.S. Bob Dylan even wrote a song about it: “The Death of Emmett Till.”

Gordon-Taylor, founding director of the Mamie Till Mobley Memorial Foundation, said Lil Wayne’s lyric was devastating to her family. Simeon Wright, Till’s cousin who shared a bed with his relative the night he was taken by the killers, heard the lyric for the first time Wednesday night.

“And he said the Ku Klux Klan would be very proud of Lil Wayne,” Gordon-Taylor said. “And as tough a man as he is, I could see the hurt and the anger in his eyes. It just demonstrates to our family just how lost are our youth.”

Both Gordon-Taylor and Jackson believe the 30-year-old rapper could help with that problem if he chose. Jackson has met Wayne, whose real name is Dwayne Carter, before and said, “I respect his art.”

Jackson says the issue of a negative portrayal of the black community comes up from time to time, citing The Rolling Stones’ “Some Girls,” for instance: “We just felt they could make their point without grossly insulting people.”

Music also has the power to uplift, he noted. Harry Belafonte opened eyes to conditions in Africa and the Caribbean, for instance. Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” helped Americans see the war in Vietnam in a new light. And Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday” helped clear the way for a national holiday honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“We want artists who have considerable power to use their power to uplift and redirect,” Jackson said. “It’s not a matter of free speech, it’s also speech that matters. … These artists have culturally transforming power. Either they hurt or they help.”

Chris Dorner Start Gallery

Nancy Dorner, the mother of former LAPD officer turned quadruple murder suspect, Christopher Dorner, has released a statement  on behalf of the Dorner family:

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we express our deepest sympathies and condolences to anyone that suffered losses or injuries resulting from Christopher’s actions. We do not condone Christopher’s actions.

The family has no further comments and ask that our privacy be respected during this difficult time.

-Nancy Dorner

Dorner’s mother said that she would have preferred if  her son handled his issues with the LAPD in a healthier way than murder — such as contact the media. She and Dorner’s sister are both cooperating fully with police.

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As previously reported by NewsOne, Dorner is accused of murdering Monica Quan, daughter of his former attorney Randy Quan, and her fiance Keith Lawrence, Riverside police officer Michael Crain and San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeremiah McKay.

In his manifesto, where he revealed extensive, institutionalized racism, Dorner wrote that he planned to kill the family members of the LAPD officers involved in his Board of Rights hearing:

I never had the opportunity to have a family of my own, I’m terminating yours.

Dorner also mentions his mother twice — at one point sharing that he no longer had a relationship with her:

Self Preservation is no longer important to me. I do not fear death as I died long ago on 1/2/09. I was told by my mother that sometimes bad things happen to good people. I refuse to accept that.

[...]

I lost my position as a Commanding Officer of a Naval Security Forces reserve unit at NAS Fallon because of the LAPD. I’ve lost a relationship with my mother and sister because of the LAPD. I’ve lost a relationship with close friends because of the LAPD. In essence, I’ve lost everything because the LAPD took my name and new I was INNOCENT!!! Capt Phil Tingirides, Justin Eisenberg, Martella, Randy Quan, and Sgt. Anderson all new I was innocent but decided to terminate me so they could continue Ofcr. Teresa Evans career.

The remains of Chris Dorner’s body were removed from the mountain cabin where he engaged in a furious shoot-out with San Bernardino Sheriff’s deputies before law enforcement reportedly moved forward with a plan to burn him alive. His California driver’s license was found next to his remains.

Nancy Dorner alleged watch the shoot-out from a Mexican restaurant as it unfolded on television.

Chris Dorner Start Gallery

This Black History Month, NewsOne takes a look back at the top African-American moments from 2000 to 2012. Some will make you happy while others will undoubtedly make you angry and/or sad. Either way, here’s to the last 12 years of our living history. Enjoy!

Moment: Chrysler 300 Sedan Designer Ralph Gilles Continues Corporate Ascent

Although Ralph Gilles has moved comfortably in to his role as President and Chief Executive Officer of Street & Racing Technology Brand and Motorsports, he made huge waves as the lead designer of the popular Chrysler 300 sedan in 2005. Starting with the company in 1992 as part of the design team, the New York-born Gilles worked up to become Chrysler’s Senior Vice President of Product Design – a position he also holds today. Having won several awards for his work in both the automotive industry and business, Gilles remains one of Black America’s top engineering minds.

Watch Gilles talk about the future of Dodge and Chrysler here: