death row
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Man Accused of Tupac’s Murder Speaks Out for the First Time Since Being Charged
Duane “Keefe D” Davis claims he’s innocent and alleged he was paid to lie about his role in Shakur’s murder.
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Bow Wow Reveals Plans to Drop Final Album on Death Row Records
For those unaware, the 'Like You' rapper was affiliated with the label back in 90s.
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Black Man Who Spent 25 Years on Mississippi's Death Row Released From Prison After Evidence is Discredited
A Black man in Mississippi who spent over 25 years on death row has been freed after key evidence used in his conviction was discredited. According to the Associated Press, the now 67-year-old Eddie Lee Howard was convicted of capital murder multiple times in the 1992 stabbing death of 84-year-old Georgia Kemp. District Attorney Scott Colom…
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Democratic Lawmakers Urge Joe Biden to End the Federal Death Penalty on His First Day in Office
The death penalty—a thing supposedly reserved for perpetrators of the most heinous crimes, typically involving intentional and cold-blooded murder—arguably makes sense in theory; but in practice, its flaws and potential for racial discrimination are undeniable. According to figures compiled by the NAACP, Black people represent 42 percent of inmates on death row and 35 percent…
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The Jurors Who Sentenced Brandon Bernard Say He Shouldn't Die. He's Still Scheduled to Be Executed
Five out of nine surviving jurors who condemned Brandon Bernard to death at the age of 18 say they regret their decision. So, too, does the prosecutor who tried him, saying now that she finds it “morally, ethically and legally” wrong to execute him. But last Wednesday, an appeals judge ruled that the execution of…
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All Charges Against Curtis Flowers Dismissed After 24 Years of Trials in Mississippi
Curtis Flowers, a 50 year old Black man in Mississippi, is finally free of the murder charges he was tried for six times over the past 24 years—and in front of mostly-white juries. On Friday, Mississippi prosecutors announced that they will not seek “an unprecedented seventh trial of Mr. Flowers,” reports the New York Times.…
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Dak Prescott Petitions Oklahoma Governor to Release Black Man from Death Row
When he’s not fighting for touchdowns on the field, Dak Prescott is apparently fighting for justice off of it. In a letter sent to Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and the state’s parole board on Thursday, Time Magazine reports that the two-time Pro Bowler is advocating for the release of Julius Jones, a Black man currently…
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30 Days of Iconic Music Video Blackness With VSB, Day 16: 2Pac featuring Dr. Dre, 'California Love'
June 16 is Tupac Amaru Shakur’s birthday. Today—June 16, 2020—he’d be 49 years old. Since it’s Tupac’s birthday and one of his singles— “California Love”—happens to feature one of the most iconic hip hop videos of all time, it only makes sense to include him here. The video for “California Love,” which was directed by…
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He Terrorized Poor Black Women for Decades. Now, California's 'Grim Sleeper' Is Dead
Lonnie Franklin Jr., the convicted serial killer nicknamed “The Grim Sleeper,” was found dead in his cell this weekend in California’s San Quentin Prison. The 67-year-old, who is believed to have killed at least 10 women over the span of 30 years, was found unresponsive in his cell on Saturday night, reports CNN. According to…
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Curtis Flowers Is Free From Death Row After 6 Trials, 23 Years in Prison
Curtis Flowers walked out of a Mississippi prison a free man for the first time in more than two decades. All it took was six trials, 23 years behind bars, a podcast investigation, a national outcry and a Supreme Court decision, a substantial bond and a judge who disregarded the wishes of a Mississippi prosecutor…