I woke up early today to a text message on the sad news that Rep. Elijah Cummings (D. MD) passed early this morning. Elijah was a husband to Maya Rockeymoore, father, brother, lawmaker and friend to many persons, including myself. Just about everyone in Baltimore has an Elijah Cummings story. I am no exception. Many persons call Rep. Cummings by first name as he gave the impression that he was everyone’s friend. For this article, I will refer to him as I knew him—simply as Elijah. I first met Elijah when I graduated from law school. I didn’t know lawyers with whom I could seek advice. I personally didn’t know any lawyers. Elijah was a family friend who agreed to meet with me to discuss preparing for the Maryland bar exam and on becoming a lawyer. I expected it to be a one- time meeting. However, it turned into a lifetime of mentorship to me. He assisted me with tips on taking and passing the bar exam. I believe that due to his mentorship, I passed the Maryland bar on the first try. … [Read more...] about My Tribute on the Passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings
death
Martin Luther King, Jr. 50 Years Later: What’s Changed?
On April 4, 1968 civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated while standing on the Lorraine hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee. In the wake of 50 years since his assassination, with the Trump era, white supremacy uprisings, police shootings of unarmed African Americans, disenfranchisement of Black convicted felons and mass incarceration, many are left wondering if anything has changed in 50 years or changed for the worse. In order to reflect on the 50 years, one must begin with a look back at the years before Martin Luther King’s rise in civil rights era. Martin Luther King, Jr. led the civil rights movement from approximately 1955 until his death in 1968—a short 13 years. In those 13 short years, King’s leadership with others accomplished more than had been accomplished in the 350 years since Blacks first arrived in the U.S. Throughout the U.S. African Americans were treated as less than 2nd class citizens. Separate but equal was the law. In the year before … [Read more...] about Martin Luther King, Jr. 50 Years Later: What’s Changed?
As the World Turns in Baltimore Police Officer Cases
There have been more twists and turns in the Baltimore police officers’ cases involving the death of Freddie Gray that anyone can count. The first two trials ended without a conviction. And today, more unlikeable twists and turns occurred in a Baltimore court room in the case of Caesar Goodson, the van driver. Goodson has been viewed by most persons, including some of his fellow officers as the most culpable one likely responsible for Gray’s death. The Baltimore City State’s Attorney office charged Goodson with the most serious crime of second degree murder-depraved heart along with manslaughter, assault, reckless endangerment and misconduct in office. Goodson’s trial started today with pre-trial motions where he elected a bench trial before Judge Barry Williams, to the surprise of many legal analysts, including myself. A defense motion was also granted that precludes the state from introducing the April 15, 2015 statement of William Porter. Porter allegedly told … [Read more...] about As the World Turns in Baltimore Police Officer Cases
High Stakes for Third Baltimore Police Officer Trial
The stakes are high for Baltimore City prosecutors as the third of six high profile police officer trials in the death of Freddie Gray starts on Monday, June 6 with Officer Caesar Goodson, the van driver. Prosecutors were unable to obtain a conviction in the first two trials of Officers Porter and Edward Nero. Porter’s case ended in a mistrial and Nero’s trial ended in an acquittal of all charges. Goodson is considered to be the most culpable of the six as he is the only officer charged with the highest charge of second degree “depraved heart” murder. And Goodson was driving the van in which the prosecutors allege the injuries occurred. Whether prosecutors will be able to convict Goodson of any charges remains to be seen. There is no doubt that high pressure is on the prosecutors in this case. There are several key things to watch for in Goodson’s case. First, Goodson did not give a statement to any investigators. And he has an absolute right to remain silent at his trial. The state … [Read more...] about High Stakes for Third Baltimore Police Officer Trial
My Tribute to Prince
Prince Rogers Nelson left what we celebrate as “this thing called life” on April 21, 2016. Prince’s legacy will remain eternal in this life and in the after-life. When news broke of Prince’s death, I was numb at the thought of his passing too soon. People from around the world are celebrating his life and legacy. Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016) deserves all the accolades for his life, legacy, music and message. From multi-talented musician, singer, song writer, record producer, actor, to film director, there will never be another musical genius like Prince in our lifetime. Prince was more than a musician. In the words of President Obama, Prince was a “creative icon.” As one Twitter user, “@ElusiveJ eloquently stated, “Thinking about how we mourn artists we’ve never met. We don’t cry because we knew them, we cry because they helped us know ourselves.” And Prince’s music, message and life helped us to know ourselves and who we should become in this thing called … [Read more...] about My Tribute to Prince
Why the Boston Bomber May Avoid the Death Penalty
The jury started deliberations on the death penalty phase on Wednesday in the case of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the now infamous Boston Bomber who was convicted of all 30 counts involved in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, including 17 eligible for the death penalty. His actions took the lives of three persons, including seven year old Martin Richard and severely injured 264 others. Some victims have undergone at least 60 surgeries due to their injuries. It’s difficult to imagine a more heinous crime deserving of the death penalty, Yet despite the heinous acts, Tsarnaev may receive life in prison without the possibility of parole. The prosecutor must convince all twelve jurors to sentence Dzhokhar Tsarnaevto death on a single count. If twelve agree to death on a single count, he will receive the death penalty. And that may be more of an uphill climb than most would imagine. The defense on the other hand has only to convince one person on each of the eligible counts that he … [Read more...] about Why the Boston Bomber May Avoid the Death Penalty