Who is Shuan Alexander Hodge? A Lifetime For a Lie-Justice Is Late- Justice Denied!

Shawn Hodges has been in prison for 26 years. He was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and grew up in the Austin Homes Community. Originally built for white residents, Austin Homes eventually became a close-knit community for black residents, including Shawn’s grandmother, who was one of the first black residents to move in. However, over the years, Austin Homes became infested with crack cocaine and many of the youth began selling drugs. Shawn himself was involved in running drugs for older guys, but he never committed any violent crimes.

During the 1990s, there was a push for federal funding to remove lifelong residents from Austin Homes. Gentrification efforts, funded by the Hope Six program, aimed to transform the public housing into prime real estate. As Austin Homes was conveniently located close to downtown, there was a motive to declare it a public nuisance and tear it down.

In 1997, Shawn Hodges was arrested for the murder of Benny Boling, a relative of former university president Edward J. Boling, for whom the Thompson Boling Arena was named.

Attorney Brandt Davis was appointed to represent Shawn, but he proved to be ineffective throughout the entire process. There were instances where Shawn felt his lawyer was intoxicated and couldn’t remember the details he shared. Davis even attempted to coerce Shawn into pleading guilty. Despite several requests for a new attorney, Judge Mary Beth Leibowitz denied them.

The case against Shawn was built solely on eyewitness testimony since there was no physical evidence connecting him to the murder. However, six witnesses denied Shawn’s involvement or presence during the incident near his grandmother’s apartment. Prior to the shooting, Shawn had been involved in a fight along with his cousin and the son of Debra Henderson. One of the witnesses who identified Shawn as the shooter was Debra Henderson, the mother of the person involved in the fight. Another witness was her cousin, Patricia Hamilton, who testified as the state’s star witness, claiming she had no history of dishonesty.

Anthony Purcell, the jury foreman, had previously served on a jury where another defendant was found guilty in a murder case. During Shawn’s trial, the jury requested to visit the crime scene to determine if the state’s witnesses could have seen the crime from their apartment windows. However, Judge Leibowitz denied this request, and the predominantly white jury took less than an hour to convict Shawn of first-degree murder, sentencing him to life in prison.

After Attorney Brandt Davis passed away, Shawn spent many years in prison without legal representation until he filed for post-conviction relief and was assigned a new attorney, Stephen Ross Johnson. Although Johnson managed to get Patricia Hamilton to recant her testimony, he couldn’t obtain any records regarding her because she had several aliases. However, Judge Leibowitz deemed Hamilton’s recantation not credible and believed it wouldn’t prove Shawn’s innocence.

In 2019, Shawn reached out to Black Lives Matter, and they conducted an independent investigation and traveled to Georgia and spoke with government & court officials. They spoke with the state’s original investigator, a retired Knoxville Police officer who remembered the case vividly. He revealed that he had given all his notes and records to Marsha Mitchell, the lead prosecutor in the case. Prior to working in Knoxville, for District Attorney Randy Nichols, Mitchell had worked in Memphis under Shelby County District Attorney Bill Gibbons but shortly transferred out of his office. Mitchell had a history of frequently changing offices throughout the state of Tennessee and had since left the country.

The retired police officer, and former (KPD) Knoxville Police officer said he always investigated cases thoroughly. He felt that Shawn’s case never sat right with him because he only wanted to put guilty people in prison. He assisted Black Lives Matter in discovering that a governor’s warrant had been issued for Patricia Hamilton since she couldn’t be located in Tennessee. Normally, a governor’s warrant is required when a person is in custody in another state. Further investigations by Black Lives Matter uncovered jail and court records in Calhoun, Georgia, indicating that Patricia Hamilton was in custody and facing felony indictment for multiple crimes investigated by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. It was revealed that Hamilton’s testimony was likely perjury and she could not have seen any crime in Tennessee because she was in Georgia.

Shawn Hodges filed a Writ of Error Coram Nobis, requesting that the new evidence demonstrating Hamilton’s perjury be introduced and that he be granted a new trial.

On June 27, 2023, his new attorney, Mary Eugenia Lewis, argued for an evidentiary hearing to review the documents uncovered by Black Lives Matter in Georgia. The fate of Shawn’s life now rests in the hands of three older white appellate judges who were practicing law at the time of the trial and attended the University of Tennessee, where the Thompson Boling Arena hosts its graduations.

In seeking justice, it is important to note that the evidence does not definitively prove Shawn’s innocence but does indicate that Assistant District Attorney Marsha Mitchell was involved in suborning perjury, leading to an innocent man being incarcerated. Ultimately, only God knows the truth in this complex and troubling case. We at Black Lives Matter Memphis are not against all police just crooked a** police but grateful for the ones who are honest like the white investigator/KPD officer who remember all the facts of this case, and did his job with integrity. We just pray that the 3 judges who don’t look like Shaun Alexander Hodge will have the courage to give him a new trial or set him free no matter what the cost. A lifetime for a lie. Justice Denied! Justice delayed! (Thurgood Marshall Justice Committee Sponsored) #FreeShuanHodges #blacklivesmatter #blacklivesmatterknoxville.

https://www.youtube.com/live/z1avq2MI5ss?feature=share&t=980

Justice 4 Tyre Nichols- A Son’s Scream & Mother’s Cry.

Raising a black son in America is the most challenging assignment for his mother. Knowing that she will give birth to a precious gift that will have so much opposition, takes unthinkable extraordinary courage. Watching a child cry for his mom when he is left with a babysitter, or on their first day at school is something most of us have witnessed. We tend to comfort the child because we know that they will be reunited and the separation anxiety will dissipate. The next time a child is separated, he will probably cry again but not as much, and not as long. Eventually, he faces the separation anxiety of wanting and needing his mother. Then when he cries, he is assured that she will return soon and their bond will never be broken.

In the black community, one says, “Stop crying for your mama or Go run home to your mama!”, because that is a safe and sacred place he knows he should always have a sense of undeniable security. We have heard what happened to Tyre Nichols on 1-7-2023. Less than 100 feet away from his residence, his mother’s home, he was screaming “MAMA!” We all heard a son scream and his mothers cry, but what we don’t know is WHY.

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A post shared by Pamela Moses (P. Moses) (@pmoses_prettypimp)

Funeral of Tyre Nichols @Mississppi BLVD Church VP Kamala attended along with other leaders

On January 7, 2023, Tyre Nicholas gave his last scream and his last cry for his mother while he was repeatedly beaten by Memphis Police Scorpion Unit. February 1, 2023, Black History Month began with the world watching Memphis, TN as Tyre was eulogized by Rev. Al Sharpton at the Mississippi Boulevard Church.

It has yet to be determined what would possess a human being to treat another so inhumanely. A picture is worth a thousand words and the facts are clear despite many rumors surfacing. The only facts are indisputably clear, the body cameras and sky cops don’t lie.

Tyre’s sister, Keyana Dixion described him as, “A beautiful soul”, during her heartfelt reflections during the funeral. “He was the most polite person” she knew, and even when he was beaten he asked them, “Could you please stop?” They didn’t stop. They did not show one ounce of respect for his human life.

Tyre’s death has shaken the entire country, but the City of Memphis remains in denial of its’ continual problem of public corruption. Memphis’ first black woman police chief has been exposed for her prior similar issues in Atlanta, Georgia & Durham, North Carolina. One incident involving Police Chief, CJ Davis, resulted in a similar tactical unit (Reddogs) killing a 92-year-old grandmother in Atlanta. She has fired some of the officers involved in Tyre’s murder but she has not resigned nor has Mayor Strickland asked for her resignation. Are the blind leading the blind in Memphis while the families continue to cry out? Or is this just business as usual in Memphis?

In London, England, and other civilized countries, police don’t even carry guns, but in America, guns are used daily. The city is plagued with repeated gun violence but it was not a gun that killed Tyre Nichols. It was the warped “Willie Lynch” mentality imprinted in the Memphis Police Department that possessed rookie cops led by seasoned cops to posture themselves as criminals. They were supposed to be protecting and serving our community. The mentality that has been embedded in our public and private sectors of government has taught us to self-hatred. It is the socioeconomic idiosyncrasies that force one with a badge to believe that it’s ok to use excessive force on a “black man“. One might ask if Tyre were white would his life have meant more and would he have been spared this kind of beating, long enough to realize he was just like them- A young black man, with a black mama who just wanted to go home.

Where is humanity in our policing? We at BLM Memphis think everyone should be fired and we should just start all over with new employment. The EMS who worked under the fire department was there to render aid. They did not show one ounce of compassion for his life as they watched him drift in and out of consciousness. They did not even ask the police to remove the handcuffs so they could treat him as policy and protocol required for medical treatment. The EMS went along with the inhumane treatment nonchalantly like he was nothing. The EMS broke their oath and gave up their humanity when they failed to treat him. Where was the courage of one civil servant to simply help him out?

The Sheriff’s Department made the scene too but not one person in authority dared to say “This is wrong, please help him!” Humanity did not exist then and we don’t believe it exists now, because of the 5 black officers who were indicted, arrested, had a source hearing, and have since been released from jail (In less than 24 hours). Will these same standards be applied and extended to the individuals who typically wait 2 weeks -2 months for a “Source and bond hearing?” We hope the Judges will apply the same standard in the name of equal protection for all.

5 Officers Charged in Beating of Tyre Nichols

Many protests and outcry came from different activists to ignite the world for the travesty and everyone had different perspectives but what we can all agree is we have a big problem that requires federal intervention in Memphis. We are planning healing events for the city please stay tuned to our Instagram and Twitter for more information.

Despite everything that is happening, we now have concrete crystal clear proof that the whole damn system is guilty as hell. We pray that Tyre’s life will bring our city to a breaking point of understanding that the police are out of control. Consequently, taxpayers must cut their funding now and invest in racial equity and not more police. There are good police but these bad apples have ruined the entire force. We demand justice for Tyre and all the other people who are victims of the continual police violence and unnecessary excessive force. We demand that our organization be directly involved in re-training all of our law enforcement with hopes to rebuild public trust for a better Memphis and set an example for the rest of the country. #Justice4TyreNicholas #TyreNichols #J4TN #blacklivesmattermemphis #BLMMEMPHIS CASHAPP $BLMMEMPHIS

Request to District Attorney Steve Mulroy

#Dismantle(DCS) Department of Children’s Services

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Human Rights violations have reached an all-time high in the State of Tennessee

BLM Memphis requests federal oversight for the Mothers & Children Separated By the Tennessee Department of Children Services. On October 20, 2022, Community Members Demanded Answers in Regard to Missing Children and that Parents & Children Be Released from the state’s custody.

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted millions of children’s lives. The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services (DCS) is presently forcing many families to turn over children because of malicious prosecutions ensued by former District Attorney Amy Weirich.  DCS is responsible for placement while parents are incarcerated if there is no one to care for them, but this is not always the case. Children who are brought into the custody of DCS are victims of displacement, child sexual abuse, and adverse childhood experiences linked to life-long mental and physical health challenges.  These issues will cause our children to be prepped for the DCS to prison pipeline.  Due to incompetence, DCS is juggling case workers and foster care placement workers daily for supervision of small children because they have no placement for children in their custody. 

These concerns reached an all-time high when a 3-year-old was erroneously reported missing by Jennifer Yarbrough of DCS to the Memphis Police Department. This child was physically taken into custody on a Sunday at the Independent bank. It was then determined that other children were asleep on the floors in cubicles at 40 S. Main Independent Bank building.  The actions of DCS increase irreparable trauma, and household stress, and creates tension with the Memphis Police Department because they are being weaponized by DCS. DCS continues to violate parents’ and children’s human rights.

We are demanding answers and calling for a moratorium on children entering DCS custody until the United States Department of Justice can review its systematic practices that cause unnecessary harm to predominantly black children. We are also asking the state to verify how many children are in custody due to their parent’s incarceration.  MOTHERS HAVE RIGHTS TOO (MHRT) is partnering with other local and national organizations for support to affected families to focus primarily on damages and reshaping the narrative around governmental child abuse and neglect. 

Our commitment to evidence-based tools, like home visiting, to address the root causes of child abuse and neglect before they happen and invest in community-based alternatives for parents and children rather than more DCS workers.  Our goal is to promote positive family experiences
as parents support children in their reunification with parents or families.  Communites are being destroyed by incompetence. The goal should always be family reunification, not separation. Black Lives Matter Memphis calls for a city-to-county,  State-by-State audit, and analysis to help reduce children entering into a broken system. We need all parents who have had negative encounters with DCS to join the certification class for this negligence.” The State of Tennessee’s constitutional violations and failure to provide adequate care for children in their custody require drastic change immediately.  Scan the QR code to join the class action lawsuit. #blackbabiesmattertoo #blacklivesmattermemphis

Young Dolph Murdered- WHY?

Self Proclaimed King of Memphis Adolph Young Dolph was assassinated at 2370 Airways Blvd. The 36-year-old rapper was at Makeda’s Homemade Butter Cookies. It is rumored he had an interest in the business and frequented often to show support publicly. His death has shocked the Hip Hop world, and his community in Memphis as well as Makeda’s Cookies in distraught.

Makeda’s Cookie Store after shooting

A black-owned business, Makeda’s Cookies employees have been tight-lipped about what happened on that sunny Friday afternoon when he was gunned down inside their business. This tragedy while causing their business to be shut down they still maintain 2 other separate brick and mortar locations. Losing a beloved entrepreneur like Young Dolph has surrounded their place of business and family with scrutiny and many people suspect that they were involved in his death.

Moments before his death he was spotted at a gas station in his bulletproof sports car. It is believed that the assailants followed him from the gas station. Others have made comments to suggest collusion with the cookie store owners but no one has been arrested. Makeda’s was forced to shut down their Airways historical location because of the death & damages. It is not clear who was in the store at the time of his death but interviews showed Makeda’s family members at the black-owned Cookie shop.

Young Dolph @Gastation right before shooting

The armed, black, masked, gunmen still haven’t been caught and are at large leaving the city with multiple unsolve murders including a connection to a Tipton County homicide. City police have suggested gang-affiliated, but an independent investigation revealed from detectives is that no one is talking about who did it to them and 2 neighboring business confirmed their surveillance footage inside and outside was not working that day he was murdered.

Alleged Assailants

One business owner stated she did not know personally know Young Dolph but she saw him at the Makeda’s location all the time. She was afraid to speak about the details of the shooting but stated her cameras were not working either on the day of the shooting. Everyone we spoke with concerning the shooting did hear the shots when it happened but claimed they took cover immediately.

No one saw anything afterward the shooting to help identify the killers. Across the street, the auto repair business’ cameras were not working either on that day. The lawlessness of the brazen murder was an assassination of a Memphis legend and the King of Memphis Rap less than a mile from the Memphis International Airport.

Camera in between Laundry Mat and Makeda’s

Much like in the case of Nipsey Hussle ‘The Marathon’ will continue as people in the community are making donations and helping Makeda’s Cookies with the loss of that business, one of three locations. A GoFundMe page, for Makeda’s Cookies, was created and some people have found this to be suspect because most businesses have insurance for liability purposes. Makeda’s store had surveillance inside and outside of the building so if their cameras were working the footage should show Young Dolph entering the store and what happened inside the store. The other adjacent business’s cameras all stop working at the same time.

Young Dolph Shrine-Family Dollar is Next Door -Camera outside corner of Makeda’s

Why was Young Dolph murdered? No one but the people involved knows why he was murdered but after 2 attempts on his life, it’s clear that someone wanted Young Dolph dead but no one has been arrested and there is no indication of a robbery just shooting. No one has released the inside store footage from Makedas. No pictures of his casket or dead body have been released to the public nor has an autopsy report detailing the exact time or cause of death. The District Attorney has not made one comment about the death. There is the Airways police precinct less than 3/4 of a mile from where the shooting occurred. Some speculate Dolph may have faked his own death like Makaveli. Some have said the police are involved and that’s why no one is talking. We as taxpayers spent millions of dollars on a real-time crime lab, sky cops, body cams, and continual surveillance that is apparently not working for us because the city is riddled with bullets night after night but no arrests are made and no homicides are solved. More police is clearly not a real solution because the ones we have can not get the job done even if it happens around the corner from the precinct. His death so close to the airport suggest that our soft spots are major US FEDEX hub locations are not safe and pose a national security threat to the city of Memphis because if someone can be assassinated so close to the airport what would we do if a terroristic attack or something happened? We know there would be no answers!

What we do know is Adolph Robert Thorton Jr. was eulogized by a pastor who did not know him at First Baptist Broad. He was not a member of the church. Young Dolph was allegedly laid to rest in a private ceremony. Attendees included his partner Mia Jaye, children, 2 Chainz, and other undisclosed celebrity friends and family. A public ceremony is scheduled for December 16 at the FedEx Forum. Located in downtown Memphis, the venue holds approximately 19,000 people.

Dolph Gallery

Our organization plans to fund efforts to change the name of Airways Boulevard to Adolph Robert Thorton Jr. Blvd. He gave so much love to the City of Memphis and we should return the love by not forgetting who he was and making history accurate in Memphis. 

 

#blacklivesmatterMemphis Rest Easy YOUNG DOLPH!

Moses Request New Trial For Witness & Jury Tampering

P. Moses on Trial For Voting in Memphis

District Attorney vindictively prosecutes Activist for trying to run for public office. 13 Charges Dismissed in Pamela Moses Jury Trial

By: Black Lives Matter Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – November 8, 2021, Pamela “P.” Moses was vindictively prosecuted and convicted for altering an election document by a jury of 9 white people 3 blacks & 1 Asian. Judge Mark W. Ward presiding, dismissed the last count of #14 of perjury charges prior to jury deliberations. Testimony about fake charges stemming from Judge Phylliss Gardner’s false imprisonment in 2014 was mentioned essentially confusing the jury. State and local officials testified in open court that they failed to research her eligibility and made the mistake because they did not know the law. On day 1 of the trial, 12 charges of voter fraud were dismissed. The jury trial rendered its decision in 30 minutes at the Shelby County Courthouse 201 Poplar Street, Memphis, Tennessee. During the trial, Moses requested a “mistrial” because of the intimidation of local white sheriff of onlookers and family members causing a disruption during the trial and essentially distracting jurors and allowing a lone spectator to enter the restricted witnesses area to discuss the facts of the case with witnesses in the presence of other witnesses and the jury.

Moses stated that she had no knowledge of the trial until Monday the day before due to ineffective assistance of counsel. The court refused to let her hire her own attorney because he wanted to get the case over after sitting 2 years on the docked dormant. Moses says, “This case is about voter suppression, prosecutorial misconduct, and administrative oversight which should require an immediate change of the law, and our government should spend more time-fighting crime rather than suppressing votes.” Voting Rights is a national topic now because of the paradigm shift in power and Moses intends to fight to change the state law if she has to take her case to the United States Supreme court for justice for all convicted felons.

Pamela Moses’ founder of Black Lives Matter Memphis, raises constitutional and equal protection claims protected under the Fourteen Amendment of the United States Constitutions. Currently, the correctness of the law under T.C.A. 40-29-204(3)(B) is being determined in Davidson County Chancery court Honorable Chancellor Lyle. The Federal Court recently declared the TN driver’s license law unconstitutional freeing millions of disenfranchised citizens under old south Jim Crow laws, the same archaic law claim Moses makes challenging constitutionality. The State of Tennessee process has systematically failed formerly incarcerated people with a process riddled with inconsistencies in administration and is currently in a federal legal battle for Voting Right Acts violations. Moses believes this matter will require federal intervention or oversight but trust the Davidson County Chancery Court to look at the illegality of the law and rule accordingly allowing the Shelby County conviction to be set aside in the interest of justice.

Election Commission Employee Enters Restricted Area to Discuss the MOSES Trial

Carol Collinsworth Caught Witnessed Tampering in Moses Trial

Wierich has been maliciously prosecuting Moses since Attorney Virgina Bozeman file false statements of harassment and stalking she and District Attorney Amy Weirich were close friends Bozeman has since left the State and cant be found for questioning.

Protect the Black Vote

For Immediate Release—–Tuesday, July 28, 2020, Black Lives Matter Memphis held a scheduled press conference at the Shelby County Election Commission. It is of grave concern that the absentee ballot process is being tampered with and we have concerns about the election’s integrity because voting should be as easy as possible. This is true in every county in Tennessee except for Shelby County where there is systematic disenfranchisement. The Future of democracy in the United States of America could come down to southern swing states. Black Lives Matter Memphis Activist’s conference on the voter suppression exposing the lies in which the administrator who put on the SCEC website you could not email absentee ballot request forms to the election commission. The State law say that you can email them and instructs voters to send to the local commission. The deception and illegal practices have been a common practice for over a decade and voter intimidation language was drafted, specifically, for Shelby County by coordinator Mark Goins approved by Republican majority State commissioners. Candidates participated in rally for change to protect the black vote in Memphis.

Across the U.S., many politicians have passed measures making it harder to cast a ballot.  Strategic measures have been put in place to deceive and intimidate voters particularly in Shelby County due to the Covid-19 pandemic.  Their goal is to manipulate political outcomes, which will not accurately reflect the will of the people.  Our democracy works best when all eligible voters can participate and have their voices heard.  The state law is clear and the Shelby County Election Commission (SCEC) election commission has engaged in illegal tactics to suppress votes and intimidate disabled voters from requesting by email an absentee ballot.  Legislators have not passed any laws that would allow Shelby County to be exempt from email during Covid-19. 

 

SCEC has publicly discriminated against voters to suppress the vote in a predominantly black Democratic county.   All actions were initiated and approved by a Republican designee and this illegal process will determine the outcome of our votes. Communities susceptible to suppression are outright targeted- people of color, students, the elderly, & people with disabilities.  We claim discrimination for this class of protected people. 

#blacklivesmattermemphis

Currently, the Davidson County Chancery Court is reviewing racial bias in the criminal justice system. Felony disenfranchisement laws disproportionately affect Black people in Tennessee, who often face harsher sentences than White people for the same offenses such as loss of citizenship.  Many of these tactics are rooted in the Jim Crow era when legislators tried to block Black Americans’ newly won right to vote by enforcing poll taxes, literacy tests, and other unconstitutional barriers such as fines and court costs that must be paid to be restored to be eligible to vote.  SCEC actions are equivalent to Jim Crow tactics.
   

The most disproportionate incarceration rate of Black people in the nation has resulted in the disenfranchisement of an estimated one in four voting-age black men.  Every 10 years states redraw district lines based on population data gathered in the US Census.  Legislators use these district lines to allocate representation in Congress and state legislatures. When redistricting is conducted properly, district lines are redrawn to reflect population changes and racial diversity. The State of Tennessee will use redistricting as a political tool to manipulate the outcomes of future elections. Just as the election commissioner move the marker and told us that we could not stand on the public steps this is what they always do cheat, move the ball, hide the ball, blow the whistle, they will do anything to stay in power. It is pertinent to deliver this information to the public so that this undemocratic practice that is stifling the voice of millions of voters is clearly understood.

All Shelby County voters are disenfranchised by these illegal practices of our local administrator and disproportionately affect voters with suppression tactics. Our democratic State Election Commissioner Greg Duckett was unable to provide us any information or clarification he did not even know about the email law. He has yet to respond to respond he was appointed by the State Caucus and is an attorney for Baptist Hospital. Black lives won’t matter until Black Lives Matter. #blacklivesmatter #blackvotersmatter #protecttheblackvotd

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Its been over a month since the senseless murder of Lil Jadon Knox in the historic Orange Mound neighborhood.  No leads, No tips, and No Arrest.  One might say, our city spent $500,000 on sky cops and millions on other pole surveillance. We have the capability to solve anything according to the data. We have blue lights on every block.  So what are they really filming if we can’t solve serious crimes? Memphis just got more new deputy sheriff, but no solved homicides.

One might ask, do we need more police well wait what are our current police and sheriff in Memphis doing?  The answer, is they are following people, surveilling people, but not catching criminals. Is this what our tax dollars are being used for in Memphis? Our District Attorney can located a person in an airport, of another state, by law enforcement in a few minutes but we can’t locate a killer in Orange Mound, a predominantly black neighborhood where senior citizens attend a neighborhood community center.

Ashlynn Luckett and Lequan Boyd, Jadon Knox Credit: Collierville Schools

This is the same child who attended an elementary school which is a few feet from the Brentwood City Park. Across the street is a corner store where Arabs are jibbing children out of their money all while surveilling their property.  A person may ask did the police request their footage? What steps are being done to find the person who killed an innocent child who wanted to be a rapper? Nothing. Do black lives matter? If a white child named Jason were playing in his neighborhood in Collierville, would they have made an arrest a month later? We all know they would have captured that fugitive within hours.

What can we do to help? The community must catch a killer. We can’t wait on law enforcement they are preoccupied with surveilling and following activists, not opioid drug dealers, kidnappers or murders.  The city of Memphis Police Department & Shelby County Sherriff Dept has wasted millions of tax dollars following people who criticize them rather than criminals who are harming the communities in which we pay taxes too.   We have a right to live in a safe protected community and the change begins within when we change the standards and the people who make critical community decisions. We must hold our current elected officials accountable especially when our children’s lives are at stake, and replace them when needed.  They too have unclean hands and several wasted tax dollars on following foolishness.  If you have any information that will lead to an arrest for the senseless murder of Lil Jadon Knox please go to 201 Poplar Ave. Suite 301 or contact the police. #blacklivesmattermemphis #jadonknox #catchachildkiller #justiceforjadon

Please call District Attorney Amy Weirich (901) 222-1300 and demand an arrest now for the senseless murder of Lil Jadon!

Feelings, Healing & Hope For Frayser

In Harmony Plaza, located in the Bay Area of Frayser, a group of residents gathered for a Feelings sessions to process the murder of Brandon Webber. Aside from the sketchy media reports that he was involved in a robbery of a vehicle in Hernando, Mississippi June 3, 2018.  None of the media outlets have released an official report or copy of a warrant barring Brandon Webber’s name.

The chain of events are being transcribed to the media and all stations are releasing the same story.  In Memphis, the media is very consistent in painting black men as villains.  One might ask did the officers murder the wrong person? Was this a mistaken identity, and they just covered up the wrongful execution of a young man who had several vehicles are known for flipping them and he possibly just bought a stolen vehicle?  These questions should be answered but they have not as of today. Most teachers, classmates, and friends had only positive thoughts of the young man whose body was riddled with bullets in front of his mother’s home, where she was detained in the back of the police car for hours after seeing his dead body lay on the ground where they have to continue to live.

The Black Lives Matter Memphis chapter is currently organizing strategic sessions to deal with the trauma in our community.  This was the first public session we had since forming in 2014.  It was important to keep the circle youth-centered because they were the ones who witnessed the tragic murder and aftermath on Facebook live and knew the young man who was murdered.

No matter how distressed and impoverished our communities are, we have feelings too was the sentiments shared at the Frayser Feelings & Healing circle. Jayla Mariee Frayser native offered a heartfelt song and gave her 1st performance that was birthed out of this tragic event.  “Dear Memphis” the song has gone viral because of her plea for the youth that are dying not only at the hands of untrained officers but each other.  “I’m sorry for the things that we go through, I’m sorry for the lies that they told you, Oh Dear Memphis, please don’t fall apart, and I know these times get hard but We are all we got, They will never understand what we go through for them bands Oh Dear Memphis.” Our children attend more candlelight vigils than birthday parties and this has become a norm in our neighborhoods where the children bear faces on their tee-shirts of lost loved ones. The balloons represented a release of the pain that we struggle and as Frayser attempts to heal from another senseless loss of life

BLM Memphis wants to shed light on the fact that in spite of all the crime, there is hope for Frayser.  The hope may not be found in a church, a charter school or non-responsive elected officials but it is in our youth. They are watching and their eyes are wide-open.  Our youth will lead the way.  The healing will come from their responses and how we guide them. They threw bricks out of anger and rage and now it is up to the adults to show them the love that they need, that they have not received for quite some time and that begins with our communities demanding that our elected officials give us better tretament, better schools, better jobs, better economic opportunities and resources that make the  Frayser community feel included in Memphis.

Our children are our future do we want them dead?- do we want them throwing things at the police?- or do we want them using their talents to make the world better? You get what you pay for. Invest in black youth because Black Lives Matter Memphis… #RIPBrandonWebber #Blacklivesmattermemphis ***Special thanks to Little Ceasars Frayser Bay Area for allowing us to use their space****

 

Silenced by lies…Stand with Palestine or Die?

There are many things wrong in the world today, but ONE might not understand Maya Angelou said it best, “Be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” With so much conflict overseas America has begun to deploy soldiers here in Memphis to Israel for a war that may never end.

Black Lives Matter Memphis stood in solidarity with The Palestinian Community Center (PACC) for a ultimate ceasefire in Gaza and to raise awareness about the impact of conflict on innocent civilians, especially children, who are being murdered at the hands of government overkill.

Palestine March Sana Jamil

Memphis Historical Beale Street holds significant cultural and historical value, and using this location for such an event can help draw attention to the cause and promote awareness in the local community. The collaboration between different groups with common humanitarian concerns reflects a unified effort to advocate for peace and an end to the violence that affects innocent lives.

Beale Street Sana Hamil

The Palestinian/Israeli conflict has been ongoing for many decades. It dates back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots deeply embedded in the competing nationalisms and claims to the same land which belong to both groups but the modern phase of the conflict can be traced back to the mid-20th century, particularly to the period following World War II and the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. The creation of Israel led to a war between the newly declared state and surrounding Arab countries, as well as the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians – an event known to Palestinians as the Nakba, meaning “catastrophe.” Since then, the conflict has seen several wars, uprisings, peace efforts, negotiations, and intermittent periods of violence. The major conflicts include the Arab-Israeli War of 1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, the Yom Kippur War in 1973, the first and second Palestinian intifadas (uprisings) in the late 1980s and early 2000s, the Gaza conflicts, and numerous clashes and tensions over territorial disputes, settlements, and governance issues.

Efforts to resolve the conflict have been made through various peace initiatives, including the Camp David Accords, the Oslo Accords, the Road Map for Peace, and others. However, the situation remains highly complex and has not been completely resolved, with issues such as borders, refugees, settlements, security, and the status of Jerusalem remaining major points of contention between Israelis and Palestinians.

The loss of life and the ongoing cycle of violence in the region is heartbreaking and has a profound impact on communities, not just locally but also resonates globally. Supporting the idea of coexistence without violence is crucial for the hope of a peaceful future for both Palestinians and Israelis. It’s also essential to recognize and respect the cultural heritage and rights of all peoples involved.

We must raise awareness, engaging in all dialogue, and supporting initiatives that promote peace, understanding, and diplomacy is a positive step towards a resolution. We sympathize and the call for peace! We echoe these sentiments around the world and pray for an end to the suffering. Many Palestinian have migrated to America so we pray for both Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in harmony and peace.

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Many elder Palestinian believe that Americans have been given the koolaid or water down version of the seriousness of the conflict, but natives believe there is a bigger plan for ethnic cleansing to begin by erasing the Palestinian culture and people. The fact that so many Americans are silent or are they being silenced. Our President is seeking revenge for Israel do we live in a society where we can be patriotic for a country about to begin World War 3? What should black AMERICANS do when it comes to the conflict in Israel and Gaza?

Most if not all of our gas stations in our black communities are owned by foreigners so our enemy is the one who seeks to eliminate us as well as our friends but we as Americans must stand up for peace and find a rationale that will allow all people to exist absent the violence, blood shed and war. We offer our deepest sympathies to those who have lost loved ones and pray for peace and understand that we too hurt when our international family grieves. #blacklivesmattermemphis, #BLM, #palestinelivesmattertoo #freepalestine

“We stand for peace ☮️ not lies! #FreePalestineNow #webleed #stopthebloodshed

Repairing the Safety Breach-Rise Up America’s SafeHouses for FreeHearts

How do we ensure recidivism without proper transition? This is the question everyone hopes to answer. Over the course of a dynamic three-day training, our state coalition of formerly incarcerated and justice-impacted individuals came together to bolster their knowledge and devise practical solutions aimed at safeguarding our communities.

Over the course of this weekend’s Sisterhood Alliance for Freedom & Equality, our attention was deeply rooted in the pursuit of criminal justice reform. Our efforts were harmoniously synchronized with the broader goals of The Rise Up America Project, a visionary 20-year endeavor dedicated to instigating profound transformation within historically marginalized communities that have been adversely affected by redlining.

The auspicious occasion was graced by the auspices of Free Hearts’ Praxis Project, serving as the fiscal sponsor for this momentous project. The Rise Up America campaign takes the mantle of catalyzing change, with a sustained commitment spanning two decades.

Safe House training was an insightful exploration of housing solutions for individuals who have been unjustly impacted by the criminal justice system. The looming issue of overcrowding and sentence expiration has brought to the forefront the pressing need to address the housing challenges faced by those who will soon be released.

As Local Community leaders from all over the world we took this opportunity to scrutinize, deliberate, and strategize ways to provide suitable housing options for justice-impacted individuals, ensuring a smoother transition into society upon their release. Through proactive engagement and deliberate planning, we aim to alleviate the difficulties often faced during reentry and contribute to a more equitable and just community for all.

One of our esteemed strategic partners, FreeHearts, extended a gracious invitation to attend the Safe House Network Training. Led by formerly incarcerated women, FreeHearts plays a pivotal role in supporting, empowering, reuniting, and mobilizing families impacted by incarceration in Tennessee.

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At the heart of this gathering was the Sisterhood Alliance for Freedom & Equality. Notable figures, including., its founder Ms. Susan Burton, along with women from across the United States and abroad, joined forces to delve into the success of A New Way of Life’s reentry model, which has gained national recognition.

The SAFE Housing Network, a collective of formerly incarcerated individuals committed to dismantling mass incarceration, took center stage. Their mission revolves around bringing individuals back into the fold, facilitating healing from the traumas of incarceration, and empowering them to lead in the movement to end this pervasive issue. Our time with Ms. Susan Burton, founder of A New Way of Life, included an intimate tour of the homes that have resonated deeply with those affected by the criminal justice system.

The challenges within our communities demand our attention, particularly the need for improved conditions for returning citizens. This training prompted us to scrutinize the systemic patterns that have led us to this point of adversity. As we embark on the fight for the soul of our nation, it’s imperative that our infrastructure remains robust. With an unwavering commitment, we will elevate each city, community, and neighborhood, making them safer and more welcoming for those who have paved the way. Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the dedicated women who journeyed from near and far to bear witness to the Repairing the Safety Breach-Rise Up America’s SafeHouses for FreeHearts initiative. We proudly declare ourselves as Free Hearts. For those seeking further involvement or wishing to contribute, more information can be found through the provided link. Your donation will help Repair the Safety Breach in hopes to Rise Up America by creation of new SafeHouses for FreeHearts & Phase2.

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Lastly, a significant announcement surfaced during this weekend—the unveiling of the first model home, a pivotal step in the second phase of implementation. This development coincided with the launch of the 2 Gen Alternative & Reentry Housing Program by Phase 2 and FreeHearts in Memphis, signifying a monumental stride forward in our missions and for future the Project 50 launch.🎉 #blackwomenmatter #Riseupamerica #freehearts #phase2 SAFE2023 #FREEHER #FREEDOMWORK

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This Just-In! Justins’ On the Back End-No Justin No Peace- the Fight For Justice

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No Justin..No Peace!

It’s cool when they do it but it’s a problem when our elected officials refused to be silent. “This is what democracy looks like” a chant yelled out by P. Moses after Justin Jones exited the building where he was voted back into his District #52 seat by the Davidson County Metro Council as he marched back up to the same state legislature he was expelled with, Justin Pearson and Gloria Johnson.

Justin Pearson was also voted back by the Shelby County commission he gave a sermon thanking his God for standing up to white supremacy.

Congressman Steve Cohen and Vice President Kamala Harris both spoke out against theinjustices. Grassroots group from all over led by the Equity Alliance cohorts members organized rallies for dissent and marched back into the legislature to reseat the Justin’s. #blacklivesmattermemphis #wewontbesilencedanymore.

https://mlk50.com/2023/04/14/in-pearsons-return-memphis-finds-its-place-in-nashville/?fbclid=IwAR06G8-2aqrwWdYq7dSN8t-lbUWnUnE8qT9wTGQruQYisrC1j_CiKGFdmDo

What To Know About The Now-Disbanded ‘SCORPION’ Police Unit That Pulled Him Over — BitcoinEthereumNews.com

Topline The Memphis Police Department disbanded its specialized SCORPION unit on Saturday, after five officers from the group were charged with murder for beating Tyre Nichols during a traffic stop—eliminating a unit that was started in an effort to curb violent crime but has faced criticism from Memphis residents and advocates for using heavy-handed tactics. […]

What To Know About The Now-Disbanded ‘SCORPION’ Police Unit That Pulled Him Over — BitcoinEthereumNews.com

‘These cops were blue before they were black’: Ana Navarro of ‘The View’ downplays race of black police officers charged with murdering black man Tyre Nichols — THE MILLENNIAL PRESS

Ana Navarro on Monday’s episode of “The View” downplayed the race of the black police officers charged with murdering black man Tyre Nichols in Memphis earlier this month. “People would have done more to help a dog out than they did to help Tyre Nichols out,” Navarro said in one clip. “And that is inhumanity. And what we saw, in this case, is that good cops come in any gender, any class, any color. And bad cops can be of any gender and any color — and these cops were blue before they were black.” Navarro added that “these cops were part of the Scorpion Unit. It could not have been more aptly named ’cause they were filled with poison and hatred and a desire to kill. That night they were out hunting — hunting for a victim, who just happened to be this young man, Tyre Nichols. And I think we are so tired, everyone is so tired — and particularly black mothers are so tired of seeing this over and over again.” Navarro’s take can be seen in the second video below:u201cRaging Ana Navarro proclaims: “People would have done more to help a dog than they did to help Tyre Nichols.” (It was the middle of the night and no one was on the street)nAnd she says the cops killed him because “These cops were blue before they were black” and “hunting” him.u201d — Nicholas Fondacaro (@Nicholas Fondacaro) 1675094892What’s the background? Nichols, 29, was hospitalized after being pulled over Jan. 7 for reckless driving and died from his injuries three days later. The five officers involved were fired for violating department policies after an internal investigation — and arrested and booked into jail. Each officer was charged with second-degree murder, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated kidnapping, two counts of official misconduct, and official oppression. In an interview Friday morning with Memphis’ police chief Cerelyn “CJ” Davis, CNN’s Don Lemon asked, “Five black officers, a black police chief in a black community — what do you make of the race of the officers and what that says to the community and to the country about the policing, the care —” Davis interjected that “race” isn’t the reason for policing problems. Friday evening police released video of Nichols’ beating as officials braced for rioting. CNN’s Van Jones penned an op-ed that evening saying that even though black officers are charged with murdering Nichols, “black people can harbor anti-black sentiments” and can be influenced by racism.What else was said on ‘The View’? Whoopi Goldberg, another co-host of “The View,” echoed Navarro’s downplaying of race, saying it’s not an issue of black or white — but a problem with “policing itself.” “Seems things don’t seem to make sense to people unless it’s somebody they can feel, or they can recognize. … Do we need to see white people also get beaten before anybody will do anything?” Goldberg added. “I’m not suggesting that, so don’t write us and tell me what a racist I am. I’m just asking, is that what people have to see in order to wake up and realize this affects us all?”u201cClaiming she’s “not suggesting that,” Whoopi suggests white people need to be beaten by police before reforms will happen.n”Do you we need to see white people also get beat before anybody will do anything? … Don’t write us and tell me what a racist I am.”u201d — Nicholas Fondacaro (@Nicholas Fondacaro) 1675094892Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!TheBlaze Read More

‘These cops were blue before they were black’: Ana Navarro of ‘The View’ downplays race of black police officers charged with murdering black man Tyre Nichols — THE MILLENNIAL PRESS

Five US police officers charged with beating Black man to death —

US authorities on Thursday charged five former police officers with murder over the fatal beating of a Black man in Memphis, as the southern city braced for possible civil unrest and President Joe Biden urged demonstrators to protest peacefully. Tyre Nichols, 29, was stopped on January 7 for what the Memphis Police Department said was […]

Five US police officers charged with beating Black man to death —

TYRE NICHOLAS VIDEO • MEMPHIS POLICE TYRE NICHOLS VIDEO • TYRE NICHOLS BODY CAM VIDEO 《 VIDEO OF MEMPHIS POLICE BEATING TYRE NICHOLS 》 — Bounce Movies

#TyreNicholasVideo #MemphisPoliceTyreNicholsVideo #TyreNicholsBodyCamVideo VIDEO OF MEMPHIS POLICE BEATING TYRE NICHOLS tyre nicholas video memphis police tyre nichols video tyre nichols body cam video memphis police tyre nichols tyre nichols video tyre video memphis video memphis police video tyre nichols police memphis police tyre nichols footage tyre nichols body cam fo2otage memphis tyre nichols video tyre […]

TYRE NICHOLAS VIDEO • MEMPHIS POLICE TYRE NICHOLS VIDEO • TYRE NICHOLS BODY CAM VIDEO 《 VIDEO OF MEMPHIS POLICE BEATING TYRE NICHOLS 》 — Bounce Movies