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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Flint City Council asks for Department of Justice probe into Trayvon Martin's death
Dominic Adams | dadams5@mlive.com By Dominic Adams | dadams5@mlive.com
on July 22, 2013 at 8:20 PM, updated July 23, 2013 at 12:55 AM
FLINT, MI – The Flint City Council plans to send a letter to the Department of Justice asking for an investigation into whether Trayvon Martin’s death at the hands of George Zimmerman in Florida violated Martin’s civil rights.
The idea was brought up by A.C. Dumas during the public comment period of the Flint City Council meeting on Monday, July 22.
“I’m asking the city council to put forth a resolution or support that the U.S. Department of Justice investigate if Trayvon Martin’s civil rights were violated,” said Dumas, who also is running for city council in Flint’s Third Ward. “You would probably be the only municipality in the U.S. that would do such a resolution and I would applaud you for that.”
Councilman Dale Weighill proposed the measure, which was unanimously approved by council.
“I think there are concerns in the country and in our community of Flint about the results of that case,” he said. “Many people think racial profiling was involved and it needs to be looked at from my perspective.”
The council will send a letter in support of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People’s similar request of the DOJ. The DOJ already said it was restarting its investigation into Martin's death, according to The New York Times.
City Clerk Inez Brown said the city could send a letter in support of the DOJ and later approve a similar resolution.
“Quite frankly, if you make it a resolution it has to go to the city attorney’s office and that’s where it gets bogged down,” Brown said.
About 200 people protested in downtown Flint on Saturday, July 20, over George Zimmerman’s acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin.
Those affiliated with the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network’s Flint chapter led the protest on Saturday, which also urged reform of self-defense stand-your-ground laws.
Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder charges on July 13 in Martin’s shooting death in Florida in 2012.
Dominic Adams is a reporter for MLive-Flint Journal. Contact him at dadams5@mlive.com or 810-241-8803. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+. |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 12:59 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This story generated a large number of comments and most of them criticized council. But then one has to realize that often the M-Live stories often brings out the "haters" in the county.
Commenter Dorkus Malorkus had the right idea when he wrote how this letter is more of a symbolic gesture to show that Flint supports an end to racism. |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:02 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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With so many people leaving and preparing to leave, the city administration and council will have very little to work with. Property values and taxes will continue to decline under the emergency manager.
But that s not stopping a planned "political coup". Eric Mays has been approaching the public and using social media to help his campaign efforts in the First Ward.
He is now announcing that his efforts with absentee ballots in his ward has resulted in 200 or more absentee votes. He states he is also working to influence the votes in the 2nd Ward, 3rd Ward and 7th Ward. From his conversation it appears there is a coalition of people who want to control council and Eric wants to be Council President.
What Flint doesn't need is to be associated with any more political shenanigans and corruption in our government or political process.
Eric stated he and AC Dumas came up with the suggestion for the Trayvon Martin letter when he spoke to the North Side Restoration group. Since petition gatherers
told some individuals that they were being paid by Donna Poplar on behalf of AC Dumas, just how worried should the public be about the legitimacy of the process? |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:17 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Another issue brought up was the future money said to be coming to Flint. Is this political issue about the control of that money, if it all materializes? |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:20 pm |
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Raymond Sist
F L I N T O I D
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| It would appear that politics is about money and power, not representing the citizens and their best interests. |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:58 pm |
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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
Eric stated he and AC Dumas came up with the suggestion for the Trayvon Martin letter when he spoke to the North Side Restoration group. Since petition gatherers told some individuals that they were being paid by Donna Poplar on behalf of AC Dumas, just how worried should the public be about the legitimacy of the process?
Very! Where were they when O.J. Simpson was convicted? Where was the "justice" for Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend? |
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Tue Jul 23, 2013 5:10 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This morning I looked at the comments of this story. Of 131 comments, very few were complimentary. Residents were more concerned about the deaths of children here and not Florida. This council meeting is supposed to air Sunday at noon on Comcast Channel 17. I am told council did address the deaths of the two children and the failure of the Public Safety Policy.
Voices of Flint was very vocal in his opposition to Eric Mays being elected to the 1st Ward in Flint. Voices called on blacks to vote for someone other than Mays. Voices alleged Mays smoked pot and was "always talking crap about who you gonna hook up and who you gonna pick on". He then alleged mays tried to sell him a house he did not own.
Were Dumas and Mays trying to cling to the coat tails of the recent National Action Network (NAN) rallies held in 100 cities on Saturday?
Both Dumas and Mays try to ride on their past and present association with the NAACP. Dumas and Charles Winfrey both paid for memberships in a past NAACP election in an attempt to win the election to president.
Since Mays has said he is working (absentee allots) in the 1st, 2nd,3d and 7th Wards, was all this demand for Council to take action on Trayvon Martin justanother political ploy? |
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Wed Jul 24, 2013 7:46 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Search Results ▼
Detroit council supports NAACP petition over Trayvon Martin death ...
http://www.detroitnews.com/…er-Trayvon-Martin-death2 days ago ... Detroit - The City Council, at its formal session on Tuesday, approved a resolution supporting a petition calling for the Justice Department to ...
May 24,2013 page 9A
Detroit Councilwoman Joanne Watson introduced a resolution to the Detroit Council supporting a petition for the investigation by the US Department of Justice into civil rights violations in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The resolution passed unanimously.
Council member Kenneth Cockrel raised the issue of "black on black' crime as a concern that should not be ignored.
"The message we also need to sending at the same time we pursue this.....we need to have the same level of outrage with respect to the black-on-black crime that we see every day."
Cockrel noted that council was not always consistent in their outrage and that crime a priority as well.
Thousands rallied in Detroit on Saturday in a movement initiated by the national Action network to support of the Civil rights investigation. |
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Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:44 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Here is the difference in media coverage between Detroit and Flint. Detroit media included the concerns about black-on-black crime and our local media did not.
Council is not pleased with the loss of the Special Operations unit and the Gang unit. They voiced their concerns over the increase in violence and the apparent lack of success of the "Public safety Plan". The influx of State Police has not quelled the increase in crime. |
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Thu Jul 25, 2013 2:48 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Search Results ▼
States calling for action on 'stand your ground' laws - USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/…round-law-debated/2582047/1 day ago ... PHOENIX -- In light of the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin case, state Sen. Steve Gallardo called on state lawmakers and
States calling for action on 'stand your ground' laws
Zenovia Campbell , The Arizona Republic 8:03 a.m. EDT July 24, 2013
State's law debated in light of Florida case.
PHOENIX -- In light of the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin case, Arizona state Sen. Steve Gallardo called on state lawmakers and leaders to review the state's "stand your ground" law.
Flanked by legislative, city and community members during a news conference at the state Capitol on Tuesday, Gallardo said he agrees with U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who recently called for a review of the controversial law.
STORY: 'Stand your ground': Another case stirs passions
STORY: 'Justice for Trayvon' rallies in 100 cities across USA
"These types of laws are fundamentally unacceptable and should be addressed," Gallardo said.
He expressed concern that many did not know about the law before the Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case.
"However, everyone understands 'stand your ground' now and what it's all about," he said.
"I call on the Arizona state Legislature to review Arizona's 'stand your ground'," Gallardo said. "Let's have a hard discussion, an honest debate."
The law came into focus following the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old Florida teen, on Feb. 26, 2012. George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, was acquitted earlier this month of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in Martin's death.
Zimmerman did not use Florida's stand your ground law in his defense, although the judge hearing his case cited it in her instructions to the jury.
alabama dems
State Sen. Hank Sanders speaks at a news conference Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Alabama State House.(Photo: Amanda Sowards, The Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser)
In Alabama, a Democratic lawmaker said Tuesday there would be an effort to repeal the state's version of Florida's stand your ground law in the next legislative session, but acknowledged it could be a difficult fight.
"We know it will not just be uphill, but up mountain," said Sen. Hank Sanders, D-Selma, at a news conference.
Alabama's law was passed in 2006.
Rep. Merika Coleman-Evans, D-Birmingham, said Tuesday she planned to introduce legislation that would withdraw stand your ground protections when a pursuit occurred of a person engaged in a lawful act.
Coleman-Evans introduced a similar measure in last year's regular session; it did not come out of committee. An attempt to reach Coleman-Evans was not immediately successful Tuesday.
In Arizona, Gallardo said he agrees there is a need for someone to have the opportunity to protect himself or herself.
But the problem with the law's 2010 amendment is that it made the law applicable outside of the home.
"Anyone walking out in the street is able to stand their ground," Gallardo said.
His biggest fear is that people who would normally walk away from a confrontation may now choose to stand their ground and use deadly force.
"We cannot allow what happened in Florida to happen here," Gallardo said. "If we ignore what we have on the books, we can only expect we will have a Trayvon Martin here in the state of Arizona."
State Rep. John Kavanagh, who said he has begun his own research and evaluation of Arizona's law, said he has no objections to taking another look at the law.
He admits that the law, which states that people are allowed to protect themselves in "any other place in this state where a person has the right to be," is a large area.
"Thus far, nothing has changed my original position, and the position of the Legislature in 2010 found that it is a good law," Kavanagh said. "It is a law that protects law-abiding people."
State Rep. Martin Quezada said that reviewing the law is "a good thing," and that "we have a situation here where something is not working."
He also said the issue should not be ignored.
"Race and ethnicity matter," Quezada said.
State Senate Democratic Leader Leah Landrum Taylor voiced her concerns about the precedent the Zimmerman ruling has set.
Gallardo said he did not have statistics that showed how many times the "stand your ground" defense has been used in Arizona.
"These occurrences are very rare," Kavanagh said. "We really don't know if stand your ground is causing harm or protecting people."
"I believe in erring on the side of good people, so I'm inclined to keep stand your ground," he said.
Contributing: Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser reporter Brian Lyman |
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Thu Jul 25, 2013 3:35 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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A blast from Flint talk Past. Buchanan race
untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
ABC 12 reporter TARYN ASHER 2/15/2007
ACCUSATIONS OF ABSENTEE BALLOT FRAUD ARISE
With less than two weeks until Election Day, there are accusations of absentee ballot fraud in Flin't First Ward.
There is now an investigation into the recall election against Flint City Council President Darryl Buchanan.
Authorities won't comment on the specific allegations, but we've learned a number of people have complained about someone soliciting at a Senior center in the First Ward.
The suspect is accussed of asking seniors to sign their envelope and hand over the unmarked ballot.
"The type of people who work for me have a clean slate", Buchanan said.
Buchanan said he feels the group Enough is Enough-led by political activist Eric Mays, which spearheaded the recall effort against him- is crossing the line.
"A lady called me and said a member of Enough is enough is calling her and asking her what she's doing with her ballot," Buchanan said. "She says, Ma'am, my ballot is private, Don't call me."
After that phone call and a letter written and circulated by the recall group, Buchanan filed a complaint with the Genesee County Elections Office.
"We don't want anyone trying to intimidate individuals trying to vote absentee", Buchanan said.
Mays, who is part of the recall effort, didn't return phone calls. It's important to note that ballot solicitation is considered a felony.
Post Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:30 am
View user's profile Send private message Edit/Delete this post Reply with quote
untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
ELECTION PROBE KEEPS ABSENTEE BALLOTS LOCKED UP
Flint Journal Saturday, March 3, 2007
Marjory Raymer
Absentee ballots from the failed effort to recall Flint City council President Darryl Buchanan have been locked up because of an ongoing investigation into alleged voter fraud.
The absentee ballots were counted in the Tuesday election, in which convincingly fended off the recall attempt with support from 65 percent of voters.
However, the ballots are at the center of a dispute. At least four residents gave affidavits to City Clerk Inez Brown claiming a campaign worker for Buchanan took their ballots before they voted.
Leon Wesson, 74, assistant director of the Hasselbring Center, was arrested on Election Day in connection with a State police investigation into allegations of illegal possession of absentee ballots.
Technically, the absentee ballots are considered "challenged", Brown said, ans so they have been separated from the other ballots and set aside.
"They are in a secure place in case they are needed for any type of ongoing or future investigation", said Brown, who consulted with the state Bureau of Elections and state election law on how to handle the ballots.
The pro-recall group "Enough is Enough" collected the affidavits, in which voters said wesson asked for their ballots and they gave them to him. They said they had not cast their votes on the ballots when he took them.
However, it ended up the absentee vote had little effect on the outcome of the election.
There were 173 absentee ballots, and Buchanan won by 360 votes.
The results tally showed, though, that Buchanandid do even better among absentees, bringing home 71 percent of the vote, according to county election officials.
Brown turned over the affidavits to local and state authorities, which prompted the state police investigation. The strict laws that were put into place a decade ago when the state reformed the absentee voting process in response to allegations of fraud-includin in Flint, where in 1994 police found 25 forged requests for absentee ballots including six from dead people.
Post Fri Aug 19, 2011 7:50 am |
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Sat Jul 27, 2013 8:02 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| The 1994 investigation involved Eric Mays. The Prosecutor at the time has said he regrets not having prosecuted. |
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Sun Jul 28, 2013 9:22 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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From: Ray Furlow
sent by iphone
>
> We should be concentrating more on our own Treyshawn than Trayvon.
>
> I became bothered when reading the Flint Journal "Council ask for Federal probe in Trayvon's death and maybe the only city to do so. Well that's just great I bet there will be some laughs When they see its from Flint. A city that has a problem solving and bringing to justice its own murders is the first to ask for A federal probe into A highly publicize murder many miles away.
May I need to remind this City Council and others that two of our own kids have been Murderd in one week this summer. We should be asking for probes into the murders of Treyshawn & Cherish and the other young people who have been murderd here in Flint this summer. Why not ask for that same help for our own kids and if so why isn't it being highlighted. We got help when the slasher killed several in our city. If we use that same intensity in finding and bringing to justice the murders of Trashawn Macklin and others it would make better sense.
This City can't afford the public grandstanding of those seeking public office. AC Dumas has to know Flint is smarter than he thinks. Although he is known to be a good citizen of Flint, this is one of the reasons the citizens of Flint has repeatedly said NO to him when he attempts to run for public office over and over again. Publicity should not be the driving point when it comes to solving A murder or getting justice in Flint or any place else.
> Webster defines PRIORITY and just maybe Dumas and this council needs to find the time to revisit its meaning.
>
> Ray Furlow,
> Citizen Of This Great City Of Flint
> 46 Years Strong |
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Wed Jul 31, 2013 7:03 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Many in the north end remember Furlow as the Community School Director of King School. He was also a music producer and with his "Big Cheese" Productions he traveled and was able to bring creative ideas to Flint.
One of the best things he brought to Flint was "Street league "basketball. For nearly four years Furlow was able to use various school gyms to host basketball games three days a week after school. It was a play-study program and the students could not play unless they studied or helped tutor others in the hour before the games started. I was fortunate enough to help tutor in math and science and my spouse tutored English and taught chess in the summer. For a while Comcast community programming and Tom Snyder broadcast the championship games.
The games attracted sometimes as many as 200 youth from around the city, proving you could have youth recreation without fights. Everyone praises the "Flintstones", however there were young men that were ineligible for the school team that could outplay them. It was funny to watch. I remember the young girl we all called "Lady" that could shame many of the boys as she played so well.
As support for 'Community Education" dwindled and community school directors were eliminated, it became impossible to secure schools for the program. Christ Episcopal had their "Midnight basketball", another nationally borrowed concept. The Street league had to end, but the Urban League got a grant and continued for a while.
Many people when they hear the name Furlow remember Ray's brother, Terry, who was one of the greatest players ever to come out of MSU. |
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Thu Aug 01, 2013 6:08 am |
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