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COMMENTARY: Bill and Camille Cosby Hit Back at Judge’s Briefing

NNPA NEWSWIRE — “Camille has always been a fearless warrior against corruption and bigotry. She’s not afraid of this unethical judge, nor am I afraid of O’Neill’s grossly immoral tactics,” said Cosby, who closed his statement by telling his wife to “keep fighting, Dear. I love you very, very much.”

Published

5 years ago

May 15, 2019

Oakland Post

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

After delaying his mandated argument to the Pennsylvania Appellate Court for several months, the trial judge in the Bill Cosby case finally delivered the rationale for his decisions during the trial and for sentencing Cosby to up to 10 years in prison.

In doing so, according to Cosby and his legal team, Montgomery County, Pa. Judge Steven T. O’Neill displayed his long-held bias – a bias that should have led O’Neill to recuse himself, as Cosby’s attorneys had requested the same from him on several occasions.

“I haven’t had an opportunity to review O’Neill’s brief, but his comments do not shock me,” Cosby’s longtime spokesman Andrew Wyatt said.

“O’Neill continues to try and cover up his errors, knowing that these charges should have never been brought against Mr. Cosby because he was given a deal by former District Attorney Bruce Castor who promised that no charges would ever be brought against him,” Wyatt said.

Cosby and his wife of more than 50 years, Camille Cosby have each released statements blasting O’Neill.

“Now, after more than 50 years of work, that humanized the dehumanized; which also challenged the perpetual architects of racist, exploitive and greedy maneuvers that have enabled them to divide and conquer, my husband has been severely redefined by Judge O’Neill, despite having zero proof,” Camille Cosby said.

“Judge O’Neill, with a great deal of help from the media, has tried to turn Bill Cosby into one of the most insidious stereotypes of African American men: the brutal, black buck,” Camille Cosby said.

Delivered by Wyatt, Bill Cosby’s statement read:

“I stand firmly with my wife on the foundation of solidarity and truth,” Cosby said.

“Camille has always been a fearless warrior against corruption and bigotry. She’s not afraid of this unethical judge, nor am I afraid of O’Neill’s grossly immoral tactics,” said Cosby, who closed his statement by telling his wife to “keep fighting, Dear. I love you very, very much.”

Cosby was convicted in April of 2018, of three counts of aggravated indecent assault in a case involving former Temple University employee Andrea Constand.

He’s currently serving a three to 10-year prison sentence at a maximum-security prison in Pennsylvania.

In his briefing filed On Tuesday, May 14, O’Neill claims he allowed five other accusers to testify against Cosby in the second trial in 2018 because their accounts had “chilling similarities” that pointed to a “signature crime.”

That conclusion was reached by O’Neill despite the striking differences between Constand’s 2004 incident and that of the other accusers from decades earlier.

It also ignores that Cosby had never been tried or convicted of any crime in his life and Constand’s allegations didn’t surface until 2005, while the other accusers didn’t publicly address their encounters until 2014.

Constand testified that she accepted over-the-counter Benadryl tablets from Cosby that rendered her unconscious, while the other accusers said they were provided prescription Quaaludes by Cosby – one accuser admitted to taking a Quaalude prior to a meeting with Cosby in the 1980s.

Still, O’Neill claims he believes Cosby has a pattern of illegal behavior.

“In each instance, (Cosby) met a substantially younger woman, gained her trust, invited her to a place where he was alone with her, provided her with a drink or drug, and sexually assaulted her once she was rendered incapacitated,” O’Neill wrote.

“These chilling similarities rendered (their) testimony admissible,” he said.

O’Neill said the new defense team, led by former Michael Jackson attorney Tom Mesereau, never directly challenged him on the difference in his two trial rulings about the other accusers’ testimony.

However, in his briefing, O’Neill notes that had Cosby’s attorneys challenged him, it’s likely he still would have ruled against them.

“Judges are not bound by their prior decisions,” O’Neill wrote.

Cosby’s team has also argued that Cosby had a binding agreement with Castor, which O’Neill rejected.

He claims that Castor’s signed press release confirming the agreement isn’t the same as a more formal immunity deal.

Castor investigated complaints made by Constand in 2005, but the former prosecutor said Constand continually changed her story and he found her less than credible.

Castor struck a deal with Cosby, getting the comedian to waive his Fifth Amendment rights in exchange for giving a civil deposition in a lawsuit brought by Constand against Cosby.

Cosby and Constand settled the civil case for $3.4 million and Castor agreed to the immunity deal which included that the deposition would never be able to be used against Cosby.

“O’Neill continues to show his hatred for Mr. Cosby by reconstructing the laws, which are based on his personal beliefs, not facts,” Wyatt said.

The silver lining is that with O’Neill finally filing his briefs, Cosby’s appeal can now move forward.

“I’m sure that his brief will further support our claims, that Mr. Cosby was falsely convicted but he will be vindicated when his appeal is reviewed by the appellate judges,” Wyatt said.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.