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In Birmingham, Many Homicides Appear Connected to Domestic Violence Complaints

Alaina Bookman AL.com This is another installment in The Birmingham Times/AL.com/CBS42 joint series, “Beyond the Violence.” Click here to sign up for the newsletter. Contribute to aid Alaina Bookman’s violence prevention reporting at AL.com today. As Birmingham tackles a homicide crisis, paying more attention to domestic violence, advocates and law enforcement say, could help stop incidents before they become deadly. In […]
The post In Birmingham, Many Homicides Appear Connected to Domestic Violence Complaints first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2 years ago

December 5, 2023

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TiMira Marchell Pullom, 28, was fatally shot on Sept. 17, 2023. Pictured is TiMira Pullom with her son, Trenton. Her son’s father, Arkeem Tiyon Marshall, has been charged with capital murder in the shooting. (Photo courtesy of Valerie Pullom)

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Alaina Bookman

AL.com

This is another installment in The Birmingham Times/AL.com/CBS42 joint series, “Beyond the Violence.” Click here to sign up for the newsletter. Contribute to aid Alaina Bookman’s violence prevention reporting at AL.com today.

As Birmingham tackles a homicide crisis, paying more attention to domestic violence, advocates and law enforcement say, could help stop incidents before they become deadly.

In 2022, police received 8,269 calls about domestic incidents. Police made 701 arrests related to domestic violence, according to data shared by the department. In comparison, through Sept. 30, 2023, there have been 5,469 incidents reported and 461 arrests made – a hopeful indicator of a year-over-year decrease.

But numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels, according to police. And many homicides appear connected to domestic complaints.

“The homicide rate is going up,” said Special Victims Unit Lieutenant Rebeca Herrera. “The violent crime has increased in the past couple years. If we look at the history of the people involved in violent crimes, we see that an overwhelming majority of them have some type of history of domestic violence.”

In a recent report, One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center found 74% of homicide offenders in Jefferson County in 2021 had a history of domestic violence. They also found there is a 500% increase in homicide risk when there is a gun present in domestic violence situations.

“Domestic violence, is community violence,” One Place Clinical Director Danielle Mars said.

TiMira Marchell Pullom, 28, was fatally shot by her child’s father on Sept. 17.

TiMira’s mother, Valerie Pullom, is now left to care for her toddler grandchild. She said it is now her responsibility to pass on her daughter’s legacy of kindness by teaching her grandson the importance of nonviolence.

“I would like everyone to know that domestic violence is real. TiMira is a product of it. There’s so much violence, we can’t solve problems through violence. Pay attention, ask questions, go out of your way to help people,” she said.

Police Response

Over the past five years, domestic violence calls averaged at 9,070 a year in Birmingham. And arrests for domestic violence occurrences average at 745 a year.

Police say the volume of cases demands an increase in law enforcement to meet the needs of domestic violence victims.

Herrera said staffing shortages among law enforcement has made it hard to address the many domestic violence cases. She said victims and their families often feel neglected by detectives when there is a lack of communication during investigations.

“There are a lot of victims who lose faith in the department and the process. They think that we’re not working on their case and not pursuing justice for their family members or themselves,” Herrera said. “We just want to let them know, ‘hey, we haven’t forgotten about you.’”

The Birmingham Police Department has received a $300,000 grant to advocate for victims of violence. Organizers hope the program will ensure victims do not lose faith in law enforcement.

The police force’s new program will appoint advocates whose sole job is to bridge the communication gap by disseminating information between law enforcement and victims.

The advocacy program will also help victims navigate the legal and judicial process. Advocates will provide victims with resources for counseling, support groups and victim compensation.

Herrera said these tactics will aid in educating communities about the resources available for cases of domestic violence.

Organizers are working on setting program guidelines and hiring advocacy personnel to continue to see a decrease in the number of domestic violence cases.

What The Data Says

Herrera said many people keep abuse to themselves and are not willing to involve law enforcement because cases can be extremely intimate, victims may be financially reliant on their abusers or have children with them.

“We see a severe assault case or homicide, but nothing had been reported prior. A lot of people don’t report,” Herrera said. “By no means do the number of domestic violence calls actually constitute the true quantity of domestic violence that citizens are experiencing. These are just the ones that reach out.”

One year ago, Pullom told her mother she no longer wanted to be in a relationship with Arkeem Tiyon Marshall and asked him to leave, yet he stayed. Pullom’s mother said she was unaware of any abuse prior to her death.

On the night of the shooting, Pullom told Marshall to leave and had neatly packed his belongings. He shot her in the presence of their toddler son and fled the scene, according to police.

Valerie Pullom recalled getting a call from her daughter and listening to her last moments.

Marshall has been charged with capital murder and is awaiting trial. The charge is capital because Pullom’s child was present at the time of the deadly shooting.

Herrera advises people to document when they are threatened or abused so law enforcement can advocate for the victims.

More Resources

The Birmingham Police Department is working with One Place to walk victims through the entire process of seeking help and resources.

One Place provides a central location for resources and services related to domestic violence such as making reports, filing protection from abuse orders, relocation and more.

“It’s all about communication and collaboration. When we talk about barriers and what can be changed in the system, its communication amongst all the partner agencies and the willingness to collaborate. It’s not just law enforcement that can solve this. We’re not going to arrest our way out of domestic violence,” One Place Deputy Director Kelly Klehm said.

“Ideally, every victim would feel unashamed to advocate for themselves, but people don’t know what resources are available.”

Herrera said she wants to spread more information about domestic violence resources.

She also said perpetrators should be receiving counseling to learn conflict resolution skills and de-escalation tactics to decrease recidivism rates.

“When it comes to the system, everything is put on the victim. The victim has to make the report. The victim has to relocate, change their address. The victim has to testify. They have to change their phone number.” Mars said. “The system doesn’t make it easy on victims.”

Mars said she hopes field officers will treat every domestic violence call with sensitivity and patience.

She also wants to see the courts do better. She said there are some domestic violence cases from 2020 that are only going to trial this year.

In 2020, there were 9,263 domestic violence calls which rose to 9,417 in 2021. Herrera said this rise in violence was a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to quarantine.

Pre-pandemic numbers were also high, with 9,365 reports in 2018 and 9,035 in 2019.

“We’re asking our partners and we’re asking our community to be more innovative when it comes to helping victims of crime,” Mars said.

Klehm said One Place is working to increase the number of police departments who partner with the advocacy group to encourage officers to be more involved in domestic violence advocacy work.

“By working here, the information they learn and that trauma-informed lens then goes back to their agencies,” Klehm said.

One Place organizers are hoping to create a larger coalition that spans across the state to help more victims.

“Violence as a whole is a very cyclical phenomenon. If children grow up in domestic violence situations, that’s all they know. They don’t know that it’s not appropriate to be struck, to be talked down to, to be verbally, emotionally or physically abused by their partner,” Herrera said.

She said officers often speak to children and young adults about how to recognize an unhealthy relationship and the importance of conflict resolution.

Pullom said she will eventually have to tell her grandson that his father killed his mother. She is determined to teach her grandson conflict resolution skills.

“She was always smiling. Considerate, helpful, kind hearted, peaceful, willing to go out of her way for people. She was sweet as pie,” Pullom said. “I want him to be just like his mom. I want him to be peaceful, kind and considerate.”

The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached at 800-799-7233. Victims can also text START to 88788. Operators are available 24/7 in English and Spanish.

This article originally appeared in The Birmingham Times.

The post In Birmingham, Many Homicides Appear Connected to Domestic Violence Complaints first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring Review — Is This $136K EV Sedan Worth It?

AUTONETWORK ON BLACKPRESSUSA — Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, but it still feels elegant instead of trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

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May 3, 2026

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The 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring is the kind of luxury EV that makes people stop and ask a simple question: Is this really better than a Tesla Model S, Mercedes EQS, or BMW i7? At $136,150, it has to do more than look futuristic. It has to feel special every time you get in it.

Finished in Stellar White Metallic with the Tahoe Grand Touring interior, this Lucid makes a strong first impression. The shape is sleek and low, yet it still feels elegant rather than trying too hard. Features like soft-close doors, powered illuminated door handles, 20-inch Aero Lite wheels, and the Glass Canopy Roof help the car feel expensive before you even start it.

Inside is where the Air Grand Touring really makes its case. The 34-inch Glass Cockpit Display and retractable Pilot Panel screen give the cabin a clean, modern look that still feels different from other EVs. The Tahoe Extended Leather and Lucid Black Alcantara headliner lifts the sense of occasion, and the front seats are a highlight. They are 20-way power-adjustable, heated, ventilated, and include massage. That matters because luxury buyers at this price expect comfort first.

Rear passengers are not ignored either. You get 5-zone heated rear seating, a rear center console display, and power rear and rear side window sunshades. Add in the Surreal Sound Pro system with 21 speakers, and the Air feels like a true long-distance luxury sedan.

Lucid also gives this car serious EV hardware. The dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, 900V+ charging architecture, and Wunderbox onboard charger are big talking points. Buyers in this segment care about range, charging speed, and everyday ease, not just raw performance. That is where the Lucid continues to stand out.

On the technology side, the Air Grand Touring includes DreamDrive Premium, with 3D Surround View Monitoring, Blind Spot Warning, Automatic Park In and Out, Automatic Emergency Braking, and a Driver Monitoring System with distracted and drowsy driver alerts. This one also has DreamDrive Pro, which adds future-capable ADAS hardware.

There are still some real-world annoyances. Based on your notes, the windshield wiper control is hard to find and use, and that matters more than people think in a high-tech car. When controls become less intuitive, even a beautiful interior can feel frustrating.

Still, the 2026 Lucid Air Grand Touring succeeds where it matters most. It feels luxurious, advanced, comfortable, and thoughtfully engineered. For buyers who want an EV sedan that feels truly premium and less common than the usual choices, this Lucid makes a very strong case.

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Snoop Dogg Celebrates 10 Til’ Midnight at the Compound

LOS ANGELES SENTINEL — The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles.

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May 3, 2026

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Snoop Dogg celebrated the premiere of 10 Til’ Midnight at his Inglewood recording studio & multipurpose facility, The Compound, but the night felt like much more than an album release. It felt like Los Angeles. It felt like legacy. And it felt like another major move from one of the city’s greatest cultural architects as he continues to prove that he is not just dropping music — he is building moments, shaping narratives, and pushing the culture forward in real time.

What made the event so powerful was the clarity behind the vision. During a panel conversation with DJ Hed, Snoop opened up about the heart behind 10 Til’ Midnight, explaining that the project was created to help bridge older and younger generations while also speaking to the long-standing divisions between Bloods and Crips in a unique way through film. That alone gave the project a different kind of weight. This was not just about songs. This was about using creativity as a tool for connection. This was about taking a story rooted in Los Angeles and telling it in a way that could bring people together.

Snoop Congratulated By Rapper & Fellow 10 Til Midnight Cast Member G Perico (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

The album is paired with a film that stars Snoop Dogg, Hitta J3, G Perico, and Ray Vaughn, and one of the strongest elements of the whole project is that the production stayed rooted right here in Los Angeles. The film was shot in the city, including at WePlay Studios in Inglewood, which gave the entire project an even deeper hometown feel. It was not just a West Coast story in content — it was a Los Angeles-made production from the ground up.

That matters because, in a city like this, authenticity still carries weight. Snoop understands how to make sure that what he creates does not just represent Los Angeles on the surface, but actually comes from it.

What also makes 10 Til’ Midnight significant is that it represents another major step in Snoop’s evolution as both an artist and executive. Public reporting around the project identifies it as his 22nd studio album, but the bigger story is what it represents in this season of his life. This is one of several consecutive moves he has made in his 50s that show he is still building, still expanding, and still finding new ways to reinvent what the next chapter looks like.

Snoop Dogg at the Premiere of 10 Til Midnight (CreativeLB/KreativeKapturez)

Now, as the head of Death Row Records and the newly aligned leader of Death Row Pictures, he is taking the brand into a new dimension. That is what made this moment feel bigger than music. Snoop is not just protecting the legacy of Death Row — he is stretching it. He is expanding it beyond records and into film, visual storytelling, and larger creative worlds that can continue carrying the label’s impact forward. Public reporting has noted that this project arrives as part of that broader cinematic push.

That is a major Los Angeles move because the city has always been built on the intersection of music, film, neighborhood identity, and cultural storytelling. With 10 Til’ Midnight, Snoop is leaning all the way into that intersection.

The room at The Compound reflected that. It felt like a private premiere, but it also felt like a statement — a reminder that Snoop Dogg’s staying power has never been based only on nostalgia. It comes from his ability to remain connected, remain visionary, and remain in tune with how to move the culture without losing the essence of who he is.

That is why this premiere mattered. It was not just about celebrating another album. It was about witnessing a Los Angeles legend continue to evolve, continue to unify, and continue to use art to tell stories that hit deeper than entertainment alone.

In that sense, 10 Til’ Midnight became more than a project launch. It became another example of how Snoop Dogg is still taking Los Angeles to the next level — using music, film, and legacy together to build something bigger than a moment.

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OP-ED: Small Businesses Need Minnesota to Act on Pass-Through Tax Policy

MINNESOTA SPOKESMAN RECORDER — A Twin Cities immigrant entrepreneur who built several businesses including grocery stores in underserved neighborhoods is calling on Minnesota lawmakers to extend the Pass-Through Entity tax option before it expires, warning that its loss would hit small businesses already recovering from Operation Metro Surge with higher federal tax bills.

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May 3, 2026

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A Twin Cities Small Business Owner Is Urging Minnesota to Extend a Tax Policy That Could Save Thousands of Businesses

By Daniel Hernandez | Minnesota Spokesman Recorder

I came to the United States as a teenager with a clear goal: to build something meaningful through hard work. I put in long days in construction, restaurants, and landscaping; doing whatever it took to learn, save, and eventually start my own business.

Over time, I built and ran several successful ventures, including an event photography company, a magazine, a tax and accounting firm, and now grocery stores serving neighborhoods across the Twin Cities where other retailers chose not to invest. I’ve created jobs, supported families, and committed to communities that deserve stability and opportunity.

That’s why I’m speaking out now.

Small business owners in Minneapolis and the communities we serve are recovering from serious disruptions, including the impacts of Operation Metro Surge. That event hit immigrant communities especially hard. In my own case, I lost nearly half of my 60 employees and saw revenue drop by about 85%. While I worked to provide competitive wages, health benefits, and paid time off, the real hardship fell on the people who lost their jobs and income.

Even as we rebuild, small businesses are facing another challenge. The Minnesota Legislature is considering letting an important tax policy expire: the Pass-Through Entity tax option.

Here’s what that means in plain terms.

Many small businesses, including mine, are pass-through businesses. That means the business itself doesn’t pay income tax. Instead, the owners report the income on their personal tax returns. But under current federal rules, there’s a limit on how much state tax we can deduct. That often leads to higher federal tax bills.

The Pass-Through Entity option fixes that. It allows the business to pay the state tax directly, which means the business can fully deduct those taxes on its federal return and lower the total amount of income taxed federally. The result is straightforward: small business owners pay less in federal taxes, without reducing what the state collects.

This policy is not new or controversial. Thirty-six states already offer it. It doesn’t cost Minnesota anything, it’s revenue neutral. And it benefits more than 66,000 businesses across the state.

In a state where the cost of doing business is already high, it’s hard to understand why we wouldn’t offer the same basic tax treatment as states like California and Illinois.

Small businesses have carried a heavy load in recent years, through a pandemic, rising costs and public safety disruptions. We’ve adapted, reinvested and stayed committed to our communities. What we need now are practical policies that support that work, not make it harder.

If the Minnesota House does not act soon, many businesses will face significantly higher federal tax bills. That’s money that could otherwise be used to hire workers, raise wages or reinvest in local neighborhoods.

I urge Gov. Tim Walz and members of the House Tax Committee to pass House File 3127 and extend the Pass-Through Entity election.

Small businesses are the backbone of our communities. We’ve proven our resilience. Now we need our state leaders to show the same commitment to us.

Daniel Hernandez is the owner of Colonial Market located at 2100 E. Lake St.

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