Kinsey Exhibit at African American Museum
MY TRUTH
By Cheryl Smith Publisher
Joy to the World - Botham Jean
VOL.8 NO. 2 September 25, 2019
AT&T donates
Guyger trial emotional for some
to make my mother cry it was I’ve always wanted to make going to be for something good my parents proud. Never want to not something bad.” bring shame to the family name. Which brings me to my truth. I was always thinking about Sunday, September 22, 2019, I the implications and ramifications met Botham Shem Jean’s maternal of my grandmother, Gloria. Ms. Gloria actions and and I talked about her grandson, inactions. who was murdered by then-Dallas Sure there Police officer, Amber Guyger. were times Follow the early narrative that when I made was presented: slip-ups, On the evening of September 6, but believe 2018, an unarmed Botham Shem me when I Jean (26) was relaxing at home in tell you that his Dallas apartment, just a few somewhere Hon. Andrew Gillum blocks from the Dallas Police in my psyche Department; enjoying watching I was thinking about Joseph and television and eating a bowl of Earline. cereal. No friends or amount of peer Officer Guyger was coming pressure could make me engage home from a long shift (13-1/2) , in actions that would make my physically and mentally drained. mother cry, I hoped. She lived in the same South Side Kinda reminds me Flats, but on a different of listening to former floor and on that fateful Tallahassee mayor and night, she went to Florida gubernatorial canthe wrong apartment, didate Andrew Gillum. entered and saw what Speaking at the 15th she thought was an Anniversary Celebration intruder, fired, killing of the Arlington FoundMr. Jean. ation for Excellence in Take a deep breath. Education, my fellow Mrs. Gloria Charles Monday, September Florida A&M University 23, 2019, Ms. Guyger’s alum talked about being the first in murder trial began. his family to graduate from high Defense attorneys say Ms. school and college. Guyger mistakenly entered the He also recalled his mother on wrong apartment, because she was the receiving of phone calls that on “mental autopilot” after a long made her cry, as she’d hear of an shift. indiscretion or brush with the law, Text messages the defendant’s involving one of his older siblings. attorneys wanted to keep away Mayor Gillum said he decided from jurors told a different story. at a young age, “If I was ever going Those text messages were
Botham Jean
allowed in as evidence. The prosecution says the “dumping” of Ms. Guyger’s cell phone is very telling because it revealed the sexual relationship between the four-year officer and her partner, Sr. Corporal Martin Rivera, and conversations she had immediately before and after the shooting. A different narrative was presented by the prosecution, one where Ms. Guyger texted her partner asking if he wanted to “touch.” Now one of my former students would ask, “Does she mean she wants to have sex?” Well, you be the judge. Prosecutors contend that she wasn’t that mentally drained if she was making plans for a “hook-up” later on that evening. Prosecutors also say at the very time that she was on the phone with a 911 operator, having shot Mr. Jean, instead of rendering aid, she was texting her partner that she had “f…..d up!” Defense attorneys say the attention that should have been
Amber Guyger
given to Mr. Jean, was not. Well, Ms. Gloria has some obvious and serious concerns. First and foremost, she says she does not want her grandson to be demonized. After all, he was the victim, she said, and he is not around to defend himself or clear his name. But he does have family members and loved ones who will gladly vouch for his character, she said. “He was a very good boy, a very loving child,” Ms. Gloria said, of the man who was affectionately called, “Bo.” “He stayed with me most of the time when school was out.” She also went on to talk about his involvement in the church, pointing out that he was “born in the church.” Gifted with a “beautiful voice,” his grandmother said, he loved to sing and loved especially singing spiritual songs. A native of Saint Lucia, the accountant came to Texas after graduating from Harding See MY TRUTH, page 4
Texas Representatives John Turner and Rhetta Bowers, ScholarShot Executive Director Dan Hooper, ScholarShot April Tillett and staff along with AT&T Asst. VP of External Affairs Ty Bledsoe. AT&T* and ScholarShot are joining forces to help at-risk students complete life-changing vocational, associate or graduate degrees. A $100,000 contribution from the AT&T Foundation will support the effort and is part of AT&T Aspire, the company’s initiative to help provide access to education Photo- S. Curet and training people need to get and keep good jobs.
lilD to release book on life and struggles Radio personality and community activist Dee “lilD” Porter has released her first book for pre-order. The book chronicles the three-month period where she chose to be homeless in Ohio, rather than go home to Louisiana and lose her
See lilD, page 10
Juanita Craft awards to be held NAACP will hold its annual Juanita J. Craft Humanitarian Awards with Channel 8 News’ award-winning investigative reporter, Demond Fernandez as emcee and District 7 councilmember, Adam Bazaldua will also be making remarks, on October 6, 2019 from 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. during the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park. The Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House & Museum Steering Committee established See CRAFT, page 3