Npcourier9 28 16o

Page 1

America’s best weekly

Clinton team hopes ʻbirtherʼ flap will motivate Black voters

Young entrepreneur hosting Youth Cupcake Bakeoff

Black history finds new home on National Mall with new museum

National A7

Business C1

National A6

www.newpittsburghcourier.com

Pittsburgh Courier NEW

Family decries lack of action in son’s June shooting death VOL. 107, NO. 39

Published Weekly

Three Sections

$1.00

SEPTEMBER 28-OCTOBER 4, 2016

by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

On June 3, Richard West-Gray was riding on Route 65 out of Pittsburgh on the way to his girlfriend’s apartment in McKees Rocks in her cousin Carlton Watson’s car. They did not even get to the McKees Rocks Bridge. Just before 5 a.m., someone shot them both multiple times from the passenger side of the car. By the time police arrived, Watson, 24, and Gray, 26, had died from their injuries. In the nearly four months that have passed since the killing, Gray’s mother Louise Gray and his Great Aunt Davine Bundridge said they haven’t learned anything more from po-

lice and are worried that the investigation is being put on the back burner as new homicide cases take precedent. “Richard was murdered June 3 and we haven’t heard a thing since,” said Bundridge. “Louise has been calling them weekly. We don’t know if it’s ongoing or if nothing is going on. It looks to me like (the police) aren’t doing a damned thing.” “Through the end of August, 58 Black lives have been taken in Pittsburgh,” she added. “Well, one of those 58 was Richard. He’s not just a statistic.” Gray said her son was not part of the thug life, he had a job at Target and was continuing to try to launch a rap career under the

n a m e ‘Shooter Rich,” unlike his fraternal twin brother Rufus, who is serving time in Western RICHARD WEST-GRAY Penitentiary. “He was a happy kid, enjoyed life—he wasn’t no bad dude. He was so thin anyone could have whipped his ass,” she said “He was my oldest child, my first born. He had three SEE FAMILY A4

Women’s Walk for Peace draws hundreds by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

With drummers drumming, dancers dancing, cheerleaders stepping and signs waving, residents from across the city took to the streets of the North Side for the 9th Annual Women’s Walk for Peace. Ronell Guy, whose Northside Coalition for Fair Housing has sponsored the walk for all of its nine years, welcomed everyone and reminded them why they were there. “We’re here to celebrate the lives of all those we lost in the past year to street and domestic violence,” she said. “We are marching against all forms of violence; domestic violence, Black-onBlack-violence, police vio- FORWARD—Residents from across the city join in the Northside Coalition for Fair Housing 9th Annual Women’s Walk lence—we just want peace. for Peace on the North Side to call for action against all forms of violence. (Photo by J.L. Martello) And we’re going to start Stubbs, the crowd of more than 300 started their help our communities stop the violence. right here where we stand on the Various speakers, including Brandi Fisher of nearly two-mile trek from the Pittsburgh Project north side and spread it throughthe Alliance for Police Accountability, noted that on North Charles Street to West Park. out the city of Pittsburgh.” Thirteen-year-old Ruby Honaker from the And following a prayer from new SEE WALK A4 North Side said she is marching because it can evangelistic minister Dorothy

by Christian Morrow Two weeks ago the National Fraternal Order of Police announced its endorsement of Donald Trump for president. While national FOP President Chuck Canterbury acknowledged this is “an unusual election,” he said the endorsement came down to a choice between a candidate who engaged the union and one who did not.

“We have a candidate who declined to seek an endorsement and a candidate without any record as an elected official,” Canterbury wrote in a Sept. 16 press release. “Mr. Trump, however, has seriously looked at the issues facing law enforcement today. He understands and supports our priorities and our members believe he will make America safe again.” An endorsement vote, Canterbury wrote, requires at least a two-thirds majority of

Actor in ‘Do The Right Thing’ NEW YORK (AP)—Bill Nunn, a veteran character actor whose credits ranged from the “Spider-Man” movie franchise to such Spike Lee films as “Do the Right Thing” and “He Got Game,” has died. His wife, Donna, said Nunn died Saturday at his home in Pittsburgh. He was 63 and had been battling cancer. A longtime Pittsburgh resident and graduate of Morehouse College, Lee’s alma mater, Nunn b r o k e through in movies in the late 1980s, first in Lee’s BILL NUNN III “ S ch o o l Daze,” then in the Oscar-nominated “Do the Right Thing,” as the ill-fated Radio Raheem, who dies when choked by police during a street brawl in Brooklyn. “Radio Raheem is now resting in power,” Lee wrote on Instagram, SEE NUNN A5

Residents reinforce need for more affordable housing by Christian Morrow Courier Staff Writer

the FOP national board, which consists of one trustee from every state lodge—fifty people. The union boasts more than 330,000 members. Both the Pittsburgh and Philadelphia FOP lodge votes followed suit endorsing Trump. But while Pittsburgh FOP President Robert Swartzwelder said he has heard no pushback from members who

One day after a rally by advocates filled downtown streets marching for affordable housing, those same advocates and others filled city council chambers for a pubic hearing on creating and funding an affordable housing “Opportunity Fund.” Council president Bruce Kraus promised a vote on the matter before year’s end after listening to more than 50 city residents speak in favor of creating the fund. Betty Pickett, retired executive director of the National Conference for Community and Justice, said she doesn’t want to see a fourth re-gentrification of the Hill District. “I’ve lived there for 38 years it’s a neighborhood not revolving door. The fight to get affordable housing on the parking lot sites in the lower hill has been a hand wringer.

SEE OFFICERS A4

SEE HOUSING A5

Pittsburgh officers silent on FOP Trump endorsement Courier Staff Writer

Bill Nunn III dead at 63

Trump’s inner bully comes out swinging, goes out flailing in debate by Keith A. Owens For New Pittsburgh Courier

FIRST DEBATE—Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton smiles as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump speaks during the presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y., Monday, Sept. 26. (Rick T. Wilking/Pool via AP)

Pittsburgh Courier NEW

To subscribe, call 412-481-8302 ext. 134 or FAX 412-481-1360

Donald Trump stayed calm and measured for about the first 10 minutes of the debate before he could no longer contain his inner bully. Hillary Clinton countered with reasonable facts and figures, sometimes to her benefit and sometimes not quite so much as she worked to remain decent in the face of an adversary who is anything but. However, as the debate rolled on, Hillary Clinton’s steady command of the facts and of

the issues won the night as Trump folded into Rumpelstiltskin mode and devolved into full meltdown. An early sign of the crack in Trump’s facade began when Clinton hit her adversary hard on his questionable business record, bringing up his numerous bankruptcies, and reminding viewers of the many times when he stiffed his own workers hired to work on his own projects. She even made it personal, talking about Trump’s life of privilege and reflecting on her father, a small business

owner, who she said she was glad had never been employed by a Trump project where the workers were not paid. But as the night wore on, Trump’s lack of preparedness, combined with his thin skin, began to make for an increasingly uncomfortable night for the Republican contender. When it got to the point where Trump incredulously asserted that he had performed a great service for the nation, and even for President Obama, SEE TRUMP A5

Ulish Carter asks

What about Black men’s Second Amendment rights? Opinion A8


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.