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August 3 - 9, 2023
VOL. 72, No. 31
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Justice Dept. set to probe Memphis police practices after Tyre Nichols death by Adrian Sainz and Jonathan Mattise The Associate Press
The U.S. Department of Justice is investigating the patterns or practices of the police department in Memphis, nearly seven months after the violent
beating of Tyre Nichols by five officers after a traffic stop. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division made the announcement in Memphis last Thursday (July 27). Federal authorities will use the investigative tool to look collectively at the Memphis Police Department’s use of force
and stops, searches and arrests, and whether it engages in discriminatory policing. She said that in even in the majority Black city of Memphis, the police department may be disproportionately focusing its traffic enforcement on
SEE JUSTICE ON PAGE 2
Kristen Clarke, the Assistant U.S. Attorney General for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, speaks during a news conference on Thursday, July 27, 2023 in Memphis, Tenn. The U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday it is investigating the patterns or practices of the Memphis Police Department, seven months after the violent beating of Tyre Nichols by five officers after a traffic stop. (AP Photo/Adrian Sainz)
Inside Region One Health’s decision to close Guthrie Primary Care
Gear Up Day signals new MSCS school year is near
by James Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
TSD Newsroom Back in the day it simply was Registration Day. Now it’s Gear Up Day and the aim is to help families prepare with the first day of the new school year on the horizon. At Treadwell International Community School on the middle school side, Brandon Hill is the principal. He was ready for Gear Up Day on Tuesday. “We had an opportunity … for our parents to be able to come in and (for us to) reassure our children what we want to do. We wanted to put a twist to it … make it into a community block party, where our families can receive the services they need as well,” said Hill. That meant multiple agencies on site “to support our families, our students, to provide them shots, dental care, healthcare, all the way to assisting our parents with jobs and things of that magnitude,” said hill. “We also have free haircuts, food trucks, bounce houses, all the different components that’s needed for our families. And why is this important for us? “Because we know our students come in for academic achievement, but if we don’t service the entire child, then we ain’t gonna have success for this student to be a well-rounded citizen later on and down the road. So, on this day here, we have an opportunity to really put forth our best effort and not only support our children, but our families as well, our community.” Hill said it’s important that “all of our stakeholders have opportunity to come meet each other often. … because we actually (have) a community school where we have a community resource center and a grocery store that also assists our families on a daily basis. And so, we are just here to really make sure we continue to motivate, uplift,
SEE SCHOOL ON PAGE 2
Jason Carr, the principal of the elementary side of Treadwell International Community School, was fully engaged on Gear Up Day. Gear Up Day at Treadwell International Community School also provided services such as free haircuts. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/ The New Tri-State Defender)
Topic priorities for the 2023 school year See Perspective Page 4
Despite the protests and pleas of North Memphis residents at Monday’s (Aug.31) Shelby County Commission meeting, the epitaph for the Regional One Health’s Guthrie Primary Care facility was sealed. Once an anchor in an underserved community, the location’s Klondike community operations are being consolidated three miles further east with Hollywood Primary Care at 2500 Peres Rd. The closure was the decision of the Shelby County Healthcare Corporation. Its members are nominated by commissioners. “There’s actually a broader array of services available at Hollywood Primary Care. We have adult services, we have pediatrics, we have a very robust women’s health services there, that includes a nice compliment of midwives,” offered Regional One’s chief administrative officer Tish Towns. “When you look at the two sites and the proximity, the robust offering at Hollywood is much more significant than what we’re able to offer at Guthrie.” Although the commission has no oversight regarding the decision, the residents’ sentiments were emblematic of the frustration residents in underserved neighborhoods face daily regarding a lack of basic services, or services closing or moving further away. The closure boils down to numbers. Traffic at the Guthrie facility at 1064 Breedlove St. dwindled over the years. With 190-200 current patients, its three providers averaged three patients per day. Along with their providers, most patients affected by the closure are expected to transition to the Holly-
SEE CLINIC ON PAGE 2
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The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
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NEWS
CLINIC
CONTINUED FROM FRONT wood location. All but one employee will make the move. Despite the assurances, comments from North Memphis residents belied the data. To a person, they spoke of the growing needs in the area and the continuing importance of the location. The contrast didn’t go unnoticed. “I’ll be honest, it wasn’t until public comment that I realized how big of an issue we are talking about. The presentation by Regional One seemed a little misleading, because it didn’t really talk about the tension here,” said Commissioner Britney Thornton. The closure likely will create a gap in services that will be acutely felt by some. Among the county’s most economically vulnerable areas, North Memphis suffers from a near across-the-board gap in services. Along with a scarcity of healthcare options, it lacks other basic services and employment opportunities. Like many impoverished communities, it also has high rates of violent crime and drug addiction. To compound problems, many community members also lack reliable transportation. To help patients make appointments, ride share vouchers will be provided. Medicaid patients, meanwhile, can have transportation arranged through nonemergency transport. Healthcare navigators, including the six Guthrie staff members making the move, will be available to provide further information, directions or other options. “We are all concerned about access to care and individuals being able to see their providers. We have a dedicated navigator to help the established patients from Guthrie find their way to Hollywood primary care, if that’s where they choose to go,” said Towns. With the closure, ROH will operate seven primary care locations in the county. Along with Hollywood, there are locations at Quince Road, Walnut Grove, South Third Street, Kirby Road, Harbor Bend Road and Union Ave. “There seems to be a long distance between your South Memphis location (1955 South Third St.) and your East Memphis (6555 Quince Rd.) location, with the obvious District 10 in between. Is there a plan to create additional primary care networks? Is there a possibility to fill that gap?” queried Thornton, commissioner for District 10. Thornton continued, “As I continue to receive these kinds of presentations, within this particular catch-all is 38114, which is definitely a high-needs area. I would love to see us fill that gap. It looks to me like we’ve got a pretty equi-distant grid and there’s just a huge gap on this map.” The 38114-zip code includes historic Black neighborhoods such as Orange Mound and Castalia Heights in South Memphis. The commissioner’s desire, however, would reverse the trend. In fact, more closures appear to be on the horizon. Towns said the Kirby Road location also is slated to be phased out. Many of its problems are industrywide. “We have challenges recruiting primary care providers…We have challenges across the board finding nursing and clinical support staff. When you hear about the healthcare worker shortages, those absolutely impact us,” said Towns.
At Treadwell International Community School, on the middle school side, Brandon Hill is the principal. He was ready for Gear Up Day on Tuesday. (Photos? Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)
SCHOOL
CONTINUED FROM FRONT and continue to build citizens for our community.” Jason Carr is principal of the elementary side of Treadwell International Community School. Gear Up Day, he said, is “a name that we’ve been calling this for a few years, but registration day nonetheless. And so today is a day for parents who have not registered their students to be able to come in and see us speak with us. Among the help provide was getting families set up with the accounts, which opens up a communication pathway to
JUSTICE
CONTINUED FROM FRONT Black drivers. Clarke said the probe will look into the city and its police department. She mentioned Nichols’ death, but said the investigation is not based on a single event, or a single unit with the police agency. “The tragic death of Tyre Nichols created enormous pain in the Memphis community and across the country,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a news release. “The Justice Department is launching this investigation to examine serious allegations that the City of Memphis and the Memphis Police Department engage in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct and discriminatory policing based on race, including a dangerously aggressive approach to traffic enforcement. Mayor Jim Strickland addressed the investigation in his weekly update. “Just as we have been transparent and cooperative with the Department of Justice’s CRITAC Independent Review, the City will be a good partner in this new inquiry,” he said. “However, I am disappointed that my request was not granted by the Department of Justice to discuss this step before a decision was made to move down this path. I know they discussed the need for such an action with many other individuals. I hope the remainder of the process is more forthright and inclusive than it has been so far.” Strickland said was confident that “any impartial evaluation will show a department full of dedicated officers doing great work. … To the MPD family, we support you, and we are appreciative of the honorable work you do day-in and day-out to keep our community safe.” Clarke said the Department
teachers and staff. “We even have parents that have actually registered, but they’re coming for all of the information that our community partners have brought into us,” he said. “We wanna make sure everyone’s registered so that we can enroll them in classes and have a great start to the, to the new year.” Carr noted that “we were given the community school’s designation last year. And because we do have a wealth of students who are coming from various backgrounds, they might be coming from an English speaking background. They may be coming from a
of Justice has received reports of Memphis officers escalating encounters with people in the community and using excessive force; using force punitively when they perceive someone’s behavior as insolent; and using force against people who are already restrained or in custody. The police department and city of Memphis did not immediately return requests for comment. Clarke said the Justice Department told the police chief and mayor about the investigation, adding that they pledged to cooperate. The five officers have pleaded not guilty to criminal charges including second-degree murder in the Jan. 7 beating of Nichols after a traffic stop — and his death three days later. Caught on police video, the beating of the 29-year-old Nichols was one in a string of violent encounters between police and Black people that sparked protests and renewed debate about police bruta The five officers charged in the case are Black. So was Nichols. The officers were part of a crime-suppression team known as Scorpion. They punched Nichols, kicked him and slugged him with a baton as he yelled for his mother. The police chief disbanded the Scorpion unit after Nichols’ death. In addition to the officers fired and charged with murder, one white officer who was involved in the initial traffic stop has been fired. That officer will not face charges. Another officer, who has not been identified, also has been fired. An additional officer retired before he could be fired. Three Memphis Fire Department emergency medical technicians were fired for failing to render aid to Nichols. Two Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies who went to the location after the beating
Meeting and greeting was the order of the day at Treadwell International Community School on Gear Up Day.
With the MSCS school year starting next week, Gear Up Day was an opportunity for information and to resolve problems. Latino heritage. We even have students that are coming to us from Nigeria and, and other students that come in and
speak Swahili and different things like that. “We have students that are Arabic speaking, we have
were suspended for five days for policy violations. Activists have been calling for a pattern or practice investigation into Memphis police for years. “This is a necessary step in ensuring the citizens of Memphis have our civil rights protected and that we moving beyond tacit political talking points regarding Criminal Justice Reform,” said Memphis activist Earle Fisher. “The Tyre Nichols case moved this idea that there is a pattern or practice of civil rights violations at the Memphis Police Department into the next kind of phase, of what has now become a full-blown Department of Justice investigation,” added Josh Spickler of Just City. In June, a similar Department of Justice probe alleged that Minneapolis police systematically discriminated
against racial minorities, violated constitutional rights and disregarded the safety of people in custody for years before George Floyd was killed. And in March, the department found Louisville police engaged in a pattern of violating constitutional rights and discrimination against the Black community following an investigation prompted by the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor. The investigations can take years — both the Louisville and Minneapolis probes were launched in April 2021. Depending on their findings, the investigations can result in agreements that require reforms that are overseen by an independent monitor and are approved by a federal judge. The federal oversight can continue for years. Shelby County District Atty. Gen. Steve Mulroy issued this
students that are Vietnamese. So we are an international community. So hence Treadwell International Community Schools. We’re the elementary side and we’re partnered right next door with the middle school side.” The day was good and busy, he said. “We’ve had some of the most gracious and patient parents and so it’s been wonderful, but we’ve been able to pretty much answer everything we need to get some things fixed. … That’s what today is all about … getting issues resolved so that we can get the students in class.
statement after the announcement of the investigation: “I’m pleased the DOJ is investigating civil rights practices within the MPD. While I’m sure most officers are people of good faith, we have systemic issues we need to address. “The Tyre Nichols incident was not a one-off, but suggests wider problems of culture. Only an outside investigation can restore the public confidence we need to get the community cooperating with law enforcement, which is the most important thing to bend the curve on crime. And only DOJ can provide the kind of thorough investigation into systemic practices that we need to restore public confidence.” (Jonathan Mattise reported from Nashville. This story includes a report from The New Tri-State Defender)
The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
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PERSPECTIVE The New Tri-State Defender, August 3 - 9, 2023, Page 4
Topic priorities for the 2023 school year by Curtis Weathers
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
This school year will be a pivotable year for students, teachers, and administrators in school systems across the state and throughout our nation. For those of us who keep a close watch on local as well as national trends in our educational systems, one must be concerned with the current direction many of our school systems are headed. Public education has been plagued with some of the most challenging issues one can imagine. Book bans, the great resignation, critical race theory, and legislation to end African-American and Black history programs, just to name a few. I speak with educators daily, and quite frankly, I’ve never been more concerned about the state of our public-school systems. As we prepare to greet this year’s class of students, there are a few high-priority issues that could make life extremely difficult in our school system in Memphis if not managed appropriately. At the very top of the list is the search for a new superintendent. My hope is that our board can put together a well-orchestrated search that will help find a competent, dynamic leader, who can turn our school system around and point it in the right direction. Last year’s search process was a disaster. But now that interim superintendent Toni Williams has withdrawn
her name from consideration, we can look forward to a fresh, new process going forward. My fear, however, is that high-quality candidates Curtis may have been Weathers frightened away because of all the drama surrounding the search process earlier this year. Attracting high-quality superintendents to a school system requires a combination of several factors that appeal to experienced and talented education leaders. These types of superintendents are attracted to school systems with a supportive and visionary school board. They want to work with a board that understands education’s complexities, supports innovation, fosters a positive and collaborative work environment, and has a long-term strategic vision for the district. You can decide for yourself whether Memphis-Shelby County Schools is that kind of school system. Secondly, the teacher shortage will have a devastating effect on the quality of classroom instruction in our schools. This is a recurring story each year, and each year the situation gets worse. Teachers not only are leaving
the profession in record numbers, but enrollment in teacher education programs in our colleges and universities drops precipitously each year. Last year at this time, the district had more than 200 vacant teacher positions. This school year may see a similar number (maybe higher) as school doors open for business next week. Teaching is a challenging and demanding occupation. Teaching in an urban environment adds another layer of difficulty and stress. Teachers will continue to leave the profession in search of better compensation and a more gratifying work environment. Districts must be more proactive and creative to turn this trend around. Lastly, can Memphis-Shelby County Schools expect better performance on TCAP exams this school year? If so, how much better? It’s been difficult trying to locate district performance targets, which usually are established at the beginning of each school year.
But a 10 percent increase in performance across the board is not an unreasonable target to consider, given how low the performance levels are now. The chart with this week’s column provides us with a glimpse of what a 10 percent increase in performance would look like compared to previous years’ performances. TCAP scores have been stagnant over the last several years, taking into consideration, of course, the COVID effect. The performance illustrated in the chart above is just an example, but it is not unreasonable to expect “significantly” higher gains from our schools in the 2023-24 school year. Surely there are more than 20 percent of district students in any given year who can perform at the “Meet” or “Exceed” level on the English TCAP exams. The three priorities listed here are critical issues for Memphis-Shelby County Schools going forward.
Hopefully, our school board will complete the search process without too much drama and confusion and find a very capable school superintendent who can lead this incredibly challenging school system of ours. While district leaders are doing everything possible to find teachers, the reality is several schools will be starting the school year without qualified teachers in some particularly important subject areas, such as math, English, science, and even special education. And while MSCS has made some performance gains overall on state TCAP exams, those gains have been modest at best. Again, the start of a new school year always brings with it excitement and great anticipation. This year won’t be any different. (Follow me, TSD’s education columnist, on Twitter @curtisweathers. Email me at curtislweathers@gmail. com.)
The Retirement of Rev. Jesse Jackson: You Can’t Bury Hope or History by Dr. Julianne Malveaux NNPA News Service
On July 16, the Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson announced that he would pivot from his role as president of the National Rainbow Coalition to become a university professor and advisor to his successor, the Reverend Frederick Douglas Haynes III, an activist, and the pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church in Dallas. This announcement, accompanied by a laudatory speech from Vice President Kamala Harris, should have been front-page news. Instead, except for the Chicago newspapers, Jackson’s resignation from the group he founded in 1971 garnered very little national news. However, Rev. Jackson’s transition from leadership was big news to the people who worked on his 1984 and 1988 Presidential campaigns. A couple hundred Jackson delegates and campaign workers gathered for a reunion at the PUSH headquarters on July 14-16 to reminisce and celebrate Jackson’s decades of leadership. The man whose mantra was “Keep hope alive” offered hope to those disheartened by the recent rise in racism, virulent anti-blackness, legislative and judicial hostility resulting in attacks on voting rights, and the
reversal of affirmative action. Jesse Jackson has not disappeared from the national scene. Instead, too many want to write Rev. Jackson off, just as Dr. Julianne they have atMalveaux tempted to write off history. The sentiment to ignore Jackson is the same sentiment that has allowed truth-deniers to introduce legislation outlawing teaching about race in forty-four states. Thanks to Jackson campaign veterans, though, the world will learn that biased journalists cannot bury either history or hope. At a time when state legislators and Supreme Court justices have attacked voting rights, Jackson’s legacy in registering more voters than any other single individual in history is unassailable. And who can deny Jesse Jackson’s international impact – from his rescue of Lt. Robert Goodman from Syria through his work on the anti-apartheid movement and his relationship with Nelson Mandela? His international reach is reflected in his participation in this year’s
PUSH conference, which included delegates from several African countries, the Caribbean, and Europe. His peers in the civil rights movement sent tributes of recognition. They came from the National Urban League’s Marc Morial to the National Action Network’s Al Sharpton, to tweets from Presidents Bill Clinton and Joe Biden to Chicago’s mayor Brandon Johnson, appreciation rained down on Rev. Jackson. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Marcia Fudge defined PUSH – as “to press upon a thing with force to move it away, to move something in a specified way by exerting force.” She noted that PUSH has been a force for justice, a force against the barriers of racism. There are setbacks, she said, to be sure. But as long as that force is there, there will be change. That the United States Vice President traveled to Chicago to salute Jackson crystallizes his importance to the nation and the world. Kamala Harris shared how important Jackson has been to her life and career and said she would not be Vice President were it not for Jackson’s work. Others shared similar tributes, and I, too, have a testimony. I met Jackson first in 1973 as an Essence Magazine intern and lat-
Dr. Julianne Malveaux: “As long as we can chant back, keeping hope alive, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s place in history is secure. … Those who appreciate the Jackson legacy will not allow hope or history to be buried.” er worked on the 1984 campaign. I vividly remember his assertion in his speech at the Moscone Center that “God isn’t finished with me yet.” Indeed, since 1984, God has continued to mold, shape, and bless Rev. Jackson. Jackson isn’t giving rousing speeches anymore. But he still brings us to our feet. He doesn’t shout. The Parkinson’s he has battled since 2017 has reduced his mighty roar to a whisper. But his whisper is that of hope and history. “Keep hope alive,” he tells assembled delegates. “I am somebody,” he quietly encourages the crowd in his trademark chant. And the delegates engage in the traditional call and response, amplifying Rev.’s voice, reminding him
that while illness may have muted his voice, those who appreciate his contribution to history are ready to receive the baton he is passing and confront the evil forces that would eradicate our rights. As long as we can chant back, keeping hope alive, Rev. Jesse Jackson’s place in history is secure. He inspires the nation and the world. Those who appreciate the Jackson legacy will not allow hope or history to be buried. (Dr. Julianne Malveaux is an economist, author, and Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies at Cal State LA. Juliannemalveaux.com.) Note: ‘The Retirement of Rev. Jesse Jackson: You Can’t Bury Hope or History’ appeared first on Forward Times.
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The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
RELIGION
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This week at the MBMA … The Memphis Baptist Ministerial Association heard from Memphis mayoral candidate Van Turner Jr. at its weekly meeting on Tuesday. (Photo: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)
The MDA tradition … The Memphis District Association opened its 86th Annual Session on July 30, with sessions scheduled through Aug. 3 at Koinonia Baptist Church, 1340 Millbranch Rd. The moderator was the Rev. Derrick D. Davis. Dr. Roosevelt Joyner was the host pastor. (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New TriState Defender)
Community brief: Armor Up Ministries will host a back-to-school party that will include a back pack and supply giveway on Aug. 4 at Pine Hill Community Center. Prayer will be offered at 1 p.m. For more information, call 901691-0623.
The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
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NEWS
Henrietta Lacks’ family settles lawsuit with a biotech company that used her cells without consent by Lea Skene and Sarah Brumfield
BALTIMORE (AP) — More than 70 years after doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital took Henrietta Lacks’ cervical cells without her knowledge, a lawyer for her descendants said they have reached a settlement with a biotechnology company that they accused of reaping billions of dollars from a racist medical system. Tissue taken from the Black woman’s tumor before she died of cervical cancer became the first human cells to continuously grow and reproduce in lab dishes. HeLa cells went on to become a cornerstone of modern medicine, enabling countless scientific and medical innovations, including the development of the polio vaccine, genetic mapping and even COVID-19 vaccines. Despite that incalculable impact, the Lacks family had never been compensated. Lacks’ cells were harvested in 1951, when it was not illegal to do so without a patient’s permission. But lawyers for her family argued that Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., of Waltham, Massachusetts, continued to commercialize the results long after the origins of the HeLa cell line became well known. The company unjustly enriched itself off Lacks’ cells, the family argued in their lawsuit, filed in 2021. The settlement came after closeddoor negotiations that lasted all day Monday inside the federal courthouse in Baltimore. Some of Lacks’ grandchildren were among the family members who attended the talks. Attorney Ben Crump, who
represents the family, announced the settlement late Monday and said the terms are confidential. In a joint statement, Thermo Fisher representatives and attorneys for the Lacks family said they were pleased to resolve the matter and declined to comment further on the agreement. A poor tobacco farmer from southern Virginia, Lacks got married and moved with her husband to Turner Station, a historically Black community outside Baltimore. They were raising five children when doctors discovered a tumor in Lacks’ cervix and saved a sample of her cancer cells collected during a biopsy. Lacks died at age 31 in the “colored ward” of Johns Hopkins Hospital. She was buried in an unmarked grave. While most cell samples died shortly after being removed from the body, her cells survived and thrived in laboratories. They became known as the first immortalized human cell line because scientists could cultivate them indefinitely, meaning researchers anywhere could reproduce studies using identical cells. The remarkable science involved — and the impact on the Lacks family, some of whom had chronic illnesses and no health insurance — were documented in a bestselling book by Rebecca Skloot, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks,” which was published in 2010. Oprah Winfrey portrayed her daughter in an HBO movie about the story. Johns Hopkins said it never sold or profited from the cell lines, but many companies have patented ways of using them. In their complaint, Lacks’ descen-
The family of Henrietta Lacks is settling a lawsuit against a biotechnology company it accuses of improperly profiting from her cells. The lawsuit claimed Thermo Fisher Scientific has made billions from tissue taken without the Black woman’s consent from her cervical cancer tumor. A celebration was held on what would have been here 101st birthday. (Screen capture) dants argued that her treatment illustrates a much larger issue that persists today: racism inside the U.S. medical system. “The exploitation of Henrietta Lacks represents the unfortunately common struggle experienced by Black people throughout history,” the complaint reads. In a brief filed in support of the Lacks family, attorneys advocating for civil rights, women’s rights and health care equity said the case is one of many in which U.S. doctors and scientists have exploited minority patients. Another example they cited involved James Marion Sims, a 19th century Alabama surgeon heralded as the father of modern gynecology who performed experimental surgeries on a dozen enslaved women without the use of anesthesia, claiming Black people could endure more pain than
white people. “Indeed, a great portion of early American medical research is founded upon nonconsensual experimentation upon systemically oppressed people,” the attorneys wrote. In another supporting brief, Southern University law professor Deleso Alford highlighted the discrepancy in status and financial stability between Lacks’ descendants, including grandson Ron Lacks who wrote a book in 2020, and the medical professionals profiting off her cells. “In the same year Mr. Lacks was self-publishing a book in the hopes of finding some help for his family, the CEO of Thermo Fisher received a compensation package of over $26 million,” the brief says. Thermo Fisher argued the case should be dismissed because it was filed after the statute of limitations
expire. But lawyers for the Lacks family said that shouldn’t apply because the company is continuously benefiting. In a statement posted online, Johns Hopkins Medicine officials said they reviewed all interactions with Lacks and her family after the publication of Skloot’s book. While acknowledging an ethical responsibility, the statement said the medical system “has never sold or profited from the discovery or distribution of HeLa cells and does not own the rights to the HeLa cell line.” Though her relatives hadn’t received financial compensation, they reached an agreement with the National Institutes of Health in 2013 that gave them some control over how the DNA code from HeLa cells is used. Crump, a civil rights attorney, has become well known for representing victims of police violence and calling for racial justice, especially in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder. The Lacks family joined him Tuesday near Baltimore’s waterfront to announce the settlement and pay tribute to Lacks on what would have been her 103rd birthday. The group brought balloons and a cake to celebrate. Lacks’ only surviving child, Lawrence Lacks Sr., lives to see justice done, grandson Alfred Lacks Carter Jr. said. Now 86, Lawrence Lacks was 16 when his mother died. “There couldn’t have been a more fitting day for her to have justice, for her family to have relief,” Carter said. “It was a long fight — over 70 years — and Henrietta Lacks gets her day.”
The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
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NEWS
Tennessee Black Caucus holds town hall in Memphis The Tennessee Black Caucus of State Legislators held a town hall meeting last Friday (July 28), inviting the public to come and voice their concerns face to face with state lawmakers. The town hall was held at the National Civil Rights Museum. With a planned Special Legislative Session on Public Safety scheduled to begin in one month, TBCSL members billed the town hall as opportunity for people to tell their elected representatives exactly what they would like to see accomplished in the session. Heading into the town hall, TBCSL Vice-Chair Jesse Chism of District 85 said the lawmakers wanted to have a healthy and wide-ranging discussion. “Obviously, we’re on the eve of the special session so it will be natural to discuss gun reform and keeping Memphians safe. But we also want to hear from residents on all topics, like improving health care for everyone, how to provide a safe and quality education for our children, and ways to improve the economic conditions of our constituents. We want to hear from the people we serve and be accountable to them.” (Photos: Tyrone P. Easley/The New Tri-State Defender)
COMMUNITY The New Tri-State Defender, August 3 - 9, 2023, Page 8
Candidates on the ballot for the Oct. 5 city elections TSD Newsroom The stage is set for who is seeking office in the Oct. 5 city elections for mayor and City Council. City Councilmember Frank Colvett and George Flinn withdrew from the mayor’s race before the Shelby County Election Commission’s July 27 withdrawal deadline, leaving 17 candidates for the office. Mayor Jim Strickland is term limited and cannot seek re-election. The newly elected officials will take office Jan. 1. Below are the “certified” candidates, according to the Shelby County Election Commission. The mayoral candidates are: • Carnita Faye Atwater • Jennings Bernard • Floyd Bonner • Joe Brown • Kendra Calico • Karen Camper • James W. Gibson • Reggie William Hall • James M. Harvey • Willie W. Herenton • Michelle McKissack • Brandon A. Price • Justina Ragland • Tekeva Shaw • Van Turner • Derek Winn • Paul A. Young City Council District 1: • Kymberly M. Kelley • Rhonda Logan (incumbent) City Council District 2 (Current council member Frank Colvett is term limited.): • Keith L. Burks • Will Frazier • Jerri Mauldin Green • Scott McCormick • Rodanial Ray Ransom • Marvin White City Council District 3 (Current council member Patrice Robinson is term limited.) • Ricky W. Dixon • James Earl Kirkwood • Kawanias “Kaye” McNeary • Towanna C. Murphy • Pearl E. Walker City Council District 4: • Teri N. Dockery • Jana Swearengen-Washington (incumbent) City Council District 5: (Current council member Worth Morgan is term limited.): • Luke Hatler • Meggan Kiel • Philip Spinosa City Council District 6: • Keith D. Austin • Edmund Ford Sr. (incumbent) • Larry Hunter City Council District 7: • Edward Douglas • Michalyn Easter-Thomas (incumbent) • Jimmy A. Hassan • Jarrett D. Parks • Deanesha Reed • Austin Rowe • Larry Springfield City Council Super District 8, Position 1: • JB Smiley Jr. (incumbent) City Council Super District 8, Position 2: (Current council member Cheyenne Johnson is not seeking re-election.) • Marion LaTroy Alexandria-Williams • Davin D. Clemons • Janika Nachelle White City Council Super District 8, Position 3 (Current council chair Martavius Jones is term limited.) • Berlin Boyd • Yolanda Cooper-Sutton • Brian E. Harris • Lucille Mack-Catron • Damon Curry Morris • Jerred Price • Paul Randolph Jr. City Council Super District 9, Position 1: • Chase Carlisle (incumbent) • Benjamin R. Smith III City Council Super District 9, Position 2: • Joseph Ford Canale (incumbent) • Brandon D. Washington City Council Super District 9, Position 3: • Jeff Warren (incumbent)
With good reason, CrimeStoppers takes steps to generate more tips by Jerome Wright jwright@tsdmemphis.com
A representative of a small family foundation said the family wanted to do something to aid in the speedy arrest of the suspects who killed Ava Christopher in a horrific T-bone collision in Midtown about 12:30 a.m. July 25. David Wayne Brown, CrimeStoppers of Memphis and Shelby County executive director, said the family representative contacted him Friday morning (July 28), saying the family wanted to double the reward for the tip leading to an arrest from $2,000 to $4,000. By the time the representative presented a $2,000 check to Brown later that day, the reward was $6,000. That is because during a late morning news conference that day, Brown announced CrimeStoppers was doubling the reward for homicide tips from $2,000 to $4,000. “We decided to act with a dramatic number to encourage more tips in the face of increases in serious felonies, gun violence and especially in the murder rate,” Brown said. “As of yesterday (Thursday July 27), the number of first- and second-degree murders stood at 189. We have said to ourselves, ‘If not now, when?’” Brown said, as a Monday (July 31), there had been 219 homicides in Memphis, with 194 of that number subject to first- or second-degree murder charges for the assailants.
Memphis is on pace to break the 2021 record of 356 homicides. Brown said Christopher, 20, had left a work event when the car she was driving was T-boned at Central and Cooper by a red Dodger Charger that ran a red light. The Charger, which was southbound on Cooper, had been reported stolen the day before, Brown said. The driver and a woman passenger exited the Charger and walked away from the crash. Brown said police have received a couple of tips about the crash, but as of Tuesday afternoon, no arrests had been made. Anyone with information about the suspects can call 528-CASH. Tips can be made anonymously, with tipsters receiving a code number. In a GoFundMe post, Mary Claire White, owner of Sugar Ghost Ice Cream And Bubble Tea in the Broad Street Arts District, said Christopher “brightened the lives of every person she met including her family, friends, and the customers of Sugar Ghost lucky enough to wander in looking for a little joy in their day. “When Ava was behind the bar, they stumbled into more than a little joy. Instead, she provided pure, unadulterated happiness in her smile, her eyes, and her gorgeous personality…” White’s post added that Christopher was involved in theater, scuba diving, and her studies in biology at the University of Memphis. She also carried a deep love of animals with plans
to become a veterinarian after graduation. Funds raised will be “donated to the cause of animal care and rescue,” White said. Brown of CrimeStoppers said behind the homicide numbers is “untold suffering and real human cost in our community. We are hoping that this new number – $4,000 – will push anyone with information on a murder toward making an anonymous call or text to us at 528-CASH.” Every tip to CrimeStoppers, founded in 1981, is anonymous, with phone identification stripped from the contact. Tipsters receive coded numbers. They can call in later to see if an award is available. CrimeStoppers tips have helped law enforcement solve 43 murder cases over the last two and a half years. However, the number of solved cases has fallen off this year, Brown said. In 2021, 19 murders were solved thanks to CrimeStoppers’ tips. The number was 18 in 2022. This year, so far, there have been six solved cases, although the overall volume of tips received is at a record high. Brown said the murder awards tend to come in spurts as information is collected and passed on to CrimeStoppers for its citizen Awards Committee to decide on award amounts. (Jerome Wright is deputy editor of The New Tri-State Defender.)
Mentoring with a punch… Bevo Boys Fitness Academy has opened the doors to a new facility – 6075 Winchester Rd. in Hickory Ridge Mall – that houses the nonprofits’ after-school program, which Kenneth “Coach Kenny” Cole founded in 2016. The free boxing plus mentoring program will be offered from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday of the school year. Bevo is an acronym for “be empowered victorious ones.” For more information and to register, visit www. bevoboysfitnessacademy.com. (Photos: Gary S. Whitlow/GSW Enterprises/The New Tri-State Defender)
County Commission adopts resolution that mirrors ‘red-flag law’ pitched by Gov. Lee by James Coleman
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Shelby County Board of Commissioners has rallied around a proposed gun law pitched by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee. The commission, at its Monday (July 31) meeting, adopted a resolution to allow courts to seize guns from owners named in protective orders. Commissioner Charlie Caswell Jr. said considering the upcoming Aug. 21 special legislation session called by Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee
addressing firearms, “I just want it on record that this body stands to, again, ask that the state really consider those laws.” The nonbinding resolution mirrors the “redflag law” introduced by Lee. It was sponsored by Caswell. Commissioners Michael Whaley and Erica Sugarmon were added as sponsors. The move reflects a momentum shift that has occurred in the past several months, following a school shooting in Nashville in March that left seven dead, including the shooter. The violence led to waves of anti-gun protests at the capital.
For years, the state has been loosening its gun restrictions. In 2021, Tennessee became a permitless carry state, allowing for concealed and open carry firearms. Commissioners approved the add-on item with a 9-0 vote. Every Democrat voted in favor. Commissioner Mick Wright recused himself. He is a member of Youth Villages’ leadership team, which is a gun violence intervention program. Republican commissioners Brandon Morrison and David Bradford were absent, while Amber Mills was present but didn’t vote.
The New Tri-State Defender
NEWS
August 3 - 9, 2023
Black Business Association of Memphis to host Building Wealth in the Black Community forum TSD Newsroom The Black Business Association of Memphis (BBA) will host the “Building Wealth in the Black Community Symposium” on August 19th at the National Civil Rights Museum from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The featured keynote speakers are” *Scotty Hendricks, managing partner for New York Life Insurance; * Maggie Anderson, au-
thor of “Our Black Year: One Family’s Quest to Buy Black in America’s Racially Divided Economy,” and *Benny Pough, music executive, entrepreneur, author, and real estate proprietor. Pough has been instrumental in delivering radio hits for superstar artists such as Jay-Z, Rihanna, Kanye West, Travis Scott, Future, DJ Khaled, and 21 Savage. With the support of Congressman Steve Cohen, the forum is leveraged through
the Memphis Restart Initiative as a multi-faceted grant from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Its focus is to provide the necessary training, information, and resources to Black entrepreneurs, managers, and small businesses for their elevation to the next level. “Black businesses are the foundation of a thriving Memphis community. We must shift our thinking from passive support to intentionally directing our spending to support
them,” said Ernest Strickland, President of the BBA. Sponsored by New York Life Insurance Company, the forum is dedicated to changing the community’s conversations from poverty alleviation to wealth creation and is designed to empower individuals and business owners to foster a mindset of openly discussing generational wealth. (For more information, visit www.bbamemphis.com; call 901-636-9300.)
CLASSIFIEDS Bartlett City Schools Bartlett City Schools is seeking qualified vendors to quote pricing on all Bids and Request for Proposals. For information concerning Vendor Registration to become an approved vendor to conduct business with Bartlett City Schools, please visit http:// bartlettschools.org and click on the About US Tab. Vendor Registration is also available by contacting Purchasing, 901.202.0855, ext. #2255. Bids and Request for Proposals are available to download at the following website: http://www. bartlettschools.org.
PUBLIC NOTICE THE MEMPHIS URBAN AREA METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION In compliance with federal regulations under Title 23 CFR 450, the Memphis Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is proposing to adopt the MOVING TOGETHER 2050 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP), the Air Quality Conformity Demonstration Reports (CDR) for Shelby and DeSoto Counties, and thirteen (13) amendments to the FY 2023-26 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), which were made available for a 30-day public review and comment period from June 30-July 31, 2023. In addition, the MPO will present the FY 2024-25 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) and the Carbon Reduction Program TIP Criteria for adoption. The comment period for the MOVING TOGETHER 2050 RTP, the Air Quality CDRs for Shelby and DeSoto Counties, thirteen (13) amendments to the FY 2023-26 TIP, the FY 2024-25 UPWP, and Carbon Reduction Program TIP Criteria ended on July 31, 2023. The Memphis MPO Transportation Policy Board (TPB) will hold a public hearing on Thursday, August 17, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn University of Memphis, 3700 Central Avenue, Memphis, TN 38111.
New data: crime rates remain above last year, but pace of increase slows TSD Newroom The Public Safety Institute at the University of Memphis and the Memphis Shelby Crime Commission have released preliminary crime figures from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) for the first half of 2023 (January-June) showing that the crime rates in all major categories of crime remain above the first half of last year. The figures continue a trend shown in the crime rates for the first quarter of this year (January-March). However, the pace of increase is slowing. In most categories, increases through June are less than the increases during the first quarter, indicating smaller increases during the second quarter.
In Memphis, the major violent crime rate is up 6.6 percent compared to the first half of last year and up 4.9 percent countywide. (That compares to 7.7 percent in Memphis and 5.4 percent countywide during the first quarter.) The major violent crime rate includes reported murders, rapes, aggravated assaults, and robberies. The aggravated assault rate was up 3.3 percent in Memphis and 1.9 percent countywide. Aggravated assaults account for almost 80 percent of reported major violent crimes. “A lot of effort is being placed into tackling aggravated assaults,” said Bill Gibbons, president of the Crime Commission. “That includes creation of a special unit within the Memphis Police Department (MPD) to investigate
aggravated assaults involving the discharge of firearms and scaling up intervention efforts by the City of Memphis to head off retaliatory acts of violence. Still, violent crime remains alarmingly high.” Both creation of the special unit to focus on investigating aggravated assaults and a scaled up violence intervention effort are parts of the current Safe Community Action Plan, the development of which was spearheaded by the Crime Commission. Referencing 2011 as the best year in recent memory in terms of the violent crime rate, and based on the preliminary TBI figures, the violent crime rate so far this year is 69.2 percent greater in Memphis than in 2011 and 60.9 percent greater in Shelby County as a whole.
In 2011, Memphis had almost 2500 MPD officers compared to around 2000 now. The major property crime rate (made up of reported burglaries, vehicle thefts, and other felony thefts) has jumped 37.8 percent in Memphis compared to last year and 35.1 percent countywide. (However, that compares to 43.8 percent in Memphis and 42.1 percent countywide during just the first quarter.) The increase is driven primarily by a increase in reported vehicle thefts – up 130.3 percent in Memphis and 126.6 percent countywide compared to the first half of last year. (The compares to over 150 percent in Memphis and countywide in the first quarter.)
It is the policy of the Memphis MPO not to exclude, deny, or discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, immigration status, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran status, familial or marital status, disability, medical or genetic condition, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law in its hiring or employment practices, or in its admission to, access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. For any and all inquiries regarding the application of this accessibility statement and related policies, or for persons that require aids or services to participate either in the review of these documents or during the hearing, please contact Nick Warren, at 901-6367146 or Nick.Warren@memphistn. gov. This notice is funded (in part) under an agreement with the State of TN and MS, Departments of Transportation.
NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Charles Otieno Tax Parcel #: 03509200000200 Tax Sale #: 1803 Price Offered: $3,000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher,
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CLASSIFIEDS 1509 Madison Ave. Memphis, TN 38104 PH (901) 523-1818 HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. DEADLINES: Display ads Friday 5 p.m. Classifieds ads Monday 5 p.m. STANDARD RATES: $6.00 per line for 1 column ad.
may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 10:00 a.m. on August 29, 2023, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: Sheila Talley Robertson Tax Parcel #: 03401600000110 Tax Sale #: 1803 Price Offered: $3,000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:30 a.m. on August 29, 2023, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150 NOTICE OF PROPOSED SALE OF REAL PROPERTY BY SHELBY COUNTY GOVERNMENT Notice is hereby given, pursuant to T.C.A. §67-5-2507, that Shelby County Government has received an Offer to Purchase for the following property: John Stepney Tax Parcel #: 05204500000080 Tax Sale #: 1802 Price Offered: $4,000.00 Terms: Cash Additional Offers to Purchase, of at least ten percent (10%) higher, may be submitted within Ten (10) working days of this notice. If additional offers are received during this ten (10) day period, all prospective Purchasers must attend a Public “Bid Off” at 9:00 a.m. on August 29, 2023, to be held in the Shelby County Land Bank Office, to determine the highest and best offer. The property shall thereafter be sold to the prospective Purchaser making the highest and best offer without warranties of any sort. Shelby County Land Bank 1075 MULLINS STATION, BLDG. E-1 MEMPHIS, TN 38134 (901) 222-1150
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The New Tri-State Defender
August 3 - 9, 2023
Page 10
SPORTS
Tigers head to the Dominican Republic as Penny Hardaway enters year six by Terry Davis
Special to The New Tri-State Defender
Penny Hardaway is entering his sixth season as the head coach of the Memphis Tigers. In his five prior seasons he has won at least 20 games, had 2 number-one recruiting classes, and made a post-season tournament each year, except in 2020 when all post-season tournaments were canceled. Now comes year six. When he was hired Hardaway promised to return the program back to relevancy. For the most part, Hardaway has achieved most of his goals. His team won the 2019 NIT championship. Memphis also won its first post conference championship last year. The team has played in back-to-back NCAA tournaments. The program before Hardaway had not been to a post-season tournament in 8 years. Hardaway will have to serve a threegame NCAA suspension to start the season. This stems from recruiting outside of the window to recruit. “I was wrong,” said Hardaway. “I was disappointed in the outcome. I am not going to fight it. At the time felt like I could have it reduced, but they actually added to it. I am OK with that. I just have to do the three games.” This summer Hardaway had 10 former players that were on rosters for the NBA summer league. There were three players from last year’s team: Kendric Davis (Golden State), Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu (Kao) (Dallas Mavericks), and Devonte Kennedy (Philadelphia). Most players that play in the NCAA have the dream to play in the NBA. With so many players on roster Hardaway will
Terry Davis
use that as a recruiting tool. One of the most anticipated documents for the Tiger basketball faithful heading into this season was the release of the roster heading to the Dominican Republic for the three games from August 1-6. The Tigers will carry 12
players on the trip. The dozen players making the trip to the Dominican Republic are Jordan Brown (Louisiana), Carl Cherefant (Freshman), Ashton Hardaway (Freshman), Jayden Hardaway, Nick JourPenny Hardaway dain (Temple), Caleb Mills (Florida State), Jonathan Pierre (Nova Southeastern), Jahvon Quinerly (Alabama), Noah Stansberry (Western Kentucky), JJ Taylor (Freshman), Jaykwon Walton (Wichita State) and Jayhlon Young. The notable missing player is Mickey Williams, the freshman guard from California, who ran into difficulty off the court. On paper, this could be one of Penny Hardaway’s most experienced teams. The team is awaiting the word on two veteran players. Malcolm Dandridge and DeAndre Williams. Dandridge entered the transfer portal but did not rule out returning to Memphis. Williams is awaiting an answer from the
Jayden Hardaway
Caleb Mills
NCAA on his request to restore a year of eligibility that was denied when he was at a prior school. In similar cases, the NCAA has ruled in favor of the petitioning athlete. There is no timeline to when they will issue a ruling. Mills talked about the team that is taking shape. “The guys that have been here have been working hard. I am excited for the season.” On the competition at point guard, Mills said, “At the last school I was at it was position-less basketball. It is here to. I don’t think it will be too much of a difference.” On merging all of the egos and talent on this team Mills said, “The main thing is trusting Penny. Whatever he asks us to do, just buy into that.” Jayden Hardaway, the coach’s son is the lone returner. “I like this group of guys. I am the type of person that can adapt to anyone that is
put around me. If everyone works hard and close, we can grow from there. I miss my old teammates. I am looking forward to winning some games with these guys.” On having so many former players in the summer league, Hardaway said, “I think it is amazing. They all have great potential.” As for the upcoming trip, Hardaway said, “I want the team to bond. I want the camaraderie, learn one another and to compete as a team. It is not a stressful situation, let’s see how these guys respond in a game.” There will be no live streaming nor live television for any of the games. Memphis was set to face the Dominican Republic National Team on Aug. 2. Former Tiger Lester Quinones is on that team. The Tigers then will match up with a Dominican Select Team Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. CDT and again Aug. 6 at 4 p.m. CDT.
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