Good News Tuesday: Judge Bernette Johnson (Louisiana Supreme Court)

It is 2012. I didn't think that there were still opportunities for us to share news about someone being the 'first African American' to do something in history. But, I guess that there are still a number of barriers that need to be broken.

I'm proud to see that we no longer have to wait on an African American becoming the chief justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court! Justice Bernette Johnson received legal clearance to become the next Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court. The New Orleans-based judge would also become the first African American chief justice in Louisiana.

It is a shame that she had to go to court to clear the way for her to assume her place in history. But, I guess sometimes you have to break some eggs to make an omelet!

Justice Bernette Johnson was elected to serve on the Louisiana Supreme Court in 1994, and was re-elected, without opposition, in 2000. She serves on the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Judicial Council, and has served on the Court’s Legal Services Task Force, as well as the National Campaign on Best Practices in the area of Racial and Ethnic Fairness in the Courts. Justice Johnson has worked closely with the Court’s Mandatory Continuing Legal Education Committee and the Committee on Bar Admissions.

Johnson served in a number of positions of increasing responsibility within New Orleans city government and the private industry before her time on the Supreme Court. She received her undergraduate degree from Spelman College. She received an Honorary Doctorate in Law from Spelman College at commencement services in April, 2001. She was one of the first African American women to attend the Law School at Louisiana State University (LSU), where she received her Juris Doctorate degree in 1969. She was honored by her law school in 1996, when she was inducted into the LSU Law Center’s Hall of Fame.

Hey Louisiana ... Here Comes da Judge ... and she's a sista!

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This blog will continue to seek out Good News stories about people of African descent and share them with you each Tuesday. We need to tell the positive and upbeat information about OURstory. We can't depend on others to do it for us. Please pass along any Good News story that comes your way. In the case of bloggers ... we want you to join our Good News parade every Tuesday.

Taser Death: Damon Abraham (Baldwin, LA)

It happened again! This time we discover that 34-year old Damon Abraham is dead after being electrocuted multiple times with 50,000 volts of electricity from the taser gun of an unidentified Baldwin Police officer. Abraham was unarmed and handcuffed in police custody ... but, now he is dead at the hands of the police.

The incident happened Thursday evening and now his family is in mourning and searching for answers. According to family members, Damon Abraham was at the police station following up on a restraining order that was filed against him. [SOURCE]

According to family members, Damon Abraham was at the police station following up on a restraining order that was filed against him, and when authorities told him he had warrants for his arrest, he took off on foot. Family members say a Baldwin Police Officer repeatedly used a taser on Abraham and hit him over the head with a baton after he ran from police.

Abraham was held at police headquarters after being tased but then began showing signs of physical distress. He was transported to Franklin Foundation Hospital and was then being moved to a Lafayette hospital when he died en route.



Louisiana State Police have been called in to investigate the death of Mr. Abraham. An officer was placed on administrative leave while the investigation takes place.

Taser Lawsuit: Robert Ricks (Alexandria LA)

The Alexandria Police department electrocuted 23-year old Robert Ricks last year. The police tased him twice and he died after the second shot of 50,000 volts of electricity. Ricks was unarmed. In fact, at the time of the second taser shot he was in police custody. The coroner later claimed that the cause of death was 'excited delirium'.

The family of Robert Ricks is not satisfied with the explanations or the excuses given by the police department, Taser International or any of the other 'powers-that-be'. As a result they filed a lawsuit of wrongful death. [SOURCE]

"I just want to ask them what, what happened? What happened?" said a frustrated Lawrence Ricks, father of Robert Ricks.

TASER International says while its their policy not to comment on pending litigation, the want to remind people that the cause of death was "excited delirium," not the taser gun.

Commonsense tells me that the young man wasn't going to die that day if he hadn't been electrocuted TWICE by the police officers. Commonsense tells me that an unarmed many didn't need to die if the police handled the situation better ... without relying on an instrument of death to keep the young man quiet.

Taser Death: Wayne Williams (Houma, LA)

It happened again! A young man was electrocuted with over 50,000 volts of electricity from a taser gun and died. This time the taser gun was used by police officers in Houma, LA. The guy who died, 27-year old Wayne Williams, was in police custody at the time of his death. The police indicate that he swallowed drugs. I imagine that the autopsy will play up the drug angle.

Click here to learn more about this taser-related death.

It is worth noting that Houma is a relatively small town in Louisiana. However, Houma is no stranger to taser-related deaths. Villagers may recall that Dennis Sandras was also electrocuted by the Houma police department last year.

Lawsuit Filed in the Taser-Killing of Javon Rakestrau

The mother of Javon Rakestrau has filed a federal lawsuit claiming excessive force using a taser in the wrongful death of her son on last October.   Her son was screaming for her right before he was tased-to-death by one of the Lafayette Parish deputies.   You can hear him yelling for his Mom on the dashcam video released by the police.   After the screams you hear the 50,000 volts of electricity being shot by the officer's taser gun ... then you hear nothing but silence.  You can tell that Javon is dead.

Deborah Rakestrau is asking for a jury trial in the civil case against Lafayette Parish Sheriff Michael Neustrom and Sheriff Deputy Chris Guidry. The case was filed September 30th and claims use of excessive force, pain and suffering, mental anguish, emotional pain and suffering, medical bills and expenses, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of future companionship, loss of love and affection, grief, funeral expenses, attorney fees and punitive damages against Deputy Guidry. The case was filed by attorney Clayton Burgess who is representing Rakestrau's mother.

Rakestrau died as a result of an altercation ended with Deputy Guidry.  You can see the video of the incident here. The next day, Rakestrau's family and friends protested the police presence in their neighborhood and said Rakestrau's death was "unprovoked". On October 6, 2010, the Lafayette Sheriff's Office released the dashcam video as evidence that they said "proves" Deputy Guidry followed protocol.

The suit claims on the evening of October 4, 2010, Rakestrau was approached by Deputy Guidry who asked him to place his hands on the patrol vehicle. The suit says Rakestrau protested the stop and continued walking and "a scuffle ensued between Deputy Guidry and Rakestrau".

According to case documents, "Deputy Guidry then began to tase Javon Rakestrau, but Rakestrau did not respond. After repeated administration of electric shock by way of taser to Rakestrau's body, Deputy Guidry then realized Rakestrau was unresponsive".

The suit claims, "as a result of being repeatedly tased, Javon Rakestrau suffered a fatal asthma attack, filling his lungs with foam and blood, and was pronounced dead".

At the time that they released the dash cam video, the sheriff's office said the video showed, "Javon with his right hand holding his cell phone, saying he's calling police. Then he reaches for something with his left hand. He pulls the item from his pocket".   It turns out that Javon was UNARMED at the time of his arrest.   He didn't have to be killed that night.

Witnesses at the time claimed Rakestrau had his hands up and asked not to be tased.

The Lafayette Parish Sheriff's Office said the suspect was uncooperative, and that's why he was tased by Deputy Chris Guidry.

They also said he was witnessed by an undercover deputy, doing a drug deal before he was tased. Authorities found drugs on him, after he was subdued.   I guess that a lawsuit is necessary in order for the sheriff and his boys to realize that having drugs on your person is not punishable by death.

Taser Death: Robert Ricks (Alexandria LA)

It happened again. This time a young, unarmed Black man was tasered-to-death by the Alexandria (LA) police department. The young man, 23-year old Robert Ricks, was in police custody at the time of his death on Saturday, February 5, 2011.

His family had called 911 earlier in the evening to get medical assistance for Ricks. The ambulance arrived ... however, they refused to treat Ricks. The police came and they arrested Ricks. At some point the police acknowledge that a taser was used on Ricks. He was found dead while in a police jail cell.

Here is a video of the taser-death from local newscasters.  It is obvious that this town isn't a fan of Black civil rights organizations as they mistakenly refer to the NAACP as "the NCAA" in their reporting of the incident. 





The young man's family is very upset

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Why is David Vitter (R-LA) Still in Public Office?

Interracial marriage became a national phenomenon last month when a justice of the peace in a small Louisiana town refused to marry a mixed-race couple. The small town judge was castigated by almost everyone, including the Louisiana governor and one of the state's US senators. However, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) didn't have anything to say about it.

So, it may not have been a surprise that Sen. Vitter feigned ignorance of the 'Loving v. Virginia' Supreme Court case that struck down all laws forbidding interracial marriage when he was questioned by blogger Mike Stark.




It amazes me that David Vitter is still a public official. Villagers may recall that he was a client of the 'D.C. Madam' was the way in which the senator himself disclosed it. Vitter was outed by Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt. Vitter's relationship with prostitutes in Washington DC is not unusual. After all, he was accused by a member of the Louisiana Republican State Central Committee of carrying on a lengthy affair with a prostitute in New Orleans's French Quarter in his first Senate campaign. I seem to recall that Vitter had to quit his leadership position in the presidential campaign of Rudy Giuliani.

What are your thoughts on David Vitter and his lack of knowledge about 'Loving v. Virginia' case?

Jena 6 are Free

My blog is a mere cog in the afrosphere ... however, my blog was part of the online mobilization in support of the Jena Six that led to today's deal allowing five of the young men to plead 'no contest' to greatly reduced charges.

This is a just resolution to the racially-charged case. These young men were initially charged with attempted murder and conspiracy, they ultimately pleaded no contest to simple battery, and will serve a sentence of just 7 days of probation.

In addition, a civil suit filed by the family of Justin Barker was settled when the Jena 6 defendants (including Mychal Bell) agreed to pay the Barker family an undisclosed settlement. Attorneys are not allowed to reveal the details of the settlement but a reliable source has disclosed that the payment was approximately $24,000.

ColorOfChange.org said that the plea deal marked an acknowledgement by officials that the Louisiana justice system initially treated the then-teenage boys too harshly, privileging white students' accounts of a schoolyard fight over those of Black students in the largely segregated town of Jena.

"Today's plea deal shows that the original charges in the case were unfair and vastly overblown," said James Rucker, ColorOfChange.org's executive director. "The story of the Jena 6 was an extreme example of what can happen when a justice system biased against Black boys operates unchecked. But it's also an example of what can happen when hundreds of thousands of people across the country stand up to challenge unequal justice. Together, we drew the country's attention to this case and raised the money necessary to fund a strong legal defense."

The Jena 6 are now free to move ahead with their lives. Mychal Bell served his time under an earlier agreement. Each of the five remaining defendants in this case pleaded 'no contest' to the misdemeanor charge of simple battery. Each will be placed on non-supervised probation for one week and must pay a $500 fine and in most cases an additional $500 in court costs.

Pictured (left to right) are Corwin Jones, 20, Jesse Ray Beard, 18, Bryant Purvis (20), Robert Bailey (19) and Theo Shaw (20) and attorney Alan Bean. Judge Thomas Yeager was clearly impressed that all five of the defendants who appeared before him today are enrolled in college.

In a week of tragic news ... it is nice to end it with a victory. The Jena 6 are free!

Mr. Anh Cao Goes to Washington

America seems like a more just place this morning. I woke up to the news that the voters of Louisiana finally realized that they were represented in Congress by an indicted bribe-taking jerk. Among other evidence, Jefferson was videotaped by the FBI receiving $100,000 worth of $100 bills in a leather briefcase at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

I asked William Jefferson to go away ... and the voters of Louisiana 'made it so'.

Jefferson was defeated by Anh 'Joseph' Cao, a little-known Republican lawyer ... the very first Vietnamese-American Congressman ever. Cao is an immigration lawyer and community activist who once pursued the priesthood with the Jesuits.

Hailing from New Orleans’s Versailles — the area of almost 100% Vietnamese, best known to outsiders as an area heavily damaged by Katrina — Cao is said to be affiliated with Boat People S.O.S., a refugee rights advocacy group based in Washington DC.

William Jefferson had been Louisiana’s first Black Congress member since Reconstruction. However, Black folks all over America are seeking quality in our public officials. Once you go Obama ... you NEVER GO BACK! Jefferson cynically counted on a loyal base to return him to Congress for a 10th term.

I join with other villagers in wishing Mr. Cao much success as he goes to Washington DC. I don't have much love for Republicans because of their policies ... but, I appreciate the historical significance of breaking another cultural barrier in our national politics.

How did you feel about these election results from Louisiana?

Obama Shuts Out Team Clinton

I admit that I was somewhat depressed about the results of Super Tuesday. However, I feel better today after watching Barack Obama sweep through Louisiana, Nebraska, Washington and the US Virgin Islands. Obama won Louisiana's Democratic primary with 57 percent of the vote and bested Clinton in the Washington and Nebraska caucuses by a 2-1 margin.

"The voters from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast to the heart of America stood up to say, yes we can," Obama said in a speech last night to a Democratic party dinner in Richmond, Virginia. "We won North, we won South, we won in between."

I notice that the MSM made a big deal of the fact that Clinton won 74% of the white vote in Louisiana while Obama won 83% of the Black vote in that state. I imagine that this is a factually correct statement, however, it dismisses the fact there are very few Black voters in Washington or Nebraska ... and Obama won big in both of those states. Currently, Obama has won 18 of the 28 states in which a primary or caucus has been held.

Our blog is going to use the unofficial delegate counts tallied by The Green Papers, a nonpartisan Web site. At least 2,025 delegates are needed to win the Democratic nomination. Obama is currently winning with pledged delegates 910 to 887. This count does not include delegates from Florida or Michigan. Nor do they include 796 so-called super delegates. Super delegates are Democratic Party officials and officeholders who aren't bound by primary or caucus results and can back whomever they choose. Clinton has 219 committed super delegates; Obama has 124; with 453 uncommitted.

There are six more primaries and caucuses in the next 10 days. Any thoughts or predictions on the presidential election you want to share with us today?

Gov.Blanco Responds to Jena Six Pressure

I understand that part of the Jena 6 convictions have been reversed. However, the situation is still an example of small-town racist behavior much like we saw with the Scottsboro Boys. Click here if you need an overview of the Jena Six case.

Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco's statement re Jena 6 has been shared by her press office. She writes,

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“I have received hundreds of calls, letters and emails from citizens concerned about the situation involving the case of the high school students in Jena, La. As Governor, as a citizen of the State of Louisiana, and as a mother, without rushing to judgment, I condemn racism in any form, and I fully expect that those involved in this case, including all parties, will act with fairness and in complete good faith.

“I must clear up a widespread misunderstanding of my authority in this case. Our State Constitution provides for three Branches of State Government - Legislative, Executive, and Judicial - and the Constitution prohibits anyone in one branch from exercising the powers of anyone in another branch. This issue is currently a matter in the Judicial System, and should those involved in this case suffer any defects, it is their right to address them in that system through the appeals court.

“Again, the oversight regarding how this case was handled, from arrest to prosecution, lies within the Justice System. Therefore, I have consulted Attorney General Charles Foti and Donald Washington, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, regarding these events in Jena. As a result, General Foti has been and is in consultation with U.S. Attorney Washington and other members of the Justice System. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the Jena community has much healing ahead of it, and I urge all those citizens to come together for the common good of their community and their state. Our children deserve nothing less."

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Villagers, have you ever seen such bureaucratic bullsh*t? The governor has the power to stop the prosecution of the Jena 6. She can drop all charges and pardon Mychal Bell. The governor must think that we are all as dumb as Booboo-the-fool. What good faith have we seen from the citizens or prosecutors in Jena? What is a rush to judgement when this racially-based prosecution has been allowed to proceed for almost a year.

It is no wonder that Gov. Blanco has been unable to rebuild New Orleans and other damages in her state from Hurricane Katrina. She is not much of a leader judging from her wimpy statement shown above.

Villagers, what say u? Will any of you be able to attend the march on September 20th?