Philadelphia Police Beating Victims Sue
The three misidentified Black men who were snatched from their car, beaten a kicked by several Philadelphia Police officers are suing the city police department. Dawayne Dyches, Pete Hopkins and Brian Hall were all found innocent of charges related to the May 5, 2008 shooting that police they committed. On Thursday, a mostly Black grand jury found that the swarm of officers, who were caught by a TV news camera pummeling the three men, did not use inappropriate force. Thus, they will not be compelled to stand trial for what many observers contend was an apparent abuse of power.  Immediately after the videotape was released showing the melee, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey fired four officers, saying, he had been around a long time and knew police abuse when he saw it. Robert Gamburg, who represented Dyches in the criminal case, expressed shock at the grand jury’s decision. “If it was so lawful, why were people fired and the video showed police literally running from the scene, getting in their cars and literally back away and speeding off?” But John McNesby, president of the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police, said he was not at all surprised by the decision. “We expected this result from the beginning. We said all along these officers did their job and that this was knee jerk reaction from the city, a fire-aim-ready approach.” The grand jury concluded in its report, which followed a 14-month investigation, that forced used by “the police was helpful rather than hurtful; the kicks and blows, in other words, were aimed not to inflict injury but to facilitate quick and safe arrests.”

Evers-Williams Gets Freedom Award
The National Civil Rights Museum has named former NAACP Chairwoman Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of slain civil rights leader Medgar Evers, winner of the National Freedom Award, The Memphis Commercial Appeal has reported. She is one of three other winners of the 18th annual awards, which will be announced later. Medgar Evers had been the Mississippi field secretary for the NAACP for about nine years when he was gunned down in 1963. The sniper, Byron De La Beckwith was convicted of the slaying in 1994 – mainly through the dogged persistence of Evers-Williams, who served as chairwoman of the NAACP from 1995 to 1998.

Man Who Said NFL Star Shot Him is Shot Again
The man who said he was shot by Indianapolis Colts wideout Marvin Harrison last year is in critical condition in a Philadelphia hospital after being shot again two days ago. Police found 33-year-old Dwight Dixon Tuesday night with multiple bullet wounds. He is in critical condition, according to a spokeswoman from Hahnemann University Hospital, The Associated Press reports. There have been no arrests in the case. In January Dixon was convicted of a misdemeanor for lying to police about his shooting. Dixon’s attorneys said their client lied because he feared retaliation by Harrison, a Pro Bowl wide receiver. Detectives determined that the gun fired at Dixon was owned by Harrison. The prosecutor dropped charges against the football star because there were conflicting reports of who pulled the trigger.

Infamous LeBron Dunk Tape Surfaces
Versions of one of the most talked-about videos in hoop history surfaced this week, putting to rest doubts of whether the current King of Slams was actually victimized by an up-and-coming NBA wannabe (WATCH HERE). Several weeks ago, rumors swirled that Xavier University’s Jordan Crawford, participating in Nike’s LeBron James Skills Academy in Akron, Ohio, threw a thunder dunk down on the basketball camp’s namesake. If the dunk would have been the only news from the academy, the story surely would have dissipated by now. But a far juicier tale emerged when Nike officials decided to seize the videotape, likely fearing that the footage of James as the dunkee would undermine his status atop Dunk Mountain. The officials argued that all spectators understand that videotaping is not allowed. But what Nike officials didn’t anticipate was how fast the dunk story would morph into court lore of Crawford’s defacing the King. They also didn’t count on another version of the video leaking out of the Nike compound. On Wednesday, however, the gossip video site TMZ.com and eBaumNation.com served up two different versions of the tape. TMZ’s cell phone video, though fuzzy and unsteady, indeed shows Crawford dunking over James in the paint during a pickup game. The eBaum Nation footage, apparently shot from the bleachers above the rim where the alleged defacing took place, is of slightly higher quality and has better sound. Truth is, while Crawford does deliver a pretty decent dunk, it’s far from the quality of bone-shaker that James – the bona fide Slam Master –– administers to foes on a nightly basis during the NBA season. Speaking to Sports Illustrated Web site, the amateur videographer whose tape was confiscated, Ryan Miller, confirmed that while the footage was not what he shot, it was indeed the dunk. “I am 99.9 percent sure that is the actual dunk,” said Miller, a 22-year-old recent Syracuse University graduate. “I was obviously in a different position on the floor, but it was the same reaction from the crowd, same everything. The footage they had before [the dunk] was also footage from that same pickup game. So that’s the dunk. Finally.”

Supporters of death-row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former Black Panther and journalist convicted of killing a Philadelphia police officer nearly three decades ago, are hoping President Obama will intervene to overturn a sentence they say is unjust. “It’s clear Mumia did not have a fair trial,” said MOVE member Pam Africa, one of the organizers of a Free Mumia petition now being circulated. “Evidence was most definitely withheld. This is a test for this new administration right here.” Read the rest.

Jury Fails to Reach Verdict in Philly Cop Case
A Philadelphia Police officer, who has been in jail for the past year on charges that he used the cover of uniform to jack cash and narcotics from drug dealers, could be going home following a mistrial late Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated for two days before declaring that it was hopelessly deadlocked on four of the six charges in the case involving Officer Malik Snell. It founded him not guilty on two other counts, Philly.com reports. While federal prosecutors promise to retry the 36-year-old officer on the charges of robbery and conspiracy and a weapons offense in connection with a botched home invasion, Snell’s attorney says he will file a motion seeking bail. Prosecutors say they will oppose any bail for Snell. Among Snell’s charges, prosecutors say he invaded a home in Pottstown back in December 2007 and that he robbed an admitted drug kingpin of $40,000 during what authorities allege was a bogus police stop, also in December 2007. In October, the jury also hung in a case against Snell.

 
Report Details ‘Abuse’ in St. Louis Jails

Cases of inmate suicides, abuse and neglect in St. Louis jails have American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) officials calling for an independent investigation of the system. The latest suicide involved 29-year-old inmate David C. Dalton, who was found hanging from a bed sheet in his cell Monday evening. Dalton had been incarcerated since May, waiting to go on trial for robbery. More here.