Kensington Strangler Suspect Arrested In Philly!

The Philadelphia Daily News reports that a suspect has been arrested in the two month search for the "Kensington Strangler." Antonio Rodriquez was arrested yesterday after police received an anonymous tip and also matched his DNA to 3 murder victims. Rodriquez was also wanted for an outstanding bench warrant for a previous drug arrest, and police are awaiting a conclusive match with his DNA sample. Stories like these continue to be disturbing, but hopefully the Philly police have their man, and the streets are a little safer, less one more criminal.

What Are Arteesha Holt's Demons?

I'm not sure what demons 14 year-old Arteesha Holt faced, but she's been a behavioral problem for her family for years. Holt's life took a turn to oblivion on August 13 when she allegedly shot and killed 2 men in a Baltimore neighborhood, apparently in an attempted robbery. She was arrested yesterday and charged as an adult with first degree murder according to the Baltimore Sun.

Holt apparently has suffered from mental health issues and her family had attempted to help without success. She reportedly had been living in the streets in recent months. Just a sad story.

Lance Stephenson Arrested!

Former New York basketball phenom Lance Stephenson was arrested yesterday for allegedly pushing his girlfriend down a flight of stairs according to the New York Post. Jasmine Williams, the mother of Stephenson's child told police that she was pushed down 10 steps and hit her head. Stephenson was charged with 2 counts of assault amongst other charges.

Lance Stephenson was a second round pick of the Indiana Pacers after playing one year of college ball at the University of Cincinnati. He has a 2 year contract which guarantees him about $1.5 million in salary. Stephenson has had previous issues with females as he plead guilty to groping a 17 year-old female while in high school last year. His pro career could get derailed before it gets started with this latest transgression. Larry Bird is a no nonsense team president for the Pacers so I'm sure he'll be monitoring these charges pretty closely. Tears aren't needed for Stephenson, but he could become just another statistic who blew a great opportunity.

John Crowder Couldn't Escape The Streets!

While the sports world is mesmerized by Tiger's divorce, and where King James is going to be signing, the story of Baltimore's John Crowder always brings everything back into perspective about how rough it is for many talented teens to escape the lure of their surroundings. The Baltimore Sun reports on the sad story of the 17 year-old John Crowder being found bleeding in a Northeast Baltimore yard Monday morning ultimately dying of gunshot wounds.

Crowder was a nationally ranked high school basketball player whose mother died when he was 2, his father wasn't around and he already had had 2 brothers shot and a best friend murdered. It's probable that his murder may not be solved (I hope I'm wrong) and that he will become another murder statistic. I know that stations such as ESPN need ratings and it's more noteworthy to see which vehicle LeBron James is riding in to his next free agent meeting, but the story of James Crowder is a tragedy that deserves more that just a footnote in the local newspaper.

Why Do Cities Try To Minimize Murder Rates?

I find it amazing that after the city of Baltimore just finished a weekend rash of shootings, with 3 dead and 8 injured that the Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III understandably has asked for calm within the city, but to rationalize that murder rates are down and that's a reason for celebration is ridiculous. The Baltimore Sun reports that homicides are down 14 percent from previous year levels, and that the city has been aggressive with removing illegal guns off of the streets, but one murder is just one murder too many, and justifying a result with statistics is a weak way to justify effective leadership. .

Bloods Recruiting Young Girls As Prostitutes In New York!

The New York Daily News reports on a crazy story about Blood gang members being busted for running a sex trafficking ring that recruiting girls as young as 15. The girls and women reportedly were beaten and denied food unless they made $500 a day. An unnerving story to say the least but not at all surprising. The crazy world we live in gets crazier by the day.

The Death of 7 Year-Old Aiyana Jones In Detroit!

Urban violence continues to kill our next generation, and the accidental killing of Aiyana Jones by a policeman's bullet has all of Detroit searching for answers. The shooting, which occurred Sunday morning, appears to be at the hand of a an over-aggressive police officer who was searching for a murder suspect. Aiyana was laying on couch when a police officer entered her home and got into an argument with her grandmother. The entire chain of events is bizarre to say the least, and the police officer is now on leave and an investigation has begun. Unfortunately none of these actions will bring Aiyana back to her family.

The Detroit Free Press provides complete coverage on the senseless killing.

Flash Mobs In Philadelphia!

Flash mobs is the new term used to describe rowdy mostly African-American teens who are terrorizing Philadelphia residents in an increasingly more frequent manner. The latest episode occurred this past Saturday night on Philly's South Street area wreaking havoc on innocent residents who were trying to have a good time. The frequency of the attacks is alarming on several levels and scary in terms a city not being able to control teenagers who for some reason are getting a rush out of this new form of recreation.

Sadly Tyree Parks Couldn't Make It To 19!

Tyree Parks was a 18 year-old high school senior who had just received an acceptance letter to Bloomsburg University in Pennsylvania. His mother wanted so badly for September to come so that her son could escape the dangerous streets of South Philadelphia. Sadly, Friday night Tyree was shot and killed as he was walking home from a basketball game that he had just finished coaching. Apparently Parks had gotten into an altercation earlier in the day, and was so fearful that he was carrying a semiautomatic handgun at the time of his death. The Philadelphia Daily News provides additional details on this very sad story.

Former Philly Cop Allegedly Abuses Girl For 8 Years!

Tyrone Wiggins was a Philadelphia Police Officer for 23 years. He's being accused of sexually abusing a 12 year-old girl beginning in 1997 for 8 years. His alleged behaviour came to the attention of police in 2007, however, he wasn't arrested until Nov. 19 a day after he retired according to the Philadelphia Daily News. Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey rationalizes the lack of disclosure as a simple oversight. On the surface it appears that Wiggins was allowed to continue working until he possibly qualified for retirement benefits. Wiggins was also a karate teacher at a local recreation center where he first met the young girl in 1995, and continued to work with children. The center wasn't even notified until a newspaper reporter contacted them. This is a deplorable story that smells all over, and heads at the department need to roll on this one.

Respect Continues To Kill!

I'm sure when Ashley "A.J" Jewell signed on to be shown on the Bravo reality show "Real Housewives of Atlanta" as cast member Kandi Burruss' then fiance, he probably didn't realize that it would forever change his life making everything that he'd done in the past and future would become fair game for the media.

While on camera Jewell appeared to be a pretty low key young man who supported his fiance. He became a source of conversation because he had fathered 6 kids by many different women. What is now old news is that Jewell lost his life senselessly in what the Atlanta Journal Constitution is calling a fight that escalated because of "a respect issue" with an employee of a local strip club that Jewell apparently had a business interest. The sad part about this story is that "respect" continues to kill black men senselessly. Jewell's family will lay him to rest later this week, and wonder what may have been if someone had just turned the other cheek.

$5 Million Bond Set For 19 Year-Old Man Who Kills 5 Month Old Son!

The Chicago Sun-Times reports on the disturbing death of a 5 month old baby boy dying allegedly at the hands of his 19 year-old father Robert L. Thomas in Chicago after being suffocated. Thomas is being held on $5 million bond. I wonder what makes a father intentionally kill his son. The craziness in Chicago continues.

Just Another Day Of Violence In The Killing Of Derrion Albert!

Yesterday the death of Derrion Albert in Chicago last Thursday hit the national stage with everyone having an opinion regarding the death of another African American teenager on our city streets. Albert, only 16 years old and an honor student apparently walked into a mob of teens fighting when he was hit in the head twice fell to the ground and hit in the head once again before being dragged into a building.

The cynic in me says that while there may be an initial uproar over Derrion's death, the reality is that this happens everyday throughout our country, and at an alarming rate in the major cities such as Chicago. Derrion's death is of course senseless and will be mourned, but does anyone really have any remedies. This is the continuing tale of black on black crime, and no one in their right mind can blame racism on this epidemic. This is black people simply continuing to kill a generation with violence without any fear of the consequences.

Baby Left In Storm Drain By Teenage Parents Dies Near Atlanta!

There's always signs that things are headed towards crazy in our country. This story makes me wonder what people really are thinking as a teenage couple in the Atlanta area left an infant baby to die in a storm drain. Sinead A. Harrison, 18, and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Landis Bernard Stewart-Moore, face child cruelty charges after leaving their infant son to die in the drain. Harrison went to the hospital after giving birth to the baby and told authorities that the baby was left in a trash bin. Unable to locate the baby they questioned the father who informed them where the baby was located. The Atlanta Journal Constitution provides additional details on teenagers simply not caring about a child for which they were responsible.

Basketball Argument Leads To Killing In Philly!

A West Philadelphia Recreation Center which for years has been a safe haven for neighborhood boys and men turned deadly yesterday afternoon when an argument resulted in two brothers being shot, one of them fatally during a basketball game. One of the 2 brothers, who were not identified, was 23 and killed after being shot in the abdomen. The other brother, 19, was grazed in the head by a stray bullet and subsequently released after being treated at a local hospital.

It seems that no place is safe from violence, and the sad commentary on our country with violence being the easy answer continues. Thanks to the Philadelphia Daily News for the article.

17 Year-Old Arrested In Atl For Shooting Woman & Beating Child!

The stories of crimes being committed by young black males keep getting more disturbing by the day. 17 year-old Antoine Wimes was arrested along with 21 year-old Donovan McCoy after they attacked a 22 year-old woman, shooting her in the face and severely beating her toddler according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. To make matters worse, Wimes was out of jail on $250,000 bond for murder and aggravated assault, but cut off his ankle monitor early Monday morning. Man do we need "change", Wimes in the matter of a few months has killed one person and potentially ruined the lives of 2 other people. Why was he out on bond? Simply ridiculous!

Language Barrier Proves Deadly For Shooting Victim In Philly!

Mamadou Makadji, 22, was sitting on a park bench in Southwest Philadelphia, with friends when he was approached by a robber and told that a robbery was taking place. When he didn't respond quick enough, because of his language barrier, he was pistol whipped and shot in the chest. Makadji subsequently died at a local hospital as reported by the The Philadelphia Inquirer. Makadji, who was a Temple student and West African immigrant lost his life in a senseless manner. The only description of the gunman is that he's a black male with a dark complexion.

New Appraoch To Policing Camden, NJ!

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports on the new approach to policing in Camden, NJ which appears to be wearing the police officers down as they work to keep crime under control in one of the most violent cities in the country. The number of officers is down 37 compared to last year from 403. 63 of the 364 officers are either on suspension, family or medical leave or awaiting retirement. Also 100 grievances have been filed against the department by officers who aren't allowed to take lunch breaks. So while homicides are down in the city, it's obvious that officers are wilting under the pressure of a department that has been run by the state of New Jersey since 2003.

20 Year-Old Man Arrested In Murder of Boxer Vernon Forrest!

The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that 20 year-old Damario Ware turned himself into police on Tuesday and is being charged with the murder of boxer Vernon Forrest. Ware was already out on bond stemming from a March arrest. The Forrest killing continues a sad and continued trend of black on black crime. This killing is front and center because of Forrest's celebrity, but this violence takes place everyday in our communities.

Probable Jail Time For Plaxico Burress!

It looks like going to a club in New York and accidentally shooting himself in the leg is going to lead to jail time for NFL player Plaxico Burress according to the New York Post. Prosecutors have been pushing for a 2 year jail term, while Burress is willing to serve a 1 year term. Either way, it looks like a bad decision will cost Burress time in jail, and the loss of millions of dollars.