Crime and Punishment
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This past summer the internet applauded the Black unity that the good people of Alabama demonstrated during what is now referred to as “The Battle of Montgomery” a.k.a. the Montgomery Riverfront Brawl.
While many fades were dished and white chairs became the weapon of choice for the now famous brouhaha by the boats, no one was seriously injured in the melee but many who participated were taken into custody and are now being held accountable for their actions. According to TMZ, a chair-wielding participant has just entered a guilty plea in the case but will avoid jail time for the fight.
This past Monday (December 11), Reggie Bernard Ray copped a conditional guilty plea in his case and in exchange for his transgression will have to serve 50 hours of community service along with a 90-Day suspended sentence.
In other words if the man doesn’t get pinched for any other issues he won’t see a day in jail.
Per TMZ:
You’ll recall, Ray was seen in the viral clip earlier this year, coming to the defense of another Black man — the co-captain of a nearby riverboat — during a dispute with white men whose boat was blocking the riverboat from docking.
It quickly grew into a huge brawl, with Ray making a memorable appearance by swinging the chair at one of the white men … the incident has since spawned multiple memes and even some merch.
As we reported, Ray jumped on the bandwagon and began selling some merch of his own … apparently trying to cash in on the famous incident.
That really was a classic moment in American history. Just sayin.’
The incident itself spawned a bevy of hilarious and “inspirational” memes in the following days and truth be told, we loved them all.
We’re just glad that camera phones, the internet and social media was around the capture and promote that historic day at Montgomery, Alabama.
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The Riverfront Brawl in Montgomery, Ala. was one of the most explosive moments to unfold this year, spawning several memes as the news of the so-called “Fade In The Water” event rippled through social media. Two men involved in the Riverfront Brawl were recently sentenced and one man saw his charges dismissed as another individual will appear in court on Monday (December 11).
Local outlet WSFA reports that Zachary Shipman and Alan Todd appeared in Montgomery Municipal Court last Friday (December 8) and pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of harassment after initially being charged with third-degree assault. Shipman and Todd were given suspended sentences of 60 days and 12 months of probation. Shipmen will serve out his sentence in Dallas County while Todd will do so in Baldwin County according to WSFA’s reporting.
Dameion Pickett, a co-captain of the Riverboat, also appeared in court but his third-degree assault charge was dismissed and he supported the plea agreements made by Shipman and Todd. One other suspect, Reggie Ray, will appear in court Monday to learn what his sentence will be.
The Riverfront Brawl was sparked after the Riverboat was attempting to dock in its usual spot this past August when a private boat was in the way. A dock worker removed a rope that kept the private boat stationary, sparking its passengers to assault the dock worker. An employee of the Riverboat hopped into the water, swam over, and helped to defend the worker along with other observers.
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Photo: Ray Tan / Getty
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Source: Broward Sheriff’s Office / Broward Sheriff’s Office
On Wednesday (December 6), Kodak Black was arrested for cocaine possession in Plantation, Florida after cops found him asleep at the wheel of his luxury SUV. The jokes write themselves.
The rapper, born Bill Kapri, 26, was pinched for possession of cocaine, tampering with evidence and improperly stopping or parking his vehicle. He appeared before the judge on Thursday (December 7).
WSVN reports that officers approached Kodak Black’s vehicle after noticing his black Bentley SUV was holding up traffic around 2am on the 600 block of NW 47th Terrace. The officers then found the “Visions” rapper asleep behind the wheel. Of course, the cops also noted the odor of marijuana coming from the SUV as well as “cannabis wrapping paper and residue” per the police report.
But this is when the struggle gets extra real. Reportedly, Black copped to the weed, but then the authorities said they noticed him trying to discard of a white powdery substance. After being searched, the cops found a white substance in a baggie in his pocket that was confirmed to be cocaine.
Kodak Black was famously pardoned Donald Trump in 2020 of his federal sentence for falsifying documents to purchase firearms, and has been continuously singing the former President’s praises ever since. There’ll be no get out jail free cards now, though.
All jokes aside, it seems like Kodak Black, who had to complete court-ordered rehab before, needs help.
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Joseph Vincent, a former informant for the Drug Enforcement Administration, has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a plot to assassinate President Jovenel Moïse of Haiti. Vincent, who claims both Haitian and American citizenship, was the first citizen of the United States to plead guilty in the matter.
The Miami Herald reports that Joseph Vincent, a native of South Florida, was the fourth of 11 defendants charged in the federal case that is unfolding in Miami, with Vincent, 58, admitting to a role in the plot to assassinate Moïse. Moïse was killed after his residence was ambushed by over two dozen mercenaries, some of whom were reported to be from Colombia. According to court findings, 26 of 28 gunmen were reportedly Colombian with two suspects hailing from the United States.
Vincent told the court that he met with a group of individuals in Haiti on the night before President Moïse’s assassination, which occurred on July 7, 2021, in the wee hours of the morning. Vincent, who is entering a plea deal, shared that he wore a U.S. State Department pin on his outfit to appear as an important figure to his Haitian co-conspirators according to Vincent’s statements.
Adding to this, Vincent said he was part of a plan to ignite protests across Haiti against Moïse and use the disturbance as a cover ploy to kidnap the president. Vincent was not part of the gunmen group but did admit to riding with other co-conspirators to Moïse’s residence during the ambush by the mercenaries.
Joseph Vincent is pleading guilty to conspiring to provide material support in the assassination, providing that support, and conspiring to kill or kidnap a person outside the United States. His sentencing hearing takes place on February 9, 2024, and he faces up to life in prison.
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Photo: Getty
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Guy Philippe, a leader of a rebellion in Haiti and a convicted drug trafficker, was deported from the United States to his homeland this week. Philippe is just one of thousands deported to the troubled nation since President Joe Biden was sworn into office back in 2021.
The Miami Herald reports that Guy Philippe, 55, was deported on Thursday (November 30) from Alexandria, La. along with over a dozen other individuals. Philippe was a former commander in the Haitian police force who led an armed rebellion in 2004 to overthrow President Jean Bertrand Aristide. From there, Philippe got involved in a scheme with Colombian cocaine traffickers, assisting in a money-laundering operation for the group.
In 2017, after dodging capture by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Philippe was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the scheme. Philippe pleaded guilty to the charges but claimed innocence.
Philippe’s return to Haiti has been in process since September after he was released from a federal facility and moved into immigration custody. According to the Herald‘s report, Philippe attempted to get his sentence reduced since the sentencing.
The turn of Guy Philippe is a cause of concern for some as the country has yet to rebound from the 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Philippe, despite his criminal record in the United States, won a seat in the Haiti Senate in 2016 while campaigning alongside Moïse. Just before he was set to be sworn in, Philippe was arrested and handed over to the DEA.
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Photo: JAIME RAZURI / Getty
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Source: Scott Dudelson / Getty
Nardo Wick is about to catch a hefty lawsuit. A fan of the rapper allegedly got knocked out by his entourage for what’s being reported as the faux pas of…asking for a photo.
Footage hit the Internet of what looks like a fan approaching the rapper and his weed carries, baggage handlers or such variety of hangers on, seeking a flick. Instead, he caught a vicious blow to the head, knocking him out cold before he seemed to slam his head on the pavement after getting hit again.
Someone who says they are the victim’s son relayed that the guy was just seeking a photo with their “favorite artist” when he got punched out. TMZ reports the incident went down in Tampa, and the vic is a 20-year-old who was hospitalized.
While Nardo’s dusty “security” team surely thought they were scoring points with the rapper, it’s a safe bet that it’s their boss who will be catching the lawsuit. Also, law enforcement is also looking for them, so it’s only a matter of time before someone dimes them out.
X, formerly known as Twitter, users are chiming in and the consensus is that Nardo’s team was out of pocket and the nerve of them for acting so maliciously to someone—if the seeking an autograph story holds true. Either way, we hope the victim is alright because that was a massive hit to the head.
Peep some of the reactions in the gallery.
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Source: Jack Berman / Getty
While crime in New York City has always been an issue as of late things have been getting kind of wild and reckless in terms of the kind of crime that’s been engulfing the city that never sleeps.
According to The New York Daily News, the latest wildness comes from a group of women who decided to make some coin by sticking up some unsuspecting cab drivers in Manhattan and the Boogie Down Bronx just last week. The gun-toting trio pulled off their first robbery on November 20th when they ran up on a 60-year-old cab driver outside of Grand Central Station around 1am and relieved him of his cell phone (people still rob those?!) before hoping out and making a getaway.
But that wasn’t the end of their mini crime spree as the women decided to keep pressing their luck.
Per The New York Daily News:
About two hours later, the women took a cab up to the Fordham Heights section of the Bronx.
When a 59-year-old driver dropped the women off near the corner of Ryer Ave. and 180th St., they pulled out a gun and demanded he turn over his phone and wallet.
The robbers made off with his cell phone and $210 in cash, cops said.
Neither driver was hurt in the incidents.
Well, at least no one got hurt.
The women are still at large and police are asking the public to call Crime Stoppers at (800) 577-TIPS if they happen to run into these women. Thing is, they’ll probably stick you up for your cell phone if they see you pull it out. Just sayin.’
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Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, was found guilty of the seven charges levied against him in the explosive fraud case. According to reports, Bankman-Fried could face over 100 years in prison if federal sentencing guidelines are followed and there is still another trial to come next year.
For five weeks, Sam Bankman-Fried, 31, stood trial at the Daniel Patrick Moynihan U.S. Courthouse in Manhattan, N.Y. and this past Thursday (November 2), the co-founder of FTX and Alameda Research heard the guilty verdict on fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering charges.
As reported by The Washington Post, Bankman-Fried was found guilty of two counts of wire fraud, four counts of conspiracy to commit fraud, and one count to commit money laundering. If all sentencing guidelines are followed, Bankman-Fried faces several decades in prison. Sentencing will take place on March 28.
“We respect the jury’s decision. But we are very disappointed with the result,” defense attorney Mark Cohen shared in a statement. “Mr. Bankman Fried maintains his innocence and will continue to vigorously fight the charges against him.”
According to prosecutors in the matter, Bankman-Fried allegedly swindled almost $10 billion from the victims of the fraud scheme as FTX was reportedly using customer contributions to fund Bankman-Fried’s lifestyle and purchases.
“The cryptocurrency industry might be new; players like Sam Bankman-Fried might be new. But this kind of fraud, this kind of corruption, is as old as time, and we have no patience for it,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said of the case.
Bankman-Friend is the son of Stanford University professors Joseph Bankman and Barbara Fried, both of whom attended the trial. Fried’s mother was said to be wrought with emotion after hearing the verdict against her son.
According to those who closely followed the case, the paper trail and testimony from former romantic partner and the former CEO of hedge fund Alameda Research, Caroline Ellison, along with accounts from former FTX executives, helped sink Bankman-Fried’s defense. But it appears that it was Bankman-Fried himself who didn’t fare well during intense cross-examination sessions.
Sam Bankman-Fried is due in court again on
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Source: Hall County Sheriff’s Office / TMZ
Yung Bleu was arrested for battery of a woman after an alleged fight concerning child custody in Georgia.
According to reports, the rapper Yung Bleu was reportedly arrested after a confrontation with a young woman in an apparent custody dispute in Georgia on Sunday (October 15). Yung Bleu, aka Jeremy Biddle, was charged with misdemeanor battery.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office told the press that officers had responded to a 911 call made from a home in Gainesville. Upon arrival, a woman there claimed that Yung Bleu had shown up at the home unannounced and declared that he would be taking the ten-year-old child living there back with him. It was then that she got into an argument with the rapper, who she alleges picked her up and threw her onto the ground, causing her to injure her right hip and shoulder. The woman refused to go to the hospital but was treated at the scene by EMS personnel.
The unidentified woman then told officers that Yung Bleu did take the child with him, but then he returned soon after before leaving again without the child. Shortly after that, the “You’re Mines Still” rapper spoke with the authorities and agreed to turn himself in. He was charged and booked into the Hall County Jail, obtaining his release a few days later after posting a $2,400 bond.
The news comes as rumors have swirled of a potential divorce between Yung Bleu and his wife, Tiemeria after she accused him of cheating. The rapper also pushed back against the allegations of assault in a now-deleted Instagram post, writing:
“I’m off this internet thing but I will take the time to tell all my ladies that may be a fan of Bleu. I cherish women and I’m completely innocent. Just no [sic] this about to be one of toughest times to be a fan of mines because ima about to go into another bracket as an OWNER and entrepreneur and people hate and you know! THEY. Hate that.”
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Source: @JustInMyView / R1 Digital
Tekashi 6ix9ine was arrested in the Dominican Republic Sunday after the rapper, who suffered a beatdown at an LA Fitness in Florida earlier this year, allegedly dished out a beatdown of his own on music producers who were apparently in the company of his girlfriend.
According to TMZ, 6ix9ine, born Daniel Hernandez, was taken into custody Sunday night at the Hotel Balcones del Atlántico in Sánchez in the province of Samaná by La Vega prosecutor Aura Luv Garcia, who is leading the investigation into the case. Video footage circling around social media shows the chaotic scene that erupted when the “GOOBA” rapper arrived at the DR jail.
From TMZ:
Tekashi’s reportedly been accused of beating up music producers in the country with a handful of other men … after allegedly getting into it over his new girlfriend, Yailin.
Reports say Yailin was in the studio when 6ix9ine showed up with his crew — and the rapper was allegedly jealous of the producers spending time with his girl.Tekashi reportedly tried flying out of the country after the incident, but the charter company followed protocol and checked with immigration for any outstanding warrants — resulting in the rapper bailing on the plane idea.
This is 6ix9ine’s second arrest in the last few months as he was also arrested in Florida in August for skipping a court date.
It’s worth pointing out that someone who can’t stop getting into legal trouble and is known for snitching in order to get himself out of legal trouble should probably be steered clear from if one happens to be a friend of his who dabbles in illegal activity. Just saying.