Florida
Page: 3
Florida prosecutors are urging the state’s supreme court to reject an appeal by YNW Melly over whether the rapper should face the death penalty if convicted in his upcoming murder trial.
Last month, lawyers for Melly (real name Jamell Demons) asked the Florida Supreme Court to tackle his case, arguing that prosecutors had forfeited the right to seek the death penalty by failing to give proper notice that they planned to do so.
But in a response last week, Florida’s attorney general told the top court that it should steer clear of the rapper’s case.
“Demons has suffered no harm,” prosecutors wrote in the Feb. 27 brief. “He was on notice for three years that the State was seeking death and at no time had the State indicated it was altering its sentencing intent.”
In asking the state high court to take up his case, Melly has argued that it raises issues of “great public importance” for Florida law beyond his individual charges. But in their response, prosecutors said there was no such pressing need for such judicial review.
“No other district court has been faced with this issue, thus showing that the issue rarely arises,” the state wrote in its brief. “Should a death sentence be imposed, this Court will have the opportunity to resolve this unique matter on direct appeal.”
Melly has spent years awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges over accusations that he and another YNW rapper shot and killed Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. in 2018.
A first-degree murder defendant in Florida would typically face the possibility of execution if convicted, but Melly’s attorneys argued last year that the state had failed to comply with strict laws on how they must warn defendants that they’ll seek the death penalty.
Florida requires prosecutors to give notice 45 days after arraignment if they plan to seek capital punishment. In Melly’s case, the state attorney filed such a notice when they originally indicted the rapper in 2019, but failed to do so when a so-called superseding indictment was handed down earlier this year.
In July, a trial judge sided with Melly’s attorneys and said prosecutors had forfeited the chance to seek death. But in November, an appeals court ruled the judge’s decision was incorrect. The court wrote that since prosecutors gave notice that they might seek death when they first charged Melly in 2019, they had complied with state rules: “Notice is notice.”
Melly appealed that ruling to the Florida Supreme Court last month, arguing it was important that the death penalty law have “precisely defined and easily understood rules.” But like the U.S. Supreme Court, Florida’s top court hears only a small percentage of the appeals it receives.
In its new brief, state prosecutors urged the court to refuse to do so in Melly’s case: “Demons attempts to find conflict were there is none.”
A decision on whether to take the case will be issued by the high court in the months ahead. If it takes the case, both sides will then present more in-depth arguments on the disputed issues. If not, the case will return to the lower court for a jury trial on the murder charges against Melly.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: VALERIE BAERISWYL / Getty
The federal government announced that they had detained four men from Florida in for their alleged roles in the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse.
According to reports, four more men in Florida were arrested by local authorities working under the direction of the Department of Justice for their roles in the assassination of the Haitian national leader which took place on 2021. The arrests took place on Tuesday (Feb. 14th). These arrests bring the number of those involved up to 11.
“Today, individuals who we allege participated in the planning, financing, and orchestration of the assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse will face justice in an American courtroom,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. Former Haitian Prime Minister Claude Joseph shared the news on Twitter, writing “Justice must prevail.”
Details from the filed court documents show that Antonio “Tony” Intriago, owner of CTU Security in Miami, Florida was charged with conspiracy to kill or kidnap a person outside the U.S. in addition to other offenses. Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, the company’s representative was also detained. Walter Veintemilla, a financier from the state has been accused of financing the operation. A fourth man, Frederick Joseph Bergmann Jr, was detained on suspicion of smuggling.
The documents state that the four were part of a plot originally designed to kidnap Moïse and supplant him with a new leader, Christian Emmanuel Sanon. Sanon is one of three Haitian-Americans who have been previously arrested. The plot turned from a coup to an assassination when it was found that Sanon wasn’t qualified to take over, with other suspects including James Solages who reportedly shouted that the CIA was involved to back down Moïse’s security detail at his private home during the attack.
On the Haitian side, proceedings have stalled, leaving the 18 detained Colombian mercenaries and 40 other suspects in a Port-au-Prince prison. Three judges have stepped down for fear of being assassinated themselves, while a fourth was dismissed outright. Martine Moïse, the president’s widow called for a special United Nations investigation last month.
HipHopWired Featured Video
The Rev. Al Sharpton led a protest in Florida on Wednesday (Feb. 15) aimed at criticizing the state’s racist erasure of Black history from its educational system, led by the efforts of Gov. Ron DeSantis. As noted during a speech delivered by Sharpton, DeSantis ordered the removal of a high school Black history course, which sparked concerns among several Black leaders nationwide.
The Miami Herald published a pair of reports regarding the march, centering on Rev. Al Sharpton and his efforts to bring attention to Gov. DeSantis’ decision to have the course removed and hopefully staving off a national movement among conservative elected officials who wish to do away with the looming specter of Black history subjects many on that side incorrectly view as negative in nature.
From the Miami Herald:
“Our children need to know the whole story. Not to not only know how bad you were, but to know how strong they are,” Sharpton told the crowd, adding, “If you would study history, governor, you would have known to mess with us and education always ends in your defeat.”
At the root of the protest was DeSantis striking down an Advanced Placement Black studies course aimed at high schoolers and the reason for the removal of the course was that the state believed it wouldn’t add “educational value” among other points.
DeSantis joins a growing list of GOP representatives who have an irrational fear of Critical Race Theory, using it as some manner of dog whistle among the base to stoke fears of some massive “woke” agenda sweeping the nation. When challenged, those against this so-called agenda can never fully explain what they are fighting against and it simply comes across as “don’t let the Blacks learn too much or else.”
We’ll share some videos of the protest led by Rev. Al Sharpton below. A scan of his Twitter feed goes even more into detail regarding this latest effort.
—
Photo: The Washington Post / Getty
Lawyers for YNW Melly have launched an appeal to the Florida Supreme Court, asking the court to overturn a ruling last year that said the rapper could face the death penalty if convicted in his upcoming murder trial.
In an opening brief filed last month, Melly’s lawyers urged Florida’s top court to rule that prosecutors had forfeited the right to seek capital punishment. They say the government failed to give Melly and his attorneys proper notice that they planned to do so, violating strict procedural rules.
In making their argument to the state high court, the rapper’s lawyers said the justices should take the case because it raises issues of “great public importance” beyond Melly’s individual charges.
“Death penalty law is an area where it is in the clear interest of everyone — defendants, victims, lawyers, judges, etc. — to have precisely defined and easily understood rules,” Melly’s attorneys, Daniel Tibbitt and Philip R. Horowitz, wrote in the Jan. 27 brief.
Melly (real name Jamell Demons) has spent years awaiting trial on first-degree murder charges over accusations that he and another YNW rapper shot and killed Anthony “YNW Sakchaser” Williams and Christopher “YNW Juvy” Thomas Jr. in 2018.
A first-degree murder defendant in Florida would typically face the possibility of execution if convicted, but Melly’s attorneys argued in April that the state had failed to comply with strict laws on how they must warn defendants that they’ll seek the death penalty.
Florida requires prosecutors to give notice 45 days after arraignment if they plan to seek capital punishment. In Melly’s case, the state attorney filed such a notice when they originally indicted the rapper in 2019, but failed to do so when a so-called superseding indictment was handed down earlier this year.
In July, a trial judge sided with Melly’s attorneys and said prosecutors had forfeited the chance to seek death. But in November, an appeals court ruled the judge’s decision was incorrect. The court wrote that since prosecutors gave notice that they might seek death when they first charged Melly in 2019, they had complied with state rules: “Notice is notice.”
In taking the case to the Florida Supreme Court last month, Melly’s lawyers argued the state rules “plainly require” new notice be filed when a new indictment is handed down.
“The Petitioner was arraigned on a new indictment, and the State did not file the requisite notice within 45 days of that arraignment (or ever),” the rapper’s lawyers wrote. “The State relies on a notice that was filed as to an original indictment that is, and has been since the filing of the new indictment, a legal nullity.”
An attorney for the state of Florida did not immediately return a request for comment. The state can file a response to the brief in the months ahead.
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: ABRAHAM GONZALEZ FERNANDEZ / Getty
The College Board announced the official curriculum for the AP African American Studies course, but critics note significant omissions apparently to appease conservative politicians like Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida.
On Wednesday morning (Feb. 1st), the nonprofit education organization released the official curriculum offered in the newest Advanced Placement African American Studies course for high school students. But contemporary Black topics such as intersectionality, reparations, and Black Lives Matter are no longer actively present in the coursework.
The new curriculum, which consists of 234 pages, still contains 79 topics under four subjects – “Origins of the African Diaspora,” “Freedom, Enslavement and Resistance,” “The Practice of Freedom,” and “Movements and Debates.” But contemporary topics such as intersectionality and activism, Black queer studies & Black feminist studies as well as reparations and social justice movements like Black Lives Matter are now absent from the course save for a list where they can be chosen for research projects by students.
“These topics are not a required part of the course framework that is formally adopted by states and that defines the exam. This list is a partial one for illustrative purposes and can be refined by states and districts,” the College Board said of the omitted topics. The pilot version of the course will be offered in 60 high schools across the country, with further expansion slated nationally for the 2024-2025 school year.
The move comes after an early draft was allegedly leaked to conservative publications like the National Review, which the Board denies. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ education board stated it would not make it available to students in the state in a letter last month, claiming it was “inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value.” DeSantis said when asked afterward that “we don’t believe they should have an agenda imposed on them when you try to use Black history to shoehorn in queer theory, you are clearly trying to use that for political purposes.” Over 200 Black educators blasted the move by DeSantis in a letter posted on Medium on Tuesday (Jan.31st).
Professor Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, whose work is foundational to critical race theory, was omitted from the course along with bell hooks and Ta Nehisi-Coates among others, and expressed her concerns. “African American history is not just male. It’s not just straight. It’s not just middle class,” she stated. “It has to tell the story of all of us.”
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: SOPA Images / Getty
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has rejected the AP African-American Studies curriculum for students in the state, claiming it “lacks educational value.”
News of the administration’s decision to reject the program was reported on Thursday (Jan.19th), angering many academics and Democratic lawmakers. The state’s education department had expressed its intent in a letter sent to the College Board last week. “As presented, the content of this course is inexplicably contrary to Florida law and significantly lacks educational value,” the letter said. Reportedly, these officials weren’t even aware of what the AP course syllabus contained before their rejection.
There were no specific reasons for their decision given, but other Republican officials have expressed that the curriculum violates the state’s Stop W.O.K.E Act which was signed into law last year by DeSantis. The bill restricts certain racially-based analyses and conversations. DeSantis claims that the legislation is meant to fight “wokeness as a form of cultural Marxism.”
Part of that law was temporarily blocked by a judge last August, citing the “dystopian” reasoning behind it and its potential effects.
The College Board responded to press inquiries that “we look forward to publicly releasing the updated course framework as soon as it is completed and well before this class is widely available in American high schools.” State Democratic lawmaker Anna Eskamani pointed out the hypocrisy of the move. “If I can take American and European history there’s absolutely no reason why, I see no reason why our students shouldn’t have the option to take African-American history,” she said to The Daily Beast. The National Parents Union expressed its outrage at DeSantis’ actions in a statement, writing: “DeSantis continues to be a threat to democratic values as he abuses his power to dictate what Florida students can learn and think about.”
The move is another low point for the Republican governor, who has brazenly enacted policies that have harmed the Black community in Florida over the past few years while setting his eyes on the presidency in 2024. DeSantis has also zeroed in on the LGBTQ+ community with harsh policies, including legislation banning instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation from kindergarten to third grade commonly known as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill which he signed into law last March.
French Montana released a statement Friday (Jan. 6) following reports that 10 people had been injured after gunfire erupted during his music video shoot.
“Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt,” Montana wrote on Twitter. “Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time.”
According to WSVN 7, Miami Gardens Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to reports of a shooting outside The Licking, a restaurant in Miami Gardens, Fla., shortly before 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night. 7News reported that it remains unclear whether someone shot into the crowd or whether there was an exchange of gunfire. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported there were a total of 10 victims, four who brought themselves to the hospital and six who were transported,” as reported by NBC 6 South Florida.
Witnesses said the “Unforgettable” rapper was shooting a video at the time of the incident. One of them, local MC Ced Mogul, shared a video with NBC6 showing Montana dressed in a red shirt while sitting in the back of a car with New Orleans rapper Rob49 — whom Mogul claimed was among the victims but has yet to be confirmed by police — during the video shoot and before the shooting.
On Friday, Montana released Coke Boys 6: Money Heist Edition, the latest installment of his long-running Coke Boys mixtape series that features A$AP Rocky, Benny the Butcher, Kodak Black, Max B, King Combs, Est Gee, Jeremih and more.
See his tweet below.
Last night, I was in Miami celebrating the release of my CB6 mixtape w/ friends at a local restaurant. We unfortunately were at the wrong place, at the wrong time when an incident took place that left people hurt. Our thoughts & prayers are w/ the victims & families at this time— French Montana (@FrencHMonTanA) January 6, 2023
HipHopWired Featured Video
Source: Ihor Lukianenko / Getty
Malachi Love-Robinson, the fake teen doctor from Florida who has been arrested so many times he might as well start renting Air BnB cells at the local county jail is now 25 years old and, well, he’s still getting himself locked up for being a grifter.
According to NBC News, Malachi Love-Robinson pleaded guilty in Palm Beach County, Florida, to charges of grand theft and organized scheme to defraud, and he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison. Love-Robinson pleaded guilty, specifically, to stealing more than $10,000 from his employer.
From NBC:
Court documents show that in 2020, Robinson was working as a salesperson for a company that connects shippers with trucking companies. Instead of having customers make payments to the company, Love-Robinson would have them send the money to accounts he controlled.
Love-Robinson first came to national attention in 2016 as an 18-year-old when he was arrested after opening The New Birth New Life Medical Center, identifying himself as “Dr. Love.”
He stole $30,000 from a patient in her 80s during house calls and an additional $20,000 from a doctor. He was arrested after he examined and prescribed treatment to an undercover police officer who was impersonating a patient.
Later that year while out on bail, Love-Robinson was arrested in Virginia after he tried to buy a Jaguar automobile with a stolen credit card.
I mean, I get that a guy who can go full Frank Abagnale as a teenager and start his own highly illegal medical practice might also make for a convincing salesman, but who the hell hired a known conman for a sales job like this? Was Love-Robinson so smooth during the job interview that he was able to talk a company into overlooking his resume-slash-rap sheet and giving him a job that involved handling money?
I swear this man is going to be in prison selling chrome-plated handcuffs to the corrections officers.
But seriously, hopefully, after this last stint behind bars, Love-Robinson will start making better life decisions.
Florida Family Seeks Justice For 26-Year-Old BBL Patient A Florida family is seeking answers after 26-year-old Jaynisha “Jayla” Williams underwent cosmetic surgery for a breast augmentation and a Brazilian butt lift, but never woke up. According to Florida news station NBC Miami, the surgery took place on October 20, 2021. Williams and her mother Latoshia […]