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When it comes to characterizing the way Georgia might swing in tomorrow’s presidential election, the state alternately has been depicted as sure-fire red, demure pink, ever-ambiguous gray, wishy-washy yellow and half-assed red-striped.
How close do you think it’s gonna be?
a) Toss Up
b) Leaning McCain
c) Strong McCain
d) Leaning Obama*
*Not pictured, ’cause I couldn’t find a map with Georgia painted baby blue
Big Meech led BMF's Atlanta hub
After spending three years in a suburban Michigan jail, Black Mafia Family co-leader Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory is back in Georgia.
Meech and his brother, Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, were sentenced in September to 30 years in federal prison on charges that they ran a continuing criminal enterprise. BMF is estimated to have moved at least $270 million in cocaine in less than two decades. Nearly 150 defendants with ties to BMF have been indicted in seven states, including Georgia.
Meech, a flashy hip-hop entreprenuer, was prosecuted in federal court in his hometown Detroit, though he had lived in Atlanta (and, for a short while, Miami) for more than 10 years at the time of his 2005 arrest.
During a brief phone conversation Saturday, Meech said he was upbeat about starting his 30-year prison sentence. He recently was moved from the Michigan jail to one in rural Georgia, where he’s awaiting transfer to a federal prison in Jesup, Ga. He requested that particular prison so he could be close to Atlanta, where he and his crew were once a legendary presence in hip-hop clubs and on billboards that proclaimed, “The World is BMF’s.”
“I’ve got a lot of love down here,” he said.
Number of for-profit probation companies in Georgia that make money off people who can’t afford their misdemeanor court fines: 39
Number of people fined for misdemeanors who became clients of for-profit probation companies as soon as a 2000 law paved the way for the companies: 25,000
Amount of money that a former state official accepted from a for-profit probation company after he “strongly encouraged” the legislation: $75,000
Months in prison the official received for accepting the bribe: 6
Year that the Georgia Legislature passed a law allowing for-profit probation companies to keep their records secret: 2006
Minimum monthly payments that the for-profit-probation lobby unsuccessfully sought from misdemeanor probationers during last year’s legislative session: $50
Minimum monthly payments that felony probationers pay: $23
Amount that an Americus high school student was fined for violating his learner’s permit: $155
Amount he ended up paying after making monthly payments to a for-profit probation company: $505
Source: Profiting from the Poor: A report on predatory probation companies in Georgia, by the Southern Center for Human Rights
A case involving a paralyzed restaurant owner who sued a local hospital for medical malpractice has almost made it to the state Supreme Court. The case questioned the constitutionality of a $350,000 cap that the state Legislature placed on malpractice damages.
Some say the cap helps keep insurance costs down by limiting multi-million-dollar settlements. Others, including Fulton County Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington, say the cap violates the equal protection guarantee under both the state and U.S. Constitution.
In a ruling that challenged the damages cap, Judge Arrington wrote, “Persons suffering the exact same personal injuries at the hands of other tortfeasors — including other professionals — are not subject to such caps.”
The plaintiff, Cheon Park, fell from a ladder at his home in 2006 and was treated at WellStar Douglas Hospital, where he was X-rayed, diagnosed with a dislocated shoulder and discharged that day. Three days later, Park was still in debilitating pain and went Grady Memorial Hospital to be X-rayed again. His spine was so badly damaged that he is now a quadriplegic, with no use of his legs and only limited use of his arms.
After Park sued and Arrington ruled in his favor, hospital group WellStar Health System and the medical liability insurer MAG Mutual appealed the ruling to the Georgia Supreme Court, which was supposed to hear the case Monday.
But yesterday, WellStar submitted a motion to withdraw its appeal. The Supreme Court granted the motion.
“It’s very disappointing,” says Allie Wall, executive director of consumer-rights lobbyist group Georgia Watch. “We strongly believe that the caps are unconstitutional, and that once the Georgia Supreme Court has an opportunity to review the law, they would agree with us. We were really hoping that the Park case was that opportunity.
“It’s very clear that the defendants didn’t want this to go forward. They were concerned about what the ruling would be.”
Former Atlanta Police officer Arthur Tesler pleaded guilty today in federal court to conspiracy to violate civil rights resulting in death. Tesler, who was convicted of a state charge earlier this year, is the third cop to plead to federal charges in the fatal police shooting of 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston.
The other two officers, Gregg Junnier and Jason Smith, cooperated early on with the FBI and entered guilty pleas. (Tesler initially declined a plea offer.) Junnier and Smith face 10 years on voluntary manslaughter charges, though their sentences could be reduced due to their cooperation. Tesler, who was sentenced to four years on the state charge, now faces 10 years on the federal one.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s office:
“Officers Tesler, Smith, and Junnier, however, repeatedly ignored the requirements of our Constitution and violated the civil rights of the citizens they were sworn to protect, and it was inevitable that one day their illegal ‘shortcuts’ would lead to tragedy. … [T]he cooperation of Junnier and Smith and the dedicated investigation by the FBI have brought other police misconduct to light.
“The FBI also announced today that it has completed its investigation of the Kathryn Johnston shooting and other misconduct by APD officers. … The FBI will therefore soon be providing a report on the investigation to APD Chief Richard Pennington for consideration of potential administrative discipline or state charges against other APD officers.”
So profitable was the Atlanta and L.A.-based Black Mafia Family that the cocaine crew could afford to lose a million dollars every now and then.
For example, consider a 2003 Hummer H2 stretch limo that was parked at one of BMF’s stash houses off Mount Paran Road. The limo was described yesterday during the sentencing hearing for the rapper Barima “Bleu DaVinci” McKnight, a BMF member who’d been indicted in Atlanta.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McBurney told the court that in late 2004, BMF leader Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory correctly suspected that the stash house — a modern mansion affectionately dubbed “Space Mountain” — was about to be raided. Authorities believe Meech’s minions quickly moved at least 100 kilos out of the home.
There was just one problem: a car was blocking the limo, and stash house workers didn’t have the keys. So the limo was abandoned. Federal agents who later raided the house confiscated the stretch Hummer. They searched its interior and found nothing unusual. It was sold at auction and passed through four more owners. Then, the government got a tip that they might not have searched the limo thoroughly enough.
After tracking down the Hummer two months ago, agents discovered secret compartments that they’d missed during the first go-around. Inside, they found seven, semi-automatic weapons — and nearly $900,000 cash.
Just imagine how many prom-bound teenagers must have graced the limo’s seats, oblivious to the fortune that sat beneath them.
Barima “Bleu DaVinci” McKnight, the rapper who became the face of the Black Mafia Family, was sentenced in Atlanta federal court today for handling cash and cocaine for the drug-ring-turned-hip-hop label.
McKnight and nine other co-defendants — most notably Sean “Diddy” Combs’ cousin Darryl “Poppa” Taylor — were scheduled for sentencing today, though at least one of them will be sentenced tomorrow because proceedings ran long.
BMF’s leaders, Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory, were indicted separately in Detroit, where they birthed their organization before moving to hubs in Atlanta and L.A. Last month, the Flenory brothers were sentenced to 30 years in prison.
McKnight received a five-year sentence — eight months less than the government’s recommendation, due in part to the fact that he agreed to share information with authorities. That information was not useful, however, because the government already had built most of its case against BMF.
McKnight also was not willing to testify against other defendants.
“He would have liked to have cooperated if he could have,” his attorney, David MacKusick, said. “But he didn’t have any useful information.”
McKnight released one album, The World is BMF’s, on Big Meech’s record label. Early in his career, he performed alongside such rappers as Young Jeezy, who also has been linked to BMF. Jeezy has not been charged with a crime in relation to the cocaine crew.
A tearful McKnight addressed the court at the end of the sentencing. He said he got involved in BMF the record label as a rapper — and took a detour into BMF the cocaine ring. He also said that Big Meech, who treated him like a little brother, tried to steer him away from the cocaine trade.
“Demetirus did not show me that part of his world when I first met him,” McKnight said. “I got onto the wrong side of the track.”
Darryl “Poppa” Taylor was sentenced this morning in federal court to seven years in prison for his role as a cocaine courier for the Atlanta and L.A.-based Black Mafia Family.
Taylor, one of 10 co-defendants scheduled to be sentenced in Northern Georgia U.S. District Court today, received a sentence reduction for his substantial assistance in the government’s investigation into BMF, a $270 million cocaine enterprise that was headed by the brothers Demetrius “Big Meech” Flenory and Terry “Southwest T” Flenory. The Flenory brothers were charged in a separate indictment in Detroit and were sentenced last month to 30 years in federal prison.
Taylor, who moved to Atlanta from New York, is the first cousin of New York-based music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, who’s been described in court documents as a friend of the Flenorys. Combs has not been accused of any unlawful behavior related to BMF.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert McBurney said during the hearing that Taylor might be able to offer “very substantial” assistance in another federal investigation. Taylor’s attorney, Steve Sadow, told Judge Orinda Evans that Taylor could offer the government insight into “activities going on in the Northeast.”
Had Taylor not cooperated in the investigation, he would have received a minimum 10 years in federal prison, where there is no parole.
In another court proceeding last year, Taylor testified that he was introduced to Terry Flenory by Paul Buford, Combs’ chief of security. Buford and 38 other defendants were indicted along with the Flenory brothers in Detroit. There has been no resolution in Buford’s case.
Sophia disappeared after a burglary.
Sophia, the five-year-old pit bull that disappeared after a break-in at her East Lake home, was found late last night several miles away in a city park.
Her owners, Johnny and Krista Kral, say she’s in good spirits after her four-day disappearance. The Krals had suspected that Sophia was taken during the burglary — and feared she’d be sold into dog-fighting because of her breed.
According to Krista Kral:
She was so excited to be back with us. Her tail would not stop wagging, even while she was laying down almost asleep. She was really exhausted, ate an entire bowl of food in a matter of seconds, and smelled like a sewer rat!
She looks good overall. She has a bunch of scratches on her belly, most likely from brush, some bug bites, and some serious callouses on her paws, but nothing major. She has her own bed since she takes up so much room, but last night we couldn’t stand to not hold her. We gave her a good scrub-down and cuddled with her all night.
A pit bull named Sophia who disappeared during a burglary last Thursday and might have been stolen still hasn’t turned up. Her owners, Johnny and Krista Kral, are now offering $1,000 — up from the $500 we reported last week — for the return of their beloved pet.
The Krals fear that Sophia may have been taken and sold into dog-fighting, despite the fact that her docile, submissive nature would make her useless in the ring.
Atlanta’s 11 Alive and WSBTV both aired stories last night about Sophia’s disappearance.
Here are are the stats on Sophia: black and white with black eyeliner, one black ear and white, and a white tip at the end of her tail; medium-sized (about 60 pounds); very sweet but very timid and will probably not come to you if called; extra timid around men and will not bite.
Sophia might be in the vicinity of the couple’s home, located just south of Glenwood Avenue and the East Lake Golf Club near the corner of Barberrie Lane and Parker Avenue. But she might not.
The Krals ask that you please be on the lookout for Sophia and call 404-784-2469 or 404-451-1460 if you see her or have any leads as to where she is.
Sophia disappeared after her home was burglarized
A couple whose East Lake home was burglarized yesterday lost far more than their flat-screen TV and Xbox. Their five-year-old dog also disappeared.
They fear that the dog might have been taken during the burglary, perhaps because of her breed. Sophia is a pit bull/American Bulldog mix.
Krista and Johnny Kral estimate that the burglary took place around 3 p.m., when they were both at work. The door to their home — located just south of Memorial Drive near the East Lake Golf Club — was kicked in.
Here are are the stats on Sophia: black and white with black eyeliner and a white tip at the end of her tail, medium-sized (about 60 pounds), very sweet but very timid and will probably not come to you if called, extra timid around men and will not bite.
The Krals ask that you please be on the lookout for Sophia and are offering a $500 reward for her return. She might be in the vicinity of the couple’s home, located near Barberrie Lane and Parker Avenue. But she might not.
Please call 404-784-2469 or 404-451-1460 if you have any leads on Sophia.
That’s what we just heard. We’ll update ASAP.
Troy Davis is scheduled for execution Monday — his third execution date in just over a year. On both other occasisons, his execution was delayed within 24 hours of its scheduled time.
UPDATE: The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issued the stay. For more on the recent appeal filed by Davis’ attorneys to the 11th Circuit, click here.
For photos from the Troy Davis protest last night, click here.
Chatham County District Attorney Spencer Lawton has penned an editorial, published yesterday on AJC.com and Sunday on SavannahNow.com, to let people know why the upcoming execution of Troy Davis doesn’t weigh on his conscience.
The only problem: All of Lawton’s points are supported by evidence that supposedly hasn’t seen the light of day — except that it has. In fact, most of Lawton’s revelations have been addressed and contradicted by published reports and court documents. He also glosses over evidence that suggests Davis — who is scheduled to die Oct. 27 — could be innocent.
Lawton writes:
Many people are concerned that an innocent man is about to be put to death. I know this and I understand it. I am not likewise concerned, however, and I want to explain why.
The only information the public has had in the 17 years since Troy Davis’ conviction has been generated by people ideologically opposed to the death penalty, regardless of the guilt or innocence of the accused.
While they have shouted, we have been silent. The canons of legal ethics prohibit a lawyer — prosecutor and defense counsel alike — from commenting publicly in a pending criminal case. Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled, the case is over and I can tell our side.
After the jump, a dissection of Lawton’s ensuing argument.
