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Morning sugar. In case you missed it, here are the top stories making the rounds on the web. Have a good day!
Organizers Say ‘Bye Felicia’ To Prosecutors in Tamir Rice Case
Community leaders that are pushing for justice on behalf of Tamir Rice, the pre-teen Cleveland boy fatally shot by Timothy Loehmann last November, are taking an unusual move in the case. The group of concerned citizens are now directly approaching the judge presiding over the case to file murder charges against Loehmann, rather than waiting for prosecutors to decide with a grand jury on whether or not to indict. Ohio is one of the few states that allows this kind of side-step in legal matters. Read the full story at the New York Times.
Former Speaker of the House Appears In Court Today For Evading Financial Regulations, Sexual Molestation
Today, Dennis Hastert, the former speaker of the house during the Clinton and Bush administrations, is going to court today in Chicago for his arraignment. Last month, Hastert was indicted on charges of evading money withdrawal requirements and lying to the FBI; it was discovered that he was using exorbitant amounts of money (approximately $3.5 million) to keep a young man quiet after allegedly molesting him during Hastert’s tenure as a coach and high school teacher in the 70s. Read the story here at NPR.
Former Black Panther Is Freed After Four Decades of Solitary Confinement
Albert Woodfox is finally seeing justice after being convicted for the murder of a Louisiana State Penitentiary corrections officer in 1973. Yesterday, the murder charged was overturned for the second time—but only 43 years after Woodfox already served time in solitary confinement. Two others that were also charged with the officer’s murder had already been released. Woodfox maintained that he was targeted as a suspect in the murder for his involvement with building a Black Panther Chapter in prison. Read the story at USA Today.
Apple Just Announced Its Release Date For Its New Music Service
Spotify and Tidal better watch out. Apple Music is set to be available to the public on June 30. People have long been pitting Apple’s new service against other competing brands and for good reason; not only do their prices match those of Spotify, but they have the advantage of potentially winning over those already using Apple products. The service is going to be pre-installed in iPhones upgrading to iOS 8.4 later in the month. Read more on Apple Music here.
Lester Holt Might Be Hosting The Most Highly-Watched Night News Program Full Time!
It’s been four long months since Holt took over for Brian Williams after his disastrous leave from NBC Nightly News and according to insiders, Holt is likely to be hosting the evening news program for good! Holt has managed to hold his ground after Williams’ on-air embellishments scandal. Experts say that executives at NBC are probably going to give Williams a new role or force him to officially leave the network all together. Get the full scoop here at CNN Money.
Bonus Round: Superintendent Won’t Drop Charges Against Family For Cheering At Commencement
It never ceases to amaze me how petty some people can be. Remember that family that got arrest warrants for cheering at a graduation ceremony? The Mississippi superintendent that handed them the charges still won’t let that ish go. The charges for disturbing the peace yield up to $500 in fines and up to six months of jail time. I swear black people can’t do anything in this country. Check the full story at Bossip.
