The Justice Department will not Charge former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson

The Justice Department announced they will not charge Darren Wilson for the killing of Michael Brown.

In the DOJ report, they said that "Wilson's actions do not constitute prosecutable violations" of federal civil rights law. It's not a surprise, we knew about this weeks ago. AG Eric Holder spoke out about changing the civil rights law, since it seems to be vague on issues like this one.

To explain the Justice Department's decision, they will release the 100-page report on the systemic racial discrimination by the Ferguson police and court system.

I will post that report later today

The Alabama Supreme Court are Activist Judges

These are activist judges. The Alabama SC is the prime example of that, folks. Thinking their word is higher than the federal court... Let me say that again, higher than the federal court. I find this whole messy ordeal funny because they believe this act will stick. In fact, they should ashamed for using religion and their personal politics in this decision.

I guess they're fine with a tarnished legacy. They will go down as the reckless, ignorance and myopic state Supreme Court, who allowed their foolishness to get in the way of justice.

Congratulations, judges. I hope your arrogance and your dumbass actions serves you well.

Ben Carson: Being Gay is a Choice because Inmates goes into Prison Straight, comes out Gay - VIDEO

Which Movie made You Question Your Sexuality?

For me, Risky Business

Tom dancing in his underwear made me think nasty thoughts

The official portrait of Michael Sam for Dancing With The Stars

Alabama Supreme Court halts Gay Marriage

Alabama, I swear!

Tonight, the state Supreme Court put a stop on gay marriage!

NPR reports

In a 134-page opinion, seven of the nine justices said the U.S. Constitution "does not require one definition of marriage."

"As it has done for approximately two centuries, Alabama law allows for 'marriage' between only one man and one woman," the court wrote. "Alabama probate judges have a ministerial duty not to issue any marriage license contrary to this law. Nothing in the United States Constitution alters or overrides this duty."

Of course the big conflict here is that a U.S. District Court judge struck down Alabama's ban on gay marriage. That was appealed, but the Supreme Court refused to put a hold on that ruling while it decides on the issue of same-sex marriage itself.

This means that that today's ruling from the Alabama Supreme Court throws the state into conflict with the federal judiciary. Remember, it was Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore who issued a similar order in February.

U.S. District Court Judge Callie Granade, who struck down gay marriage in the state, said that probate judges should should follow her order, not that of the chief justice.

Moore recused himself from Tuesday's ruling.

Read the opinion

Alabama Supreme Court opinion on Gay Marriage by Viktor T. Kerney

An Arrest made in the Murder of Transgender Woman Islan Nettles

Islan's Mom, Delores

Some good news on the Islan Nettles case.

There has been an arrest has been made in her murder. Her mother Delores Nettles said that the prosecutors told her about the arrest.

HuffPo reports

"I'm overwhelmed," Nettles said. "I still want to know the facts, but it's been a long time coming." 

The New York Police Department did not immediately return a request for comment from The Huffington Post. The Manhattan District Attorney's office declined comment when reached by DNA Info.

The name of the suspect was not known nor were the charges they could face.
On Aug. 17, 2013, Nettles was walking with friends in the early morning near her home in Harlem when they ran into a group of young men outside a police precinct. A fight ensued, and Nettles, who was knocked to the ground and beaten by one of the young men, slipped into a coma. A few days later, she died.

Police initially charged Paris Wilson, 20, with misdemeanor assault. Nettles' friends and family were upset that the charge had not been homicide. Then another man came forward and confessed to the beating, but said he was too drunk to remember any of the details. That man was not charged. Charges were also dropped against Wilson.

More to come of this story.

Justice Department report calls out Ferguson's Police on their Bias and Excessive Force

Ooh wee, The DOJ investigation on Police department in Ferguson is back with some key info on their practices. Trust me, it's some good stuff.

NYT reports

The Justice Department, which opened its investigation after a white Ferguson police officer shot and killed a black teenager last summer, says the discrimination was fueled in part by racial stereotypes held by city officials. Investigators say the officials made racist jokes about blacks on their city email accounts.

The report’s findings were summarized by a federal law enforcement official. The full report is expected to be released on Wednesday. A separate report is expected to clear the officer, Darren Wilson, of any civil rights violations in the shooting of Mr. Brown.

Ferguson officials now face the choice of either negotiating a settlement with the Justice Department or potentially being sued by it on charges of violating the Constitution.

In compiling the report, federal investigators conducted hundreds of interviews, reviewed 35,000 pages of police records and analyzed race data compiled for every police stop. They concluded that, over the past two years, African-Americans — who make up about two-thirds of the city’s population — accounted for 85 percent of traffic stops, 90 percent of citations, 93 percent of arrests and 88 percent of cases in which the police used force.

Black motorists were twice as likely as whites to be searched but were less likely to be found in possession of contraband such as drugs or guns.

The findings reinforce what the city’s African-American residents have been saying publicly for the past year: that years of discrimination and mistrust created the volatile environment that erupted after Mr. Brown’s shooting.

More from MSNBC

In 88% of documented incidents in which police used of force against someone, that person was black. Blacks were even bitten by police dogs disproportionately. In each of the 14 cases involving someone being bitten by a police dog, that person was black.

The poor treatment didn’t end on the street. Blacks in Ferguson were 68% less likely than others to have their cases dismissed by the Municipal Judge and were disproportionately likely to have a warrant issued against them, according to the report. As recently as 2013, 96% of the people who were arrested on an outstanding warrant were black.

But even more than the treatment they received once stopped, the Justice Department’s report found that blacks were used in the criminal justice system to buoy the city’s economy and balance its budget. The practices uncovered by federal investigators have violated residents’ Constitutional Rights of due process and equal protection under the law.

I will post the full report hopefully tomorrow

The DOJ’s report found that blacks were also subject to unfair stops and arrest for minor offenses like “manner of walking” in a roadway.

Since 2010, according to the report, the court has collected more revenue for Failure to Appear in court charges than any other charge. The court collected $442,901 in fines for such violations accounting for nearly 25% of total court revenue that year.

Russell Tovey apologizes for Effeminate statement

After a firestorm of tweets and Facebook messages over his 'effeminate' statement blew up everywhere, Russell took to Twitter to apologize.

I surrender. You got me. I'm sat baffled and saddened that a mis- fired inarticulate quote of mine, has branded me worst gay ever Contd

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) March 3, 2015

If you feel I have personally let you down, I'm sorry, that was never my intention

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) March 3, 2015

I'm proud to be who I am and proud for others We're in this together, I want you to know whatever you think I meant, I didn't

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) March 3, 2015

I'm gonna ride this out, and one day we will all look back on this moment with a half smile of fascination and amusement

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) March 3, 2015

Until that day I'm gonna carry on being me #lowersflag x

— russell tovey (@russelltovey) March 3, 2015

In Charlotte: City Council fails to pass LGBT-inclusive ordinances

Last night in Charlotte, NC, haters, allies and fam appeared in the city hall to debate on the LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinances.

The discussions were harsh, deep and at times, hard to endure. That chamber was filled with so much emotion, you couldn't help but to be drawn to the live feed. However, after all was said and done, the ordinances failed. Mostly because of a stupid and weak amendment by Councilmember Vi Lyles (a Democrat). Her amendment excluded restrooms from the ordinances, giving in to the foolish notion of trans folks scaring kids on the toilet.

The final vote was 6-5.

The Charlotte Non-Discrimination Ordinance Coalition released this statement (via Q Notes):

The Charlotte Non-Discrimination Ordinance Coalition is condemning Charlotte City Council’s decision on Monday to reject amendments to local non-discrimination ordinances. The measures would have added sexual orientation and gender identity, among other characteristics, to already protected classes in four city non-discrimination ordinances. Their action repeats a similar rejection of inclusive non-discrimination protections made by Council in November 1992.

For the second time in our city’s history, Charlotte City Council has shown it does not have the courage or the conviction to stand for fairness and equality. More than two decades ago, Council members shamelessly rejected similar public accommodations protections. In repeating that sad legacy on Monday, Council chose to listen to the divisive, prejudiced rhetoric of out-of-town special interests who have been behind recent attacks on the rights of LGBT people across the state and across the country. They have proven they will stop at nothing to malign and discriminate against LGBT citizens and residents.

These safe and equitable protections have been adopted by 17 states and more than 200 local governments across the country with no ill effect, including in Bessemer City, Greensboro, Raleigh and Winston-Salem, and in South Carolina’s Columbia, Charleston and Myrtle Beach.

Charlotte’s decision tonight moves the city backward not forward and shows a continued lack of commitment to fair treatment of all its citizens and residents. This coalition will not stop lobbying Council for these changes and will bring them back to city leaders for future consideration. We thank our Council champions and those who voted for the measure, placing equality over discrimination.

I watched most of the debate and again, it was a lot to take in. But if you want to learn more about Charlotte and the craziness around it, please go over to Q Notes. Matt Comer did a great job recapping last night.