theroot--2020-04-19--The Teddy Riley vs. Babyface Instagram Battle Managed to Be Too Much and Too Little All at Once

Over 400,000 people tuned in Saturday night for what was supposed to be the much anticipated Instagram battle between two music giants but ended up being an awkward , clumsy , cringe-worthy non-spectacle that ended in the whole thing being called on account of clusterfuck and postponed ... .again .
The live battle between Kenny “ Babyface ” Edmonds and Teddy Riley , which was originally planned for April 12 but was postponed due to Babyface ’ s COVID-19 diagnosis , was a whole mess from the start .
First of all , Riley must have misunderstood the assignment because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Guy also gave us audio-fail induced headaches after becoming the picture-perfect example of “ doing too much.
” While Babyface was appropriately just one man sitting in a studio with his phone , Riley looked like he was set up for a whole ass concert complete with stage , live drummer , multiple microphones and sound crew .
And “ sound ” was pretty much all we got as a cacophony of echoing and reverb mixed with low audio replay filled Riley ’ s first three rounds of competition .
Riley eventually attempted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fans come back in a half-hour but Babyface suggested postponing the whole thing for another day .
“ Tonight was really special ... it ’ s only right that we postpone this thing and do it at a time when there aren ’ t any technical difficulties and everybody can hear the music the way it needs to be heard , ” Babyface said via Instagram video .
So , you all know what happened next , right ?
Yep , Black Twitter went ham .
R & B icon Toni Braxton had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t help but point out what we were all thinking : 62-year-old Babyface and 52-year-old Riley have just engaged in an old-guys-don ’ t-know-what-they ’ re-doing-o-thon .
Braxton , of course , wasn ’ t the only one clowning .
Comedian Kevin Fredericks posted a parody of Riley ’ s performance to Instagram that was ... actually pretty damn spot on .
Other fans were equally ruthless because if there ’ s one thing black people are masters of , it ’ s poking fun at a disaster .
Of course , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Riley was doing a lot , social distancing was the one thing he maybe hadn ’ t done enough of .
All and all , the response to Riley and Babyface ’ s battle has been far more entertaining than the battle itself .
Hopefully , when the two iconic producers meet again for the “ for real this time ” show , Riley will have taken Swizz Beatz ’ advice that “ less is more .
”

Over 400,000 people tuned in Saturday night for what was supposed to be the much anticipated Instagram battle between two music giants but ended up being an awkward, clumsy, cringe-worthy non-spectacle that ended in the whole thing being called on account of clusterfuck and postponed....again.
The live battle between Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds and Teddy Riley, which was originally planned for April 12 but was postponed due to Babyface’s COVID-19 diagnosis, was a whole mess from the start. First of all, Riley must have misunderstood the assignment because the man who gave us Blackstreet and Guy also gave us audio-fail induced headaches after becoming the picture-perfect example of “doing too much.” While Babyface was appropriately just one man sitting in a studio with his phone, Riley looked like he was set up for a whole ass concert complete with stage, live drummer, multiple microphones and sound crew. And “sound” was pretty much all we got as a cacophony of echoing and reverb mixed with low audio replay filled Riley’s first three rounds of competition.
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Riley eventually attempted to put everything on pause and have fans come back in a half-hour but Babyface suggested postponing the whole thing for another day.
“Tonight was really special ... it’s only right that we postpone this thing and do it at a time when there aren’t any technical difficulties and everybody can hear the music the way it needs to be heard,” Babyface said via Instagram video.
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So, you all know what happened next, right? Yep, Black Twitter went ham. R&B icon Toni Braxton had a damn field day.
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Braxton couldn’t help but point out what we were all thinking: 62-year-old Babyface and 52-year-old Riley have just engaged in an old-guys-don’t-know-what-they’re-doing-o-thon.
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Braxton, of course, wasn’t the only one clowning. Comedian Kevin Fredericks posted a parody of Riley’s performance to Instagram that was...actually pretty damn spot on.
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Other fans were equally ruthless because if there’s one thing black people are masters of, it’s poking fun at a disaster.
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Of course, it needed to be pointed out that while Riley was doing a lot, social distancing was the one thing he maybe hadn’t done enough of.
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All and all, the response to Riley and Babyface’s battle has been far more entertaining than the battle itself. Hopefully, when the two iconic producers meet again for the “for real this time” show, Riley will have taken Swizz Beatz’ advice that “less is more.”


theroot--2020-04-18--WNBA Honors Gianna 'GiGi' Bryant and Teammates as Honorary 2020 Draft Picks

The WNBA paid tribute to Gianna “ GiGi ” Bryant in a big way during the organization ’ s annual draft Friday by making her and fellow Mamba Academy teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester the first three honorary 2020 draft picks .
“ While it brings us pain not to see their dreams come to fruition , I ’ m grateful and proud to announce them tonight as honorary draft picks , ” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said during the Friday ceremony which was entirely virtual this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak .
Bryant , Altobelli and Chester @ @ @ @ @ @ @ WNBA before their tragic deaths in a helicopter crash which took the lives of six others including NBA icon Kobe Bryant .
Family members of the crash victims recorded thank you speeches for the honor including Vanessa Bryant who said her thank yous through tears while wearing a WNBA sweatshirt that belonged to her husband .
“ It would have been a dream come true for her .
She worked tirelessly every single day .
She wanted to be one of the greatest athletes of all-time , just like her daddy .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my little girl , ” Bryant said adding that “ Kobe and GiGi loved the WNBA .
This is his sweatshirt .
Thank you .
I want to congratulate all of this year ’ s draft picks .
So congratulations , work hard .
Never settle .
Use that Mamba Mentality.
” This is the second time Gianna has been given an honorary induction by a women ’ s basketball organization .
In January , shortly after the 13-year-old ’ s death , the University of Connecticut made her an honorary member of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huskies—a team Kobe said in 2018 that she was “ hellbent ” on being a part of .
It ’ s been just under three months since the tragic and untimely deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and many fans and family members are still mourning their losses as well as that of the others who died that day .
It warms the heart to see that they continue to be memorialized .

The WNBA paid tribute to Gianna “GiGi” Bryant in a big way during the organization’s annual draft Friday by making her and fellow Mamba Academy teammates Alyssa Altobelli and Payton Chester the first three honorary 2020 draft picks.
“While it brings us pain not to see their dreams come to fruition, I’m grateful and proud to announce them tonight as honorary draft picks,” WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said during the Friday ceremony which was entirely virtual this year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Bryant, Altobelli and Chester all had aspirations to play in the WNBA before their tragic deaths in a helicopter crash which took the lives of six others including NBA icon Kobe Bryant. Family members of the crash victims recorded thank you speeches for the honor including Vanessa Bryant who said her thank yous through tears while wearing a WNBA sweatshirt that belonged to her husband.
“It would have been a dream come true for her. She worked tirelessly every single day. She wanted to be one of the greatest athletes of all-time, just like her daddy. So thank you, thank you for honoring my little girl,” Bryant said adding that “Kobe and GiGi loved the WNBA. This is his sweatshirt. Thank you. I want to congratulate all of this year’s draft picks. So congratulations, work hard. Never settle. Use that Mamba Mentality.”
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This is the second time Gianna has been given an honorary induction by a women’s basketball organization. In January, shortly after the 13-year-old’s death, the University of Connecticut made her an honorary member of their women’s basketball team the Huskies—a team Kobe said in 2018 that she was “hellbent” on being a part of.
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It’s been just under three months since the tragic and untimely deaths of Kobe and Gianna Bryant and many fans and family members are still mourning their losses as well as that of the others who died that day. It warms the heart to see that they continue to be memorialized.


theroot--2020-04-21--Black People Are Still Being Disproportionately Arrested for Marijuana Possession: Report

April 20 ( 4/20 ) is widely recognized as the smoker ’ s holiday .
It ’ s a day where marijuana partakers everywhere celebrate the festivities by ... well ... doing the thing most of them do regularly anyway , except on this day , they ’ re doing it for the culture .
The American Civil Liberties Union , on the other hand , is using the day to draw attention to the racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests that are ongoing despite the growing number of states that have either legalized or decriminalized the substance .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report Monday titled , “ A Tale of Two Countries : Racially Targeted Arrests in the Era of Marijuana Reform.
” They found that , while overall , marijuana-related arrests have declined by 18 percent since 2010 , in states that still haven ’ t ended their cannabis prohibition , black people are still being arrested for weed-related offenses at nearly 10 times the rate of white people .
According to the report , cannabis arrests went up slightly in 2015 and in 2018 they accounted for 43 percent of all drug arrests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possession alone .
The ACLU found that black people were close to four times more likely to be arrested than white people despite the fact that there isn ’ t much of a disparity in the rates that each racial group uses marijuana .
“ Racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests exist across the country , in every state , in counties large and small , urban and rural , wealthy and poor , and with large and small Black populations , ” the report says .
“ Indeed , in every state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with more than 30,000 people in which at least 1 percent of the residents are Black , Black people are arrested at higher rates than white people for marijuana possession.
” But it isn ’ t only in states where weed is 100 percent illegal that black people still have to keep their guards up to avoid arrest .
The report found that even in states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana , “ Black people are still more likely to be arrested for possession than white people.
” “ Most jurisdictions that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do so from a foundation of racial justice , ” the report reads .
“ As such , though legalization and decriminalization appear to reduce the overall number of marijuana possession arrests for black and white people alike , such laws have not substantially reduced , let alone eliminated , the significantly larger arrest rates of black people.
” The ACLU didn ’ t make it clear in its report how it ’ s possible that black people are still being arrested in legalized states at all , let alone disproportionately compared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out the shortcomings in available police data that make it difficult to explain the full racial impact .
However , along with the report , the ACLU did launch an online site that provides graphs and other charts that detail their findings .
At the end of the day , the report ’ s findings only highlight what black people all over America already kno w : Racial profiling always ends in more people of color being arrested for things white people do just as often as we do .

April 20 (4/20) is widely recognized as the smoker’s holiday. It’s a day when marijuana partakers everywhere celebrate the festivities by...well...doing the thing most of them do regularly anyway, except on this day, they’re doing it for the culture. The American Civil Liberties Union, on the other hand, is using the day to draw attention to the racial disparities in marijuana-related arrests that are ongoing despite the growing number of states that have either legalized or decriminalized the substance.
According to Forbes, the ACLU released a new report Monday titled, “A Tale of Two Countries: Racially Targeted Arrests in the Era of Marijuana Reform.” They found that, while overall, marijuana-related arrests have declined by 18 percent since 2010, in states that still haven’t ended their cannabis prohibition, black people are still being arrested for weed-related offenses at nearly 10 times the rate of white people.
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According to the report, cannabis arrests went up slightly in 2015 and in 2018 they accounted for 43 percent of all drug arrests, with 89.6 of those arrests being for possession alone. The ACLU found that black people were close to four times more likely to be arrested than white people despite the fact that there isn’t much of a disparity in the rates that each racial group uses marijuana.
“Racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests exist across the country, in every state, in counties large and small, urban and rural, wealthy and poor, and with large and small Black populations,” the report says. “Indeed, in every state and in over 95 percent of counties with more than 30,000 people in which at least 1 percent of the residents are Black, Black people are arrested at higher rates than white people for marijuana possession.”
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But it isn’t only in states where weed is 100 percent illegal that black people still have to keep their guards up to avoid arrest. The report found that even in states that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana, “Black people are still more likely to be arrested for possession than white people.”
“Most jurisdictions that have enacted progressive marijuana policy have failed to do so from a foundation of racial justice,” the report reads. “As such, though legalization and decriminalization appear to reduce the overall number of marijuana possession arrests for black and white people alike, such laws have not substantially reduced, let alone eliminated, the significantly larger arrest rates of black people.”
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The ACLU didn’t make it clear in its report how it’s possible that black people are still being arrested in legalized states at all, let alone disproportionately compared to whites, but they do point out the shortcomings in available police data that make it difficult to explain the full racial impact. However, along with the report, the ACLU did launch an online site that provides graphs and other charts that detail their findings.
At the end of the day, the report’s findings only highlight what black people all over America already know: Racial profiling always ends in more people of color being arrested for things white people do just as often as we do.


theroot--2020-04-20--You Should Really Clean Your Bong Today

You Should Really Clean Your Bong Today

Back in your college days , a crusty bong with caked-on resin and brown bong water might have seemed fine ( it wasn ’ t ) , but in the middle of a pandemic , cleaning your bong is actually really important , though you may want to switch to edibles for the time being so you ’ re less at risk of contracting Covid-19 .
But if you still plan on using your glass piece for your virtual smoke sesh later , please be sure to keep it clean an sanitary between uses , just in case .
Cleaning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for more funky looking contraptions , but it ’ s actually pretty simple .
If you ’ re in a hurry you can toss a mixture of coarse sea salts and 99 % isopropyl alcohol into an empty bong , and let any stray parts soak in a bag filled with the same alcohol .
Once filled , place rubber stoppers ( I ’ ve used wine stoppers in the past ) on both open ends of the bong , and shake .
Once you ’ ve seen the resin come off , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reattach the bowl and stem , and let it dry out before your next smoke sesh .
If you wan na hit every bit of grime and keep your piece squeaky clean , there ’ s a great bottle brush kit that will help you spots you otherwise couldn ’ t .
Not only will this keep your bong more sanitary and less at risk of carrying nasty germs , it ’ ll also keep your piece looking pretty so it doesn ’ t have to be hidden shamefully at the back of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re pricey and just come with cleaning alcohol and packets of salt , you can ease the process by just ordering a bong cleaning kit rather than hunting down all the supplies individually .
It might seem silly , with everything else going on , to suggest taking the time to clean a tool that a lot of us often neglect because , hey , it still gets the job done , right ?
Even if you ’ re the only person who ’ s lighting up your pretty green bong , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , and it ’ s just another place for the virus to hang out and spread itself .
So , while smoking does present some higher risks than usual right now , if you ’ re still keen on smoking to ease the stress or just enjoy a good movie , you can minimize those risks by thoroughly cleaning your bongs and pipes .

Jordan McMahon on The Inventory, shared by Gabe Carey to The Root

Back in your college days, a crusty bong with caked-on resin and brown bong water might have seemed fine (it wasn’t), but in the middle of a pandemic, cleaning your bong is actually really important, though you may want to switch to edibles for the time being so you’re less at risk of contracting Covid-19. But if you still plan on using your glass piece for your virtual smoke sesh later, please be sure to keep it clean an sanitary between uses, just in case.
Cleaning a bong can seem daunting, especially for more funky looking contraptions, but it’s actually pretty simple. If you’re in a hurry you can toss a mixture of coarse sea salts and 99% isopropyl alcohol into an empty bong, and let any stray parts soak in a bag filled with the same alcohol. Once filled, place rubber stoppers (I’ve used wine stoppers in the past) on both open ends of the bong, and shake. Once you’ve seen the resin come off, you can pour the mixture out, reattach the bowl and stem, and let it dry out before your next smoke sesh.
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If you wanna hit every bit of grime and keep your piece squeaky clean, there’s a great bottle brush kit that will help you spots you otherwise couldn’t. Not only will this keep your bong more sanitary and less at risk of carrying nasty germs, it’ll also keep your piece looking pretty so it doesn’t have to be hidden shamefully at the back of your shelf. And while they’re pricey and just come with cleaning alcohol and packets of salt, you can ease the process by just ordering a bong cleaning kit rather than hunting down all the supplies individually.
It might seem silly, with everything else going on, to suggest taking the time to clean a tool that a lot of us often neglect because, hey, it still gets the job done, right? Even if you’re the only person who’s lighting up your pretty green bong, you’re still putting your mouth on it, and it’s just another place for the virus to hang out and spread itself.
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So, while smoking does present some higher risks than usual right now, if you’re still keen on smoking to ease the stress or just enjoy a good movie, you can minimize those risks by thoroughly cleaning your bongs and pipes.


theroot--2020-04-20--Old Video Games Worth Giving a Revisit

Old Video Games Worth Giving a Revisit

Whether it ’ s revisiting old novels or watching some of your favorite movies , nostalgia can be a useful coping mechanism during periods of intense stress .
Personally , my nostalgia comes in revisiting video games I loved growing up .
Oftentimes , wonky controls , poor graphics and dated mechanics can make some of those games downright unplayable .
This isn ’ t always the case though and today I want to talk to you good folks about some OG bangers that still go pretty hard .
As a precocious young middle schooler , my taste could be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nime b ullshit ” and “ o ver-the-top action extravaganzas.
” As a grown man , not much has changed .
One of my favorite series ’ back in the day was Burnout .
While the Gran Turismo and Forza games focused on precision driving and accurate physics , Burnout was about going as fast as possible , wrecking your competition and causing as much mayhem as possible before you cross the finish line .
In recent years , there hasn ’ t been much that offers pure arcade racing so the game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in which you ’ re encouraged to wreck your competition , is still a thrill .
The game stands as a welcome contrast from the simulation-style racing presented by modern titles like Gran Turismo , Forza and Project Cars .
Inspired by YouTuber Jakey ’ s videos on the Halo trilogy , my roommate and I decided to play through the first three Halo games last f all .
Y ’ all .
These games hold entirely the fuck up .
The shooting still feels sublime .
The grand space opera is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the HD remastering done for The Master Chief Collection brings it all to vivid life .
It looks exactly how you felt it did the first time you played it back in 2001 .
The standout of the Master Chief Collection is Halo 2 which was given the full remake treatment that we ’ ve seen in games like Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy VII Remake .
If you haven ’ t played through these games in recent years I definitely recommend you give them a revisit .
In recent years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been shown much love .
As a youngin ’ , I was obsessed with games like Thief , Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell .
I loved sneaking around and found great satisfaction in completing an objective without anyone noticing my presence .
When I saw Chaos Theory was on sale on Xbox this weekend , it was an instant cop .
I was happy to find that the stealth mechanics held up and the game was still a joy to play .
If you ’ re like me and have been looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Theory .
It ’ s one of the best to ever do the damn thing .
Honestly , this spot could go towards a number of old Star Wars games .
While Battlefront II ( 2005 ) , Jedi Knight II : Jedi Outcast and Knights of the Old Republic all were in consideration , there have been newer versions of those games in recent years and KOTOR has been re-released on every device ever .
Republic Commando represents an era where Star Wars games were allowed to be more than just online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As a squad-based tactical shooter , there wasn ’ t a Star Wars game like Republic Commando before or after it came out .
The game holds up remarkably well and as a Star Wars nerd , it ’ s fun seeing the Clone Wars play out through the eyes of Delta Squad .
If you ’ re a Star Wars fan and you ’ ve finished Jedi : Fallen Order and want something more than Star Wars : Battlefront II ( 2017 ) check out Republic Commando .
This one is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released in 2012 but it ’ s such a slept on title I had to show it some love .
The game is an open-world action title but one of the few that truly does it ’ s own thing as opposed to just being not-GTA .
The game places you in charge of Wei Shen , a police officer sent to Hong Kong to go undercover in the Sun On Yee triad .
The game is unique in that it fully forces you to balance the duality of trying to stay true @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also trying to prove your loyalty to the triad .
The shooting and melee combat feel like they came out of a John Woo movie and car chases and rolling shootouts feel equally cinematic .
If you ’ re growing tired of GTA , give Sleeping Dogs a spin .
It ’ s one of the coolest open-world games to have been released in the last generation .
Real quick , honorable mentions : Bully , The Warriors , Jade Empire , any old Zelda game , any old Mario game and Chrono @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me out last time .
Have you also been revisiting some old titles ?
Drop your recommendations in the comments , y ’ all !
I ’ m always looking for some new heat to play .

Whether it’s revisiting old novels or watching some of your favorite movies, nostalgia can be a useful coping mechanism during periods of intense stress. Personally, my nostalgia comes in revisiting video games I loved growing up. Oftentimes, wonky controls, poor graphics and dated mechanics can make some of those games downright unplayable. This isn’t always the case, and today I want to talk to you good folks about some OG bangers that still go pretty hard.
Burnout Revenge
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As a precocious young middle schooler, my taste could be filed into two categories: “anime bullshit” and “over-the-top action extravaganzas.” As a grown man, not much has changed. One of my favorite series back in the day was Burnout. While the Gran Turismo and Forza games focused on precision driving and accurate physics, Burnout was about going as fast as possible, wrecking your competition and causing as much mayhem as possible before you crossed the finish line. In recent years, there hasn’t been much that offers pure arcade racing, so the game still feels unique. The takedown mechanic, in which you’re encouraged to wreck your competition, is still a thrill. The game stands as a welcome contrast from the simulation-style racing presented by modern titles like Gran Turismo, Forza and Project Cars.
Halo 1-3
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Inspired by YouTuber Jakey’s videos on the Halo trilogy, my roommate and I decided to play through the first three Halo games last fall. Y’all. These games entirely hold the fuck up. The shooting still feels sublime. The grand space opera is easy to get swept up in and the HD remastering done for The Master Chief Collection brings it all to vivid life. It looks exactly how you felt it did the first time you played it back in 2001. The standout of the Master Chief Collection is Halo 2, which was given the full remake treatment that we’ve seen in games like Resident Evil 2 and Final Fantasy VII Remake. If you haven’t played through these games in recent years, I definitely recommend you give them a revisit.
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
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In recent years, the stealth game hasn’t really been shown much love. As a youngin’, I was obsessed with games like Thief, Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. I loved sneaking around and found great satisfaction in completing an objective without anyone noticing my presence. When I saw Chaos Theory was on sale on Xbox this weekend, it was an instant cop. I was happy to find that the stealth mechanics held up and the game was still a joy to play. If you’re like me and have been looking for some stealthy action, revisit Chaos Theory. It’s one of the best to ever do the damn thing.
Star Wars: Republic Commando
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Honestly, this spot could go towards a number of old Star Wars games. While Battlefront II(2005), Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and Knights of the Old Republic all were in consideration, there have been newer versions of those games in recent years and KOTOR has been re-released on every device ever. Republic Commando represents an era where Star Wars games were allowed to be more than just online shooters or single-player Jedi-centric games. As a squad-based tactical shooter, there wasn’t a Star Wars game like Republic Commando before or after it came out. The game holds up remarkably well and as a Star Wars nerd, it’s fun seeing the Clone Wars play out through the eyes of Delta Squad. If you’re a Star Wars fan and you’ve finished Jedi: Fallen Order and want something more than Star Wars: Battlefront II (2017) check out Republic Commando.
Sleeping Dogs
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This one is a little more recent, having been released in 2012, but it’s such a slept- on title I had to show it some love. The game is an open-world action title but one of the few that truly does it s own thing as opposed to just being not-GTA. The game places you in charge of Wei Shen, a police officer sent to Hong Kong to go undercover in the Sun On Yee triad. The game is unique in that it fully forces you to balance the duality of trying to stay true to your code as a cop while also trying to prove your loyalty to the triad. The shooting and melee combat feel like they came out of a John Woo movie and car chases and rolling shootouts feel equally cinematic. If you’re growing tired of GTA, give Sleeping Dogs a spin. It’s one of the coolest open-world games to have been released in the last generation.
Real quick, honorable mentions: Bully, The Warriors, Jade Empire, any old Zelda game, any old Mario game and Chrono Trigger for the JRPG heads who called me out last time. Have you also been revisiting some old titles? Drop your recommendations in the comments, y’all! I’m always looking for some new heat to play.


theroot--2020-04-20--For Decades, Split-Jury Convictions Imprisoned and Silenced Black Defendants. The Supreme Court Fina

For Decades, Split-Jury Convictions Imprisoned and Silenced Black Defendants. The Supreme Court Finally Found Them Unconstitutional

It ’ s a rule so common , you ’ d be forgiven for thinking it was law across the U.S. : that in order to be convicted by a jury of your peers , that jury has to unanimously agree on your guilt .
For almost a hundred years , this wasn ’ t the case in Louisiana , where split decision votes of at least 10-2 could send someone to life in prison until the state changed the law last year .
Oregon also allowed split-decision convictions on much narrower margins , and until today , was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was the case .
On Monday , the Supreme Court ruled that state criminal trials must have unanimous jury verdicts to convict offenders of serious crimes .
In a 6-3 decision that turned on nuances and technicalities , the high court ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial requires a unanimous verdict .
The decision reverses a previous court decision from 1972 , which mandated unanimous verdicts in federal courts , but allowed state courts to decide how they wanted convictions to be determined .
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Sonia Sotomayor , Stephen Breyer and Brett Kavanaugh , reports CNN .
Justice Clarence Thomas also joined them in the majority , but agreed with the judgment on much more limited grounds .
“ We took this case to decide whether the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial —as incorporated against the States by way of the Fourteenth Amendment— requires a unanimous verdict to convict a defendant of a serious offense , ” Gorsuch wrote .
“ The answer is unmistakable.
” The decision is pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should proceed going forward , what is less clear is how this affects people currently in prison split-jury convictions in Louisiana and Oregon .
Nola.com writes that legal scholars anticipate at least 44 new trials in Louisiana , including one for Evangelisto Ramos , who brought the appeal that went before the Supreme Court .
These offenders have yet to exhaust their appeals and thus have a path forward for their cases .
But there are more than 1,000 people locked up on split-jury convictions in the state , and likely hundreds more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually threw out split-decision convictions in 2019 via a referendum , which saw voters toss out the 120-year-old verdict law .
Interestingly , in both Louisiana and Oregon , white supremacy appears at the root of preserving the validity of split decisions .
From Nola.com : Louisiana was the first state to break from hundreds of years of Anglo-Saxon legal tradition when it scrapped jury unanimity and endorsed verdicts reached by as few as 9 of 12 jurors .
The change was birthed at an openly racist constitutional convention in 1898 that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed suit 36 years later , the result of a populist revolt after a single juror refused to convict of murder a Jewish man accused in the gangland killing of a Protestant .
A 2018 report from the New Orleans Advocate validated what many had long suspected : that split-decision verdicts were particularly harmful in cases where the defendant was black , or when black people served on majority white juries .
According to the paper ’ s research , black defendants in Louisiana were 30 percent more likely to be convicted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t have to agree on a decision , jury members with strong dissenting opinions are effectively silenced .
The Advocate found that in some parishes , this happened more frequently to black jurors , who tend to dissent far more frequently than their white counterparts .
Split decision convictions , then , worked exactly as lawmakers intended : preserving the rights of white people while disproportionately throwing minorities and non-whites in cages .
Justice Alito pointed out in Monday ’ s dissenting opinion that Louisiana and Oregon now face “ a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek new trials for convictions that weren ’ t decided unanimously .
But that crush of appeals signifies something valuable—it ’ s proof of the necessity of today ’ s ruling .
The sheer fact there could be so many people denied a fair and just trial is exactly what made today ’ s majority opinion so important , and for too many , so overdue .

It’s a rule so common, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was law across the U.S.: that in order to be convicted by a jury of your peers, that jury has to unanimously agree on your guilt.
For almost a hundred years, this wasn’t the case in Louisiana, where split decision votes of at least 10-2 could sentence someone to life in prison until the state changed the law last year. Oregon also allowed split-decision convictions on much narrower margins, and until today, it was the only state in the union where this was the case.
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On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that state criminal trials must have unanimous jury verdicts to convict offenders of serious crimes. In a 6-3 decision that turned on nuances and technicalities, the high court ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial requires a unanimous verdict. The decision reverses a previous court decision from 1972, which mandated unanimous verdicts in federal courts but allowed state courts to decide how they wanted convictions to be determined.
Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the majority opinion, joined at various parts by Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Brett Kavanaugh, reports CNN. Justice Clarence Thomas also joined them in the majority, but agreed with the judgment on much more limited grounds.
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“We took this case to decide whether the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial —as incorporated against the States by way of the Fourteenth Amendment— requires a unanimous verdict to convict a defendant of a serious offense,” Gorsuch wrote. “The answer is unmistakable.”
Justices Samuel Alito, Elena Kagan, and John Roberts dissented.
The decision is pretty clear about how serious state criminal cases should proceed going forward; what is less clear is how this affects people currently in prison split-jury convictions in Louisiana and Oregon. Nola.com writes that legal scholars anticipate at least 44 new trials in Louisiana, including one for Evangelisto Ramos, who brought the appeal that went before the Supreme Court. These offenders have yet to exhaust their appeals and thus have a path forward for their cases.
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But there are more than 1,000 people locked up on split-jury convictions in the state, and likely hundreds more in Oregon, Nola.com writes.
Louisiana actually threw out split-decision convictions in 2019 via a referendum, which saw voters toss out the 120-year-old verdict law.
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Interestingly, in both Louisiana and Oregon, white supremacy appears at the root of preserving the validity of split decisions. From Nola.com:
Louisiana was the first state to break from hundreds of years of Anglo-Saxon legal tradition when it scrapped jury unanimity and endorsed verdicts reached by as few as 9 of 12 jurors. The change was birthed at an openly racist constitutional convention in 1898 that was aimed at disenfranchising black people. Oregon followed suit 36 years later, the result of a populist revolt after a single juror refused to convict of murder a Jewish man accused in the gangland killing of a Protestant.
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A 2018 report from the New Orleans Advocate validated what many had long suspected: that split-decision verdicts were particularly harmful in cases where the defendant was black, or when black people served on majority-white juries.
According to the paper’s research, black defendants in Louisiana were 30 percent more likely to be convicted by a split- jury decision. When jurors don’t have to agree on a decision, jury members with strong dissenting opinions are effectively silenced. The Advocate found that in some parishes, this happened more frequently to black jurors, who tend to dissent far more frequently than their white counterparts.
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Split- decision convictions, then, worked exactly as lawmakers intended: preserving the rights of white people while disproportionately throwing minorities and non-whites in cages.
Justice Alito pointed out in Monday’s dissenting opinion that Louisiana and Oregon now face “a potential tsunami of litigation” as defendants seek new trials for convictions that weren’t decided unanimously.
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But that crush of appeals signifies something valuable—it’s proof of the necessity of today’s ruling. The sheer fact there could be so many people denied a fair and just trial is exactly what made today’s majority opinion so important— and for too many, so overdue.


theroot--2020-04-20--Idaho State Rep. Compares Coronavirus Restrictions to Nazi Germany

The last week has shown that the quarantine has officially broken white people .
If it ’ s not taking to the streets in an effort to protest a microscopic virus , it ’ s going on the radio and saying some truly wild shit about the effort to combat it .
NBC News reports that Heather Scott , a Republican state representative in Idaho , went on The Jess Fields Show and challenged Gov .
Brad Little ’ s efforts to combat the virus .
She singled in on the decision to classify workers as essential and non-essential .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ different than Nazi Germany .
Where you had government telling people , ‘ you are an essential worker or a nonessential worker , ” Scott said .
She didn ’ t stop there , though .
She continued on with comments such as “ the nonessential worker got put on a train , ” and went on to say that Idaho residents have taken to calling the governor “ Little Hitler.
” She doubled down on her comments in a post on Facebook .
After a journalist from the Washington state-based Spokesman-Review reached @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she wrote “ Spokesman Review hit piece on me is coming soon.
” She added , “ My recent analogies are poignant and relative to our times.
” In what is the most unsurprising part of this story , Scott has previously defended white nationalists after the events of Charlottesville in 2017 .
Those located in Idaho and its surrounding areas didn ’ t take kindly to Scott ’ s comparison .
“ It makes my heart heavy to hear a comment from an elected official that shows such deep disregard and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people experienced during the time of the Holocaust , ” Brenda Hammond , president of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force , said in an email to the Spokesman .
Rabbi Tamar Malino , a resident in Spokane , told the Spokesman , “ Mass murder and genocide is not the same thing as deciding which businesses should essentially stay open and which should stay closed .
”

The last week has shown that the quarantine has officially broken white people. If it’s not taking to the streets in an effort to protest a microscopic virus, it’s going on the radio and saying some truly wild shit about the effort to combat it.
NBC News reports that Heather Scott, a Republican state representative in Idaho, went on The Jess Fields Show and challenged Gov. Brad Little’s efforts to combat the virus. She singled in on the decision to classify workers as essential and non-essential. “I mean that’s no different than Nazi Germany. Where you had government telling people, ‘you are an essential worker or a nonessential worker,” Scott said.
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Yikes.
She didn’t stop there, though. She continued on with comments such as “the nonessential worker got put on a train,” and went on to say that Idaho residents have taken to calling the governor “Little Hitler.”
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Big yikes.
She doubled down on her comments in a post on Facebook. After a journalist from the Washington state-based Spokesman-Review reached out to her to clarify her comments, she wrote “Spokesman Review hit piece on me is coming soon.” She added, “My recent analogies are poignant and relative to our times.” In what is the most unsurprising part of this story, Scott has previously defended white nationalists after the events of Charlottesville in 2017.
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Those located in Idaho and its surrounding areas didn’t take kindly to Scott’s comparison.
From NBC News:
“It makes my heart heavy to hear a comment from an elected official that shows such deep disregard and lack of respect for what the Jewish people experienced during the time of the Holocaust,” Brenda Hammond, president of the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force, said in an email to the Spokesman.
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Rabbi Tamar Malino, a resident in Spokane, told the Spokesman, “Mass murder and genocide is not the same thing as deciding which businesses should essentially stay open and which should stay closed.”