Last year, Ramad Chatman stood trial for armed robbery and aggravated assault in Rome, Georgia.  He was accused of robbing a local convenience store in 2014, after a “The Lucky Lotto” employee identified him from a random photo on her Facebook timeline.

• No gun was ever found
• No money or property was ever recovered
• Investigating officers never found, nor presented sufficient evidence to prove that Ramad Chatman committed this robbery.

Knowing that he was innocent, Chatman had turned himself in upon hearing that he was wanted in connection with the 2014 incident.  And in August 2016 a jury concurred with the obvious & found Chatman Not Guilty. 
So Why Is He Still In Jail???  Because Judge John Niedrach said so.  Now according to reports:

• Police officials stated that the store was so dirty, they couldn't take fingerprints.
• Witness descriptions only state that the person responsible was "a black man in dark clothes" who might have lived nearby.
• Key witness testimony as to both the color of the gun used, and the clothes the robber was wearing, changed at least twice during testimony.

But in all of Judge Niedrach’s wisdom, he believed that Ramad Chatman was guilty nevertheless.  So in spite of a jury acquittal, Ramad Chatman’s prior probation order remains revoked and he has been sentenced to serve up ten years in prison.  According to multiple news outlets, officials acknowledge that  Chatman had been in full compliance with his probation-stemming from a 2012 guilty plea entered for breaking and entering.  If allowed to stand, this order could keep 24 year old Ramad Chatman in jail until 2022.  Ten Years in prison for a $120 Television stolen back in 2012, when he was 19; but convicted rapists & murderers only get sentenced to probation for crimes that we know that they committed.  Oh yeah, I forgot those guys had #Affluenza-while Ramad Chatman suffers from #BlackInAmerikkka.  Georgia citizens, please stand up and fight for this young man’s freedom.  If it can happen to him, it can happen to you…
 
SOURCES:
http://www.11alive.com/news/local/serving-10-years-after-not-guilty-verdict/440450636
  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/black-man-prison-serve-five-years-ramad-chatman-georgia-prison-not-guilty-probation-broke-terms-jail-a7744326.html
http://atlantablackstar.com/2017/05/24/judge-revokes-mans-probation-even-though-jury-found-not-guilty-crime-revoked/
http://www.okayplayer.com/news/black-man-10-years-in-jail-found-not-guilty.html

​I had been planning on writing this post for a while.  But deep down I always hoped that I would never have too.  But with word that Blaine Gabbert had been signed by The Arizona Cardinals today (yep, the same Blaine Gabbert that lost his starting job to Colin Kaepernick), reality has now truly set in…
For months now, story after story has been written about WHY teams were allegedly reluctant to sign Colin Kaepernick. “Sources” cited everything from an alleged drop off in skill, to his body being too beaten up, to feared backlash from fans, to even the idea that his vegan diet would make him too susceptible to injury.  And to be clear, up to this point the propaganda has obviously worked.  To date, Kaep has received few-if any calls at all. 
Sadly, none of those justifications presented so far carry any weight.  Already having played through a full season since his refusal to stand for The National Anthem was first noticed in a Twitter Pic by Niner’s Nation reporter Jennifer Lee Chan, and later reported on by profootballtalk.com.  Of course there was a huge backlash, but Kaep’s stance was also supported by a larger majority of fans, fellow athletes, celebrities, and even veterans.  By week six of the 2016 season, Kaep had regained a starting QB role that he had previously lost while playing with an injured arm-and while his numbers were far from elite, they were far better than any of the quarterbacks that have signed with new teams so far in 2017.  Playing on the numerically second-worst team in The NFL, Colin Kaepernick had a 90.7 QB Rating and threw for 2,241 yards. He also threw 21 touchdowns-versus only four interceptions. These stats were amassed in only 12 games, and on one of the weakest rosters in all of The NFL (go ahead, name three players without using Google). 

“I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way. There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder.” 
​
And with little fanfare, Colin Kaepernick consistently put his time and money into multiple charities & causes.  Kaep donated to Meals on Wheels, homeless shelters, recent parolees, youth job readiness programs, and helped get aid to Somalians suffering from a devastating drought/famine.  Even if just from a PR standpoint, one would think that multiple teams could use Kaep’s charitable profile to distract fans away from the woefully bad football product that they are putting out on the field-but all of these teams instead gave away millions to other quarterbacks that have NEVER won anything on the pro level.  The New York Jets chose Josh McCown, the 49ers moved on with Brian Hoyer, The Chicago Bears gave away an insane amount of money and draft picks for Mike Glennon & Mitch Trubisky, The Jacksonville Jaguars/Denver Broncos/Cleveland Browns stuck with what they had, and The Arizona Cardinals chose to secure a fragile spot with the QB that was benched in favor of said Colin Kaepernick.  Smh. 

• Brian Hoyer has never played a full season, and only played in six games last year.
• Mike Glennon was benched, in favor of Jameis Winston, and only threw 11 passes in two seasons.  Still he received a three-year, $45 million deal from Chicago (with $18,500,000 guaranteed).  Career-wise, Glennon only completed 59.4% of his passes and averaged an 84.6% passer rating.
• Josh McCown will be 38 when the season starts, has been previously discarded by seven other teams, and only won 18 out of the 60 games he started under center.  He has only won two games in the last three years, and threw six interceptions to match the only six touchdowns he threw in route to a 0-3 record in 2016.
• Blaine Gabbert failed miserably in Jacksonville, and again in San Francisco (15 touchdowns versus 13 interceptions in 13 starts).
• Previous failures Mark Sanchez, Nick Foles, EJ Manuel, Matt Barkley, and Geno Smith were all signed into backup roles with teams that knew that they needed varying upgrades depth-wise. 

But yet Colin Kaepernick remains unsigned… #StandUp #SpeakOut #SupportOurBrother
​Freedom Of Speech Does Not Just Apply When Those In Power Agree...

http://knowyourrightscamp.com/
http://kaepernick7.com/
http://www.sbnation.com/2016/9/11/12869726/colin-kaepernick-national-anthem-protest-seahawks-brandon-marshall-nfl
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2016/08/27/kaepernick-doesnt-stand-national-anthem-49ers-issue-statement/?source=rss 

In Yoruba tradition & culture, "Oshun" is "The great mother of love, the great mother of sweetness, the great mother of the river, great mother of healing and fertility, the great mother of abundance."  And in that tradition Niambi Sala and Thandiwe have emerged on the music scene with a power and grace not seen since back when Erykah Badu first graced us with her musical powers of Elegance & Intelligence.  Back with their most recent visual, Oshun takes us in a slightly different direction with “Sango.” 

“In the Yoruba pantheon, Sango is the ideal lover for Oṣun as her fierce protector. Ṣango provides Divine and positive masculine energy to balance well with Oṣun's Divine feminine energy.  While coming to terms with the imbalance and challenges of modern relationships today, OSHUN searches for the Divine and positive masculine energy in their new video.”
​
Vibe With It, Soak It Up, and Enjoy…

The neighborhood watchman has struck again.  But this time the mainstream media has opted to not report this one.  For those that not privy to the story, 39 Year Old Chad Copley has been charged with First Degree Murder after the executing unarmed 20 Year Old Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas on August 7th.  Now labeled under the moniker "George Zimmerman 2.0,” Copley called 911 complaining about “hoodlums” in his Raleigh, North Carolina neighborhood.  Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas, and a few of his friends, had been in the area attending a party a couple of houses away from Copley's.  On the 911 call, Copley tells dispatchers that “I’m on neighborhood watch. I am going to have the neighborhood meet these hoodlums out here racing up and down the street. It’s 1 in the morning. There’s some devil in them. They have firearms and we’re going to secure our neighborhood. If I was you, I would send PD out here as quickly as possible.”  He would go on to say "I’m Locked & Loaded & I’m Going to Secure My Neighborhood."  Secure it from What???!!!  According to police, would then leave his garage (with his shotgun) and fatally shoot young Mr. Thomas.  Copley would call back to 911 dispatchers, claiming to have fired a "Warning Shot" and that he was now somehow under attack.
“We have a lot of people outside our house, yelling and shouting profanities. I yelled at them, ‘Please leave the premises.’ They were showing a firearm, so I fired a warning shot and, uh, we got somebody that got hit...I fired my warning shot like I’m supposed to by law. They do have firearms, and I’m trying to protect myself and my family...Ma’am, I don’t know who they are. There’s frigging black males outside my frigging house with firearms. Please send PD."
no one was armed, except Mr. Copley.  And according to all reports, not only was Copley not under any assignment as neighborhood watch, he was never under any imminent threat.  Chad Copley has been charged with first-degree murder, and held without bond.  Experts say that he will have trouble advancing with any type of self-defense claim.  Whether Copley ends up spending 1 day or 1000 years in jail, WE must begin the push to hold ALL FORMS OF MASS MEDIA accountable for how The Black & Brown are portrayed in the media. The cold-blooded murder of Kouren-Rodney Bernard Thomas is a MAJOR story.  But it has received little to no coverage outside of Raleigh, North Carolina.  More importantly, we have to boycott those media channels that chose to only present shows, movies, and music that overly dramatic/aggressive and prone to violence Black Men, Women & Child day in and day out.  We make excuses and justify it as "just entertainment;" but these are the images in the heads of so-called law enforcement when they engage us-and in the minds of the jurors that let them walk free.  Change the paradigm.  #ReversePolarity    

http://heavy.com/news/2016/08/chad-cameron-copley-kouren-rodney-bernard-thomas-raleigh-north-carolina-shooting-911-calls-audio-video-photos/

​http://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/crime/article94904167.html

As election night gets closer and closer, prevailing thoughts of race and entitlement rage louder than any bomb ever made.  And for anyone that had the blinders on previously, there just was no excuse after Iowa Congressman Steve King uttered out his foolish comments made during coverage of July's GOP Convention.  For those that have already forgotten, Rep. King referred to non-whites as a "​Sub group" and pressed the idea that no other race had contributed more to civilization than that of the European and/or "where the footprint of Christianity settled the world."  Sad to say this is the perspective (I refuse to call it thinking) of far more people in this country than you can imagine.  All across the nation there are have been stories of school textbooks under fire for correctly portraying the foundations of civilization as beginning with The Black & Brown People of Earth.  And let's not forget those Texas history books that refer to African Slaves as "workers from Africa" brought "to the southern United States to work on agricultural plantations.”  This is the cross by-product of centuries of propaganda used to justify the rape, murder, pillage, enslavement, exploitation, and oppression of The Black and Brown-plus the increasing fear and paranoia of repercussions coming from the true majority.  But that's another topic for another blog.  For now let's just soak up some facts to counter those foolish notions of ignorance that empower fools like Steve King.  I could have included all sorts of long form lectures and documentaries, but I highly doubt that people like Representative King have that type of attention span Lol.  Check out the videos, fact-check them, and SHARE...

ter·ror·ism (terəˌrizəm) -the use of violence and intimidation in the pursuit of political aims.
For the last 15 or so years, we've seen the word terrorism used and manipulated for political gains with an amazing increase in frequency.  Under Bush the label was used to topple regimes that America did not see/no longer sees as an ally.  And under Obama/Clinton, the label has been used to assassinate any foes left over from the Reagan/Bush years and nowadays to target exiled political prisoners like Assata Shakur.  But today no nation exemplifies the true definitions of terrorism (and tyranny for that matter) like The State Of Israel.  The Non-Israeli inhabitants of these long disputed lands live in constant fear as they are subjected to every sort of human rights abuse imaginable.  But yet few dare to speak out.  
Just last week, settlers of a long disputed village in the deserts of Israel woke up to bulldozers.  The entire village of Araqib was demolished, for what its now former occupants say to be the "hundredth time."  The people of Araqib Village have laid claim to this land since the days of The Ottoman Empire; but the land was "appropriated" in 1953, and the people were evicted from the land.  Since 2010, the longtime owners of the land returned to reclaim their their past; and have been denied vital services such as water, electricity, and sewage systems.  There are no schools.  There is no health care.  The residents are not allowed to vote.  And this most recent assault on their village came during the Holy Month Of Ramadan.  In similar fashion, Israeli authorities cut off and/or limited access to clean drinking water for Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank Area.  According to The Palestinian Hydrology Group, some areas have been without water for more than 40 days.  Even worse, Israel has spent the entire Holy Month Of Ramadan raiding Palestinian villages-arresting more than 300 Palestinians inside of 20 days, and untold numbers since then.  The arrests were allegedly targeting activists, after a shooting that injured four Israelis; but more than 30 children were detained in the process?  Did the kids shoot anyone?  Did 330 people shoot these four people?  But yet the same tired excuse of having the right to protect Israeli interests continues to make the wholesale oppression of the people whose land they stole away inexplicably okay.  According to Al Jazeera, there are currently more than 400 children languishing inside Israeli prisons-and an estimated 500-700 are prosecuted in military courts each year.  For the past few years, Israel Military and Police forces have enforced edicts to take back lands provisioned to The Palestinians under prior agreed upon peace accords-and then locking up all who protest their actions.  Aren't these the types of human rights violations American and European Nations identify as reasons to invade and/or destabilize other nations?  But yet Israel quietly gets a 60+ years pass.  I guess democracy is only meant for some; and not for others.

SOURCES:

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/04/rise-palestinian-children-held-israel-alarming-160424081159486.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/palestine-hundreds-detained-ramadan-160626084302084.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/07/israel-destroys-palestinian-village-100th-time-160703091747401.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/israel-cuts-water-supplies-west-bank-ramadan-160614205022059.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/06/israelis-mark-annexation-east-jerusalem-160605141135181.html

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2016/06/vanishing-palestine-making-israel-occupation-160605090749034.html

Coming off of the recent Brand Split (between Monday Night Raw & The New Live Version of Smackdown) and the dominance shown by Brock Lesnar at UFC 200, The WWE has been getting a huge amount of press lately.  And based on what I saw on the July 25th edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, it appears that somebody in charge has actually been listening to the moans and groans of it's more traditional wrestling fans.  I mean I've gotta say that for the last ten years, the product has been increasingly hard to watch.  But as of last night, on the first post-draft edition of Raw, the was a very noticeable air of change in the air.  The vibe was darker, there was much more action, the promos seemed less scripted, and most importantly-there was less talking.  Period.  There is a new title (because the name is pretty corny, we will just leave that part out for now), and there were some really good matches throughout the show-but the most refreshing parts of the show centered around the well booked debuts of now former WWE NXT Talents Nia Jax and Finn Balor.  And they even brought back the "squash match!"  Finn balor's long awaited move up to the main roster more than exceeded expectations, as he ended the show earning earning a spot in the main event at next month's SUMMERSLAM against Seth Rollins.  The best match of the night honors go to Sasha Banks, as she defeated Charlotte Flair for the WWE Women's Championship.  Sasha is quite possibly the best female wrestler I've ever seen; and her wild tribute to the dearly departed Eddie Guerrero was hilarious!  And for those that don't know Sasha is Snoop Dogg's niece, and Charlotte is the daughter of The Legendary Ric Flair.  It will be interesting to see what happens to keep the momentum up on Smackdown Live, and beyond.  But for now, let's get you familiar with some other other stars that you may want to check out soon...


CHARLOTTE FLAIR

KEVIN OWENS

Honorable Mention: DOLPH ZIGGLER
Dolph Ziggler Ric Flair Kevin Nash

For years it seemed that A.J. Styles would go down as one of the most talented wrestlers never to step inside a WWE Ring; but alas as fate would have it "The Phenomenal One" finally arrived.  Debuting at The 2016 Royal Rumble, A.J. hit the ground running and hasn't slowed down yet.  Wrestling with The Ring Of Honor & New Japan promotions since 2013, Styles is most known as the long time face of TNA Impact Wrestling.  Not really fitting the traditional mold of The WWE, few ever imagined Styles would ever have his "Wrestlemania Moment;" but undoubtedly the fan reaction he has received has been a huge driver behind The WWE's recent shift into their current "New Era."

As a kid this self-proclaimed "Boss" would beg her uncle Snoop dogg to take him with her to WWE Events, and from there the seed was planted that would she that young girl grow into transitioning The WWE Women's Division away from short eye candy exhibitions to Eye legitimate wrestling.  Sasha is still eye candy herself, but with a penchant for stretching out her competition in all sorts of MMA-style holds.  She's got style like none before her; and just the night before I wrote this blog, Sasha banks would see years of hard work finally rewarded as she became the new WWE Women's Champion.  In the past, the women's matches were considered a chance to get up and go get snacks.  But with Sasha, and a few others we will mention shortly, times have certainly changed.

Having built up a huge following wrestling under the name "Prince Devitt" internationally, Finn Balor's made it's way onto the American Wrestling scene after a super successful run as a founding member in New Japan Wrestling's NWO/Type Faction "The Bullet Club."  After a memorable run as WWE NXT Champion, balor debuted in spectacular fashion this week on Monday Night Raw.  For those not yet familiar, Finn Balor comes to the ring showcasing an exciting combo of high flying moves-with the "strong Style" tactics Japanese Wrestling is most known for.  And as far as his entrances, only The Undertaker could claim to rival that.  And he saves his best for Big Events...

Savelina Fanene (aka Nia Jax) is a former model, and is the younger cousin of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.  She's only been wrestling since 2014; but with the way she throws her competition around in the ring, she did need to stew around on the independent scene for years to get noticed.  she arrived, She Conquered, She Excelled...

Like A.J.  Styles, Samoa Joe was one of the main faces of both The TNA Impact and Ring Of Honor Wrestling promotions.  Currently The WWE NXT Champion, one can only assume that he hasn't promoted to the main roster so as to ensure that there is still a major draw to keep that brand as a viable and growing force that reigns above TNA & ROH.  Joe also represents a trend of heavier set athletes that can really move around the ring, just as well as their smaller counterparts.  Up until 2015, The WWE would have always passed these guys over.  But now they are bonafied main event superstars...

Becky Lynch is a high energy European transport that came over to WWE in 2013.  Along with Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bailey, these ladies became known as "The Four Horsewomen" as they quickly became known for breaking the mold of what Women's wrestling had been up to that point.  Not to say that all of their predecessors were wack-it's just that these ladies are that damn good!  

Sesugh Uhaa made a name for himself in Japan's Dragon Gate promotion as "Uhaa Nation," before coming over to WWE as Apollo Crews.  By all reports, the name is indeed a play off of Apollo Creed and Terry Crews (of whom he does somewhat resemble).  At 6'1" and 240 pounds, it is amazing to watch crews do standing somersaults and come crashing down on his opponents.  While most Black Wrestlers usually stay on the mid card, it does appear the company has bigger plans for Apollo Crews.  Hopefully this will be the case.  Especially after The Brand Split...

Not a lot of history to add here.  Asuka, formerly known as Kana, doesn't speak much English.  But with the way that she smiles her perverted "You Know You Just Fucked Up" grim at you (just before she kicks and twists her opponents all over the ring) she doesn't have to.  Period.

Charlotte Flair is the daughter of The Greatest Pro Wrestler of All time.  She was voted Pro Wrestling Illustrated "Rookie Of The Year in 2014," and by May of that year, had captured The NXT Women's Title.  Charlotte was called up to The WWE Main Roster and quickly captured the then-Divas Champion, and at Wrestlemania was crowned as WWE Women's champion (an honor she held for over a year, until being dethroned by Sasha Banks on the July 25th 2016 Monday Night Raw).  While comparisions to her father will never go away, she has done an impressive job of building her own brand-while simultaneously taking advantage of the path that was laid before her.  Expect her and Sasha to put on many more spectacular matches well into the next year... 

Formerly known as "Kevin Steen," Kevin Owens has been wrestling since the age of 16 years old.  Now 32, The former WWE NXT Champion spent most of the past year feuding with the likes of John Cena and Sami Zayn among others.  Like most of the others on this list, Kevin Owens displays an impressive and wide-ranging skillset of moves usually not found in a 260+ pound wrestler.  Like the others, Owens falls into a category that Vince McMahon would have passed over in times past.  And like most of the others, Owens stands to get a major shot at the main event due to the Brand Split.  

​In discussing the news that Queen Afeni Shakur had passed away, one common thought expressed over and over again centered around the idea of who would now control the music, legacy & likeness of our departed brother Tupac Shakur.  As if the corporate culture vultures had not already done all the could to water-down and bastardize the defiant/revolutionary-minded Pac, in favor of the more reckless version we saw during his Death Row Records days-now they may have the opportunity to ramp those efforts to new levels.  My next thought centered around which version of Afeni shakur would the media focus on, when discussing her life.  Would they minimize her just being Mother Of the Late Tupac Shakur?  How quick would they move to dwell on her past substance abuse problems?  More importantly, how would they report on her time fighting on the frontlines of The Black Panther Party-if at all??  Being that she was the driving force behind the eventual acquittal of The Panther 21, anything less than the dignity warranted for a Freedom Fighter would be unacceptable.  But I'm sure that I will be disappointed, as they will not due her justice and the focus will immediately shift to how to monetize the legacies of both her and her son.  Why?  Because in America, We The Black & Brown are not considered to have a soul worthy of the same dignities required to be given to others.  So daily, whether we realize it or not, "They got us fighting for our spirit and mind."  How much longer will we have to fight?  Until more of us take up the mantle of those before us, move up into vanguard positions and work on every level imaginable to finally bring Power To The People...  
​
Afeni Shakur We Salute You.  Thank You For All Of Your Hard Work And Sacrifices...

back in April of last year I posted about the execution of #Ericharris in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  For those that didn't know or may not remember, Eric Harris was killed while being arrested for allegedly selling a firearm to an undercover Task Force Agent.  Upon realizing that he had been caught up in a sting operation, Mr. Harris took off running.  Agents chased him, and eventually tackled him to the ground.  Seconds later he would be shot and killed by a 73 Year Old CEO of an Insurance company, who had enlisted as a VOLUNTEER/RESERVE SHERIFF'S DEPUTY!!!  Robert bates used his personal weapon, and fired it into Harris's Back, claiming that he THOUGHT HE WAS USING HIS TASER!!!  Pictures & video refutes Bate's police report claims that Harris was struggling with the officers (look closely at the positioning of his hands & shoulders in the pictures).  Bates would also be quoted as explaining that he thought Eric Harris had a gun, because of the manner in which he was running.
"I noticed that Harris was running in an unusual way because as he ran he repeatedly touched his right hand to his waistband," he wrote. "Based on my past experience, primarily with the task force, and my past training, I believed that Harris might be carrying a gun."
After news of the murder broke, questions arose as to why a volunteer deputy would be utilized on a Tulsa Sheriff's Department Violent Crimes Task Force operation and evidence pointed per the usual to money.  Bates is now confirmed to have donated cars, video equipment, and other items to the Tulsa Sheriff's Department over the years.  He also donated at least $2,500 toward Sheriff Stanley Glanz's Re-Election Campaign.  Robert Bates now faces 2nd Degree Manslaughter charges, and jury selection began earlier this week.  There have already been several moments of controversy in the weeks and months leading up to jury selection.  

• Judge James Caputo, who was originally assigned to oversee the trial, has been removed after it was discovered that he was also a reserve deputy.  Caputo himself had not disclosed his position with the department.  In addition, He had served as personal attorney for Lance Ramsey (the undercover officer in the video below) in two separate divorces prior to becoming a judge.  
• Bates defense team has come under scrutiny after it was found that an altered Smith & Wesson .357 revolver was included on the list of exhibits to be presented at trial.  The weapon was a duplicate of the gun Bates used to EXECUTE Eric Harris; and had been modified from the standard trigger function to a "hair trigger."  based on statements in a court affidavit, made by former gun store employee Michael Hardison, it is suspected that the defense planned to confuse the jurors into believing that it would have been easy for Bates to have mistaken his handgun for a taser.  Hardison also stated that he quit his job after being asked to modify the gun for the trial.  

It has also come to light that the defense team plans to introduce so-called "expert witness" testimony implying that Eric Harris died due to a heart condition caused by methamphetamine use and not from the actual gunshot wound.  As usual, it is not enough for a man to die & his child to have grow up without his Father.  The operatives of the American Police State have to routinely dehumanize the victim in the aftermath.  STAY TUNED...

SOURCES:

http://ktul.com/news/local/bates-attorney-admits-to-altering-sample-gun-in-criminal-case

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/courts/judge-rules-against-delay-in-robert-bates-manslaughter-trial/article_c8fdfef8-c8a2-5f68-8ce1-95662f279f86.html

​http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/tulsa-county-judge-james-caputo-recuses-himself-in-robert-bates-case

For most people that grew up in the 70's and 80's Pro Wrestling and Shaolin Kung Fu Movies were two staples that dominated television on any weekend, and for me both of those somewhat guilty pleasures would continue to be a part of my life right up to this day.  I don't really get too much into toady's wrestling as much; but can (and do) sometimes spend hours at a time watching the old classics.  Figuring I knew just about all there is to know about the different legends and pioneers, I have spent considerable time learning about the Black and Brown Faces of yesteryear that could have been so much more well known-if not for segregation and old racist attitudes in certain territories.  People like Ernie "The Big Cat" Ladd, Bobo Brazil, Thunderbolt Patterson, The Junkyard Dog and many others were fan favorites and generated lots of money for the different promotions that they worked for; but were not allowed runs as World champions because by many accounts promoters feared that angry white fans might riot.  In fact it wasn't until 1992 that a Black World Heavyweight Champion would be crowned, when College Football Hall Of Famer Ron Simmons would be Big Van Vader for The WCW World Heavyweight Championship Belt.

One pioneering name seems to have fell through the cracks; and it wasn't until watching last week's WWE Hall Of Fame Presentation Show that I first heard the name "Sailor" Art Thomas.  Inducted as a "Legacy" entrant, Art Thomas broke into wrestling back in 1943.  After finishing up his time in the U.S. Navy, Thomas had already made a name for himself as a Bodybuilder and was asked to wrestle some house shows.  Possessing an amazing physique, crazy strength, and 6'5" 265 lb frame he quickly rose up the ranks.  Billed as a former seaman, Sailor Art Thomas was also known to showcase much style and flavor-always dressed immaculately in either a business suit or a seaman uniform.  As a fan favorite Art Thomas would earn many opportunities to challenge for The NWA World Championship Belt-including several memorable battles with The Legendary "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers.  In the 1960's Sailor art would move on to The then-WWWF and battle in Tag Team matches with Legends like Bobo Brazil and Bruno Sammartino.  During the 1970's Art would move on again to wrestle in Canada, and would retire in the early 1980's.  While working all over the country, Sailor Art Thomas was best known for his time wrestling in Chicago.  Sailor Art would succumb to cancer in 2003.  He was also known as "Seaman" Art Thomas, "Hercules," and "The Body."  Without his hard work and sacrifice, so many others would not be selling out huge arenas today like The Rock, Booker T, and others have in more recent times.  #SaluteThePioneers