#central park jogger case

[oneshotnewbie]

A jogger finds a phone and calls the cops. When they take it and put it into a zip back, they accidentally turn on the phone - revealing a picture of The Captain of the SVU and Reader?

Possible trigger warning: This one-shot includes the mention of blood and kidnapping, the plots are presented. If this triggers you too easily or you just can´t handle the subject, I urge you NOT to read this work. I am NOT embellishing this topic under any circumstance. Read at your own risk.

ᕚ---ᕘ

William Jacobs ran across the Brooklyn Bridge at the same time every morning, trying to beat his best time. But today he desperately thought about turning back and skipping today's sports session - the weather was playing into his cards.

Despite all the negative voices in his head, the young man ran from the Brooklyn bridge to the Manhattan Central Park and back. At this early hour there were hardly any passers-by and only occasionally a few cars drove past. As he took his first step off the bridge, he was inspired by the release of happiness hormones and increased his pace.

William loved being able to look out over the East River and let his thoughts and feelings flow freely. His black hair flowed in the wind and was dampened by the drizzle, her ragged breathing evident in the chill of dawn. When he managed halfway of his way, he was panting like never before in his life - the cold air making it harder to force enough air through his lungs. The young man felt the slight sting in his side, but did not hesitate to stop.

It was not until his head moved towards the entrance of the Central Park that he saw something blue and shimmery lying on the ground. Confused, he stopped and cautiously approached the object, peering left and right to locate other people.

Startled, he jumped back and almost stepped into the street when he saw red-brown stains around it, some of them even splattered on the cell phone he had found. William did not even hear the car behind him screeching to a stop next to him and the car door being opened with an aggressive jerk. "Are you crazy? I almost ran you over!"

But the young man did not answer the older women. She looked at the black-haired guy and saw fear and disgust on his face. His shaky fingers pointed to the main reason he stopped, which was why the woman looked confused on the ground and shortly after promptly walked back to her car in shock. "We have to alert the police." he shouted in a shrill, abnormally bright voice. The stranger nodded her head and pulled her cell phone out of the glove compartment of her red car. She quickly tapped on her phone and held it trembling against her ear.

"Emergency call center, how can I help you?" A calm voice asked on the other end of the line, beginning to type on her keyboard to find out the location of the caller. "We found a phone." she spoke anxiously, earning a sigh from the 911 agent. "Mam, you know this is not an emergency, right?"

William looked confused at the device in the old lady's hand, and in his adrenaline rush he did not quite understand why the sigh was being given. So he quickly snatched the cell phone from her and continued the conversation. "Listen. Here is a cell phone lying at the entrance to Central Park, covered in blood splatters. I also recognize an original NYPD cell phone case."

“Which entrance are you at?” the woman's low voice slowly calmed his rapidly beating heart. He took a deep breath while trying not to let his mind sink into a hole of horror scenarios. He looked around, trying to figure out which entrance he really was at. "Fifth Avenue at the Plaza Hotel,"

"Do not touch anything. I will send you a unit."

ᕚ---ᕘ

The gentle rain pattered quietly against Olivia's bedroom windows and made her open her eyes just a crack wide. Her tired gaze glowered out and a hand brushed over her face as she watched the night slowly fade away. Her attention turned to the other side of the bed, her fingers curling into the cold sheets next to her.

Her fiancée was no longer lying next to her and she sighed heavily. She usually woke up before you almost every morning, kissing along your naked spine stroking her hand with pleasure over your sides before she remained on your bare hip, waking you up for another day. Olivia loved waking up next to you since she shared a bed with you and enjoyed every minute of it. But she respected your exercise routine in the early hours of the morning and was in no way offended if she started the day without you.

The brunette tried to close her eyes for another five minutes, but quickly abandoned the idea when her cell phone rang. A little angry, she felt around on the bedside table for the annoying-sounding device and answered the call. "Lieutenant Benson?" she sighed loudly, already pulling the blanket off her body.

The brunette, half asleep, rummaged through her closet for some clothes and ran into the bathroom to get ready. "Central Park, I will be right there." When she ended the conversation, she tried to reach you on your cell phone to take you home, but her attempt came to nothing and she did not think about it any further - you had already put your phone on silent often enough to avoid being distracted.

After quickly downing a cup of coffee to wake herself up, she pulled her coat off the hook and slipped through the door into the day's events. The rain worsened on the way to the crime scene, washing every possible mess back into the sewers. When she got out, Amanda and Fin were already standing at the cordoned off area that had been created to protect the evidence from the rain. "What do we have?"

"A blood-spattered cell phone," the blonde expressed, gratefully accepting an evidence bag from another officer. She carefully placed the found object in it and handed it to her boss. "A cell phone? Why were we called?" the Sergent and the detective shrugged and raised their hands in question. "The caller thought it was a cell phone belonging to one of our colleagues, which is why we were notified because a significant amount of blood was found next to it."

Olivia nodded, looking worriedly at the phone in her hand. You had the same case around your phone, she had given it to you as a small gift. She turned it around so the screen was facing her and her heart skipped a beat when she saw the scratch on it. The brunette had almost caused the same one on your phone when she saved you from a bullet a couple months ago.

She always wanted to have it repaired but you would not let her - it was a memory for you. "Liv, are you okay?" Finn asked worriedly, watching as the color suddenly drained from his best friend's face. She nodded in response, looking back from the evidence to the paving stone. A good amount of blood that was not easy to ignore. "Yeah, it is just.."

The tough woman could not finish the sentence right away. The screen turned on on its own, showing a reminder notification on the display. Underneath you could clearly see two smiling faces smeared with light gray paint as a background image.

She recognized the image immediately. Olivia shot it herself when you were recoloring your bedroom together. Olivia swallowed hard, the phone shaking in her hands as she tried to suppress her rising panic. “It is y/n’s. It is her phone."

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Emily Singer at Daily Kos:

The men once known as the Central Park Five—five men who were wrongfully convicted of rape and assault over 30 years ago—filed a lawsuit against Donald Trump on Monday in federal court, alleging the former president acted with “reckless disregard” for the truth when he attacked them during the presidential debate in September. At the debate, Vice President Kamala Harris attacked Trump for his history of racism, bringing up the fact that he refused to apologize for calling for the death penalty for the men—Antron Brown, Kevin Richardson, Raymond Santana, Korey Wise and Yusef Salaam—even after they were exonerated in the 1989 rape and assault of a jogger in Central Park. The five men, now known as the Exonerated Five, had their convictions vacated in 2002, after another man confessed to the crime and DNA evidence confirmed it. 

Trump responded to Harris’ comments about the Exonerated Five at the debate by defending himself for taking out full-page ads in New York City newspapers that called for the men to receive the death penalty. “They admitted, they said they pled guilty and I said, ‘Well, if they pled guilty, they badly hurt a person, killed a person ultimately ... And they pled guilty, then they pled not guilty,” Trump said at the debate. But none of the five men ever pleaded guilty to the raping and beating of the female jogger. And none of the men were ever convicted of murder, as the victim in the Central Park jogging case did not die. “Defendant Trump’s statements were false and defamatory in numerous respects," attorneys for the five men wrote in the lawsuit. “Plaintiffs never pled guilty to the Central Park assaults. Plaintiffs all pled not guilty and maintained their innocence throughout their trial and incarceration, as well as after they were released from prison.” “Defendant Trump falsely stated that Plaintiffs killed an individual and pled guilty to the crime,” the lawsuit added. “These statements are demonstrably false."

The Central Park Five members have sued Donald Trump for defamation after Trump refused to apologize for calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five.

See Also:

The Guardian: Central Park Five members sue Trump for defamation after debate comments

[follow-up-news]

Members of the "Central Park Five" filed a defamation suit against former President Donald Trump on Monday, accusing him of spreading "false, misleading and defamatory" statements about their 1989 case during the Sept. 10 ABC News presidential debate, according to a new court filing. Attorneys representing the five men -- Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, Kevin Richardson, Antron Brown and Korey Wise -- filed their civil suit against Trump in federal court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, seeking monetary damages over his statements, which they say have caused them "severe emotional distress and reputational damage." The five men, then teenagers, were accused of the violent rape of a female jogger in Central Park in April 1989. The five, who always maintained their innocence, were convicted and served years in prison. A decade after the attack, a different man confessed to the crime, which was confirmed through DNA analysis.

[fitsofgloom]

Breaking Away With The Beast of Both Worlds: The original '80s "Beauty & The Beast" TV series has been on my mind more than a bit lately. It's an election year, so a certain segment of the press is naturally drumming up a late '80s Fear City-inspired panic (the show's setting, the female lead suffering a frightful Central Park Jogger-like attack) about the lawless Big Apple to portray it as if it was "The Warriors," "The New York Ripper," or "Escape From New York." The city's had multiple cases of ill-advised and even fatal cases of subway surfing over the past two years. The Beastman Vincent, in one of the series's best conceits, would ride atop the sideway like he was bodysurfing to valiantly come to the aid of the imperiled heroine. I can see how the face of homelessness has changed on the streets due to the income gap and housing shortages, so much so that the World Below as depicted on the show -- I recall news reports back when it first aired covering the Mole People who had retreated into the city's netherworld beneath the concrete as evidence of failed big city governance -- as a subterranean haven for society's embittered and beleaguered dropouts is seeming evermore plausible.

[ausetkmt]

Central Park Five sues Donald Trump for jogger case remarks

The Exonerated Five not the central park 5, are handling their business. We should all be behind them loudly correcting these mistakes.

Donald Trump destroyed their lives once and he's trying to do it again. Let's shut his ass down once and for all

[coldresolve]

Moneymakers: A Desperate Thing // Part 1

This AU takes place before (or instead of) the events of Moneymakers. I’d encourage you to read Moneymakers before this anyway, as it’ll give you some context as to what the characters are like. If you want to read @suspicious-whumping-egg’s take on this AU, that can be found here.

Masterlist / Next

It’s five minutes past noon, and Renee Vaughan is getting nervous.

Left and right, busy people rush past him, high heels clacking on the pavement as their scarves flutter in their wakes. Hot dog vendors and newspaper stands respectively call out their prices or the latest headlines, dog walkers are dragged along by the leashes of their animals, and city joggers huff with their last thread of effort. The reflection of the sun in nearby skyscrapers is blinding to behold directly, and several people waiting by a nearby bus stop shield their eyes against it, hands gloved in lieu of natural warmth.

Renee stands in the middle of it all, on the corner of Madison and Central Avenue, exactly as agreed upon. Curbing his restlessness by rolling on the balls of his feet, his hands are clenched into anxious fists in the pockets of his jacket, as his eyes scour each passer-by for any semblance of recognition – though, truth be told, he isn’t entirely sure who he’s looking for. His newfound partner sure seemed to revel in keeping things mysterious.

He's on his first day of withdrawal from snow, and on the third day of withdrawal from benzos, creating a mess of rapidly alternating restlessness and exhaustion, which only solidifies itself by each passing hour. It’s a feeling not unlike having a bad case of the flu, a general unrest which does nothing to mitigate his unease. On the seventh minute past meeting time, he lights a smoke, hungrily sucking it down as he waits, paranoid of every stranger who so much as looks at him sideways. He must look insane, standing there staring, but he can’t help it. This isn’t your average rendezvous, and it frustrates him that the man is late.

He’s about to call the wait off when he locks eyes with a stranger across the street. Someone who appears to be looking at him, with no small degree of curiosity. The man is on the shorter side, dark hair flowing past his shoulders almost as far as his waist, wearing all black clothes, a typical metalhead look. His features are vaguely Native, high cheekbones and a hooked nose, a calculated look in his dark eyes.

Renee lets the eye contact linger until there’s no doubt in his mind that the stranger has zeroed in on him. Then he breaks the eye contact, scurrying through blearing traffic to cross the street.

The stranger does a bit of an elevator look on his approach, sizing him up and down and nodding to himself. “You must be Renee?”

Renee nods.

“I’m Davin,” the man says. “C’mon.” Then he turns on his heel, fully trusting that Renee will follow along.

Renee does follow, if a little uncertainly. The Davin guy walks surprisingly quickly for a short guy. “You said twelve o’clock,” he says as soon as he’s caught up.

Davin shrugs a shoulder. “I wanted to make sure you were alone.”

He leads Renee down an alleyway which, thankfully, isn’t particularly barren of people. Little cafes have fenced off dining areas reaching out onto the sidewalk, the odd bicyclist trails past them on the road, the clicking of their gears echo off the nearby buildings. Renee’s anxiety rises for every step.

Eventually, they reach another main vein of the city, an avenue on which cars are parked in single file along the side of the road. Davin walks up to one such car, a relatively new-looking gray four-wheel drive with tinted windows in the back. He nonchalantly opens the driver’s side door, nodding at Renee to get in the passenger seat.

Hesitating, Renee eyes the car. “Where are we going?”

Davin smiles. “You don’t need to know,” he says as he ducks into the driver’s seat.

A moment of apprehension passes, in which Renee looks up and down the busy street, chewing on his lower lip. The last thing he wants is to be alone with some shady stranger, but he supposes that moment had to come sooner or later. He doesn’t like the thought of not knowing where they’re going, though. It feels like it could be a trap.

But none of this is going to feel right, is it?

Although every cell in his body revolts against it, Renee pops open the passenger side door and climbs in, feeling a pang of regret when he shuts the door. Thankfully, the doors in this car don’t automatically lock.

He carefully watches as Davin starts the engine and pulls out of the parking spot, joining traffic. “So that’s just how it’s gonna be, huh?” He remarks. “Me in the dark about everything?”

“For now,” Davin hums, slightly distracted by driving, although he, too, occasionally looks sideways at Renee, as if gauging his reaction. “I don’t trust you either, you know,” he says.

Renee chuckles tensely. He looks out the passenger window at the city which slowly grows less dense around them, trying a little too hard to come across as casual. His leg is bouncing on the floormat. “Why do it this way, then? Why not just take someone?”

Davin snorts. “Too much of a hassle. I can’t do it on my own.” He lets out a sigh. “It’s much easier with a willing participant, no?”

Renee feels his stomach drop at that, with something akin to shame. He grits his teeth, eyes scouring the landscape. Factories and auto mechanics whiz by off the side of the highway, soon to be replaced by suburbs. All the unknowns dance around his head like a swarm of flies, pestering him with uncertainty about his current endeavor. “So, uh,” he says. “Have you done something like this before?”

Davin chuckles softly. Markedly doesn’t answer.  

Renee nods to himself, sniffing in a quick breath. “Alright, then.”

The highway gets fewer and fewer lanes the further out of the city they drive, and soon, the landscape changes as well, from suburbs to farmlands and forested areas long since withered and dead-looking.

After about half an hour of driving in tense silence, Davin slows down, blinking his way off an exit ramp to a rest stop. This time of day, apart from a few trucks scattered here and there, the parking area is relatively empty.

Renee tries not to let the steadily inclining rush of adrenaline show in his features. “What are we stopping for?”

Davin doesn’t answer. He finally brings the car to a halt in a parking booth, in a secluded part of the rest stop.

Teeth on edge, Renee’s hand instinctively sneaks down to clutch the knife in his pocket. “I’m serious, man, if you’re trying to pull a fast one on me—”

“Relax,” Davin says nonchalantly. “I’m not deviating from our agreement. You’re still here on your own volition.”

Renee warily watches the man shut off the ignition and reaches into the back seat for something.

“What’s the catch?”

Davin just snorts, pulling forth a cloth as well as what looks like a brown bottle, like the ones used on old apothecaries.

“What is that?”

“Chloroform,” Davin says.

Renee opens his door and steps out into the cold autumn air.

Laughter. “I thought you were in,” Davin calls after him.

Sneering, Renee spins around, gestures at the bottle. “Why the fuck would I agree to that?”

“Because you need the money,” Davin says easily, giving him a vague smile. “I don’t want you to see where we’re going, in case you nope out on me later.”

“Give me a fucking blindfold, then, fuck!”

“That’s not good enough. It’s this, or we say our goodbyes, and I leave you on the side of the road.”

Renee grits his teeth. “What the fuck, man?” he hisses. His eyes hopelessly glide over the desolate rest stop, as if anything there would help his current dilemma.

Because Davin is right: Renee desperately needs the money. He hasn’t slept for over 48 hours, and his chest yearns to a painful degree for a fix of something, anything, to get his mind off how fucking terrible it feels to be sober. And bar actually going out there and mugging some poor father of three, who probably needs the money just as much as he does, this is his last shot, even if it is a shot in the dark.

Renee lets out a sound of frustration, biting down the urge to attempt to tear the car door off its hinges. Jaw set, he ducks back into the car. He can’t bring himself to look Davin in the eye. “You’ll let me go if I say I want to leave,” he says, and he doesn’t phrase it as a question.

Something more solemn flashes over Davin’s face, and he nods seriously. “Of course. That’s part of our agreement.”

“And you don’t touch me while I’m out, you hear me? Or I swear to god, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Laughing, Davin shakes his head. “I wasn’t planning to.”

Renee nods to himself. Then he leans forward in his seat, holding his head between his hands. “Fuck, man, I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.”

Davin lets him stew in that misery for a while, silently waiting.

Eventually, Renee takes a deep breath and leans back. “Alright. Fucking… do it before I change my mind.”

Davin nods. Screws the lid off the bottle. Renee deliberately looks away as he pours a bit of the liquid inside onto the cloth.

This is fucking insane.

“Try to sit still,” Davin says as he screws the cap back on.

When he finally reaches across the center console to put the cloth over Renee’s mouth, Renee can’t help but reel back a little, grabbing onto Davin’s wrist with one hand – not pushing it away, exactly, just really, really wanting to.

The smell is sickly sweet, with a tang of something more pungent and chemical-esque, and the effect – well, that’s almost immediate. Renee can feel the energy tapping out of his limbs, as if his whole body is filled with lead, weighed down by gravity. His fingers slip from around Davin’s wrist, hand landing slack in his lap. He makes a last feeble attempt at jumpstarting himself, writhing somewhat in his seat.

“You can’t fight it,” Davin says, more clinical than gentle.

His vision is clouded by a vignette, one that slowly expands from his periphery. His chest rises and falls more slowly, his breath heats up the cloth around his mouth. With one last glance out into the rest stop, to freedom, he feels his eyes roll back in his head, and that’s the last sensation he has before the world finally disappears, and Renee Vaughan sinks into the black mist of unconsciousness.

Masterlist / Next

[202101040caic2223]

The Tales of Trump's Blunders: How His Stupidity Ruined His Career

Introduction:

Since the early 20th Century, the American population has been plagued by self-indulged douchebags, paving their careers with racism. Donald J Trump is one of those people.

Donald John Trump

Born June 14th 1946 to Fred Trump (a real estate developer and businessman) and Mary Anne MacLeod (a domestic worker).

45th President of the United States of America

Colossal a**hole

Donald Trumps racism spans back to the 1970s and possibly even earlier, a busy-body businessman who believed he had the whole world in his hands. Little did he know what the future would hold for him. From money pay outs to national hatred to presidency, Trump's racism didn't stop him and he continued due to lack of repercussions for such poor behaviour.

Chapter 1: Violation of the Fair Housing Act

This story begins during the administration of Richard Nixon. Trump was working as a real-estate developer, much like his father. His name branded businesses from hotels to golf courses to residential housing. Trump's first indictment was the US department of Justice suing him for refusing to rent to Black tenants, violating the Fair Housing Act. Some would say this is bravery, majority would call it stupidity. Blunder #1.

Chapter 2: The Central Park Five

Trump continued for the next decade to subtly wreak his racist havoc but no-one expected this racist fuelled event. A "modern-day" lynching of one Latino teenager and four Black teenagers, who were accused of raping a jogger in New York City. Trump jumped at the opportunity to take charge of the case, starting with running an ad demanding the death penalty should be reinstated.

After spending many years in prison, the teenagers' convictions were overturned due to false conviction and false evidence. In return for the trauma the teenagers had faced, the city paid a settlement of $41 million (approx. $100 million in 2023). Although, even 27 years later, despite DNA evidence to support it, Trump believes the five teenagers were guilty of their "convictions". HOW UTTERLY UNBELIEVEABLE! Blunder #2 (Arguably one of his biggest mistakes).

Chapter 3: John O'Donnell, The Plaza Hotel and Casino, Lies and more lies

The year is 1991, two years since Trump's conviction of five innocent teenagers. John O'Donnell, the former president of Atlantic City's Trump Plaza and Casino, published a book quoting the "I'm not racist" Donald Trump, regarding his criticism of a Black accountant. He quotes “Black guys counting my money! I hate it. The only kind of people I want counting my money are short guys that wear yarmulkes every day. … I think that the guy is lazy. And it’s probably not his fault, because laziness is a trait in blacks. It really is, I believe that. It’s not anything they can control.” It's genuinely crazy to think that some awful-minded people can say absurd things like this and admire themselves for it. But clearly Trump can't control his tongue. What makes this blunder even worse is that he agreed with O'Donnell and seemed pleased about it. ABSOLUTELY REVOLTING! Blunder #3.

As a businessman, Trump's establishments continued to grow financially and in popularity. However, the Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino seemed to cause many a problem for Trump. This time, one of many, he had to pay a $200,000 fine because it moved Black and women employees from tables to accommodate the piggish prejudices of his big-time gamblers. There's no forgetting here how much money meant to D. J. Trump. Blunder #4.

Trump's web of lies continued to grow throughout the late 20th Century, pouring into the 21st Century. In 2000, Trump felt threatened by his upcoming competition, a casino ran by the St. Regis Mohawk tribe. The Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council is "the duly elected and recognised government of the Mohawk people. Both New York State and the United States deal exclusively with the Tribal Council Chiefs in a government-to-government relationship." They work together to build a better tomorrow. To crush his competition, he ran secret ads which suggested that the tribe has "a record of criminal activity that is well documented." The tribe were of Indian heritage, proving yet again that his actions were fuelled by racism.

The lies and deception were amplified by the New York Institute for Law and Society, a new self-described grass-roots anti-gambling group that cruelly targeted the St. Regis Mohawks. Its campaign in 2000, supposedly supported by 12,000 “pro-family” donors, warned of the evils an Indian casino would bring: “increased crime, broken families, bankruptcies and, in the case of the Mohawks, violence.” Trump's racism had successfully trumped (no pun intended) his opponents, but spread his plague of racism to others. Blunder #5.

Chapter 4: The Apprentice

Maybe the 2000s would be a fresh start for Trump?

Nope. His racism still continued controlling everything he did and said.

In 2004, whilst on the Apprentice, Trump fired Black contestant Kevin Allen for being too educated. (Is that even possible? Does that just mean more educated than him? Or was it another attack on the Black population?) Trump quoted "You're an unbelievably talented guy in terms of education, and you haven't even done anything. At some point you have to say 'That's enough.'" Yet again, threat of competition brought out the vile racist side of Trump. Surely he has a good side?

In a 2016 interview with a former Apprentice contestant, Kwame Jackson stated “Trump has created a toxic ecosystem in our political discourse." “Trump has appealed to the lowest common denominator of fear, racism and divisiveness in our populace. And this mix is never the path to American progress.” Blunder #6

The following year Trump publicly pitched the idea of "The Apprentice: White People vs. Black people." A fairly controversial idea where he would create a team of successful white people versus a team of successful African-American people. Now, Trump stated that "Whether people like the idea or not, it is somewhat reflective of our very vicious world." Ultimately, Trump is pitching the idea of segregation between the white population of America and the African-American population of America. IT'S THE 21ST CENTURY, WHY REVERT BACK TO SEGREGATION?! His absurd idea was immediately shut down by NBC executives. Blunder #7.

Chapter 5: Muslims and the Obama controversy

Into the 2010s, we as a worldwide population would hope that Donald Trump would come to his senses, well don't expect too much.

Trump continued with his insensitive, racist comments, but let everyone in on his thought on national television. In 2010, a proposal arose to build a Muslim community centre, near the memorial of the 9/11 attacks. Trump stepped in and stated how insensitive and inconsiderate that would be. Aww lovely, he's cracked down on his racism. Absolutely not, he took to live television on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and stated how he believed it was the Muslim population that were targeting Americans, 'Well, somebody’s blowing us up. Somebody’s blowing up buildings, and somebody’s doing lots of bad stuff.' Does he even have a brain? Some people have no filter and clearly Donald John Trump is bloody well one of them! Blunder #8.

Barack Obama was the first Black president of the United States of America, and he was a threat to Donald Trump. No shock there! Trump played a huge role in creating rumours that Obama was not born in the US. He claimed to send investigators to Hawaii to look into Obama’s birth certificate. One of the many reasons for this clear confusion was due to Obama spending a small part of his childhood in Indonesia, due to his mother divorcing his American father and remarrying an Indonesian man. Obama later released his birth certificate, calling Trump a “carnival barker.”

Trump's attacks on Obama didn't stop there. He continued to degrade the President of the United States by suggesting that Obama wasn't educated enough to both Colombia and Harvard Law School. He pressured the President to release his university credentials and provide proof due to it not being possible. It is without a doubt a racist attack, stating that Black people couldn't possibly be smart enough to attend such high-end university. Trump continuously attacks Obama because of his "lack of credentials" yet Trump didn't attend either. Can't bring a man down who is already up high. Blunder #9

From the 1970s through to the 2010s, people may believe that Trump acted insensitively with lack of care for other. Whilst not overtly racist, his attacks post-Obama truly show the evils which lie within.

Chapter 6: Crime, Drugs and Bans

Trump's attack on Mexicans during his Presidential campaign truly showed that he would stop at nothing, regardless of the ramifications. Even though there are plenty of occasions where Trump has resulted to racism to prove his power and influence, he still became the President of the United States of America. How? Understandably, no President is perfect, there will always be a back story, something that holds them back, but Trump's past attacks are not forgivable. It wasn't like he'd stop once he became President, unfortunately as his power grew, so did the awfulness of his racism.

At the launch of his campaign in 2015, he started by stating that Mexican immigrants were "rapists" who are "bringing" and "bringing drugs" to the US. Throughout his campaign, he highlighted his idea of building a wall between the border of Mexico and the United States to stop the "immigrants" coming into the States. As of October 2020, there were 669 miles of "primary barrier" reports the US Customs and Border Protection. Blunder #10

In 2015, Trump's racism didn't stop there. Reverting back to his old ways, Trump attacked the Muslim population putting them under the "umbrella of terrorists." He called for a ban on Muslims entering the United States, much like with the Mexican population. During his administration he subtly implemented a weaker version of the policy. In 2017, his policy was implemented and was in effect indefinitely. However, it was only in effect for certain people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, and Yemen who did not have “bona fide relationships” with people or businesses in the United States. Blunder #11

Chapter 7: The Press Conference

Donald Trump didn't stop at press conferences, he seemed well-aware of what he was saying and the implications that went with it. At press conference, Trump showed to the nation that he views black people as a monolithic “other” — a group of people who work and behave in exactly similar ways. Not only does this seem to define an entire group of people down to a lowest common denominator, but it’s also simply dehumanizing to treat individuals as only part of a bigger group.

In his pitch to black voters during the campaign, Trump said, “You’re living in poverty, your schools are no good, you have no jobs, 58 percent of your youth is unemployed. What the hell do you have to lose?” What a horrible thing to say, especially to a large population who you relied on to become President? Blunder #12

The image above shows the percentage of votes for each party by each race. The above statistics show that Trump relied heavily on white American voters, whilst Clinton obtained the majority of her votes from the Black community. It is without a doubt that the Black population would have thrown their votes to Clinton as Trump's racism focussed mainly on the Black community.

Chapter 8: Coronavirus

2020 was a difficult time for the globe, time seemed to freeze but be flying by all that the same time. Trump wasn't expecting such an issue to arise during his presidential term. Many tweets posted by President Trump contained direct attack at the Chinese nation. At the beginning of the coronavirus before the world went into lockdown, Trump tweeted that he was trying his hardest to work with China and stop the spread of coronavirus, but ultimately became an opportunity to use his racism to blame others for the rising cases of COVID-19. Alternative names were given to the spreading virus by the President, including the "Chinese virus" and the "Kung Flu".

"Anti-Asian sentiment depicted in the tweets containing the term 'Chinese Virus' likely perpetuated racist attitudes and parallels the anti-Asian hate crimes that have occurred since," said Dr. Yulin Hswen, an assistant professor of epidemiology at UC, San Francisco and the study's lead author. After many experts have encouraged a different term for the coronavirus, including the World Health Organisation, Trump still continues to throw racism as the home nation of the coronavirus. Referring to it as the "Chinese virus" encourages further turmoil and hate for a nation that has already faced too much. Donald Trump needs to sit down and have a long hard think of what it would feel like if America had been in China's shoes. He sure wouldn't stand for it. Blunder #13

Chapter 9: The ending

Trump's racism has made him into the person that he is. Not only was he a terrible President, he is a terrible person. Racism is defined as: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized. The ultimate question to ask is: why are people racist? What does one gain from it? Power? Pleasure?

Blunder after blunder, from violating laws to contributing to the USA-Mexico wall, why wasn't Trump punished for his actions? Even when Obama was President, why was nothing done to stop such a stupid man?

Why is Trump racist? Why weren't there any repercussion? Throughout school and throughout life, children are told that racism is a very bad thing and that it makes you a bad person to be racist. So why is one of the most negatively influential men of the 21st Century not punished for being racist? Why are there double standards?

These will always be questions that will be left unanswered and your opinion is your opinion.

[theoutcastrogue]

Bill Goodman, the old man helpfully telling you to shut the fuck up when cops try to make you talk, passed away in November 2023 at the age of 83.

"After his first year of law school at the University of Chicago in the 1960s, Bill Goodman interned at a small Black law firm in Virginia and helped build desegregation cases throughout the South."

"Goodman spent his career as a tenacious advocate of racial justice and a zealous defender of human rights. He was involved in landmark cases and represented prisoners charged in the Attica Prison riots of 1971. He fought for women’s rights to access health services in the 1980s and 1990s, and more recently, represented victims of the Flint water crisis.

Some of Goodman’s most influential work came after he moved to New York to work as the legal director at the Center for Constitutional Rights in 1998. He represented Guantanamo Bay detainees, Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange, and the wrongfully convicted teens in the notorious “Central Park jogger” case. He took on the Bush administration, the New York City Police Department [and its racist stop-and-frisk policy], and the state prison system. He also led a class-action lawsuit on behalf of the hundreds of Muslim men who were “picked up by the FBI and the Justice Department immediately after 9/11 and held under terrible conditions without any due process, some of the indefinitely.”"

"Goodman was also celebrated for championing Palestinian rights. After leaving New York, Goodman returned to his hometown of Detroit, where he continued to fight police violence and other social justice issues until his death."

[1] [2] [3]

[jedijoe]

Men sue Trump over Central Park 5 remark about NY jogger case

Men sue Trump over Central Park 5 remark about NY jogger case

Men sue Trump over Central Park 5 remark about NY jogger case

[todayworldnews2k21]

Trump sued by Central Park Five for defamation over claims made during Harris debate

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks during a campaign rally at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre on October 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia.  Kevin Dietsch | Getty Images News | Getty Images Five men who were wrongfully convicted as teenagers in the so-called Central Park Five jogger rape case sued Donald Trump on Monday, saying the Republican…

[janelib07]

When They See Us

When They See Us is a small series on Netflix that aired on May 31st, 2019. This series is based on a true story of the Central Park Five and how they were wrongfully convicted in the Central Park Jogger Case.

On the night of April 19, 1989, several teenagers were taken into custody after the police received several complaints about groups of teenagers causing trouble at the park. 5 of these teenagers would become known as the Central Park Five. Kevin Richardson, Antron McCray, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise, and Raymond Santana were wrongfully convicted of a rape incident that happened that night.

The reason I picked this TV series was because of how it related back to how African Americans are perceived.

When looking back on our lecture and readings I realized how this series took place in a time where we all could get along, were segregation was a thing of the past, and where the color of your skin didn’t matter and justice would be served correctly. To think it was about 35 years that these 5 teenagers were wrongfully convicted and had to serve time behind bars due to the coercion of police and investigators.

It is hard to say that this case was not racially motivated. The reason I say this is because police and investigators would not have to beat and force these 5 teenagers to confess to a crime they did not commit. And on top of that have them sit in a cell and watch the years pass by, years of their life that they will never get back.

Although they received compensation for wrongful incarceration, Yusef Salaam said, “No amount of money could have given us our time back. And that time is really what’s important.” (CBS Article) The system let them down in a way that is hard to even think could be possible.

This made me think of an image of a reading we looked at, “Picturing Us: African American Identity In Photography” by Deborah Willis.

She stated, “… she has place the “unruly” older child across her knee and is spanking him. This slide, which glorifies the beating of a young African American male, was produced for the amusement of a white audience, as were others…” (p.17) This picture in particular reminded me of this case because of how this image was made to give the white audience some sort of pleasure from seeing the child in pain. In this case, people wanted these boys convicted, although the DNA evidence did not point to either of the 5 boys as the actual offender, they wanted justice for the victim. You could say these boys were at the wrong place at the wrong time.

In an article we read there was a quote that struck out to me, “When I wake up, I think about the fact that I’m black, I have to think about my hair, I have to think about my edges, I have to think about how I look…whether or not I look too this or too that, and that’s something that I get tired of doing sometimes.” (Roquel Crutcher, Washington Post Article) The reason it struck out to me was because that is something someone shouldn’t have to worry about, whether they look a certain way but unfortunately it is something people do worry about. The fear of being labeled something because you look a certain way.

Citations

Amenabar, Teddy. (May 19th, 2016) The New Language Of Protest. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/style/2016/05/19/what-college-students-mean-when-they-ask-for-safe-spaces-and-trigger-warnings/?tid=sm_tw

CBS News. (May 10th, 2019) Preview: The Central Park Five Say $41M Settlement Can’t Replace Years Spent Behind Bars. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/preview-the-central-park-five-netflix-miniseries-when-they-see-us/#

Willis, Deborah. (1994) Picturing Us: African American Identity In Photography.

IMDb. When They See Us Trailer https://www.imdb.com/video/vi1707392025/?ref_=vp_rv_ap_0

McCray, Antron. National Registry of Exonerations. https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/casedetail.aspx?caseid=3423

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Sara Boboltz at HuffPost:

Four men of color wrongly accused of a New York assault in 1989 walked onstage at the Democratic National Convention on Thursday with strong words of criticism against one of their accusers: former President Donald Trump. Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Korey Wise and Raymond Santana, four of the former “Central Park Five,” appeared after an introduction from Rev. Al Sharpton. “Let me tell you, this is gonna be so beautiful. Together on Nov. 5th, we will usher in Kamala Harris and Tim Walz into the White House,” Salaam told the crowd. Along with Antron McCray, who was absent, the group of men were accused of brutally sexually assaulting a white female jogger in 1989, but they were exonerated more than a decade later, in 2002. The group, who were all teens or young adults when they were arrested, is now also known as the “Exonerated Five.”

Trump infamously spent $85,000 on a full-page ad in The New York Times addressing the case: “BRING BACK THE DEATH PENALTY, BRING BACK OUR POLICE!”

Last night at the DNC, 4 of the Central Park Five (or Exonerated Five) appeared at the convention in Chicago alongside Al Sharpton to call out Donald Trump, who wanted them dead (or unalived). #DNC2024

[askgothamshitty]

what was the "central park 5 boys" about? what was bell hooks statement on it?

Before the trial, hooks insisted they were guilty. She never addressed her comments after they were exonerated.

[roshmedia]

Odd Claims Found in New York City

Claims Found in New York City

New York City, known for its vibrant culture, towering skyscrapers, and bustling streets, is also a place where odd and unusual events can occur, leading to some bizarre insurance claims. The unique and often unpredictable nature of life in the Big Apple has given rise to a variety of strange and fascinating insurance stories. Here are some of the most peculiar insurance claims found in New York City:

1. The Central Park Squirrel Attack

One of the oddest claims involved a jogger in Central Park who was unexpectedly attacked by a squirrel. The incident resulted in a series of medical treatments for bites and scratches, leading the jogger to file a claim under their health insurance. While animal attacks are not uncommon, a squirrel causing such injury was certainly out of the ordinary. The insurance company initially balked at the claim but eventually covered the medical expenses, citing the unusual nature of the incident.

2. Pigeon Poop Predicament

In another bizarre case, a resident of an Upper West Side apartment filed a claim for property damage caused by an unexpected invasion of pigeons. The birds had somehow found their way into the apartment through a chimney, leaving behind a significant mess. The homeowner's insurance had to cover extensive cleaning and repairs due to the pervasive pigeon droppings, which had damaged furniture, carpets, and even some electronics.

3. Subway Slip-Up

The New York City subway system is an integral part of city life, but it also sees its fair share of accidents. One particularly unusual claim involved a commuter who slipped on a discarded banana peel while rushing to catch a train. The resulting fall caused minor injuries, leading the commuter to file a claim for medical expenses. The incident was reminiscent of an old slapstick comedy routine but was very real and painful for the victim.

4. Falling Ice Fiasco

During a particularly harsh winter, a Midtown pedestrian experienced a close encounter with falling ice. Large icicles had formed on the edge of a high-rise building and, as temperatures fluctuated, a chunk of ice broke off and struck the pedestrian. This led to a claim against the building's liability insurance for medical treatment and damages. The building management had to implement new safety measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

5. Times Square Turkey

Times Square is no stranger to odd occurrences, but a particularly strange event involved a wild turkey. The bird had somehow wandered into the bustling area and caused a commotion among tourists and locals alike. In the chaos, the turkey collided with a vendor's cart, causing damage to both the cart and some nearby property. The vendor filed a claim for the damages, and the insurance company had to assess the unlikely situation to process the claim.

6. Art Gallery Mishap

In the art-rich neighborhoods of Chelsea, a unique claim involved an art gallery visitor who accidentally knocked over a priceless sculpture. The visitor, while admiring the artwork, tripped and fell into the sculpture, causing significant damage. The gallery's insurance policy had to cover the restoration costs, which were substantial given the value and delicacy of the piece. This incident highlighted the risks involved in handling and displaying valuable art.

7. Taxi Trouble

New York City is famous for its yellow cabs, and one peculiar insurance claim involved a taxi driver who accidentally drove into a sinkhole that suddenly appeared on a city street. The vehicle sustained considerable damage, and the driver filed a claim for the repairs. The city also had to address the unexpected infrastructure failure, adding to the overall complexity of the situation.

8. Celebrity Collision

In a city where celebrities are often spotted, one unusual claim involved a minor car accident between a famous actor and a delivery driver. The collision itself was minor, but the ensuing media frenzy and the need for discretion led to a complicated claims process. Both parties' insurance companies had to navigate the additional layer of public interest and privacy concerns, making it a particularly challenging claim to resolve.

9. Brooklyn Bridge Bike Blunder

Cycling across the Brooklyn Bridge is a popular activity, but it led to an odd claim when a cyclist, attempting a selfie, lost control and collided with a pedestrian. Both parties sustained minor injuries, and claims were filed under health and liability insurance policies. The incident underscored the sometimes risky behavior of combining modern technology with traditional activities.

10. Ghostly Encounter

One of the strangest claims came from a tenant in a historic Manhattan building who reported damages caused by what they believed was a ghost. The tenant claimed that unexplained phenomena, such as objects moving on their own and sudden temperature drops, had caused damage to their personal belongings. While the insurance company was skeptical, they conducted a thorough investigation and, to avoid bad publicity, covered some of the claimed damages under the policy's mysterious events clause.

These peculiar insurance claims highlight the diverse and unpredictable nature of life in New York City. Each story is a testament to the city's vibrant and sometimes eccentric character, proving that in the Big Apple, you should always expect the unexpected.

*Not all claims can be verified. 

[ausetkmt]

Exonerated Central Park Five sues Donald Trump for jogger case remarks made at press conference

Watch and enjoy it will truly make your day