Friday, December 18, 2009

On The Front Lines

This is one of the most important cases to be filed in Louisiana in decades.




Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Tear Drops And Closed Caskets

I received a call from the mother of a client. She informed me that her son was attempting to stop a fight and was hit in the head. Now he is in the hospital and they do not expect him to live. I extended my sympathies and ask that she keep me informed. And then I tried to put the call out my head.

My client was not a gang banger. He was picked up for having some weed in his car. He was 19 years-old and a sweet kid who was a little slow. Like millions of others, he was born to a life of chaos and destined to struggle.

I have learned to shut my emotions off when it comes to the slaughter of young black men. You see I do triage. I catch them coming into the criminal justice system like wounded soldiers on a battle field. I cannot treat their main wounds, broken family, poverty and mis-education. So I try to keep the system from throwing them away and move on to the next one.

But this call has hung over my soul like rain clouds caressing a high-rise.

I have been listening to Tupac a lot this week. Tupac more than any other figure of his generation represents the tragedy of life on the streets.

Tupac was a classically trained artist who rather than glorified the thug life, rapped of the pain of living a life that you do not choose. Tupac was a street poet, actor, voice for a generation, and a genius. But like Marvin Gaye and Donny Hathaway before him, he could not control his demons. So he died the young black man's death; by drive-by shooting.

One cannot help but wonder what he would have had to say at 40. We will never know and our culture is less today because his voice is not a part of it.

It is rumored that Outlawz peppered Tupac ashes in a joint and smoked it. I understand the need to try to absorb a loss. I feel it for my client. So Niggers pass the motherfucking joint. Rest In Peace Soldiers.

I know it's hard out there,
with teardrops and closed caskets
It's like that's all we got to look forward to these days
Murders, brothers dying, funerals.....
shit, it's like I done ran out of suits homey
I done ran out of tears
Know we gon' have to do somethin y'all
We gon' have to do something......
Cause I know all these mothers is tired of seeing the same thing
(rest in peace)
Teardrops and closed caskets

Tupac Amaru Shakur (June 16, 1971 – September 13, 1996)

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

I Ain't Saying The Brother Should Have Cussed Them Out

BUT I UNDERSTAND



http://cbs11tv.com/video/?id=49080@ktvt.dayport.com

Fighting the Good Fight

I made a presentation to the Alexandria La. City Council. My presentation starts approximately half-way in. I am representing an African-American lawyer in a multi-million dollar fee dispute. As some of you may recall, the last time I spoke to the Council, it was quite intense.




Watch 12-1-09 Legal Committee.mpg in News  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com