Source: Douglas Sacha / Getty

Sex trafficking, and child sexual abuse are real problems plaguing America right now and parents are hyper-vigilant about protecting their sons and daughters from sick people who want to take advantage of them.

According to CNN report, Lechter County, Kentucky Sheriff Shawn “Mickey” Stines is on trial for “allegedly” killing his best friend, Judge Kevin Mullins, after allegedly finding his young daughter’s cell phone number saved in Mullins’ phone. While “allegedly” is the correct way to communicate the charges against Stines, his lawyers are not denying that he did indeed shoot Mullins as video footage of the incident was played in court and released to the public. That said, Stine’s counsel is attempting to reduce their client’s charge from murder to manslaughter as Stines has pleaded not guilty to the more serious charge.

In the 20-second video that was played in court, Stines can be seen shooting Mullins multiple times while the judge cowered on the floor under his desk. Stines can also be seen firing another volley of rounds as he leaves the judge’s chambers.

Warning! The following video is graphic in nature.

The motive for the killing will be a major part of the jury determining manslaughter versus murder. A witness saw Stines and Mullins having lunch with a group of people just hours prior to the shooting. One of the people in that group, Kentucky State Police Det. Clayton Stamper, testified that there was no sense of anger or malice during the meal but he did hear Mullins asked Stines: “Do we need to meet private in my chambers?“

Stamper also confirmed another important fact during his testimony.

“I was told that Sheriff Stines had tried to call his daughter, and he had tried to call his daughter from the judge’s phone also,” said Stamper, who confirmed that phone records showed that the cell phone of Stines’ daughter had previously been called from the judge’s phone.

The fact that the judge had previously contacted Stines’ daughter is suspect to say the very least. Stamper also testified that upon surrendering himself to authorities, Stines told one of the officers “They’re trying to kidnap my wife and kid.”

Stines could face the death penalty if he is convicted.

Welp, it only took 103 years and roughly four months, but the Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it will launch a federal review of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre.

According to ABC News, the federal Civil Rights Division’s Cold Case Unit is conducting a full review of the massacre, in which a white mob attacked, lynched and destroyed an entire affluent Black town in Oklahoma — leveling more than 1,000 homes and businesses and killing hundreds of Black residents — all because a single Black man was accused of raping a single white woman.

Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general for civil rights who announced the review in a statement Monday, referred to the massacre as “one of the deadliest episodes of mass racial violence in this nation’s history.”

So — not to be a Debbie Downer here — but one can’t help but wonder what’s even the point of all this. After all, the announcement of the review comes months after the Oklahoma Supreme Court told the last survivors of the massacre — Lessie Benningfield Randle, 109, and Viola Ford Fletcher, 110 — and their families in June and July that they are not owed reparations for the massacre that they experienced firsthand. Considering this, and the fact that there are no living perpetrators of the atrocity to hold accountable, it’s arguable that this review is kind of performative. 

In fact, the review is being conducted under the Emmett Till Unsolved Civil Rights Crime Act, which brings to mind the fact that recent investigations into the brutal, evil and egregiously racist torture and killing of Emmett Till have also been conducted by law enforcement officials in Mississippi, and those investigations resulted in absolutely zero being done to hold anyone accountable.

Still, Damario Solomon-Simmons, the lead attorney representing the survivors of the massacre, celebrated the decision in a press conference Monday.

“I’m so excited to announce that this morning, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Kristen Clarke announced that the United States Federal Government Department of Justice will open a review and evaluation of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre,” Solomon-Simmons said. “It is about time! It only took 103 years.”

Solomon-Simmons did address the issue of reparations, saying, “This community would never stop fighting for reparations. This community would never forget what happened to our people, just for being Black, just for being successful.”

“So we are excited today. This has been a difficult journey, a lot of obstacles, a lot of odds, a lot of opposition, but today we have a victory,” he continued.

Tiffany Crutcher, a descendant of a survivor of the massacre who founded the Terence Crutcher Foundation and serves as the foundation’s executive director, also expressed gratitude for the review, acknowledging that what happened in Tulsa more than a century ago has been “ignored for far too long.”

“Today, my family and community are deeply grateful that the U.S. Department of Justice is finally preparing to review the 1921 Tulsa race massacre,” she said. “I leave you with this quote from my mentor, our mentor, Bryan Stevenson, this community will continue to stand on hope, and hope is what will get you to stand up when people tell you to sit down, and today, we continue to stand.”

To be sure, it is about time. It’s just unfortunate that it’s only happening after everything is long said and done, and no one involved in the massacre can be held to account or provided restitution. It will, however, be interesting to see what this review turns up, what new information we will learn, if any, and, most importantly, how it will impact the way we as a nation grapple with racial violence and injustice in the future.

As Diddy remains behind bars, things have gone from bad to worse.

Source: Shareif Ziyadat / Getty

A Texas-based attorney announced Tuesday that 120 accusers have come forward to say they were sexually abused by the Bad Boy mogul and some of his associates. NBC News reports that attorney Tony Buzbee held a news conference Tuesday saying he’s representing over 100 people with allegations against Diddy that occurred over 20 years.

Buzbee said at least 25 of the alleged victims were minors at the time of the alleged abuse, with the youngest being 9 years old. The attorney said the child was brought to New York City by Combs’ record label, Bad Boy Records, for an audition, but was sexually abused by Combs and his associates at the studio. The boy was promised that he and his parents would get a record deal, Buzbee said.

“We will expose the enablers who enabled this conduct behind closed doors. We will pursue this matter no matter who the evidence implicates,” NBC News reports Buzbee said during the news conference.

Buzbee claimed his team has gathered evidence, including photos, videos, and texts, to support the allegations. He stated that the accusations include violent sexual assault, rape, facilitated sex with controlled substances, dissemination of video recordings, and sexual abuse of minors.

“This list is long, and the names involved will shock you,” said Buzbee added.

One of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, Andrew Van Arsdale called the forthcoming filings “unprecedented in scope” in an interview with The Washington Post and said he was struck by the similarities in the accusations. Many of the alleged victims were trying to break into the music industry when they received an invitation to an event hosted by Combs, he said.

Diddy’s Attorney Issues Statement Denying He Abused Anyone, “Including Minors”

Combs’ legal team has responded, with his lawyer Erica Wolff issuing a statement to NBC News vehemently denying the new allegations while dubbing the new allegations “meritless” and part of a  “reckless media circus.”

Source: Prince Williams / Wireimage

“As Mr. Combs’ legal team has emphasized, he cannot address every meritless allegation in what has become a reckless media circus. That said, Mr. Combs emphatically and categorically denies as false and defamatory any claim that he sexually abused anyone, including minors. He looks forward to proving his innocence and vindicating himself in court if and when claims are filed and served, where the truth will be established based on evidence, not speculation.”

NBC News reports that attorney Tony Buzbee history of representing high-profile victims, including accusers of NFL quarterback Deshaun Watson and victims of the Astroworld tragedy who filed a massive lawsuit against Travis Scott following the 2021 festival.

Diddy remains behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, following his indictment on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has pleaded not guilty, and his attorneys are filing an appeal on his behalf.