The Boyce Blog

CNN: Dr Boyce and Richelle Carey Discuss Obama and Black Men

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:56:00 +0000

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Dr Boyce Watkins and Richelle Carey from CNN discuss Obama's impact on African American men.

Dr. Boyce Watkins on MSNBC - The Heather Ellis case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 18:35:00 +0000

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CNN: Black Kids Told to Act Like Slaves in School

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:04:00 +0000

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Dr Boyce on CNN to discuss an incident in which black kids were told to behave like slaves in school.

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Setting the Record Straight on Heather Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Jury selection for Heather Ellis continues

Heather Ellis case one in a long line of Missouri's racial injustices

This Nov. 4, 2009 file photo shows Heather Ellis, left, arm-in-arm with her mother, Hester Ellis, exiting the Stoddard County Justice Center in Bloomfield, Mo. (AP Photo/Corey Noles, Dexter Daily Statesman, File)

This week, for the first time, I had the chance to speak with Heather Ellis.

Heather was not previously allowed to speak, since her attorney told her to remain silent. I can tell you that after speaking with Heather for nearly two hours, she is a fine young woman. She is NOT the kind of person who needed to spend any time in prison, and I am glad she took the plea deal from the prosecution. Let me explain a few facts about the case that you may not know:

1) Heather is not admitting guilt: Anyone familiar with the criminal justice system in America should understand that there are times when you have to plead in order to make something go away. There was no smoking gun implicating Heather Ellis; there was only the risk that the jury (which her high powered attorney, Scott Rosenblum, considered to be the worst jury he'd seen in 26 years of practice) was going to send her to prison or jail.

Like most of us, Heather is not a person who wants to go to jail for any significant period of time. I personally worried that she would be abused if left in the presence of the very officers who'd attacked her on the night of her arrest, not to mention the criminals she would be incarcerated with. If she were my daughter, I would have told her to take the plea.

The good thing was that her fight led the entire nation to talk about issues that we would never have discussed otherwise. Anyone who doesn't agree with her decision needs to go put their own child on trial with up to 15 possible years in prison and see how much yapping you do then.
2) There is no evidence of an assault on an officer and she was not convicted of these felonies: According to Heather (whom I believe and I'll tell you why in a second), there was one police officer who was dead set on the idea of pursuing and harassing her. He followed her closely out of the store, referring to her as a b*tch and a ho. He then told her to "go back to the ghetto." That is when Heather turned and asked him why he was harassing her instead of chasing real criminals. That is when he said, "Because I want to harass your stupid a**." That is also the officer who, without warning, tackled Heather and dragged her to the police car.

The reason Heather's story is credible is because this officer had been fired from another job for sexual harassment and had lied on the witness stand in the past. Her attorney's research uncovered the officer's dirty past, and Heather discussed this issue in more detail in our conversation.
3) This was not a jury of her peers: Heather's father, Pastor Nathaniel Ellis, told me that he had wanted to push the trial to the very end. What changed his mind, he said, was seeing his daughter break down in tears over the idea of going to jail or prison.

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News: Klan Holds a Rally at Ole-Miss: Dr Boyce Analyzes

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 01:47:00 +0000

I was intrigued by recent reports that the Ku Klux Klan had a rally on the Ole Miss Campus recently. It might surprise you to know that I am essentially unconcerned by their presence on campus. Don't get me wrong, Klansmen are incredibly ignorant. Also, we cannot deny their historical reign of terror over people of color in America. But I can also give you a list of reasons that we should stop paying attention to the KKK.

1) They thrive off of attention: The KKK has very little power. They don't do very much anymore, and even in this rally, it appears that there were only a few members present. The truth is that the klan only has power because we give it attention. They are like a grease fire: The more water you put on it, the more it grows. But if you starve the fire of oxygen, it eventually dies out. The klan must be starved of attention, and then they will go away. They only remain relevant because we want them to be.

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Dr Boyce on MSNBC: The Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:48:00 +0000

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Dr Boyce Watkins discusses his national rally for Heather Ellis, the woman facing 15-years in prison for cutting line at a Wal-Mart.

Dr. Boyce Watkins on Black Planet – 11/22/09

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:40:00 +0000

OPINION: Depression in the Black Community – Why it is a Serious Problem

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 22, 2009 8:27 am

TAGS: african american doctors, african american news, black doctors, black news, depression in the black community

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OPINION: Heather Ellis Finally Tells Her Story & Why I Believe Her

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 21, 2009 11:20 pm

TAGS: african american news, black news, Heather Ellis, heather ellis case

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OPINION: Heather Ellis Reaches Plea Deal, But I’ve Still Got Questions

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 20, 2009 9:18 pm

TAGS: heather, Heather Ellis, heather ellis case, heather ellis plea

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OPINION: Jesse Jackson Was Right About Artur Davis … Sort Of

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 20, 2009 12:56 pm

TAGS: artur davis, black politics, Congressional Black Caucus, Jesse Jackson

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OPINION: How We Can Work Toward Justice For Heather Ellis

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 13, 2009 5:05 pm

TAGS: justice system, Missouri, Wal-Mart

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OPINION: We Should Mind Our Own Business In Chris Brown Vs. Rihanna

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 8, 2009 11:35 am

TAGS: Chris Brown, domestic violence, Rihanna

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OPINION: The Racial Ignorance Of Barack Obama’s Financial “Gurus”

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 5, 2009 10:54 am

TAGS: ben bernanke, poverty, wealth

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OPINION: 5 Things President Obama Can Do For Black Men

By Dr. Boyce Watkins November 2, 2009 10:30 am

TAGS: Barack Obama, black men, education, prisons

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Dr. Boyce Talks Heather Ellis on Anderson Cooper 360

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:51:00 +0000

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Dr Boyce Watkins and Anderson Cooper discuss the case of Heather Ellis, the woman who faced 15-years in prison after cutting line at Wal-Mart.

Dr. Boyce: Jesse Jackson vs. Artur Davis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:55:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I love speaking with Rev. Jesse Jackson. He walks and talks like a man who has seen and heard nearly everything. Our civil rights leaders are social hubs through which many members of our society must travel in order to reach their destinations. You can’t call yourself a black man and not know the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Rev. Jackson took things a step further by stating recently at a Congressional Black Caucus function that,”You can’t vote against health care and call yourself a black man.”

This comment was aimed at Rep. Artur Davis of Alabama, the only member of theCongressional Black Caucus who does not support health care reform. What is most interesting about Jackson’s comment is that he is right, but not quite. You can certainly argue that Davis’ lack of support for the plan implies that his interests are not in line with the majority of African Americans in this country: Most of them love Barack Obama and are willing to support anything that he supports. The other sad truth is that health care reform is so complicated that most Americans don’t have a clue about what’s going on. In that regard, we can argue that it is difficult for Davis to say that he represents the black community when he votes in a direction that is not correlated with the majority of African Americans in the state of Alabama.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: I’ve Still Got Questions about Heather Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:24:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I have been actively involved in the fight for Heather Ellis, the 24-year old school teacher now facing up to 15-years in prison for cutting line at a local Wal-Mart. Although Heather has now reached a plea deal with prosecutors over her arrested, there are still questions that need to be answered. No, she was not charged with cutting in line, but it was the cashier’s reaction to the alleged line cut which led to the relevant sequence of events. Had the cashier been more professional and not refused to serve Heather, none of this would have happened (You hear that Walmart? Perhaps that’s why your attorneys are telling you to remain silent).

I have five simple questions about the trial of Heather Ellis:

1) If “no one was seriously injured,” why was she facing up to 15-years in prison?

In the opening statements of the trial, the prosecutor in the case, Morley Swingle (the dandy fellow with the Confederate flag on the cover of his book) stated that “There was no serious injury, but it did hurt,” when referring to the alleged assaults committed by Ms. Ellis. If no one was seriously injured, does that constitute a Class-C felony? This statement was quite telling when it comes to understanding the style of justice being administered in the Southeast Missouri area (which is why we are sending our reports to the Justice Department after the trial is over). Given that Ellis appears to have been the only person to go to the hospital after she allegedly beat down all of these great big men, it would seem to me that perhaps she might be the one who is able to file an assault charge against the officers. Additionally, the defense attorney on the case, Scott Rosenblum, presented evidence in court of there being blood in Heather Ellis’ jacket pocket from the night of the incident. This would be consistent with her claim to the doctor the next day that she was assaulted by the police.

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Dr. Boyce Releases Statement about the Heather Ellis Surveillance Video

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:27:00 +0000

When I received a private copy of the video two weeks ago, I wanted the world to see what I was seeing. There is nothing on this tape that argues that this woman committed any felonies, and Prosecutor Stephen Sokoloff was bluffing when he stated that the video would prove his case. The prosecutor’s focus on Heather allegedly ‘behaving badly’ has nothing to do with the felonious accusations being thrust upon her. The truth of the matter is that there may have been some collusion on the part of Wal-Mart employees and the police, and this has led to Heather’s life being derailed unnecessarily.

It is my greatest hope that Heather will be exonerated and I congratulate her for standing up for what is right. I also ask that the Missouri state Attorney General and the United States Justice Department do an investigation into the entire Southeast Missouri justice system, since defendants are being railroaded by aggressive police officers and unjust prosecutors. The data tell us that Heather’s case is just the beginning of larger problems in this area, which is a threat to American citizens everywhere.

Viewership of our Heather Ellis Blog is Growing Each week

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:09:00 +0000

The Your Black World Coalition took up the cause of Heather Ellis knowing that she was being ignored by nearly everyone with the exception of Pastor Jessie Bonner from the local NAACP and Pastor Dwight Montgomery from the Memphis chapter of the SCLC. We stepped in to support their efforts with a national campaign that pushed the issue to CNN, NBC, AOL, the Associated Press and nearly every other national media outlet in America.

Finally, the world is starting to take notice. The Rev. Al Sharpton has mentioned on the air that he would like to join Dr. Boyce Watkins if he chooses to make another trip to the Missouri area, Stephen Sokoloff has recused himself from the case, and America is now debating the merits of the justice system when it comes to their treatment of African Americans.

We want to thank those of you who are supporting Heather and encourage you to tell your friends about the case. When it comes to saving our children, it takes a village to make things right.

Your Black News: Video Released in Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:39:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

When I held the rally for Heather Ellis last week, the woman facing up to 15-years in prison after allegedly cutting line at a Wal-Mart, I was hoping that one day the rest of the world could see what I saw nearly two weeks ago. In spite of the prosecutor's contention that the video tape would prove his case beyond a reasonable doubt, the truth is that the video is highly inconclusive. Check the video out and see for yourself.
You can click here to watch the video.

www.TheHeatherEllisCase.com

Dr. Boyce Watkins: Anderson Cooper 360 Weighs in on the Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:06:00 +0000

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Heather Ellis is facing 15-years in prison for allegedly cutting line at a Wal-Mart store in Missouri.

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World
Special to AC360°

Heather Ellis is in trouble. The 24-year old preacher’s daughter has spent most of her life doing the right things: Going to college, getting ready for medical school and staying out of trouble. What Heather didn’t realize is that even when you do the right things, your margin of error as a person of color in America is virtually non-existent.

When I wrote my book, “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” the key point was that America’s justice system has a difficult time understanding that punishments must match the magnitude of the crime that has allegedly been committed. The actions that a “frat boy” can get away with 20 times during college can send an African American to prison for the next 20-years. America is a country that has, without question, consistently over-charged, over-searched, over-incarcerated and over-sentenced African Americans for the past 400 years of its existence.

Given its ugly past, the criminal justice system has very little credibility, and even police reports are subject to being questioned – especially in a town like Kennett, MO. My father’s a cop, so I know how all this works. Even when black men were lynched 100 years ago, there were always “witnesses” and police reports to say that he was a bad person. Fortunately, lynching does not occur anymore (although a black boy – Walter Currie Jr. – was burned alive by his white classmate in the same area as Heather), but the noose has been replaced with the long prison sentence as the most typical and most devastating form of punishment. As a result, black men and women are filling up America’s penitentiaries at an alarming rate, and it is destroying the core of the black family.

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Heather Ellis on CNN Twice – 11/18/09

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Tonight at 7:30 pm, Dr. Boyce Watkins will discuss the Heather Ellis case on the Jane Valez Mitchell Show. He will discuss it again on Anderson Cooper 360 tonight at 10 pm EST.

Heather Ellis Case on ABC News

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:10:00 +0000

The prospect of spending 15 years in jail was probably the last thing on a Missouri woman's mind nearly three years ago when she switched checkout lines at a Walmart store.

Heather Ellis, inset, could face up to 15 years in prison after allegedly assaulting police officers who asked her to leave a Walmart store in Missouri when she cut a line to be with her cousin.

(Courtesy Your Black World/Getty Images)

But jail's a possibility for Heather Ellis, 24, who goes on trial today for charges stemming from a dispute at the Kennett, Mo., Walmart.

Ellis faces charges of disturbing the peace, trespassing, resisting arrest and assaulting police officers after she became"belligerent" when she was asked to leavethe store Jan. 6, 2007, authorities say.

The schoolteacher could face 15 years in prison, if convicted.

But Ellis, who is black, has said that the charges are racially motivated, and that she has been unfairly targeted, which authorities deny.

Click to read.

How it Went down at the Heather Ellis Rally

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:22:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, Syracuse University

I am sitting in my hotel room in Memphis after the exhausting day I spent marching forHeather Ellis, the 24-year old college student now facing up to 15 years in prison after cutting in line at Walmart. If you were to be picky about it, you could argue that Heather is technically not being charged for cutting in line. But had the Walmart employee not mistreated Heather after accusing her of cutting in line, the entire incident would not have taken place.

When the black folks rolled into Kennett, Missouri for our rally, the entire town stopped, the police showed up in massive force and there were even snipers on the rooftops. I assume the snipers were there for our protection, but after visiting the Lorraine Hotel (where Dr. King was killed) just the day before, I was honestly a wee bit nervous. There were people standing on the side of the road, taking pictures and some holding up flags with swastikas and confederate flags on them. It was very interesting.

I've put together some random thoughts about the case, the rally and everything in between. I have to be blunt and honest, since you know that's how I operate:

1) The fight is not over: Heather's trial begins Wednesday and I am highly concerned about the outcome. The idea that this young woman's entire future can be stolen over such a tiny incident is simply unbelievable. The truth is that common sense tells us that this situation should have been squashed long ago, and Kennett, MO is becoming known as the racist town that destroys the lives of young black women.

Click to read more on AOL Black Voices

Memphis Benefit Planned for Heather Ellis

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:48:00 +0000

Tom Joyner, Roland Martin and Dr. Boyce Discuss the Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 12:43:00 +0000

On Thursday, November 12, Dr. Boyce spoke with Tom Joyner about The Heather Ellis Case. Please sign up to save Heather at www.SaveHeatherEllis.com and get involved!

Dr. Boyce: The Financial Value of Rihanna’s Pain

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:02:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

I hated what Chris Brown did to Rihanna. I was angered, disappointed and irritated by the fact that many are quick to forgive egregious behavior on the part of celebrities, and a hit song can forgive all sins. At the same time, celebs are just like the rest of us, full of complexities that the world may never come to understand. Rihanna has walked away from Chris and she is now telling the entire world how bad of a man he is, and we're all taking her side.

The problem for Rihanna, however, is that her actions aren't making much sense.

Rihanna's recent whirlwind media tour has included the likes of ABC News, MTV and other major media outlets. Throughout this tour, she has allowed the world to enter into her dark reflection on the relationship she had with Chris Brown, with that reflection seeming to have almost no productive purpose. I am not sure why the he-say/she-say between two 19-year old kids should be the concern of the nation. But then again, I am sitting here writing about it, so I am as guilty as everyone else.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: Black Columbia Professor Punches His Co-Worker over Racial Disagreement

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:05:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

When I heard that black Columbia University professor Lionel McIntyre punched out a white university employee, I was obviously taken aback. I was even more intrigued by the fact that the two were having a heated conversation about white privilege when the alleged punch took place. Given that the fight was in a bar, I immediately thought about the Jamie Foxx excuse: "blame it on the alcohol." My goddaughter is an athlete at Columbia, but I had no idea that Columbia University professors could be so athletic in their free time. Although professor McIntyre's actions are obviously inexcusable, the truth is that our actions "under the influence" tell a deeper story about our psyches, so there is more to this incident than meets the eye.

1) Call me crazy, but I understand how Lionel McIntyre felt. I would never punch out anyone from the frustration I've felt when dealing with white privilege, but then again, that is probably why I chose not to drink alcohol, since I am genuinely concerned about how I might react to the stinging pain of consistent racism. What is also true is that although some black scholars are afraid to admit it, many of us have felt incredibly angry and irritated by the arrogant nature of white privilege within academia. It's not that black scholars dislike their white colleagues, it's that many of us are tired of being thought of as second-class citizens. If any black Ph.D. student or professor says they haven't thought about jumping over someone's desk and "whooping ass" at least once, they're telling a lie. Some of us hold in the frustration until we die of heart disease. Some of us submit ourselves to the system and become groveling Sambos, while many black scholars simply leave academia altogether. Either way, there is as much frustration for black scholars in America as there is within nearly every other profession dominated by whites. So as the comedian Chris Rock once said in a skit about O.J. Simpson, "I'm not saying he should have done it, but I understand."

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Heather Ellis Trial: New Prosecutor Has Confederate Flag on His Book Cover

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:41:00 +0000

Should we be concerned about this? Our rally is in Kennett, MO on November 16 at 11 am.

News: Prosecutor Removes Himself from the Heather Ellis Case

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:36:00 +0000

Heather Ellis is shown alongside her mother, Hester Ellis, outside the Justice Center at Bloomfield last month following her pre-trial hearing in a case that has gained national attention. At right is Ellis' attorney, Timothy Hunsaker from the St. Louis firm of Rosenblum, Schwartz, Rogers and Glass. Also pictured (at left) is an unidentified member of the American Civil Liberties Union.
(Staff photo by Noreen Hyslop)

A motion filed in a Dunklin County courtroom brings a new twist to the case against Heather Ellis, a case that has garnered national media attention.

Ellis, an African-American woman from Kennett, is charged in connection with an incident at the Kennett Walmart in 2007 during which she was arrested and charged with two counts of the Class C felony assault on a law enforcement officer, one count of the Class B misdemeanor peace disturbance and one count of the Class A misdemeanor resisting arrest. Ellis was charged as a result of a scuffle that broke out in a checkout line at the store, following Ellis being accused by associates employed by Walmart of cutting in line.

The motion in question, filed by Ellis' attorney on November 2, involves Ellis' legal representation requesting Dunklin County Prosecuting Attorney Stephen Sokoloff to recuse himself from the case.

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Dr. Boyce: What do the Cleveland Murders Say about Our Respect for Black Women?

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:44:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

Anthony Sowell is a name that most of us would like to forget. Sowell is the 50-year-old man in Cleveland found to have 11 corpses in his home after being arrested on a rape charge. His neighbors noticed the smell, but some blamed it on the sausage factory next door.

Sowell's case jars the mind, and even the sight of him makes me want to change the channel. But not only is Sowell repulsive, the circumstances under which these women were killed are equally alarming.

All of the women were African-American. All of them were poor, marginalized and ignored by society. Some of their families called police to report them missing and the police refused to thoroughly investigate. Even Sowell was intelligent enough to know that he was taking the lives of women who would not be missed, telling one of the victims that no one would care if she disappeared. In Sowell's warped mind, many of these women had already disappeared. The truth is that he was absolutely correct.

The Anthony Sowell case is one that requires us to stop and reassess our values. Why are some people considered to be less worthy of police protection than others? I recall hearing a police officer explain to me that he felt that the job of the police was to simply protect the rich from the poor. I was under the false impression that their job was to protect the good from the bad. Apparently, Sowell's victims were not wealthy enough, blonde or blue-eyed enough to be defined as inherently good. Their disappearances were deemed unworthy of the attention of Nancy Grace or anyone else for that matter.

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Dr Boyce - Chris Brown vs. Rihanna: Time to Butt Out

noreply@blogger.com (Staff) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:56:00 +0000

by Dr. Boyce Watkins

When I heard that Chris Brown hit his ex-girlfriend Rihanna, I was concerned and surprised. I also found myself irritated by the fact that many women, along with my teenage daughters, were quick to forgive Chris for his actions, primarily because they think he has a great voice and a cute face. I had little sympathy for Chris Brown, and doing something like that to one of my girls would’ve had him singing a cappella for the rest of his life.

But that’s where I have to get off the Chris Brown bashing bus. In spite of my frustration with Chris’ behavior, I cannot endorse the media’s decision to turn his relationship with Rihanna into a one-sided slugfest, committed by yet another violent black man whose rage consistently overrides his intellect. I also cannot endorse Rihanna’s decision to bring ABC News into her relationship, portraying herself as the completely innocent victim who was terrorized by the big, scary black man. Yes, she is the victim, but we all know that love is not that simple.

Let’s be clear: No man should ever put his hands on a woman in a violent way. We all agree on that. Not only is it morally wrong, but it’s an easy way for a man to find himself in jail (especially if he’s black). We should also agree that no woman should put her hands on any man. The second point might be subject to disagreement, but the truth is that you shouldn’t hit someone if you don’t expect to get hit back. While that person might end up being punished by the police, you might end up in the morgue. We can also agree that the disproportionate amount of force that a man is capable of inflicting is a legitimate reason that the man is more to blame than the woman, even if both parties are involved in a physical altercation.

Click to read.