Black Talk Radio News

As both a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney, Patrick has seen the devastating effect ofmandatory minimum sentencing schemes where young people full of potential find them selves saddled with a felony narcotics trafficking conviction and warehoused in jail for selling a couple of grams of drugs, even with no prior criminal record. Patrick has personally witnessed the violent criminal enterprises that have taken hold in Pittsburgh and elsewhere in order to claim their share ofthe enormous illicit profits generated by prohibition.     Patrick Nightingale is a former prosecutor and practicing criminal defense attorneyin Pittsburgh, PA, and surrounding regions. Patrick spent six years with theAllegheny County District Attorney’s Office and was one of the founding members of the Domestic Violence Unit. Patrick’s tenure as a trial attorney brought him face toface with the casualties of the “War on Drugs” on a daily basis   Patrick joins the program on behalf of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition. Visit www.CopsSayLegalizeDrugs.com 

Smart Music creates high-quality educational hip-hop music.  Their blend of educational lyrics and underground hip-hop beats makes learning fun, accessible and more modern for a new generation of young people who are drawn to real hip-hop music.   Lesson One: Hip-Hop and Education, uses rap lyrics and today's hip-hop beats to teach students politics, African and African-American history and more. 

Keith King joined us from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition to discuss the ongoing Drug War in the United States. Keith believes that drug prohibition empowers drug cartels which fuel the violence in the streets. He believes that all drugs should be legal but marijuana should have been legalized yesterday. Kieth is a 37 yr law enforcement veteran is now retired.

  The shooting death of 7-yr-old Aiyana Jones seems to have faded from some people’s memory but a new development in the case was announced earlier this month on October 4. In a press release, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office announced that two people had been indicted in the case where 7-yr-old Aiyana was shot through the head when Detroit Police raided her home searching for murder suspects. Black Talk Radio spoke to Pastor Omar Wilkes, a New York City activist who helped organize a group and protest in Detroit shortly after the death of Aiyana Jones to get his reaction to the indictment. Wilkes believes that the U.S. Justice Dept must investigate and that other officers were involved and should be charged.

Richard Newton understands how futile it is to chase downdrug dealers. He spent 32 years of federal service doing just that, and yet drugs are cheaper and more plentiful than theywere 40 years ago.In the US Marines, Richard piloted helicopters and operatedfrom amphibious aircraft carriers. He went on to fight the drug war for Customs and Border Protection after he left the Marines with the rank of major.

Ken Neal who blogs at http://evilforalltime.blogspot.com/ joins me to discuss a recent project he has launched called Project Troy Davis Accountability & Transparency Act. He believes that by exposing the cost of the murder and show put on by the state of Georgia will make taxpayers rethink their support for the death penalty.

  As some of the right wing media starts to pick up on Ron Paul's calls to possibly Impeach Obama for violating due process laws for assasinating US Citizen and alleged Al-Queda operative Awlaki, the US State Department has reportedly apoligized for the killing of Samir Khan who was killled in the same drone attack in Yemen. The Obama adminstration has still offered no reasoning behind the decision to kill a US citizen.   While the Occupy Wallstreet Movement picks up steam, it was reported that bailout recipient JP Morgan Chase donated millions to the NYPD. The bailout of banks at taxpayers expenses has been an issue raised by protestors participating in the Occupy Wall Street movement.   The US Supreme Court takes up several cases which ThyBlackman.com staff writer Torrance Stephens says African Americans should pay attention too.

Right wing pundit Michael Savage picks up on Ron Paul's calls for possible Obama impeachment for killing US Citizen without due process. Herman Cain is the new GOP flavor of the month who is looking more and more like a man with no convictions as he flip flops on the issue.

  Jack Cole is the co-founder and Board chair of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition (LEAP). He is also a retired detective lieutenant—26 years with the New Jersey State Police and 14 in their Narcotic Bureau, working mostly undercover.   Jack recently spoke to thousands of law enforcement officers at two different conferences including one in Brazil where 85% of participants believed that to end prohibition associated violence that drugs must be legalized.   In the News: Rick Perry Wants To Send US Troops To Mexico Texas Republican wants to designate Drug Cartels as Terrorist Greece to decriminalise drugs 

    HQ Podcast - "Prohibition is unwise fiscal policy. Education and treatment would be far more effective." - Diane Goldstien   With more than 20 years in law enforcement, Diane Goldstein has made numerous arrests as a longtime foot soldier of the war on drugs. After joining the Redondo Beach Police Department in 1983, she rose from a Patrol Officer and School Resource Officer to Sergeant in the Special Investigations Unit, finally retiring as a Lieutenant Commander in 2004. During her time on the frontlines, her perspective on the war on drugs shifted gradually to strong opposition.   Diane discusses the new efforts in California to put a ballot initative before voters in 2012 that would, Regulate Marijuana Like Wine.   We also discussed a new documentary due out soon by film maker Ken Burns about the the history of alcohol prohibition and why drug prohibition will not work either.

HQ Podcast - William VanderGraaf is a retired police officer with twenty nine years in the Winnipeg Police Service in Manitoba, Canada. His career began with uniform patrol and traffic duties, and then for the last twenty-two years he was involved with investigation and supervision of homicides and major crimes. He spent eight years as the staff sergeant in charge of setting up and supervising the first Winnipeg Police Homicide squad, Major Crime squad and Street Gang unit. He retired from police service in 2000. During this podcast, Mr. VanderGraaf discussed the violence and racism associated with the Global so-called war on drugs which is really an attack on civil liberties.

30 minutes of the day's top political/social news & interviews.

A September 2011 study from the American Journal of Public Health found that discrimination and racial segregation are significant contributors to mortality and other health concerns.  Read: Discrimination Increases PMDD, Severe PMS, In Minority Women Dr. Heller is a holistic studied at the National College of Natural Medicine and is a 1995 graduate. He is guided by the principle that health is your body and mind's normal physiological state. He is also the creator of PMS Comfort.

Sharing some of the top political and social news of the day. This 30 minute program will keep you informed about some of the top political and social issues of the day.

  HQ Podcast - Taminko Sanford, the mother of Devontae Sanford will join us to discuss some of the details of her sons wrongful imprisonment for crimes he did not commit.   Devontae Sanford plead guilty to the murders of 4 people in an alleged Detroit crackhouse, a crime for which a professed former Detroit hitman has admitted to commiting. Why did Devontae plead out if he did not do it? What is the current status of his attempts to get a new trial.   Can the public do anything to assist in winning Devontae a new trial and release?