Despite Faulty Drugs, Racism and lies, Trump Is Bringing Back the Federal Death Penalty

Attorney General William Barr announced Thursday that the federal government is resuming the death penalty after nearly two decades. The execution of five death row prisoners were immediately ordered beginning in December. There are currently 62 prisoners on federal death row, including white supremacist Dylann Roof, who murdered nine black worshipers at the historic Emanuel AME Church in June 2015, and Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Federal prosecutors are expecte

Barr tells federal government to reinstate death penalty. schedule 5 executions

Washington (CNN)-The federal government has ordered the death penalty to be reinstated for the first time in nearly two decades, as Attorney General William Barr directed the Bureau of Prisons to schedule the execution of five inmates after adopting an updated execution protocol. After 16 years without an execution, Barr has directed the head of the Bureau of Prisons to execute "five death-row inmates convicted of murdering, and in some cases torturing and raping, the most vu

Federal prison officials get bonuses as staffing shortages, management problems persist

WASHINGTON – The federal prison system paid $1.6 million in bonuses to its top executives and wardens during the past two years despite chronic staffing shortages and sharp critiques of prison management leveled by Congress, according to records obtained by USA TODAY. The payments – the latest in a series of annual awards – ranged from $5,400 to $23,800 per official. The largest sums went to the agency’s leadership team, including $20,399 to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons' acting

Everyone at this new advertising agency has served time in prison

Vincent Bragg served five years, one month, and 22 days in federal prison on drug charges. In that time, he studied corporate and real estate law and read more than 400 books. He also started a creative ad agency. Here's the official launch of ConCreates, a creative shop staffed entirely by men and women who have been, or are currently, incarcerated, with an overall goal to challenge the stigma society so often applies to people with criminal histories. The agency operates on

A Pennsylvania School District Threatens Foster Care if parents don't pay lunch debts

Dozens of families in Pennsylvania received an alarming letter from their public school district this month informing parents that if their kid's lunch debt was not settled, their child could be removed from their home and placed in the foster care. Wyoming Valley West School District, one of the poorest districts in the state as measured by per-pupil spending, is located in a former coal mining community in Northeastern Pennsylvania, known affectionately by locals as "the va

Solitary confinement law restricted in New Jersey

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy just signed the most progressive legislative reform to the practice of solitary confinement in the US. The law drastically restricts solitary confinement to a maximum of 20 consecutive days or 30 days total over the course of 60 days — a huge reduction from the indefinite sentences prisoners were given in the past. The bill was initially sent to Murphy’s desk on June 20 after it was passed by lawmakers. The legislation also restricts the

Rep. Ilhan Omar Has Been A U.S. Citizen Longer Than Melania Trump

President Donald Trump is once again ignoring the truth with his racist attacks on four progressive congresswomen. He’s also ignoring the parallels with his own family’s immigrant history. The president launched a Twitter tirade on Sunday that urged the four lawmakers to “go back” to countries “they originally came from.” As many have pointed out, three of his targets ― Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts

Secret deodorant to contribute $529,000 to US women's soccer to address pay gap

(CNN)-Secret, a sponsor of the US Women's National Soccer team, is now supporting its members' fight for pay equity as well. The deodorant brand plans to make a "tangible commitment" to the team's demand for equal pay, it told CNN Business, contributing $529,000 to the US Women's National Team Players Association.In a full-page ad printed in Sunday's New York Times, Secret says it will donate $23,000 for each of the 23 players on the World Cup winning team to help close the p

New York Congressman on ASAP Rocky: ‘I Will Fight Until He’s Brought Back Home’

The world is watching as ASAP Rocky’s detainment in Sweden persists. Fans continue to circulate videos that seemingly support Rocky’s account of the alleged altercation with two Swedish men that led to his arrest, and many have signed a Change.org petition calling for #JusticeforRocky. Meanwhile, the ASAP Mob leader’s friends and colleagues are tirelessly working to contact the proper authorities to ensure his safe homecoming. Now, the Harlem rapper is getting a political pus

Serena Williams fined $10K for court damage

Serena Williams has been fined $10,000 for damaging a court at Wimbledon, while men's tennis player Fabio Fognini was fined $3,000 for saying he wished the All-England Club was bombed. The BBC and Sky Sports reported Williams' and Fognini's fines Monday. The damage occurred during a practice session before the tournament began at the All-England Club in London. Williams is playing in the quarterfinals Tuesday against fellow American Alison Riske. Fognini, 32, made the bombing

Racists Teens Identified in hate crime in maryland caught due to wifi

Four Maryland students charged with hate crimes for plastering their school in racist, homophobic, and anti-Semitic words and imagery just days before their high school graduation last year were identified by school administrators because their phones had automatically connected to the campus’ wifi network, according to reports. As part of its series exploring hate crimes, the Washington Post on Tuesday published a feature on the vandalism, evidently intended to be a senior p

Jay-Z joins cannabis company Caliva as chief brand strategist

San Francisco (CNN Business)You can't knock the hustle: Jay-Z is joining the cannabis industry. Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter — billionaire rapper, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Beyoncé Knowles' husband — will serve as the chief brand strategist for Caliva, a burgeoning California company that counts former star NFL quarterback Joe Montana as an investor."Anything I do, I want to do correctly and at the highest level," Carter said in a statement on Tuesday when the partn

Jaden Smith drops new album AND opens pop-up food truck for L.A. homeless

Jaden Smith is quite possibly the busiest 21-year-old right now. In the midst of planning to hit the road with friend and fellow artist Tyler, the Creator for the IGOR tour (which will include stops in Miami, Houston, New York City, and Atlanta), Smith somehow found time to not only drop a new album but also announced that he has taken on yet another philanthropic effort, this time dealing with homelessness in Los Angeles. After dropping his new album ERYS over the Fourth of

Billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein arrested for alleged sex trafficking

Billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was arrested Saturday in connection with federal sex trafficking allegations, law enforcement officials said. The arrest stems from incidents spanning from 2002 to 2005, three law enforcement officials said. Epstein, 66, of Palm Beach, Florida, had flown from Paris to New York when he was arrested in Teterboro, New Jersey, the officials said. The arrest was part of a joint NYPD and FBI investigation. The New York Police Depar

Harlem’s oldest resident is also America’s oldest — Alelia Murphy feted on her 114th birthday

At age 114, Alelia Murphy, wearing a tiara, yellow suit and a smile, Murphy celebrated her birthday in Harlem on Friday. She’s believed to be the oldest person in the United States. The crowd applauded as she was wheeled into the party room and sang along to a recording of “Happy Birthday” by Stevie Wonder. Every old person should be as healthy as Murphy — her blood pressure’s normal and she’s not diabetic, one of her granddaughters reports. Murphy was born on July 6, 1905 in