A Georgia elementary school has outraged the mother of a special-needs boy after school staff restrained him with metal handcuffs “for his own protection.” Mother Lakaisha Reid said Pine Ridge Elementary School, of Dekalb County, notified her and her husband Friday that their 6-year-old son Patrick was being disruptive and destructive.

“We go into the school and a gentleman takes us back. I hear my son yelling and screaming,” Reid recalled.

She said her son suffered painful bruises around his wrists, which she documented with photos, from the metal handcuffs after a school resource officer restrained him.

The Dekalb County School District issued a statement regarding the controversial action Pine Ridge Elementary School officials took:

“A 6-year-old student at Pine Ridge Elementary School was acting in a disruptive manner and being self-destructive during school today. He ran out of school onto a busy, public street and was pursued by three school staff members. The student was secured and returned to the school and placed in a room with a special education teacher, the school counselor and the School Resource Officer (SRO) to protect him from doing harm to himself. After several unsuccessful attempts, his parents were contacted and asked to come immediately to the school. For approximately one hour, the student was scratching, kicking and hitting school personnel and continued to exhibit violent behavior, running into walls, banging his head on tables and placing his health at risk. At this point, the SRO placed handcuffs on the student to protect him from harming himself. When the parents arrived, they were told the student was handcuffed for his personal safety.”

However, Reid doesn’t agree with the school’s means of discipline. “He just ran away from school. It does not require handcuffs for this. He’s a special-needs kid,” she told KTLA.com. She said the only reason a first grader should be handcuffed is if “he was robbing a bank.”

She hopes that by sharing Patrick’s story there will be changes made and Pine Ridge staff will be better trained.

“They need to have police officers that are trained for special needs kids or for any kids that are that age. That’s pretty young for handcuffs. Anything can happen with those handcuffs on him,” Reid said.

Source/Source

Kate Middleton visited a children’s organization in Harlem today, during the first official stop of her three-day trip to New York City. The Duchess of Cambridge toured the Northside Center for Child Development with First Lady of the City Chirlane McCray, wife of Mayor Bill de Blasio.

The Duchess accepted a bouquet of flowers from the children and chatted with them, while outside the Northside Center for Child Development. According the Center’s website, it offers a “full range of therapy, counseling, psycho-educational and other services for children and families in New York City area.” Inside, the Duchess, who is five-months pregnant with her second child, sat with the children and decorated pictures frames with them. She also indulged in one of her favorite tasks — gift-wrapping.

Ever the fashion icon, the Duchess looked chic and smart for her Harlem visit. She wore a white-trimmed black coat by British label Goat ($1,060). The look was finished off with thick black tights, black gloves, and black high-heel pumps.

Kate Middleton decorates picture frames with children in Harlem.

The Duchess will reunite with Prince William, who flew to Washington, D.C. to give a speech on illegal wildlife trade and meet President Obama, tonight to watch the Brooklyn Nets and the Cleveland Cavaliers NBA game. Tomorrow, the royals will meet with British diplomats, visit the 9/11 Memorial, and attend the University of St. Andrews 600th Anniversary Dinner at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Source

According to Yahoo’s Holiday Advertising stats, online shoppers are expected to spend about $72.4 billion this season, up from $10 billion dollars last year. Without question, the larger retailers are among those receiving such lofty spending dollars from consumers.

But, I couldn’t help but wonder how often people of color seek out black-owned businesses prior to shopping at major retail chains. Moreover, how many are familiar of where to shop for fashion and lifestyle finds sold by black designers or retailers? If you’re looking for some great black-owned businesses to shop for the holidays (and year round), here are over 30 that should be on your radar.

BERNADETTE THOMPSON

Well polished nails and busted cuticles really don’t work well together. Bernadette Thompson’s namesake brand not only includes gorgeous signature colors, but also a full nail care line to keep your digits looking fresh.

For the nail enthusiast on your list, The Bernadette Thompson Hand and Nail Treatment Kit includes a range of fashion colors and an Argan oil nail treatment.

For more beauty and hair centric options:

Cocotique - beauty box subscription

DooBop – skin, make up, hair products

Shea Moisture – bath, body, hair and skin products for everyone

Heat Free Hair – textured clip-ins, wigs and extensions that blend with hair textures ranging from 3B to 4C

Madali Hair Extensions - African American owned business that strategically sources and procures a variety of textured hair extensions from the Philippines

BKYO AFRIKA

African Heritage meets high fashion and New York style when it comes to the Bkyo Afrika collection. The line has a super modern twist combined with the timeless, classic prints of African fabrics. All designs are inspired by Africa, and made of high-quality fabrics.

For your handbag loving sister, the Debbie Navy Blue envelope clutch will be a polished addition that coordinates with anything from a dress to a denim look.

PARDON MY FRO

Illustrator and graphic artist, Dana Bly offers an amazing collection of prints that has been created into stationary, clothing, totes, and many other novelties within her brand, Pardon My Fro.

For more prints, stationery, gift wrap, cards and other paper products:

MaeBPaper

Deseta

ROCK AVENUE BOW TIES

For NFL Philadelphia Eagles athlete Malcolm Jenkins, the bow-tie is synonymous with signature style. He launched Rock Avenue Bow-Ties for fashionable men and women who are not only enthusiastic about the individual form of self-expression that wearing a bow-tie provides, but also for those who make the bow-tie a part of their everyday wardrobe staple.

RACHEL STEWART JEWELRY

Hailing from North Carolina, designer and artist Rachel Stewart launched Rachel Stewart Jewelry. The collection includes a number of African inspired pieces as well as metal jewelry and bold acrylic designs.

These black and gold acrylic stud earrings are for the one on your list who lives for bold and funky jewelry.

For more jewelry:

Lorraine West Jewelry

DUKE & WINSTON

In 2009, designer Seun Olubodun set out to launch his collection, Duke & Winston. Inspired by his English Bulldog, HRH the Duke, their bond flourished into a casual clothing line for men and a limited dog line, all which bear the logo of Duke’s face.

For the laid back guy in your life who approaches his casual style with a touch of effort, the Duke Winston Holiday Box is filled with versatile basics that can be switched up in a number of ways. Whether he wants to pair the Tee and sweatshirt with a pair of jeans or layer the sweatshirt over a button down shirt, the possibilities are endless and then some.

For more men’s apparel and accessories:

Just Don

KISUA

The concept of fashion being perceived as a global language is nothing new. However, when it comes to actually adopting global flair within one’s wardrobe the act of doing so may prove to be challenging. Online site KISUA, which means well-dressed person, was developed to expose new and established African designers with contemporary flair to women in the U.S. and other countries.

For the expressive, fashionable woman on your list, KISUA has virtual gift cards available, which is perfect for her to pick out the right item that catches her discerning eye.

For more fashion forward clothing inspired by Africa and African prints:

Zuvaa – gag-worthy maxi skirts, midi skirts, peek a boo dresses, and jumpsuits for women in global prints

Beriqisu – women’s designs featuring Ghanian prints

Royal Jelly Harlem – vintage silhouettes made modern with eye catching prints

Quelly Rue Designs – casual wear for adults and children

A PROUD MOTHER’S CANDLES

Founded in 2005, A Proud Mother’s Candles are made of 100% soy wax. For those who want to create candles, the brand offers a candle making kit to get you started on what could become a hobby.

For any Holiday house gatherings you plan on attending, bringing an aromatheraphy candle for the host or hostess is perfect for helping them relax at the end of the evening. As a bonus, the candles burn for 4 hours.

For more home decor options:

Nasozi Kakembo home accents

CAVEN ETOMI

Created and curated with a fondness for Contemporary African culture, the founders of Caven Etomi founded their site with the intention of bridging the gap and exposing the works of African artists and designers.

This pop art picture of the Nigerian musician, composer and activist Fela, is a gift that would make an art enthusiast or music lover happy.

BEVEL

A clean shaven look has often come with a painful price for many but the Bevel shave system is clinically proven to reduce razor bumps.

For more grooming products:

Frederick Benjamin

TAARIK

Hand-dyed natural fiber scarves from Taarik are not only warm, but add endless amounts of chic no matter the season.

For more accessories:

Fanm Djanm Headwraps

ESSIE SPICE

If the Chopped kitchen had the four jar Essential Spice Complete Collection from Essie Spice on hand, everyone would be a winner.

For more food gifts:

Coffee of Grace

Soren Tea

TwentyFourWines

Peter’s Brew Gourmet Coffee

TRACY CHAMBERS VINTAGE

What’s old is new again –  and again and again – with a curated selection of vintage finds from Tracy Chambers.

For more vintage finds:

Vintage Shaun clothing

SALAMANDER HOTEL

Travel junkies are sure to adore a gift card for Sheila Johnson’s luxe Virgina based Salamander Resort Hotel, which offers getaways for adventures ranging from wine excursions to spa session to horse back riding to culinary adventures.

For more hotels:

Innisbrook Resort (FL)

Reunion Resort (FL)

Hammock Beach Resort (FL)

- Compiled by Naima Turner, Annika Harris, Chrystal Parker

Jamaica’s Alia Atkinson, 25, made history Saturday as she won gold at the 12th  FINA World Swimming Championships during the Women’s 100m breaststroke, making her the first black woman to earn a world title in swimming.

Atkinson beat out Ruta Meilutyte by 1 minute and 2.36 seconds for the top spot at the Doha, Qatar championship, The Grio reported.  Meilutyte, a 17-year-old Lithuanian swimmer and world record holder in the 50 and 100m breaststroke, was projected to win the competition, but Atkinson was faster by just 0.1 second.  The look on Atkinson’s face when she realized what she had done was an expression of astonishment.

“I realized I was catching up so I was just trying to get a good finish,” FINA reported her as saying.  “I’m not used to seeing my name up in number one so it was kind of a shock, but a good one!”

Atkinson’s victory is also considered a game-changer for Jamaica.  She is now the first Jamaican swimmer to win a gold medal.

“Hopefully there will be more popularity, especially in Jamaica and the Caribbean and we’ll see more of a rise and hopefully in the future we will see a push,” she said via BBC Sport.

Music mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs reportedly scuffled with fellow rapper Drake Monday morning outside of a Miami Beach nightclub. Diddy is said to have beat the brakes off Drake.

The brawl happened outside of LIV nightclub, where celebrities were celebrating DJ Khaled‘s birthday. Several witnesses to the alleged fight are coming forth with different versions of the story.  New York Daily News sources say the confrontation started when Combs’ entourage approached a table where Drake was seated and told him that Diddy wanted to meet him outside at 4 a.m. Both men brought their large crews outside with them.

According to TMZ‘s sources, Combs yelled, “You will never disrespect me!” and punched the 28-year-old.  Some sources say the 45-year-old slugged Drake three times, while others claim his fist only made actual contact once. Drake was then seen leaving the club. Many eyewitnesses are saying the “Worst Behavior” singer was taken to the hospital.

A few celebrities and music industry insiders weighed in on the bout.

Diddy put hands on that boy … And he Ain’t go 0-100 … That boy left.

After the non-indictment of Daniel Pantaleo — the NYPD officer who killed Eric Garner with a chokehold — many concerned people are beginning to view police brutality under a microscope while searching for answers. The New York Daily News has discovered within a new study that the NYPD’s history of gun violence against citizens showed that Pantaleo’s non-indictment was inevitable. The study found that over a 15-year span, 179 New York citizens have been killed by on-duty police officers. Out of all of the cases, only three officers were indicted and only one was convicted. None were incarcerated.

The examination began by considering the 1999 police shooting of Amadou Diallo, an unarmed African immigrant who was standing nearby his apartment when four white officers mistook him for a rapist. When the 22-year-old went to grab his wallet, the officers shot him 41 times.

The Daily News ended the study viewing the most recent death caused by a cop, which is the case of 28-year-old father Akai Gurley. On Nov. 20, Gurley was standing inside a Brooklyn stairwell when an inexperienced office, Peter Liang, shot him.  The police department claims Liang’s gun went off by accident. It’s been reported that Liang texted his union representative while Gurley lay dying.

“In most of those cases it would be the local district attorney who’s bringing up the charges, if any,” said Executive Director of the Prison Reform Organizing Project Robert Gangi.

“There’s an inherent conflict of interest … The police and DA work very closely together, and so they need each other to carry out their jobs,” Gangi added.

The only lawman who was convicted in a state court was ex-officer Bryan Conroy who shot and killed African immigrant Ousmane Zongo in 2005. Conroy was convicted of criminally negligent homicide, but instead of prison time, he was sentenced to five years probation and 500 hours of community service.

After analyzing these cases, the Daily News concluded several key facts. They found that 86 percent of those killed by cops within the 15-year time period were Black or Hispanic (when the victim’s race was known), 2012 had the highest amount of incidents in which the NYPD killed citizens with 21 dead (three of the officers involved were off-duty), and finally, the study showed that about 27 percent of citizens gunned down were unarmed.

Read the full report here.

When we look at all the known facts surrounding the high profile killings of six unarmed young black men since 2012, one alarming trend appears: our politics may be just as responsible for their deaths as the prejudiced or professional motivations of the armed white men who killed them.

Thus, we might find a rather unique and direct correlation between these killings and the accelerated creation of Republican or “red state” Congressional districts over the past 20 years.

Out of the six widely publicized killings over the past two years – Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, John Crawford, Michael Brown, Tamir Rice and Eric Garner – four occurred in Republican-held Congressional districts.  Five happened in states with GOP majorities in state legislatures; four happened in states with Republican governors. The two killings that didn’t happen in red districts were committed by white males hailing from them.

We break it down briefly by each case to see how troubling the pattern is:

Trayvon Martin was killed at the Retreat at Twin Lakes, a gated Sanford, Florida neighborhood in the majority white 7th Congressional district represented by Rep. John Mica (R-FL). Mica’s not as extreme as some of his conservative colleagues, but up until Florida state Republicans – who have large majorities in the state’s legislatures – redrew the political map in 1993, the district was long held by Democrats.

Jordan Davis was shot in cold blood at a Gate gas station located in Jacksonville, Florida in Rep. Ander Crenshaw’s (R-FL) 4th Congressional district. The armed white man who shot him – for playing loud music, of all things – was from Brevard County in Florida’s 8th Congressional district represented by Rep. Bill Posey (R-FL).

John Crawford was shot and killed by white police officers at the Beavercreek, Ohio Walmart in Rep. Michael Turner’s (R-OH) 10th Congressional district. Beavercreek is a suburb of Dayton, Ohio and is more than 88 percent white.

Michael Brown may have been shot and killed in majority black Ferguson, Missouri in black Rep. Lacy Clay’s (D-MO) 1st Congressional district – but, the city is controlled by white-flight leftover politicians and the district is 47 percent white (just a GOP redistricting panel away from being turned into a majority-white pick up). The cop who shot Brown, Darren Wilson, commuted to Ferguson every day from Crestwood, Missouri – where the population is nearly 94 percent white and just 1.6 percent African American. It’s also in Missouri’s 2nd Congressional district represented by conservative Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO).

Tamir Rice, 12-years old, was tragically shot in Cleveland, Ohio in Congressional Black Caucus chair Rep. Marcia Fudge’s (D-OH) 11th Congressional district. But, the white police officer hailed from nearby Independence, Ohio where he “resigned” due to incompetence two years ago, a small city of 7,000 where 0.4 percent of the population is black.  It’s also in Rep. David Joyce’s (R-OH) 14th Congressional district.

Eric Garner died in a chokehold at the hands of a white NYPD police officer in nearly 70 percent white Staten Island, New York. It’s also the only Republican Congressional district in New York City represented by controversial Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY).

Republican redistricting – the creation of Republican Congressional districts to maintain a longstanding GOP majority in Congress – has been growing since the mid-1990s when House Speaker Newt Gingrich reshaped modern American politics by obliterating 40 years of Democratic rule in Congress. The Nation’s Ari Berman, for example, has looked at this trend almost exclusively for a while now.

Gone virtually unnoticed on November 4th was that Republicans not only took the U.S. Senate and expanded their hold on the House, but they also cemented control of 69 percent of state legislatures along with nearly half the states now controlled by both a Republican governor and a state legislature.

As the nation becomes much more diverse, with people of color expected to surpass whites in population by 2050, Republicans are packing their largely white constituents into political and social fortresses removed from daily interactions with black neighbors. Democrats could end up doing the same in a desperate play for estranged working class white voters. Our growing tendency to silo ourselves into partisan and ideological corners could also be contributing to a hyper-segregated climate of violent racial animus. Unfortunately, it’s a somewhat Republican elephant in the room we need to talk about.

CHARLES D. ELLISON is a veteran political strategist and Chief Political Correspondent to Uptown Magazine. He is also Washington Correspondent for the Philadelphia Tribune and a frequent contributor to The Root.  He can be reached @ellisonreport.

Apollo Nida is setting up his future after his eight year prison stint for fraud by starting a fitness business… behind bars. The former Real Housewives of Atlanta husband launched a new workout program called Nida Fitness 4%.

As for the name of the business 4% refers to the one hour out of a 24-hour day inmates are allowed to stretch their legs outside their jail cell. Even if you’re not locked up Nida wants you to use one hour a day to get motivated to a healthier state. “It’s only four percent!” the company’s tagline says.

Along with the announcement of his new business Nida is selling waterproof USB wristbands. The newly launched itsonly4percent.com sells the USB wristbands from $5.99 for 500GB to $9.99 for 4GB. Shirts are also on sale with the tagline. This isn’t Nida’s first fitness venture. Previously he and his wife Phaedra Parks released a workout DVD on how to get a southern belle “donkey booty“and a Phine Body.

Parks has shown indifference toward Nida on the new season of Real Housewives of Atlanta. She admitted during his sentencing the two barely stayed in touch and he didn’t let her know the details of his sentencing. She announced in October that she would be filing for divorce. “Phaedra has retained an attorney with the intent of amicably ending her marriage,” the statement read.

The mother of Tamir Rice has spoken out for the first time since her son’s funeral and she’s clear that she wants the officer who fatally shot her 12-year-old son to be convicted.

The Rice family held their first press conference on Monday just days after Tamir was laid to rest. Samaria Rice, mother of the 12-year-old fatally shot by a white officer in a Cleveland park for carrying a BB gun, was adamant about seeking justice for her son. When asked how she wanted the Cleveland Police Department to hold the rookie officer and his partner responsible, Samaria replied, “I’m looking for a conviction.”

Samaria also revealed details surrounding the minutes after her son was shot. She described getting the news that Tamir was shot from a friend who knocked on her door. She immediately ran to the Cleveland park where her son lay wounded. Rice saw her 14-year-old daughter was detained in the back of a police car because according to officers she “wouldn’t calm down” at the scene.

The Rice family has hired attorney Benjamin Crump to help them secure justice. Crump has become a familiar face in the recent string of shootings of people of color by white law enforcement. He was present at the news conference with the family. In light of the failure to indict law enforcement officers in the cases of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, Crump requested to bypass a grand jury hearing and go straight for trial. Crump questioned why officer Tim Loehmann has been put on “paid leave” while the police department’s internal affairs reviews the case.

Video footage taken from the park shows Loehmann pulling onto the grass of the Cleveland Park and shooting Tamir within two seconds. After officers Loehmann and Frank Garmback realized that Tamir was in fact holding a toy gun and not a real firearm, they did not give the child first-aid while he lay wounded. Tamir died the next day from his wounds. Since then Loehmann’s past has shown that he was previously asked to resign from another task force.

Local church officials called for the resignation of key officials in the Cleveland Police Department after an investigation showed “safety deficiencies.” They pointed out in particular that the 911 caller told them that the gun was probably fake twice, yet this crucial information wasn’t told to officers during dispatch.

Source/Source

Congressional negotiators have struck a deal to block Washington, D.C.’s marijuana legalization measure from taking effect, despite nearly 70 percent of voters approving Initiative 71. The initiative would legalize possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, while still banning sales and funds to support broad legalization.

Initiative 71 would allow adults 21 and older to possess up to two ounces of marijuana, grow up to six plants, and give marijuana to other adults 21 and older. The law wouldn’t legalize, regulate, or tax sales, because voter initiatives in D.C. can’t have a direct impact on the local budget.

In November, 69 percent of D.C. voters cast ballots in favor of legalizing the drug. But all ballot initiatives, like all D.C. laws, must get congressional approval to become law, and can be blocked through congressional budgetary requirements.

According to the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, 2009-2011 arrest statistics reveal that 9 out of 10 people arrested for drug offenses in the nation’s capital were Black, though Blacks make up just slightly more than half of the city’s population.

Marijuana legalization will remain in place in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, and Washington, since Congress doesn’t have the authority to terminate those states’ laws.

Police in Englewood, Colorado say a convicted child predator made a toddler perform sexual acts inside a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant.

According to police, Robert Weber, 43, visited the popular children’s play center on November 20 with his daughter and befriended a father who was there with his 3-year-old daughter. Detectives say Weber told the other dad he would watch the girls and took the 3-year-old to an elevated tube where he made her perform sex acts on him.

The father was unaware that Weber was a registered sex offender who wasn’t allowed to be near children. Weber violated protection orders by going to Chuck E. Cheese’s and by bringing his daughter, too.

Investigators are looking into why Weber had his daughter with him. They opened a case with human services to investigate Weber’s family. Police believe the family allowed him to be near children knowing he wasn’t supposed to be.

Weber faces charges for sex assault on a child, violating his protective orders, and being a habitual sex offender. He has a conviction for sex assault on a child from more than a decade ago and Jefferson County, Colo. also has a pending case for the same charge.

Law enforcement officials say he may be tied to additional cases.

Source

A thread of racist text messages between white police officers in Ohio has been exposed to the public about their black co-workers. The Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio are investigating Captain Thomas Flanders (pictured) and Detective Michael Sollenberger who exchanged discriminatory text message on their personal cell phones.

One of the “light hearted” jokes included:

“What do apples and black people have in common? They both hang from trees.”

Another conversation was done while the officers were patrolling, reading:

“By the way, the niggers are taking over [Bostons]” it read.  “Who left them at their gate?” was the reply. “They’re four of them at the bar right now. Plus two of them just walked up the bar.” “I hope you’re packing.” the officer said. “No, I’m not I’ll stab a coon.”

The texts emerged when copies of the messages were anonymously sent to Derrick Foward, the president of the Dayton unit of the National Association for the Advancement Colored People (NAACP).

Both cops are on administrative paid leave. Three other unnamed officers remain on duty while the investigation is being conducted.

Two cheating scandals involving NFL players have come out in the last week. Both come from miffed players who discovered that their significant others cheated on them with other football stars.

In the first case, Brennan Clay, an aspiring NFL player who was recently invited to train with the San Diego Chargers, discovered that his wife, Gina D’Agostini, had been cheating on him with Dallas Cowboys’ star DeMarco Murray. Clay and Murray had been teammates on the Oklahoma Sooners team in college.

(D’Agostini and Clay posing with Johnny Manziel)

 

So Demarco Murray was having an affair with my wife ..I’m done ..@demarcomurray and @gina_edagos0126 ..1 has a baby momma and she has 2 kids

— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) November 30, 2014

 

I’m disgusted .. — Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) November 30, 2014

 

I will release 1 message that isn’t even the tip of the ice berg soon ..

— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 5, 2014

 

She saved his number under Spray Tan ..lol — Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 5, 2014

Clay uncovered a sext conversation between the two, screenshot it, and put it on his Twitter page. D’Agostini had saved Murray’s name under the name “SprayTan,” causing Twitter to run away with #SprayTan.

On Monday, Detroit Lions player Joseph Fauria accused his girlfriend, model and former WWE NXT Diva Erika Hammond, of having an affair with Superbowl-winning Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.

Fauria directly addressed Wilson, tweeting:

Fauria quickly deleted the tweet. However, Clay commiserated with the jilted player tweeting:

@BigJoeFauria@DangeRussWilson@ErikaAnnHammond SWERVE ON THESE …..well you know ..

— Brennan Clay (@BrennanClay24) December 8, 2014

The completed phrase, taken from a popular song, is “Swerve on these h***s.”

(Fauria & Hammond pictured above)

Making the situation even messier, Wilson filed for divorce from his wife, Ashton Meem, in April after he accused her of cheating on him with then teammate Golden Tate. Tate is now Fauria’s teammate on the Lions.

Fauris has not commented on the situation since deleting his tweet. No word either from Murray or Wilson. Clay, however, remains chatty on Twitter.

“Hit the Floor” star Stephanie Moseley was killed by her husband, rapper Earl Hayes, who then turned the gun on himself early Monday morning, according to officials.

TMZ reports that residents of the couples’ L.A. apartment complex heard a woman screaming before shots rang out early in the morning. The SWAT team responded, broke down the apartment door, and found the two dead from gunshot wounds in an apparent murder-suicide. It was established later that Hayes had killed his wife before committing suicide. Sources told the site that Hayes believed Moseley to be cheating on him with a famous singer.

Aside from appearing in the hit VH1 show, Moseley had been a back-up dancer for numerous singers, including Britney Spears and Chris Brown, who posted to Instagram to acknowledge Moseley’s passing.

RIP baby girl. Danced with me on tour and was always the coolest person. My prayers go out to you and HAZE family.

A photo posted by BREEZY (@chrisbrownofficial) on Dec 12, 2014 at 2:28pm PST

Hayes was once signed to Floyd Mayweather‘s Money Team and often partied with the boxer.

Mayweather later reported that he witnessed the incident on FaceTime. He claims that Hayes called him in a rage about Moseley being unfaithful. Mayweather reports that Hayes said he was going to kill her as he pleaded with him to reconsider. Although Mayweather will not speak about everything he saw, he did say that he was a witness and heard everything.

Burrel L. Wilks, who described himself as a friend and life coach to Hayes, said, “I’ve had sit-downs with both of them so whatever happened behind those doors we’ll never know.” He  continued, “But I heard out of her own mouth, he never raised a hand on her so this is kind of stunning.”

The Obama administration issued new federal guidelines on Monday, banning federal law enforcement from profiling on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation and other characteristics. The hope is that local law enforcement agencies will adopt the measures, or at least use them as a guide. The new policies, which replace guidelines established in the Bush administration, also require that federal agencies provide training and collect data on complaints.

Although they happen to come at a time when the nation is grappling with the role that race plays in police brutality and law enforcement in general, these guidelines are five years in the making.

Attorney General Eric Holder said, “Particularly in light of certain recent incidents we’ve seen at the local level — and the widespread concerns about trust in the criminal justice process which so many have raised throughout the nation — it’s imperative that we take every possible action to institute strong and sound policing practices.”

The guidelines cover federal agencies within the Justice Department, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They will also apply to local and state law enforcement when they partner with federal agencies. The rules were introduced in a memo that laid out concrete examples of what would and would not be acceptable. It explicitly states that federal agencies would be able to take race, gender, ethnicity and or religion into account only if they have received information that links a person of that characteristic to a crime or security threat.

Although civil rights leaders welcome action against profiling, they were critical of that fact that border control and security screening at airports would be exempt from the policies and local and state agencies are not bound by the guidelines. Some feel that the guidelines do not go far enough, citing that agencies would still be permitted to map areas based on race, ethnicity or religion. “You can’t be against profiling in some contexts but for it in other contexts,” Rajdeep Singh, policy director of the Sikh Coalition.

Moreover, the practical impact is still dubious given that most interactions with law enforcement take place on a local level. Laura W. Murphy, director of ACLU’s Washington Legislative Office, said in a statement, “This guidance is not an adequate response to the crisis of racial profiling in America.”

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. banned members from protesting police brutality while dressed in sorority paraphernalia…for two days.  The Black Greek organization is now backtracking on the controversial decision.

On Tuesday, AKA sent members an email containing a list of guidelines to abide by while protesting.  The first point discussed attire rules: “You may wear our sorority colors, but please refrain from wearing any Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. paraphernalia.”

After heavy backlash from members, AKA leaders had a change of heart and sent out an email Thursday stating that it was okay to wear items representing the organization while protesting:

“We do not want to be distracted from our mission of fighting for justice and equality for Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Donte Hamilton, and the countless other young black men across the country victimized by a criminal justice system that places little value in their lives.  However, it appears the request to refrain from wearing the sorority’s letters has become a distraction and distortion of the sorority’s position on these issues that is diverting attention and effort away from the broader fight to secure social justice and reform.  We are therefore relaxing our original position on the wearing of Alpha Kappa Alpha paraphernalia and attire.”

Other Black Greek orgs have given their members the green light to be as active as possible in the recent protests sparked by the police killings of black men.  Zeta Phi Beta, Alpha Phi Alpha, and Phi Beta Sigma are a few groups that are encouraging protesting an allowing the representation of the organization.

Over on the Delta Sigma Theta website, a similar message was posted telling members that wearing Delta colors while demonstrating was allowed, but nothing else affiliated with the group. Meanwhile, Delta officials have not shaken from their position about representing the sorority.

Tamura Lomax, a Delta member and co-founder of The Feminist Wire, sent an email to TheRoot.com expressing her displeasure in Delta’s decision:

“I’ve always been extremely proud that Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was born in protest and stood on not only the front lines of the Women’s Suffrage Parade in 1913, but the March on Washington in 1963…I’m not sure if this is gendered or not yet, but a part of me feels like this is an act of self-surveillance, which not only hopes to appease some sort of purity ideal for white folk, but weirdly aims to assert our humanity as black folk.”

Congratulations are in order for actress Zoe Saldana who gave birth to twin boys on Monday, December 8.

The bouncing baby boys are the first kids of Saldana and husband, Italian painter Marco Perego. The pair married last September in England. The pregnancy was officially announced during an ALS ice-bucket challenge video because she couldn’t do it, but Perego did instead. The Avatar actress also shared details while promoting the animated film The Book of Life, which was just nominated for 2015 Golden Globe award for Best Animated Feature.

The 36 year old has said she hopes to have at least “two or three” kids. The names of the newborns have not yet been released.

Although Saldana likes to keep her personal life under wraps, with a private, secret wedding ceremony and a pregnancy she gushed about only after the news leaked, has kept a presence on social media, especially Twitter.

Last night she posted about Christmas, but a few hours later she commented on the hacking of Sony Pictures this week. Emails between several Hollywood executives have been leaked online, including one where producer Scott Rudin calls Angelina Jolie “a minimally talented spoiled brat”.

Being #hacked sucks but not as much as being an actress at the mercy of these producers tongues. Now everyone knows! #rudin #pascal #email

— Zoe Saldana (@zoesaldana) December 11, 2014

After taking a friend’s antibiotics she was unknowingly allergic to, a 19 year old college student is in critical condition as the meds are causing her body to burn from the inside out.

Yaasmeen Castanada, the mother of a mother of a four month old, took a pill her friend left at her home on Thanksgiving to help her feel better. Within hours, the Cal State LA sophomore’s eyes, nose and throat began to burn, and she was rushed to emergency. Blisters erupted over her body. She’s currently in Intensive Care sedated on a ventilator.  

“Heartbreaking, just unreal,” said Castanada’s mother Laura Corona. “Just watching your daughter burn in front of you, literally burn in front of you. Her face changed within four days. I would wipe her face and all the skin was just falling off.”

The rare life-threatening allergic reaction is called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. Inflammation and blistering occur on the outer layer of skin as well as the lips, eyes and genitals, leaving the patient vulnerable to infection and unable to properly balance electrolytes maintain hydration. Patients are treated like burn victims. Castanada was transferred to the University of California Irvine’s burn unit, where doctors report over 70 percent of her body is damaged. Despite multiple surgeries over the past few weeks, her feet continue to blister.

Although the new mother will miss her baby’s first Christmas, her family remains hopeful she will survive. Another patient who had Stevens-Johnson syndrome spent two months in the same hospital and went home on Tuesday.

Doctors warn not taking any medicine not prescribed for you.

The family has set up a GoFundMe account. You can donate here: www.gofundme.com/YaasmeenCastanada

Dozens of Congress members, staffers and other Capitol Hill employees stood silently on the House steps Thursday with raised hands to protest the killing of unarmed black men by police. Led by Senate chaplain Barry Black, staffers walked out of their jobs Thursday afternoon in a symbol of solidarity with protests of the Mike Brown and Eric Garner grand jury decisions. The demonstration was organized by the Congressional Black Associates and other groups representing minority employees of Congress to show support for protests around the country.

In interviews, the Black congressional staffers said they felt the need to express their support for demonstrators demanding police accountability for officers who take the lives of unarmed black men and women.

On the grounds nearby was Valerie Bell, the mother of Sean Bell, who was fatally shot in New York the morning of his wedding, who watched with other mothers whose sons were killed by police. Nine mothers have been meeting with Congress members and Washington officials this week asking for an end to police brutality against black men.

The owner of Bleecker Kitchen & Co. is not a butt man. The modern Greenwich Village restaurant’s owner, Joshua Berkowitz, is being sued by one of the eatery’s former managers, Michael Douglas Jr., New York Post reported.  He says the owner made several discriminatory comments about different ethnicities and even big butts.

Douglas, 26, was hired in May as a manager and hired the restaurant’s first black waitress in August.  Upon seeing the new employee, Berkowitz allegedly asked Douglas who the “the new dark girl was.”  He then went on to discuss that the size of her derrière was a problem.

“My father warned me about hiring people like that, people with big butts. Do you understand what I mean? People with big butts don’t work fast,” Berkowitz allegedly told Douglas behind closed doors.

Douglas says that although he is half Asian and half black, he only looks Asian.  So, when Berkowitz found out about the manager’s heritage, he unleashed even more bigoted comments.

“You have some black in you and you’re Spanish/Filipino. I’m sorry, that’s really f—d up.  If I married a non-Jewish woman, my parents would sit shivah,” he reportedly said. (‘Shivah’ is a Jewish ritual involving morning after a burial).

After a week, the filterless owner brought up the subject of behinds again, but decided to be more gentle with Douglas this time since he knew he was black.

“With all due respect to your background…large bottoms don’t move fast, large bottoms don’t work hard.”

The lawsuit says Berkowitz went on to call the Irish “drunks” and Russians “thieves.”  “I just love saying the most f—d up s—t,” he allegedly said.

Douglas quit in August, as he said he could not handle the owner’s racist remarks any longer.  He filed a Manhattan  Supreme Court suit against Berkowitz and seeks back-payment and other undisclosed damages. Douglas believes Berkowitz was hinting at race with his comments about behinds.

The woman with the alleged “big butt” is still working there.