Tag: Louis Goggans

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Protesters Expose MPD’s “Bad Apples”

Louis Goggans

A woman holds a sign displaying several Memphis Police officers who have been arrested since 2014 at the intersection of Lamar and Airways.

Cars driving through the intersection of Lamar and Airways during rush hour Wednesday were greeted by protesters holding signs that read “#Bad Apples,” “Demand Oversight of the Police,” “We Don’t Need Seedy Police,” and “Protect Us, Don’t Kill Us.”

The protesters were participants of “Bad Apples? FixTheBarrel,” a rally for stronger civilian oversight of police. If passed, an amended version of the city’s Civilian Law Enforcement Review Board (CLERB) ordinance would help accomplish this goal.

The amended ordinance would provide CLERB with the power to subpoena documents and police witnesses, investigate complaints concurrently with Memphis Internal Affairs, and make disciplinary recommendations to the Memphis Police director, among other authoritative acts. It’s slated to be heard by City Council’s Personnel Committee next Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.

LG

Memphis United, a coalition of local grassroots organizations and residents against structural and institutional racism, spearheaded the gathering Wednesday.The event’s theme was inspired by the 20 Memphis Police officers, referred to as “bad apples” by the protesters, who were reportedly arrested between March 2nd, 2014 and March 2nd, 2015.

Around a dozen protesters walked along the sidewalk in front of the Walgreens at 1489 Airways Blvd. while several others stood across the street under a Blue Crush SkyCop.

The diverse collective chanted, “What’s done in the dark will be brought to light! Memphis needs police oversight!” and “Up! Up! With accountability! Down! Down! With police brutality!”

A multitude of drivers honked their horns and lifted fist in support of the movement as they cruised by. 

LG

“If we’ve had 20 officers arrested in a year, that’s almost two a month,” said Paul Garner, organizing coordinator for the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center, during the protest. “I think that points to a systemic problem. Because there’s such an outcry from the community, we need to look at systemic solutions. That’s kind of where our whole ‘fix the barrel’ theme comes from. If we want to have good apples in our barrel, we need to look at ways to improve the way we hold law enforcement accountable. There needs to be a system in place where when people file complaints, it’s tracked and available to the public, so that we catch these things before something serious happens.”

 Read next week’s issue of the Flyer for more information on Memphis Police officer arrests and CLERB.

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Calling the Bluff Music

Snootie Wild Talks XXL Freshmen Class, New Mixtape, and Yo Gotti

One of the nominees for XXL’s 2015 Freshmen Class, Snootie Wild checked in with Sway in the Morning while out at SXSW. 

The CMG representative shared his thoughts on being selected as a XXL Freshmen Class candidate, and provided a pre-acceptance speech. 

Snootie also explained the title of his upcoming project, Ain’t No Stopping Me, during the interview. And revealed why people call him “the James Brown of rap.” 

The melodic Memphian later disclosed methods he uses to stay relevant, touched on Yo Gotti’s involvement with his forthcoming mixtape, and performed the hook of his yet-to-be released song “Who’s Faking.” 
 
Check out the interview below. 

Snootie Wild Talks XXL Freshmen Class, New Mixtape, and Yo Gotti

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New Database Reveals Alarming Clearance Rates for Memphis Crime

CREDIT: NPR

NPR

Violent crime stats and clearance rates for Memphis between 2011 and 2013.


A new database created by National Public Radio (NPR) allows people to view the percentage of crime that has been solved by local law enforcement from 2011 through 2013.

Compiled using statistics submitted to the FBI’s “Uniform Crime Report,” the tool allows a person to enter a city, county, agency, or state into a search bar and see both the violent crime and property crime that occurred in the requested area. By doing so, people are also able to view the amount of crimes that were cleared by law enforcement.

According to the FBI, a variety of instances can result in the clearance of a crime, including a person being arrested, charged, identified as a culprit, or when an alleged offender dies. 

When a person types Memphis into the NPR’s database search bar, they may be alarmed at the number of crimes committed that are actually not cleared. 

In 2011, there were 10,309 violent crimes (murder, manslaughter, robbery, and aggravated assault) committed in Memphis. Of that number, 40 percent were cleared.

The clearance for violent crime declined for the following two years. 

In 2012,  there were 11,390 violent crimes with a 32 percent clearance rate. And in 2013, there were 10,833 violent crimes; 28 percent were cleared. 

NPR

Property crime stats and clearance rates for Memphis.


For property crime (burglary, larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson), the clearance rate was even more alarming. 

In 2011, there were 42,720 property crime offenses reported in Memphis. Only 13 percent were cleared. 

The following year, the number of property crimes decreased but so did the clearance rate. There were 41,965 acts of property crime; 12 percent were cleared by law enforcement. 

For 2013, however, property crime went down but the percentage of solved cases increased. There were 40,242 acts of property crime, of which 14 percent were cleared. 

An in-depth crime report of Memphis and any other jurisdiction in the nation can be viewed here.

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Calling the Bluff Music

Throwback Thursday: Lil Lody Talks Sister’s Death, Being Sued by Juicy J and Project Pat

After creating my blog Calling the Bluff in 2012, the first artist I interviewed was rapper/producer Lil Lody.

In September of that year, the North Memphis-bred talent came to the Flyer‘s headquarters and chopped it up with me. During the interview, Lody talked about everything from his introduction to music to dream collaborations.

But something that really stood out was when he opened up about losing his sister in a fatal car crash, and also being sued by Project Pat and Juicy J. 

Check out the excerpt from the interview where he touches on both topics below. 

On your latest mixtape, Foolish, you touch on some personal topics, primarily in the song “Foolish.” One of them is losing your 10-year-old sister a few years ago. Can you elaborate on this?

It happened on December 28th, three days after Christmas. She was in a car wreck. She was on her way home from the skating rink in the car with some more people. As they were getting ready to turn, a police officer was coming fast down Jackson. He tried to hurry up and turn the lights on, but it was too late. They were in the turning lane. They had their turning signal on, and the police car just hit them. Boom! The car flipped multiple times. She flew out of the car. We couldn’t even find her.

By the time we did find her, she was still alive, but they said her brain was dead. She was pretty much gone when we got there. They tried to put her on machines and stuff, but she wasn’t responsive. It fucked me up mentally and physically. I’m past all of that. I feel like death is something that’s going to come. Nobody can run from it, and you can’t change it when a person dies.

In “Foolish,” you also mention being signed to D. Brady Entertainment, a record label founded by Project Pat and Juicy J, and subsequently being sued by them. How did that happen?

When I deal with people, I don’t deal with people on a business level. I deal with people on a more personal level first, then we can get into business. When I did the agreement with them [signing to D. Brady Entertainment], they promised me a lot of stuff. They told me, ‘You should sign with us. We’re going to do this for you. We’re going to get that.’ But when they brought me into the picture, it basically wasn’t that. They were just trying to use me to get beats. I kept telling them, ‘I’m a rapper. I was a rapper first.’ They were hearing me, but they weren’t hearing me. They signed me as an artist. That’s what the contractual agreement was about. The beats didn’t have anything to do with it. They wanted me to be a rapper, come out with an album and all that. If you look in one of the albums’ artwork they put out during that time, you’ll see my name, ‘Coming soon, Lil Lody.’

I was seeing that they weren’t fucking with me, but I was still making moves. One day, I just called them and told them I wanted to get out of the contract. I told them, ‘I don’t feel like anything moved for me. Y’all are not keeping your promises. Y’all have breached the contract because y’all haven’t done anything that y’all said y’all were going to do. Y’all haven’t given me an advance. Y’all haven’t given me any money. Y’all haven’t done anything but bought a few beats from me.’ I was giving them, like, 10 to 15 beats for $1,500 to $2,000. I know that they’ll never tell you anything like that, but I will. I can’t sugarcoat anything. 

I ended up meeting [Young] Jeezy. We vibed off the rip. As soon as the “Ballin” song dropped, Def Jam gets a letter from D. Brady. I asked them why they’re suing me, and they said basically because I was signed to them as an artist, and they feel like they helped me blow up. I was only messing with Jeezy on a producer level. They had me signed as an artist. I was trying to understand how they could do that. But really they had me locked all the way around where I couldn’t do anything like that without their permission. I fought the case. They were asking for $250,000 at first. My lawyers broke them down, and they couldn’t show any proof of where they gave me $250,000. They couldn’t show any proof that they gave me any advance or anything, so they had to end up settling for $50,000. I gave it to them to keep it moving with my career.

Read the full interview here. 

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7 Arrested in West Tennessee on Federal Drug Charges

After a year-long investigation, law enforcement arrested seven Dyer County residents on federal drug trafficking charges this morning.

The charges stem from the defendants’ alleged participation in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute ice and methamphetamine.

The seven individuals apprehended during the early morning round-up include: 

•Miracle Pounds, 36, of Dyer County (already in state custody)
•Brian Whitt, 37, of Dyer County
•Robert Troy Anderson, 48, of Dyer County
•Christopher Dean, 40, of Dyer County (already in state custody)
•Amy Junior, 42, of Dyer County
•Nicholas Patterson, 42, of Dyer County
•Jonathan Murphy, 37, of Dyer County (already in state custody)

During the year-long investigation, law enforcement seized illicit narcotics, U.S. currency, firearms, and drug paraphernalia.

“Over the last several years, we have seen an increase in the number of cases involving ice, a highly toxic and dangerous substance,” said U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton in a statement. “Ingestion of ice, which is methamphetamine with at least 80% purity, and crystal meth causes profound and almost immediate physical, mental and emotional consequences, while the production process can also be deadly. This case demonstrates our commitment to ridding West Tennessee of this menace.”

A task force composed of agents from the DEA, FBI, and U.S. Marshals Service, and law enforcement officials with the Dyer County Sheriff’s Department, Dyersburg Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Tennessee Highway Patrol made the arrests. 

Illegal drug distribution appears to be a growing issue in Dyer County. 

In January, 13 Dyer County residents were indicted on federal drug trafficking violations. The indictments stem from the selling, manufacturing, and distributing of powder cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana, as well as the unlawful possession of ammunition by convicted felons.

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Calling the Bluff Music

Wave Chapelle Grabs Curren$y for “Let Me Be Great”

CMG’s very own Wave Chapelle grabs Jet Life captain Curren$y for his vibe “Let Me Be Great.” 

The two emcees talk their ishh about the spoils of a relentless grind. The up-tempo effort is laced by T-AL. 

Last year, Wave got a chance to join Curren$y on his “The Drive in Theatre” tour. He reflected on the experience during an interview with DJ Smallz. 

Peep “Let Me Be Great” below. 

Wave Chapelle Grabs Curren$y for ‘Let Me Be Great’

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Calling the Bluff Music

Virghost Recruits a Few Friends for “The Grind”

Virghost connects with Memphis rap vet Tom Skeemask and up-and-comers Soulman Snipes and FlowSo for his new track “The Grind.”

The mellow ode to hard work and persistence is Virghost’s first official single of 2015.

“The Grind” showcases Virghost, Snipes and Tom Skee dropping lines about their unyielding hustle over a chill backdrop boasting a Fat Pat sample. And talented hip-hop/R&B artist FlowSo croons smoothly on the hook. 

Currently residing in Nashville, Virghost said the song was inspired by his continuous effort to record good music that generates income for his family.

“A lot of hip-hop purists will try to tell you it’s not about the money; it’s just about the art,” Virghost said. “I beg to differ! It’s about the art and the money. No one wants to be a broke rapper, especially someone like me with a wife and kids. That’s my new mind state: to kick knowledge and positivity to the people and profit off of my talents in the process.”

Virghost is currently working on a new album, which is slated to drop in the first quarter of 2016. 

Stream “The Grind” below. 

Virghost Recruits a Few Friends for ‘The Grind’

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U of M Has Lowest Crime Rate of Large Schools in Tennessee

New Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) data reveals that the University of Memphis (U of M) has the lowest crime rate of state schools boasting more than 5,000 students.

According to the TBI’s 2014 “Crime on Campus” report, the U of M had an incident rate of 14.6 offenses per 1,000 people. However, the average for Tennessee’s 10 largest institutions was 24.7 incidents per 1,000 people.

East Tennessee State University is the only other large institution that had a crime rate lower than 20 offenses per 1,000 people.

This the second consecutive year the U of M has had the lowest crime rate of the state’s largest colleges and universities.

Larceny/theft was the most common offense committed on U of M’s campus. According to the TBI’s report, there were 160 occurrences of larceny/theft last year. Only 13 people accused of committing an offense within the category were cleared of their alleged illegal act.

Shoplifting, pocket-picking, and theft of building, motor vehicle, or motor vehicle parts are all offenses categorized as larceny/theft in the report.

U of M isn’t the only school impacted by larceny/theft. Thirty-two percent of all 2014 offenses reported by Tennessee colleges and universities were categorized as larceny/theft. 

Crime reported by Tennessee colleges and universities collectively decreased by 6.3 percent in 2014. There were 6,329 offenses reported last year. But in 2013, there were 6,752 offenses reported.

The Crime on Campus report was compiled using data submitted to TBI’s Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System (TIBRS) program.

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Four Shelby County Jailers Face 20 Years for Smuggling OxyContin

CREDIT: Louis Goggans

Four Shelby County Corrections Deputies are facing up to 20 years in federal prison for attempting to smuggle OxyContin into the Shelby County Jail at 201 Poplar.

Louis Goggans

U.S. Attorney Edward Stanton discusses federal indictment of four jailers.

The four defendants are Anthony Thomas, 27; Marcus Green, 33; Brian Grammer, 35; and Torriano Vaughn, 28.

All four men were indicted last week.

A press conference was held at the U.S. Attorney’s office Monday regarding the federal indictments. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee Edward Stanton, Shelby County Sheriff Bill Oldham, Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong, and FBI Special Agent in Charge Todd McCall were all in attendance to discuss the jailers’ illicit endeavors.

During the press conference, it was disclosed that an undercover operation was arranged by the FBI’s Tarnished Badge Task Force in July 2014. The effort involved “cooperating” inmates who requested for the defendants to smuggle OxyContin, a narcotic pain reliever, in exchange for cash payments from a third party outside of the jail.

Cooperators would give the defendants the name of an individual, who they would meet up with at various locations throughout Memphis. The individual would provide presumed OxyContin pills (actually placebos) and cash to the defendants. Subsequently, the prescription pills would be smuggled into the county jail and provided to the cooperating inmates.

After transactions were completed, the cooperators would turn the pills over to law enforcement.

When asked if there were potentially more jailers smuggling contraband for inmates, Shelby County Sheriff Oldham said, ‘You always have that possibility.’

“One of the things we’re going to continue to do is be as vigilant as we can, using all of the resources that we have to prevent that from occurring,” Oldham said. “And when it does occur, to make sure that those individuals are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

U.S. Attorney Stanton said the investigation is another example of the uptick law enforcement has seen with the demand for and addiction of prescription drugs.

“These four individuals, they were sworn to uphold the law and protect contraband from coming in,” Stanton said. “And, as the indictment alleges, they were simply drug dealers looking to make extra cash by bringing drugs into 201 Poplar — the same place they took an oath to protect contraband from coming in.”

If convicted, all four defendants face up to 20 years in federal prison without the possibility of parole. 

The case was investigated by the Tarnished Badge Task Force, which is comprised of investigators from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, Memphis Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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Calling the Bluff Music

New Documentary Showcases Musical Impact on Le Bonheur Patients

A bedridden Le Bonheur patient receives a live performance in ‘Melodic Medicine.’

There’s an old saying that music can soothe the soul. And research shows it can serve as a form of therapy — boosting the ability to reduce stress, depression, muscle tension, and other physical and psychological issues.

A new documentary highlights the positive impact music has on youth at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. Entitled Melodic Medicine, the 12-minute film profiles local artists interacting with patients and providing them with intimate performances, along with a few smiles.

“We always complain about our daily lives — stuff we have going on,” said a member of Chinese Connection Dub Embassy during the documentary. “We don’t take the consideration to look toward others who have it a little worse than [we] do. We have to be thankful.”

Other artists who appear in the documentary are Cimberly Rene, William Charles, Danny Cosby, Vanessa Winter, and Frankie Hollie.

All of the aforementioned artists are involved with the Musicians for Le Bonheur project, a movement launched in 2010 by Memphian Justin Jaggers. Since its establishment, around 40 artists have come together annually to raise money for and awareness of Le Bonheur through a compilation album, as well as live performances. All of the proceeds raised from the endeavors go toward supporting Le Bonheur’s efforts in pediatric medicine. Thus far, the project has raised around $10,000 for Le Bonheur.

Since the 1950s, Le Bonheur has served Memphis children, and those throughout the Mid-South, refusing to turn away a patient no matter their financial status.

Melodic Medicine was created as part of this year’s Musicians for Le Bonheur project. The film is narrated by WMC-TV Action News 5 morning reporter Amy Speropoulos and directed by Jaggers.

“I love coming down here and playing my guitar, and you can’t beat a smile of a kid,” said Frank Hollie in the documentary. “And when a kid smiles at you for playing something that they know or something that they like, it’s just very heart-touching.”

Check out Melodic Medicine below. 

New Documentary Showcases Musical Impact on Le Bonheur Patients

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