Uppity-Negro.com

. . . and Jason, for one, doesn't want it, but since somebody has to be the designated Negro Tour Guide:

I don't care how much Warner Bros. might refute this. Bugs is a brotha.

Actually, he's in reverse drag. He's a little like my dead great aunt Peg, a truth-spittin' curmudgeon who always secretly held the last laugh though we rarely, if ever, saw her laughing. As much as I want to, I cannot laugh 'cause ain't shit funny.

I'm glad Kathy Wilson is doing the honors.

Me, I'm working very hard at the moment to avoid spitting sarcastic comments hither and yon. It's a conversational tool I rely on way too much, and there are some situations where it hinders rather than helps.

In fact, I'm not sure there are any where it helps. . .

Welcome to visitors from This Modern World, and I apologize in advance for the skimpy update schedule.

I also apologize to anyone else who's linked here recently -- or even not so recently -- and whose kindness I've neither noted nor reciprocated. Maybe I'll try to make the insomnia work for me tonight, and update the links list.

Original wording of the first sentence was, "and Jason, for one, don't want it," but I worried some tourists readers wouldn't realize this was a stylistic choice/code-switching.

And I just lack either the time or the patience to deal with random idjits.

Which reminds me, Hanne, thank you for dealing with that random idjit a few days back. Have I mentioned lately that you rock? Seems like it's been a while.

Posted by Aaron at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (0)

Indiana Governor Frank O'Bannon yesterday released a Statement Regarding Darnell Williams:

I hereby grant a 60-day stay of execution to Darnell Williams in order that he may obtain DNA testing of certain blood evidence.

[. . .] In the unique circumstances of this case, however, it is appropriate to grant a stay in order that DNA tests be performed.� In this case, Thomas Vanes, who prosecuted this case and several other capital cases when he was a deputy prosecutor in Lake County, has stated his belief that DNA testing should be done because it could reflect on Williams� degree of culpability.� Also, in a decision issued last Friday, two justices of the Indiana Supreme Court voted to permit DNA testing and stated that they would support a new sentencing hearing if the tests showed the blood not to be from the victims.� These circumstances make this case highly unusual and justify delaying the execution for the purposes of testing.

Over at news from me, writer Mark Evanier has an entry or two about the case, the second of which links to Let DNA Close Door on Doubt in Murder Cases, an LA Times OpEd from former prosecutor Thomas Vanes:

As the lawyer who prosecuted him, I saw and heard every bit of the trial, and I knew then � and still think now � that the blood evidence in question played a big role in his death sentence. For that reason, I joined his attorneys in asking for the DNA retest.

[. . .] I fought hard to convict Williams. And I feel certain to this day that he was guilty of participating in the robbery. But whether Williams should be executed this week depends on his role in the killing � and I simply cannot say with absolute certainty that he shot anyone. That question cannot be answered for sure without a new look at the blood evidence.

[. . .] For 13 years I served as a prosecutor, and I was not bashful then in seeking the death penalty. When criminals are guilty, they deserve to be punished.

But I have also learned since leaving the prosecutor's office 13 years ago that "the system" makes mistakes.

Last year I learned that a man named Larry Mayes, whom I had prosecuted and convicted, had served more than 20 years for a rape he did not commit. How do we know? DNA testing.

Stories like that last anecdote aren't exactly rare these days. Some of them might not even be considered newsworthy at this point.

Meaning it's more or less accepted that our criminal justice system could make a "mistake" and cause a man to serve "more than 20 years for a rape he did not commit."

I don't think I'm as horrified by this as I should be.

Or by this, the last paragraph of the piece:

There are reports that Washington will be using DNA tests on two corpses in Iraq to verify that they are the sons of Saddam Hussein. We need to make sure we've killed the right people. It's a good idea, and one that should be extended to the citizens of this country � before the killing takes place.

He seems to be suggesting that it's acceptable to kill people in Iraq and then "make sure we've killed the right people." But that we should be more careful here at home.

I'm not sure that's the right lesson to take from any of this.

There's more details at SouthBendTribune.com: Williams' execution stayed. This story has a few quotes from "Williams' lead attorney, Juliet Yackel." I'd say something about how other articles I've read only named Barry Scheck, or how some writers felt compelled to mention the O.J. Simpson case along with him, but that's just my tendency to focus on the negative.

Darnell Williams was scheduled to die on Friday.

He won't.

And testing will be done to determine if he should have been sentenced to be executed in the first place.

That shows the system works, right?

Posted by Aaron at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (8) | TrackBacks (2)

From nuvo.net/Running out of time:

Darnell Williams is running out of time.

If the state of Indiana has its way, on Aug. 1 — one day after his 37th birthday — Williams will be the 11th person it has executed since 1981, the third this year.

The state is so intent on its deadline, Williams’ attorney [Juliet Yackel] says, that it doesn’t care whether he is directly responsible for the killings he stands convicted of committing. Despite the testimony and evidence presented against Williams at trial, the case against him was never what one would call a slam-dunk.

In a revealing transcript from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Creeson admits that “[T]he evidence is not particularly, in my opinion, compelling showing defendant’s presence at the crime.”

What's too late to mention is a press conference with Juliet Yackel, Barry Scheck and a Williams juror at 11:30 this morning, mentioned at this Williams site.

It may not be too late to prevent Williams' execution.

Additional information is available from Amnesty International, which states:

Information newly discovered from the state serologist's notes suggest that the blood on the shorts may not have come from the victims and therefore could support Darnell Williams' claim that he was not present at the shootings. His appeal lawyers have sought to have the blood subjected to modern DNA testing techniques. The trial prosecutor has supported this request, stating in a 2003 affidavit that "in light of this new information, DNA testing should be utilized to determine the truth about the scientific evidence that played a key role in this capital case". He concluded that "if DNA testing shows that the blood on Williams' shorts is not that of the victims, the issues of the degree of Mr Williams' participation in the murders and his culpability for capital murder should be reassessed". The Northwestern Law School's renowned Center on Wrongful Convictions in Illinois also supports DNA testing in this case, as does the foreman from the jury that sentenced Williams to death. However, the courts have denied the request.

A postscript to the nuvo.net story adds, "To contact Gov. O’Bannon about Williams’ pending execution, call 317-232-4567 or e-mail fobannon@state.in.us."

You have slightly over a week to possibly make a difference.

Update: From an AP/Indianapolis Star article about the press conference:

A former juror who helped convict a man in a 1986 double slaying is expected to appear at a news conference today at the Statehouse -- alongside the attorney trying to prevent the man's execution.

That juror now thinks Darnell Williams should not be put to death for the crime.

Attorney Juliet Yackel will discuss the case at the news conference; she also will be joined by DNA expert Barry Scheck.

[. . .] Yackel wants the Indiana Supreme Court to allow DNA testing on blood found on the shorts Williams was wearing the night of the murders. Yackel has argued that the DNA test could show the blood did not come from either victim, which would be contrary to evidence presented at trial.

Also today, Williams was scheduled to testify before the Parole Board at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City regarding his clemency application.

Yackel's legal team filed documents in federal court Tuesday seeking access to evidence in the case for DNA testing.

The requests for testing have been opposed by the Indiana attorney general's office.

Just to sum up, that request is supported not only by Williams' attorney, but also by several members of the jury and the trial prosecutor from the original trial.

Determining why they feel more strongly about putting a man to death for a crime he may not have committed than the current "attorney general's office" is left as an exercise for the reader.

Posted by Aaron at 3:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

It's all old news, but I'm just not feeling the urge to update this thing lately, you know?

George is making more magic over at the all-new, all-different Negrophile, and way back on the 14th linked to the cover story of the latest edition of In These Times, The Changing Face of AIDS: Young black men bear the brunt of the epidemic:

AIDS has hit the entire black community disproportionately hard, regardless of gender or sexual orientation. African-Americans are 15 percent of the population in Illinois but make up 45 percent of all AIDS cases. AIDS is now the leading cause of death for African-American men between the ages of 25 and 44. If the HIV infection rates suggested by the CDC study are indicitive of all of the country’s urban centers, it would mean HIV infection rate among young black men who have sex with men may be 30 percent—as bad as infections rates in sub-Saharan Africa.

Nepotism alert: the story was written by my sister Karen, who also had a story in last month's issue of Curve, which I like to think of as "the only lesbian magazine I can pick up without seeing a Gay.com personals ad with Heather."

Speaking of whom, and keeping up the old news trend of this entry, you can help support her invaluable work at Scarleteen by ordering one of two "adorable little vibrators" at Early to Bed through the end of this month.

(Pauses to consider absurdity of plugging vibrators on blog, shrugs, plunges on)

(Worries about possible double entendres in previous parenthetical, shudders, continues)

What else? Spent a lovely weekend hanging out with Neogrammarian, bookended with two visits to Chicago Diner, because it's just that damn good (although Alice and Friends ain't too shabby either). Didn't get to see some Miyazaki films she'd brought, or pick up the new Finder trade, but why dwell on the negative? Seeing old friends is always a Good Thing.

Working the previous weekend at All-Star Fan Fest at McCormick Place, on the other hand, was not so much the Good Thing, but that's a story for later.

Which, the way I'm updating lately, probably means "never," but I assure you, it's not terribly interesting. . .

Even less so than what I normally post.

Things I didn't manage to work into the actual entry, but shouldn't just be left on the virtual cutting room floor:

Some vibrator reviews in the current Scarlet Letters, which I hesitate to link directly, and a piece by R.Gay that Ronn mentioned ages ago, which I was reminded of by this Negrophile post.

A parenthetical wondering why I would be picking up any lesbian magazines in the first place.

Links to stories at Newsarama about Neil Gaiman and Grant Morrison's upcoming comics work, from announcements at The Con Formerly Known as San Diego.

Posted by Aaron at 1:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Noticed over at Rich Johnston's Lying In the Gutters column over at Comic Book Resources -- no, I've no idea what I was doing there either, haven't bought a comic in ages, didn't even pick up the Planetary/Batman book when I was at Dreamhaven a few days back -- but the quote:

He's the President of the United States. He can do whatever the fuck he likes. Isn't that what the job's all about? Doesn't it say that in, oh, the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence or one of those other pieces of ass-wipe that he means to read if he ever finishes The Very Hungry Caterpillar?

Alan Moore, ladies and gentlemen, from a piece in Arthur Magazine. If you look ve-e-e-ry closely at those posters for League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, you might notice his name in the small print. Along with a note from him thanking the producers for their money, and disclaiming anything whatsoever to do with the film.

Okay, I made that last bit up. It's possible no one told him they were making a film, to avoid precisely that reaction.

In highly unrelated news, Kyle Baker (if you haven't read Why I Hate Saturn, you're no friend of mine) is doing a Plastic Man ongoing series. And Phil Foglio (there have to be some XXXenophile fans around here, knowing you lot) did a week+sunday worth of strips of the web comic Sluggy Freelance back in June, in his signature style. Well, except the characters are clothed. Mostly.

I'm joking. The characters in Buck Godot were clothed, all right? Except for the brothel employees, come to think of it. . .

Tying those last two together, I think Phil did a Plastic Man limited series a few years back, but it's probably more like a decade at this point.

Funny, the things you remember.

Well, the things I remember.

Except for the being funny part.

Update: An actual Alan Moore quote about the film, from this week's LITG column:

The film has got nothing to do with my work, it has a coincidental title to a book I've done and they've given me a huge wedge of money. No problem with that.

Which if frighteningly close to how I figured he'd feel about the thing. Hey, ho, funny old life.

Except for the being funny part.

Posted by Aaron at 6:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

Or: Drunkspotting.

You know that thing where you're spending a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon sitting at Herkimer Pub & Brewery with Heather, Becca and Christopher (other members of the cast & crew, do try to keep up), and an art car goes by with a synchronized orchestra of mechanized lobsters and fish performing Queen and Bizet?

No?

How about that thing where you're on a Rescue Mission™, driving through the holiday-deserted streets of downtown Minneapolis looking for a pair of women, one of whom is (allegedly) passed out on the side of the road?

Not that one either, huh?

Ok, let's start simple. You know that thing where your sister and some friends drive up to Minneapolis from Chicago to see Tracy Chapman (because the show in Chi is sold out), and you tag along for a visit with someone you love very much, and miss terribly?

Still no?

And here I thought I led a boring existence. . ..

In Minneapolis for the 4th. Currently flipping through Herbivore Magazine, amusing a slightly confused pug, and trying to convince myself that despite arriving at 2 this morning, that it's entirely too early to curl up into a ball and go to sleep.

This last, I think, is a losing battle.

So head on over and explain to Michelle why, really, the awful winters in the north are a benefit, because they make beautiful, sunny summer days so much more pleasant in comparison. No matter how you spend them.

Posted by Aaron at 8:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)