HEARING IN CASE OF 14-YEAR-OLD CHILD FALSELY CONVICTED OF MURDERS ANOTHER MAN HAS CONFESSED TO.

TUESDAY, MAY 10, 9 A.M. TO 12 NOON

FRANK MURPHY HALL, St. Antoine at Gratiot (courtroom to be announced)

Click on  FREE DAVONTAE SANFORD Voice of Detroit to read and/or print out the shocking story of this young man, who has been held in prison by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy for four years, despite the fact that another man confessed to the crime, a hit killing of four people that happened when Davontae was 14.

Davontae's mother Taminko with his brothers, sisters and supporters outside Frank Murphy Hall June 29, 2010

Most reent post  on Davontae’s Facebook page (see link below), from Taminko Sanford, Davontae’s mother (as Mother’s Day approaches);

 

Taminko Gods’Still Blessing Sanford

i miss u so much,when i seen u wednesday tears came to my eye,u have became away from home,seen so much,heard so many lies fortold on u,missin holidays together,missin hearing ur voice,but reguardless of what,my heart holds a place for u that no one can feel,ma ma luvs u man,am prayin for u.

Davontae’s Facebook page at  http://www.facebook.com/event.php eid=135209816510145#!/free.davontae.sanford.

Maryanne Godboldo wants her child back in her arms NOW!

Please Join us this Wednesday May 4th 2010 at 3pm – Juvenile Court 

1025 E Warren Detroit Mich 48207 

Judge Lynn Pierce’s Court Room 2B 

Please Begin Calling Judge Lynn Pierce on Monday asking her to release Ariana IMMEDIATELY!

(313) 833-0165

~Justice for Maryanne Godboldo Action Committee

Saif al-Arab Gadhafi

Sunday, May 01, 2011

The youngest son of Muammar Gaddafi was killed in a NATO airstrike on a house where the Libyan leader and his famliy were staying at the time, a government spokesman said Sunday.
The raid resulted in the deaths of Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, 29, the youngest son of Gaddafi, and three of Gaddafi’s grandchildren, spokesman Mossa Ibrahim told a press conference.
The Libyan leader himself and his wife, who were in the house at the time, were in good health, while some other people were injured in the attack, Ibrahim said.

This was a direct act to assassinate the Libyan leader, a violation of international law which has no legal or political justifications, he said.

Home of Saif al-Arab Gadhafi after NATO/US attack

After the raid which took place around 8:00 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) Saturday, Ibrahim took a group of journalists to the site of of the house, that is located in a residential area in western Tripoli.
Hit by three missiles, the three-storey building was partially destroyed, with roofs completely caved in some portions, leaving mangled rods of reinforcing steel hanging down among splintered chunks of concrete.

While two of the missiles had exploded, the third was seen lying in one of the rooms of the building.

Libyans support Gadhafi in protest outside hotel housing foreign journalists

After the airstrike, large numbers of Libyans took to the streets, protesting the NATO strikes against civilians and expressing their support to Gaddafi’s family.
Prior to the raid, Gaddafi floated on Saturday a proposal for a cease-fire and negotiations in a televised speech while asserting that he won’t leave the country.
He said all parties concerned should follow the truce, and the NATO forces must stop their attacks.
Gaddafi ruled out the possibility he will quit and leave Libya, which he has been ruling over the past 41 years.
Since March 19, the Western powers have been launching attacks from the air and sea on Gaddafi’s forces after the UN Security Council passed a resolution imposing a no-fly zone over Libya and authorizing “all necessary measures” to protect civilians in Libya.

Gadhafi Offers Truce as NATO Strikes Tripoli

 

Libyan leader with baby daughter Hanna Gadhafi, killed in U.S. air strike in 1986

 

Bombs hit government buildings during Libyan leader’s speech

By the Associated Press 

 Posted Apr 30, 2011 6:27 AM CDT

(AP) – Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi called for a ceasefire and negotiations with NATO powers in a live speech on state TV early Saturday, just as NATO bombs struck a government complex in the Libyan capital. The targeted compound included the state television building and a Libyan official alleged the strikes were meant to kill Gadhafi. However, the TV building was not damaged and Gadhafi spoke from an undisclosed location.

In the rambling pre-dawn speech, Gadhafi appeared both subdued and defiant, repeatedly pausing as he flipped through handwritten notes. “The door to peace is open,” he said. “You are the aggressors. We will negotiate with you. Come, France, Italy, UK, America, come, we will negotiate with you. Why are you attacking us?” He said Libyans have the right to choose their own political system, but not under the threat of NATO bombings. Rebel leaders say they won’t lay down their arms until Gadhafi and his sons step aside.

 

 

 

Saif al-Arab Gaddafi, the youngest son of embattled Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, and three of Gaddafi’s grandsons have been killed in a NATO airstrike.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Libyans supporting Gadhafi in earlier rally

“The house of Saif al-Arab Gaddafi was attacked tonight with full power. The leader with his wife was there in the house with other friends and relatives,” Libyan government spokesman Moussa Ibrahim told reporters at press conference in Tripoli early on Sunday morning, AFP reported.

“The attack resulted in the martyrdom of Saif al-Arab, 29 years old, and three of the leader’s grandchildren,” Ibrahim said.

“The leader himself is in good health; he wasn’t harmed. His wife is also in good health; she wasn’t harmed, (but) other people were injured,” he added.

“This was a direct operation to assassinate the leader of this country,” he stated.

Gadhafi's compound in Tripoli after earlier bombing

In the attacks, three massive explosions ripped through Gaddafi’s headquarters in Tripoli on Saturday evening.

Volleys of anti-aircraft fire rang out following the first two strikes on Bab al-Aziziya. The aerial attacks were followed by a third from the same direction, AFP reported.

The strikes came after the Libyan government accused NATO of bombing a center for physically challenged children in Tripoli earlier on Saturday.

Meanwhile, 13 powerful explosions rocked the Libyan port city of Misratah late on Saturday as NATO warplanes struck targets in the opposition-held city.

Earlier in the day, Gaddafi said he would not step down, but he was ready for a ceasefire and negotiations, provided that NATO halted its airstrikes.

Rejecting his offer, NATO announced that it would only consider a ceasefire after Gaddafi forces stop attacking civilians.

The opposition has also dismissed Gaddafi’s ceasefire proposal, saying he has no part to play in the country’s future.

And despite Gaddafi’s calls for a ceasefire, regime forces later rained mortar shells and rockets on Misratah, killing at least 15 people, including a nine-year-old boy.

The regime is trying to block access to Misratah by sea and has threatened to target any ships that enter the port city.

MP/AGB/HGL

Iran has cast doubt on the US bombardment of Libya, saying Washington seeks to take control of Libya’s oil reserves and other natural resources rather than helping its people.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast says possession of Libya's oil wells behind NATO/US war

“We have doubt about the US and NATO purpose behind conducting a military operation against Libya. It seems that they intend to (take control of) Libya’s oil wells and maintain deals of their oil companies rather than helping the Libyan people,” IRNA quoted Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast as speaking to reporters in the Cuban capital, Havana, on Saturday.

He added that the US explicitly supported the ousted dictators in Tunisia and Egypt till the last minute “but it changed its stance immediately after the collapse of the two dictatorships by their people.”

The Iranian spokesman strongly questioned the US military intervention in internal affairs of other countries and the fate of people in the Middle East and North Africa.

A protester holds a placard during a rally against the bombing of Libya, in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, March 27, 2011. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)

His remarks come as the United States on Wednesday permitted oil deals with Libyan Transitional National Council.

The order, issued by the US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control, will remove legal difficulties pertaining to the ownership of Libya’s oil for potential buyers.

Mehmanparast further described as “politically-motivated” Washington’s claims about human rights, saying, “The US has not yet been able to give explanation to world nations about its inhumane attitude and torture in Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib prisons.”

Libyan oil is reason for US/NATO war

“How is it possible that US officials and the media express concern about human rights conditions in certain countries but turn a blind eye toward the fate of people in Bahrain and Yemen?”

The Iranian spokesperson reiterated that the United States is “the biggest violator of human rights in the world.”

Mehmanparast also touched upon the “best” level of political relations between Tehran and Havana and envisaged a bright future in Iran’s cooperation with Latin America countries.

He pointed out that Iran has the know-how to explore and exploit oil and gas and expressed the country’s readiness to transfer its experience to Cuba.

The Iranian spokesperson also met with Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Marcos Rodriguez Costa on Thursday in Havana, where the two officials criticized the United States for its “double-standard” approach toward the crises in the Middle East and North Africa.

AS/AGB/SF/HRF

UPDATE: Go to

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/british-italian-embassies-attacked-in-tripoli-following-nato-airstrike-that-kills-gaddafi-son-grandchildren/2011/05/01/AFVqZjTF_story.html

to read story about burning of U.S., British and Italian embassies in Libya in response to the killings of Gadhafi’s family members. The article says the attack on Gadhafi’s son’s house killed a 6-month-old granddaughter, a 2-year-old grandson and a 2-year-old granddaughter, as well as a friend of Saif al-Arab Gadhafi.

Libyans protest deadly attack on Gadhafi's family while burning U.S. flag

DFT teachers protest pay cut at Cobo Hall contract meeting

FROM STEVE CONN OF DEFEND PUBLIC EDUCATION/SAVE OUR STUDENTS

Ed. Note: TIP refers to the $500 a month in “deferred” wages that is part of the current Detroit Federation of Teachers contract. Many teachers opposed this provision and there were claims that their contract vote was falsified by DFT leadership.

A state administrative law judge today found that [DPS dictator Robert] Bobb had violated the law in the TIP program and ordered him to pay teachers for all money taken from them with ten percent interest. Appeal certain to follow, but it is a resounding victory.  She adopted every one of our arguments that it was illegal.  CLICK ON DFT TIP_Decision[1] TO READ ENTIRE DECISION.

DPS dictator Robert Bobb and DFT President Johnson during contract negotiations; Johnson has done nothing to fight wave of attacks on DPS

Our victory yesterday in the DPS TIPS lawsuit has made national news. 

Attached is the TIP packet for those DFT members who have NOT already joined the lawsuit (click on DFT TIP packet). You can get back your TIP contributions for the last 12 months, but you MUST fill out these forms.

The surest thing is to bring the completed forms to the DPE/SOS 4:30 pm Saturday meeting, at 19484 James Couzens (northbound Lodge Service Drive, north of Seven Mile) where the lawyers and their assistants can make sure you have properly filled out everything.
 
Saturday’s meeting is also EXTREMELY IMPORTANT because we will be planning for May 11, which is our best shot at finally getting rid of Keith Johnson from the DFT leadership.   

All DFT members must be prepared to be at the DFT Building on Wednesday May 11 for the AFT National Executive Board investigatory hearing to determine whether they will order a new DFT officers election.  The DFT membership voted for a new election at the February meeting.  Winning a new election is do-or-die for EVERY Detroit teacher.   The very existence of our union and any collective bargaining agreement worthy of the name depends on ending Johnson’s high-jacking of the DFT, reinstituting union democracy, and standing up to Bobb’s/Snyder’s destruction of public education in Detroit.   

We hope to see you Saturday.  Please circle May 11 on your calendar.  We will be announcing the time of the AFT Executive Council’s hearing on May 11 when it is established.

Steve Conn
Defend Public Education / Save Our Students
313.645.9340 sjconn@msn.com

• http://defendpubliceducation.com/
• Follow us on twitter: http://twitter.com/steveconn231

You can also text follow steveconn231 to this phone number: 40404

Look for us at “Save DPS” on Facebook; watch our latest videos at www.youtube.com/dftmembers

Helen Moore at House Education Committee Meeting on what became PA 4

FROM HELEN MOORE: Kicking Bobb’s butt.  More to come.  Never give up.  Justice will prevail.  Keep the Vote meeting will be Tuesday, May 3 at The Dexter-Elmhurst Center at 6PM.  Do not forget Catherine Ferguson hearing to keep the school open also on Tue. at 5:30PM  at the

Frederick Douglas Academy.  The old Murray Wright.

 We will go from that hearing to KTV meeting.  Let’s keep that school open and the other DPS schools.

CLICK ON BOBB_EM_ORDER[1] TO READ DICTATOR BOBB’S NEW ORDER ANNOUNCING POWERS UNDER PA 4.

Mumia Abu-Jamal

Call To Action

from The Black List Pub

April 28, 2011 

On April 26th, the U.S 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the death sentence given to revolutionary journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal in 1982 was “unconstitutional,” and that prosecutors must either accept a ‘life sentence’ or grant a resentencing hearing within six months.

The ruling is only a small step in the right direction and supporters of Mumia should not at all let up on their commitments to securing justice for him.

Zayid Muhammad

“Mumia was framed and his case was mishandled from the very crime scene, to the trial, to the sentencing and even on to the appellate level,” said an exasperated Zayid Muhammad who has been supporting Mumia’s case for over 20 years.

“Mumia is innocent. His case was dogged by prosecutorial misconduct from the inception. There is now overwhelming evidence proving his innocence and that’s what we should be dealing with in court,” he continued.

 “Mumia spending the rest of his life in prison is no victory for the forces of justice, and no one should dare accept that,or expect us to accept that because we won’t,” he finished.

The ruling upholds a 2001 ruling by federal appeals judge William Yohn . No court, however, has yet to reconsider the evidentiary issues that have been developing steadily since 1995.

Pathetically, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Abraham, the area’s first African American prosecutor, said that they may appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court to have the death sentence reinstated…

THE NEW BLACK PANTHER PARTY

NATIONAL MINISTRY OF CULTURE PO BOX 25332, NEWARK, NJ 07101

BABAZAYID@YAHOO.COM 973 202 0745

CLICK ON Mumia 3rd Circuit TO READ ENTIRE DECISION.

Maryanne Godboldo demands return of Ariana at rally after her release from jail

Motions for immediate release based on constitutional violations and lack of emergency need for removal from home to be heard May 11

 All you can eat Fund-raiser Thurs. Apr. 28

By Diane Bukowski

Wayne County Juvenile Court Judge Lynn Pierce

DETROIT – Juvenile Court Judge Lynn Pierce has given Hawthorn Center’s chief medical officer one week to consult with well-known Detroit physician and allopath Dr. Margaret Betts, M.D., and “attempt” to generate a “medically appropriate” joint diagnosis and treatment plan for Ariana Godboldo-Hakim, 13.

“The Department of Human Services (DHS) must immediately look for a placement with a relative,” after the doctors produce the plan, Pierce said during a hearing April 22.

The courtroom was packed with family members and community supporters of the Maryanne Godboldo and her daughter.

Pierce issued the order after a lengthy meeting in chambers with the parties in the case, including  Godboldo, her attorney Wanda Evans, Ariana’s father Mubarak Hakim and his attorney Robert Freeman, attorney David McGuire, appointed to represent Ariana,  and an attorney from State Attorney General Bill Schuette’s office, representing DHS.

Ironically, state law and DHS policies and procedures mandate that those actions should have been taken place well before Child Protective Services case worker Mia Wenk sought a court order to take the child based on her mother’s refusal to medicate her with a psychotropic drug, Risperdal. (See sidebar.)  Wenk had been on the case only two weeks.

 “I think we have made progress toward getting Ariana returned home,” said attorney Wanda Evans after the hearing. “I am glad Dr. [Margaret] Betts is now involved in the treatment plan and hopefully they will have her released within a week.”

Godboldo’s sister Penny Godboldo, said, “I am very happy that the judge put a one-week time limit on the doctors’ consultation with each other. I feel confident that Dr. Betts will do her utmost to make this work.”

Freeman told the judge during the hearing that he wanted to play a videotape of Ariana horse-back riding, dancing and swimming to show the normalcy of her regular home life, but the judge ignored the request.

Mia Wenk

Wenk and two women with her refused comment after the hearing. Wenk, seated at the hearing table as she waited for the in-chambers conference to conclude, repeatedly smiled rather smugly.

Wenk accompanied an army of Detroit police, using helicopters, armored vehicles, and assault weapons, during the seizure of Ariana from her home on Blaine near Linwood March 25. Maryanne Godboldo denied the police entrance to the home for 12 hours, before relenting after being falsely assured that her child would go to her sister Penny Godboldo’s home. Police claimed a shot was fired inside the home during the stand-off.

Detroit police with assault weapons and armored vehicle outside Godboldo home on Blaine Mar. 24

“The Godboldo Family alleges that Ariana has been unjustly deemed a Ward of the State and is being unlawfully held hostage at Hawthorn Center in Northville, Michigan,” they said in an official statement on the case. “[The] Detroit Police Department did not produce a legally validated court order, after Godboldo made numerous requests for them to do so. The Godboldo Family further contends that legally Maryanne Godboldo is within her rights to have custody of her child; that Ariana has been unjustly deemed a Ward of the State and is being unlawfully held hostage at Hawthorn Center.” (Go to   to read entire statement.)

The case has generated outrage and support for the Godboldo family around the world, particularly from thousands of families who have lost their children to state action. Many contend state officials are financially motivated by federal funds received for each child placed in foster care.

Dr. Margaret Betts

Dr. Betts is a well-known Detroit M.D., who has practiced for 25 years. She has strongly supported Maryanne Godboldo’s decision to remove Ariana from Risperdal, prescribed by a doctor at the New Oakland Child-Adolescent Adult Family Center. Godboldo took her daughter there after she appeared to have a severe reaction to vaccinations.

“The medications Maryanne’s child was given have permanent side effects,” Dr. Betts said during a rally in Godboldo’s support April 4.  “She was getting better under the alternative medicines. This was a case of her loving her daughter too much. If it happened to her it can happen to you.”

Pharmaceutical industry makes billions

Godboldo signed a consent form, present in the court record, which stated she had the right to discontinue treatment with the drug at any time. The form, co-signed by Dr. Rajendra Kanneganti, reads, “It has been explained to me that I have the right to withdraw this consent at any time and can stop taking the medication at any time.”

Godboldo mentioned to personnel at the New Oakland Center that she had done so as agreed, after putting Ariana under the treatment of a different doctor to wean her off Risperdal. But the Center promptly reported her to Child Protective Services.

“The doctor I was working with had that consent form all along,” Godboldo said before the hearing.

Attorney Wanda Evans

In the event that Hawthorn and DHS do not move swiftly to return Ariana, Evans said, she has filed motions for the child’s “immediate release based on the constitutional violations, [and] lack of emergency constituting removal.” An evidentiary hearing on the motions is set for May 11.

At an earlier hearing, medical authorities for the state testified there was no emergency need for Ariana to be medicated with Risperdal. In March, the Michigan chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit in another case challenging the right of police to take a child in the absence of a medical emergency (see VOD article at  http://voiceofdetroit.net/?p=6790  ).

MaryAnne Godboldo still faces eight felony counts related to the stand-off. Court proceedings on those have been postponed until the state Supreme Court rules in another case where the defendant claimed he had a right to resist police intrusion into his home without a warrant, People v. Moreno 488 Mich. 1010 (2010).

The Justice4MaryAnne Committee is sponsoring an “all you can eat” fundraiser Thurs. April 28 from 6 to 9 p.m. in The Tournament Room at the All King’s Men Chess Store, 27170 Dequindre Road, Warren, MI  48092. All proceeds go to the Justice4Maryanne Fund. For more info, call 313-867-4841, or go to http://www.justice4maryanne.com/ .

Come to a public hearing this Wednesday, April 27, 2011, 2:00 pm, 500 Griswold, 7th where the Wayne County Commission committee that is considering the Homeowner Protection and Neighborhood Preservation Act will be meeting. 

Wayne County Commissioner Martha Scott announcing introduction of Homeowner Protection & Neighborhood Preservation Act

This bill introduced by Commissioner Martha Scott would:

A. Call for investigation on the effects of the fraudulent and racist foreclosure practices of the banks and the impact on
Wayne County.

B. Urge the Sheriff to immediately implement a one year moratorium on foreclosure sheriff sales in Wayne County.

C. Ask the commission put the issue of a moratorium on foreclosures on the November 2011 ballot as an advisory question.

It is critical that we have a large turnout at the Wayne County Commission hearing on Tuesday.  The pressure of the banks is already being felt as commissioners are finding excuses not to support this resolution despite the devastating and continuing impact of foreclosures in Wayne County, and the recently released Senate report documenting the massive foreclosure fraud and the inaction of the government in dealing with this fraud.  For more information see the attached flyer or visit the People Before Banks website at http://peoplebeforebanks.org/.

Vanessa Fluker speaks at Scott press conference with Rev. Bill Wylie-Kellerman and UAW President Bob King flanking her

Support Attorney Vanessa Fluker this Friday, April 29, 2011, 9:00 am, Judge Virgil Smith’s courtroom, 7th Floor, Coleman A. Young Muncipal Center, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit, MI 48226 where there will be a hearing on the motion to have Judge Robert Colombo disqualify himself from consideration of the appeal of the sanctions he imposed against Vanessa for fighting RBS Citizens Bank, the same bank who gave Judge Colombo a mortgage and two refinancings in a five year period. 

Funds are still needed to appeal this outrageous $12,200 sanction.  Send donations to Vanessa G. Fluker, PLLC, appeal fund, at 2920 E. Jefferson, Suite 101, Detroit, MI 48207. 

Also go to www.moratorium-mi.org.

Penny and Maryanne Godboldo after rally that condemned police seizure of Maryanne’s child

Release from the Michigan ACLU

March 24, 2011

POLICE SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO REMOVE CHILDREN WITHOUT PROOF CHILD IS IN IMMEDIATE DANGER

(Ed. note: story coming on Godboldo custody hearing April 22.)

DETROIT – In an effort to protect the rights of children, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan filed a federal lawsuit today asking a judge to strike down a state law that allows law enforcement officials to remove children from their parents’ custody without proving that the child is in immediate danger.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of an Ann Arbor family whose 7-year-old son was placed in foster care after his father, a University of Michigan professor, mistakenly gave him a Mike’s Hard Lemonade at a Detroit Tigers game in 2008.

“Taking a child from loving parents is a harrowing, life-changing experience for both the child and the parents,” said Michael J. Steinberg, ACLU of Michigan legal director. “However, Michigan law currently allows the government to take a child without having to prove that it’s necessary to prevent immediate danger. The law is unconstitutional, out of step with the rest of the county and must be fixed to prevent harm to other families.”

Christopher Ratte’s son was removed

On April 4 2008, Leo Ratté, then 7 years old, attended a Detroit Tigers game with his father, Christopher Ratté, a professor of classical archaeology at the University of Michigan. Before taking their seats, Christopher purchased what he thought was lemonade from a stand advertising “Mike’s Lemonade,” and not knowing that it contained alcohol, gave it to his son.

During the 9^th inning, a security guard approached Christopher asking him whether he knew his son was drinking an alcoholic beverage. Christopher explained that he did not know that the lemonade contained alcohol, but the matter was turned over to the police.

While Christopher was being questioned by police, Comerica Park medical staff examined Leo and gave him a clean bill of health. Nonetheless, Leo was sent to Children’s Hospital in Detroit, where he was examined, found to have no alcohol in his blood, and cleared to go home. Instead of going home he was taken into custody by Wayne County Children’s Protective Services (CPS), a division of the state Department of Human Services.

Starletta Banks lost her three toddlers in 2000 over falsified X-rays; she still does not have them back.

CPS refused to release Leo into the custody of his mother, Claire Zimmerman, who was not at the game, or to his aunts – one of whom is a social worker and licensed foster parent. The first night, Leo slept on a couch in the CPS building with his parents waiting outside on the sidewalk. The next day, he was sent to a foster home.

On April 7, 2008, with the assistance of the University of Michigan Child Advocacy Clinic, Leo was finally released into his mother’s custody, but only after Christopher agreed to move out of the house and only have supervised contact with Leo.  Soon after, the case was dismissed and Christopher was allowed back into his home.

“This experience was traumatic for all of us,” said Claire, a professor of art history and architecture at U of M. “If the University of Michigan had not helped us, it could have taken weeks to get Leo back. It’s tremendously important for us to challenge this law so that no other family has to deal with the lasting effects of having a child unjustly removed. We tried for three years to convince the legislature to fix the law, but when the bill did not get a hearing, we had no choice but to file this case.”

Elena’s son Johnny was taken and was starved to death in foster care; see WXYZ expose at end of story

According to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, the state’s standard for the emergency removal of children is unconstitutional as it does not require state officials to prove that the child is in immediate danger.

In addition, the lawsuit claims that Leo and Claire’s constitutional rights were violated when Leo was taken from her custody even though she was not present at the ballpark and had nothing to do with the Mike’s Hard Lemonade mistake. The lawsuit asks the court to strike down the Michigan law as illegal under the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Children’s advocates have worked on a legislative fix to the Michigan emergency removal law for years. Last legislative session, SB 1533, or “Leo’s Law,” was introduced in the Senate; however, the bill died without a hearing or vote.

In addition to Steinberg, Leo, Claire and Christopher are represented by ACLU Cooperating Attorneys Abraham Singer and Adam Wolfe of the law firm Pepper Hamilton LLP and Amy Sankaran.

TO READ ENTIRE LAWSUIT, GO TO ACLU complaint on state law re police removals of children

WATCH WXYZ-TV EXPOSES OF STATE’S FINANCIAL REASONS FOR KIDNAPPING CHILDREN AT:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmMGbRt1A5A&feature=player_embedded#at=17

AND http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZeKJHphpQU&feature=related   

ALSO GO TO:

http://healthland.time.com/2010/10/04/study-why-child-abuse-investigations-dont-help-kids/  

To read Time article on why the nation’s Child “Protective” Services system is broken.

Also go to http://www.welfarewarriors.org/ to read about battles against CPS in Wiscosin.

Wisconsin’s Mother Welfare Warriors fighting child kidnapping

Joyce Moore of Ad Hoc Committee for CDC's

AD HOC CDC COMMITTEE TO MEET APR. 26, 1 P.M;

WILL APPEAR AT CITY COUNCIL APR. 29 1 P.M.

From the Ad Hoc Committee for Citizens’ District Councils

2044 Taylor Detroit, MI 48206 1-313-465-3299

Below is information that was sent to you in regard to funding for Citizens’ District Councils, focused on getting into the communities to let people know what’s going within the boundaries of their CDC. 

We will be meeting in the mall on Rosa Parks at the mini-station which is located at 8675 Rosa Parks next to Blaine.  The time will be 1:00 P.M. on Tuesday, April 26^th, 2011 to prepare for the presentation before City Council on April 29^th at 1:00 P.M. 

One of many recent rallies in Lansing: there is strength in numbers!

Please forward this information to as many CDC members as possible because “THERE IS STRENGTH IN NUMBERS, LET US ORGANIZE OUR STRENGTH INTO A COMPELLING FORCE FOR OUR COMMUNITIES”.

 RSVP  AT (313)465-3299

BETWEEN 7 P.M  TO 9 P.M  –   JOYCE MOORE   

April 19, 2011

Dear Citizens’ District Council Members:

The Ad Hoc Committee for CDC’s is continuing efforts is to rejuvenate the CDC’s with membership, funding and training.  The attached letter was the first step to rejuvenate and re-organize the CDC’s.  Please forward this letter and attachments to as many Citizens’ District Councils and their members to let them know what is currently going on to re-organize.

City Council members at community meeting May, 2010

The second step is now dealing with the budget process.  This is the time for the FY Budget for 2011-12 that will be discussed by Detroit City Council.  We need to get together to formula our questions and presentation before the Detroit City Council.  We also need to designate our spokesperson.  If any other CDC would want to make their own presentation this would be the time. 

We want to work  “ …collaboratively with the Planning Division in order to fill all board vacant positions to ensure community participation on urban development projects within their boundaries…”.  See detailed information below as this was on the Internet.

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE FOR FY 2011-12, FY 2012-13 AND BEYOND

• Identify areas of measurable economical and institutional status (Detroit Works Project) to be used in our planning as an anchor to stabilize or promote economical growth of neighborhoods.
• The Real Estate Development Division seeks to secure additional oversight of Renaissance Zone Extension Abatements (PA 376) through its Project Management Unit.
• Develop a Project Management Tracking System in DPI to measure, monitor, report, and improve overall project completion timeline.
• Aggressively help the (Citizens District Councils) CDC’s and work collaboratively with the Planning Division in order to fill all vacant board positions to ensure community participation on urban development projects within their boundaries, in turn to ‘close out’ and complete development in the targeted Urban Renewal Areas, some dating back to 30 years.

The City Council will be meeting on April 29 2011 at 1:00 P.M. to discuss the Planning and Development Budget. We need to be in attendance and prepared.  Feel free to contactJoyce Moore 1-313–465-3299 immediately as there is an urgency in planning.  Again,  please forward to as many Citizens’ District Councils and their members as possible.

Sincerely,

Joyce Moore, Gerald V. Dajnowicz and Alvita Jackson

AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR CITIZENS’ DISTRICT COUNCILS 

April 15, 2011

Planning and Development

Attention: Robert Anderson, Director

65 Cadillac Square, Suite 2300

Detroit, MI 48226

224-2570

Dear Mr. Anderson:

We are members of Citizens’ District Councils and this letter is being sent in an effort to obtain training for Citizens’ District Council (CDC) members that are newly elected from the Tuesday, April 4, 2011 election as well as those members that have been elected in the past.  The objective of a one day training seminar is to acquaint Citizens’ District Council members with the laws that governor their body and the roles of a CDC in the development of their district.  It is important to have such a training seminar take place in May because of the responsibility of each newly elected member to its CDC.

In addition, this training seminar at one time was part of an administrative fund of $500,000 through Block Grants which was to provide administrative services to each CDC whether funded or not.  These services included such items as training for CDC members, mailings to inform residents in the district of each CDC meeting and provided a newsletter to keep the communities and each district apprized as to what was happening in their community through various funding programs.  Therefore in addition to the seminar we are requesting an account of all funds expended on the CDC’s and the Coordinating Council on Redevelopment for the past fiscal year.

Your immediate response would be greatly appreciated within ten (10) days of this letter so that we can plan to have an informative seminar in May and continue to serve our communities.

Sincerely,

Joyce Moore, Gerald V. Dajnowicz and Alvita Jackson

AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR CITIZENS’ DISTRICT COUNCILS  

April 15, 2011

State Rep. Fred Durhal, Jr.

 Representative Fred Durhal Jr.

P. O. Box 30014

Lansing, MI 48909-7514

1-517-373-0844

Dear Honorable Representative Durhal:

The attached letter is being sent to you as we need your assistance in obtaining information pertaining to Block Grant monies allocated to Citizens’ District Councils as well as the Coordinating Council on Community Redevelopment.  Our objective is to ensure that these funds were, and are appropriated in the manner in which they were intended for the past fiscal years and present fiscal year.

Your immediate response would be greatly appreciated within ten (10) days of this letter as the new budget for 2012 is in progress.  If you should have any concerns, please feel free to contact Joyce Moore at 1-313-465-3299.   

Sincerely,

Joyce Moore, Gerald V. Dajnowicz and Alvita Jackson

AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR CITIZENS’ DISTRICT COUNCILS 

To the CDC Reader – 4/22/11:  There was a list of other legislators that this was mailed to as well as the Regional Office and Washington Office of HUD.

 By Joyce Moore

Rick Snyder and Dave Bing, "joined at the hip."

Resident of the City of Detroit

April 19, 2011

Mr. Bing has an advertisement on television indicating that he wants Detroiters to march with him on May 1, 2011.  Will he stock Hart Plaza with his appointees and their family members, suburbanites, hired volunteers all to say that Detroiters are following him?

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want our money from HUD that is due us for our utilities, rent, job training programs and to develop business opportunities.

DPS students march on MLK Day 2011: What would Dr. King do?

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want our public school system to function in the best manner to educate our children and get rid of charter schools.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we don’t want our schools to become a prison, correctional setting as oppose to an educational institution.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want our public transportation system to become a better bus system and start the railway system at Woodward and 8 Mile to extend North to the suburbs. 

Belle Isle back in the day

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want back our Detroit Zoo, Belle Isle Aquarium, Belle Isle Zoo and Garden.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want your public support to the state not to end public assistance for single moms after 48 months in a city with No jobs.. No jobs.. No jobs!

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we don’t need a financial manager, we need you to work with city council in adopting a budget that will benefit the citizens of Detroit.

Lansing rally April 13: STOP PRIVATIZATION!

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we don’t need to continue to privatize city services allowing contractors to bid low and then with you and the support of city council approving $100.000.00 change orders being “City Funded” which is using our monies.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as public workers need to know that their pension is secure.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we don’t want to sell any part of our water system without a vote of the people as indicated in our Charter.

Lansing Public Power and Light services residences too

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want our Public Lighting Department to be restored to provide enough electricity to the residents and businesses of our city.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want EMS to take less than 30 minutes to get to emergency sites by increasing their budget.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want to keep open our community centers for our young folk and elders, such as a center that helped make you one of the most famous basket players in the country.

 We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want to keep open our libraries for our residents and especially the young folk in our communities.

Cobo Hall

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want back COBO Hall from the authority as that money is our money for the City of Detroit.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want city jobs to provide a service to the people such as our Department of Works and to add to your 2012 budget enough money for them to have a broom and dust pan to pick up garbage that they spill in the streets to help keep our city clean.

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we don’t want a City within a City with boundaries from downtown to the Boulevard.

Dave Bing and L. Brooks Patterson

And

We don’t want to march with you Mr. Bing, as we want you to protect our city from poachers and not continue to give away our valuable assets that is revenue for the city, which means avoid Brooks L. Patterson.

No, Mr. Bing it is not about marching, it is about “you” doing the job for the people as opposed to looking out for private, corporate interests.