Donald Trump, calling Dan Gilbert a “great friend” and supporter, has helped turn downtown Detroit into “Gilbertville.”

How a tax break to help the poor went to NBA owner Dan Gilbert

Dan Gilbert’s cultivation of the Trump family appears to have paid off with Trump tax law breaks : Three swaths of Detroit were selected as opportunity zones under the Trump tax law

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VOD EDITOR: This well-researched story from Pro Publica   focuses on Dan Gilbert’s relationship with the Trumps, which handed Gilbert tax breaks to build his empire in Detroit, but Gilbert had equally strong ties with the previous Obama administration.  Those ties led up to the Emergency Manager takeover of Detroit and the subsequent bankruptcy filing which devastated the country’s largest Black majority city. For background on the ProPublica story, read VOD’s earlier story on Gilbert’s financial crimes under Obama,  at  http://voiceofdetroit.net/2013/09/11/dennis-archer-former-consultant-to-detroit-lender-ubs-ag-meets-with-top-obama-aides-execs/

Partners in corrupt Detroit financial management under Pres. Barack Obama, including (r to l) former Mayor Dennis Archer, billionaire investor Dan Gilbert, and former Gov. Rick Snyder. Snyder initiated Michigan’s Emergency Manager laws which led to the takeover of Detroit and other majority-Black cities in the state. Snyder appointed Kevyn Orr as Detroit’s EM; Orr promptly led the city into the disastrous Detroit bankruptcy filing of 2014. Pres. Barack Obama and U.S. Atty. General Eric Holder remained silent despite the pleas of the late U.S. Congressman John Conyers and others as this attack on the nation’s largest Black majority city was unleashed.

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Jeff Ernsthausen and Justin Elliott, ProPublica

 Published 6:14 p.m. ET Oct. 24, 2019 | Updated 11:33 a.m. ET Oct. 25, 2019

Billionaire Dan Gilbert has spent the last decade buying up buildings in downtown Detroit, amassing nearly 100 properties and so completely dominating the area, it’s known as Gilbertville. In the last few years, Gilbert, the 57-year-old founder of Quicken Loans and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, has also grown close to the Trump family.

Ivanka Trump joins Dan Gilbert at 2017 forum on computer science development.

Quicken gave $750,000 to Trump’s inaugural fund. Gilbert has built a relationship with Ivanka Trump, who appeared at one of his Detroit buildings in 2017 for a panel discussion with him. And, last year, he watched the midterm election returns at the White House with President Donald Trump himself, who has called Gilbert “a great friend.”

Gilbert’s cultivation of the Trump family appears to have paid off: Three swaths of downtown Detroit were selected as opportunity zones under the Trump tax law, extending a valuable tax break to Gilbert’s real estate empire.

Gilbert’s relationship with the White House helped him win his desired tax break, an email obtained by ProPublica suggests. In February 2018, as the selection process was underway, a top Michigan economic development official asked her colleague to call Quicken’s executive vice president for government affairs about opportunity zones.

Campus Martius Park with white Chase Building/Quicken Loans HQ in rear center, both owned by Dan Gilbert.. Ernst & Young (r), a global professional services firm with $36.9 billion in revenue, played major role in disastrous Detroit bankruptcy filing in 2014, which stripped city of all its public assets.

“They worked with the White House on it and want to be sure we are coordinated,” wrote the official, Christine Roeder, in an email with the subject line “Quicken.”

The exact role of the White House is not clear. But less than two weeks after the email was written, the Trump administration revised its list of census tracts that were eligible for the tax break. New to the list? One of the downtown Detroit tracts dominated by Gilbert that had not previously been included.

Wall Street bond ratings agency said only six percent of Detroit land mass is eligible for triple AAA rating, warned of condition of rest of city.

And the area made the cut even though it did not meet the poverty requirements of the program. The Gilbert opportunity zone is one of a handful around the country that were included despite not meeting the eligibility criteria, according to an analysis by ProPublica.

Several weeks later, the Michigan governor selected all three of the downtown Gilbert tracts for the program.

Gilbert influenced the local selection process, as well, other emails obtained by ProPublica show: Quicken’s top lobbyist was so enmeshed in the process, his name appears on an opportunity zone map made by the city economic development organization, recommending part of downtown be included in the tax break. No other non-city officials are named on the document.

The result has likely been a boon to Gilbert: Multiple studies have found that property values in opportunity zones increased because of the tax break. Gilbert has put an estimated $3 billion into buying and renovating properties in Detroit, the vast majority now in opportunity zones.

In addition, even though the law was designed to incentivize new investment, Gilbert has several already-planned developments in the area that could benefit from the tax break, experts said.

The upside for an investor such as Gilbert “could be huge,” said Steve Wamhoff, director of federal tax policy at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a liberal-leaning think tank. “This seems to be a situation where someone is going to get tax breaks for something they were going to do anyway.”

The White House, Treasury Department and Quicken Loans all declined to answer repeated questions about Gilbert’s interactions with the Trump administration regarding opportunity zones. Roeder didn’t respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation declined to elaborate on the email mentioning Quicken’s work with the White House.

In a statement, Jared Fleisher, Quicken Loans vice president of government affairs, acknowledged Gilbert’s companies gave input to the state but said they “did not exercise any inappropriate influence.”

The companies “joined a wide range of stakeholders in providing feedback into the Opportunity Zone selection process,” he said. “The State of Michigan engaged interested parties, asked for their input, and encouraged participants to share the State of Michigan’s request for input with other potentially interested groups.”

Opportunity zones were created by the 2017 Trump tax code overhaul. The idea, touted by members of both parties, is to grant lucrative tax breaks to encourage new investment in poor areas around the country. The Treasury Department determined which census tracts were eligible for the special status, based on poverty and income levels, and then each state’s governor picked 25% of them as zones.

But the program has been widely criticized as a giveaway to the rich that will not bring the promised revitalization in needy areas. There is no mechanism to track the program’s results, from how much new investment comes to the zones to how many jobs it creates.

Here’s how the tax break works. Say you’re a hedge fund manager, you purchased Google stock years ago and are sitting on $1 billion in gains. If you sell, you’d send the IRS about $240 million in taxes on the capital gain, less than you’d pay in ordinary income tax but still a lot. To avoid paying that much, you could sell the shares and put the $1 billion into an opportunity zone. That comes with three generous breaks. The first is that you defer that $240 million in tax, allowing you to invest more money up front. Plus, you can hold the investment for several years and you’ll get a significant reduction in those taxes. What’s more, any additional gains from the new investment are tax-free after 10 years.

The exact value of the tax breaks for any individual will likely never be publicly known because the program has no disclosure requirements. Gilbert’s holdings, managed by his firm, Bedrock Detroit, are private.

Bedrock Detroit wall around Gilbert-owned J.L. Hudson site brags of his plans to profit from  highest skyscraper development in downtown Detroit. The Shinola hotel building owned by Gilbert is at left. Photo: Clarence Tabb, Jr. Detroit News

Experts say two of the downtown Detroit tracts are islands of wealth in the city, one of the poorest in the nation. They are significantly wealthier by median income than the surrounding area. They include Gilbert-owned office space with high-end tenants including Microsoft, JP Morgan and Quicken Loans. The boutique Shinola Hotel sits in another Gilbert property that is now in one of the opportunity zones.

While the tax break is supposed to generate new development, Gilbert already has several long-planned projects located in the newly designated zones, including the construction of a glass-and-steel skyscraper on the historic Hudson’s department store site.

Gilbert at the 2017 groundbreaking of a skyscraper planned for the former site of Hudson’s department store, now in an opportunity zone. He owns so much downtown Detroit real estate, some people call it Gilbertville. (Photo: AP, file)

“These areas are not distressed,” said Conrad Kickert, an urban design academic who wrote a book about downtown Detroit. He noted that Gilbert also helped create a new streetcar line in the area, named the QLine after Quicken Loans. The area is much wealthier and whiter than Detroit as a whole, according to recent census estimates.

This year, Gilbert’s opportunity zone push has continued; his firm has been lobbying the Treasury Department on the regulations for the program, which are still being hashed out two years after the law was signed. The CEO of Bedrock sent a letter to the agency pressing the administration to adopt lax technical rules for real estate projects of the type Gilbert is pursuing, according to a copy obtained by ProPublica.

“We believe that the purpose of the [opportunity zone] legislation is best achieved through large-scale, multipurpose real estate development projects that transform and revitalize entire neighborhoods and communities,” wrote Bill Emerson of Bedrock, appearing to describe the firm’s mixed-use Monroe Blocks project. Therefore, he argued, the department should loosen the rules around how quickly opportunity zone investments have to get under way.

Dennis Archer Jr. (left) and Bill Emerson, Bedrock CEO, chat on the stage of the theatre at the Grand Hotel on May 29,  2019. Emerson filled in for Gilbert after he had a major stroke. Emerson claimed Gilbert empire is functioning well as he allegedly recovers. Dennis Archer, Jr.s’ role follows that of his father former Mayor Dennis Archer Sr. under Barack Obama administration. Crains Detroit Business photo

Video shows Dan Gilbert is doing better since May stroke. @cavsdan @WWJ950 @FOX2News pic.twitter.com/fTANu5XyHb

— Charlie Langton (@charlielangton) August 2, 2019

VOD: The above tweet from reporter Charlie Langton shows part of Dan Gilbert’s message to his employees on Aug. 2, 2019 after his stroke. Although the tweet claims Gilbert is doing much better, Gilbert’s speech does not seem to sync with his lip movements, as if someone else is reading his speech for him. To date (Nov. 8, 2019), nothing more has been seen of Gilbert in the media.  Questions have since been raised about the ongoing progress of the development of his empire in Detroit.

Gilbert’s rise in Detroit started in 2010 when he moved the headquarters of his mortgage firm, Quicken Loans, from a suburb to struggling downtown Detroit. His companies employ more than 10,000, and his influence is so immense that Politico named him to its list of the most interesting mayors in America, the only non-mayor on the list.

Gilbert’s downtown developments have already received city and state subsidies with few strings attached, a recent Detroit Free Press investigation found. Along with myriad tax breaks, Detroit’s Downtown Development Authority, for example, sold an important lot to Gilbert for $1. (He has also been advised in his Detroit strategy by another Michigan native and prominent Trump supporter, the billionaire real estate developer Stephen Ross of Related Companies.)

Trump’s Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, with new bride Louise Linton, is a former hedge fund manager and owner. Gilbert met several times with him beginning in June 2017.

As Gilbert was expanding his Detroit portfolio, Facebook billionaire Sean Parker was embracing the idea for what would become opportunity zones: give investors a tax break on their capital gains if they agree to invest the money in needy areas. Parker set up a think tank, the Economic Innovation Group, to promote the idea in Washington. In 2015, Gilbert joined the group’s “Founders Circle.”

He hasn’t spoken publicly about opportunity zones, but his real estate holdings and businesses in Detroit were clearly in areas that would be well positioned to benefit from the tax break that Parker wanted to create.

In June 2017, Gilbert met with Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, the administration’s point man on the tax bill that included opportunity zones. Gilbert also had a phone call with Mnuchin, last November, according to public calendars. It’s not known what Gilbert and Mnuchin discussed. (Spokespeople for Quicken Loans and the Treasury Department declined to comment on the communications between Gilbert and Mnuchin.)

Despite his relationship with Trump and the administration, Gilbert has tried to publicly dissociate himself from the president. He is in a particularly sensitive position because Detroit is a majority African American city where Hillary Clinton beat Trump 95% to 3%. Before the event he held with Ivanka Trump in 2017, Gilbert released a statement disavowing electoral politics.

In December 2017, Trump signed the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which included the Economic Innovation Group’s opportunity zone idea. That prompted a scramble by state and local officials across the country to assemble nominations for the program.

By mid-February 2018, Gilbert’s lobbyists had joined the fray. They communicated with both Michigan and Detroit officials about opportunity zones, according to emails obtained by ProPublica through public records requests.

On Feb. 15, an official at the Michigan Economic Development Corporation instructed a colleague at another state agency to reach out to a lobbyist from Quicken to discuss opportunity zones.

The colleague, Brian Mills of the state housing authority, confirmed that he had a call with a representative at Quicken. The company was interested in how the state would select zones, Mills recalled. He advised the company that officials in cities like Detroit would have a lot of sway in the process.

A week later, a top economic development official in Detroit emailed maps of areas that the city wanted to nominate for the program to state officials. One of the maps reflected the input of Gilbert’s lobbyist, Jared Fleisher, who is named on the document.

Properties owned by Gilbert’s Bedrock Real Estate (in orange) in downtown Detroit in tracts included in opportunity zones. /Map by ProPublica

Curiously, the city’s recommendations shown on the map included a downtown tract that the Treasury Department had deemed ineligible for the program because it was too wealthy. Its median family income was almost 1 1/2 times higher than the opportunity zone eligibility requirements allowed, according to census data. Gilbert owns more than 10 buildings in the tract.

Days after the city sent the map to state officials, it proved prophetic. The Treasury Department released a revised list of eligible tracts. The downtown tract was now, for the purposes of the law, a “low-income community.”

Asked why the name of a lobbyist for Quicken Loans appeared in the legend of the map, a spokesperson for the Detroit Economic Development Corporation told ProPublica that “Jared Fleisher was just one of the experts we consulted on how the Treasury regulations worked.” She added the city “consulted with numerous experts” to assess which tracts would be eligible for the program, and that the city itself wanted the riverfront tract in the program.

It’s not clear why Gilbert’s lobbyist believed that the tract would end up being eligible for the program. Fleisher did not answer questions on the issue but said in a statement that Gilbert’s companies had not “engaged in advocacy activities (monetary or otherwise) regarding the eligibility of certain areas.” A Treasury Department spokesman said only that “the Treasury officials that typically work on opportunity zone issues had no knowledge of this matter.”

In a statement, Fleisher declined to comment on the nature of his interactions with the city, but he told ProPublica, “Ultimately, the City of Detroit — not (Gilbert’s) Rock Family of Companies or any other respondent to the open call for comments — made the recommendations to the state about which census tracts in Detroit should be selected.”

Two weeks after the Treasury Department issued its revision, the city recommended the tract for the program, along with several others in which Gilbert had substantial investments. They did so even though those tracts were not included in a list of recommendations for Detroit that the Michigan State Housing Development Authority had assembled and shared with the city.

In the end, the state deferred to the city, and in April 2018, the downtown tracts in which Gilbert had poured so much capital officially became opportunity zones.

An analysis by ProPublica found that one of the tracts only became eligible through a provision in the law that was intended to allow areas that had been designated for a Clinton-era anti-poverty measure to be included in the program. However, experts told ProPublica that the Treasury Department’s mapping analysis was deeply flawed, and that it erroneously allowed a handful of areas to become opportunity zones. As ProPublica previously reported, a similar loophole allowed a tract largely owned by Kevin Plank, billionaire CEO of Under Armour, to take advantage of the opportunity zone program for his development in Baltimore.

Community groups in Michigan have criticized the selection process, contending it favored wealthier areas that are already seeing redevelopment at the expense of more impoverished areas of Detroit. Of the 10 most impoverished areas in the city that the governor could have picked, only two made the cut. Of the 10 least impoverished areas, six were picked. Those include downtown tracts in which Gilbert has substantial investments.

Former Gov. Rick Snyder, who made the ultimate selections last year, declined to comment.

In an email, a spokesperson for the city of Detroit said its recommendations centered on areas where investors could make a return. “The City recommended the eligible areas where it believed developers were most likely to find profitable investments. To do anything else would have been pointless under the opportunity zone law.”

Jeff Ernsthausen is a data reporter at ProPublica. Contact him at jeff.ernsthausen@propublica.org.

Justin Elliott is a ProPublica reporter covering politics and government accountability. Contact him at justin@propublica.org or via Signal at (774) 826-6240.

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism for use by other media outlets. Sign up for ProPublica’s Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published.

U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib (D) Detroit/Official website photo

CONGRESSWOMAN RASHIDA TLAIB ASKS FOR INVESTIGATION ON OPPORTUNITY ZONES 

 Rep. Tlaib Request Comes After Findings Of Billionaire Involvement In Selection Of Opp. Zones

November 7, 2019

Press Release

DETROIT – Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (MI-13) sent a letter to the chairmen of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Oversight and Reform Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy, and the Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations to request they hold investigative hearings into whether political campaign contributions influenced the designation of opportunity zones in her district and across the country.

Opportunity zones were created by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 supposedly to encourage new investments in poor areas by providing tax breaks to investors.

The request comes after a ProPublica article published in October showed that opportunity zones were created in areas that did not meet the legal criteria, at least in part thanks to lobbying by billionaire developers and political donors. For example, an opportunity zone in downtown Detroit did not meet the poverty requirement to be designated an opportunity zone and is in an area into which billionaire Dan Gilbert has poured billions for real estate. Dan Gilbert’s Quicken Loans company also donated $750,000 to President Trump’s inaugural fund, and the ProPublica article details Quicken lobbyists interacting with city, state, and federal officials in pursuit of an opportunity zone designation.

“This is yet another example of how corporate greed and the influence of billionaires have infected our government like a disease,” said Rep. Tlaib. “Residents in my district have witnessed time and time again how the desires of wealthy individuals are put before their needs—enough is enough. This is not how our government, or our democracy should work. We must take action to uncover the truth.” 

ProPublica’s reporting also found unqualified census tracts designated as opportunity zones in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Oklahoma. In Baltimore, for example, an opportunity zone was designated in an area where billionaire Under Armor CEO Kevin Plank and Goldman Sachs plan heavy investments, despite that area not meeting poverty requirements and only being designated an opportunity zone on a technicality after developer lobbying efforts.

“Public trust in our federal government is eroded when the rules are applied unevenly and seem to reward the wealthiest and best connected amongst us,” said Rep. Tlaib in the letter. “It appears that a tax program supposedly designed to benefit the poorest amongst us is now being used to reward political donors and wealthy investors.”

The letter was sent to Chairman Richard Neal (Committee on Ways and Means), Chairman Al Green (Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation), and Chairman Raja Krishnamoorthi (Economic and Consumer Policy). It can be viewed here.

Related stories:

https://www.businessinsider.com/dan-gilbert-detroit-properties-bedrock-map-2018-8

https://www.freep.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2019/09/06/dan-gilbert-bedrock-projects/2207973001/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2015/04/24/u-s-sues-dan-gilberts-quicken-loans-over-mortgage-fraud-one-cause-of-detroit-blight/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2018/04/04/do-wayne-co-officials-speak-with-forked-tongue-oppose-gilbertevans-criminal-justice-ctr-april-5/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2017/09/16/no-to-kid-rock-gilbert-illitches-duggan-white-supremacy-take-back Detroit/

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/12205/dan_gilbert_leads_massive_brush_park_development_in_detroit

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/dan-gilbert-suffers-stroke-his-net-worth-family-companies-owned/ar-AAC2wV5

Derrico Searcy (l at defendant table) and Darrell Ewing (r) listen as Judge Michael Hathaway outlines opinion on hearing and orders a new trial for both

Some of the many supporters who cheered Judge Hathaway’s ruling for a new trial Oct. 24, 2019.

Judge Michael Hathaway gives order Oct. 24 after evidentiary hearing

 Ruling not only due to trial jury’s illegal use of internet, but also to lack of “overwhelming evidence of guilt”

 Prosecution says they plan to file application for leave to appeal, meeting of lawyers with judge set for Nov. 22 

Ewing, Searcy remain in MDOC pending further developments

 By Diane Bukowski

 October 27, 2019

Defendants Derrico Searcy and Darrell Ewing listen to testimony of former jurors Aug. 26, 2019.

DETROIT – A courtroom packed with family members and friends of Darrell Ewing and Derrico Searcy erupted in cries of joy Oct. 24 as Third Judicial Circuit Court Judge Michael Hathaway ordered a new trial for the two young men in a murder case for which they have spent nearly two decades in prison.

Judge Hathaway’s order capped an evidentiary hearing held on the trial jury’s use of Facebook and other gang-related internet research during their deliberations. U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood ordered the hearing after the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court partially struck down her original order for a new trial.

Ewing and Searcy were convicted of murdering J.B. Watson Dec. 29, 2009, in an allegedly gang-related shooting at Harper and Van Dyke. They have been in prison since 2010. Afterward, another prisoner, Tyree Washington, came forward repeatedly to declare under oath that he, not Ewing and Searcy, committed the murder, but it was the juror misconduct that led to Judge Hood’s original order for a new trial.

Former Juror Kathleen Byrnes

Hathaway said regarding his assessment of the hearing, “. . .there was extraneous evidence that came into the deliberative process that was outcome determinative,” Hathaway declared. “It changed the vote of at least one juror.”

That juror was Kathleen Byrnes, who gave powerful, moving testimony during the evidentiary hearing about changing her vote during the 2010 trial. Weeping, she said she has felt that she did something terrible ever since.

Hathaway continued, “I am also obligated to observe under the Budzyn case whether or not the evidence of guilt was otherwise overwhelming . . . The trial evidence in this case was certainly not what we would call overwhelming. There was an identification made by a witness who claims to have seen the defendant through a side rear view mirror while he was crouching down, which is virtually impossible to imagine. There was a lot of other circumstantial evidence that still didn’t lead up to a case where the evidence of guilt was overwhelming. Then of course you had the statement against penal interest that came in where [Tyree] Washington supposedly confessed to the crime, so it wasn’t an ironclad case.”

Hathaway said he was therefore granting both defendants a new trial, issuing an order but not a written opinion. He sent both back to the Michigan Department of Corrections pending whether the prosecution files an application for leave to appeal to the Michigan Appeals Court within a 28-day limit. AP     said they will definitely do so. Hathaway set a date of Nov. 22 for the attorneys and himself to confer on the status

Phillip Comorski, attorney for Ewing, shown in video above, said he felt the defense is now “in the driver’s seat.” He said he believed Judge Hathaway had thoroughly reviewed all the testimony from the hearing as well as transcripts from the trial and rendered a fair ruling. He added that they would deal with any appeal by the defense. Many have wondered how the prosecutor’s office would handle any new trial, since Tyree Washington, who confessed multiple times to the murder of J.B. Watson, is available to testify in person, which he did not do at the original trial.

Family members of Darrell Ewing, including his mother Sonya Dodson, wept with happiness in each others arms in the hallway after Judge Hathaway’s ruling. 

Related stories: 

EWING, SEARCY HEARING ON JURY USE OF INTERNET RESEARCH ON GANGS IN 2010 TRIAL TO CONTINUE OCT. 4

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2019/08/27/juror-in-2010-ewingsearcy-murder-trial-verdict-tainted-by-jurys-gang-related-internet-research/ 

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2019/02/14/sixth-circuit-orders-evidentiary-hearing-instead-of-new-trial-in-darrell-ewings-2010-murder-conviction/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2017/11/27/fed-judge-strikes-down-darrell-ewing-conviction-due-to-jury-discussion-of-gang-social-media/

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Donations for the Voice of Detroit are urgently needed to keep this paper, which is published pro bono by folks on extremely limited incomes, going. We are among the few newspapers that covers cases such as that of Ewing and Searcy, cases which affect those who would otherwise receive no coverage. Black youth across Detroit and the U.S. continue to be funneled into the prisons, virtually anonymously, by an injustice system that should force this country to bow its head in shame.

Charles Lewis, now free after 42 years in prison since 17.

Recently, VOD played a large role in freeing juvenile lifer Charles Lewis, running 46 stories on his case including evidence pointing to his innocence, after he spent 42 years in prison. VOD focuses strongly on  the issue of racist mass incarceration in the United States, which has five percent of the world’s population and 25 percent of it’s incarcerated population.

Among ongoing expenses are quarterly web host charges of $350, costs for investigative fees, court documents, internet fees, office supplies, gas, P.O. Box, etc. Please, if you can:

DONATE TO VOD at

https://www.gofundme.com/VOD-readers-up

Thank you to all our faithful readers!

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Two women tell how they overcame abuse and established bright futures: Kia Faison and Erica Lynn Gillis

“Strike 3” Stage Play  Sat. Oct. 26, 2pm &7 pm, Sun. Oct. 27  “Strike 3 is not just about me – it is about the maltreatment of all Black and Brown people in this country at the hands of a corrupt system, and understanding that nothing will change until we decide to fight back!” – Kia Faison

Erica Lynn Gillis: “7 Techniques of Healing”

By Ricardo Ferrell, VOD Staff Writer

This Voice of Detroit exclusive two-part article covers the constant pain and agony many women face after being taken complete advantage of by an overpowering male bent on causing absolute terror on his victims. It features two amazing women who solidifies what a pillar of strength looks like by how well they pushed beyond the harm of their past encounters by embracing techniques in the healing process.

Kia Faison, an author and playwright, a strong and courageous woman was brave enough to speak her truths by revealing to the world her horrendous experiences of domestic violence, sexual assault, and physical, mental and emotional abuse. In an effort to begin the healing process Kia knew she would first need to face, embrace, and express herself in order to erase the pain, torment and shame she felt by the hands of her abuser. In this article you’ll read the story of this remarkable woman who finally had enough of being taken advantage of by a man who only seen her as something to be used and abused.

The objectification of women in a negative paradigm has been going on in our society for centuries. More and more females are being subjected to unwanted physical and sexual abuse at the hands of strangers, their male companions, and sometimes their own family members contribute to this madness. For instance, a child’s own father repeatedly rapes her from the age of 7, till she becomes a teenager. Then learns what she’s experienced is all wrong, and shouldn’t have been happening. Kia knows all too well what that sort of experience looks like, because her daughter was violently molested by the same individual who was physically abusive towards her. 

Kia Faison (l) with son, daughters at The Fist in downtown Detroit, 2018.

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KIA FAISON, A CRIME SURVIVOR WHO HAD ENOUGH AND MADE IT OUT:

Q – RICARDO: WHAT WAS YOUR COPING MECHANISM DURING THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP(S)?

A – KIA: In the beginning I really didn’t have a way to cope with it; I just kind of absorbed the situation and took it for what it was. There came a point to where I realized it wasn’t going to change regardless to how many good days we had. At that point I began to hum “The sun will come out tomorrow” from the movie Annie. Doing that seemed to take me to another place mentally.

Q – RICARDO: WHERE DID YOU PULL YOUR STRENGTH FROM TO WALK AWAY AND NOT LOOK BACK?

A – KIA: Well, I actually went back after the first separation. I would do anything for my children, regardless of the affect my actions would have on me. I thought going back to be a family would make them happy. My children brought he and I back together, but also made me walk away for good. I felt like I could take anything that came my way, but you don’t mess with my children. The moment he abused my daughter was the final straw. In my eyes his choices were death or prison and I knew to him being back in prison was like death, so that’s where I sent him.

Q – RICARDO: HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD A STRONG FAITH IN THE CREATOR?

Maori carved painting of woman.

A – KIA: This is sort of a long story, but I’ll try to make it short lol. As a teenager, I knew there was something more powerful than man, but I also didn’t believe in anything I couldn’t see. When I got older, because I didn’t have a real understanding of spirituality or religion for that matter I drifted to the religious side because that is what was around me. I tried all kinds of churches; Black, White, big, small, different states and I always ran into the same problem. They were either greedy or the Pastors were perverts.

Outside of the church, I still tried to do the whole religion/Jesus thing, but there were always things that just didn’t sit right, why can’t I ask questions? Why is he clearly Black in your bible, but White everywhere else? Why is it that every living organism comes from the female, but you teach the Holy Trinity is two men and a spirit? I could never get these main questions answered, so I felt that wasn’t the way for me. Finally, information began to fall in my lap sort to speak. More spiritual people started entering my life feeding me information, I started reading different books and coming across different videos and interviews about spirituality, about My history, My ancestors and this information made all the sense in the world. So, to answer your question, I always knew there was something out here protecting me because I’m still here even after everything I’ve been through, but it took a long time to get to the place I am spiritually.

Q – RICARDO: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG WOMAN EXPERIENCING THE SAME ABUSE YOU ONCE FACED?

A – KIA: My advice to anyone in an abusive situation is, unfortunately no one can force or convince you to leave, you have to be ready. In the meantime, find a way to separate yourself from the situation mentally; think of happy memories, sing/hum your favorite song, mediate on anything to take yourself away, even if for a moment. Doing this will help keep you sane. Find someone you can talk to, someone you can trust, someone who will not judge, but allow you to vent and then wait patiently for the call to let them know to come get you because you’ve finally found the courage to walk away for good.

Q – RICARDO: DO YOU FIND SOLACE IN WRITING ABOUT PAST ENCOUNTERS AND CHALLENGES?

A – KIA: Most of my writing comes from a painful place. I am a very private person (this is the first time I’ve spoken openly to this extent) so, instead of sitting down with someone and telling my whole story it comes out in my writing and there is no greater feeling than knowing my work is admired by not just family and friends, but strangers as well. Writing is extremely therapeutic.

Q – RICARDO: WHERE DID YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM IN WRITING AND SHARING YOUR STORY?

A – KIA: I find it very difficult to write on demand, so if I have a new project it is more than likely because I just went through something or seen something that touched me.

 Q – RICARDO: AS A PLAYWRIGHT WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT IMPROVISATION AND CREATING THEMES?

A – KIA: I think however it comes out ride with it and figure out the purpose and story later. Sometimes an image, or a title, or line may come to me and I have no idea what it is, or where its going, but eventually it turns into something purposeful, so I embrace whatever comes, how it comes.

Q – RICARDO: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR CHILDREN HOW HAS THEIR PRESENCE SOLIDIFIED YOUR AMBITION?

A – KIA: My children are my rock and I know they watch everything I do. Because of that I know I cannot tell them to follow their dreams, live in their purpose, or do what makes them happy, if I’m not doing it myself.

Q – RICARDO: IF YOU COULD PLANT SEEDS OF HOPE FOR THE WORLD WHAT WOULD THOSE HOPES BE LIKE 100 YEARS FROM NOW?

A – KIA: Unity, peace, love, strength & overstanding who they are and where they came from.

Q – RICARDO: WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN AND GIRLS TO COME FORWARD AND SPEAK THEIR TRUTHS BY SHARING THEIR STORIES OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE THEY’VE EXPERIENCED?

A – KIA: I would definitely encourage anyone who have experience abuse to let it out whether writing about it, talking about it, finding some creative outlet, anything to release the pain. Allowing the pain to remain built up is like hot lava in a contained environment, some point its going to explode. Find your strength and regain control of your life.

Q – RICARDO: DO YOU REGRET ANY DECISIONS YOU’VE MADE BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THE TOXIC RELATIONSHIP?

A – KIA: I used to hate myself for allowing this person to have so much control over my life. I play certain moments back in my mind, seeing the signs, seeing the opportunities to leave, seeing myself fall apart and wondering how did I get here. Going through the what ifs, but what I’ve learned is, I would not be who I am today, if I had not gone through what I’ve gone through. I would not have recognized my strength, I would not have unlocked the power of my words, I would not have positioned myself in a way that would have such an impact on the lives of others and a monster would still be walking the streets preying on women and young girls. I do not regret my decisions, however, I do wish the people who took this journey with me did not have to feel the pain that came with it.

Q – RICARDO: WOULD YOU MIND SHARING ABOUT YOUR ASPIRATIONS IN PLAYWRITING AND A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR PLAYS, AND HOW THAT CRAFT HAS HELPED YOU MOVE FORWARD?

Interim House library; the facility has been completely renovated.

A- KIA: I never set out to be a playwright. I used to be a volunteer at the YWCA’s admin office downtown. One day I was approached by a coworker with the idea of helping her write a play to help raise money for their Interim House (a shelter for Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Survivors). I had never written or even thought about writing a play before, but I figured “how hard could it be.” I did some research and started writing, by the end I had written majority of the script – not trying to take over, but I felt in tune with the process. After that play the ideas kept coming. I do not find topics to write about, they find me! The first play was entitled “A Mere Image” (a play about domestic violence/sexual assault), next was “Undesirable Pleasures” (a play about addiction), then “Secrets Untold” (a play about a dysfunctional family and a manipulative outsider).

All these plays, although I didn’t see the connection while writing, in some way mirrored my personal life, but this current piece, “Strike 3” is deliberate. Strike 3 is not just about me – it is about the maltreatment of all Black and Brown people in this country at the hands of a corrupt system, and understanding that nothing will change until we decide to fight back! Writing has always been my passion and now I realize it is my purpose. Whether it is a poem or play, everything I do has a meaning behind it. The universe guides my words, and I would like to continue to inspire others with my work, while at the same time heal myself as writing is my therapy.

RICARDO: So many women and young girls have gone through horrendous and traumatic experiences of being victimized in domestic violence situations, sexual assaults, and physical, mental and emotional abuse, even well known celebrities and others have been physically abused and sexually assaulted, the likes of Mary J. Blige, Congresswoman Jackie Speier, Oprah Winfrey, Rihana, Toni Braxton, and countless others all have experienced an ordeal where they were either abused or sexually assaulted. Many of the women and young girls who are known and less known share something in common, they all have experienced an unwanted victimization.

This writer has interviewed many people whose stories are impactful, but haven’t until now, found one to be as compelling and powerful as that of Kia Faison’s. Here we have a woman who endured physical, mental and emotional abuse for years, only to come out victoriously triumphant over her abuser and situation. It goes to show how one can overcome insurmountable challenges and still hold their head high with dignity. Kia is a sterling example of someone who experienced an abusive situation and yet began a healing process by sharing her story and TRUTH, (Truth Really Unveiled The Healing) in an effort to help others who have went through a similar storm. Her coping mechanism, in part, can be attributed to how she embraced the art of written expression.

In her new book “Expressions of an Empress: Within the Heart of a Warrior” she writes – “Any journey traveled where there are lessons learned is never a wasted trip… Always remember, you are worth saving, you are worth protecting, you are worth more…” — Kia Faison

It’s absolutely amazing how our women have seemingly overcome the madness of degradation, abuse, neglect, trauma and sexual assault, yet still triumph over those difficult moments and find so much purpose inside of themselves.

In reading her book, I learned so much about the power of words, they (words) can create any kind of situation both good or bad. Kia utilized her hidden power and defeated a monster who abused her and her daughter. Kia is a phenomenal playwright and has appeared in at least three plays so far, with her sights on many other productions and projects. The upcoming play ‘Strike 3’ at The International Institute, which Kia is a part of, is sure to have people on the edge of their seats. Among the themes that stands out to me in ‘Strike 3’ is, “No longer accepting the unacceptable.” These sort of outlets have given Kia an avenue to travel further on her journey to not only help herself fully heal, but provide a space for others in their quest for healing as well.

Another notable quote I read in her book is: “If you never step out of the shadows to spread your wings you will never know how high you can soar.” — Kia Faison Furthermore, this writer usually ends articles with his final note, but in this exclusive interview he is giving the final word to the interviewee, Ms. Faison. Kia’s final thought and message to anyone in an abusive situation… “You are not alone, you don’t have to be ashamed or embarrassed, stand strong and most importantly, [Survive] by any means necessary! The only “victims” are those who didn’t make it out… don’t let the bullies and the cowards win.”

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TRUTH REALLY UNVEILED: The Healing – Part Two ERICA LYNN GILLIS

By Ricardo Ferrell 

VOD Staff Writer

VOD: Part two of this exclusive article covers the amazing Erica Lynn Gillis, another survivor who embraced healing techniques in dealing with the abuse she faced, coming soon!!

In this part two of the TRUTH series, I interviewed Erica Lynn Gillis, an author, motivational speaker, podcast host and transformational coach, as she shared with me her journey through a dark place indicative of being physically tormented and disregarded as a human being. Erica also shared the following: “After coming out of a place of being stuck and struggling all these years, I’ve come to a point where I was tired of being broke, battered and abused. This is when God started turning things around.”

Excerpt from her book; 7 Techniques of Healing: “Erica knows all too well the effects of not knowing your value. Her life was spiraling out of control until she made the decision to get help. In this book she shares some of her personal experiences with abuse and abandonment.”

AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW W/ERICA LYNN, A SURVIVOR WHO MADE IT OUT AND DIDN’T LOOK BACK:

Q – RICARDO: WHAT WAS YOUR COPING MECHANISM WHEN YOU WERE IN THE ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP?

A – ERICA: The coping mechanism I used when I was in my abusive relationship came in different parts, one was when I wasn’t pregnant, I stayed high on marijuana and alcohol. I was such a young girl, I really didn’t know any better. I just knew I didn’t want to be a statistic and have my children grow up without a father like I did. I sacrificed myself for my children.

Q – RICARDO: WHERE DID YOU PULL YOUR STRENGTH FROM TO WALK AWAY AND NOT LOOK BACK?

A – ERICA: My strength came when I turned 28. I woke up one day and it was like a light bulb flashed on. You see, I was working 3 jobs at the time to make sure I covered my family financially, my ex-husband and I were sleeping in the basement on 2 mattresses on the floor in my sister’s house and the kids shared rooms with her kids. I remember being so emotionally drained that day. He had come from working a temp job and set my keys on the dresser and walked away. Later on in the day he had come for the keys and they were gone. We looked all over for those keys and could not find them. He started cursing and getting angry about not finding the keys. Then all of a sudden the house was quiet and my womanly intuition said go outside. When I went outside, he had his friend jack up the car, burst open the steering column and put a screwdriver inside so he could drive to work. I remember standing in the middle of the street jumping up & down crying and yelling asking him why didn’t he ask me, it was my car. Why would your brain tell you to do something like this and destroy my property, which is all I have to make it through?

What happened next, is what changed my mind forever. I told him he had to go pack his stuff and leave my sister’s house. I had had enough, it is my responsibility to make sure these children have a chance in life. He sat me down on the bed and for four hours he poked me in the middle of my forehead like I was his pet. Telling me how much he loved me, then in the next breath degrading me and treating me like I was nothing. Then four hours later after crying my eyes out, I asked him, “Are you done?” He said, “Yes, are we going to stay together?” I dried my tears and took a deep breath and told him to get the hell out.

To answer your question my strength came from wanting the possibility of giving my kids a fighting chance to be something in life.

Q – RICARDO: HAVE YOU ALWAYS HAD STRONG FAITH IN THE LORD?

A – ERICA: Although I was raised in church and had faith as a young child after I got older and men started tearing me apart I walked away from the church and my faith in God.

Q – RICARDO: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG WOMAN THAT MAY EXPERIENCE THE SAME ABUSE THAT YOU ONCE FACED?

A – ERICA: The advice I would give a young woman that experienced the same abuse that I once faced is don’t ignore the signs when they first show up in the relationship. Don’t bury yourself in your own mind because you will wake up one day and find that you don’t really exist. The most important thing to know is that there is sun at the end of the rainbow. Although things might be challenging now God looks over all of us and you will come through this and look back not to dwell, but to be a blessing for someone else.

Q – RICARDO: DO YOU FIND SOLACE IN WRITING ABOUT YOUR PAST ENCOUNTERS AND CHALLENGES?

A – ERICA: Yes, I find solace in writing about my encounters and challenges of my past because not only did it allow me to heal, but the feeling I received when men and women reach out to me to tell me how my book has blessed and inspired them.

Q – RICARDO: WHERE DID YOUR INSPIRATION COME FROM IN WRITING 7 TECHNIQUES OF HEALING?

A – ERICA: My inspiration in writing 7 Techniques of Healing first came from a concept of finding something to write about. I kept praying and praying and was working on myself and one morning I woke up and God gave me the word Healing. After writing it down, I took each letter and made a word out of it. H-Heal, E-Educate, A-Action, L-Learn, I-Inspire, N-Need, G-Growth. It was perfect. These are the steps I went through to get my own healing, now it is time to help all those I can to get their healing to. 

Q – RICARDO: AS HOST OF 1 STEP BEYOND U PODCAST, WHAT TOPICS DO YOU DISCUSS?

A – ERICA: The topics I discuss started from me interviewing different guests on my show during the first season with titles such as: Living in Fear in Your Own Mind; Know Where You’re Going and How to Get There; Getting Fit and Learning Better Eating Habits; Blueprint for Success; and Getting God Involved – just to name a few. Now my subjects are: How to Find Your Balance, The Element of Elimination, Watch Your Words and I recently completed a 3 part series on Setting Your Goals. My podcast is: 1 Step Beyond U on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/1stepbeyonduEricaLynn/ and it play on my YouTube channel titled Erica Lynn Gilllis.www.youtube.com/channel/UCHERHLXmYOropS8LY96utVVg. Instagram @1stepbeyondu.

Q – RICARDO: TELL ME ABOUT YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTER?

A – ERICA: I have three children, a 23 year-old son that lives in Taiwan, 21 year-old daughter that also lives in Taiwan, and 18 year-old son that lives here in the states. My children are all gifted and talented in music and the arts. It was a bit difficult at first to have three children that sing, dance, rap, make music, and model, they drove me nuts. If you know anything about creative children, you have to be a parent that thinks outside-the-box to allow their creativity to flow. My oldest son Q’lante has a full four- year scholarship to Taiwan University; he also is a rapper and make and mixes beats, he is a force to be reckoned with. His passion and hobby is b-boy dancing. My daughter Deja is a model, a singer, an actress, an excellent writer, and a blogger. She originally went to Taiwan first on a 4 year scholarship to college because she speaks fluent Chinese. My son Jalen is a professional skater, he recently came in first place in a big competition and was named champion.

Q – RICARDO: IF YOU COULD PLANT SEEDS OF HOPE FOR THE WORLD – WHAT WOULD THOSE HOPES BE LIKE 100 YEARS FROM NOW?

A – ERICA: They would look like a place of happiness and forgiveness. Sometimes in order for God to move you to another level you have to forgive yourself first in order to forgive someone else. When that is done, a place of peace, happiness and joy will take over your world. I heard a pastor once say, joy will come in the morning, things may not seem like they will change in your favor, but as long as you will have faith, things will change and your joy will come in the morning.

Q – RICARDO: WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE MORE WOMEN & GIRLS TO SPEAK THEIR TRUTHS BY SHARING STORIES OF PHYSICAL, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL ABUSE THEY’VE EXPERIENCED?

A – ERICA: Yes, absolutely, I would definitely encourage more women and girls to speak their truth by sharing stories of physical, mental and emotional abuse because when you hold it in, you hold yourself in bondage. Bondage to the nightmares, bondage to the pain and negative thoughts. When you open up not only do you become free, but you allow someone else to walk you during your time or healing. When I shared a secret with my sister Darlene at 43 years of age, she said, “First of all, I’m sorry that happened to you, but I want you to know you are no longer alone and I will walk with you.” You see, the devil wants you isolated, this is where he can attack your mind the most, but when you open up you allow God to send his people to bless and help heal you, this is when the unity begins.

Erica’s healing started the moment she came to the realization that she had to do more than sit around and wait for her pain and abuse to go away. She connected to the core essence of her healing by identifying and becoming the best version of herself. One particular technique she utilized was deep concentrated breathing exercises, where she would inhale & exhale and say to herself, “I forgive myself” or “I forgive the other person.” This proved to be invaluable, in that, she found power in forgiveness, which catapulted her into a brand new space of letting go of the pain that had held her captive for so long. In her pursuit to find herself, Erica began a new journey inclusive of changing her thinking, as well as an adaptation to a new attitude about life. What she discovered was that her behavior started to change as she embraced the renewed way of thinking. She soon realized that her dependency on drugs & alcohol started to fade away and she had now stepped into her healing process.

Quoting something Erica wrote in 7 Techniques of Healing, which caught my attention and made perfectly good sense; “On this journey of self-discovery, you will learn a lot about yourself and when you’re able to stand in your truth, own it and move on, then you would have reached another level.” This is so true and if anyone out there is struggling to heal from their pain, agony, abuse and self-destruction – you only need to search within yourself to find the answers and solutions to your problems. Erica mentions the road to discovery is the road you seek. Do not stop when the lesson gets hard and you feel like balling up, and shutting down and crying. It’s okay to cry according to Erica Lynn, “But do not let your tears consume you and stop you from learning your lesson. Avoid living in your fears, live past them. I think that is such a powerful statement because all too often, we let fear stop us, we let fear dictate to us that we cannot go forth and be one of God’s greatest creations,” says Erica.

In the Action part of the healing technique, Erica writes: “Have you ever met someone that says they want to lose fifty or one hundred pounds? But, every day, you see them smoking, partying, drinking, and catching the munchies in the mental daze of life. This person lacks self-control, using the kids as an excuse to cook unhealthy fatty foods. They barely exercise since working out and getting high at the same time don’t quite mix. And people would often remind this person of the enormous potential they have and that they have to realize it for themselves.”

“That person was me until I began to take action in my life and change all the things that had been holding me back for years, which quite frankly was myself,” says Erica. We must applaud women like Erica Lynn Gillis and Kia Faison because despite their past encounters and challenges in dealing with abusive relationships replete with domestic abuse and sexual assault, coupled with physical, mental and emotional abuse, they are still standing and have survived some of the worse situations a human being can endure. Erica Lynn is CEO of 1 Step Beyond U, LLC and uses that platform to allow people to air their concerns and not be judged for sharing intricate and sensitive aspects of their lives.

Erica shared how it was when she unveiled the real truth was she able to begin her healing. Among the lessons/exercises you’ll find in 7 Techniques of Healing is in the Educate/Empower section, where the author (Erica Lynn) lays out some steps for those seeking to change their situation as follows.

“I want you to write down three situations or things that have held you back. These situations or things have most likely held you back in life and are what you need healing from. It could be something obstructing your pathway to the next level in your career. It could be a family situation that you cannot dust off your shoulder. Whatever it is, write it down. This is your first step towards education and empowerment. You have made an agreement with yourself that it is time to let go of what is stopping you and lay it in God’s hand.” — Erica Lynn

Another message in her book that resonated and caught my attention towards the end was when Erica referenced my man Shawn Carter, writing, “In the words of rapper, Jay-Z, ‘Gon’ dust your shoulders off,’ and move on. Move into that level of growth that when someone sees you they say, “something is different about you, I just can’t put my finger on it.”

Writer’s final note, let me say this, Erica, you have shown all of us who have read your story and followed your journey that we too have the power to change our lives for the better and we definitely can move one step beyond ourselves and embrace our true purpose in life. Thank you for sharing your story with me and everyone here at Voice of Detroit. I would also like to extend a special shout out to your best friend since the sixth grade, Novah Jackson for her assistance in this interview with the electronic messaging.

ERICA LYNN; KEEP HEALING, YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE DEPENDS ON IT!!

Charles Lewis, in prison 42 years for a crime he did not commit, stands proudly Oct.17 to hear that he is now a free man, as Judge Qiana Lillard reads her decision on his juvenile lifer case. With the 37-60 year sentence, and his prison good time, he was released the following day. With him are (l to r) defense investigator Michael Lynch, mitigation expert Jessica Carrier, defense attorney Sanford Schulman.

LEWIS RE-SENTENCED TO 37-60 YRS; WALKS OUT OF PRISON NEXT DAY

Courageous decision by Judge Lillard in face of pros. request for 50-100 yrs.

Joyous mother Rosie Lewis: “God shined his light!”

Polygraph expert J. P. Carey (former criminal investigator) says conflicting police reports led him to believe Lewis likely innocent, though not yet exonerated

“When I was sentenced in that court at 17, I vowed to learn the law to win my freedom;” — Lewis, who helped many others as jail-house lawyer

Now meeting with  friends to make plans to resume musical career; as expert musician he organized, played in prison bands across Michigan

By Diane Bukowski

October 20, 2019

Atty. Kenneth Cockrel, Sr.

Judge Joseph Maher

DETROIT–In November, 1977, skilled young Black musician, student, and family caretaker Charles Lewis, 17, stood before Recorders Court Judge Joseph Maher, who the late attorney Kenneth Cockrel Sr. termed a virulent racist, to hear that he would spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he and eyewitnesses swore he did not commit.

On October 17, 2019, 42 years later, he and his legal team led by defense attorney Sanford Schulman stood before Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Qiana Lillard. She told Lewis he is now a free man, resentenced to 37-60 years, under U.S. Supreme Court rulings banning mandatory juvenile life without parole. His good time credits, restored to Michigan juvenile lifers as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Michigan ACLU, led to his immediate release from the Macomb Correctional Facility the following day, no strings attached.

See Atty. Schulman’s re-sentencing brief at:  http://voiceofdetroit.net/wp-content/uploads/lewis.charles.juvenile.lifer_.brief_.1-1.pdf

Above: Judge Lillard announces 37-60 year resentencing after thoroughly reading file documents; cites inhuman treatment of Lewis in prison, other discrepancies; role Miller v. Alabama factors played in childhood

It was a courageous ruling by Judge Lillard, in particular because Lewis was convicted of killing off-duty police officer Gerald Sypitkowski (despite testimony by the officer’s partner and eyewitnesses who identified a different perpetrator). Judge Lillard paged through reams of documentation as she gave her ruling. It included a prison disciplinary record cited by the prosecution, which defense witness Michael Stapleton, an MDOC expert, said was typical of youth thrown into a hostile environment. Stapleton said Lewis is no threat to society. She condemned in particular a 1989 incident where officials put Lewis in the hole because he refused to kneel and spread his cheeks for no reason.

She also noted defense investigator Michael Lynch’s work, derived from 1970’s newspaper articles describing attacks on Black students whose families, like that of Lewis, had just moved into a mainly-white enclave on the city’s northeast aide.  Lynch located many of Lewis former neighbors, including Michael ‘Mo’ Hollis, a childhood friend who went on to a prominent musical career and is now assisting Lewis to resume his own.

 Oralandar Brand-Williams

ABOVE: Channel 4’s Koco McAboy interviewed Lewis and his attorney Sanford Schulman the morning of his release. Both Channel 4 and Detroit News reporter Oralandar Brand-Williams have faithfully covered Lewis’ 4 year struggle, as shown in Channel 4’s multiple videos from hearings through those years.  See Brand-Williams article linked  below story.

Lynch also unearthed the true origins of the neighborhood youth group police and media claimed Lewis belonged to, the “Kilbourne Killers,” a/k/a the “K.K. Capones.” One neighbor termed it a self-defense “anti-racist alliance” and others said it was NOT a gang. Lewis’ stepfather Herbert Lewis said that his family thought they were moving into a better neighborhood, but it turned out they had moved into a “powder keg.”

Polygraph examiner/ investigator J.Paul Carey:
Lewis’ exams inconclusive due to heart condition, length of incarceration; but inconsistent DPD records show Lewis likely innocent.

Defense attorney Schulman’s team also included mitigation expert Jessica Carrier, forensic polygraph examiner/former police investigator J.P. Carey, and psychiatrists Dr. Colin King and Dr. Daniel Keating. Atty. Schulman compiled the research into a stunning 81 page sentencing memorandum at

The MDOC evidently has not changed much since the 1989 incident where Lewis was sent to the hole for refusing to kneel and spread.

“They put me in the hole when I got back to Macomb Correctional Facility,” Lewis told VOD, despite the fact he was a free man at that point. He spent the night in a basement cell with a mattress and a blanket waiting to be processed out. His sister picked him up early the next morning and took him home.

“Tomorrow I plan to be on a G-5 Lear Jet on my way to Paris,” Lewis added with a chuckle, joking but seriously referring to his plans to resume his musical career,

Lewis’ mother Rosie Lewis, who has fought for her son’s freedom ever since he was jailed, told VOD, “I’m feeling like God has shined on me, he’s just got the spotlight on me. It’s real, my son is alive, he’s well and he’s free. God made him, he didn’t make him to put his hand to no bullets to kill anybody. Lamont is humble, he is thankful.”

Rosie Lewis (center), mother of Charles Lewis and his supporters after Oct. 13, 2017 hearing.

Lewis’ family always called him by his middle name “Lamont,” which was his first name on his original birth certificate as Lamont Hilyard. He was later adopted by his stepfather Herbert Lewis.

Mrs. Lewis reported that her son spent the weekend with his two young grand-nieces, giving them one of his guitars and teaching them how to play it.

“They just love their uncle,” Mrs. Lewis rejoiced. She said he also spent time with his nephew “T.J.,” (Terrence Lewis) who helped Mrs. Lewis move to her daughter’s out-of-state home, where she is now living due to her medical needs. The Facebook video below was posted by T.J, showing Rosie and Herbert Lewis with Charles Lamont (right), sister Stephanie (left of Lamont), and baby Wendy Lewis.

During his decades of incarceration, Lewis, the oldest of five siblings who cared for them while his parents worked, always remembered their birthdays and those of his nieces and nephews, making sure to call each on their day. He also provided advice and guidance to them all.

The video above has song “I’m coming home” playing in the background. To hear video, start it, then click on the F (Facebook) icon.

Lewis has proposed joining his mother there for some time to give her joy in her remaining years.

Everyone VOD has spoken to regarding Lewis’ musical talents have said they are “world-class,” from a guard at Macomb who plays the bass guitar to prisoners who have heard him perform across Michigan, playing keyboards, guitar and numerous other instruments, writing his own music, and organizing concerts for prison bands. Lewis also sent a copy of a CD of his music, compiled by his brother David, to Judge Lillard. Judge Lillard expressed her appreciation of the skilled music she heard.

Michael Hollis, a childhood friend who went on to a successful musical career of his own, told defense investigators, “It makes me cry to think of my best friend who is every bit as good as I, maybe better, but for a twist of fate ended up in such a different place.”

The outline of this sketch was drawn in 1976 by a DPD evidence technician. Referencing testimony at second trial, VOD has added a red line with a white Lincoln Mark IV showing the path of that car. Also a green line showing route juveniles said they took at scene, stating Officer Sypitkowski was killed at bus stop to the right, where no forensic evidence found.
Sypitkowski’s partner and other eyewitnesses said they were directly west of Barrett outside Oty’s Bar when they said they saw gunfire from the Lincoln Mark IV and Sypitkowski fall, mortally wounded.

Lewis’ potentially brilliant musical career was cruelly cut short when he was falsely arrested Aug. 2, 1976 for the murder of off-duty police officer Gerald Sypitkowski. The killing occurred in a Detroit northeast side neighborhood rife with racist attacks on Black youths by white civilians and police officers opposing the integration of the previously all-white enclaves.

Defense investigator Michael Lynch thoroughly combed the neighborhood to get statements from residents still living there, and others who had moved. They identified the “Kilbourne Killers/KK. Capones, termed a “gang” by police and media, instead as an “anti-racist” self-defense alliance.

The initial joy juvenile lifers across the U.S. experienced when the U.S. Supreme Court handed down Miller v. Alabama in 2012, outlawing mandatory juvenile life without parole, was also cut short. Over half of Michigan’s juvenile lifers, 63 percent, have not yet been released.

Lewis faced a singularly uphill battle since he was convicted of killing a white police officer, albeit an off-duty officer in civilian clothes, who had just left a bar and would not have been recognizable as a police officer.

Henry Montgomery being booked

In 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down Montgomery v. Louisiana, which declared Miller retroactive. The case was that of Henry Montgomery, a 17-year-old Black youth accused of killing a white deputy sheriff also dressed in civilian clothes. Montgomery, now 70, was resentenced to life WITH parole but so far has twice been denied release by the state’s parole board.

Most parole boards base their decisions on the original crime, not evidence of rehabilitation,” according to a study in Outline magazine, “The False Hope of Parole.”

“A nationwide survey of parole boards found in 2008 that the top two factors they consider are ‘crime severity’ and ‘crime type,’ writes author Katie Rose Quandt. “Five of the top ten factors relate to the original crime, and just one — “offender institutional behavior” — has anything to do with rehabilitation.”

She adds later, “Black youths suspected of killing a white person . . .make up about 23 percent of juvenile murder arrests — and more than 42 percent of juveniles serving life without parole.”

AP Tom Dawson argues for Lewis to be resentenced to 50-100 years.

Lewis, however, will never have to face a parole board, an issue which caused AP Tom Dawson extreme dismay.

Assistant Prosecutor Tom Dawson, red-faced, argued for a sentence of 50-100 years which would have forced Lewis to face the parole board. Dawson claimed that the “benefits” of re-entry programs during that time would help Lewis adjust.

Dawson’s proposed sentence is not authorized under the state’s juvenile lifer resentencing statutes, which limit term of years sentences to 60 year maximums.

Lewis has been in the MDOC Re-Entry Unit at Macomb Correctional Facility since Nov. 2018, after it appeared that prosecution would agree to a term of years sentence. He has taken numerous classes, including the well-known “Chance for Life.” But the sentence Dawson recommended would have forced Lewis to face a parole board that likely would NEVER release him.

Supporters from the Islamic Mellanic Palace of the Rising Sun gather outside Lewis’ courtroom Oct. 18, 2019.

Supporters who came to the second day of Lewis’ re-sentencing said NOTHING is offered to prisoners who leave on parole. Some also were at a packed memorial Oct. 19 for Morris Martin, Sr., founder of the Islamic Mellanic Palace of the Rising Sun, who worked tirelessly with Lewis and others to assist newcomers to the MDOC, educating and advising them on their legal and human rights, and assisting them with filing pro se appeals.

Dozens of those former prisoners, many who like Lewis spent more than 40 years in the MDOC, spoke out passionately at the memorial on what they learned from Martin. The Mellanic Palace recognizes as its true founder Nat Turner, the famed kidnapped African who organized a rebellion of slaves in Southampton, VA in Aug. 1831.

Morris Martin

Martin passed away Oct. 5, 2019 after spending 48 years in prison, at the age of 69. He had been ill for some time, but continued fighting for his fellow prisoners, who said at the memorial that he woke up writing documents on his typewriter and went to bed the same way, while teaching numerous prisoners to become “jailhouse lawyers.”

Martin won many legal cases, including the noted Martin v. Department of Corrections, which said the rules of the MDOC had to be “promulgated,” meaning they had to be made known to all parties including prisoners.

Nat Turner led a famed slave rebellion on July 4, 1831, and was later hanged, drawn and quartered, along with many of his fellow rebels, for their heroic resistance. The rebellion called primarily  for the human right to education and literacy. Others won many of its demands later.

One day out of prison, Charles Lewis sat at Martin’s memorial, paying tribute to his mentor and comrade.

VOD HAS PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE VICTORIOUS BATTLE TO FREE CHARLES LEWIS FOR THE LAST 4 YEARS, PUBLISHING AT LEAST 45 STORIES WHICH IT PROMULGATED TO THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IN THE FORM OF PRESS RELEASES. THOSE RELATED STORIES ARE LINKED IN THE PREVIOUS ARTICLE AT http://voiceofdetroit.net/2019/10/13/juv-lifer-charles-lewis-free-at-last-final-hearing-tues-oct-15-9am-judge-lillard-fmhj/

ORALANDAR BRAND-WILLIAMS DETROIT NEWS ARTICLE: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2019/10/17/judge-reduces-sentence-juvenile-lifer-cop-killing/4002541002/

OUR BELOVED BROTHER CHARLES LEWIS, WELCOME HOME TO YOUR BRIGHT FUTURE. MAY ALLAH GRANT YOU SUCCESS!!

Some members of the Michigan Chapter of the  Anti-Bullying Crusade; Patricia Reed at bottom center

OCTOBER: NATIONAL ANTI-BULLYING AWARENESS MONTH!

By Ricardo Ferrell, VOD Staff Writer

VOD staff writer Ricardo Ferrell

Women are the cradle of civilization and should be honored as such – Everyday! Far too often, the strong women of our society who are out there on the frontlines get overshadowed by the philanthropic work of the Rich & Famous; therefore, overlooked by mainstream media outlets.

In this article, Voice of Detroit  is proud to be honoring and recognizing three women of excellence who Rock! Today, we’ll be highlighting their inspiration to others, and their passion to eradicate bullying and reduce violence.

To combat these issues that plague our children and have become a common theme in our learning institutions across America, Lauren Washington cofounded the Anti-Bully Crusaders Organization (ABC). A nonprofit 501(c)(3). @ http://www.antibullycrusaders.org.

Through hard work, dedication, vision and leadership these women are impacting the lives of our children and changing the landscape in our communities. Now, let’s meet the beautiful women who are responsible for running ABC. Lauren Washington, Alexis Ramirez and Patricia Reed.

Kiesha Shaw, named ABC’s new event planner, was not directly available for this interview. But Keisha attributes her motivation for the ABC Project to her passion for learning, teaching, and empowering the youth.

Lauren Washington co-founder Anti-Bully Crusaders, with dad Leroy Washington

RICARDO: HELLO LADIES. SO TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE AND WHY YOU CHOSE BULLYING AS YOUR HUMANITARIAN CAUSE?

LAUREN:  Okay, where do I start? I have a degree and background in Business. I’m working on my MBA, trying to break into the Real Estate market, and I’ve recently teamed up with an investment group to relaunch my online boutique.

Why Anti-bullying… Changing and Saving young lives has become a major priority for me? It really bothers me to see young children and teens committing suicide. Actually taking their OWN lives because they are getting bullied. That is UNACCEPTABLE. I can’t just sit on the sideline and watch this epidemic continue without doing something. I think we all have a moral obligation to get involved – by doing so, we are helping to save some lives. The pain I have in my heart is we’re not doing all we can do, in the wealthiest country in the world, to put a stop to bullying and senseless acts of violence. So, ABC is my contribution to the solution.

Alexis Ramirez, ABC Executive Director

ALEXIS: Well, I have a degree in accounting. I’ve known Lauren for a while and when she told me about her idea for this nonprofit and she needed my assistance to help eradicate bullying, it was a no brainer for me. I really believe in the cause. To witness the program actually working makes my heart flutter. There is no better feeling than knowing you’ve made a difference in the life of a child who needs your help.

PATRICIA: I have a Bachelors of Science from the University of Phoenix. I worked in the manufacturing industry for 12 years before I decided to become a teacher. As an educator working with at risk youth in the Lansing Public School District, I have witnessed firsthand how our learning institutions have become a common place for hazing, cruelty, humiliation, mistreatment… and all the other acts of bullying.

Michael Martin, 13, committed suicide after bullying.

I said “Enough is Enough” when a 13 year-old 8th grader, Michael Martin of Lansing Everet High School, committed suicide in January of this year because he was being bullied. The really sad part about this story is the fact that his mother was proactive and went to the administrators of that school for help in November. This made me really upset. Kids are dying because other kids are picking on them in school! School is supposed to be a safe place. To make matters worse, as I further researched, I found out that Michigan has one of the highest bullying-related suicide rates in the country. That’s when I decided, I definitely have to do something to help change this narrative.

RICARDO: LAUREN CAN YOU TELL US HOW ABC CAME ABOUT?

LAUREN: It would be my pleasure. I was a freshman in college and I had to do a research paper on suicides. As I was researching, I came across some startling statistics. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), “Four thousand four hundred (4,400) American teenagers commit suicide annually, and two out of nine (22%) as a result of an act of bullying. That really bothered me. I knew right then and there, I had to do something about it.

ABC co-founder Leroy Washington, Lauren’s father.

I got with my father and asked him to help me develop a program for young people that would impact their lives and help us as human beings to change the way we treat each other. He responded in his typical nonchalant fashion “to easy ma.” We worked on a curriculum and instructor’s manual for a couple of years, then founded the “Anti-Bully Crusaders Organization.”

And here we are. It hasn’t been an easy task, or journey, but I have learned so much along the way and met so many wonderful and amazing young people. To know that my father and I, along with our ABC family is making a difference, is so rewarding.

RICARDO: TELL US HERE AT VOD ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND WHAT IS DIFFERENT WITH ABC FROM OTHER ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAMS?

LAUREN: While there are many Anti-Bullying organizations/programs, their disadvantage is that most are only symposium-based, merely on a one-time group meeting or discussion. Although we believe they mean well, their methodology does not equip participants with the necessary tools to understand the problem, let alone change the narrative. Therefore, they are less effective. No organization does what ABC does. We offer an interactive curriculum that is engaging, thought provoking, and actually causes change in the Thinking, Attitude and Behavior. Basically, we are teaching young people how to think. Not what to think. And that’s important.

ALEXIS: In my eyes, the program is special because of the way it was beta tested in a prison setting, among a group of 60 Black, White, and Hispanic young men between the ages of 15 to 21. It changed the lives of the original participants forever. These gang members and violent offenders became change agents. Their attitudes and behaviors were a direct reflection of the program. 

Patricia Reed, President of ABC Michigan Chapter

The prison administration mandated it for the entire youth population. Within the first month of implementation it reduced the overall violence in that prison by 32% (from 480 critical incidents down to 150). That’s amazing. We learned that if can happen there, it can happen anywhere.

In our current form of the program, we have kept the integrity of the original program, but have revised it, to become relevant to the needs of men, women, teens, and children everywhere. Now, who can say their program has been tried and tested in this fashion and capacity? Big thanks to the administrators at the Thumb prison for letting us pilot, monitor and evaluate the program at their facility.

PATRICIA: As an educator, what stood out to me about the program was the multiplicity in the style of teaching. ABC uses five complementary tools that build understanding: Reading, Visualizing, Writing, Conversing, and Reflecting. It is education in its truest form, tapping into the experience of the participants to elicit “the exchange of information.” We create an environment in which a group can together explore issues of bullying, drawing forth from one another a deeper understanding of how these issues affect our lives as individuals and as a society. The emphasis is on the real-life experiences the facilitators and participants bring to the class. These experiences inform the readings. The readings illuminate the experiences. The exercises opens everyone to the process.

RICARDO: HOW RECEPTIVE ARE THE SCHOOLS AND KIDS OF YOUR PROGRAM?

ALEXIS: Every school we’ve been to has made the experience pleasant. We get a lot of calls from schools all over the United States requesting our workshops and seminars. Unfortunately, our resources are limited and we can’t service everyone. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing, but that’s the problem we’re having right now. So, this year, in order to service more schools, we are planning some unique fundraising events. Hopefully, we’ll get awarded the grants we’ve applied for. We are seeking a title one certification. This will help urban schools offset some of the cost. For schools, who may not have available funding in their programming budget, we can help them do some creative fundraising as well.

Shawn T. Blanchard, author of “How About That for a Crack Baby?”

As far as the program… With young people, you know they can be rough at times. However, Shawn (Shawn T. Blanchard) and Tracy (Palmer) are consummate professionals. They do most of the facilitator’s training and keynote speaking. Both are exceptional mentors and the kids really respect them and their approach. What we’ve been learning from our program (a common across the board), while school is a learning institution, our children are coming to school with a lot of unsolved issues. Our program opens the door to these conversations. One of the primary things we teach young people, is how to ask for help.

LAUREN: I agree with Lex. I’m no psychologist, but I can remember days in school where I had social distractions. I didn’t know how to deal with these issues nor did I know how to ask for help. A child can’t learn anything when so many other things are on his/her mind that they feel are far more important. We have to help them clear the air first. We have to stop discounting what’s important issues to our young people. For instance, on day five of the journal action challenge we ask students: “Make a firm decision today and let go of something in your heart that has kept you living in hatred, rather than love. Write down what you plan to let go. Why do you think you’ve held on to this feeling for so long? One student wrote: “Well first of all I would let go of the hate from the men that killed my brother but yeah no that hatred never leaving.”

Two things… First, this is a cry for help. The student is saying, I want to forgive, but I don’t know how! Secondly, how can a student perform at a high level, when they have to deal with these real-life personal and social issues? Our programming opens the door for meaningful dialogue that young people to address issues that are not being addressed in our schools. And, with all due respect, we can’t expect or force our teachers or learning institutions to become psychologists or psychiatrists.

RICARDO: THAT WAS DEEP. WHAT DO YOU LADIES THINK WE ARE DOING WRONG? AND AS PARENTS WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THINGS BETTER?

Keisha Shaw ABC Event Coordinator

LAUREN: To be honest I don’t have all the solutions. ABC has been my contribution and starting point. Collectively, we have to do more to stop bullying and violence. We are the most affluent and greatly blessed people anywhere on this planet and we are not doing enough for those who do not have a voice.

PATRICIA: I think we have to take these social issues more seriously. Young people are experiencing and experimenting more. If we don’t teach our kids, somwone less qualified certainly will. The streets are mean. Full of destruction and death. We must teach them to embrace the concepts of ,”The Strong Must Protect Weak! Not ridicule and Exploit Them! And collectively we are not going to allow it!

RICARDO: WE HEARD THAT PATRICIA WILL BE OVERSEEING THE MICHIGAN BRANCH OF ABC. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT INITIATIVE? WHEN WILL IT START AND WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?

PATRICIA: I’m very excited about having this opportunity. Last year we were blessed to work with Martin Luther King High School (Detroit), Great Lakes Academy (Pontiac), and Northwestern High School (Flint). This year we hope to kick off the Michigan initiative during NABAM (National Anti-Bullying Awareness Month) of October by servicing more schools in those districts as well as Lansing Everet and Sexton. Our objective is to get the parents, city council members, mayors, state reps., the governor, the public and most importantly, all the students involved in this movement to help make all schools a “Bully Free Safe Zone!” We need volunteers and all the support we can get. We the “PEOPLE” have to change this ugly narrative of -Bullying.

LAUREN: This year our focus is to put boots on the ground in Michigan and establish a permanent presence. Our goal is to make all schools in Michigan a “Bully Free Safe Zone!” We are cordially inviting everyone to get involved in this fight to eradicate bullying. If you would like to bring a workshop or seminar to your school please contact us. We would be happy to go over this fun, quick and easy process. We work directly with the student body, PTA, faculty amd local community leaders to assist in creative funding alternatives and fundraising opportunities. Contact us today at: www.antibullycrusaders.org

RICARDO: LAUREN YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT CAUGHT MY ATTENTION. “…MAKING THE WORLD BETTER FOR THE NEXT GENERATION” WOULD YOU PLEASE ELABORATE?

LAUREN: Absolutely. My father has imparted upon me that every generation must prepare for the next generation. To live for today is shortsighted and selfish, to live for tomorrow is vision and selfless. God gave us all the wealth of our potential, abilities, energies, creativity, ideas, and dreams to help others. To help the next generation, we must nurture these gifts. If I do not take what has been given to me and my potential to make a serious contribution and difference, then I will have failed not only myself, but others who are depending on people like me.

RICARDO: SPEAKING OF YOUR FATHER, THAT’S MY GUY! WHAT IS HE UP TO RIGHT NOW?

LAUREN: Well, as you know he’s working on his Doctorate of Education. He has four classes this semester. He’s working on his biography/memoir. Shawn T. Blanchard hooked us up with a publishing deal from Lion’s Dream. He’s helping us coordinate our Michigan initiative. While these are huge opportunities, he’s most excited about the TAB-MI (Thinking-Attitude-Behavior-Modification-Initiative) curriculum he’s working on with you and Quentin Jones. I thought I was busy… major sensory overload! I don’t know how you guys do it! But, corrective behavior, mentoring and curriculum writing is what he’s most passionate about. I can’t wait to see you all’s project come into fruition.

Thank you. All I can say about the TAB-MI Project, is that it’s huge. We have some real heavyweights making a scholarly contribution. And, you’re right. Your father is one of the most driven individuals I’ve met in a long time. That’s one of the reasons I’m excited and honored when he asked me to be a part of this venture. I came right in and proposed a name for the project, which turned out in part to be from an essay I wrote for DreamBigLiveBig.Net, a free online website for troubled youth and young adults titled: Thinking*Attitude*Behavior (TAB).

RICARDO: WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN STORE FOR THE NATIONAL ANTI-BULLY AWARENESS MONTH OF OCTOBER?

ALEXIS: NABAM (National Anti-Bully Awareness Month) of October is a special month for our cause. 2017, the theme was “Speak-Up & Speak-Out” campaign; 2018, was the “Bullying Stop Here!” rally; this year our objective is to make all of our learning institutions a “Bully Free Safe Zone.” During October, we’ll be hosting the ABC seminar at 25 schools in 25 days (25/25). This tour will allow us to reach and teach over 75,000 students in Dallas/Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Our goal is to spread awareness, teach students about the Bully Situation, give each school an opportunity to bring the ABC Workshop to their community, and of course this is our month of fundraising. It’s also noteworthy to mention: Our NABAM Celebrity Basketball Game that was scheduled for October has been postponed until May 2020. Some of our staff was invited to the Forbes Under 30 Summit in Detroit at the historic Masonic Temple, around the same time, and with the 25/25, we just won’t have time to make it as epic an event as we would like. We’re not in the business of half doing things.

RICARDO: NO SHAME IN DOING IT RIGHT. MAYBE YOU’LL GIVE US AN EXCLUSIVE TO COVER THAT EVENT IN MAY?

ALEXIS: Sounds Good. It’s official! The entire VOD family is invited.

RICARDO: WHERE DO YOU SEE ABC IN THE NEXT 2-3 YEARS?

LAUREN: Glad you asked! Our ultimate goal is to have the Anti-Bully Crusaders Program in all schools across the nation. With that, we would like to have certified ABC Student Ambassadors at all schools to help represent the program and movement. Also, just to let you in on a little secret, we are in talks with a group about helping us add a second phase to the ABC Programming. This will be a follow up/mentorship program for all former participants. In order to keep them on track, we would like to offer them additional resources and tools. So, stay tuned-in and make sure you sign up for the ABC Newsletter on our website. Coming this Fall!

PATRICIA: One of the main goals that I would like to accomplish is to work on developing a curriculum for preschool and elementary schools, because I’ve noticed that bullying starts at a very young age.

RICARDO: AS WOMEN WHO ROCK! WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG WOMAN WHO MAY SEE YOU AS A ROLE MODEL?

LAUREN: I would tell young a young woman what my father told me… “You have the ability to create the world you want to live in. Nothing is fixed for you. You can conquer anything you put your mind too! Knots can be untied, chains can be broken, walls can be smashed down, and doors can be pushed open. Keep that self-determination and confidence in your abilities. Always listen to your inner voice and never let others drown it out. Measure your words and balance your works with your gifts carefully.

Let NO one define who you are! Some will deify you, and treat you like a princess, while others will want to dismiss you as a peasant. Some will embrace you, others will shun and reject you. This is the world we live in, but their opinions of you will not increase or diminish the value of who you truly are! Allow none to tempt you to abandon your principles. Always follow what is right! Stick to the path of honesty and integrity. You are a strong young lady…let nothing break you!” If you wanna be great, you have to do all the extraordinary things that great people do! Being a woman means we have to work twice as hard, be twice as smart. When everyone is playing, vacationing, sleeping, we gotta be putting in work!

PATRICIA: The advice I would give a young woman who may see me as a role model is to always find a purpose that you’re passionate about. Knowing her purpose helps her stay focused on the goals that she has set for herself and will make life more meaningful. She should always surround herself with positive and successful people who will inspire her to be a better person.

ALEXIS: To all the women out there, don’t let anyone or anything stop you from reaching your full potential. Get out there, be brave and don’t be afraid to learn or try new things. When you find your passion in life or something you enjoy doing or want to do, go after it, keep pushing and don’t give up. The only thing worse than a failure, is a no try!

RICARDO: WE NEED MORE PROGRAMS LIKE ABC IN OUR SCHOOLS. HOW CAN WE HELP RAISE FUNDS AND WHO HAVE BEEN YOUR GREATEST SUPPORTERS?

ALEXIS: This fiscal year will be the first time we apply for grant help. If anyone has any grant information or suggestions, we could certainly use that. Also, September marks our 2nd Annual T-shirt & Hat sale. If you would like to purchase Shirt or Hat or make a generous donation go to our website. We appreciate all the help we can get. Take pictures in your shirts at your school, on the job, wherever you’re at and send them to us to post.

LAUREN: As far as supporters, we are looking for a permanent corporate sponsor. We’ve done a lot of collaborations with other organizations and we’ve received financial and product donations from many companies. However, our biggest supporter has been the United Auto Workers of America (UAW). Each year these wonderful men and women host our T-shirt and Hat sale. It’s because of our supporters we’ve been able to service thousands of students. So, thank you all and God Bless you for your purchases and generous donations!

RICARDO: THANKS FOR SHARING THIS MOMENT WITH US AR VOD. IT HAS BEEN AN ABSOLUTE PLEASURE INTERVIEWING YOU AMAZING LADIES. DO YOU HAVE ANYONE YOU’D LIKE TO THANK?

ABC: Of course, too many to name! First, we’d like to give all the praise and glory to God! Then we’d like to thank all the student participants, teachers, faculty members, volunteers, staffers, sponsors, everyone who has made a generous donation and contribution in support of ABC. And, last but certainly not least, a special thanks to You, Diane Bukowski and the entire VOD team. Without all of you believing in our cause and having faith in what we do… we couldn’t do it!

RICARDO: Once again. The ABC project is an evolving set of projects that provide avenues of hope, meaningful educational opportunities, and creative strategies that curtail intimidation, crush cruelty, and help to reduce senseless violence. The program demonstrates the potential for dynamic collaborations between students, facilitators, and other prominent figures of the community. Most importantly, through this unique exchange, the ABC Project seeks to deepen the dialogue -transform ways of thinking about being a bully, victim, or witness in society as a whole. ABC needs your support! This life changing program is definitely a game-changer when it comes to addressing the issue of -Bullying.

For more information about how you can keep up with the efforts of the ABC movement, win prizes, enter contests, show your support, donate, sponsor a workshop, and/or bring a workshop or seminar to your school or community, become directly involved as a volunteer or facilitator and become an independent fundraiser for ABC’s “Bully Free Safe Zone” Initiative. Visit the ABC website at: http://www.antibullycrusaders.org, or Facebook/AntibullyCrusaders or Instagram@Antibullycrusaders.

Writers note: Until the next time… Practice peace, tolerance and acceptance! Also, I am looking forward to contributing to ABC’s Newsletter by frequently submitting anti-bullying related articles for publishing. To Lauren, Alexis, and Patricia, keep being ABC’s phenomenal -Women Who Rock!

Ricardo… signing off!!

VOD staff writer Ricardo Ferrell has been a human rights activist behind the prison walls for decades. Write him!

Ricardo Ferrell #140701

Gus Harrison Correctional Facility

2727 East Beecher St. Adrian, MI 49221

UAW members on strike outside Flint GM plant Sept. 16, 2019. CNBC photo

It could be tough on those who have walked off the job and away from a regular paycheck. But it could be great for the country.

Largest labor action in U.S. in over 10 years

Inspired by service workers’ strikes: teachers, janitors, fast food workers

By Sarah Lahm

The Progressive

September 16, 2019

Close to 50,000 United Auto Workers across the United States are on strike against General Motors as of 11:59 p.m., September 15. If the strike goes on for any real length of time, it’ll be tough on those who have walked off the job and away from a regular paycheck.

But it could be great for the country.

The UAW strike is the largest labor action in the United States in at least a decade, and the first for the union in twelve years. Images are cropping up of auto workers walking the picket line, carrying boldly lettered “On Strike” signs and chanting their rallying cries: “What do we want? Jobs! What do we need? Security!”

The UAW strike is the largest labor action in the United States in at least a decade, and the first for the union in twelve years.

It’s a worker-led contrast to the choreographed, kabuki theater scenes of the 2020 election season, including the most recent Democratic debates. It does matter, of course, who becomes President in 2020. But whoever wins the highly orchestrated, carefully managed match-up between Trump (his party’s likely nominee despite the presence of a few rivals) and the Democratic candidate will still be just one person—even if that person is a skilled purveyor of populist ideals and plans, such as Bernie Sanders or Elizabeth Warren.

And even if a Democrat does win the presidential election, he or she will most likely face a recalcitrant Republican majority in the Senate. Or, as Mark Barabak put it in a recent opinion piece for the Los Angeles Times, zero percent of the “fine-sounding pledges,” such as free college and affordable health care, are likely to “come to pass, however, if Democrats can’t also win control of the Senate in November 2020.”

But the UAW strikers are many, and include more than just relatively well-paid auto workers—some of whom can command wages and benefits that top $70 per hour. The first autoworkers who walked off the job are employed at the General Motors plant in Flint, Michigan. As they headed to work for their final, pre-strike shift on September 15, the autoworkers passed a group of janitors who are also UAW members that work in the Flint auto plant—who were already on strike 

According to the Detroit Free Press, the janitor strike prompted the autoworkers—who were still waiting for the strike authorization nod from union leaders—to stop by the janitors’ picket line offering food, a well-directed curse word or two, and a desire to band together in solidarity.

About 850 janitors at GM plants in Ohio and Michigan work for contractor Aramark but are represented by the UAW. In a video posted to the Detroit Free Press website, Damon “D.J.” Harrison describes the treacherous work he and his fellow maintenance workers perform at the General Motors plant in exchange for an hourly wage that hovers around $15. 

“We do these water blasts,” Harrison said, noting that the high powered sprayers they use are strong enough to slice off a “foot or finger.” 

For Harrison and his fellow janitors, access to affordable health care isn’t a nice talking point to lob at an opponent on a debate stage—it’s a matter of life and death. “We have families to live for,” Harrison told the Detroit Free Press, before shaking his head and appearing to walk off camera.

He hit the picket line in part to rally for manageable health care costs. This puts him in solidarity with the UAW plant workers who walked off the job just hours after the janitors did. They are also pushing back against the climbing cost of health care, even as General Motors continues to score billions in annual profits.

These are the stories of rank-and-file workers who possess, perhaps, the numbers and the drive to shift the imbalance of the massive inequality that dominates life in the United States today.

These are the stories of rank-and-file workers who possess, perhaps, the numbers and the drive to shift the imbalance of the massive inequality that dominates life in the United States today. While the UAW strike is the largest the country has seen in years, it is taking place alongside other noteworthy labor actions led by working people.

Chicago teachers’ strike 2012.

Look no further than Chicago. In 2012, the city’s teachers mounted a strike seen by many as an impressive show of union strength in an era of declining rights for workers. Now, the 35,000-member Chicago Teachers Union is poised to go on strike again; this time, thousands of school-based staffers represented by the Service Employees International Union may join them.

In an article in Jacobin, Alan Maass detailed the brewing Chicago battle, noting that the special education assistants, bus drivers, and other workers represented by the Service Employees International Union make so little money that they fall into the federal government’s “very low income” range. The collective union members in Chicago are also reportedly ready to push back against privatization, an ongoing transfer of wealth from publicly funded, publicly managed entities into private hands.

The stories of these workers, backed by work stoppages and strike votes, are worth paying attention to, and should ring in our ears far longer than the pre-planned soundbites that zing across the stage at Trump rallies or Democratic candidate debates.

(L to r) Derrico Searcy, Darrell Ewing with defense atty. Phillip Comorski at podium, AP Jon Wojtala seated.

Third hearing Fri. Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. ordered to deal with jurisdictional questions on evidentiary hearing re: murder conviction of Darrell Ewing and Derrico Searcy

Fourth juror, foreman Brian Tubbs, testifies Sept. 6 that he has no recall of most aspects of 2010 murder trial

Judge Hathaway earlier: “What really matters is whether ONE juror, Kathleen Byrnes, was inappropriately influenced”

AP Wojtala:  “The prosecution definitely plans to appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals if a new trial is ordered;” specifies no grounds 

By Diane Bukowski

September 16, 2019

Ewing/Searcy trial jury foreman Brian Tubbs, Judge Michael Hathaway

DETROIT — Darrell Ewing, 30, and Derrico Searcy, 37, seeking to have their 2010 murder convictions overturned due to jury misconduct at their trial, and an innocence claim, will have to wait for yet another date in their ongoing evidentiary hearing. Retired Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Michael Hathaway set a fourth hearing for Friday, Oct. 4 at 9 a.m. in room 801 of the Frank Murphy Hall to deal with jurisdictional issues.

U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood ordered the current evidentiary hearing in Nov. 2017.

On Sept. 6, Hathaway ordered defense attorney Phillip Comorski and AP Jon Wojtala to submit briefs with “proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law” before the Oct. 4 hearing, regarding Hathaway’s authority to order a new trial and the appropriate jurisdiction, state or federal. 

Ewing and Searcy were convicted of murdering J.B. Watson Dec. 29, 2009, in an allegedly gang-related shooting at Harper and Van Dyke. They have been in prison since 2010, despite the confession of another prisoner, Tyree Washington, to the crime, backed up by affidavits from others in the car with him.

“The prosecution definitely plans to appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals if a new trial is ordered,” Wojtala said Sept. 6. Hathaway, who appears inclined to rule in favor of the defense, said he wants to consult with Judge Hood to see if he can issue a report on his findings from the hearing and refer the case back to her for the order.

Otherwise, Ewing and Searcy will have to wait in prison through another state appellate process, and a second federal habeas hearing if the state appeals are unsuccessful, before a final determination.

U.S. District Court Judge Denise Page Hood

Judge Hood originally ordered a new trial in November, 2017, instead of an evidentiary hearing, based on her finding of jury misconduct consisting of the independent use of Facebook and other internet research on gangs. The Sixth Circuit overturned the new trial order, with one dissenting opinion that it was in Judge Hood’s discretion to order an appropriate solution.

In Judge Hood’s order on remand, she said the trial judge should issue any order relating to a new trial.

See Judge Hood’s original order at http://voiceofdetroit.net/wp-content/uploads/Darrell-Ewing-habeas-corpus-grant.pdf/. Her order on remand is at http://voiceofdetroit.net/wp-content/uploads/EWING-v-WOODS-on-remand-to-Denise-Fort-hood.pdf.

It is not clear on what grounds the prosecution would appeal. Testimony from four original trial jurors in two sessions Aug. 26 and Sept. 6 clearly established that “extraneous information” from the internet was introduced by at least two jurors into deliberations against the trial court’s instructions. One juror strongly confirmed that research on gang “pecking orders” changed her verdict to “guilty.”

The jurors also testified that most of their time deliberating on the case was spent on defendant Ewing, with the understanding that if Ewing was guilty. so was Searcy. 

Jury foreman Brian Tubbs was the only witness Sept. 6, following three other jurors who testified Aug. 26. He said that he “did not recall” information about internet research on gangs introduced by juror Karen James, Facebook research admittedly introduced by juror Michelle Chesny, or any related discussions during deliberations or trial testimony. He said he did remember sending a “hung jury” note to the trial judge but could not recall exactly why juror Kathleen Byrnes changed her vote to “guilty” afterwards.

During the Aug. 26 hearing, juror Kathleen Byrnes gave powerful, emotional testimony that the introduction of the extraneous research caused her to change her vote to “Guilty.” She had been the lone hold-out against conviction, based primarily on a confession by Tyree Washington that he committed the murder involved. But she said firmly she changed her vote after James told her that Washington was at the bottom of a gang pecking order and falsely confessed to save Ewing.

Former Juror Kathleen Byrnes

Sobbing, she said, “I remember this trial so well because it haunted me. I just kept wondering if I had done something terribly wrong.”

During that hearing, Hathaway told Wojtala after two other jurors testified, “I don’t mean to shortcut this hearing, but you can call all other 11 jurors and have them say [the internet research] didn’t matter, but what really matters is whether ONE juror, Kathleen Byrnes, was inappropriately influenced. It is irrefutable that she had some doubts that were reasonable, based on the ID evidence and the confession of Mr. Washington, and that she was worn down by other jurors bringing extraneous information into the jury process.”

Ewing’s mother LaSonya Dodson and numerous family members and supporters of both defendants have been campaigning vigorously for the duo’s release since their conviction, sponsoring protests outside the Federal Courthouse and joining various coalitions against wrongful convictions. They have packed the courtroom for both sessions Aug. 26 and Sept. 4, as well as during the original trial. 

Dodson earlier told VOD she sold her house and exhausted her 401k to pay Ewing’s trial and appeals attorneys. She added that one daughter in the service retired early at the age of 26 due to severe headaches from the stress of her brother’s case, while the rest of the family ceased “living the active lives we used to.”

Darrell Ewing’s family and supporters including (back, 3rd from l) mother Sonya Dodson.

Related stories: 

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2019/08/27/juror-in-2010-ewingsearcy-murder-trial-verdict-tainted-by-jurys-gang-related-internet-research/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2019/02/14/sixth-circuit-orders-evidentiary-hearing-instead-of-new-trial-in-darrell-ewings-2010-murder-conviction/

http://voiceofdetroit.net/2017/11/27/fed-judge-strikes-down-darrell-ewing-conviction-due-to-jury-discussion-of-gang-social-media/

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Black youth in Melbourne, Australia protest racist depictions of them in media, et. al. VOD has noted an abundance of “lazy journalism” in the U.S. as well, which reports police versions of events without further investigation.

EDITOR’S NOTE: There is also extensive internet research on the use of the term “gangs” to describe groups of youth of color for the purposes of mass incarceration. E.g. the article below: 

THE BLACK CRIMINAL OTHER AS AN OBJECT OF SOCIAL CONTROL

 by Patrick Williams ^* and Becky Clarke https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/7/11/234/htm

Sociology Department, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6LL, UK

Published: 13 November 2018

Abstract “Throughout this paper, we contend that the ‘gang’ has been appropriated by the state as an ideological device that drives the hyper-criminalisation of black, mixed, Asian, and other minority ethnic (BAME) communities. Drawing upon two research studies, we demonstrate how the gang is evoked to explain an array of contemporary ‘crime’ problems, which in turn (re)produces racialised objects to be policed. With particular reference to collective punishments, we suggest that “gang-branding” is critical to the development of guilt-producing associations that facilitate the arrest, charging, and prosecution of countless numbers of BAME people for offences they did not commit. As such, there is now an urgent need to ‘take seriously’ the criminalising intents of a dangerous criminology of the Other, which legitimises intrusive racist policing and surveillance, and justifies the imposition of deliberate harms upon racialised communities.

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Donations for the Voice of Detroit are urgently needed to keep this paper, which is published pro bono by folks on extremely limited incomes, going. Among ongoing expenses are quarterly Lunar Pages web host charges of $350, now late, costs for court documents, internet fees, office supplies, gas, P.O. Box, etc. Please, if you can:

DONATE TO VOD at

https://www.gofundme.com/VOD-readers-up

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FTC takes 94 legal actions against companies including First Choice Horizon, LLC and Media Mix 365, worst offenders targeting seniors, poor

TRACED Act and Stopping Bad Robocalls Act pending in U.S. Congress, expected to be finalized in fall

51 State AG’s including Michigan’s Dana Nessel send letter to FCC asking for more stringent action

LANSING – The Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Congress, 50 state Attorneys General, including Michigan’s Dana Nessel, and consumer groups are calling on the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take stringent action to make telecom providers implement technology that blocks illegal and unwanted robocalls, as well as caller-ID spoofing. 

FTC files 94 actions v. First Choice Horizon, LLC, Media Mix 365, others

“We’re all fed up with the tens of billions of illegal robocalls we get every year,” Andrew Smith, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said in a statement. “Fighting this scourge remains a top priority for law enforcement agencies around the nation.”

The crackdown involves nearly 100 cases, five of which are criminal enforcement actions. They were brought by the FTC, Justice Department, 50 states and a slew of local authorities.

The Washington Post reported, “The government’s efforts come as robocalls continue to ring Americans’ phones at record rates. Scam calls made up a large share of the estimated 4.7 billion robocalls to mobile devices in May, according to YouMail, an app that helps block them. That’s more than double the amount from two years ago, an uptick that has prompted Americans to complain to the FTC at historic levels. The agency said Tuesday that it now receives about 10,000 robocall complaints per day.”

“The FTC filed complaints in federal court in Florida earlier this year against two of the main actors in the Robocall nightmare. They are First Choice Horizon, LLC, believed to be the lead entity in a maze of operations that prey on poor Americans, including seniors, and  Media Mix 365, which dialed millions of numbers on the federal Do Not Call list.” 

The FTC added in a June 25 release, “The Federal Trade Commission and its law enforcement partners today announced a major crackdown on illegal robocalls, including 94 actions targeting operations around the country that are responsible for more than one billion calls pitching a variety of products and services including credit card interest rate reduction services, money-making opportunities, and medical alert systems.

The joint crackdown, “Operation Call it Quits,” is part of the Commission’s ongoing effort to help stem the tide of universally loathed pre-recorded telemarketing calls. It also includes new information to help educate consumers about illegal robocalls. In addition, the FTC continues to promote the development of technology-based solutions to block robocalls and combat caller ID spoofing.”

The FTC said targeted companies and individuals also included  8 Figure Dream Lifestyle, Derek Jason Bartoli, Lifewatch Inc., Redwood Scientific, and Life Management Services.

In addition FTC actions, the agency said 25 federal, state, and local agencies have brought 87 enforcement actions as part of the initiative.

See full release at https://www.ftc.gov/enforcement/cases-proceedings/172-3161-x190029/first-choice-horizon-llc.

Actions in U.S. Congress expected to force stronger actions, after FTC, FCC fail to collect on record fines levied in the past

The National Law Review reported that a bill in the U.S. House  prods the FTC and the FCC to toughen their efforts. “The bill  faults the agencies for failing to collect on some of the record fines they’ve levied in the past. Lawmakers also cited the emerging threat to doctors and patients, urging the agencies to prioritize investigations that involve hospitals.”

U.S. Senators John Thune and Ed Markey

The Verge said, “In the U.S. Congress, a bipartisan proposal, the TRACED Act, was introduced by Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Ed Markey (D-MA). It would raise the fines the FCC is permitted to levy on robocallers, and increase the statute of limitations for bringing those cases. It would also create an interagency task force to address the problem, and push carriers like AT&T and Verizon to deploy call authentication systems like the pending STIR/SHAKEN protocols into their networks.”

Consumer Reports said July 25,  “A crackdown on robocalls moved one step closer Wednesday after the House voted 429-3 to increase consumer protections against the unsolicited and annoying phone calls.

“The bill, known as the Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, builds on the TRACED Act passed by the Senate in May. The House and the Senate now need to reconcile the two bills before sending the legislation to the White House for the President’s signature. That’s expected to happen in the fall.

“In addition to giving regulators stronger enforcement tools, the House bill would require phone carriers to implement call identification technology and mandate that the Federal Communications Commission report to Congress annually on the state of robocalls.

“The House is sending a strong message that it is time to stop the abuse from robocalls,” [said] Maureen Mahoney, policy analyst for Consumer Reports. “This bill would go a long way toward protecting people from the daily harassment of unwanted robocalls. These calls aren’t just annoying. Shady businesses and individuals are using them to steal your money and your personal information. With today’s House vote, we now look forward to seeing the strongest possible bill enacted into law.”

The paper added that 80 consumer rights groups, including Consumer Reports and the National Consumer Law Center, sent a letter to Congress urging passage of the bill. The wireless industry trade group CTIA also supports it.

Consumer Reports went on, “To date, there have been 29 billion robocalls in 2019, according to YouMail, a robocall blocking and tracking firm. ‘That’s nearly 90 calls per person in the U.S.,’ said YouMail CEO Alex Quilici. The blocking and tracking firm Truecaller estimates that consumers lost $10.5 billion to phone scams in 2018.

51 State Attorneys General announce their support for new FCC ruls

The letter from the Attorneys General comes after the FCC issued a declaratory ruling and proposed new rules related to federal and industry efforts to block illegal robocalls and eliminate caller-ID spoofing. This effort comes following last week’s unveiling of the Anti-Robocall Principles to fight illegal and unwanted robocalls by the Attorneys General and 12 major telecom providers.

Michigan State AG Dana Nessel

“Illegal and unwanted robocalls continue to harm and hassle people every day,” the letter says. “Consumer fraud often originates with an illegal call, and robocalls regularly interrupt our daily lives. State Attorneys General are on the front lines of enforcing do-not-call laws and helping people who are scammed and harassed by these calls. For this reason, we support free, robust call blocking that is simple and easy for all consumers, and the timely implementation of the STIR/SHAKEN Caller ID authentication framework.”

In a release, Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel said, “The FCC is integral in holding telecom providers accountable. We hope that the FCC will heed our advice to protect consumers in Michigan and across the country from caller-ID spoofing and the flood of illegal and unwanted robocalls.” 

In their letter, the Attorneys General state that telecom providers should: 

• Offer free, default call-blocking services to all customers based on reasonable analytics that do not block important calls such as emergency alerts or automated calls requested by customers;
• Implement the caller-ID authentication technology – known as STIR/SHAKEN – which will help ensure telephone calls are originating from secure, verified numbers as quickly as possible;
• Develop separate landline caller-ID authentication to prevent illegal and unwanted robocalls to seniors or those that live in rural areas; and,
• Ensure that call blocking and call authentication efforts protect consumer data.

Many of these actions reflect the Anti-Robocall Principles established and released late last week by the Attorneys General along with AT&T, Bandwidth, CenturyLink, Charter, Comcast, Consolidated, Frontier, Sprint, T-Mobile, US Cellular, Verizon, and Windstream. These principles address illegal and unwanted robocalls through prevention and enforcement. The 50 state Attorneys General submitted their comments.

Related stories:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/25/federal-state-officials-announce-enforcement-efforts-targeting-billion-illegal-robocalls/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/06/17/robocalls-are-overwhelming-hospitals-patients-threatening-new-kind-health-crisis/

https://www.natlawreview.com/article/senate-passes-traced-act-to-enhance-tcpa-enforcement-power

https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/23/18637330/senate-vote-approve-anti-robocalling-bill-congress-traced-act-fcc

https://www.consumerreports.org/robocalls/robocall-bill-wins-approval/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/03/27/ftc-says-has-stopped-groups-responsible-billions-robocalls/3286678002/