APLEblog.com

Often we find ourselves discussing some true event in which a person, a white person, accomplishes something extraordinary, good or bad, and the discussion concludes with the statement “if that [person] was a black man” it would be different. We say this when whites get away with “murder,” when discussing rags to riches stories, and even when debating politics. Without taking away from the individual effort needed to accomplish anything extraordinary, 2012 has revealed answers to many of these debates, if not all in principle. (more…)

Joe Burbank / EPA file

The scene is set: George Zimmerman and Mark O’Mara are sitting at the defense table intently looking at lead prosecutor Angela Corey as she approaches the podium, acknowledges the court, looks at the defense table, acknowledges their presence, paces a few steps from the podium and finally turns to the jury and just before her lips part to say the first word, Mark O’Mara holds his breath. Angela Corey has two choices: she can present to the jury that Zimmerman was engaged in a wrongful act just as he encountered Trayvon Martin or she can show that George Zimmerman was the first aggressor. These two choices have different implications and although she can argue both, the evidence she will use to convey either theory to the jury would essentially be the same, rather, it will the only other side to the story. (more…)

Hill-lucywho.com

When L. Boogie released her classic album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998, her future seemed bright and full of promise.  The album sold more than 19 million copies worldwide, and brought Lauryn Hill international success and fame.  At the 1999 Grammy Awards, Hill broke records by becoming both the first woman ever to be nominated in ten categories in a single year, and the first woman to win five times in one night.  Surely, the Queen of the Hill was here to stay.

So when Hill was arrested, charged and pled guilty, in June, 2012, to three counts of failure to file tax returns for income earned in 2005, 2006 and 2007, many were surprised.  What happened? Not only was Hill known for her success as an entertainer, but she was also known for her humanitarian projects such as funding an outreach organization for at-risk youth and staging a rap concert in Harlem to promote voter registration.

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Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/AP

Approximately a week ago I, the author, attended the “Under a Microscope: Stand Your Ground Gun Law” symposium, sponsored by First Choice and produced by The Orange County Bar Association Paralegal Section. The event was moderated by Paul Owens of the Orlando Sentinel and consisted of a three-person panel: Senator David Simmons Esq., one of the sponsors of Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law; the Honorable Bob LeBlanc; and Zahra Umansky Esq. The event was eye-opening to say the least and the balance was tipped. In fact there was only one slide under the microscope – the slide provided by the gun lobby – and it prompted me to write this article.

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