FROM THE WINGCOM VAULT - Taser death

 

Taser and disrespect blamed for electrocution of epileptic deacon By Tomi Morris Johnson  tomij@wingcomltd.com     Photos by Tomi, Ilea, and Daniel Johnson  ©2004 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.
June 4, 2004, Lawrenceville, GA…“What’s going on out here?” was the question asked by many people walking into a mid-day candlelight prayer vigil held in the outdoor courtyard of the Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Building. Amidst flags and patriotic pillars sat the wife and four children of deceased stun gun victim Frederick Jerome Williams.  Surrounding them were mourners of various ages, lawyers, picketers, journalists, politicians and civil rights activists. The question of “What happened to tasered Fred Williams?” was overshadowed by “Will fairness prevail?” The focus of the vigil was to demand a comprehensive investigation surrounding the death of Williams, to urge stoppage of nationwide use of stun guns, and to provide racial training to Gwinnett County police so they may be better able to serve the community Grief-stricken mourner in the crowd pauses to think about the life and death of Deacon Fred Williams while she listens to speaker. “God knows all about justice…and an injustice has been committed against one of our own.”

Before the event officially started, some women on the sidelines were talking about never having problems with the police themselves; however, they refrained from having their pictures taken, saying they were afraid that if the police saw them, they might show up at their front doors.  “We’re worried about each other,” said one Lawrenceville resident who wished not to be identified.

Yellow candles burned, Williams’ son was comforted, and the family lawyer questioned the common sense of police who tasered victim. Mrs. Williams held youngest of four children in the background. Leaders from six civil rights organizations made “Remarks of Hope.”

The taser is an electro-shock device used on Williams, 31, as an alternative to guns or pepper spray. It disables the motor nerve system. In a victim with epilepsy, being tasered can result in death. According to Amnesty International, tasers are at best an unknown danger and at worst, killers. 

According to Best StunGun.Com, the taser will not cause electrocution even if a victim is standing in water. Side effects should include a dazed feeling, involuntary muscle contractions, vertigo, and sometimes unconsciousness.  Yet the number of taser related deaths at the hands of law enforcement officials is 51, and severe neurological damage to surviving victims is rising. 

Physicians are urged not to keep unsafe or harmful shock machines in their Class III category inventory. The use of tasers goes against the grain of the Hippocratic Oath required by all physicians to swear: First, do no harm. There is still controversy surrounding whether tasers cause death.

Joe Beasley & Tomi Johnson

Joe Beasley, Southern Regional Director of the Atlanta Rainbow Push Coalition, said the taser is a deadly apparatus, not a non-lethal one, in many circumstances. “It has proven to be quite lethal as of late. There have been two incidents here in Gwinnett County in the last eight months, and one in Fulton County a few days ago.  We need to redefine whether they are lethal or not. We should stop using them for the time being, until we determine whether there’s too much voltage…something is wrong because it’s killing people,” Beasley said.  The Gwinnett County Police Department was accused of misinformation surrounding the tragedy by Mr. Williams’ father, Dr. Klay Kieh, Jr., Dean of the Political Science Department at Morehouse College, who said they were out to “demonize Freddie as a violent man. We are in shock and great sadness,” Dr. Kieh continued.  “Freddie was a law abiding resident of the United States of America. During his lifetime, he was never involved in any criminal activity. The records are there for everyone to see…He was the quintessential model son, grandson, nephew, grandnephew and cousin.”

According to the Novartis website (http://www.trileptal.com/info/simplystated/what_is_epilepsy), epilepsy is a brain disorder which can result in changes in body movements, awareness, and emotions.  About 2 million people in the United States have epilepsy. The psychosis, when it emerges, can be sudden, and the behavior can be extravagant. Typically, hallucinations and delusions are noted; prominent are persecutory and religious phenomena. Well- directed violent attacks are seen in about 25% of episodes. (http://www.e-epilepsy.org.uk/pages/articles/show_article.cfm?id=69) According to the National Society of Epilepsy (UK), relatives often describe this as the 'calm before the storm'.

“Freddie was a quiet, calm, unassuming and loving man,” Kiel told the crowd. “He had a serene demeanor. His wife has made it crystal clear that throughout their marriage, Freddie never, never visited violence on her.”  Dr. Kieh, who is running for president of Liberia, said the behavior his son exhibited on May 25, 2004 was the consequence of his epileptic condition. “One does not need to be a medical doctor to realize…that in the case of epilepsy, it has a profound impact on behavior,” Kieh continued. “On that fateful day, Freddie had two epileptic seizures; thus, he was temporarily delusional.” 

Dr. Diel also stated, “We realize that we are engaged in a proverbial David versus Goliath battle with Gwinnett County.”  According to Edgar Railey, the victim’s uncle, Williams was shocked three times and had stun gun burns on his chest and neck. Taser contact with the skin at dangerous voltages can also result in severe damage to internal organs. Railey explained what happened during a telephone interview. Sign taped to podium at prayer vigil.

“Fred was my sister’s son.  Since birth, he had this disease – epilepsy. Prior to the incident, he had not taken his medicine. I know how he would get right before an attack – very strong. On several occasions, he would hurt himself from falling on his back or face.  One time he almost broke my hand when I was trying to wrestle him down, but he was not a mad man.  

“He was practically beaten to death at his home before he got to the jail,” Railey continued. “His wife had called 911 and asked for paramedics to be sent over to the house. She called to get him stabilized.  Instead, they sent a police officer. His wife didn’t understand why they sent the police instead of medics. Then his nine year old son called again, asking them to, ‘Send the truck with the medicine,’ which I think he was referring to an ambulance.  

“When the police officer showed up, he remarked, ‘I’ve got this,’ even though the wife kept telling him that he could not handle Fred without the help of medics.  At that point, the policeman took his stick or baton and tried to hit my nephew. The hits were blocked, and then my nephew took the stick away from the policeman and hit him in the nose. At that point, the policeman issued an “officer down code” and 15 squad cars with some 20 officers arrived,” Railey said. “He was badly beaten and near death before he reached the jail.”

Scenes outside Gwinnett County Justice and Administration Building during the vigil were both peaceful and frenetic.

When asked was Williams’ death racially motivated, Riley said, “I don’t know what their objective was, but something definitely went wrong. Personally, when it comes to African Americans, I think we are treated with disrespect.  If the first officer had just listened to the wife…Now the district attorney is on record saying he will handle the investigation, and don’t push his buttons by bringing in outsiders.  He has a duty to investigate. He’s not dealing with some poor immigrants who won’t stand up for their rights,” Railey said.

Gwinnett County Police Public Information Officer Dan Huggins, who mentioned that he had not reviewed the 911 tapes, gave this account leading up to Williams’ arrest. “We received up to four 911 calls from the residence.  When the son called, he said his father was beating him and his mother with a belt. When violence is involved, it generates a police response.

“The name of the officer answering the call was R. Kenyon.  He met Mr. Williams in front of the house, and Williams started calling the officer a devil. While trying to place Williams under arrest, a struggled ensued. The officer hit Williams twice on the arm with his baton, and then Williams took the baton away. Then Williams threw the baton at Officer Kenyon and went into the house.

“In the officer’s words (reading from the report), he tried to talk to Williams who was highly agitated and who attempted to grab him.  Officers are trained as first responders, but Officer Kenyon states that he felt he was under attack.  Officer Kenyon then made a help call, a Code 63, which signals that he needed help five minutes ago. In this case, a large officer response force did arrive.

“We dispute any comments that say Mr. Williams was beaten. He did have baton strikes to his arm. When he was arrested, he showed no apparent medical emergency and showed no apparent medical problems when he was transported to jail. I am not aware of any pre-seizure stage in epileptics when someone starts going crazy,” Huggins added.

After Williams was arrested, he was taken to the Gwinnett County Detention Center at 2900 University Parkway in Lawrenceville.  Gwinnett Sheriff’s Department PIO Stacey Kelly described what took place. “When Mr. Williams was brought into the sally port, he was extremely combative and was placed in a restraint chair to control him.  He was still fighting.  An M26 taser was administered at least twice. After the first administration, he continued fighting. After the second taser shock, he went unconscious. He was then transported to the Gwinnett MedicalCenter where he died two days later.  

Amnesty International deems tasers and restraint chairs torture apparatuses. Law enforcement uses them to manage violent citizens.

“The taser that Mr. Williams received was not the one which fires a cartridge; it was the one you press to the skin,” Kelly stated. When asked if the community is involved in deciding whether tasers are included in the non-lethal arsenal of police weapons, she said, “That is an administrative decision based on facts, safety, and what other departments are using.”

Kelly admits she was not aware of the actual voltage of the taser, however, she stated “There was no evidence of electrocution because there was not enough voltage.”  According to Fact sheet by CNN.com, the Advanced Taser M26’s electrical output is 50,000 volts. Electrocution is defined as death caused by the passage of a low frequency electric current through the body. Construction workers have been electrocuted while working with 7,500 volts. Some think that it is not the amount of volts that can kill, but the amount of amps and ohms. In Williams’ case, death may have been the result of a combination of things: his epileptic medical condition, sweat, electrical shock, materials in the restraint chair, etc. Restraint chairs have been connected to a dozen deaths in U.S. jails according to Amnesty International. Kelly said investigations into Williams’ death are being conducted by the county police department and internally by the sheriff’s department.

The current, the duration, and the power source that produces the shock determine the physiological effects of electrical shock.

Ted Bailey, chief forensic investigator for the Gwinnett Medical Examiners Office, is not a medical doctor but is handling media inquires into the ongoing investigation. “The autopsy has been completed and shows no obvious cause of death.  There were burns to the skin from taser shock, but no evidence at this time that says the taser directly caused death.  The cause of death is pending a review of the patient’s medical records from the hospital, his physician, and toxicology and histology reports that will show whether there were any drugs in his system.  This investigation will take several months to complete,” Bailey said.

SCLC leader Joseph Lowery sat under umbrella held by Georgia House Rep. Tyrone Brooks (D-54), the surviving Williamses listened, and friends and family consoled each other. Mrs. Williams was composed during the vigil that included hymns and serious questions. Participants held green leaflets of information on Deacon Fred Williams and placards against police brutality.

According to the family’s lawyer, Melvin Johnson, Williams was sweaty after the altercation and was possibly electrocuted. “I’m not a medical expert, but I will tell you this - from the 911 call that was placed that summoned the police, his wife described the situation aptly: as a man who was delusional, who was seeing and talking to the devil. She described an individual that she saw had not been on his medication, and she asked clearly for ambulance help and assistance. I believe there may have been some aggressive or violent behavior displayed by him…but to use the kind of force that resulted in his death…we have a lot of questions about that.

“The only research I’m aware of regarding tasers has come from the taser company, Taser International. The company has reported doubling its revenue recently. You don’t expect them to come out and say their product is killing people, hence opening up product liability suits. I have not read any objective research or empirical data investigating the taser gun. Everything that I have heard has come from people who have good reasons and all of the reasons to say it’s a non-lethal weapon. 

“We’re urging the community and everybody who can read, hear, and listen to this story to call your Congressmen and women, the GBI’s office, the FBI’s office, and demand that an objective and comprehensive investigation be conducted in this case and all the other cases as well.  Additionally, demand that stun gun usage cease until further objective investigation and research can be performed regarding stun gun safety." Attorney Johnson said that common sense should have told law enforcement not to taser a person in Williams’ medical condition.

Percy Scott is a rehabilitation counselor who attended the vigil. “I have had a lot of epileptics on my caseload. Epilepsy is the imbalance of electrical impulses coming from the brain. If that is broken, then your brain is not telling your heart to beat or telling your lungs to breathe. I think more research needs to be done by the company that produces that gun and a study done on the way it affects people with epilepsy. There are over 40 deaths related to taser use which were investigated by independent coroners, and they said that tasers had nothing to do with it (death), but that’s a lot of coincidence. That’s my concern. A moratorium should be declared on the use of these guns,” Scott said.

“But for him being shocked, would he be dead?”

                                                                                                Brian Whiteside, Esq.

Brian Whiteside is an attorney and former deputy sheriff who is presently running for Gwinnett County Sheriff on the Republican ticket. “I don’t know if what happened was intentional, that the death occurred, but I do think they tried to stop possible violence or perceived violence. We need to be looking at different alternatives to stop non-lethal attacks upon police officers, and we also need to look at non-lethal weapons in a different light, weapons being offered by the United States military and the Marines Corps. In particular, they have laser beams and light disablers that can disorient a person and also high intensity sound devices. We need to look at every avenue. 

“At this point, we need to take a hard look at the weapon, the grief caused to the mother and the children, and also the societal costs. What is going to happen with the resulting lawsuit? Not only do you have to look at the human aspect, but the economic aspect. There’s going to be a lawsuit, and win, lose, or draw, it’s going to cost the county money; the deputy’s money, retirement money, and equipment money. The taxpayers will be paying for this loss,” Whiteside said.  None of the four county employees that I talked to knew whether Bureau of Justice Form CJ-11A  - Death in Custody, had been completed by authorities.

“If one suffers, we all suffer…tomorrow will be easier.”

Rev. Michael Vinney, Farewell to Pres. Reagan ceremony

“Using the taser was a discretionary decision made by law enforcement. We need to have individual meetings with the chief of police and the commissioners, the human resource council, Percy Scott, anyone involved, and talk about some of our concerns.  We should keep all communications open and not look at people in an adversarial light…you need to look at this situation for what it is…an individual event related to another individual event, and scientifically look at it…are they related…but for him being shocked, would he be dead.”  

Some deem tasering a form of torture. In the Food and Drug Administration’s Management Docket #2003P-0555, caution is placed on classifying “shock machines” in the safe category, which are deemed NOT safe, with administration resulting in death, brain damage, memory loss and brainwashing. Before tasers are introduced into communities, there should be approval from citizens on whether to include them in their police and sheriff department’s arsenal of weapons. It is reported that Gwinnett County law enforcement plans to purchase more tasers despite the outcome of the Williams investigation.

TASER is an acronym for Thomas A. Swift’s electric rifle.

“It shouldn’t be them against us, for as you know, the police work for us; we don’t work for the police. We’re here to work together as human beings.” When asked about justice prevailing in this situation, Scott concluded, “The only way you are going to have justice is to have people in power who are just. You can achieve this by electing the proper people.” Stun guns are restricted in seven states, eight US cities, and thirteen countries.

Should a person undergoing an epileptic seizure be tasered?  What affect would a stun gun have on a person who is undergoing an epileptic seizure? Taser International has recently announced plans to discontinue its Air Taser product, but will soon be marketing a “tamer” version of the stun gun to the general public. On the day of the vigil, Taser International TASR(NASDAQ) stock was trading at $25.89, down 1.48%. The company headquarters is in Scottsdale, AZ and is operated by Phillip, Patrick and Thomas Smith.

For more information on this topic and electroshock weapons, go to:
http://www.arnehansen.net/010227amnesty.htm
http://www.amnestyusa.org/rightsforall/stun/cruelty/index.htm
http://www.taser.com/pages/techsupport/06.html
http://nzhta.chmeds.ac.nz/Physical_restraint.PDF

A fund has been set up for the Williams family. Donations can be taken to Washington Mutual Bank.

Information about Frederick Jerome Williams ·        Born: June 27, 1972 ·        Place of Birth:  Kakata, Liberia, West Africa ·        Memberships: International Christian Fellowship Ministries, Atlanta, GA ·        Favorite Scripture:  Ephesians 4: 10-18 – “Put on the whole armor of God.” ·        Wife: Yanga Gibson Williams. Married:  June 15, 1996.  Four children, ages 1 – 9        One of Williams’ daughters, wearing a T-shirt with his picture, carried a sign with hearts reading, “I Will Miss U, Daddy.” The information in this article is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.  ©2004 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

FROM THE WINGCOM VAULT - Tayshaun Prince

 

The Pistons' Prince: Tweaking basketballs and building noble relationships amidst international competitors By Tomi Morris Johnson  tomij@wingcomltd.com        ©2003 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved.

June 11, 2003, Compton, CA…How does a black Prince from the hood of Compton, California royally tweak basketball gaming and role modeling into a “hooping” success against the new 2003 NBA draft picks?  By being talented, focused, competitive, and by surrounding himself with the right people.  That’s how NBA player Tayshaun Prince, who has neither had acting lessons nor been interviewed by Ebony, Black Enterprise, or the New York Times yet, will become the King of NBA basketball by the year of our Lord 2006.

 

Prince predicts the NBA will be picking more players from overseas which means stiff competition for USA players.

 

Tayshaun Prince, NBA forward for the Detroit Pistons, has just completed his rookie year and has flown back home to celebrate Father’s Day with his dad, Thomas Prince, Sr., and the rest of the Prince family.

 

 

Claiming himself a role model, Prince posed for 4-year old photographer Keagan Stromberg.

 

Although the Pistons lost in the playoffs, Prince has put the disappointment of past defeats in the back of his mind and is focusing on bettering his game, formulating a good financial plan, and balancing himself between a strong moral foundation and the lures of the high life in the NBA. Prince will also be able to use what he learned while majoring in Sociology at the University of Kentucky when competing against diverse, international players.

 

Prince, who is away from home 80% of the year, does not have to worry about scrunching his 6’9”, 215 pound frame into a regular airplane while traveling from coast to coast because the NBA and his agent take care of all that, flying players around in a Boeing 737 equipped with extra leg room.  Freckled-faced, nice, and youthful, Prince seems a little jet lagged on his second day back in the outskirts of LA where he started his basketball career. On the other hand, maybe that is just the way he is - relaxed and reserved. In between questions, he continuously peers out the grilled, security door of his family’s living room to see who is coming down the sidewalk.

 

Mother Diane Prince, proud 5’11” mom with a motivational voice like a professional coach, says she wants people to look past Tay’s success as a basketball star to his outstanding moral character.  “What worked for my family while I was growing up also worked with my kids,” she said of the churchgoing upbringing she and her husband gave their three children.  Thomas, Jr. played semiprofessional basketball overseas, and daughter Tisha is a 2^nd grade teacher.  Tayshaun is the baby. 

 

Mrs. Prince is proud of all of them and still asks them to serve guests bottled water, which is the only beverage she keeps in the house, and to go to the store on errands. They comply without complaining. Mrs. Prince said unlike many black families, hers provided a stable, two-parent, Christian home that encouraged going to church and Bible study every week, which she says is one reason why Tayshaun is a success today.

 

A true piston, Tayshaun Prince is long and movable, reflecting incident energy.

 

Prince takes photo op outside parents home with sister Tisha, mother Diane, and interviewer Tomi Johnson. (Photo by Kurk Johnson)

 

“When someone meets my son, I want them to look past what a great NBA basketball player he is to what high morals he has,” Diane Prince said.  “Tayshaun also has a good relationship with God,” said Mrs. Prince and added that if Tayshaun ever strays as many people do, he will eventually come back to the right path set for him by his parents and the Crenshaw Christian Center where he grew up as an active member. “Tayshaun knows how to carry himself,” said Mrs. Prince.

 

During the 2002/2003 season, Prince’s record of minutes played in a game was just under ½ hour, but in those minutes he shined with a no-nonsense demeanor that typifies his style. Being true to the “piston” definition, Prince is long and movable, reflecting incident energy and adjusting his lanky moves to make a difference on the court.

 

According to Hoopshype (http://www.hoopshype.com/salaries/detroit.htm), Prince’s first year’s salary with the Pistons was third from the bottom on the player’s list at just under $1 million, but it is predicted that Prince will earn $2.6 million during the 2006/07 season.  It is rumored that Prince immediately became a millionaire when he accepted the Piston’s signing bonus in 2002.  It is also rumored that he is leasing a 5-bedroom house in or nearby Detroit.  He drives a white Yukon, likes to sport Michael Jordan knit hats, and wears Nike shirts and shoes. He has a steady girlfriend, but is taking his time in planning marriage.  That matches his “not in a hurry/sooner or latter style” of success on and off the court. The following is an interview done with Prince in his parent’s living room.

 

JOHNSON:  Today we are here with Tayshaun Prince, who is an NBA basketball player with the Detroit…

 

PRINCE: …Pistons.

 

JOHNSON:  Pistons, the Detroit Pistons, that’s right, and he loves the team, I understand.  We are going to go back in history and ask, "Why and when did you choose to play basketball?"

 

PRINCE:  When? I was probably about six or seven years old.  Why? (Sigh) My mom and dad played a lot of basketball. While growing up, I used to go watch my dad play basketball a lot with his company league. Basketball kind of ran through the family. From that point on, I just started playing. Once I realized how good I could be at playing that sport, I took it a lot more seriously.

 

JOHNSON:  Some people think coaches are drill sergeants. What type of influence did your coaches have on making you a success?

 

PRINCE:  A good coach is a great teacher of the game. When you are on the high school level, it is a matter of getting you prepared to go to the next level, and the college coach prepares you to go to the next level. They try to use their experience from when they were playing and how long they have been around the game and build that experience upon the players.  

 

The better level you get to in the game of basketball, the better the coaching staff is, so at the NBA level you have great teachers who have been around the game for so long, and they gear everything around the players.

 

JOHNSON:  Why did you decide to major in Sociology at the University of Kentucky?

 

PRINCE:  While playing basketball, we would go to so many different basketball camps, and during the summertime Tubby (Smith) would have camps working with kids to not only give them a better experience with basketball, but we were their role models. Going into that field of Sociology gave me a better opportunity to work with kids. Knowing what to visualize and things to get ready for is important.  Obviously by working with kids during the summertime, being a role model and being a Sociology major helps me out a little bit.

 

JOHNSON:  Growing up, who was your role model?

 

PRINCE:  Besides my parents, Magic Johnson was always my role model.  Growing up in LA and watching him during the ‘80’s winning championships repeatedly, he was my role model.

 

JOHNSON:  What type of influence did your parents have on you becoming a success?

 

PRINCE:  The most important thing about the situation that I had was being brought up with great parents and playing basketball which kept me going in the right direction. I think if I wasn’t playing basketball I would have been in the streets.  When kids are young, they pretty much like to do what they want, but I was pretty focused on basketball and going to school.  I have been a pretty focused person throughout life, and I think the way my parents brought me up was the reason behind that.

 

JOHNSON:  I think the first time I met you, we were playing billiards, and I noticed how focused you were, and you beat me, and I said to myself that you were probably the same way in everything you did.  Of course you are young, how old are you, about 23 years old?

 

PRINCE:  Yes.

 

JOHNSON:  I read somewhere that you don’t really mature until you are 50 (laugh).  How has your NBA playing differed from you college playing?

 

PRINCE:  Like I said earlier, just going through different coaches and different levels of basketball gets you prepared for the common goal which is to get to the NBA.  Throughout high school, it was just a matter of learning the game of basketball. Once I got to college, it was not only making a star out of myself, but also making everyone around you better. In the NBA, you see guys who are the top players around the world. It’s a fun experience playing against them because you want to better yourself each and every year you are playing the game of basketball.  Being at the peak of my career right now, at the top, making yourself better is the most important thing. That’s my goal, just to get better and better each year.

 

JOHNSON:  What would you like people to know about Tayshaun Prince that they may not have already found out?

 

PRINCE:  There are many fans always recognizing what you’re doing on the court, and you want them to know what you do off the court.  A few people do know, but a lot of people don’t.  How you carry yourself on and off the court is not what makes you a better basketball player, but a better person. Not all the fans across the world really know who the real Tayshaun Prince is. Basically, for the people who do not know who Tayshaun Prince is, the person who doesn’t play basketball, I’m pretty much a calm, collected person. A lot of people do see that on the court, me being a laid back person. That’s pretty much what I’m like off the court as well.

 

“You’re as good as the company you keep” defines how Prince (seated right) spends his spare time with friends of all ages on a Kentucky horse farm. (Photo by Tomi Johnson)

 

JOHNSON:  What does get you excited? What do you like to do in your spare time?

 

PRINCE:  In my free time, I like to hang out with my friends and family. I don’t hang out in the streets.  I like to be indoors. I like to bowl with my friends and family, just doing things that bring us together.  Not being at home and seeing them that much, I like to do things that bring us closer because I’m away from home nine to ten months a year. I’m so anxious to get home to see my family and other people I haven’t seen in a long time.

 

Prince circles the pool table while playing billiards with Sherman Johnson in his time off the court.

(Photo by Tomi Johnson)

 

JOHNSON:  Let’s go to the business aspect of being a NBA basketball player.  What kind of relationship do you have with your agent?  Is it like a Jerry Maguire type of thing? How do you feel about being a businessman?

 

PRINCE:  Going to the NBA, the players and the people who have been around the game a long time try to advise you about agents and try to get you in to the right situation.  The agent that I picked I have known for quite a while, throughout college.  I pretty much knew him when my brother Thomas was playing basketball because he was the agent he was looking at, so before I got to the NBA, I knew the agent I was going to pick.  From that point on, we’ve built a great relationship. The past couple years he has been recognized as the top agent in the NBA, and he’s a great guy.

 

JOHNSON: What’s his name?

 

PRINCE:  Bill Duffy.  He has great people surrounding him.  The relationship between an agent and player has to be an important thing. Being able to know him before I got to the NBA I think helps some. He’s known and well respected throughout the NBA and overseas as well. Throughout the season this year, he came to see me play several times.  He does represent a lot of guys throughout the NBA, but at the same time, he makes sure that he’s coming to see you.  His secretary and other people on his staff make sure everything is going well. It’s very important that you have that relationship with him. 

 

 

 

 

Agent Bill Duffy of Bill Duffy and Associates (BDA) Sports Marketing is recognized as a quiet, cool, Christian executive who works from his California home. He also represents the NBA’s 2002 #1 draft pick, Yao Ming of China. It is reported that Duffy manages $500 million worth of player contracts in the NBA. (http://www.bdasports.com/news/bill_duffy_2.html)

 

 

 

 

JOHNSON:  We’ve talked about relationships a lot. With you being an NBA player, I’m sure a lot of people want to be your friend and run with you. I’m sure you have to be really careful about the circles you run in. How do you choose your relationships?

 

PRINCE:  In my situation, it hasn’t been too difficult. Obviously, you have the guys that like to hang out at the clubs, and sometimes that has a tendency to attract peers you really don’t want around you.  For me not to put myself in those types of situations, I have to be around the right people.  I think people kind of notice that, hey, this guy doesn’t like to put himself out in certain situations. I think that being that calm-type person, by people really knowing who I am, they can recognize and realize that my name is not out there in the streets. I guess it’s how you want to keep yourself away from those situations.  Just stay focused on what you’re doing, just play basketball, have the right group of people around me, and that helps me avoid certain things.

 

Farah Brown, a student at the University of Kentucky, is one of Prince’s constant companions. (Photo by Tomi Johnson)

 

JOHNSON:  I’m sure many mothers would like to know what kind of vitamins your mother took while pregnant with you to produce such a calm and focused son.  What advise could you give to a high school student that really hasn’t been that focused?  Of course, they would like to have money, a nice car, and a job…what advice could you give them?

 

PRINCE:  The most important advice I can give is to make sure you’re established around the right people so you can stay on the right track.  You have six high school guys this year jumping to the NBA early and only two of them are suppose to get drafted. That just goes to show that these high school basketball players see these NBA guys with all this money and cars and everything, and they want to get to that so fast and experience that at a young age, and it takes them off track. If you establish yourself around the right people, you’ll be able to stay on track and be focused.

 

JOHNSON:  The US claims ownership of many titles, and we are sometimes cocky when it comes to basketball.  Now with Yao Ming, Mutumbo, and other guys from outside the US playing exceptional ball and other foreigners playing in the NBA, where does it leave our American stars in terms of competition?

 

PRINCE:  David Stern, who is the commissioner of the NBA, wants to make the NBA more complete, establish it as a worldwide organization, and bring in overseas players.  I think four or five years down the road, they may make it to where US players have to travel over there to play throughout the season. The main reason why you are seeing more overseas players come to the NBA is because you see a lot of general managers and team managers are having so many problems with US players that they have started taking their chances with these guys overseas.  You have some guys that are great players and you see them on SPORTS CENTER, and they’re going to jail, getting pulled over for DUIs, and things like that. 

 

The NBA is looking forward to getting guys from overseas because they’re not having problems with these guys.  Guys over in the US, just not the black guys, are young and getting to the NBA early and they’re having so many problems, the NBA is starting to look forward to bringing more guys over here.  That’s why different things are happening in the NBA nowadays.

 

JOHNSON:  That’s going to mean fewer chances for American players?

 

PRINCE:  Exactly.  They’ve had plenty of opportunities, and that’s why you’re seeing some of them after one or two years  out of the league because of drugs, alcohol, and things like that. These general managers and people on top of the NBA don’t want to take that chance or risk paying all these players that much money.  Now it’s in contracts when you sign a six-year deal for $40 million or $50 million, after two years some players are having drug problems, and you still have to pay these people the money.  At the same time, not only are they having problems off the court like drugs and alcohol, but also on the court they’re not taking the game seriously anymore.  

 

You see guys who are 1^st and 2^nd year players and were playing so well, they get that big contract, and you don’t see them anymore because they’re so happy with the money and what they have established that they put everything on cruise control. They say, hey, I’m 25 or 26 years old and I got $60 million, I’ve pretty much done what I had to do in my career, so they’re not taking it seriously.  That’s why you’re seeing a change in the NBA now.

 

JOHNSON:  I guess that’s why BET owner Bob Johnson sold out for billions and bought an NBA team in North Carolina, because it’s profitable to be in sports, but of course, basketball isn’t something you can play until you’re 60 years old. Do you think that someone would just throw their chances away after making so many millions?

 

PRINCE:  It’s definitely not all the players, it’s just that some are getting in trouble and doing things the NBA doesn’t want them to do. It’s written into the contract of what they can and can’t do.  They’re not taking advantage of it. The guys from overseas, all they do is play basketball basically 24 hours a day. They’re not worried about coming over here and hanging out.  They want to come over here and play basketball, and that’s it.

 

JOHNSON:  Of course you want to have some fun, too, but like my mama used to tell me, “Don’t have too much fun!”  What are you looking forward to this coming season?

 

PRINCE:  We just hired a new coach, Larry Brown, so I have to get adjusted to a new coach. He’s been known as one of the greatest teachers in basketball history. I will be able to learn more about the game from him.  The most important thing that I’m trying to do, not just next year, but I want to continue to get better and better EVERY year.  What will accomplish that will be hard work, on and off the basketball court, not just in the games, but in practice, too. Success will also come with staying healthy, having good eating habits, and a whole lot of different things.  Just getting better each and every year, that’s what I’m looking forward to.

 

JOHNSON:  Thank you very much.  I appreciate the interview, and I’m sure you’re going to be a continuing success because you have your mom and family behind you, and you seem to have a very good head on your shoulders. Thank you so much.

 

PRINCE:  You are welcomed.

www.wingcomltd.com

The information in this article is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.

 

 

Georgia’s Governor-Elect seeks hard answers among students at DeKalb County middle school Article and digital photos by Tomi Morris Johnson  ©2002 WingcomLtd. All Rights Reserved. tomij@wingcomltd.com

 

November 7, 2002, Decatur, GA…Sonny Perdue, the first Republican elected governor of Georgia since Reconstruction, called the reading of “Jack and the Bean Stalk” by a 6^th grade student at Cedar Grove Middle School impressive. “It didn’t look like his reading was a struggle at all,” Perdue said in a closed meeting with educators and administrators. The suggested reading level for this story is 2^nd grade.

This illustrates that some Georgia students are being taught below grade level in an attempt to motivate them and move them from picture books to chapter books. It also shows that politicians at the highest level in Georgia government are aware of educational issues plaguing predominately black middle schools. The major question to be answered is, “What will the new governor do to enhance the education of ALL students in Georgia?”

Sonny Perdue and wife, Mary, who is a speech therapist, listened to students Stanley Rogers (orange shirt), Jay Johnson (green shirt), and Brandon Odom (white shirt) in 6^th grade “Reading Ramp-Up” class at DeKalb County’s Cedar Grove Middle School. “I didn’t know I would be on camera today,” said Odom who came to school wearing a uniform.

It was nice to see Perdue touring a school two days after his upsetting victory. Perdue said he went to Cedar Grove to access how one of the better schools in the state was meeting and exceeding goals.  However, it may have been better to tour schools in North Dakota to get some tips on how students who rank 1^st in SAT scores are being taught. Perdue and State School Superintendent-Elect Kathy Cox have a hard row to tow if they are interested in improving the perception of Georgia’s schools, which ranked 50^th in SAT results, only followed by the District of Columbia.

In Georgia, black students averaged 851 points on the SAT, six points below the national average for blacks and 182 points behind Georgia’s white students. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper, DeKalb schools' 30-year struggle for racial balance has resulted in re-segregation. One wonders about separate being equal in Georgia’s schools in 2002. (http://www.opinioneditorials.com/freedomwriters/hagler_20020920.html)

Revenue is down $277 million in Georgia for this fiscal year compared to the previous year. According to two Columbia professors, segregated schools are more likely than predominantly white schools to be financially under-resourced and educationally inferior, as measured by pupil/teacher ratios, advanced curricula, computers, laboratory equipment, etc. (Taylor & Piche, 1990)( http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/digests/dig91.html) Parents and community leaders who are taxpayers should never forget that government schools are paid for by tax dollars, therefore, they have a huge stake in their investment and should keep politicians and school administrators accountable for their student’s education.

EDUCATION IS PRIORITY IN GEORGIA?  Some political analysts say Perdue won the gubernatorial election because incumbent Barnes’ flunked the education report card on SAT test scores, thereby receiving an F for his education reforms. This one factor was held up as a major campaign issue, but the College Board who administers the SAT and other professors say judging a state’s intelligence reputation on SAT scores is unmerited. The College Board says SAT scores are useful in making decisions about individual students and assessing their academic preparation. “Using these scores in aggregate form as a single measure to rank or rate teachers, educational institutions, districts, or states is invalid because it does not include all students. In being incomplete, this use is inherently unfair,” the College Board announced on its website.	Barnes lost to Perdue by 105,899 votes. Two days after the election, Barnes’ signs were uprooted and left on Metropolitan Parkway pavement in predominately black Atlanta.
		.

“The state SAT rankings are worthless in determining the quality of the schools in a state, and the potential for basing perceptions and policies on the rankings is even worse,” said Greg Marchant, a Ball State educational psychology professor. Differences in parent income and parent education of the test takers accounted for 92 percent of the difference among the states' average SAT scores. (http://www.bsu.edu/news/article/0,1299,3500--,00.html) That is why employment and entrepreneurship of parents is vital to the student’s educational experience.

Let's take a look at several leading indicators which should be used in accessing K-12 schools.

Test results	Curriculum development
Retention/attrition rates	Faculty staffing
Graduation rates	Financial aid assessment
Strategies to meet individual student needs/modified teaching practices	Planning for physical facilities, auditorium and technology centers
Foreign language, art and music courses	Student services - guidance and placement
Pupil/teacher ratios	Self esteem building
Teacher credentials	Performing arts/cultural events
Expenditures per student	Teacher incentives
Minority enrollment pared with cultural education	Positive/safe environment and school climate
Research/technology initiatives	Link to skills needed in job market
Trade and technical courses	Community involvement
Parent/teacher/student/community teams – mentoring programs	Political, entrepreneurial, self defense, and technology skills
Health career training	Pupil incentives
Extracurricular programs	Good nutrition
Inner/exterior discipline	Critical thinking skills
Instructional media programs	Student-run business initiatives
Counseling programs	Mastery of academic courses
Ongoing staff development	Daily student assessments

 

According to "Schools to Watch," an initiative launched by the National Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform in 1999, four of the best middle schools in the country are Barren County Middle School in Glasgow, Kentucky; Jefferson Middle School in Champaign, Illinois; Freeport Intermediate School in Freeport, Texas; and Thurgood Marshall Middle Schoolin Chicago, Illinois. (http://www.schoolstowatch.org/what.htm.)

Another noteworthy charter school to watch is Betty Shabazz International Charter School in Chicago, IL. The school’s African-centered curriculum features learning Twi, Swahili, Portuguese and Spanish. Lunches consist of healthy, vegetarian meals. A vegetable garden planted by the students and staff is on school grounds. The school drum team requires each student to know the history and purpose of a particular drum. Kufiriki Wall of Ancestors and African cloths are displayed. Critical thinking, social behavior, communications technology as well as language acquisition are major components of the learning process. 

(http://www.cps.k12.il.us/Schools/Opportunities/Charter/School_Profiles/Betty_Shabazz_International/betty_shabazz_international.html)

“Love is the overriding and crucial element in the teaching process…we will never send our children to be taught by those who do not love them.”

Haki R. Madhubuti (Don L. Lee), Founder of the Institute of Positive Education, Chicago,IL

The 1990s can be seen as a decade of "educational backsliding" for all minority groups except Asian Americans, according to an August 29, 2001 report in the Christian Science Monitor. “Part of the problem, analysts say, is continued reliance on local property taxes to fund local schools. That tax base continues to grow in affluent communities, but not as much as in urban school districts. (http://www.csmonitor.com/2001/0829/p1s1-usgn.html)

Cedar Grove Middle School, which is 98.3 % African American, has a white female principal, Deborah Rives, who deems herself in touch with black culture and education reforms. On the school’s website, Rives prides herself with hiring all the staff at the newest middle school in DeKalb County, opened in 1999. Rives said she encourages students to talk and share their feelings at Cedar Grove.

“Research says that children learn best by talking to each other which increases their knowledge level. The more they talk, the more they learn. When they talk together, they’re teaching each other, and when you can teach something, you know it. I had the opportunity to listen to a Harvard professor, Dr. Lani Guinier, who said the best way for African American students to learn is from conversation.”   Principal Deborah Rives

Rives met Governor-Elect Perdue at the school house door and later watched as students played a game in Ms. Allison Quashe’s 8^th grade math class.

“We have developed a coding system which tells students which standards they meet,” Principal Deborah Rives explained to Perdue as she showed off student work in the hallways. “The colored dot on their work means that the student used a range of different strategies. We are not trying to hide anything from the student. This shows them what they need to do. This is part of the standards based, America’s Choice/Georgia’s Choice design, but we developed the dot system,” Rives said.

DeKalb County CEO Vernon Jones was pleased when Perdue stopped in DeKalb County on tour.  “This certainly shows the significance of DeKalb County in the entire state of Georgia. We have some success stories, some failures, and some challenges here too,” Jones said.  “What the new governor should do is listen to the students, the teachers and the parents. Our previous governor didn’t listen,” Jones added. “This governor is going to have to work across party lines to be successful. There will be no automatic way of getting legislation through. Sonny understands the art of politics, which is compromise. I think he will do extremely well.”

Jones worked along with Perdue and Kathy Cox in the General Assembly. “For the governor to be serious about education…asking for our advice, counsel and suggestions and at the same time touring with the new state school superintendent who happens to be a teacher…shows they care about students in Georgia,” Jones said.

Jones talked to Cedar Grove math students.		Kathy Cox toured school with Perdue to “take a look at their academic and patriotic program for saluting veterans. The students are well-disciplined, academics is soaring, and ‘America’s Choice’ seems to be working,” Cox said. Master teacher salaries, teacher advancement programs, community/business partnerships, and creative student incentives will be part of Cox’s education program. “Accountability will still be important,” Cox said. “In order to improve education, you’ve got to motivate kids.”
Sarah Wood (l), vice-chair of DeKalb County Board of Education, District 3, talked with Perdue at Cedar Grove. Her motto is: The school cannot live apart from the community. “I’m optimistic for the future. Party doesn’t matter.  What matters is the function and the performance of the person in the job. The new governor said he is going to make education first, and of course, that’s my focus. Unless someone seriously focuses on education, we will not be in any condition to attract economic development. The kids will not have the opportunity for a successful life and will not be able to become effective citizens because they will not be able to find employment,” Woods said. “No one, not even the governor, wants a child to succeed more than the classroom teacher.”  Sandra Neal			Sandra Neal, Perdue’s statewide Education Campaign Chairman, said she is excited about Perdue’s tenure and the impact it will have on education. “I feel really good about his (Perdue’s) understanding of current education issues.  I know he has the greatest respect and admiration for our teachers,” Neal said. “We help raise the self-esteem of students when we challenge them, when we help them meet their goals, and we reward that.  All children can learn, and education is the key to their future. We know we have our work cut out for us. There is a lot to be done. We have to make students and parents understand that if they are serious about going to college, they must take school seriously,” Neal said. “You prepare minority students to take the SAT the same way you do other students, but you may need to encourage them a little more and provide support.”  Bringing outside testing experts in who match the ethnic background of the students also helps, Neal said. In the background is Dr. Johnny Brown, Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools.

After making the comment, “Free At Last” before coming to Cedar Grove, Perdue was chastised in the media. “I admire Dr. King,” Perdue said. “I’m afraid the people who made an uproar (about using that expression) probably were not happy I was elected anyway. I really hope they have a great day, and I love them as Georgians as well.”

Before the governor-elect’s visit, WingcomLtd’s Tomi Johnson made a trip to the Perdue transition team meeting in the Piedmont 2 Room at Buckhead’s Grand Hyatt Hotel.  There were no minorities in attendance at this meeting. Dan McLagan is the communications director for the Perdue transition team. “He (Perdue) will have to perform as governor and improve education.  By the end of four years, I think everyone will say ‘Sonny Perdue did a good job for me and my family.’”

Perdue Press Conference:

“This (Cedar Grove Middle School) is a bright spot. It is a great school, great concept, and good leadership supported by a board and superintendent that believe every child can learn and none should be left behind…. We want to replicate this kind of success all across the state…Folks, we are going to make it better; we are going to make it work. The children of Georgia will be the beneficiaries of this administration. I am convinced of it.

“Education is a priority. We are going to budget our priorities to meet the human needs of our state. Education is a great human need that is tied to economic development. We do not have a cost figure yet. We are not talking about some big, expansive program. We’re talking about using the resources that are available now, putting coaches in the classrooms, a real on-the-job mentoring program…”

“We know we are going to have revenue challenges, that’s why today I have announced that Hank Huckabee, former director of the office of planning and budget, will be our transition director of planning and budget. He will be meeting with Dr. Thomason to find out what the real revenue estimates are. 

“We will not have trouble dealing with the legislature at all. They are going to feel like they have been freed to vote their conscience, constituencies, and hearts about what is going to make Georgia better. We are going to go with the merits of ideas, not partisanship.”

Perdue refused to answer questions concerning a referendum to change the Georgia flag back to the previous one with a pronounced confederate emblem.

SIDEBAR:  New SAT in 2003

Parents and educators should be aware that the SAT itself is changing.

• The former SAT Verbal Exam will become the SAT Critical Reading Exam. This test will no longer include analogies. Instead, short reading sections will be added to existing long reading passages.
• A new section called the SAT Writing Exam will be added. This section will contain multiple-choice grammar questions as well as a written essay.
• The SAT Math Exam will be expanded to cover three years of high school math. Instead of just covering concepts from Geometry and Algebra I, the new SAT Math Exam will contain concepts from Geometry, Algebra I and Algebra II. 

 

The information in this article is the opinion of the author and, therefore, should not be construed as libelous.