Top 5 Live –WURD Thursday March 12
1. Secret Service Agents Under Investigation for Allegedly Drinking and Driving
Two Secret Service agents are under investigation for allegations that they were under the influence of alcohol while driving a government vehicle near the White House. The incident, which was first reported by the Washington Post, is being investigated by the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General. “We are aware of the alleged incident,” an Obama administration official told ABC News. “At the request of the Secret Service Director, Joe Clancy, the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General is conducting an investigation into the allegations. We’re not going to comment further while that investigation is ongoing.” Both agents have been reassigned to non-operational assignments pending the outcome of the investigation.
2. Sexual Predators Hidden in Federal Witness Protection Program, Report Finds
The U.S. government’s Witness Protection Program provides new identities and new communities for federal witnesses who may be at risk. But there’s a problem. At least four sex offenders in the program have received a new name and a new home, “but the Department of Justice did not use adequate safeguards to protect and notify the public and law enforcement about the risk posed,” according to a new DOJ Inspector General report released today. The Department of Justice Inspector General released a scathing report, criticizing the Federal Witness Protection program for “not taking sufficient steps to mitigate threats posed” by sex offenders in the program or recently released from the program.
The crimes of some of those protected by the program include rape and sexual assault of children. “We believe that the DOJ generally did not use adequate safeguards to protect and notify the public and law enforcement about the risk posed by sex offender participants in the Program.” the report states. Last year, DOJ identified 58 sex offenders who were in the program at some point.
3. Angie Stone Arrested for Allegedly Attacking Her Daughter
Grammy-nominated singer Angie Stone was arrested after she allegedly hit her daughter in the face with a metal stand, police said. The incident occurred around 9:30 p.m. Monday in Lithonia, Georgia, according to 11Alive. Her 30-year-old daughter Diamond’s front teeth reportedly were knocked out. Diamond told police that her mother came into her room, demanded that she clean up, and “get her children since they were running around the house half naked.”
That’s when Diamond said her mother told her leave and things became physical. Angie supposedly started punching her daughter in the face. When she realized she hit her daughter with the metal stand, she put it away and tried to get away from her, according to the news outlet. Both mother and daughter were taken to DeKalb County Police headquarters. No charges were filed against Diamond.
4. Pa. high court hears arguments in Kane leak case
Attorney General Kathleen Kane said she was “cautiously hopeful,” and answered virtually no other questions after leaving Philadelphia City Hall Wednesday, surrounded by a swarm of reporters and news cameras. The first elected Democrat to the second-most powerful statewide office had just emerged from a back row in a Supreme Court courtroom, where she listened as lawyers presented oral arguments in a case whose outcome could spare or condemn her to criminal prosecution.
A ruling could be days or weeks away as the five-member panel of three Republicans and two Democrats consider the matter. Remarks by Chief Justice Thomas Saylor, a Republican, suggested that he may already have taken a legal side. From the bench, Saylor suggested that the grand jury probe of a leak from an old investigation of a Philadelphia civil-rights leader, had been launched legally. Kane has insisted it was not.”There’s a lot of authority for Judge Carpenter to do what he did,” Saylor said.
5. Ferguson police chief resigns
Embattled Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson resigned Wednesday, a week after a scathing Justice Department report slammed his department. Jackson and the city “have agreed to a mutual separation,” Ferguson officials announced. “It’s a really hard pill to swallow,” Jackson said in a text message responding to CNN’s request for comment. He also confirmed his resignation in a letter to Ferguson’s mayor. “It is with profound sadness that I am announcing I am stepping down from my position as chief of police for the city of Ferguson, Missouri,” Jackson said, adding that serving the city as police chief “has been an honor and a privilege.”
The resignation will go into effect March 19, Jackson said, to “provide for an orderly transition of command.” “I will continue to assist the city in any way I can in my capacity as private citizen,” Jackson wrote. But even though he’s about to be out of a job, Jackson will still collect a paycheck. Jackson will receive a severance payment and health insurance for one year, the city said.
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Solomon Jones is an Essence bestselling author and award-winning columnist. He is the creator and editor of Solomonjones.com and morning host on 900 am WURD radio. Click here to learn more about Solomon
