A legal feud between Hulk Hogan and the Gawker media empire is  finally making its way to court. Hogan filed a $100 million defamation suit against Gawker back in 2012 after the site published a minute and 41-second long chunk of the sex tape. That suit is now making its way to trial–jury selection just began in St. Petersburg, Florida.

The sex tape featured Hogan–whose legal name is actually Terry Bollea–and Heather Cole, who at the time was the wife of radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge Clem. The fact that Clem and Hogan used to be good friends put a whole new twisted spin on the entire thing. The existence of the tape was actually not a secret, given that multiple news sites referenced it and some published stills from it. But Gawker, which received the video anonymously in 2012, was the first to actually publish a segment of it. The article was entitled, with true Gawker panache “Even for a Minute, Watching Hulk Hogan Have Sex in a Canopy Bed Is Not Safe for Work but Watch It Anyway.”

Hogan is claiming that his privacy was violated because of the sex tape leak, is suing the media company for defamation, and accused Gawker’s lawyers of releasing confidential comments from the video to the media. While the idea that the most salacious part of a sex video could be the things said on it sounds kind of insane, it’s not–the comments released were racist remarks about his daughter Brooke Hogan dating a black man. The ensuing backlash eventually led to WWE severing ties with one of its biggest stars. Hogan’s lawyers called Gawker’s actions “outrageous, irresponsible, and despicable.”

Gawker’s response has been mostly focused on First Amendment rights, and the media company says that because Hogan has been open about his sex life in the past, the video was fair game. Gawker founder Nick Denton said last summer: “I care about the readers having the right to know both sides of a story. Readers should also have the right to get the story behind the celebrity story.”

Essentially, this entire case boils down to questions about how much privacy celebrities can expect–especially in the age of the internet and easily-shareable recordings. A jury in St. Petersburg will have to decide the answer to those questions soon.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Hulk Hogan and Gawker go to Court Over Leaked Sex Tape appeared first on Law Street.

Donald Trump may have received a bizarre endorsement from Sarah Palin earlier this week, but now he’s receiving a lot of “anti-endorsements” as well. A number of prominent American voices, including celebrities, academics, and activists have joined together to help defeat Trump as he attempts to win the Republican Party’s 2016 presidential nomination.

The list of people who have signed on to the “Stop Hate Dump Trump” campaign is rapidly growing–it currently includes Harry Belafonte, Cornel West, Danny Glover, Jane Fonda, Kimberlé Crenshaw, Michael Moore, Noam Chomsky, Kerry Washington, Reza Aslan, Eve Ensler, Connie Britton, Gloria Steinem, Cynthia Nixon, Rosie O’Donnell, Dylan McDermott, and many others.

The petition to “Stop Hate Dump Trump” reads:

We believe Trump is a grave threat to democracy, freedom, human rights, equality, and the welfare of our country and all our people.

We have witnessed Trump inciting hatred against Muslims, immigrants, women, the disabled. We have seen him evidencing dangerous tendencies that threaten the bedrock of democracy: unleashing a lynch mob mentality against protestors, calling for the expulsion of Muslims from the country, bullying, and fear-mongering.

History has shown us what happens when people refuse to stand against hate-filled leaders.

We pledge ourselves to speak out in every way possible against the politics of hate and exclusion he represents.

The star-studded cohort that is backing the petition collectively has a pretty large microphone, and the campaign has generated plenty of buzz since it launched yesterday. In addition to criticizing Trump’s consistently racist, xenophobic, and sexist statements, the movement also appears to be critical of the media’s willingness to cover Trump’s latest outrageous remark without real criticism. Liza Donnelley, a cartoonist for the New Yorker, has also lent her talented pen to the movement, and has created some Dump Trump-inspired cartoons for the movement–her work criticizes both Trump, and also that cyclical media coverage.

Trump scares me. I drew some #cartoons, signed this petition. See here: https://t.co/DvNCUcPy6m #stophatedumptrump pic.twitter.com/U6VckyT7Jm

— lizadonnelly (@lizadonnelly) January 21, 2016

Trump scares me. I drew some #cartoons, signed this petition. See here: https://t.co/DvNCUcPy6m#stophatedumptrumppic.twitter.com/7H2xR27EOx — lizadonnelly (@lizadonnelly) January 21, 2016

Trump scares me. I drew some #cartoons, signed this petition. See here: https://t.co/DvNCUcPy6m #stophatedumptrump pic.twitter.com/mdEy50za8S — lizadonnelly (@lizadonnelly) January 21, 2016

The celebrities, activists, and others lending their names and voices to the Stop Hate Dump Trump movement collectively have a pretty large microphone–it’s admirable that they’re using it for a worthy cause. As we get closer and closer to the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary, we’ll have to see if they’re able to make any dent in Trump’s poll numbers.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post #StopHateDumpTrump: Celebrities Team Up to Defeat Trump appeared first on Law Street.

Last June comedian and actor Tracy Morgan’s limo bus was involved in a crash with a Walmart tractor trailer truck. The crash killed Morgan’s friend and mentor, comedian James McNair, who was also riding in the vehicle. The accident also left Morgan seriously injured, and two of the other passengers, Ardley Fuqua and Jeffrey Millea, critically hurt as well. Given the nature of the crash, Morgan, Fuqua, and Millea filed a lawsuit against Walmart, and it was just recently announced that that suit has been settled with the three plaintiffs.

Morgan, a former “Saturday Night Live” and “30 Rock” star, and his friends had left a stand-up show at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Delaware where Morgan had performed, and were traveling along the New Jersey Turnpike when the accident occurred. The driver of the Walmart truck, Kevin Roper, of Georgia, didn’t see the slow-moving traffic, which included the limo bus, until it was too late. Although Roper attempted to swerve, he wasn’t able to, and slammed into the limo bus. The truck hit Morgan’s vehicle directly, but that collision set off a chain reaction crash that involved another truck and other cars.

Although Roper is filing criminal charges and has pleaded not guilty, the civil suit from the victims was filed against Walmart. The driver hadn’t slept for more than 24 hours before the crash occurred. Although exactly why Roper was awake for so long is unclear, there are federal regulations that state that drivers can only work for 11 hours in a 14-hour workday.

The accident happened nealry a year ago, but Morgan is still struggling from the ordeal. He broke his leg, nose, and multiple ribs in the crash, as well as endured severe head trauma and is still recovering. He hasn’t appeared in public since the accident, although his team has announced that he will be appearing on “The Today Show” this coming Monday. He will appear with Matt Lauer, as well as his lawyer Benedict Morelli.

The terms of the recently settled lawsuit are being kept under wraps after the settlement was filed Wednesday in Newark, New Jersey. According to Walmart President and CEO Greg Foran,

Our thoughts continue to go out to everyone that was involved in the accident. While we know there is nothing that can change what happened, Walmart has been committed to doing what’s right to help ensure the wellbeing of all of those who were impacted by the accident. We worked closely with Mr. Morelli, and we are pleased to have reached an amicable settlement that ends this litigation. We are deeply sorry that one of our trucks was involved.

Morgan and Morelli each put out statements announcing that they were pleased with the way the settlement ended. A lawsuit with McNair’s family had already been settled in January.

While the accident was certainly tragic, it’s good that the lawsuit was resolved amicably and relatively quickly. Hopefully it will provide closure for the victims as they continue to recover.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Tracy Morgan’s Lawsuit Against Walmart in Fatal Crash is Finally Settled appeared first on Law Street.

Hey y’all!

Two of my favorite things in the whole wide world have collided! The Real Housewives franchise on Bravo TV and the law! Real Housewife of New Jersey Teresa Giudice and her hubby Giuseppe “Joe” Giudice were charged with 41 counts of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, bank fraud, making false statements on loan applications and bankruptcy fraud back in 2013 and yesterday they were both sentenced.

First, “Juicy” Joe.

He received 41 months in a federal prison, has to pay $414,588.90 in restitution, plus a $10,000 fine, and has to complete an alcohol treatment program. It’s great that he has to do the alcohol program, but I think it is a little bit too late for that idea. Back in 2010, good ol’ Joe flipped his truck in a DWI crash but never really got punished for it. After losing his license in that crash, he posed as his brother to get a new driver’s license, and it’s that crime for which he might be deported to Italy — the country of which he is a citizen — after getting out of prison.

Teresa got 15 months in jail; prosecutors argued against house arrest because it would be a little fucked up for her to chill out in the house she basically defrauded others in order to build. The upside is the judge is allowing Teresa and Joe to go at separate times so that their four daughters do not suffer too much. Teresa will serve first and I imagine she probably won’t stay in for the whole 15 months. Think Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, or Nicole Richie jail time. Which makes me wonder if jails are sexist because these women were in jail for short periods of time but DMX and O.J. Simpson were not let out early (but we all know why O.J. is really in jail).

Naturally, Joe and Teresa will sit down and do their first interview after the sentencing with Andy Cohen of Bravo TV. Andy is the glue that holds all of the hot mess shows together on that network and he does a great job!

I am a huge fan of all things Real Housewives. You can get on that hot mess express and ride it around for an hour, hop off and go about your life until that next episode comes on. Originally when I started watching RHONJ I was not too fond of Teresa until she flipped that table.

Courtesy of Giphy.

Joe didn’t seem to be around much at first, but that was okay because there was enough drama to fill more hours than viewers could stand. Slowly but surely over the past few seasons Joe has stepped up his game in showing his face. I HATED Joe a season or two back when he basically made it seem like a phone call he received was from a mistress and then proceeded to call his wife a bitch. Tool bag!

But this season, if you’ve been watching, you get to see a better side of Joe and he has somehow turned into a decent guy. I can tell you one thing, even though I may have never been fond of him or how he treated Teresa he has always seemed to be a good dad!

Teresa and Joe have four little girls; Gia, Milania, Gabriella, and Audriana. Milania stole the show the moment that camera turned to her. She is one opinionated, mouthy kid but you gotta love her!

Courtesy of Tumblr.

What blows my mind about this whole situation is that there were 41 counts and all of this spanned a four-year time period. It is great to know that prosecutors were able to catch them and make them pay for their choices but I wonder how much of that is because they decided to join the Real Housewives of New Jersey. If the spotlight had not been on them would they have perhaps gotten away with it or even gone on to commit more fraud?

Our judicial system works, but does it work better when celebrities are involved?

—

Allison Dawson (@AllyD528) Born in Germany, raised in Mississippi and Texas. Graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University. Currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative.

Featured image courtesy of [Jennifer Marie Puglia via Flickr]

Allison Dawson

Allison Dawson was born in Germany and raised in Mississippi and Texas. A graduate of Texas Tech University and Arizona State University, she’s currently dedicating her life to studying for the LSAT. Twitter junkie. Conservative. Get in touch with Allison at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Real Housewife of NJ Teresa Giudice: Go Directly to Jail, Do Not Collect $200 appeared first on Law Street.

No one knows what happens when we die, and we never will. Some believe in an afterlife, some think death is just eternal darkness, and some believe that our spirits reincarnate into another body. We have no idea what belief is right, but I think we can all agree that death is terrifying. Which is why I would never wish it on anyone.

Earlier this week, actress and comedian Joan Rivers passed away at the age of 81. Thousands have voiced their opinions on the late comedian, calling her a “trailblazer,” “one of a kind,” and a “mentor.” While all these might well be true, let’s not forget that Joan Rivers was also a bitch.

Before she died, Joan Rivers was recorded on camera saying that Palestinians “deserved to die,” because they elected Hamas into power. In her short rant she manages to degrade a whole society by stating “they were told to get out, you don’t get out then you know you’re an idiot. And at least the ones that were killed were the ones with very low IQs.” Watch the statement below.

It’s one thing to be open and frank, but it’s another to be rude and offensive. When you’re as big of a star as Joan Rivers was you have to realize that your voice reaches the masses. You have to realize that you have a duty to be vigilant about what you say and when you say it. Because for some reason Joan, people looked up to you. And contrary to what you might think, innocent people who refuse to leave a place that they call home, do not deserve to die.

Apart from Gaza, the late actress managed to offend the President of the United States and the First Lady by calling President Obama “gay,” and the First Lady a “tranny.” She offended Heidi Klum, Germans, and Jews with her concentration camp joke. She attacked celebrity baby North West saying she was in need of a waxing, and British singer Adele with the tweet below.

Congratulations to Adele on the birth of her 68 pound 8 ounces bouncing baby boy.

— Joan Rivers (@Joan_Rivers) October 22, 2012

Yes, Rivers had her funny moments. Yes, she had an illustrious career in television and comedy. Yes, she helped pave the way for women in media. But I personally think that her disregard for people, her outlandish statements, and her brute stubbornness overshadows all of that.

We tend to hold celebrities in a higher regard than we should. If Joan Rivers was your teacher, would you respect her? If she called your baby fat or ugly, would you still adore her? If she called your husband gay or your wife a tranny, would you still think she was funny? I refuse to let her off the hook just because she was famous. I refuse to respect anyone who says innocent people deserve to die. I refuse to like celebrities just because they are celebrities. I am sorry that she died, and my condolences go out to her family. But let’s not act like we lost Mother Teresa.

Mic Drop

—

Trevor Smith (@TSmith1211) is a homegrown DMVer studying Journalism and Graphic Design at American University. Upon graduating he has hopes to work for the US State Department so that he can travel, learn, and make money at the same time.

 Featured image courtesy of [Steve Rhodes via Flickr]

Trevor Smith

Trevor Smith is a homegrown DMVer studying Journalism and Graphic Design at American University. Upon graduating he has hopes to work for the US State Department so that he can travel, learn, and make money at the same time. Contact Trevor at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Stop Glorifying Undeserving Celebrities Like Joan Rivers When They Die appeared first on Law Street.

Pretty much every big name in Hollywood has a preferred charity or two. You hear Elton John, and you think AIDS research. Similarly, Bono is well known for his charitable work in Africa. Before his death, Paul Newman’s charity created camps for children suffering from serious illnesses all over the United States. The work that celebrities do for charities is admirable, and I have no intention of discounting their efforts in any way. But there’s a fine line between being an invaluable part of a charitable movement, and being an expert in that field. And this week, some people are arguing that Congress has blurred that line.

Ben Affleck and Seth Rogen will testify in front of Congress about each of their pet charities. Affleck will speak to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the Democratic Republic of the Congo , and Rogen will go in front of a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to talk about the economic impact of Alzheimer’s research. But does active involvement in related charities qualify them to testify about those causes?

These two scheduled appearances on Capitol Hill have spurred a series of debates over the validity of their Congressional testimonies. Regarding Affleck’s testimony, an anonymous GOP Senate Aide stated, “people serious about resolving problems – especially problems related to life and death – want to have serious conversations with experts and leaders in the field; not celebrities.” Another Republican aide said, “the meeting would be inappropriate given the wide offering of other experts available to speak on the issue.” Seth Rogen sparked slightly less ire, but critics did take to Twitter to mock his supposed expertise on Alzheimer’s.

Now at first glance, I agreed with these critics. But the more I think about it, the more I’m OK with celebrities testifying before Congress — if they’re qualified. So here are the top four reasons that we should be glad Affleck and Rogen are testifying this week.

4. They won’t be alone.

Both Affleck and Rogen will be involved in panel-style discussions, with the former appearing alongside Russell Feingold, the U.S. Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region of Africa; Roger Meece, former U.S. Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Dr. Raymond Gilpin, Academic Dean of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Rogen will join Dr. Francis Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, and Dr. Michael Hurd, Director of the RAND Center for the Study of Aging, among others.

Neither of these celebrities is testifying in front of the panels as standalone experts who can give a full view of the problems surrounding the DRC or Alzheimer’s. Rather, they are focusing on their experiences in charity work, and their experiences with people directly affected by war and Alzheimer’s — both angles are important to consider. Affleck founded the Eastern Congo Initiative a few years ago to advocate for the people of that region and to provide much needed grants. Similarly, Rogen and his wife Lauren Miller founded Hilarity for Charity, a foundation to raise funds for and awareness of Alzheimer’s research. Now in my book, that makes them qualified to testify about their experiences with those foundations and the people they impact. Both of the panels will involve discussions of aid and money, and Affleck and Rogen can, at the very least, provide valuable insight into those topics.

3. They have unique access. 

Celebrities have unique access in a way that politicians and diplomats sometimes do not. Affleck has been to the DRC many times, and has interacted with a wide variety of players involved. In 2008 his travels were filmed by ABC in an effort to bring attention to the region. He met with refugees, child soldiers, members of parliament, and warlords.

Both of these men occupy places of financial privilege. They are able to travel the globe and talk to way more people than say, a professor with expert knowledge on the subject, or most diplomats. For them to be able to use that privilege to help people is pretty great.

 2. It brings media attention to the issue. 

Having celebrity spokespeople come and testify about something does cause a media buzz. I guarantee you that if these panels didn’t include Affleck and Rogen, they’d be getting almost no attention. Congress hears from experts all the time, but celebrities are rarer, and they bring  heightened attention to the issues. Obviously this is a phenomenon that should be used sparingly, but I think in the case of the Congo and Alzheimer’s, more media attention is deserved. The U.S. government spends around $500 million a year on Alzheimer’s research, which sounds like a lot, but is actually very little when you realize that 5.5 million Americans are estimated to have the degenerative illness. And the Congo, a region that has been war torn for years, does receive foreign aid, but not nearly enough to fix all the systemic issues there. I’m not necessarily suggesting that these issues should receive more federal funding, but attention to them from the private sector and the media can’t possibly hurt.

1. It makes them good role models. 

Americans, especially young people, look up to their favorite celebrities. Affleck and Rogen are well known faces, each with their own devoted fan bases. So, I can’t help but think that it’s a good thing for them to be so heavily involved in their charities that they are asked to testify before Congress. It shows that it’s sexy and cool to help others, educate yourself on contentious issues, and find causes about which you’re passionate. Despite some criticism, Affleck will be the new Batman.

Everyone loves Batman, and Affleck has the potential to affect the kids who grow up admiring their favorite superhero. He has the potential to be a great role model for those kids.

Same with Rogen, who I assume will continue his comedy career over the coming years. He’ll be another great role model for involvement and giving back. At the end of the day, say what you want about their qualifications to testify in front of Congress. In my book, their involvement in these great causes, and the fact that they are able to advocate for them in the public sphere makes them much better role models than most celebrities.

—

Anneliese Mahoney (@AMahoney8672) is Lead Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [WEBN-TV via Flickr]

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post 4 Reasons Why Celebrities Testifying as Experts is Okay appeared first on Law Street.

Folks, what is going on with Woody Allen these days?

In case you’ve missed all the drama amid the #SochiFailympics, here’s a quick recap of what’s been happening. Woody Allen was given a lifetime achievement award at The Golden Globes last month, to which his ex, Mia Farrow, and her son, Ronan, responded with this:

Time to grab some icecream & switch over to #GIRLS

— mia farrow (@MiaFarrow) January 13, 2014

Missed the Woody Allen tribute – did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after Annie Hall?

— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) January 13, 2014

Some passive aggressive Twitter rage, I see! Understandable, considering Woody Allen allegedly molested Dylan Farrow, daughter and sister of the two subtweeting Farrows. Of course, the world exploded. Along with the responses of a handful of celebrities and everyone on Twitter, Dylan spoke out for herself.

Detailing the trauma of childhood sexual assault at the hands of a celebrity in an open letter published in the New York Times, Dylan wrote, “[I] imagine your seven-year-old daughter being led into an attic by Woody Allen. Imagine she spends a lifetime stricken with nausea at the mention of his name. Imagine a world that celebrates her tormenter…Woody Allen is a living testament to the way our society fails the survivors of sexual assault and abuse.”

That’s some powerful, powerful shit. Not that it shut down any of the men’s rights, Woody Allen apologists for half a second.

First there was this op-ed, by Woody Allen’s BFF. Its nauseating smugness actually makes me want to barf. Then, there was Woody Allen’s own response, in which he minimizes and distorts his own douchebaggery to smear his ex Mia as a loony-tune woman scorned. On the same day, Vanity Fair published a list of fully fact-checked, indisputable truths about the highly contested case, and then, one day later, Dylan issued her own re-response.

Phew. It’s been a rough few weeks for the Farrows and the Allens and all of us in between. You think your own family feuds are intense? At least they don’t play out in the news, am I right?

THANK GOODNESS.

But despite the fact that I’m trying to keep this light, this Woody Allen/Dylan Farrow fiasco is no joke. This is some serious, serious shit. Especially because what really happened in that attic is so hotly contested.

Folks, a lot has been written about this case, and here’s what most of it comes down to — none of us were there. As third-party bystanders, all of our information is secondhand. So, we each have to choose what to believe, for ourselves.

You can choose to believe Woody and his story about a vengeful, manipulative ex-girlfriend who’s willing to psychologically abuse her children in order to get back at him.

Or, you can believe Dylan and her story about a creepy father who assaulted her and then proceeded to launch a smear campaign against his victim and her family.

I know which story I find more plausible.

But, these conflicting stories aside, we’re still left with some simple, disturbing facts. Even if nothing at all had happened between Dylan and Woody — even if there were no allegations — he still wound up in a romantic relationship with his girlfriend’s daughter. Woody was 56 and dating Mia Farrow when he got involved with Soon-Yi, the 19-year-old adopted sister of his children Ronan and Dylan.

That’s fucking creeptastic.

Despite the widespread reports that Woody and Soon-Yi enjoy a healthy, egalitarian marriage, Allen’s willingness to get involved with his girlfriend’s teenaged, adopted daughter speaks volumes about his character.

He’s a man who either has no sense of boundaries within a relationship, or doesn’t seriously concern himself with them. He’s a man with poor judgment and little impulse control. He’s a man who cares little for anything but his own selfish pursuit of happiness. He isn’t bothered by the disturbing, unequal power dynamic that’s present in a relationship between a 56-year-old cultural kingpin and a 19-year-old adoptee. And he doesn’t feel a mental and emotional gulf between himself and someone more than 30 years his junior — a gulf that should absolutely be present.

And he’s celebrated. Woody Allen is one of the most beloved culture creators of our generation — this man, who’s undeniably fucked up in ways that seriously harmed those closest to him. Meanwhile, Dylan — the victim here — has to live in the shadows, emotionally scarred, or risk being attacked, shamed, and smeared.

So, what does our cultural obsession with Woody Allen say about us? I’ll tell you.

It says that we don’t mind a creepy, emotionally stunted, hurtful, abusive man, so long as he’s rich and white and amusing. We’ll give him the benefit of the doubt and immortalize him with laughs and admiration.

But the people he destroys along the way? They can pretty much go fuck themselves.

I’m not a fan of that. Are you?

—

Hannah R. Winsten (@HannahRWinsten) is a freelance copywriter, marketing consultant, and blogger living in New York’s sixth borough. She hates tweeting but does it anyway. She aspires to be the next Rachel Maddow.

Featured image courtesy of [ABC Films (eBay, Lester Glassner Collection) via Wikipedia]

Hannah R. Winsten

Hannah R. Winsten is a freelance copywriter, marketing consultant, and blogger living in New York’s sixth borough. She hates tweeting but does it anyway. She aspires to be the next Rachel Maddow. Contact Hannah at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Woody Allen: Dating Your Girlfriend’s Daughter is Kind of a Big Deal appeared first on Law Street.

In news that shocked no one, early Sunday morning at the W Hotel in Washington, DC, singer, dancer, and all-around simpleton Chris Brown was arrested for allegedly assaulting an individual. The story goes that Brown and his bodyguard [who has to be the worst bodyguard in the world] assaulted a fan who merely wanted to get a photo with the performer. At this point, I’d like to make a ruling here as regards best practices when it comes to fans wanting to get a photo. We get it, celebrities aren’t perfect, they sometimes don’t want to be role models, and often just want to be left alone and would rather not take 10 minutes out of their busy schedule while you choose the best filter for your Instagram photo of them. However, it’s probably not the best to break the nose of a fan. Just, you know, as a general rule.

Brown was initially charged with felony assault. When the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor, Brown was released from jail. The latest development is that he had checked himself into rehab. Naturally, representatives of his say “[h]e just decided he wanted to take some time off and do some introspection.” Personally, I know that whenever I assault someone for seemingly no reason, my first impulse is to jet off to Malibu, play some Playstation, maybe read a Danielle Steel novel, and just look inward.

This could easily become a post about bashing Chris Brown. Trust me, that would be too easy. Brown is currently serving a four-year probation term for assaulting singer Rihanna. It would be easy to say that this young celeb has serious issues, that he is clearly a terrible person, and deserves the book to be thrown at him. But I’m not going to say that. What I will highlight is the fact that because Mr. Brown is famous, this new example of the Justice system favoring those it ought not favor, saddens me as much, if not more, than when the Justice system disfavors someone it should not disfavor.

What truly bothers me about this story is just how many chances Chris Brown, and just about any other rich person, gets in the criminal justice system. Entertain this hypothetical for a moment. Take away the fame and money from Chris Brown. Let us pretend he is just another Black male in his twenties arrested for assault in the District of Columbia. Now let’s ask ourselves, would the charge have been reduced to a misdemeanor the way it was. What is more likely is that Brown would just be another nameless, faceless defendant in the near-cattle call that is the criminal court of so many of our metropolitan cities.

I would argue that celebrities, and particularly Black celebrities, should be uniquely aware of the choices they make and how they are viewed by the general public. Chris Brown seems to assault people with near impunity. The very fact that he has the option to fly off to some idyllic getaway for “introspection” betrays a privilege that is so far out of reach to other young Black males as to be unimaginable. I have seen the cross-section of DC’s humanity that is a Monday morning at the H. Carl Moultrie I Courthouse. I can tell you that the legions of Black faces, whether defendants or relatives thereof, would give everything they have to get the second chances that Mr. Brown seems to have been the beneficiary of. But for them, their first strike often leads to funneling them into a system that largely looks at them as irredeemable and only suitable for control and housing in some juvenile, or God-forbid adult, correctional facility.

It would seem that if you can dance, or sing, or are in movies, both the general public and the justice system give you tons more chances than if you have none of these traits. This systemic hypocrisy is only made worse by the fact that it is not even applied consistently among all famous people of color. Michael Vick lost his spot on the Atlanta Falcons and years of his life because he sanctioned dog fighting. OJ Simpson was no different, though his attempt to write a “hypothetical” book about how he would have actually killed Nicole Brown Simpson gets an A plus for absolute lack of tact. It seems it depends on the category of celebrity that you are, when it comes to determining whether one should get the court’s, and society’s, indulgence.

Therein lies the rub for millions of other Black males who don’t get the public’s support. The Superior Court here in DC was flooded was supporters on Brown’s side. Singer Trey Songs even showed up to support. But I ask why should celebrities be any different? There are some that  say that persons with a high profile should have the book thrown at them. I am not one of those. All I ask is that the celebrity be given the same treatment of any other person in that same situation. No more, no less. I don’t think modern law schools still teach that Justice is blind, but it certainly shouldn’t be the case that Justice is starstruck.

I know for a fact that every other twenty-something African American male walking into urban courthouses around the country wishes he could get the second, third, and often fourth, chances that Chris Brown and his ilk seem to feel entitled to. Alas, if only young Tyrone from Minnesota Avenue, or Malik from Barry Farms here in DC could have a hit single. Then they might be able to escape the incarceration pipeline that takes so many of our brothers leaving them functionally-incapable of leading productive lives on the other side.

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Featured image courtesy of [Eva Rinaldi via Flickr]

Dominic Jones

Dominic Jones is originally from Atlantic City, NJ. He attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. followed by law school at the Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, DC. In his spare time he enjoys art, photography, and documentary films. Contact Dominic at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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