Bring That Week Back: Week of Aug. 16, 2009
Check out the biggest stories in Black America this week!
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Manslaughter Charges - Michael Jackson’s personal doctor will be charged with manslaughter within the next two weeks, a law enforcement source told FOXNews.com. The source initially said Dr. Conrad Murray could be arrested as soon as next Wednesday — but investigators have decided to execute one more search warrant, likely at a Los Angeles pharmacy, next week in an attempt to gather more evidence against him. In a one-minute YouTube video posted this week, Murray told the world he did everything he could do.
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M.J.’s Mom May Sue - While her husband Joseph says their son will be buried on what would have been his 51st birthday, Aug. 29, Michael Jackson's mother Katherine is reportedly mulling over filing a wrongful death suit in connection with the King of Pop's June 25 fatal cardiac arrest, say reports. No decision has been finalized. However, the singer's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, is a likely target.
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Indiana Paid? - The mayor of Gary, Ind., is coming under fire for paying for Michael Jackson's father, a singing group and others to attend last month's memorial in the pop star's hometown. Mayor Rudy Clay insists that Joe Jackson wasn't paid any money to appear at the July 10 memorial — but that the money went to help him, the Chi-Lites and others travel from Los Angeles.
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More Misdeeds? - Members of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., are alleging more financial misdeeds by their president. Now, sorority members say Barbara McKinzie received nearly $500,000 in questionable payments from the sorority this summer. The lawsuit says McKinzie spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in AKA money to buy designer clothing, jewelry and lingerie with the sorority credit card, then redeemed points the purchases earned on the card to buy a big-screen television and gym equipment.
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Man or Woman? - South African runner Caster Semenya is being asked to prove that she is indeed a woman after twice clocking the fastest time this year -- the latest of which came in the 800-meter final at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Berlin. Semenya, 18, has been asked to take a gender verification test to prove that she is a woman, according to The Associated Press.
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Dolphins Owners? - It looks like Venus and Serena Williams have become the latest celebrities to own a piece of the Miami Dolphins. A person familiar with the deal says the tennis-playing sisters will buy a stake in the NFL club. The deal with the Williams sisters is being talked about on the down low — the source spoke on condition of not being named because the team won't announce the deal until next week.
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Daughter Honors Late Rapper - The Notorious B.I.G. didn't live to see his baby girl turn 16, but T'yanna Wallace, pictured right, made sure he was there for her Sweet 16 party Sunday night. The hip-hop princess wore a button over her heart emblazoned with her slain father's face. T'yanna was only 3 years old when her dad, whose real name was Christopher Wallace, was shot dead in a drive-by shooting in Los Angeles in 1997.
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Arrest Warrant Issued - The next time Bobby Brown sets foot in Massachusetts, he may have an extended stay in a jail cell. An arrest warrant has been issued for Brown after he fell behind on child support payments. He allegedly owes around $45,000 in payments for two children he had with former girlfriend Kim Ward.
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Guilty Plea - Former New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress has pleaded guilty to a weapons charge and agreed to a two-year prison term for accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub. Burress pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a lesser charge than he initially faced. Burress' sentencing is set for Sept. 22.
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1st High Court Vote - Newly-seated Justice Sonia Sotomayor has cast her first recorded vote on the Supreme Court, joining a dissent by three liberal justices to stop a pending execution in Ohio. The full court turned down the last-minute appeal from lawyers for Jason Getsy late Monday evening by a 5-4 vote. Getsy, 33, a convicted hit man, was scheduled to die by lethal injection at 8 a.m. PST Tuesday.
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New Trial - The Supreme Court says condemned inmate Troy Davis should get another chance to prove his innocence before the state of Georgia executes him. The high court on Monday ordered a federal judge in Georgia to determine whether there is evidence that proves Davis did not kill a police officer in 1991. Supporters have argued for a new trial after several witnesses took back their testimonies.
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Give It Back - A judge in Santa Monica, Calif., has ruled that at least some of the stuff O.J. Simpson is in prison for trying to take at gunpoint from two memorabilia dealers — rightfully belongs to him. The judge has said some of the items should be returned to Simpson — even as the ex-football star sits in a Nevada prison for stealing the stuff.
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Headed to Court - Carmelo Anthony is taking to a court — this time, not a hardwood floor to shoot hoops, but a federal court to sue his former business manager. Anthony claims Larry W. Harmon misappropriated more than $2 million of his money. The suit seeks to get back the money, plus punitive damages.
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'I Cried' - Michael Vick says he would cry at night in his prison cell because he realized the guilt he felt about running a dogfighting operation. In an interview with "60 Minutes" that aired Sunday, Vick said the full weight of what he had done hit him the day he walked into prison. He says it was at that point that he felt "the magnitude of the decisions" he had made.
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He's Really Fast - Usain Bolt has taken another bite out of the world's record for the 100-meter dash. He again shattered the world mark Sunday, turning in a mark of 9.58 seconds. That's 0.11 seconds faster than the world record Bolt set at the Beijing Olympics.
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Health Care Debate Heats Up - This week, President Obama went on the offensive to tackle rumors about his proposed health care plan. On Thursday, he sat down with conservative radio show host Michael Smerconish for a live interview in the White House Diplomatic Room. He also hosted a conference call the day before with about 140,000 religious leaders from around the country.
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Celebrating M.J. - Spike Lee will be doing his own tribute to Michael Jackson — set for the day the pop star will be buried. The filmmaker will throw a block party celebration for Jackson in Brooklyn on Aug. 29. There will be a DJ who will be playing Jackson's songs and the Brooklyn borough president will issue a proclamation declaring it "Michael Jackson Day." Lee directed Jackson's music video for the song "They Don't Care About Us."
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Janet Brings ‘Pain’ - When audiences head to the box office in anticipation of Tyler Perry's forthcoming film, "Why Did I Get Married Too," they might be in for a never-before seen Janet Jackson. Perry, director of the recently completed sequel, says despite the tragic loss of her brother, Michael, "Janet brought the pain in this film.”
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Tyra Ditches Wigs - Tyra announced that she will be dropping her lace-front wigs for the new season of her talk show. According to Entertainment Weekly, Tyra has vowed to throw her wig away and rock her own hair, and she's challenging every woman to get in on the challenge starting Sept. 8. "No ponytails, no ballet bun hair. Hair will be out and free!" Tyra Twittered.
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In at No. 40 - Michelle Obama made her debut Wednesday on Forbes magazine's annual list of the world's 100 most powerful women, taking the 40th spot. "Not only is she a First Lady, she's the first African-American First Lady and that accords her a certain amount of power," said Heidi Brown, a ForbesWoman staffer who helped compile the list.
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Whitney Exclusive - Whitney Houston is kicking off her music comeback by giving her first interview in seven years to Oprah. The Grammy Award winner sits down in an exclusive interview with the queen of daytime talk on Sept. 14 to kick off the 24th season of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Houston is slated to release her new highly-anticipated album, "I Look to You" on Aug. 31.
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Steve’s On - Steve Harvey is now an official member of the "Good Morning America" staff. He will do reports on family and relationship topics. Harvey, 52, made his first appearance on Wednesday. Harvey recently wrote the book, "Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man." He also has a syndicated radio show that airs in 60 markets around the country.
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‘Get Schooled’ - President Barack Obama will be appearing in a back-to-school television special next month with basketball star LeBron James. The president will be featured in a 30-minute documentary that will air Sept. 8 on BET. In the program, Obama says education is the key to people living out their dreams. The program marks the kickoff of an education initiative by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Viacom called, "Get Schooled."
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‘Dancing’ for ABC - R&B singer Mya and funk/alternative singer and actress Macy Gray will pick up their dancing shoes come September as the latest celebs to appear on “Dancing With The Stars.” According to ABC, the next season of the hit show premieres Sept. 21 at 8 PM (ET/PT).
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Weezy Cancels - Rapper Lil Wayne has bowed out of shows in Vancouver and Edmonton, reportedly due to an undisclosed illness. A representative for the rapper says the two Western Canadian dates on his Young Money Presents: America's Most Wanted Music Festival tour were cancelled due to doctor's orders. Live Nation said in a statement that the shows were cancelled "due to circumstances beyond (its) control."
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The Great Outdoors - "Pretty nice, eh." That was President Barack Obama's response as he and his family gazed at the view from the Grand Canyon. He made the stop as part of a trip through some of America's national parks in the West. Besides the Grand Canyon, Obama, his wife and children toured Yellowstone National Park to see the Old Faithful geyser and did some fly fishing in a Montana river.
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JetBlue Deal Over - JetBlue ended sales of its $599 "All You Can Jet" passes on Wednesday at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). Initially, the carrier said sales would go through Friday night or "while supplies last." JetBlue says the sales ended early because of strong demand.