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Ander Cooper 360 Digs into the Heather Ellis Case
Editor’s Note: Watch Randi Kaye’s full report tonight on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10pm ET.
Randi Kaye| BIO
AC360° Correspondent
Is it a classic case of “he said, she said,” or is it a brutal case of racism? Whatever it is, it may land a Missouri woman, a preacher’s daughter who has never been in trouble with the law before, in jail.
It all apparently started at a Walmart store in Kennett, Missouri where according to police, customer Heather Ellis had cut in line to pay for her items. What followed is at the heart of a court case that may send Heather Ellis to jail for as many as 15 years!
Let me first say Ms. Ellis has pleaded not guilty. But here’s how police tell it: officers say they were called to the store after Ellis caused a “disturbance” at the cash register by “yelling and cursing.” Officers say when they tried to get her to leave the store, she turned and yelled at them, “I ain’t going nowhere until I get my (expletive) change back” but that even after she got her change, she continued to be “belligerent.” The lead officer says they tried to get her to remain calm and leave in a peaceful manner and told her they’d arrest her if she refused. That is when the lead officer says Ellis “issued a threat to assault” and said if the officer put their hands on her “she was going to beat my (expletive).” Well, it turned ugly according to police, who say she became “combative and began fighting.” The officers say Ellis “continued to fight, yell and curse” and was “completely out of control.” They say she “resisted arrest” and “stiffened her body” when they tried to put her in the police car. Read the full police report here.
Your Black Life: Death Of Black Man At Walmart Indicts Consumerist Society
From Democracy Now!A Wal-Mart employee in Long Island, New York died after being trampled to death by a mob of shoppers on Friday, the traditional first day of the holiday shopping season. The 34-year-old worker Jdimytai Damour was killed after a crowd of 2,000 broke down store doors and ran over him shortly before the store”s schedule 5 a.m. opening. Four shoppers were injured in the stampede. Nassau County police were trying to determine what happened during the stampede, but said it was unclear if there would be any criminal charges:
Your Black News: Walmart Worker Death: A Pitfall Of Consumerism
“Outta My Way, I’m shopping at Wal-Mart.”
That actual bumper-sticker sums up the attitude of the only thing worse than Wal-Mart in our culture: Wal-Mart shoppers.
The killing of a Wal-Mart worker this week during an early morning crush of customers at the retailer’s 
Valley Stream, Long Island store has given the company a Black Eye from Black Friday.
Law enforcement officials are reviewing the video tape of the incident for possible criminal charges, but Wal-Mart corporate attorneys are no doubt looking at the video to determine the extent of the company’s legal liability in the case. The retailer may be more preoccupied with how to prevent a multi-million lawsuit from the family of the dead worker, than how to prevent another Black Friday death. [...]
The 2,000 or so Wal-Mart shoppers at the Valley Stream store were merely lab rats responding to a stimulus. When the door opened, they went after the cheese [...]
Your Black Scholar: Strategies For Overcoming The Holiday Blues
Strategies For Overcoming The Holiday Blues
By: Dr. Gloria Morrow
The holiday season can be the loneliest time of the year, especially during the month of December. Even though the research refutes the notion that the highest rate of suicides occurs in the month of December, many people do experience the Holiday Blues because of the loss of a loved one, exhaustion, separation from family and close friends, feelings of failure due to unmet goals and expectations, significant changes and increased stress. Some may even experience the Holiday Blues because they cannot afford to go Christmas shopping.
This year has been particularly difficult for many people in the African American community because of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the massive loss of life, property, jobs, and familiar surroundings. Therefore, it may be harder for people to handle the stress of such events, especially around the holidays [...]
Black News: Rallies Planned for Heather Ellis Case
To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit www.YourBlackWorld.com.
From Dr Boyce Watkins
www.BoyceWatkins.com
To the Your Black World family:
When the children of my assistant Shauntay (Justin and Journi) brought the case of Heather Ellis to me, I was in disbelief. I was shocked that in 2009, a young college student, with no criminal record, could face 15 years in prison for cutting line at Walmart. I was even more appalled by the threats from the KKK and allegations by local leaders that the town went as far as blacking out the local news coverage during the minutes that the family held a press conference in support of their daughter. We sent information about the case to CNN and other media outlets, and they covered it (along with BET, Essence, ABC News and others), but I don’t feel this is enough. We’ve decided that we aren’t going to take this sitting down, and we hope you won’t either
In honor of Justin and Journi, the two young visionaries who convinced me to take on this issue, we’ve created the "Journey for Justice," set to take place in Kennett, Missouri on Monday, November 16 at 11 am. On that day, we are going to meet at the Walmart where the incident took place (1500 1st St., Kennett, MO) and march to the steps of the courthouse(Square 200 Slicer St.). You can find out more information about the case and rally on the site www.TheHeatherEllisCase.com. Given that the prosecutor in the case (Stephen Sokoloff) has asked for a change of venue (to Bloomfield, MO – a town with less than 20 black people), some of the details of the rally might change (I have no doubt that they are scheming to make this as difficult as possible). But I can guarantee you this: On November 16, we are heading down there to fight against the madness occurring in this county, no matter what the cost.
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