I grew up in Baton Rouge and graduated proudly as a Robert E Lee High Rebel. Like the author the confederacy was part of my life. This is worth reading and reflecting upon. https://thebulwark.com/my-confederate-past/
It is written that Abe Lincoln's favorite song was Dixie. Wonder if that is really why they are trying to pull his statue down.
Abel and Ola Osundairo will testify against Jussie Smollett after all By Gabrielle Fonrouge June 25, 2020 | 4:00pm Enlarge Image Brothers Abimbola Osundairo (left) and Olabinjo Osundairo (center) depart after attending a court appearance for actor Jussie Smollett.AP MORE ON: JUSSIE SMOLLETT Jussie Smollett's alleged 'attackers' now unwilling to testify against him Jussie Smollett can't use 'double jeopardy' defense against new charges, judge rules Jussie Smollett cites George Floyd protests, demands police transparency Jussie Smollett and 'attacker' allegedly visited upscale Chicago bathhouse The two brothers at the heart of the Jussie Smollett hate crime saga are walking back their decision to not testify against the disgraced actor, saying Thursday they plan to continue to cooperate with investigators. Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, who claim Smollett paid them to stage a hate crime, announced late Wednesday the Chicago Police Department couldn’t locate belongings seized during a 2019 raid and for that reason, they were no longer willing to help investigators. Their lawyer, Gloria Schmidt Rodriguez, released a statement on their behalf Thursday afternoon saying they’ve had a change of heart now that the belongings have been found. “Due to the intervention of Special Prosecutor Dan Webb and his team, earlier today we were informed that a properly registered 9mm handgun that was missing from a locked safe seized by the Chicago Police Department on February 14, 2019, has been located,” Schmidt Rodriguez’s statement reads. “The missing gun was a reason for Abel and Ola’s decision to cease voluntary cooperation, in addition to the unnecessary complication brought to this situation by CPD’s Corporate Counsel in treating them like suspects. Abel and Ola will recommence their cooperation in the Smollett case now that the handgun has been produced by the Special Prosecutor’s office.” Last winter, CPD investigators zeroed in on Abel and Ola as the two primary suspects wanted in connection with a hate crime Smollett allegedly endured. decided not to bring any charges against the brothers. For “more than a year,” the brothers have been trying to get back the items seized during the raid and on June 5, Abel filed a motion with the court requesting to inspect all of the items that were seized, their lawyer said. SEE ALSO Jussie Smollett's alleged 'attackers' now unwilling to testify against him Judge Richard Linn granted the request but during the inspection, Abel realized his legally owned handgun, along with ammunition, was missing, Schmidt Rodriguez said. “Despite the Brothers making themselves continually available to CPD, CPD’s Corporate Counsel, and the Special Prosecutor’s office, 24 hours after it was discovered that the handgun was missing, CPD’s Corporate Counsel’s office sent an email directly to Abel essentially blaming him for not including the second search warrant for the gun in his motion and refusing to produce the gun for inspection on that basis,” the brothers’ lawyer wrote in a statement. “Abel and Ola believe that the CPD’s Corporate Counsel concocted this excuse to distract away from the fact that the police could not produce the handgun on June 23. Simply stated, the inability of the CPD’s Corporate Counsel to facilitate the logistics of getting all parties to inspect all of the property seized caused Abel and Ola Osundairo to feel alienated and uncomfortable with the lack of transparency in this process.”
Bubba announced today he will not return to Richard Petty Motorsports next season. Odds he gets another ride?
