Roland S. Martin's Blog, page 458

13-Year-Old Darius Simmons Shot By Neighbor In Front Of His Mother

Patricia Larry of Milwaukee holds a picture of her son during a news conference Saturday. Darius Simmons, 13, was killed in front of their home. / Meg Kissinger Source: Meg Kissinger /Journal Sentinel Darius Simmons was like a lot of 13-year-old boys – funny, boisterous and a little braggy. His friends and family gathered Saturday to remember [...]

Herb Reed, Founding Member Of ‘50s Vocal Group The Platters, Dies At Age 83

Source: AP / The Washington Post BOSTON — Herb Reed, the last surviving original member of 1950s vocal group the Platters who sang on hits like “Only You” and “The Great Pretender,” has died. He was 83. Reed died on Monday in a Boston area hospice after a period of declining health that included chronic [...]

LISTEN: Roland Martin, Omari Todd Discuss The Lack Of Black Male Teachers And How To Attract The Best And Brightest To The Classroom

Roland Martin talks with Omari Todd, an educator and senior vice president of the Regional Operations team of Teach for America about the lack of African-American male teachers and attracting Black males to teach in the classroom. For more information visit Teach for America. Subscribe to the Roland S. Martin Daily Podcast via iTunes. 

Zimmerman Lawyer Delays Second Bond Motion In Trayvon Martin Case

Source: Jamie Novogrod /  NBC / MSNBC SANFORD, Fla. — George Zimmerman’s legal defense team said Tuesday it would hold off for “a couple of weeks” filing a motion for a second bond motion for its defendant in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. The delay announcement comes a day after defense attorney Mark O’Mara acknowledged on his case’s [...]

STARTING POINT: High School Grad Gets Community Service For Being Too Popular? (VIDEO)

Anthony Cornist was given 20 hours of community service after his family was ‘excessively cheering’ at graduation. WATCH: 

Suspected Shoplifter Dies At Walmart

Source: AP / ABC News Police say a suspected shoplifter died at a Southern California Walmart store after a fight with store security workers who caught him in the parking lot. Covina police Lt. Holly Francisco says when police arrived Friday they found the suspect restrained by store security and appearing to need medical help. [...]

Whitney Houston’s Mom Signs Tell-All Book Deal

Source: Ann Oldenburg / USA Today Singer Cissy Houston is going to remember her daughter, Whitney, in a book. And she’s planning to tackle some not-so-pleasant topics including her daughter’s drug problems and her marriage to Bobby Brown. Houston has a deal (which could be worth “seven figures,” reports AP) with HarperCollins for a memoir it says will [...]

WATCH: Bill Clinton Helps Pres. Obama Raise $3.6 Million At NYC Fundraiser (VIDEO)

Former President Bill Clinton and President Obama appeared at three fundraisers together in New York City. But the two weren’t always the best of friends. CBS News’ Bill Plante reports.

TSA Fires Five, Suspends 38 After Security Lapse (VIDEO)

Source: Sharyl Attkisson / CBS News In one of the largest disciplinary actions taken in its ten years, the Transportation Security Administration fired five screeners and put 38 on suspension last Friday after a large airport security lapse in Fort Myers, Fla. Dozens of TSA workers at Southwest Florida International Airport are accused of cutting corners and violating screening [...]

Former Pitcher John Rocker Returns To Punditry: ‘I Would Vote For The Devil Himself Over Barack Obama’

Source: Andrew Kirell / Mediaite Former major league pitcher John Rocker, long retired and out of the spotlight, has returned to political punditry, telling World Net Daily that “this country cannot sustain four more years of [President Obama's] cancerous ideology” and that “I would vote for the devil himself over Barack Obama.” In a WND profile on Rocker [...]