Straight Outta Brooklyn

Delrawn Small’s Family Still Seeks Accountability 9 Years After NYPD Killing Officer Wayne Isaacs was acquitted on murder and manslaughter charges in 2016.

Delrawn Small’s family has lived through an acquittal, a lawsuit settlement, and years of waiting for a promised NYPD hearing that never happened.
They say his name is often missing from conversations about police accountability.
capitalbnews.org/delrawn-smal...

Nicki Minaj’s Embrace of Trump-Era Politics Has Fans Asking Questions The Trinidad and Tobago-born hip-hop artist's motives are under scrutiny.

A report released by the office of Rep. Ayanna Pressley reveals more: capitalbnews.org/nicki-minaj-...

Nicki Minaj’s recent appearance at a conservative political conference has fueled online speculation about her political turn — and raised new questions about who benefits from presidential clemency under Trump’s second term.

5 Years After Casey Goodson’s Death in Ohio, His Family Faces a New Legal Hurdle The 23-year-old was shot five times in the back by a former Franklin County sheriff's deputy.

Five years after Casey Goodson was killed by a Franklin County deputy, the former officer plans to raise a stand-your-ground self-defense claim in his second trial. Jury selection begins Jan. 26, 2026.
capitalbnews.org/casey-goodso...

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Sign up here to read it tomorrow morning: capitalbnews.org/newsletters

In Thursday's @capitalb.bsky.social “Everything’s Political” newsletter, I’m filing in for my colleague @brandontensley.bsky.social to break down the DOJ’s new rule — announced Tuesday — that blocks many anti-discrimination lawsuits against government-funded agencies from moving forward.

After 17 Police Bullets Killed This N.C. Mom, a Judge Has Dismissed Her Family’s Case Within 30 minutes, Jada Elizabeth Johnson was shot and killed by a Fayetteville officer.

🚨 Update with new details:
Jada Johnson's family said on Monday they’re planning their appeal.
capitalbnews.org/jada-johnson...

Virginia Man Accused of Planting Pipe Bombs Before Jan. 6 Faces Federal Charges If convicted, Brian J. Cole Jr. could spend up to 20 years in federal prison.

After five years of searching, the masked suspect accused of planting pipe bombs near the Democratic and Republican national committee locations in Washington, D.C., has been identified as Brian J. Cole Jr.
Here’s what we know: capitalbnews.org/jan-6-pipe-b...

Grand Jury Declines to Reindict N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James Experts warn of the growing target of Black women in public office after President Donald Trump’s first administration set the groundwork.

Another attempt to indict NY AG Tish James for mortgage fraud in Virginia failed on Thurs. when a VA grand jury declined to refile the criminal case. James said in a statement on Thurs. that “it is time for this unchecked weaponization of our justice system to stop.” capitalbnews.org/tish-james-t...

After 17 Police Bullets Killed This N.C. Mom, a Judge Has Dismissed Her Family’s Case Within 30 minutes, Jada Elizabeth Johnson was shot and killed by a Fayetteville officer.

A federal judge dismisses the excessive-force, wrongful-death lawsuit in the case of 22-year-old Jada Johnson, who was shot 17 times in her grandfather’s living room. Prosecutors never charged the officer. Her family continues to fight for justice.
capitalbnews.org/jada-johnson...

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Journalism is facing real headwinds — but @capitalb.bsky.social isn’t slowing down. As we approach year four, I’m proud to stand with a team committed to reporting that matters.

Right now, every end-of-year donation is matched, doubling your impact:

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Judge Dismisses Charges Against N.Y. Attorney General Letitia James Experts warn of the growing target of Black women in public office after President Donald Trump’s first administration set the groundwork.

A federal judge has dismissed the criminal case against NY Attorney General Tish James, ruling the prosecutor’s appointment unconstitutional. James calls the decision a “victory” — and vows to stay “fearless” in the face of what she says is political retaliation.
capitalbnews.org/tish-james-t...

Two Little Ohio Boys Lost Their Mom to Gun Violence. A Grand Jury Indicted the Police Officer Who Shot Her. An attorney for Young’s family called the outcome “an American tragedy.”

Ta’Kiya’s family calls the verdict heartbreaking — but not the end. Their fight for accountability continues in civil court, as advocates across Ohio warn that too many families never see even this level of action.
Click the link for more: capitalbnews.org/ohio-mom-kil...

Ta’Kiya Young was 21. A mom of two little boys. Pregnant with a daughter she never got to meet. Today, the officer who shot and killed her was acquitted of all charges. Her grandmother wept in court: “It’s not right.”

After DOJ Pulls Millions for Public Safety, Nonprofits and Neighborhoods Step In With or without government support, this Jackson woman keeps fighting for safety and justice

Click the link for more: capitalbnews.org/gun-violence...

When the money dries up, the work doesn’t stop.
Across the country, groups like Alliance for Safety and Justice’s Scaling Safety initiative, and leaders like Sharon Brown in Jackson, MS, are proving that true public safety starts with the community — not bigger policing budgets.

Your Permanent Record Really Stays With You Unless ‘Clean Slate’ Legislation Passes In the 13 states with clean slate legislation, over 5 million Black adults are eligible to clear their entire records, according to research by the Clean Slate Initiative.

Update:
As of 2025, 13 states have enacted Clean Slate laws, extending eligibility to over 5 million Black Americans to have their records cleared.
Click the link to learn more about Clean Slate law initiatives:

capitalbnews.org/clean-slate-...

Jesse Jackson's Health Struggles Highlight the Impact of His Civil Rights Leadership The 84-year-old recovered from two bouts of COVID in 2021 and 2023 while battling a neurodegenerative disorder.

An update from one of Rev. Jesse Jackson's longtime friend, S. Todd Yeary:

capitalbnews.org/rev-jesse-ja...

Family of the Rev. Jesse Jackson Asks For Prayers as the Pioneer Is Hospitalized The 84-year-old recovered from two bouts of COVID in 2021 and 2023 while battling a neurodegenerative disorder.

Before Barack Obama and Kamala Harris, there was the Rev. Jesse Jackson.
His push for proportional representation changed how Democrats nominate presidents — and helped open doors for the leaders who followed.
Click the link for more: capitalbnews.org/rev-jesse-ja...

From Fighting the Klan to Fighting DEI: The Justice Department’s Shift on Civil Rights Former DOJ prosecutors say the agency that once protected Black communities now works against them.

Our explainer traces how the DOJ’s mission — from Reconstruction to 2025 — has changed, and who’s being left unprotected.
capitalbnews.org/justice-depa...

Former DOJ prosecutors say the agency that once protected Black communities now works against them.
“It's a sobering experience to compare the Justice Department of today, from what we were hoping it to be,” one told Capital B.

Newsletters We write the untold stories of Black America. Sign up now for Capital B's national, Atlanta, Gary and Everything's Politics newsletter emails.

In Saturday’s @capitalb.bsky.social newsletter, I wrote about two Black women at the center of a Virginia school shooting case — Deja Taylor, the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his teacher, and Ebony Parker, the former assistant principal now facing eight felony child abuse charges.

A Son Shot His Teacher. His Mother’s Prison Sentence Raises Questions. As the administrator awaits trial, the child’s mother remains in prison until May 2026.

“I thought I would die.”
A former Virginia teacher was shot by her 6-year-old student in 2023.
A jury has now awarded her $10 million — but the case continues to raise questions about who’s held responsible when tragedy strikes.
Click the link to find out more: capitalbnews.org/virginia-mom...

Black Lives Matter Facing Financial Scrutiny — Again Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc. denies in a statement to Capital B that there is a federal investigation.

Black Lives Matter isn’t one organization. Some chapters split off, while the DOJ investigates how millions in donations were spent, according to the Associated Press. Click the link about the movement’s complicated history: capitalbnews.org/black-lives-...

Sonya Massey’s Family Wins Historic $10M Settlement While Officer Awaits Trial Sean Grayson has been incarcerated since he was arrested 11 days after Sonya Massey’s death in July 2024.

The case has drawn statewide attention for its venue change, body camera evidence, and the family’s push for police accountability through the proposed Sonya Massey Bill.

capitalbnews.org/sonya-massey...

A Peoria County, Illinois, jury has found former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson guilty in the killing of 36-year-old Sonya Massey.

Sonya Massey’s Family Wins Historic $10M Settlement While Officer Awaits Trial The Illinois woman, whose 37th birthday would have been Wednesday, was killed last year by a sheriff's deputy in her home.

Here's a recap of the case as we await the verdict:
capitalbnews.org/sonya-massey...

Jury deliberations are expected to begin today for Sean Grayson, the former Illinois officer on trial for killing Sonya Massey.
The jury will deliberate first-degree murder charges with instructions for second-degree murder to consider.

Indiana Man Seeks Clemency With Help From Jury Foreperson Kofi Modibo Ajabu has served three decades of his 240-year sentence. His family and supporters say that is long enough.

🚨UPDATE!
A juror’s letter. A family’s last hope. A clemency system few understand.
After serving 31 years of a 240-year sentence, Kofi Modibo Ajabu will appear before the Indiana Parole Board next week, seeking a rare act of mercy.
Click the link for more: capitalbnews.org/clemency-kof...

From Fani Willis to Letitia James, Trump’s Enemies List Targets Black Women Prosecutors The president's first administration set the groundwork for federal investigations against Black women leaders.

Letitia James. Fani Willis. Lisa Cook. Marilyn Mosby.
Different roles. Same pattern.
Black women professionals are being targeted in a wave of legal, political, and institutional retaliation.
Here’s what’s happening — and why it matters: capitalbnews.org/trump-target...