We had a special night Sept. 17 for “Straight Words With Naba’a Richard Muhammad, Bj Murphy and James G. Muhammad.” Topics? The importance of clean water; the failure of a federal prosecution of activists charged with acting as foreign agents for Russia, why the case is important for our struggle, and was an attack on dissent, free speech and our rights; and no justice for Elijah McClain as a judge reversed a sentence White paramedic convicted for his death.
Clean Water Matters: Dr. Patrice Muhammad and James E. Muhammad joined us to talk about the importance of clean water and their mission to bring clean water into homes across America. They shared information about their Chicago-based Water Systems LLC, a water filtration company. How safe is your water? Can you find out about water purity and safety in in your town or city?
Feds, Russians and Black Folk: Major fed case charging activists were Russia “recruited, funded, directed" as unregistered illegal agents of Russian government to sow discord and interfere in elections. This case is given how the government brought its case based on speeches, protests, news articles and work Omali Yeshitela of the African People’s Socialist Party has been doing for years with the party and the Uhuru Movement. White allies Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel as well as Augustus C. Romain Jr. of the Black Hammer Movement also faced these serious charges.
Not one of the defendants was convicted of 25 crimes related to sowing domestic dissension and trying to impact U.S. elections under the direction and control of Russians. The jury came back with the verdict on Sept. 12. They were convicted of conspiracy to be Russian agents in a split and contradictory verdict. Defendants Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel. They are known as the Uhuru 3. Mr. Romain Jr., of the Atlanta-based Black Hammer Movement represented himself.
The trial was held in federal court in Tampa. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for November, said longtime activist Kamm Howard, who attended the trial. He was a guest on the show. Get details about the hearing and state up to date on the case at  [ Ссылка ].
Do Black folk need to trade in an American slave master for a Russian slave master? Can we not advocate for ourselves? What do these charges mean for the Black liberation struggle and fight for justice in America? Why are feds trying to keep Black folk from taking the story of their struggle to the world?
No Justice for Elijah McClain: “We are broken,” said activist Midian Holmes of Aurora, Colo., as she gave us an update on the case and a judge’s decision to overturn a jury verdict and free an ex-paramedic found criminally liable for the death of Elijah in 2023. He was stopped by police officers and what should have been a routine encounter ended up in a chokehold, then a medical emergency. The paramedic pumped a powerful sedative into Elijah and didn’t follow safety protocols.
The Denver Post reported, “Judge Mark Warner vacated Peter Cichuniec’s prison term and converted the sentence to four years of probation, a move prosecutors previously said would ‘undermine the jury’s verdict’ in the case. ... Cichuniec, 51, was convicted of criminally negligent homicide and assault by drugging in the 2019 killing of McClain, a 23-year-old Black man ... ."
Midian brought the news and shared heartbreak felt by Blacks who fought hard for a limited victory that has now been taken away. Where do we go from here? Can we ever get justice?
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