Speaker 1 00:00:05 You can burn a whole thing down. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, we can burn a whole thing down. Couldn't care about a another zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Y'all don't really care about a brother till we burn all thing down.
Speaker 1 00:00:26 Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it burn. Like send Quill. Yeah, I bet you will try to skip a They've been lynching us till and that's really freaking generous cuz honestly they have been killing us since we were property. No stopping me from saying how it is. Listen ain the whizz ain't no easing down the road where we live, that's a biz. We can't go out for a jog or a swim like a dog. Fall asleep in the car, fall asleep where we live. So we about to let it burn. Just like gusher say they be trying but do not care what gusher say. Put in back screens up. Make a few bucks. My life isn't marketing who you think you trying to play? Um, I like it better when like nerdy was all fun and stuff. This is really angry. Like don't you think you said enough? Well it's freaking tough cuz I'm being loud and the people are not playing with you now. Yeah, you can burn our whole thing down. Yes ya. I don't care if you are uncomfortable, we can burn our whole thing down. You can burn our whole thing down. Couldn't care about a another zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Burn it down. Y'all don't really care about a brother until we burn our thing down. Down. Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it burn.
Speaker 2 00:01:39 No, come on the youngins What I'm focused on. I'm so old then. Golden. I ain't know you was talking about Pokemon <laugh>, but I'm more like me and nerdy next to a burndown system with a candle of gas and a handful of matches and know we ain't miss some famous now my mission. So watching all the leaders leading banking Nona Minions, but we taught you enough to take us and we give into survivors city a liars making black people compliant. <laugh> Coon Rapids. Who are you asking? I'm crew. Survive the boom trick bro. Ethics got me laughing at your message. Black Lives Matter. You would not get so defensive. We got cops and deans and robberies and gas light us. We are not the same. We on the scene we pass typing cuz y'all don't care about us and we ain't come to ask. We just mind up businessing and people be so stuck in mad. So pastor the gun and mask and pass the athe. No, y'all can really kill us for anything. Y'all just bend the laws the same performance art, the same performative saving the racist head of norm. It is. You
Speaker 1 00:02:37 Can burn a whole thing down. You can burn. I don't care if y'all uncomfortable, we can whole thing down. You can burn it, burn it, burn it down, couldn't care about it. Zone. You can burn a whole thing down. Y'all don't really care about a brother until we burn the whole thing down. Burn it down. Yeah, we about to go to work. Yeah, we about to let it
Speaker 3 00:03:27 Views from the ground, views from the damn ground views from the ground views from the damn ground views from the ground views from the damn ground. And that's on that on that on that. All right, well, um, welcome back. This is DJ, your agender host. I use they them pronouns.
Speaker 4 00:03:46 My name's Jalen. I use she her pronouns.
Speaker 3 00:03:49 My name is Brandon. I use he him pronouns. With that, we're gonna jump right into our weekly news segment.
Speaker 4 00:03:56 Um, yeah, so I actually wanted to start, um, this today. Uh, there's been some of course on Wednesdays, things just pop up and everything, everything happens. Uh, so where to start? Um, we can start with, um, this is, um, well I I learned recently, uh, yesterday there was an, um, a sh o well I'm like, isn't an officer involved shooting? I'm like, I don't know if that's the term exactly in this situation, but there was a shooting, um, and an o in an officer engaged in, in the shooting. And there was a back and forth. I'm like, there is an exchange of fire. That's probably a better way to say it. Um, and that happened yesterday evening. Um, apparently it started with a 9 1 1 hangup call. And when they got there, um, officers attempted to communicate through a window, uh, with people inside the home.
Speaker 4 00:04:53 And, uh, then they were directed in the back. Um, the, when, once they got through the back, the police say, all of this is police words that we have so far. Cause of course we start with the, that's where they start. Typically, uh, the police say a man confronted them, um, with a gun prompting in exchange of fire. Um, and then it's, uh, of course police. We are not sure who shot first. Um, apparently after the exchange, the police backed out. Um, and then once they went back in, uh, there is a man in his fifties with a fatal gunshot wound. Uh, and they were able to safely get out. Um, a woman and two kids is my understanding. Um, of course the Bureau of Criminal a apprehension is investigating. Um, and they're telling us the officers wore body cameras. Um, they're going to review things and do a full investigation, be patient, all the things. So we going wait and see what it's going to be. <laugh>,
Speaker 3 00:05:57 <laugh>,
Speaker 4 00:05:58 The simplest way to say it. So we'll see. Um, the new Public Safety Commissioner, um, gave a statement just reiterating everything I just said. And so, um, seeing his face more Alexander or Cedric Alexander. Um, and so I guess is he gonna be our, like, when stuff happens? First person we're gonna see is Alexander or oh my gosh, I keep calling him Alexander Cedric Alexander.
Speaker 3 00:06:23 And what's his job
Speaker 4 00:06:24 Title? Um, he is the Public safety. Um, or maybe it's community safety. I think it's Public Safety commissioner that was recently appointed by Jacob Fry. Um, okay. And so in addition to that, um, today former Minneapolis Police Officer Thomas Lane, uh, was sentenced to three years in prison, um, as a part of a plea deal on a manslaughter charge for the, um, killing of George Floyd. Um, lane Pleaded, um, guilty in May to adding in abetting second degree manslaughter. Um, he is, uh, currently serving 30 months in a federal prison in Colorado. Um, he will serve, uh, his sentence at the same, uh, co currently. So at the same time, um, as his federal sentence and the state sentence, they'll overlap. Um, so I believe he got two years, uh, for the federal charges and then now that three, um, so he'll, they'll be done at the same time.
Speaker 4 00:07:24 Um, he wasn't as spicy as the others during sentencing, uh, but there was a commun a miscommunication of sorts. I guess. At one point they were like, um, he'll have to register as a predatory, um, offender, which is what Derek Chauvin had to do or will have to do, has to do, will have to do when, um, he is released. And so he was like, what the heck is this? And other things. And he was like, not okay with that. It was later clarified that that was not the case. Uh, but that was like the, the things that were caught on the mic. Um, yeah. So three years for aiding and abetting.
Speaker 3 00:08:01 Yep. I mean that's, we knew that was gonna happen. They're gonna make Derek Chauvin the, the scapegoat, you know, it's not the system, it's one person, you know?
Speaker 4 00:08:12 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And, and that's what he said. He was like, why am I getting the same punishment as Chauvin was basically his, his big, I don't know, tizzy as some would say. Um, but yeah, I'm like, is uh, I don't know who's gonna, I think Kim Potter's gonna get out first. I mean, it's just gonna be weird in a couple of years when it's just like, wait, didn't that just happen? They're getting outta jail. It, I feel like this just happened. So mm-hmm. <affirmative> 2024 and 25, I guess we'll see how that goes. Um, but moving on, I wanted to, um, talk about, uh, an ongoing or an investigation that is recently, uh, underway to determine whether, um, north Minneapolis gas station, winter Gas, and right across the street, um, Merwin's Liquor, um, are turning a blind eye to chronic violence. Uh, this investigation was started by, um, the Minnesota, um, attorney General's office. Keith Ellison is our attorney general. Um, so I mean, if, if you're from over north, not from over north, um, specifically if you're from over north, I grew up with the gas station being called the Murder Show. Um, so it is just historically a very, very violent intersection. All all the things that are in a city. Like I don't wanna make it seem too unique. Like, um, it, go ahead.
Speaker 3 00:09:36 Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm, I'm, I'm just co-signing as someone who lived down the street for most of their life off of 24th and London. So.
Speaker 4 00:09:44 Right. Like, I mean, yeah, I'm, it's, it's, I don't know. Very, um, what's the word? I guess just uncomfortable that that's a name. And I didn't even really think about how bad that name is. Like no one's ever said it with like distress. It's just is like,
Speaker 3 00:10:02 Yeah. I just, I just was never allowed to go down there. It's just always like, go to the, go towards the park.
Speaker 4 00:10:09 I mean no longer than than five minutes. Like <laugh>, there's no reason you need to be there longer than five minutes across the street is a seven mile. So like that's, you go in, get the stuff you need and get out <laugh>. That's just yeah, for sure how it's been. Um, it, um, and I mean there's just been a lot of, um, obviously folks with concerns in expressing, um, how they feel. The violences, I believe. Uh, I mean there's just, unfortunately it's one of those things that happens so often that it's like two people on a Tuesday, three people on a Wednesday, someone else on a Thursday. Um, and there's been, um, just different meetings. Uh, going back to Cedric Alexander, um, he met with community members across the street at the Cub Foods, um, to meet and talk about his, how difficult this is and how, you know, we gotta be mindful of how we're gonna take care of this.
Speaker 4 00:11:09 And I'm oversimplifying a lot because it was words for me. There were a lot of words, not a lot of action items in there. Um, and Keith Ellison said, uh, in the statement, we are applying the law in a way, uh, in ways it's not commonly been applied before to solve, uh, persistent problems and keep people safe. Uh, companies or properties that turn a blind eye to v to gun violence and other threats to public safety, um, happening on our premises. Need to know that we are watching and we will act. Keeping people and community safe takes everyone. So I encourage anyone or Well, yeah. And so his, I mean, this is, I haven't heard of this before. I guess I am younger, so I can't speak to in my years of living. But <laugh> it sounds kind of silly when I'm in my twenties saying that, but I mean, he did say like, this is not commonly how they go about things.
Speaker 4 00:12:07 Um, and I think it, um, interesting, I guess is the, the easiest Minnesota word to use. It's interesting, um, that they, um, are going this route with it and, um, should the investigation find that, uh, public nuisance exist, the businesses will be notified and given an opportunity to like plan a response. Um, and if, um, the anti-crime tactics fall short, the attorney general kin sue, uh, for a temporary or permanent inju injunction or ask the court for, um, permission to close, um, all to close the business. Um, and so I would be, I don't know that it, it's just like, I just haven't heard of that before, um, happening like that. And there's, um, I mean there's been, they both businesses are claiming they're doing what they can to help curb violence. Um, Merwin's Liquor is in a unique partnership with our faves. We push for peace. Um, the owner, uh, said that we push for peace. We'll assume all staffing, security and community engagement. Like they will be working at Merwin's Liquor, like as employees, but,
Speaker 3 00:13:26 Well, I mean, they already work at the Cubs across the street,
Speaker 4 00:13:28 So I, I mean, but like in a different way. Like I, I don't know. Like, so they gonna be stocking and Cub <laugh>, so they're gonna be stocking the liquor and like when you set like literally a, we push for piece like T-shirt, I don't know. It's just like, I'm trying to imagine this and it's not a very clear vision. I'm like, oh, so,
Speaker 3 00:13:50 So they're gonna be employees so they're gonna be working. And then occasionally they're the security guard
Speaker 4 00:13:55 All all at the same time. They're working, they're security and community engagement. It's a all hands on deck situation. I
Speaker 3 00:14:01 Don't know what they paying them. It ain't enough. But <laugh>,
Speaker 4 00:14:04 I, I mean I was just, I don't know, it's just again interesting cuz the, um, a little bit now <laugh>, they getting a little bit of money now. I mean, yeah, it's in this economy. It's something unfortunately <laugh> um, and like the, um, owners and employees that work there currently will go to another location. Uh, and I, I guess I don't really know like, what are they gonna do for like two months? They're gonna work there and then what? Like I'm all questions. No good answers. Um, and they, yeah, like I was saying, they'll continue, um, to do their community engagement. Um, and it's just, there's so many schools of thought at play. There's, um, you know, there's the folks that are like, we just need to punish the criminals. Why are we, um, why are we holding the businesses accountable or threatening them? However you look at it, um, there's folks who are very, um, pro this move that Keith Ellison is making, uh, and holding the businesses accountable of the opinion that, you know, everyone is part of the problem.
Speaker 4 00:15:15 So everyone needs to be part of the solution. Um, and then there's the folks that are just pour all monies into violence prevention programs and they will do everything. Um, and then I think there's, um, I would say folks like myself, uh, who understand that, um, it's, I mean it's, it's just a huge systemic like issue <laugh>, uh, and it needs something that is proactive and will affect everyone, like almost instantaneously. I would say. It needs to create conditions that make crime minimal and make crime. Like, I mean, I think yes, there will exist some level, but if folks have all their needs met, and I really mean all of them, housing, food, education, opportunity access, all of that, I, I do think that that will, um, have just a very different situation than what we're seeing right now. Cause it's like we're, how many years into a pandemic?
Speaker 4 00:16:15 Um, what is like jobs looking like? How available are they, um, in rent is still increasing. Like all the things are still on pressure. And so I think folks turn to what some would say just wrong decisions because they are without, they're at a place in their life where a bad decision makes more sense than whatever is the other option. And um, it's, it's unfortunate cuz like there's been different community accounts, uh, where they're reiterating that these folks are hurting. It's very clear that they are lacking something in without resources. Um, and it's, it's like I, I think we have, I mean there's probably a better sociological term for it, but like this idea that we have all these little, uh, things that can help in individual, like charities that can help this one aspect of your life and maybe this one aspect and never, not never, but I, I want to see more holistic approaches, uh, to how we do that. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, and I just think that, I mean, I've been talking a lot. What do y'all think?
Speaker 5 00:17:24 I mean Yeah. With, with what you are saying. The last part is literally like the crimes that do happen. It's not because these aren't people who are like born serial killers and they want to be violent and all of this stuff. It is literally, if you are like you, what do they say? You're a product of your environment. Yep. If you're in an environment with no resources, no other, other way out. And I, I don't wanna say there's no other way out. I want to say that these people feel that there's no option because they haven't been given any options. Yeah. Proximity, you know? Yeah. It's, it, if their material conditions changed, if they had guaranteed food on their table, guaranteed a, a house over their head, um, guaranteed healthcare like, and, and guaranteed like some income to spend on whatever else they so need medicine, medical, what, what do they need to steal anything for?
Speaker 5 00:18:23 Yes, there are people, unfortunately because of our, our system of capitalism and, and individualism, we want to have more than the person next to us. So yes, there's going to be, you know, some people, somebody might get their chain take off of their neck, like whatever, cuz it look nice, that type of thing. But it's not, I have to do this because my family's not eating or I'm not eating. You know, if all of those things are met, it, like you said, it would be an entirely different situation than the one we're in now. But people only want to focus on one aspect or, or this, or say if we do a then B will happen. When really, like we ain't even that it is so much more, more we gotta
Speaker 4 00:19:06 Step back close to a couple more steps back
Speaker 5 00:19:09 Actually mm-hmm.
Speaker 4 00:19:09 <affirmative> to see the,
Speaker 5 00:19:10 It happens because of 1, 2, 3, 4 through a hundred. But you're only gonna, you know, they're not starting far enough back, like you said, so. Yeah,
Speaker 3 00:19:19 Yeah, yeah. And, and, and I disagree with both of y'all. Its, people are looking, I feel like at a very microscopic level. They're like, oh yeah, like if you look, this is the problem. It's the gas station, it's the, it's the liquor store. And I mean, I'm not advocating for more liquor stores. I mean, I think that has its own problems, but like, that's not gonna solve the issue. You have to look at what the bigger picture is. Right. The reason why there's so many people that are being killed over North Minneapolis is, cuz you have so many people with so few resources bunched up by each other, right? Yep. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I mean if you put that, many people would know resources out in the suburbs, they would also, you know, have a bunch of problems in the suburbs, but you know, they're not gonna have that problem cause they redlined their communities and make sure that that doesn't happen. So all of
Speaker 4 00:20:09 It very intentional down to the sidewalks,
Speaker 3 00:20:11 Down to like, I don't
Speaker 4 00:20:12 Think folks really understand. Why don't you see sidewalks in the
Speaker 5 00:20:15 Suburbs?
Speaker 3 00:20:15 Yeah. So
Speaker 3 00:20:16 <laugh>, so I mean like, they can get rid of it. They'll probably go to the, the, the parking lot across the street where the Walgreens is and all those businesses. And then people say the, the businesses are the problem. I mean, just reminds me a lot of, when people say like, oh, you know, like Trump is the problem, like, you know, and we're gonna beat Trump and we're gonna get rid of racism. And I was like, he's, he's just a senti, like <laugh>, you know, like mm-hmm. <affirmative>, there's so much more going on here. So like, yeah. So
Speaker 4 00:20:47 Yeah, this also comes, uh, today I, or maybe yesterday it was, um, I talked a little bit about this, um, that there was an investigation, um, of a former senior policy aid to Jacob Fry is in a, um, a, let me see, is, is one of 48 people charged, um, in a scheme to defraud the government. Uh, so similar to what we were saying in, um, Mississippi, um, dang. Yeah. Like this,
Speaker 3 00:21:16 This is more common than I thought.
Speaker 4 00:21:18 Yeah. And that's all the way in Mississippi, a very red state, very red people like, oh yeah, of course Republicans do horrible things. And then we come back to Minnesota <laugh> very blue, very, very, very blue. And they're doing the same thing. And it's almost like, it's not a red versus blue debate, it's more so this is corruption, this is our system. And it's like we are talking about these resources that this specific area community needs that was 250 million defrauded. How, where, and it's like we could do something with that money tomorrow. And instead these folks that are already privileged are in positions. Um, and they just make their pockets fatter and fatter and more kids die. And it's just like, I don't know, blink, sorry y'all can't see me blinking, but I'm just blinking. What?
Speaker 5 00:22:06 <laugh> Yeah. People so mad about student loan debt and partially being forgiven, but these same people that are telling you that that's bad and you're giving your free money away got millions of dollars of p p P loans forgiven for the business that they really don't even run. They just had to go buy a new yacht or whatever. You know what I'm saying? Like mm-hmm. <affirmative> so you can have your loans forgiven, but the common people can't or, or people with less than you aren't Oh yeah. Allowed to have that same thing. You know, it, it's like that, that analogy that like being poor, like costs more money, right? Like when they say like, if you buy a cheap pair of boots and you have to keep buying those pair of boots cuz they wear down. But if you had the money up front to buy that expensive pair of boots, you wouldn't have to buy boots anymore. But you can't Yep. You do not have the money up upfront. You know what I'm saying? Yeah. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>.
Speaker 4 00:22:55 Yeah. So I just wanna give prayers up to our community, um, those affected directly and indirectly. And also prayers for our Puerto Rican siblings, um, who are struggling through I think almost five years on the date was, uh, hurricane Maria. And then they have this tragedy. So keeping the solidarity up high and prayers high and just keep 'em in your thoughts and see what you can do however you can do it. But yeah, that's all I had to talk about this week.
Speaker 3 00:23:25 All right, well thank you very much Jalen. So, um, our next segment is gonna be the words, uh, of freedom
Speaker 5 00:23:33 Before last, uh, uh, news or I guess today current event. Uh, happy heavenly birthday to Mel Reeves, I believe today, uh, is his birthday, uh, elder in our community who passed away this past January, I believe. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, but yeah, so happy heavenly birthday. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> to Mel Reeves. Um, but yeah, so here we are again on the wards of freedom, which is a segment here on views from the ground. Views
Speaker 6 00:23:59 From the damn ground
Speaker 5 00:24:00 Where we give local poets the freedom to liberate their selves with their expression. So again, this week we have Abdi Oram, um, who is going to today, you can call it a poem. He called it a poetic monologue, but it's gonna be like a little two-part thing. Uh, it's from a video, but it's gonna tell his story, um, of addiction and uh, seeking help and recovery and all of that. And this is a peace titled A cry for help.
Speaker 6 00:24:44 Death is inevitable. You can't run from it. Death is respectable. At least you know what's coming. Death is commendable. We go back to our creator. But death in consensual, are we ready to meet our maker? Lord, I'm tired of my bad habits. It's destroying me from within. Lord. I'm scared of what's happening. Am I being consumed by all my sins? I'm learning to do better. But is it enough to say that I'm trying? Sometimes I feel so hopeless. Lord is living easier than dying. Lord, I'm trying to write my wrongs. How do you do I get closer Lord. I'm trying to write my wrongs, but I feel like my life is kind of shorter. Lord, how do I write my wrongs? Because I feel like I'm at the border. Lord, I want to write my wrongs, but in which way do I go in order?
Speaker 6 00:25:37 I'm stuck inside a cycle. It feels like an endless loop. Lord, I'm stuck inside a cycle hoping away from me to you. Lord. It's easier to quit trying. Yeah, it's easier to pop one or two Lord, it's harder to stop buying and the withdrawals hurting me too outside. They call me a junkie at home. They think I'm bumming. My friends think I'm a crackhead. Yeah, they try to keep away from me. I don't know where I belong. Sometimes I feel all alone. And when I feel hurt the most to popping pills, yes I'm pro. It makes me forget sometimes I just regret. Why did I get into it in the first place? How did I end up with this mindset? But help me. I wanna change. I'm stuck inside my ways. I really wanna change my Lord. I need to be safe. This path I wish to pave.
Speaker 6 00:26:28 Lord I ask and seek your aid. So help me find a way Lord. Let today be the day they laugh at me and say, you'll never change your ways. Once an addict, always an addict. And you'll end up there somehow, some way. Please help me find a way. Lord, please help me find a way. I know I sound so helpless, but without your help I'm stuck as straight. I know I sound so hopeless, but my Lord, they made me feel this way. So prove me otherwise Lord. Because without your guidance, everything else is in disarray.
Speaker 6 00:27:17 I know how you feel. I know how it hurt. I know what they say. How they think that you're cursed. I know how it feels. Yeah, I know it's the worst. But trust me, you're here. You will break this curse. I know how it sounds. It sounds like an act. It sounds like a story. Yeah, I know you feel trapped, but trust me, there's light at the end of your road. It may not be in sight, but trust me it's close. Keep trying. Believe I know you'll succeed. Trust me you'll see. I know you'll achieve. I know what they say. How they say you're ravine. They say that you're hopeless. I know they can't see, they don't see the light, they can't see the hope. They don't know what it's like. So yet they tug on your rope. Some want you to hang, some just want to see the downfall of you, you down on your knees.
Speaker 6 00:28:12 I know once you fall it's hard to get up. But if you stand down, yeah it's harder to stand up. Get up and stand tall back against the wall. I know all the odds they want you to fall. I was once trapped like you. Pushed away just like you if it with hate just like you. Yeah. The world wasn't kind to me too. I know how you think that no one understands. They can't feel the pain. You had a sweat on your hands, the eggs through your back, the breeze down your neck, the unwillingness to eat or why it's like that. They don't know how it hurt. Y'all know it's the worst, but there's a way out, a way to break this curse. Please reach out to me. I know it's hard to see, but if you look at me, you'll see possibly that I was in addict and it was so tragic till a God made a habit. He saved me from the madness. Please trust me. And call, don't say that it's hard cuz change don't come easy. Easy won't go far. But once you start trying your fault, don't deny it. But if you keep trying, you'll learn. Perfect timing. God works through subtleties. So if you hear this suddenly just know that he sees and one day you'll be free.
Speaker 5 00:29:34 So goodness gracious, that was, uh, ab dearman or sammi, uh, his peace title to cry for help. Uh, uh, it's from a video. So if you want to see that video, you can go to his Instagram that's at a b d i r a h m a a n underscore underscore. Um, check out his work, all of his stuff. He will be in next week, um, for an in-person interview to talk about, um, his struggles, uh, his overcoming hi his org. He has a book. He's doing a lot of great stuff and we are going to be truly blessed to have him in here, uh, speaking with us next week. So do not miss that. And we hope to, hope to have you tune in.
Speaker 3 00:30:14 Yeah, thank you so much for, um, bringing on such a powerful poet. Uh, that was a really, that was a really good poem. Um, with that being said, um, coming up next we're gonna have the nerdy spotlight. Um, this month we have two <unk> the word, uh, and I'm gonna play a song. Black skin.
Speaker 10 00:30:48 I love my black skin. That's what I'm about. No putting me back. And once this cats come out, this voice comes with black skin. No longer word, mouth. I love my black skin. That's what I'm about.
Speaker 10 00:31:11 As I reflect upon this packaging, the guy that wrap me in, I'm amazed that he created me to be with black and skin that he saw fit to bless me with the gift that comes from <inaudible>. Our complex is perfected dark like he who resurrected. It's about time that y'all respected. Such reasone has been neglected. But now when there's a time, Nolan will we be rejected. You can check the method. Live out the sun. We are protected. God created us with power. That's why power, trying to recognize I love my black skin. That's what I'm about. No putting me back in. Once this cats come out, this voice comes with black skin. No longer word of mouth. I love my black skin. That's what I'm about.
Speaker 11 00:31:56 I love my black skin. That's what I'm about. That's what I'm about. Open me back in. Once this cats come out, this cats come out. This voice comes with black skin. No longer word. Mouth. I love my black skin. That's what I'm about. What I'm about.
Speaker 11 00:32:19 My melonin run down to my skeleton. Yeah. It's eloquent. It got the world hell. It's evident through history's evidence. The power and shade, the skin with melon. <laugh>. I love my people when I love the fat. God made me black. Yeah, he took his time and did his thing with that. Like throw wind upon it. Go outside. That's how I'm feeling. Yeah. Pel the pimple. But worry because my skin is black. <laugh> a black queen and I'm here to speak. What's make solid? They shaken because they build as weak. God is flow that river going. They feel it deep and it's so effortless. Even grow up in my sleep. Woo. So much flavor. I'm flavor up how we switch it. Uh, black is ever just skipping cuz we won't give it up. While they said there's none like us. So none like us. God's chosen and native single
Speaker 10 00:33:04 Like us. Love my black skin. That's what I'm about. No putting me back in. Once this cats come out, this voice comes with black skin. No longer word of mouth. I love black. That's
Speaker 12 00:33:45 Programming is supported by the Science Museum of Minnesota. Wrapping up a summer of outer space adventures as summer draws to a close. Guests can experience the science of space right in St. Paul on the planet Earth. Featuring new and existing exhibits and displays. New omni theater experiences, events and more. More information about planning your extraterrestrial trip
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Speaker 3 00:34:11 All right, welcome back to Views on the Ground. Views from
Speaker 10 00:34:14 From the Damn Ground.
Speaker 3 00:34:16 Uh, today we are joined by Marna Haynes.
Speaker 13 00:34:20 Hello everyone. Welcome. I'm Marna Haynes
Speaker 3 00:34:23 And thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 13 00:34:25 Welcome. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 3 00:34:27 Yeah. And uh, Marna Haines is coming in to talk about her brother Marvin Hayes. And, um, and so go ahead and take it away.
Speaker 13 00:34:35 Hello. Like I said, my name is Marna Hayes. My brother is Marvin Hayes, who has been wrongfully incarcerated for the last 18 years, right here in Minneapolis. Um, they took my brother away from us in 2004, um, for first degree murder and second degree assault. Um, our family wasn't aware of what was going on. We couldn't find Marvin for two days, but let's start from the top. So they originally came to my mom house with a curfew, um, warrant and said that they wanted to pick him up on a curfew warrant for two days. We called to the juvenile, um, J d c Juvenile, um, detention Center to see where my brother was, but we couldn't find him, um, because they had no record of what he, where he was. Cuz all along they wanted to question him about a murder. Um, that evidence showed that he didn't commit. When we came to find that Marvin was, um, being charged with this charge, the news was at our home and they were raid it saying that they needed to find some clothing that they said that should have evidence on it that Marvin committed this crime. Um, there was around four or five witnesses, um, who were juveniles, um, in this case. Um,
Speaker 3 00:36:13 Yeah. Um,
Speaker 13 00:36:15 Uh,
Speaker 3 00:36:15 And so there were four or five people who were in the case. And so Amy Klobuchar helped, um, convict him. Right? Just like with May Burrell.
Speaker 13 00:36:27 Yes. So Amy Crosha was the head d um, da, um, of the prosecution attorney's office at that time. And you're right, it it, it is the same lady who also, um, convicted Mayan Burrell. So my brother in Mayan Burrell case is similar because they had the same investigator and other, um, people from Hennepin County who looked at both of their cases. And both of them are got arrested at the age of 16. Um, and they both, well, as of now, Mayan has been commuted and he's still fighting for his, um, exoneration mm-hmm. <affirmative> mm-hmm. <affirmative> and Marvin case is similar. We found, um, a lot of evidence, um, where they coerced the juveniles. Um, and they even lost like evidence. So a few times they went and talked to some of these kids without the, the parents were never home. Um, when they were talking to these kids.
Speaker 13 00:37:37 Um, we have had a couple families who have came and, and asked who were involved, who were witnesses on the case. And they have called and said, my brother's story has been a legend story for their family. They're sorry about, um, what they did to my brother and how can they help because their parents wasn't home. And most times in our community, there is single mothers who are trying to raise their children. So you can't be like working and, um, at home with your kids. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> 24 7 and they knew that. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, if you look at the interrogation video on Marvin, on the free Marvin Facebook page, you can see him asking the first clipping that I have pinned to his page, the investigator is telling Marvin, well, Marvin, I know that you asked for a lawyer, but I'm gonna do this. And they never brung a lawyer in mm-hmm.
Speaker 13 00:38:38 <affirmative>, Marvin pleaded for his mother for almost three hours in that interrogation room. The witness who was inside of the store originally picked another suspect and the, the dogs who they brung out to sniff for, since track to a place where that suspect supposed to have family and was at, um, the first suspect that was identified, looked more of the description. The description was, um, a a male in his early twenties, five, ten, a hundred and eighty pounds, where Marvin was 16 years old. Um, 140 pounds and five six. They even said that the suspect had short, cropped hair. And if you look at Marvin's videos, the ones that I've been posting Afro, he had a air a Afro four or five inches long mm-hmm. <affirmative>. So I can't understand how they even, how he even came. We know that they put out a reward and there was a tip that said Marvin did. But if you follow the evidence, you can see with your own eyes that there's no way that Marvin should have been the person that is com um, convicted of this crime.
Speaker 3 00:40:11 Yeah. And, and that's what we see, um, happening all around, you know, the world, but especially here in Minneapolis, they don't really care if people are innocent or if they actually did the crime. They just need a check box. And, you know, if they gotta ruin someone's life in order, you know, to do their job, quote unquote, then they don't care. So, and it's just real disgusting.
Speaker 13 00:40:32 Yes. And like with my organization that I'm starting Minnesota wrongfully convicted judicial reform, we have found many, um, cases where there has been corruption. Uh, um, and, and, and most of the cases that we found it is the same people. So if it was just like my brother and Mayan, they could have probably made a mistake. But with all of the corruption that we're finding, it makes it ludicrous. Um,
Speaker 5 00:41:01 Not to mention that this normally happens to young black individuals, young black men somehow always seem to fit the description. It's not, they don't make these type of mistakes, if that's what they want to call it when it comes to like little white boys. It just doesn't happen. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, because like with Mayan, he's done like interviews and stuff and they say like, you know, as a kid in that time period, if you were just walking the streets in Minneapolis, like that's, the cops will pull up on you say get in the car mm-hmm. <affirmative> and like what else can you do?
Speaker 13 00:41:29 But that's because Amy ch Crosha did that tough on crime. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, <affirmative> spree then. And she even has videos when she's talking about how our children, if they're acting in this type of manner, how they, it makes 'em not ch children and how she wanted to be tough on crime. There's even videos about her talking about adopting our brown children.
Speaker 3 00:41:51 Yep. Yeah. Cause they was going around being tough on crime, super predators, all those stuff. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, you know, and, and so that's just crazy. So tell us a little bit more about your organization. You're trying to, um, found, like what are you trying to
Speaker 13 00:42:07 Okay. So our organization is going to assist people who, um, are trying to find, um, truth and justice for their self with the help of their family and loved ones to bring awareness, um, public awareness. Um, a lot of times these cases, um, get buried. I see it happen so many times when my brother, it's been 18 years because, um, there is no public awareness. We don't have, um, a lot of resources as you guys were just talking about, um, a little while ago. We don't have, um, resources where we can just like, have lawyers. The reason why this stuff doesn't happen in the suburbs, because those families have been, um, in power, the capitalism, um, that's happening. Um, and lawyers mm-hmm. <affirmative>, um, so they don't, they, they don't target their communities because of the way that the whole family structure is set up there. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> versus the way that they have enslaved our people and took the chains from around our neck and, and put 'em around our risks mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and they know this, the education that our people, um, are forced to go into these school systems and get
Speaker 5 00:43:29 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Like you said, like when it comes to, um, the, like the wealth and the family structure of families in the suburbs. Like if, if they rolled up on a kid and threw 'em in a cop car and brought 'em in, that police department's probably getting sued. Yes. Yeah. Right. And the kid will tell you mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. Do you know who my dad is? <laugh>. Like, you know what I'm saying? <laugh>. But when it comes to these underserved communities mm-hmm. <affirmative> like, like Minneapolis, um, they know they have, they have no risk with that because like you said, you know, some of these families don't come from two par parent households with mm-hmm. <affirmative> a lot of money that can be used for getting a lawyer or anything. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, like, when they lock a kid up, you, you have nothing that you can do. And like you said, they know that and that's why they do it.
Speaker 13 00:44:16 And even the way that they break up families like Marvin Marvin's whole situation to our family apart, we had to spend all of our savings on a lawyer who really didn't do much for my brother. Um, my family did a lot of blaming because they thought it was their fault, all this stuff. But as I educated my mind and healed my heart, I learned that this was a setup and they didn't care who chow it was. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. It just happened to hit my family.
Speaker 3 00:44:49 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Exactly. And so you were telling me about, um, how you want to review all of Amy's cases. Speak more about that.
Speaker 13 00:45:01 Yes. So, because we know that Amy k Crosha did this to Mayan Burrell because he has already been released and she was the prosecutor on that case. And also we have my brother's case where evidence shows that his case should be reviews. We demand to call for a review of all Amy Khaw cases while she led the prosecution office as da.
Speaker 3 00:45:32 Yes. I, I think that is, I think that is a great demand to have because it is, it is very apparent that, uh, that it needs to be looked into. And so how
Speaker 13 00:45:44 Many other children have this happened to
Speaker 3 00:45:48 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>,
Speaker 13 00:45:49 How can she come in and tear apart our community? Our community was not safe then and it's not safe Now how do we build our community as a community?
Speaker 3 00:46:01 Yeah. So, so tell me, how did it, how did it feel to see Mayan Burrell, um, you know, get, get outta prison? Tell the, tell us how that impacted you.
Speaker 13 00:46:16 Um, see, my brother and Mayan Burrell did 14 years together. And it's crazy the way they met. Myam was coming back for a review of, um, a case that he had gone on. Um, and my brother had just made into the prison system. Um, and my brother was in there, a little boy and older people. He was crying talking about how he was innocent, telling everybody, because he was devastated. You're sitting in jail at 16, so everybody you see, everybody you come in contact with, you just want to tell your story. I didn't do this. Can you help me? So my aunt, so then people put them together because they were the two innocent people of the whole Hennepin County jail. And then they were able to spend 14 years together in prison. Um, when we seen Mayan come home, we knew that it was hope for not only Mayan, but all of the guys that are wrongfully incarcerated.
Speaker 3 00:47:18 Do you feel like that helped inspire you to push even harder and start forming this like organization and stuff like that?
Speaker 13 00:47:27 Um, so we have, my brother has always, um, pro proclaimed his innocence. So we had already had our like petition going way before Mayan came home. We had already had like, things that we were trying to put together, but without the education piece, I just wasn't sure. We as a family, we wasn't sure on how to take on this fight because it's such a big fight. Um, I think that seeing Mayan get out and knowing that he was wrongfully convicted gave so many people around the world hope.
Speaker 5 00:48:09 Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, especially in Minnesota. And especially in Minneapolis. Um, I'm on the website and, you know, reading, um, all of the things that have that happened in this case, um, like the way they interrogated him, um, you mentioned it, but like, just to specify again, like over two and a half hours with no parent, no guardian. Um, he says that he was never informed that it was a murder investigation. They were just questioning him, interrogating him, and then they talked about, uh, the fingerprints. So he got fingerprinted and then his fingerprints excluded him from being the a possible, uh, uh, the person who did it so excluded him from that, yet they continued to interrogate and question him and eventually convict him even though that there were so many things. And when you talk about, um, the hair, I think in, uh, in the little print up you guys have, it said how in the original they showed, uh, uh, the witness photographs mm-hmm. <affirmative> for the first lineup. And in this photograph, they used a photo from him from years prior,
Speaker 13 00:49:17 Two years prior,
Speaker 5 00:49:19 Which was the last photo of him with short hair. Yes. So she may have identified him then, but in the second lineup was an in-person lineup. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And this was days after it happened. And there he is with his Afro and she was unable to identify mm-hmm. <affirmative>, however they used, Marvin was the only name they used as everyone else was a number, like number one, number two mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And then they, they said Marvin when they pointed to Marvin in the lineup. So there's all of these things mm-hmm. <affirmative> that happened. And I think I'm just repeating them for the listeners to hear that there's so many things that should exclude him from being convicted, uh, that, that prove his innocence. Yet we are in a system where, uh, they say, we just basically, we need somebody and he kind of halfway fits the description mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, so they convicted him. And, um, what has, uh, well first of all, how often are you even, like, how often do, are you and your brother like able to speak and stuff like that? I'm sure it has changed over the years, but
Speaker 13 00:50:21 Yeah, we, we speak all the time. Um, especially now since I started, um, the movement, the mar free Marvin Haynes movement. Um, but prior, um, just different things like life happening. Him probably like, um, getting transferred to one prison mm-hmm. <affirmative> to the next, um, when he first got in there, he had to go to like, um, some type of holding facility because he was a minor and they didn't put them with the adults, but we speak frequently.
Speaker 5 00:50:51 Got you. Um, with him, you said that he's always claimed his innocence. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, rightfully so. Um, has he been able to take any active steps, like while being in, I, I know you're not him, but like from his perspective, you guys have spoken like what is, what is one able to do when they are in prison for something that they know that they did not do?
Speaker 13 00:51:15 Um, and that's why I'm starting my organization because they know that when you're in prison, they're kind of like controlling everything you do. And then a lot of times, like they actually like shut down my JPay because I'm sending in like, um, information to get approval from the guys that I'm working with, um, to be able to do things for them. Like, um, protesting Facebook and different things that we do for the people to bring awareness to their, um, organization. Um, so it's really hard for them to, because even when they do like, um, appeals and different things, they don't ever over really overturn it. They use like all these fancy words, so you will need some type of person from the outside to advocate for you. And so that's why we work with the families to be able to bring awareness to what happened because we're not free until we're all free. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 3 00:52:14 <affirmative>. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. H how has it been for you getting, um, we've been seeing you more and more show up to like a lot of BLM protests and stuff like that? How's that been?
Speaker 13 00:52:26 Um, it's been going okay. Um, currently, um, I did build my own team. People are like listening to my brother's story, but, um,
Speaker 13 00:52:47 We have had a couple people reach out who are working with us, but as far as like really getting support from the community, I have yet to find that mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Um, I have been having to stand tall for my own family because that's one of the hardest things is for people to see what's going on. And they know, and I know that they have seen the videos that I'm doing and the protesting that I'm doing and all that stuff around this story, but I ask myself all the time, why are leaders, activists, community leaders who are in a stronger position than me? Why aren't there, he, why aren't there help for me? But God lays things the way that he want 'em to go. And so maybe now isn't the time.
Speaker 5 00:53:34 Yeah. I think like with the movement itself, even, I mean, there's actions for lineal Frazier going on currently who was, uh, killed in a high speed chase from M p D of July 6th, 2021. And like his family will host actions because, uh, the kill officer Brian Cummings, who murdered him, um, his trial has been delayed until 2023. And like, there are actions and events and like, it's hard to even get like numbers out for some of those events. Um mm-hmm. <affirmative>, I feel like it is, it, it's unfortunate how like people know that it's wrong mm-hmm. <affirmative>, but like, like you said, like what are you gonna do to,
Speaker 13 00:54:15 It's kind of like if it don't, uh, really affect them mm-hmm. <affirmative>, then it takes a while, like to pull people in. But one person who has been supporting me is to share from family support and families mm-hmm. <affirmative> against police violence. Um, she understands my pain because she has went through her own trauma. Um, and so I just love her and she has been there for me. Um, I have a few other people, but just not like her organization because she's the founder of it, right? Mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And so anything she does that comes with it. But besides that, not really.
Speaker 3 00:54:54 All right. Well, um, just let people know, um, uh, if they wanted to work with your organization, how would they get in contact with
Speaker 13 00:55:03 You? Okay. Currently, I'm, I am working on my webpage. It's under construction, <laugh> <laugh>, but I do have my Facebook page, Minnesota wrongfully convicted Judicial Reform. My email is marna h six gmail.com. Um, and then you also can follow my brother at the free Marvin Haynes Facebook. He also has a website Justice for marvin haynes sixteen.com, where we are running a live petition right now to get signatures to bring them home.
Speaker 3 00:55:37 Well, thank you so much. I extremely appreciate you coming here and educating our listeners and letting, letting them know and hear your story. So
Speaker 13 00:55:45 Thank you so much from having me everyone. Thanks. Peace out <laugh>
Speaker 3 00:55:50 <laugh>. Yes. Um, and I just want to once again thank Jaylen and Brandon, uh, for coming in and helping out with the program today. Shout out to Nerdy as well. Uh, with that, we are out of here. So
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Speaker 16 00:57:04 Yes.
Speaker 17 00:57:04 We have to organize, organize, organize. We with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies they call me with the and the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize with all the lies. All the lights. All the lights. They come with the teargas and Glock and the 45 in between the protests. We protest this every your lies. Three, your lies that we have already been here before. Protests in the streets. Cause we see, and we all at war burning police cars and we shooting loo in these stores. You may not agree, but you see they changing these laws. The only thing they understand now is her city burning. They acting like they shot with these cops. They just learning. See you Mr. Floyd on the ground and got 'em squirming. Now we can see they are the Nazis.
Speaker 17 00:57:48 We the German blacks. Organized, organized, organized with all the lights. All the lights. All the lies. They call me with the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize, organize, do what we would. Organize all the lies. All the lies they come with the tickets and glass and the 45 in between the protests we protest and realize here we always wake up, but then we go back and sleep again. In between the is when we begin and weak again. We hear about the loop. Another shoot in this week again, this gives the police another excuse to hit the streets again. White police, black population can never be your friend. Our mothers and our fathers and our families, they be se them. They oversee us. We the s to them. We gotta rise to the level where we ain't needing them.
Speaker 17 00:58:34 Everybody organize, organize, organize you away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the mac and the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest and realize, yes, we have to organize, organize, organize you away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the take and Glock in the 45 in between the protests, we protest every your life. Yes, you have to follow me, follow me, follow me. It's my philosophy that white law monopoly makes democracy. Hypo in a capitalist economy, it's no democracy. I demand of return to my sovereignty. No apology, independence, autonomy, no need the mommy, me. I could run my own country. If you could just stop bombing me, gimme my land back, gimme my gold back, my heritage, my birthright. You outright stole that. Organize, organize, organize. Do away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies. They come in with the act of the black and the 45. In between the protests, we protest our Rio lawyers. Yes, we are. We organize, organize away with all the lies. All the lies. All the lies they come in with, the tear ass blacks. And 45 in between the protests, we protest.
