Times Square, November 3, 2007

So on Saturday morning I rode into Times Square. Here are some pics from my camera phone. The pics are kinda good if I do say so myself. If you click on the photos the pictures should enlarge.

8:50 AM on Saturday, November 3rd. 47th & Broadway.

Then there was the naked cowboy who appeared @ 11:30AM. It was prolly 50 degrees outside. But was more weird is that more folks aren't staring at him. See what I mean abou zero boundaries in NYC?

History of Crime in Harlem

I checked out a movie this weekend, American Gangster. Like many of the other folks that have checked out the movie, I have mixed feelings. However, I mostly think that it was a story that I found to be interesting, intellectually that is. After all, I spend my days fighting crime. I left the theatre with many questions, some of which could have been addressed via editorial action on the part of the producers of the movie. Other questions were better answered by conducting my own Google research, which is how I earn my recreational PhD in random topics. I heart Google.

Today, I had the day off because of Election Day. I know, it was weird. But don't worry, I am working this weekend and through the Veterans Day Holiday, so I will get my fair share of time in. I spent the day running errands and working on my research.

Here's a roadmap of the sources that I found most interesting:

If you are interested in learning more about the history of crime in Harlem, click here. I learned soooo much about my community from this link. For instance, I always thought the Cotton Club was black owned. I didn't know that no matter your financial condition black folks weren't even allowed through the front door! I also learned that the Cotton Club was acquired from a black man after he was pushed out by the mob. Then there were a number of books and names mentioned that I plan to check out later.

Before the movie was made, New York Magazine published an article about Franc Lucas called The Return of Superfly. The article was written by Marc Jacobson and filled in the gaps that I had after the movie. Marc Jacobson also got Franc Lucas and Nikki Barnes (played by Cuba Gooding, Jr.) together for an interview recently, click here.

The American Gangster had a daughter, Francis Lucas. And the absence of any mention of his children was another reason the movie left much to be desired. Here's a link to an article printed in this month's Glamour magazine on Frank Lucas' daughter and her experience growing up with parents that are incarcerated. She has an organization that provides resourches to children with incarcerated parents, called Yellow Brick Road.

Not your average defense attorney . . .

I don't see this type of client advocacy in the courtroom everyday. Momma, nem may be on to something.

When Barack was like me, well almost . . .

Senator, and hopefully our next President, Barack Obama also made a pit stop in NY on their journey to becoming a legal eagle, and perhaps the next President of the United States. Read about what folks that knew him when had to say via a recent New York Times article, click here.

There are some differences between how Barack and I both wound up in the Big Apple. He is a he, and I am a she. He arrived as an undergrad that xfer'd from a west coast school. I arrived as a lawyer recently graduated from an east coast school. I didn't sleep in an ally, instead I moved into a brownstone with roommates from law school. Although I should point out that I don't think any move to New York City is an easy transition. But we both were uptown. We both arrived black. He would go on to become a lawyer, and I can only hope that I will become a better lawyer by the time I leave, if I ever leave. Subtle, but obvious intersections.

deja vu (sp?)

In a city as big as New York, its amazing how small it can feel at times.

I have ran into 3 friends randomly while out and about in NYC.

Incident #1

I was walking down 125th Street one day after work. I just got off the 4 train and walked right into one of my classmates from Georgetown. How exciting! I told her that it was such a wonderful surprised to see her. I was on the way to treat myself to a slice of red velvet cake from Sylvia's, so I invited her to join me for cake and a cup of tea.

Incident #2 & #3

I was walking down 125th Street another day, a Saturday, after a day full of errands. I visited the Studio Museum of Harlem, the Post Office, the dry cleaners. I first ran into Cornelius of Harlem Heritage Tours. A few years ago, two of my girlfriends and I visited NYC and we took a walking tour of Harlem and Cornelius was our tour mobile operator. It was at that moment that I fell in love with Harlem. So it was amazing to run into him (guiding another tour group) while on my afternoon stroll through the neighborhood. But on this same day I ran into my college friend Jenique. Jenique was my homegirl my first year at FAMU. I say first year, because she didn't return for junior year, deciding instead to start her own business, Crush Groove Cosmetics. I can't believe that I am about to say this, but I had not seen Jenique in seven years!!! I didn't know I was that old. But as soon as I saw her walking my direction, I immediately knew who she was. She lives 2 blocks from me. I wound up kicking it with Jenique the following Monday and she and I hung out until 5AM. Yeah, I know . . .Bad Idea.

But this brings me to Incident #4.

I was at the grocery store, shopping, buying my beans and rice, tomatoes and squash, pineapples and granola, you get it . . . I look up and I see another one of my law school classmates, Ashley. I knew that she was in New York, but we'd lost touch. But get this, she lives in Harlem too, about 8 minutes away from me. We chatted, caught up. She shared that she wasn't shocked at all that I am now in the District Attorney's Office. (I wondered what that means?). We exchanged numbers and vowed to keep in touch.

Isn't that weird?

and sometimes you just wanna crash

because sometimes you stand up for the people,
and the judge shoots you down.
and sometimes you make bail applications and
sometimes people are released and
you feel like you failed
sometimes defense counsel makes crazy motions
and you actually have a solid basis to oppose them
and thats when the judge denies their motion
so you celebrate, and your colleagues say, good job.
but celebrations are short lived
because the next case is called and
you can't serve notices, because your information is confusing
and sometimes people in the courtoom cry
and you wonder, what's going to happen when they leave here?
but then you try to talk to a colleague and they say,
"You did your best"
but what's best when you represent the People of the state of New York?
what's best, what's best, WHAT IS BEST???
you worry that you aren't smart enough for other people's safety to be based on your ability to make arguments straigh off the dome to the judge in less than 10 minutes.

so sometimes when you get home on a Friday, from a long week.

YOU JUST CRASH.

False Alarm

no trial today. The defense attorney decided to serve motions. Now we are going to have a hearing to determine whether or not their motions will be granted, and following the hearing, we will hopefully have a trial.

This was a bummer.