'Free Larry Langford' Begins

I smelt this one coming.

At the social networking web site Facebook, one proud Larry Langford supporter put their foot towards the threshing floor to start up a militant campaign of awareness to help free Larry Langford. Since the trial ended, the fan page --Free Larry Langford -- has welcomed a staggering following of over 3,000 members.

Since most of the former Jefferson County commissioners have all been persecuted and lost in the court of law - including Gary White, Mary Buckelew, Jeff Germany and Chris McNair - the next in line ended up being former Birmingham mayor and former Jefferson County commission president Larry Langford.

Two of the former commissioners (White, Buckelew) were white. The other two were black. Still a considerable number of black citizens in Birmingham rush to his aid crying out that the trial was racially motivated. The group's description states that "racism is still in effect, yes he may be have been wrong but those crackers r doing da same thang he was doin n gettin away with it." *

In his defense, over 3,377 Facebook members have joined the Fan page to express their love and admiration for the embattled mayor. Strange isn't it. Where was that super large support group when Frank "God's Gangster" Matthews and SCLC drum major Rev. Calvin Woods initiated a prayer rally the Sunday before his bribery trial? Only 33 supporters showed up.

Goes to show you Birmingham can sometimes be mostly all talk, very little action.

Check out the special key chain Mr. Matthews wants every Langford supporter to have.

*Apologizes for the bad grammar, but we quoted the text from the original fan page. Author's actual words.

[A BIG LANGFRAUD]
Vote 2009: Let's do something (like select another mayor) [Wade on Birmingham]

Langford found guilty on all counts! [Birmingham Weekly]
The Life and Crimes of Larry Langford [Birmingham Weekly]
Birmingham mayor Larry Langford guilty on bribery, fraud, conspiracy [Wade on Birmingham]
The Trial of Larry Langford [Wade on Birmingham]
Trials in Alabama: Langford, Thomas [PRAYZE Report]

Mayor Langford Found Guilty

I may be setting my eyes on moving away from Birmingham, but today is a new day.

Larry P. Langford, mayor of Birmingham, Ala, was found guilty on all 60 counts in his federal bribery case. It only took 2 hours for the jury to come up with their decision.

This was what he had to say to the news media and his critics. Ouch. Feel pretty sad for NBC 13's Jon Paepcke. Please watch the clips for yourself.







He along with his wife blamed the verdict on race, even though the defense asked if the case be moved to another city than Birmingham; feeling as if the trial would not be fair for the defendant. Both Al LaPierre and Bill Blount, former co-defendants in the case, plead guilty earlier this year and even testified on the witness stand. Langford didn't.

Beginning today, Carole Smitherman, council president, will serve as interim mayor until a special election is help. Valerie Abbott will become acting council president.

A full report and quick bio on the now-former mayor can be read at:
Wade on Birmingham.

[THE FINAL VERDICT]

Langford found guilty on all counts! [Birmingham Weekly]
The Life and Crimes of Larry Langford [Birmingham Weekly]

Birmingham mayor Larry Langford guilty on bribery, fraud, conspiracy [Wade on Birmingham]

The Trial of Larry Langford [Wade on Birmingham]
Trials in Alabama: Langford, Thomas [PRAYZE Report]

Trials in Alabama: Langford, Thomas

For the month of October (boo), the eyes of the law remain glued on the state of Alabama for the biggest spook-tacular to ever outshine the perils of goblins and witches. Bloomberg opened an editorial this week on Alabama's status using the headline: Armageddon in Alabama. Whoa, could it be?

Two high-profiled cases, now making national headlines, are already in session, which include Mayor Larry P. Langford (D), the current mayor of Birmingham, Ala., who has been accused by the feds of bribery, and former Alabama Circuit Court Judge Herman Thomas, who is accused of exchanging leniency for sexual acts such as paddling, masturbation and oral sex to convicted felons.

First case: Larry P. Langford.

While never shy from controversy and the media, Langford is heading up an ocean without a paddle. Both Al LaPierre and Bill Blount, who formerly plead not guilty to their crimes and who stood as co-defendants with Langford, worked up a plea agreement with the government. As part of their plea deal, both will be called to testify against the mayor during the trial.

Langford faces 60 charges from a federal indictment returned in June 2008 and unsealed six months later. Among the charges are bribery, money laundering, conspiracy, mail and wire fraud and filing a false tax return. If convicted on all counts, Langford could serve a staggering maximum of 804 years in federal prison.

In closing, take a good listen to the rhetoric delivered at the prayer vigil held last Sunday. Leading the pep rally are Frank Matthews, known as God's Gangster, and SCLC local leader Rev. Calvin Woods. Matthews was recently hired by Langford to serve as the co-director of Birmnigham's Office of Citizen Assistance. Only 55 people attended.

A snippet of the vigil has been posted below:




This quote had me laughing, but it's a golden truth from Birmingham Weekly.

"The vigil was led by the Reverend Calvin Woods of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. That means the same organization that persuaded 3,500 students to come downtown and confront Bull Connor in May 1963 couldn’t get 60 people to come downtown to listen to a guy on a bullhorn in October 2009."

Second case: Herman Thomas

The former Mobile, Ala. judge, known for sporting his bowties and for being a proud cardcarrier of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, is facing major heat due to the bizarre nature of the allegations. Thomas, 48, faces more than 20 felony charges including sodomy, attempted sodomy, sex abuse and assault. Sodomy is the only class A felony, which is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. The case included 11 alleged victims and 52 counts. Closing statements have already been made and the 5-man, 7-woman jury, as of 3:34 p.m on Thursday, begins their deliberations on the case.

Words of advice:
Even if you are a man or woman of the law, that doesn't mean you are a man or woman above the law.

Follow daily updates on the Larry Langford case at:
LangfordTrial on Twitter (NBC 13)
Wade on Birmingham
Birmingham Weekly
Al.com

[BREAK IN THE LAW]

The Life and Crimes of Larry Langford [Birmingham Weekly]

Paltry prayer vigil means Langford love lagging [Birmingham Weekly]
Herman Thomas trial: Jury begins deliberations... [Mobile Press-Register]

Thomas trial: Inmates testify ex-judge spanked, abused them [Rod 2.0]

Birmingham Crooks Celebrated

On a (depressing) local level, Birmingham, Ala. and the citizens of Jefferson County are awaiting the sound of the trumpet that may just end some of its most recent public woes. Later this month, Mayor Larry P. Langford will face a jury with multiple counts of bribery and conspiracy as the long-awaited federal trial begins. Last year, the FBI made their arrest and broadcast their attempts to take the Birmingham mayor to court regarding a number of charges that include bribery. Two of the co-defendants in the trial, as we all expected, plead guilty to falsifying records. This quote comes from the Birmingham News regarding their dealings.

"The government alleges Langford used his influence to steer county financing business to Blount, resulting in Blount getting $7.1 million in fees. In return, prosecutors say, Blount showered Langford with $236,000 in cash, clothes and jewelry."

Their plea agreements represent the writing on the wall for the mayor's gloomy forecast for the future.

Wade Kwon, blog journalist and virtual buddy to the PRAYZE Report, has designed a nifty timeline of daily celebrations featuring Birmingham's biggest crooks for the entire month of August. Of the honorable mentions, former Healthsouth founder Richard Scrushy (whom once had a street named after him, thanks to Langford) is a no-brainer and lobbyist Al LaPierre, convicted last month, is a close buddy to Langford. Rev. Gregory L. Clarke, pastor of the New Hope Baptist Church, also made the list (yes, even pastors) for his conviction of filing false tax returns owing a total of $35,600 in back taxes. Kwon is saving Langford for the 31st. No surprise there since Langford, if convicted, will be the first mayor of the city ever to be removed from his honorable position. Just when Detroit's Kwame Kilpatrick reign of terror was just a figment of our imagination.

[CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER, I]
Birmnigham's Biggest Crooks [Wade on Birmingham]
31 crooks in 31 days? [Birmingham Weekly]
Blount expected to change plea [Birmingham News. AL.com]
Mister McCoy Can't Take the Heat [PRAYZE Report]

Check Your Pastor [PRAYZE Report]

Henry Panion and Kurt Carr Gets $75,000 from BCC

Love come quick/Love come in a hurry/There are thieves
in the temple tonight. - Prince, "Thieves in the Temple"
from the SIGN O' THE TIMES album (1989)

Dr. Henry Panion III, who still serves as a professor and department head in music at the University of Birmingham (UAB), has played with a number of musical greats ranging from pop to R&B to gospel. And when he's not waving his baton over a super symphony, he's orchestrating music set to another tune through his state-of-the-art music studio Audiostate 55 Entertainment, located in the heart of Birmingham, Ala. The forthcoming project from American Idol winner Ruben Studdard even boasts post-production credits at the newly-developed studio. So of course, it makes sense for the city of Birmingham, currently run by Mayor Larry Langford, to invest in Panion's future of music. And they did. Strangely, the investment smells like it went way beyond the expected limit.

In Black & White (Issue Number 369, May 14), a popular local paper, they recalled some of the major requests made for funding approved by the Birmingham City Council. On April 14, Item 42 points to a colossal offering of $75,000 to Audiostate 55 Entertainment to "provide two performances featuring Kurt Carr, Kurt Carr Singers, and a 150-voice choir made up of singers from Birmingham (actually it was a church choir named Faith Chapel Christian Center Choir that provided the background singing) on May 1 and 2, 2009." The event in question was the highly-publicized Gospel Goes Classical II event held at the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center; located on the campus of the University of Birmingham (UAB).

As the report unfolds, further logistics concerning the allotted donation include "necessary arrangements for the concert performances, including transportation, provide recognition of the City's sponsorship for events, and shall involve Birmingham's student-age citizens at entry level behind-the-scenes creative, technical and marketing activities."

With the global economy reaching a nasty sour note in today's news headlines and the city of Birmingham facing its own share of grim reports including an upcoming trial for the embattled mayor later on this year, $75,000 for an event so small smells suspicious. Considering Kurt Carr's consistent visits to the city over the last couple of years by playing at the annual City Stages festival in 2007 and 2006 and recently hosting a music workshop at a local church earlier this year, there is no way possible that Kurt Carr and his ensemble needed $75,000 for their performances.

If this was a non-profit organization, things would have been a bit more understandable. But to better interpret this sketchy scenario, you also have to question why was this event a ticketed event. Tickets were $25-$45 dollars, according to the Birmingham News. The event was also recorded, like its predecessor Gospel Goes Classical, and will hopefully be released as an album if he can reach a contract agreement with the artists and their respected labels of whom participated. A CD amounts to record sales and profits, which according to Panion, is "like icing on the cake."

Icing on the cake? Hmmm, smells like a party.

In 2007, Panion released Gospel Goes Classical, featuring performances from Juanita Bynum and Jonathan Butler, which went on to become a best-seller on both the gospel and classical charts.

Panion's intentions may be well, but it is hard to understand the scope of such a bewildering offering the size of $75,000. Surely Kurt Carr's honorarium doesn't come close to $10,000...maybe $2,000. So where did all that money go? You do the math.

Guess Prince was right. It made sense in 1989, and it makes sense in 2009....there are indeed "thieves in the temple tonight."

[$$$...SOME PEOPLE REALLY NEED IT]
UAB's Panion follows up popular concert that produced best-selling CD [Birmingham News]

Gospel Goes Classical II [Official Website]
Wrong notes alleged at Gospel Goes Classical [Courthouse News]