BBC member Dr. Zena Crenshaw-Logal (on Gov. Edwards not listening): “Once he envisions himself in one of those orange jump suits, I bet he listens then;” indicates ignoring BBC and LUI may result in criminal charges for “at least manslaughter.”

Dr. Zena Crenshaw-Logal, J. D., Executive Director at National Judicial Conduct and Disability

Yesterday, Sound Off Louisiana  published a feature of a virtual press conference conducted by Louisiana United International (LUI) on that very day (April 27, 2020).  LUI was founded by Belinda Parker-Brown, who serves as its CEO.  The feature focused on the LUI position statement on COVID-19 as it pertains to imprisoned African Americans.  One of the videos depicted the adamant opposition of LUI to recent statements by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry that he opposes the release of inmates from Louisiana’s prisons as a means of protecting those inmates from COVID infection.

Two days before that press conference, the national Black is Back Coalition (BBC) held a webinar (the full version of which is readily available at the preceding link).  On that webinar, Dr. Zena Crenshaw-Logal, J. D., Executive Director at National Judicial Conduct and Disability took Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to task for allegedly ignoring their pleas for him to meet with them and discuss the current state of Louisiana prisons and the impacts of COVID-19 on the inmates residing in those prisons.  Let’s take a look at just what Dr. Crenshaw-Logal had to say:

Lisa Davis, Vice Chairman of the BBC, fields a question by online viewer Chris Williams, who asked, “How do we get JBE to hear us? We are the reason he is Governor!” After Parker-Brown provides an initial repeat of the question and elaboration to Dr. Crenshaw-Logal, Dr. Logal responds that African Americans need to, “mobilize and show our strength in numbers,” and to then have Gov. Edwards, “envision himself in one of those orange prison suits, and I bet he’ll listen then.”

Subscribers may recall Gov. Edwards’ authoritative declaration immediately upon making his victory speech for a second term as Louisiana Governor last year.  That authoritative declaration was, “How sweet it is!”  Heck, for anyone who maybe can’t recall it, here’s a 15-second replay for old-time sake:


Gov. John Bel Edwards steps to the podium to deliver his re-election speech and begins by emphatically declaring, “How sweet it is!”

Right now, Gov. Edwards faces an open clamoring by small business owners across this state imploring him to re-open Louisiana’s economy.  That clamoring includes talk that Republican lawmakers may initiate an effort to override his “stay-at-home” order.  When these developments are combined with the discontent clearly present among some African American voters to such an extent that he would be warned of being “one of the people wearing an orange prison jump suit,” we can’t help but wonder if Gov. Edwards is now viewing that “sweetness” he celebrated at re-election to have turned into the bitter waters of Marah.

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Belinda Parker Brown hosts virtual press conference at which she asserts Louisiana African-Americans facing trial are being “badgered” into accepting plea deals as law enforcement officials explain the alternative of “death by COVID-19 in prison.”

Panelists for a virtual press conference of Louisiana United International conducted on Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

Sound Off Louisiana subscribers may recall our feature just before the Governor’s election at which community activist Belinda Parker Brown lambasted the media’s concerted efforts to bury the existence of Dr. Omar Dantzler’s campaign for Governor from the general public.  Dantzler is African American, and Brown asserted that, by burying Dantzler’s campaign, the media was subjecting him to “sophisticated bondage.”

Brown, who is the fonder and CEO of Louisiana United International, was joined by other panelists to conduct a virtual press conference on Tuesday, April 28, 2020.  The focus was to elaborate upon the LUI position statement on COVID-19 as it pertains to imprisoned African Americans.   A few of Brown’s panelists for the press conference include:

 Dr. Zena Crenshaw-Logal, J. D., Executive Director at National Judicial Conduct and Disability;

 Gordon L. Wiborg, Jr., retired Shohomist, Washington Police Chief; and

 Lisa Davis, Vice Chair of the Black is Back Coalition (along with Betty Davis, who is also a BBC member but no family relation to Lisa).

Let’s take a look at a couple of video segments of the virtual press conference, after which we’re going to provide the video of the press conference in its entirety:


Brown emphasizes LUI has “boots on the ground” in Louisiana’s prison and legal communities, and she alleges that African Americans trials have been stalled, “for over 120 days in order to force, threaten, and badger people to take a plea.”

Retired Shohomish, Washington Police Chief Gordon L. Wiborg, Jr. addresses a recent statement made by Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry that prison inmates should not be released as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Virtual press conference in its entirety.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.

Tom Galligan, LSU interim President, is guest speaker at BRPC’s first “virtual meeting;” answers questions from expected budget impacts on LSU to the all-important, “What about LSU football?”

LSU Interim President Tom Galligan.

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baton Rouge Press Club conducted it’s first-ever “virtual meeting” today (April 27, 2020).  The guest speaker was LSU Interim President Tom Galligan.  The following video constitutes his presentation in its entirety along with his responses to questions posed:


Galligan provides his virtual presentation to the BRPC on 4/27/20.  At around the 15:00 mark, near the end of his initial presentation, he addressed potential impending budget impacts and the opening of LSU in the fall semester.  At the 17:10 mark, he starts to address LSU football and other athletic programs at LSU.  He begins taking questions at the 18:10 mark, and Jim Engster begins by inquiring about the potential date of LSU’s first football game for the 2020 season.

If you would like to be added to our Sound Off Louisiana email list to be notified of future posts, simply go to our home page and scroll to the bottom (mobile devices) or to the top of the right-hand column (desktops).  Supply your email address within the subscribe box.  You’ll then receive an automated email from Word Press, and all you have to do is click on the blue “confirm follow” bar contained within that email, and you’ll begin receiving great posts such as the preceding one above.