Posted on 12/13/2005 5:44:28 PM PST by doug from upland
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On the link above, we discussed the Stanley Tookie Williams execution. KFI did great reporting from the scene, but they could finish their broadcast from San Quentin because it apparently became too dangerous.
The crowd of peaceful leftists were deemed enough of a threat by KFI security, that John Ziegler ended his portion of the broadcast before 10pm and had to get out of there.
Perhaps the highlight, or lowlight, occured when Zig was trying to ask Jesse Jackson questions. Jackson had been asked by John and Ken earlier and by Zig to name the victims. Jackson could not. He was clearly there for face time on television.
Television's Judge Mathis (Greg Mathis) was there with Jackson. This real life judge, a big believer in the First Amendment for himself and for those with whom he agrees, believes less in the First Amendment for people like KFI's Ziegler.
As Zig was trying to grill Jackson on the air, he had been surrounded by a group of security thugs wearing reflective vests. Judge Mathis took the opportunity (according to Ziegler while broadcasting live) to elbow Zig in the stomach and break his microphone.
No one has yet reported this in print or in any other mode of news broadcasting other than on KFI. Zig will undoubtedly give you his report at 7pm Pacific on his KFI show.
Mathis, a former gang member, must have felt right at home with the crowd last night. He actions showed that he hadn't lost his touch. If John were to file charges, it could get interesting for the thug TV star wearing the robe.
GREG MATHIS
Judge
The real-life story of Judge Mathis is heartwarming and inspirational. Greg Mathis was a gang member who dropped out of school, was in and out of jail and then overcame these adversities to become the youngest judge in the history of the state of Michigan.
The inspiration for his own TV court show, the Judge's personal story is also the subject of a book, "Inner City Miracle," released by Ballantine/One World Books in October 2002. Mathis, along with writer Blair Walker, co-wrote his autobiography to document his triumph over the odds. The memoir takes a candid look at the Judge's rise to success from the projects of Detroit. Once a juvenile delinquent himself, the Judge provides readers with a revealing look into his inspirational transformation and to his ongoing efforts to help others. "Inner City Miracle" was well received by book reviewers across the country. The success of the book earned Mathis the prestigious Blackboard Non-fiction Book of the Year Award in May 2003.
Mathis has been called upon as a regular contributor to national television programs, including "Larry King Live," "Politically Incorrect," CNN's "Talk Back Live" and Fox News Channel's "From the Heartland with John Kasich" to discuss his opinions on complex issues of the day, such as terrorism and national security, unique sentencing and affirmative action. He offers his take on high-profile legal cases such as the Scott Peterson trial and the Martha Stewart indictment.
Greg Mathis has become a household name with a broad and loyal following. His growing popularity led to a featured role on The WB sitcom "The Steve Harvey Show" in May 2001, in which he played himself. He has also enjoyed major media exposure, appearing on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," the "Today" morning show, "The Rosie O'Donnell Show," "The Wayne Brady Show," TNT's "Listen Up! Charles Barkley with Ernie Johnson" and "BET Tonight with Ed Gordon," while being featured in People magazine, and national and local press across the country.
When he is not on the bench, Mathis makes it a point to give back to the community and to those in need of guidance. In May 2002, Mathis hosted his first Self-Empowerment Expo in Detroit, designed to encourage individuals to develop and achieve worthy goals, and prepare themselves for a more prosperous future.The Expo has since become an annual community-wide event in Detroit. The fourth annual Self-Empowerment and Opportunity Expo took place in July 2005. The Expo offers speakers, workshops and other resources that offer family and business-oriented guidance.
Mathis continues to hit the streets in an effort to help others, joining the fight for various causes and drawing national attention and throngs of supporters. In September 2004, Mathis served as Honorary Chair of the National Council for Adoption’s "Kids At Heart Festival" and joined the celebration for National Adoption Month. An advocate for adult literacy as well, Mathis was named a spokesman for Literacy Volunteers of America in Detroit in May 2003. He continues to help raise awareness of the literacy problem and encourages those who need help.
Mathis’ life is an example for at-risk youth everywhere. He has dedicated himself to instilling young people with the motivation for success. In December 2004, Chicago’s Prevention Partnership honored Judge Mathis as the 2004 Prevention Person of the Year. Mathis was selected among nominees for his noteworthy contributions to the betterment of life for at-risk youth, particularly youth susceptible to drug addiction, alcoholism, unwanted pregnancy, crime and violence.
His accomplishments and contributions were also recognized in December 2004 when Mathis received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from Florida’s A&M University. During his commencement address, Mathis encouraged graduates to take charge of their future and persevere on the path to success.
In addition to starring in his own television show, Judge Mathis broke new ground in season two, when he took his show on the road and starred in the critically acclaimed stage production "Been There Done That," a musical drama based on Mathis' life designed to inspire men and women to overcome life's obstacles. The show played to sold-out audiences in 29 cities and received national press attention.
In October 2003, Mathis also appeared in the stage play, "Tell It to the Judge," an inspirational piece about a young man whose future is undetermined because of his criminal past. The character played by Judge Mathis, based loosely on the Judge, himself, sees his own negative past in the young man and decides to mentor him. This role, which paralleled his own life-story, gave Mathis another opportunity to help change lives.
Greg Mathis grew up in the housing projects of Detroit, and as a teenager was well on his way to a life of crime. But, as a promise to his dying mother, he vowed to change his ways. At age 18, he turned his life around, earning his GED, continuing on to college and earning a jurist doctorate degree. Despite tremendous obstacles and odds, Mathis became the youngest judge in Michigan’s history and was elected a Superior Court Judge for Michigan’s 36th District.
"It pains me to think of all the hurt that I caused my neighborhood, my community, my family," said Mathis. "That’s why I’ve made a lifetime commitment to redeeming myself and changing my life and helping to inspire other street youth to redeem themselves and change their lives. Now, with a daily television show, I hope to be able to reach even more people with my story and, hopefully, make an even bigger difference in the lives of others."
Sensitive to social issues of the day, Mathis strives to involve himself with a political agenda and initiatives that fight to improve the system. His life of public service began when he joined the staff of Detroit City Councilman Clyde Cleveland. He then went on to work for legendary Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young as Manager of Detroit Neighborhood City Halls. He has served as a campaign coordinator for numerous successful political campaigns, including the 1989 re-election campaign of Young, and as a national assistant and Detroit campaign manager in Jesse Jackson’s historic Michigan presidential campaign victory in 1988. His interest in social reform has served as a catalyst for his career on the bench.
In addition to public service, Mathis’ civil rights activism also began during his college years at Eastern Michigan University, leading groups like Free South Africa. After graduating from college in 1983, Mathis continued his activism working on Jackson’s Operation P.U.S.H. and the Rainbow Coalition, where he led numerous protests and marches, and continues to be a member today. In October 2000, Judge Mathis' efforts were recognized by the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition when they honored him with an Advocacy Award for his tireless civil rights work.
Judge Mathis is committed to helping troubled youth in and out of the courtroom. In 1986, Mathis and his wife co-founded Young Adults Asserting Themselves (Y.A.A.T), a non-profit youth agency that serves thousands of young people. The foundation counsels youth from the ages of 17-25 about career and job opportunities, provides job training, and offers school and job placement services. The foundation has also opened five pre-schools in Detroit. In his various fundraising efforts, Mathis has raised and donated over $2 million for a variety of civil rights, political, church and youth causes.
In 1997, Mathis’ life was the subject of a musical called "Inner City Miracle," written and directed by playwright Ron Milner.
Mathis is Chairman of the Rainbow/PUSH-Excel Board, a lifetime member of the NAACP and is a national board member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (S.C.L.C.). Judge Mathis is married and a father of four children.
Ping
John Ziegler is the best.
Excellent, memorable radio reporting in years.
If they ever syndicate his show on the East Coast, I'll be his biggest fan.
Impressive.
Real life Judge?
More like Real life
A'hole..
I hope JOhn press charges against Judge Mathis i like see him try wiggle out on those charages NICE GOING YOUR HONOR
The liberal media wont touch this one. Judge Mathis is black (politically protected).
The judge has his rights and now we can see what he does with those rights!
I seem to remember that Mathis did something to Jesse Peterson, also.
"Real life Judge?"
No, real life racist.
This dimbulb is a judge, and he supports Tookie Wilson? I predict a further decline of American society, as the inmates take over the asylum.
bttt
Legendary? He was that but not in the way the biased jerk who wrote this puff piece means. A look at where Detroit is now gives you a clue as to results from the cumulative actions of successive corrupt, race baiting politicians. Coleman Young was one of the most effective in this regard.
January 2002 -- A Los Angeles-based civil-rights advocate is filing a lawsuit against Jesse Jackson, his son and a noted television judge for allegedly assaulting him at an L.A. civic event last month.The Rev. Jesse Peterson, founder of chairman of The Brotherhood Organization for a New Destiny, told WorldNetDaily that the noted Rainbow/PUSH Coalition leader, his son Jonathan, and TV Judge Greg Mathis confronted him and an assistant last month at a Trade Bureau Forum Meeting held by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce.
Peterson said he was shoved by Jackson's son during a confrontation at the meeting, in which Mathis and others allegedly raised their voices to Peterson and threatened him.
Peterson said Mathis was "screaming and yelling at me too, saying I needed to leave 'before you get your ass kicked.'" And he said Jonathan "shoved me as he brushed past me" in an effort to surround the activist as he tried to exit the building. He also said Rev. Jackson could be heard telling other men to "get his ass out of here."
(I don't believe this case has yet to make it to court.)
From: http://www.judicialwatch.org/printer_3567.shtmlhttp://www.judicialwatch.org/printer_3567.shtml
" [snip] Soon after Rev. Peterson’s question, Jackson=s son, Jonathan Jackson, shoved him, blocked his exit, and along with Jesse Jackson, Judge Mathis, and other Rainbow/PUSH associates, surrounded Rev. Peterson screaming at him, calling him “nigger,” threatening him, and taunting him. Rev. Peterson had feared for his life in the center of that violent mob, and with the help of Judicial Watch sued Jesse Jackson, Jonathan Jackson, Judge Mathis, and the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in California state court. [snip] "
Send these guys http://www.bondinfo.org/ a Christmas gift. JLP should be a black hero, not hated by the likes of Jesse HiJackson etc.
Are judges immune from assault charges?
Never heard of him. But I'm glad he's in Michigan.
I've never heard of this moron until right now.
Additionally, the Judge requires a first class plane ticket for himself, a coach plane ticket for his assistant, hotel and ground transportation for both.
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