Page 9 - Florida Sentinel 10-27-17

Local
Attorney Elected National President Of NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Col- ored People (NAACP), Amer- ica’s largest and original legacy civil rights organization, has unanimously elected Derrick Johnson president & CEO, it was announced Saturday. Johnson, 49, has served as in- terim president and CEO since July of this year.
A Detroit native now resid- ing in Jackson, Mississippi, Mr. Johnson, who was also elected vice-chairman of the Board of Directors in February of this year, is a longtime mem- ber, leader and a respected vet- eran activist who will be tasked with guiding the NAACP through a period of tremen- dous challenge and opportunity at a key point in its 108-year history. The NAACP has under- gone transitions in leadership this year as it re-envisions itself to take on a tumultuous and contentious social and political climate. He will have a three- year term.
Atty. Derrick Johnson is the new president and CEO of the national NAACP.
“In his time serving as our interim president and CEO, Derrick has proven himself as the strong, decisive leader we need to guide us through both our internal transition, as well as a crucial moment in our na- tion’s history. With new threats to communities of color emerg- ing daily and attacks on our democracy, the NAACP must be more steadfast than ever be- fore, and Derrick has the vi- sion, mobility and courage to help us meet that demand,”
said Leon Russell, Board Chairman of the NAACP.
“Mr. Johnson has an ex- tensive history and career legacy of dedicated Civil Rights activism. He formerly served as state president of the Missis- sippi State Conference of the NAACP, where he successfully spearheaded campaigns for voting rights, worker’s rights and equitable education.”
Mr. Johnson provided legal, technical and training support to communities span- ning the south. He was ap- pointed to the Mississippi Access to Justice Commission by the chief justice of the Mis- sissippi Supreme Court, owing to his years of committed serv- ice to the people of the state.
Having earned a solid edu- cational foundation, Mr. Johnson attended historically Black Tougaloo College of Mis- sissippi, before going on to earn his Juris Doctorate degree from the South Texas College of Law in Houston.
Ex-Detective Gets 6 Months, Must Pay $39,000
On Wednesday morning, a federal judge brought to a close a federal tax fraud case that has lingered for more than 4 years. She sentenced a former detec- tive to serve a jail sentence and to pay restitution.
During the 9:30 a.m., hear- ing U. S. District Judge Mary Scriven sentenced Eric Houston to serve 6 months in prison. She also ordered him to pay $39,000 in restitution. Sentencing guidelines sug- gested that Houston be sen- tenced to probation.
A former Tampa Police De- tective, Houston entered a plea deal that allowed him to plead guilty to receiving, con- cealing, or retaining stolen property belonging to the United States.
Initially, Houston was charged along with his wife, former Tampa Police Sergeant La Joyce Houston, in a
ERIC HOUSTON
sweeping 20-count, supersed- ing indictment.
Investigators said witnesses indicated that Rita Girven paid off the Houstons’ Home Depot credit card with pro- ceeds of tax fraud with the Houstons’ alleged knowledge, the plea agreement stated.
La Joyce Houston is set to be sentenced next month.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 9-A