Good Morning! It’s Monday. Today the weatherman says expect scattered thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours. It’s going to be humid with a high around 93°.

Did you know that it was on this day in 1972 that the U.S. government finally admitted to the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, where scientists studied the natural progression of untreated syphilis in poor, rural black men who thought they were receiving free health care from the government. How many years did the experiment last? Click here for the answer.

Here’s what’s brewing in the news this morning:

4 year-old killed while jaywalking, mom faces charges

After her four year old son was killed jaywalking in Atlanta, Raquel Nelson now faces more time behind bars than the drunk driver that struck and killed him. Nelson, 30, was convicted of “homicide by vehicle in the second degree” after she crossed a busy street with her three children without using the crosswalk, reports BET.

The incident occurred last fall in a neighborhood where residents have complained that the nearest crosswalk is nearly half a mile away. According to reports, Jerry Guy, the man driving the van that fatally struck Nelson’s four-year-old son, has served time in jail for two previous hit and runs. On the day of the incident, he confessed to having “a little” alcohol. Guy was also on pain medication and is partially blind in one eye.

Nelson faces three years behind bars and could be sentenced at her hearing tomorrow. (Read more here)
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L.A. officer fired for appearing in porn

After 23 years of service as an officer of the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, John Dancler was dismissed last week for misconduct on the job and engaging in indecent acts that reflected poorly on the city workforce. According to his notice of discharge, Dancler appeared in a pornographic film while on duty more than three years ago, reports the Associated Press. He is accused of engaging in inappropriate sex acts with an adult video actress in public. Dancler has since filed an appeal challenging his discharge. That appeal is expected to be considered by the city’s Civil Service Commission later this week. (Read more here)
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Winehouse joins the '27 Club'

A post-mortem is expected later today in the death of soul singer Amy Winehouse, who was found dead in her London home on Saturday after publicly battling with alcohol and drug abuse for years. The cause of her death is being treated as “unexplained,” and police have called speculation of a drug overdose “inappropriate.” Today, Winehouse’s family greeted mourners outside her London home. Winehouse joins a bevy of talented musicians who have died at age 27, including Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison and the list goes on. Some died mysteriously, others were involved in car accidents, and many died of drug-abuse-related illnesses. Some believe that 27 is the most dangerous age for musicians; the eeriness spurred Eric Segalstad’s book “The 27s: The Greatest Myth of Rock & Roll.” (Read more here)

*** Do you have something to say? This is your chance to speak out. Share what’s brewing on your mind in the comments section below.

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