#NNPA BlackPress

From County Jail to Critical Condition

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Jackson’s family has absolutely no idea what exactly happened to him. Interestingly, apparently neither does the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department. Well…at least that is the narrative they have been providing everyone who has been seeking answers about the key details surrounding Jackson, especially his family and their attorneys.

Published

6 years ago

May 30, 2019

Oakland Post

“All these facts point to foul play by each person involved with the custody and care of C.J., which is evident by the withholding of information to his family,” said civil rights attorney U.A. Lewis, who is representing the family alongside attorney Shardae Parker.

Texas Rangers Investigating Case after Missing Burleson County Jail Inmate Serving a One Day Jail Sentence Ends Up on Life Support in an Entirely Different County

By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor

Can you imagine the heartache and disbelief the family of 30-year-old Chester “C.J.” Jackson has been experiencing after not knowing any details about what happened to their loved one after learning that his initial arrest on April 19th in one county ended up leading to his finding him in the hospital on life support in another county on April 22nd?

Jackson’s family has absolutely no idea what exactly happened to him. Interestingly, apparently neither does the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department. Well…at least that is the narrative they have been providing everyone who has been seeking answers about the key details surrounding Jackson, especially his family and their attorneys.

Jackson, who commonly goes by “C.J.” for those in the community who know him, has been battling for his life in critical condition in the ICU at St. David Hospital in Austin, Texas. Jackson’s condition has slightly improved, but he is still battling to recover.

Although Jackson’s condition has improved and his current medical condition known at this moment, what isn’t fully known are the key details surrounding the encounter Jackson had that led to his getting transported from Burleson County to Austin and ending up in his current condition.

This entire ordeal remains a mystery, clouded by suspicion surrounding the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department and their unwillingness to share critical information that can help shed light on what really happened to Jackson last month.

Back on Friday, April 19th, Jackson’s family states that they were told by the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department that Jackson had been arrested by a Burleson County Sheriff officer for a Class C, low-level misdemeanor offense of public intoxication.

The next day after Jackson’s arrest, on Saturday, April 20th, Jackson’s father states he received a call from the Burleson County Justice of the Peace advising him that his son had been officially released from jail and that he should come pick him up. When Jackson’s father told the Judge he was out of town and could not pick Jackson up himself, he promptly notified the Judge that Jackson’s mother could come pick him up from the jail instead.

This is where things get very disturbing.

When notified by Jackson’s father that Jackson needed to be picked up from jail, Jackson’s mother and girlfriend both hurried to go pick him up from the Burleson County jail. Upon arriving to the jail within an hour of receiving the phone call to come pick up Jackson, the two ladies were met by the Burleson County Justice of the Peace, along with Burleson County Deputy Nathaniel L. Graves.

It was then that Jackson’s mother states that the two men claimed that Jackson had suddenly become a danger and could not be released, despite having served his time on the alleged public intoxication charge.

Burleson County officials opted to maintain custody of Jackson, which prompted his mother to request a visit with her son to let him know they had arrived and make sure he was okay. According to his mother, her request was denied and so she left.

The next day, on Sunday, April 21st, Jackson’s mother states that she called the Burleson County jail to check on Jackson’s status, but was given no update. They also told her that Jackson could not be found, which caused her to become extremely worried, as most parents would. She heard absolutely nothing all day Sunday, but on Monday, April 22nd, that is when Jackson’s mother began to panic, as she finally received news about Jackson and it was not good. According to his mother, she was told that Jackson was no longer in the Burleson County jail, but had been transported to Austin where he was in the hospital on life support after needing to be resuscitated.

After finding out that Jackson was at St. David Hospital in Austin, the family rushed down to check on his condition. When they arrived at the hospital, they found Jackson connected to a life support machine and in a coma. Upon viewing his body, the family states they saw several mysterious puncture wounds that resembled Taser prong marks on various parts of his body.

When his mother spoke with Burleson County Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy, he stated to her that C.J. was released from jail the same way he entered the jail; in healthy physical condition. Sheriff Norsworthy did, however, apparently inform her that Jackson was allegedly suffering from sort of mental crisis. It was further communicated, according to the family, that one of Sheriff Norsworthy’s deputies, William C. Elkins, who began working at the Burleson County Sheriff’s department in November 2015 after being a reserve officer with Brazos County Constable Precinct 3 for one month, was the person who actually transported Jackson to Austin and released him to Cross Creek Hospital, where Jackson was allegedly in healthy physical condition.

According to their website, Cross Creek Hospital in Austin, TX, is a “behavioral health treatment center that provides inpatient treatment services for individuals who are struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues.”

So, if Jackson was dropped off in healthy physical condition at a mental health and substance abuse hospital in Austin nearly two hours away from the Burleson County jail, how did he end up in a coma on life support in ICU at an entirely different hospital shortly thereafter?

Jackson’s family decided to retain legal counsel to deal with this horrific ordeal that is full of questionable actions and limited details and information surrounding the case.

As far as some details go, it is known that Jackson ended up at St. David Hospital after being transferred from Cross Creek Hospital, but what is not known is if Jackson was ever admitted into Cross Creek Hospital after being taken their initially by Officer Elkins.

These things are unattainable at the moment, because Jackson is currently in ICU on life support and his family has not able to get any of his medical records according to the law.

“Since we have to gather information to file any legal action, we have to gather facts,” said Lewis. “We are seeking emergency guardianship so that his father and mother can gain basic information that is currently being shielded by HIPPA violation allegations.”

To date, there are no court records of Jackson’s official arrest, nor any court proceedings.

According to the family’s attorneys, Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy stated he had footage from his jail showing Jackson being released on Sunday, April 21st, in perfect physical condition, but has yet to make that footage available after numerous requests.

Lewis and Parker also state that they have requested records of the arrest, the charge, release documents, use of force reports and the jail surveillance footage depicting Jackson being physically fine when he was released from jail, but the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department has been stalling and has practically refused to provide any of the requested items to date.

“Withholding information at critical times like this goes on far more often than the public realizes, although they have a duty to release it,” said Parker.

Lewis states that they arelooking for community support from everywhere.

“We cannot allow this to go on in 2019.Many of us in Texas have spent time in the “country” and have relatives who still live there,” said Lewis. “Sandra Bland, like Emmett Till, was from Chicago. Do you think Emmett Till was the first to be killed in that town? The others had nobody from the outside to stand up for them. Sandra Bland’s death got attention because those from the outside spoke up. The Burleson County Sheriff’s Department is cooperative in promising information, but has failed to actually produce information. We need people from the outside to stand up for C.J. and share his story so the whole world can see. They need spotlight protection. We can handle the rest once we are in court.”

Burleson County is the neighboring county of Waller County, which is 60 miles west of where Sandra Bland was arrested and died within 3 days of her arrest back in 2015. Located within Burleson County,Caldwell is a small town between Austin and Houston, but also not far from Waco and Dallas, with a population of approximately 4,100. Caldwell is roughly 71 percent White and 13% African American.

By being a small town, the voices of Caldwell residents don’t get heard like those in larger cities, so it is important that those in larger cities speak up and out for Jackson and others like him.

There was recently a major protest rally and press conference held in front of the Burleson County Jail, where Jackson’s parents, girlfriend, children, the public, Black Lives Matter Houston, and the lawyers for the family gathered to demand justice for the young man.

Jackson’s father is having a difficult time understanding how a simple class C misdemeanor arrest could have ended like this. He and his son had recently invested in a landscaping business and had just got the business up and running. According to his father, he doesn’t know how he is going to be able to go on without the help of his son, because Jackson was the one responsible for completing the jobs, and he has now been left him to do everything.

According to Lewis, after they held their press conference, some interesting new developments have occurred that have increased optimism about learning what truly happened to Jackson.

First, the Texas Rangers have agreed to investigate, and have already begun an investigation into the matter. Secondly, the most interesting development involves the Caldwell Police Department in Caldwell, Texas.

According to Lewis, Caldwell Police Chief Charles Barnes confirmed this past week that one of their officers had been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation related to that officer’s alleged engagement with and possible misconduct towards Jackson.

This is an interesting turn of events, especially considering there has been little to no details provided to the family, attorneys or the media. It also doesn’t answer any questions or shed any light on what actually happened to Jackson between the time of his arrest and by the time he ended up in the hospital on life support battling for his life.

As it relates to Jackson, the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department was the arresting agency and the holding agency. So, if Jackson was arrested by the Burleson County Sheriff’s Department and taken to the Burleson County jail, why would there be any reason for Jackson to come in contact or have to interact with anyone from the Caldwell Police Department?

These questions have still gone unanswered by Caldwell Police Chief Barnes, Burleson County Sheriff Thomas Norsworthy or anyone else who was in contact with Jackson. In the meantime, the full reason for the Caldwell police officer being place on administrative leave is unknown at this time, however we do know that it is in connection with CJ, which raises tons of red flags.

In a statement released from Burleson County Sheriff Norsworthy, he states:

The Burleson County Sheriff’s Office is dedicated to doing what is right, legal and ethical. Mr. Chester Jackson and his family have our full sympathy. Since our first contact with Mr. Jackson in 2013, we have held Mr. Jackson’s safety and well-being in highest regard as we would for any member of the community.

The Burleson County Sheriff’s Office is committed to conducting a full and complete investigation into the actions and circumstances that have resulted in the current condition of Mr. Jackson, and to keeping Mr. Jackson’s family informed. At the conclusion of this investigation, all of our information will be made available to Mr. Jackson’s family and the community as appropriate.

We will continue to follow this case and hope to find out more critical information that can help shed light on what truly happened to Jackson last month.

Jeffrey Boney is a political analyst and frequent contributor for the NNPA Newswire and BlackPressUSA.com and the associate editor for the Houston Forward Times newspaper. Jeffrey is an award-winning journalist, dynamic, international speaker, experienced entrepreneur, business development strategist and founder and CEO of the Texas Business Alliance. Follow Jeffrey on Twitter @realtalkjunkies.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

SMALL BIZ PROFILE: Cookiepreneur Megan Mottley

Don't Miss

Peralta Celebrates African-American Grads

Oakland Post

3 Comments

#NNPA BlackPress

Rep. Al Green Files Articles of Impeachment Against President Trump

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — Rep. Green told Newsweek that he is moving on impeachment now before “tanks are rolling down the street.”

Published

23 hours ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

By Lauren Burke

Congressman Al Green (D-TX) has filed articles of impeachment against President Trump. Rep. Green, 77, has served in Congress since 2005. President Trump is the only President who has been impeached twice by the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Green told Newsweek that he is moving on impeachment now before “tanks are rolling down the street.” The impeachment resolution filed by Rep. Green on May 19, states that President Trump is, “unfit to represent the American values of decency and morality, respectability and civility, honesty, and propriety, reputability, and integrity, is unfit to defend the ideals that have made America great, is unfit to defend liberty and justice for all as extolled in the Pledge of Allegiance, is unfit to defend the American ideal of all persons being created equal as exalted in the Declaration of Independence, is unfit to ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare and to ensure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity as lauded in the preamble to the United States Constitution, is unfit to protect government of the people…” Whether Rep. Green can force a vote in the U.S. House on impeachment remains an unknown issue. President Trump was impeached on December 18, 2019, for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. He was then impeached a second time on January 13, 2021, for “Incitement of insurrection” in the wake of the violent January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump’s supporters.

The White House stated Black Press USA on Rep. Green’s effort to impeach the President. “This week, Democrats ousted their DNC ‘leader,’ opposed the largest tax cut in history, and were exposed for actively covering up Joe Biden’s four-year cognitive decline. Now, Democrats have turned their sights to threatening impeachment. We are witnessing the collapse of the Democrat Party before our eyes. Not a single one of these efforts will help the American people. The contrast could not be more clear: President Trump is fighting for historic tax relief for the American people, Democrats are fighting themselves,” said White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly in a written statement. Several decisions and legal interpretations by the Trump Administration are currently being challenged in federal court. On May 15, the U.S. Supreme Court debated the issue of birthright citizenship after a legal challenge on the issue by the Trump Administration.

During that legal challenge, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson challenged Trump’s solicitor general Dean John Sauer by saying, “Your argument seems to turn our justice system into a catch-me-if-you-can kind of regime … where everybody has to have a lawyer and file a lawsuit in order for the government to stop violating people’s rights.” Rep. Green’s impeachment resolution also focused on the issue of ignoring judicial orders by the executive branch. A notable example was the deportation case of Maryland father Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Garcia was deported to a prison in El Salvador by federal officials on March 15, 2025.“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it. To permit such officials to freely ‘annul the judgments of the courts of the United States’ would not just ‘destroy the rights acquired under those judgments’; it would make a solemn mockery’ of ‘the constitution itself.’” “You have no mandate,” Congressman Green stood up and yelled at President Trump during his State of the Union Speech on March 4. After the incident, Republicans who control the U.S. House considered sanctioning Rep. Green, but they did not complete an action against him.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Affordable Childcare Remains a Barrier: Solutions in New Report

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — We also still haven’t put a dent in affordability for working families. That’s why we urgently need increased funding and new solutions.”

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Oakland Post

While America’s childcare supply grew nationally, the price of that care continues to rise—placing affordable, high-quality care out of reach for many families. A new report released by Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA), Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply, shows that despite promising signs of increased supply, affordability remains a major barrier — and underscores the need for increased sustained federal and state investment.

From 2023 to 2024, the number of childcare centers increased by 1.6% (to 92,613) and the supply of licensed family childcare (FCC) homes increased by 4.8% (to 98,807). The national growth in FCC homes’ supply is driven largely by four states (CA, KS, MA, VA) and is especially notable as it reverses a year-long downward trend.

At the same time, the national average price for childcare rose by 29% from 2020 to 2024, outpacing inflation and exceeding other major family household expenses like rent or mortgage payments in many states. Childcare is now so expensive that it consumes 10% of a married couple with children’s median household income and a staggering 35% for a single parent. In most states, families pay more for childcare than rent, mortgage payments, or in-state university tuition.

“Childcare supply is increasing, and that is a win—but it’s not enough,” said Susan Gale Perry, Chief Executive Officer of CCAoA. “Recent federal and state pandemic-era investments have stabilized and grown supply in some places, but a significant supply gap still exists — especially in rural communities and for infants and toddlers. We also still haven’t put a dent in affordability for working families. That’s why we urgently need increased funding and new solutions.”

CCAoA’s Childcare in America: 2024 Price & Supply report also found that:

The average price of childcare increased by 29% from 2020 to 2024, outpacing the national inflation rate of 22%.
In 45 states plus Washington, DC, the average annual price of center-based childcare for two children exceeded mortgage payments, in some states by up to 78%.
In 49 states plus Washington, DC, the price of center-based childcare for two children exceeded median rent payments ranging from 19% to over 100%.
In 41 states plus Washington, DC, infant care in a center cost more than in-state university tuition.

CCAoA urges policymakers to increase childcare funding at both state and federal levels to maintain the momentum of growing supply, address rising prices, and expand access to childcare for families. Federal funding increases have fallen short of the need and our research shows that total state investments in child care or preschool vary widely from state to state, putting children, families, and communities across America on an uneven playing field. Further, targeted investments in childcare supply building and stabilization and childcare workforce recruitment and retention strategies are essential to help sustain an adequate supply of high-quality childcare options nationwide.

Child Care Aware® of America (CCAoA) is the only national organization that supports every part of the childcare system. Together with an on-the-ground network of people doing the work in states and communities, it helps America become child care strong by providing research that drives effective practice and policy, building strong child care programs and professionals, helping families find and afford quality child care, delivering thought leadership to the military and direct service to its families, and providing a real-world understanding of what works and what doesn’t to spur policymakers into action and help them build solutions.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

#NNPA BlackPress

Sex, Coercion, and Stardom: Diddy Case Mirrors Music’s Ugly History

BLACKPRESSUSA NEWSWIRE — It started with a Reddit post that didn’t just speculate on Diddy’s fate but questioned the very foundations of the culture that made him

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown
Black Press USA Senior National Correspondent

As Sean “Diddy” Combs faces a federal sex trafficking case and the slow unraveling of his once-untouchable legacy, a larger question looms: Is this the moment the music industry finally confronts its darkest secrets?

It started with a Reddit post that didn’t just speculate on Diddy’s fate but questioned the very foundations of the culture that made him: “How much damage could Diddy do to the state of hip hop?” the user asked. “Supposedly, he has incriminating evidence against those who attended his parties. The same parties that had a lot of bad things happen, to say the least.” The implication was chilling—if Diddy were to cooperate with federal authorities, the fallout might not stop at his feet. Names floated in the post—Jay-Z, Beyoncé, Usher, Justin Bieber—aren’t confirmed in any court filings, but their inclusion highlights the breadth of Diddy’s influence and the potential reach of any revelations. If even a fraction of the speculation proves true, the reverberations wouldn’t stop at hip-hop—they’d hit every corner of the music industry. For his part, Combs denies all allegations. His legal team has described the now-infamous “freak-offs” as consensual encounters, part of his non-monogamous lifestyle. But prosecutors allege something much more sinister: a criminal enterprise powered by the machinery of his music and business empire—one that trafficked women, coerced labor, obstructed justice, and used influence and intimidation to maintain control. Still, for all the headlines Combs generates, his alleged crimes do not exist in isolation. The music industry has long tolerated, enabled, and even glamorized behavior that would trigger career-ending consequences in other arenas. Diddy’s story might be shocking—but it’s not new.

Rock music has its own rogue’s gallery. Jerry Lee Lewis nearly destroyed his career in 1958 after marrying his 13-year-old cousin. Elvis Presley met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu when he was 24 and later moved her into his home in Memphis. In more recent years, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler faced (and ultimately evaded) a lawsuit from a woman who says he sexually assaulted her in the 1970s when she was 17. A judge dismissed the case due to the statute of limitations. Phil Spector, the genius producer behind the “Wall of Sound,” died in prison after being convicted of murdering actress Lana Clarkson. Gary Glitter was convicted of possessing child pornography and later child sex abuse. Kid Rock and Creed frontman Scott Stapp were filmed with strippers in a sex tape that leaked online in 2006. A new biography of the Rolling Stones claims Mick Jagger had sexual relationships with at least two of his male bandmates, raising further questions about the power dynamics inside even the most celebrated groups.

Journalist Ann Powers, writing for NPR, once noted that the “history of rock turns on moments in which women and young boys were exploited in myriad financial, emotional and sexual ways.” Powers added: “From the teen-scream 1950s onward, one of the music’s fundamental functions has been to frame and express sexual feelings for and from the very young… relating to older men whose glamour and influence encourages trust, not caution.” This brings the spotlight back to Diddy—not just as an accused individual but as a symbol. He was once the archetype of success: Harlem-born mogul, founder of Bad Boy Records, and kingmaker behind artists like Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans, Ma$e, 112, and French Montana. He transformed hip-hop into a global business and amassed influence far beyond the recording booth. He sold more than 500 million records, earned multiple Grammy Awards, and was honored by MTV, Howard University, and the City of New York—until those honors were swiftly revoked after a video surfaced showing him physically assaulting singer Cassie Ventura. Ventura, his longtime partner and protégé, has accused Combs of brutal physical abuse and psychological control. Her lawsuit and the video evidence ignited a wave of allegations from other women and men, describing similar patterns of coercion, manipulation, and fear. “This is not just about bad behavior. This is about systemic exploitation and abuse made possible by fame, money, and silence,” said one advocate for survivors in the entertainment industry.

While hip-hop has long been a target of criticism for misogyny and violence, what’s now being laid bare is a broader, genre-defying truth: from rock and pop to hip-hop and beyond, the music industry has operated for decades without accountability for its biggest stars. “Sex isn’t the problem,” one Reddit user responded. “Coercion via job opportunities is.” Another added, “Zero [impact], just like R. Kelly and MJ did zero to R&B,” referencing the R&B superstar’s conviction and Michael Jackson’s controversial legacy. Others argued hip hop would endure, regardless of Combs’ fate. Maybe it will. But the Diddy scandal pulls back the curtain—not just on the parties, the rumors, or the headlines—but on an industry-wide culture that has, for too long, allowed power to shield predation. As one survivor put it outside a recent court appearance: “This isn’t just a hip hop problem. It’s not even just a music problem. It’s a power problem.” And now, the music industry has to decide: Will it finally tune in, or will it keep playing the same old song?