News-Record.com

The News and Record also reported: "Cornell and Johnson met Wednesday after Cornell called Johnson for spiritual counsel. Cornell said Monday that last week, police had targeted him and harassed other members of his gang, claiming to have a warrant for his arrest that Cornell said doesn't exist."

But in real life, his warrant does exist. Should the N&R have made a few calls like I did? I found that there is a warrant for Cornell's arrest. It was issued on 6/17/2008 and is for aiding and abetting operators license violation. It has not been served. How is that for fact checking?

Thanks, Ben. Looks like we have reported that.

Mr. Clark,

The point is, especially during this time of fact checking chatter, the N&R did not even bother to look into the things that were originally being said. The N&R first reported: "Cornell said Monday that last week, police had targeted him and harassed other members of his gang, claiming to have a warrant for his arrest that Cornell said doesn't exist." Don't you see that the reporter should have said..Hey, I am gonna check into that? But they did not. The N&R left it open and offered no real reporting. I looked into it and easily found out that Jorge did have a warrant. I am jsut pointing out to everyone another bad job of reporting by the N&R. To not call about the warrant to find out the deal is really bad reporting. Reporting later that he turned himself in doesn't make up for the original mistake of not checking into the warrant.

Gee, Ben, doesn't this sound a bit like Lorraine's reporting on Chief Wray? Print everything the detractors claim with no regard for balance?

Yes! That is it! They (once again) printed two sides of a story and made no effort to dig a lil or ask some tough questions..The N&R put it out like this: Jorge called Nelson becuase police had targeted him and harassed other members of his gang, claiming to have a warrant for his arrest that Cornell said doesn't exist. Police are now searching for people and claiming to have warrants that do not exist? But, the N&R leaves it for you to connect the dots. Horrible reporting! That is a big part of the story..Police harass Gang leader and gang members with fake warrants?Don't expect JR to respond at his blog. The N&R is sloppy and anything that Nelson Johnson stamps his approval on will be printed without any critical thinking or fact checking. JR is a dork! Doug,

Why do you think the reporter failed to ask about the warrant? Was it an improtant part of the story? Your paper printed that Jorge did not have any warrants. But, they did not make a call to find out for sure? Is that not their job? Fact check? Investigate? Call people? Verify? Clarify?

Blogger,
I understand your concern for the reporting of the N&R HOW EVER your facts are not correct and unjustified. The reason that Cornell and Johnson stated that the warrant was a tactic of harrasement and did not exist was because the night of June 26th when police stated they had a warrant for Cornell's arrest, he went to the magistrate with Johnson and turned himself in around 1am. They checked with the Greeensboro Police Department, no warrant, they checked with Guilford County Sheriff's Department, no warrant, and they even contacted the Gang Unit that supposedly had the warrant, no warrent. But magically on July 1st after the press conference had taken place a warrant arose from beyond and quote un quote had existed since June 17th. SO, the comment that Cornell stated about the warrant not being real was technically true to him and Johnson because, HELLO, he turned himself in and they stated they could not find a warrant so they let him go home. I feel this is just another tactic to try and keep his voice silenced and stop him from keeping peace. Oh yeah, and what did they bring him in for..a traffic violation? Ok, so your not impressed. This not about impressing that masses, this is about a man trying to bring peace in a time that peace is needed throughout the world. We are on the way to an economic depression, in middle of a war that seems will never come to an end, and gas prices are high beyond belief. I feel that what he is doing, you and I could not do..bring peace to the streets. You don't have to be impressed by him but at least respect what he is trying to do..bring unity among the streets and the black and brown community.

Unity, my big ol' butt! There's an agenda/ulterior motive here for both Cornell and Nelson Johnson, it just hasn't been revealed yet.
Stay tuned for more from this Dynamic Duo; I'm betting a plea for taxpayer $$$ to fund some "gang initiative" is in the works...and the $$$ will go in the pockets of Johnson/Cornell/Skippy/Earl or whoever else jumps on the money-wagon. Our city leaders are only too happy to assuage their white guilt with taxpayer $$$.

Thanks for your comments, Unity. What Mr. Cornell does rather than what he says will determine his credibility.

By the way, how did he get to be Inca? How does he earn his living?

Ok..here we go. Lets discuss taxpayers money in Guilford County being spent on pointless programs toward gangs. Did you know that your tax dollars at this is going toward "Gang Intelligence Unit" that is really comprised of a couple of local police officers but you have pay more in taxes because it is identified as a different department but once again with the same officers that were already there? To address the other blogger..if you had attended the press conference or read the newspaper than you would have heard the he had clearance from Chicago to start "something beautiful in NC" as a political movement for Hispanics. And oh yeah, he has a legitimate job with a legitimate company.

Ok..here we go. Lets discuss taxpayers money in Guilford County being spent on pointless programs toward gangs. Did you know that your tax dollars at this is going toward "Gang Intelligence Unit" that is really comprised of a couple of local police officers but you have pay more in taxes because it is identified as a different department but once again with the same officers that were already there? To address the other blogger..if you had attended the press conference or read the newspaper than you would have heard the he had clearance from Chicago to start "something beautiful in NC" as a political movement for Hispanics. And oh yeah, he has a legitimate job with a legitimate company.

I think you get to be "Inca" (please) if you promise to start something beautiful. If you actually deliver the beauty, you're promoted to Grand Wizard of the Holy and Almighty Inca Empire of the Triad. In addition to the aesthetic criterion, you have to deliver the drug money up the food chain.

Were do you come up with this stuff? That is not true of the Latin Kings. In NC there is no drug dealing among the group. Once again as I stated before, if you had attended the press conference or read the newspapers you would have known no King in this state has been arrested for drug dealing. It is his philosophy that drug dealing is NOT permitted among his nation in NC. If your philopshy of this high arckey that you posted does exist, please don't haracterize this with the NC Latin Kings. It's false information.

Doug,

Why do you think the reporter failed to ask about the warrant? Was it an improtant part of the story? Your paper printed that Jorge did not have any warrants. But, they did not make a call to find out for sure? Is that not their job? Fact check? Investigate? Call people? Verify? Clarify?

Unity,

I don't know what Cornell and Johnson did or did not do. Were you there? Did you check the warrants with them? Do you know exactly what happened? Cornell forgot about letting the 16 year old drive his car without a license I guess? He forgot about getting that ticket?

The N&R and all their fact checking chit chatter should have called and asked about the warrant.

ps
However is one word.

I'm not going to get into how the reporter covered the story. That's not my department. Whether this guy had some misdemeanor warrant out doesn't interest me. In fact, I think the whole story is much ado about nothing.

"Whether this guy had some misdemeanor warrant out doesn't interest me."

That is not the point, Doug.

The issue is: The N&R left it open so people would come away with the idea that the police could have talked of a warrant when there was not a warrant.

You could have written a response to my question a few comments back. I did not appreciate you ignoring my question.

The question is about fact checking and making things clear for the reader. You know, reporting. It is not about the All Mighty Latin Kings. It is about good reporting.

The N&R put it out like this: Jorge called Nelson "becuase police had targeted him and harassed other members of his gang, claiming to have a warrant for his arrest that Cornell said doesn't exist."

Right after that there should have been a sentence that would have gone something like this: The D.A.'s office confirmed that Cornell does have an outstanding warrant for his arrest that was issued on 6/17/2008.

In order for that to happen somebody needs to dial 7 numbers and ask the D.A.'s office if a warrant exists? Even if the story is much ado about nothing, the reporter should do their job. In this case, like many others, the N&R stopped short of the entire story.

I get it, Ben. Thanks for commenting. We can always use criticism to help us do better.

Anonymous,
Thanks for your petty input on how to spell the word however. And for your information I have factual information on the situation. Unlike you I just don't type into a blog without knowing what is actually going on. And again thanks for correcting me on my spelling even though we are blogging about something else. I see where your interest is here. And fyi..your questions are completely unjustified for the simple fact you don't have any information on the entire situation. Even if I were to sit here and answer all of your questions it would be a waste of time because you don't really seem to be interested in this story. English teacher, how is my spelling this time?

Anonymous,
Thanks for your petty input on how to spell the word however. And for your information I have factual information on the situation. Unlike you I just don't type into a blog without knowing what is actually going on. And again thanks for correcting me on my spelling even though we are blogging about something else. I see where your interest is here. And fyi..your questions are completely unjustified for the simple fact you don't have any information on the entire situation. Even if I were to sit here and answer all of your questions it would be a waste of time because you don't really seem to be interested in this story. English teacher, how is my spelling this time?

So, "Unity, " your claim that no Latin King has dealt drugs in NC is based on the fact that you are not personally aware of any Latin King being arrested for drug dealing? Do you know each and every gang member? Do you know the criminal history for each and every gang member?
For you to unequivocally state that there is NO drug dealing by Latin Kings indicates that you must be an intimate part of their gang. Are you? What is your gang name? What laws have you broken? If there is no drug dealing among the gang, then where does the gang get it's drugs? From outsiders?
I said this on another blog on this subject (Doug, too many N&R blogs on the same topic at the same time) and I'll repeat it here.

I'll believe Cornell is serious when he sits down with GPD gang detectives and does the following:
1) Identifies all gang members in NC
2) Give information on all the crimes committed by gang members
3) Agrees to testify in court against gang members

Until then, Cornell is just pursuing some kind of agenda with the complicity of Nelson Johnson. Or maybe the other way around, take your pick...

"Unlike you I just don't type into a blog without knowing what is actually going on."

Yeah, that is exactly it.

Jaycee,
You must be part of the conspiracy. Ok so you are assuming that I am part of the latin kings. You know what they say about making assumptions "when you assume you make a...." I know you know the rest. And no..I'm not part of the latin kings. Like I stated in another blog..if you don't think he can bring peace to the streets then why don't you attempt to do it.

I am planning to take Unity up on his challenge and attempt to bring peace to the streets, but only if I get a respectable position in the high arckey. If not Inca, then at least Mayan Warlord of Almightly Doom or Aztec Prince of Holiness.

In the meantime, we should all applaud Inca Cornell for his efforts to stop the carnage. What a fine young man, not to kill other people.

I am planning to take Unity up on his challenge and attempt to bring peace to the streets, but only if I get a respectable position in the high arckey. If not Inca, then at least Mayan Warlord of Almightly Doom or Aztec Prince of Holiness.

In the meantime, we should all applaud Inca Cornell for his efforts to stop the carnage. What a fine young man, not to kill other people.

Unity, you've made some very strong assertions. Please back them up with facts. Otherwise, we must "assume" you're just talking out your backside about something of which you have no knowledge.

Jaycee,
Like I stated before you are part of the conspiracy. Facts will show when he proves you and any other skeptic wrong. Until then I will sit back and admire of your "wisdom" on this blog.

Unity, for you to claim the fact that no Latin Kings deal drugs in NC, you must have some very inside knowledge. At the least, for this to be a fact personally known to you, you must:
1) Know the full name, date of birth, and other identifiers of each LK member in NC.
2) Have access to and have conducted a criminal background check on each and every LK member.

Have you done this?
Until then, your claim that no LK member deals drugs is just smoke drifting on the wind.
Prove your claims.

Jaycee,
Look I don't know any LK member personally..I'm just going by what Cornell stated at the news conference. Can you prove that any NC LK member has been charged w/ drug dealing? You claim that this is a drug dealing organization..prove your claims. Until then I guess the smoke is floating in your direction as well.

Unity, NOWHERE did I claim anything about the Latin Kings, YOU did.
You made the claim; it's incumbent upon you to back it up.
If you don't know that something is a fact, it's usually wise not to state it as such.
Relying on information from someone at a news conference to make assumptions, as you did, about an entire organization is pretty thin, don't you think?

It's simple ,gang bangers belong in prison,
quit being stupid.

The admission of affiliation with a known organized criminal entity is proof enough for me.

Joe, you do speak your mind. Are you sure you belong in the legislature? You don't converse in their language.