Thursday, January 2, 2020

Rusty Jabbz Newsletter January 2020 Issue #01 "Just Mercy Movie Screening"


Happy New Year to my Rusty Jabbers. Welcome, Rusty Jabbz into a new year and new decade as we set things off. We got alot in store for 2020. Setting it off tonight with our first issue of 2020. The movie "Just Mercy" playing in selected theaters until its official release date, January 10th. 
"Just Mercy", starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson. 

I have a strong interests in tonight's presentation. Its about a lawyer who came across some discrepancy in a particular  case that he feels didn't get the correct justice. As a matter of fact, it was a complete injustice. He have vowed to the inmate and his family that he would do whatever it takes to have him set free and denied of all charges. From that alone, it was enough to spark my interest in the film. Some people today can perhaps say this is a fairytale reality. Finding a lawyer who is willing to put it all on the line to seek the proper justice for a wrongfully incarcerated inmate is a one in a million. I have my heart set on tonight's presentation and I'am looking forward to it, indeed. 

Earlier today someone on social media ask me, What was the first song I've listened to at the start of 2020? I could not recall with an answer. However, if someone ever ask me, What was the first movie, I've seen at the start of 2020. I will have my answer and a good answer it'll be. Just Mercy, the best movie so far kicking off the new decade.💯

Just got finish viewing the selected theater premiere of "Just Mercy". What a great movie filled with enlightenment and education. Black people today do not realize or even recognize the heroes and political figures in our lives. Often we only recognize the basic heroes such Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Marcus Garvey, Harriet Tubman, Jesse Jackson,  Barack Obama. What we sometime fail to realize there are so many more heroic figures. What this film taught me is that there so many of us. So many black leaders out there that if we as a people take our time to research. We'll be surprised at the amount of Black heroes we'll come across. Take tonight, before this movie I have never heard of someone named, Bryan Stevenson. You can imagine my enthusiasm in seeing tonight's presentation. 

The film, Just Mercy is based on a true story about a young African American male lawyer from Harvard University that even with his education in law, he wanted to use it to fight for the greater good. The injustice of African American males false imprisonment in a correctional facility in a bigoted state. 

The film begins with Bryan Stevenson a young lawyer recently graduated from Harvard (played by Michael B. Jordan). Bryan Stevenson is looking to set a difference in the justice system. He didn't become a lawyer to work among the high class law firms. He had other objectives. Bryan Stevenson looking to provide justice to those who can not afford legal counsel. Everything taken place in Alabama where he had attempts of receiving justice and the dismissal in the case of Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan (played by Jamie Foxx). 

Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan a wrongfully accused black male. Accused for the murder of a teenage white girl, Rhonda Morrison at the Jackson cleaners on June 03, 1987. Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan was convicted of this case and sentenced to the death penalty based off of a statement by a paranoid whiteman, Ralph Myers. A whiteman who have never knew Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan in his life. It just so happen his testimony was good enough to convict Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan. Things like that doesn't matter in the South especially in neo-nazi territories such as Alabama. The police will take any confession, as long as it puts "niggers" behind bars. 

Watching this movie, some may say that Bryan Stevenson was getting a little bit ahead of himself. Coming down from The North to the South to challenge the State of Alabama. Bryan Stevenson had alot to prove not just in the defense of Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan. Bryan Stevenson also needed to get the love and support of the family of Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan. The family weren't trying to go through another re-trial only to hear another denial. Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan had several lawyers in the past who didn't do anything for him and the family. All his past lawyers did was take his families money and overlook evidence that can prove Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan's innocence. 
Bryan Stevenson was dead convinced on the innocence of Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan. Bryan Stevenson was willing to take on this case at all cost.

This is a date that I will never forget, March 02, 1993. The day the case was dismissed and Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan was set free and acquitted of all charges. It was on April 01, 1993 where Bryan Stevenson got Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan's case overturned at a mantle among the Equal Justice Initiative. 

The most heartfelt moment of, "Just Mercy" was the execution of Herbert Richardson. Herbert Richardson a Vietnam veteran on PTSD serving life on death row. Herbert Richardson was not an innocent man. Herbert Richardson was serving time for delivering a bomb to someone's home. However, a man with his sickness wasn't suppose to be incarcerated. Herbert Richardson should of been receiving medical treatment for his PTSD. As I mentioned earlier, a blackman committing a crime in the south. All these white racists police officers want to see are, "niggers" behind the bars. There isn't any extended hand of help or support when it comes down to incarcerating a "nigger".

This happen to be another case Bryan Stevenson was working on with Walter "Johnnie D" McMillan. The Herbert Richardson case seemed more of a priority at first. Herbert Richardson time was becoming near real soon. Bryan Stevenson appeal to stop the execution was denied. This may have broken up Bryan Stevenson inside. He tried everything to stop the appeal. The only thing that he felt that he can do next is be with Herbert Richardson on his final days as he witnessed the execution. 

The movie showed that with hope, you can accomplish anything. Bryan Stevenson putting his life on the line, his friends and co-workers lives on the line, as well. The man never gave up. This is what this movie shows us and teaches us. I want to recommend this movie to anyone particularly the young children in America. Black children, White children, Asian children, Latino children, Indian children, West Indian children. This movie is highly educational and people need to acknowledge the accolades of a great man and lawyer in Bryan Stevenson. Never have I felt this way about a film of this high calibur since 1996's "A Time to kill" starring Samuel L. Jackson. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 Congratulations for tonight performance and for the excellent performance of both, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Great job, you two. 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏 💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯💯



Upcoming Movies:
Bad Boy For Life, January 17, 2020
The Rhythm Section, January 2020
The Photograph, February 14, 2020 (Valentines Day)
Promising Young Woman, April 2020
In The Heights, Summer 2020

No comments: