ACLU of Georgia to investigate Lumpkin Co. HS prayer meeting

Lumpkin County School Superintendent Dewey Moye, in his office, Thursday, May 2, 2013.

Read one of the recent federal court orders prohibiting certain religious activities on public school property during school hours.  This is a 17-page consent decree in the case of two, unnamed Florida students who sued the School Board of Santa Rosa County (near Pensacola):

 PDF Document: santa rosa amended consent decree

LUMPKIN COUNTY, Ga. -- Teachers and students at Lumpkin County High School have been told by their school superintendent -- they cannot hold any more prayer meetings at school during class time.

Not everyone agrees with the superintendent's decree.

And similar cases that have ended in lawsuits, no matter what religion was involved, have all ended with court orders prohibiting the religious activity.

Wednesday morning, at Lumpkin County High School, before classes had started for the day, about 50 students met with at least one faculty member, a coach, to pray.

The school superintendent, Dewey Moye, said Thursday he found out about it later. He said the prayer meeting lasted at least two hours, and the students missed some class time.

So Moye has told everyone -- don't do that again during school.

"It's a strong belief of mine that students have a Constitutional right to pray," Moye told 11Alive News. "But during the school day they need to report to class." 

On Wednesday, President Barack Obama signed a proclamation designating Thursday, May 2, as 2013's National Day of Prayer.

People in Lumpkin County and beyond are rallying in support of students and teachers participating in voluntary religious activity, on school grounds during school hours, on the National Day of Prayer and every other school day.

"If they're feeling that they need to talk to the Lord and if they want to go down there and pray with their friends, I think they should be able to, they should," said one student.

People are speaking out on Twitter:
"50 teens took a stand for Jesus."
"Props to Lumpkin High School, 15 people got saved during school."
"Seeing souls saved is the greatest feeling ever."

The ACLU of Georgia is investigating whether the school violated the U.S. Constitution.

For example, courts have ruled that students recruiting other students on school grounds during school time to convert them to Islam, with the permission of school officials, might not meet with such overwhelming approval in the community, but would have to meet the same Constitutional tests as students converting others to Christianity during school. 

And the courts have ruled that it is not a matter of local control, or local ordinances, or state law, it is a matter of federal jurisdiction since the Constitutional separation of church and state is the issue involved.

A federal court order from Florida two years ago, for example, in the case of two unnamed students versus the School Board of Santa Rosa County (near Pensacola) makes it clear: "School officials shall not participate in any way in a prayer with students" during school. And, "School officials shall not orally express personal religious beliefs to students" during school.

"We had met with the coach this morning," Superintendent Moye said, "and told him... that when a student comes to see him and wants to pray, or seek his guidance, they can do so before school or after school."

Moye decided there is no reason to discipline anyone. He considers the matter closed.

What do you think about what the students and coach did? Vote in our poll here.

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April report to show whether weak hiring persisted

WASHINGTON -- Most analysts say the employment data due out Friday will show an uptick in job creation last month over March's meager 88,000, but it won't be a big increase.

The data could be an indicator of whether weak hiring in March marked a temporary lull or the fourth year in which a slumping economy has slowed job growth.

Economists say they think employers added more than 100,000 jobs in April but far fewer than the 196,000 that were added on average from September through February.

The unemployment rate is expected to remain unchanged at a still-high 7.6 percent.

The Labor Department will release the report at 8:30 a.m. EDT.

(Associated Press)

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Roswell teen scores role in Jackie Robinson bipopic, "42"

ROSWELL, Ga. -- It is slated to be one of the biggest movie hits of the year.

42 is the story of Jackie Robinson and his remarkable life 66 years ago when he became the first African-American to break the so-called "color line" of Major League Baseball.

And 13-year-old Henry Friedman from Roswell has made a name for himself in the movie.

The Friedman family has lived in Atlanta for generations.

You might best know the last name from the world famous Friedman's shoe store downtown that has catered to athletes from all over the planet.

Grandfather Friedman sold the store in the 1950's but the name has remained.

Now in 2013,  there is another famous Friedman making his mark here.

"When I was little,t my grandparents' house I would get my brother and cousin and we would put up magic shows," Henry said.

After the magic shows, Henry's grandfather would call him "Hollywood." Maybe he knew something.

Henry has a pivotal scene in the hit movie about baseball great and civil rights hero Jackie Robinson.

"I didn't want to do the audition for it. Because I read the script. I've done auditions where I've said bad words but not that."

Henry's character attends a Reds game in Cincinnati, a joyous, happy experience, but his mood changes for a moment when his father and other fans start shouting racial slurs at number 42. His character sees everyone doing it --  then starts shouting racial slurs as well.

Says Henry, "Chadwick Bozeman who plays Jackie Robinson came in and said he understood I was just acting ."

The Friedmans are an artistic lot, mother Jennifer is a painter, father Ben is a musician with a wicked sense of humor and writes for music for TV shows.  He works on the series Café Racer.

Father Ben said, with tongue placed squarely in cheek, I'm jealous of him. He pops up and he gets this movie- - (Hullinger laughing) and I've quit talking to him, I've had enough."

Reviews have been kind to Henry's performance as he captures the moment that helps lead to the famous scene of teammate Pee Wee Reese putting his arm around Robinson in front of a hostile Cincinnati crowd.

"It's a little scary how much publicity that scene has gotten and I didn't expect that,"  Henry added.

As for his father Ben, " I'm honored that he's in it and I'm honored he had the part he did, it's an important part- - it shows how racism is passed down from others."

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Morehouse students face rape, other charges

Lucien Kidd, Chukwudi Ndudikwa, Tevin Mgbo, Malcolm Frank

ATLANTA -- Three Morehouse College athletes have been accused of rape and other charges.

Chukwudi Ndudikwa and Malcolm Frank face rape and aggravated sodomy charges.  Tevin Mgbo is looking at charges of aggravated sodomy, kidnapping and reckless conduct.

According to court documents the incident involving those three suspects happened March 8 at the East Suites.

The victim told police there was a party celebrating Spring Break and then they went to a club.

The victim says she admits drinking some alcohol but says she did not use drugs, and does not remember much of what happened at the club or afterward.

Several witnesses say the victim did have sex with several men in several rooms, and one witness says the victim used a drug.

One witness also said the victim was drunk, dancing, fell and hit her head.

One of the victim's friends says he tried to help her but she would not allow it. He told police she kept hitting him and even picked up a knife and tried to stab him saying she knew what she was doing. He says the next morning the victim was unaware of what happened and he took her to the hospital.

Another witness says some of the suspects came and confronted the victim about the rape accusations. That witness said he told them "no one forced her to do it but she was not fully aware of where she was or what she was doing".

Once campus police were told of the incidents, they identified and arrested the men.

As reported from Morehouse College, students who violate the school's code of conducts and the law will receive disciplinary actions, which could mean dismissal from the college.

In an unrelated incident, Lucien Kidd was arrested and charged with rape in April.

Head football coach Rich Freeman said Kidd tried out for the football team in 2010, but he never made the cut. Kidd came out during Fall camp that year, but by the time the 2010 season started, he did not make the roster.

11Alive News contacted the Maroon Tigers Athletic Director, Andre Pattillo Wednesday afternoon. He refused to comment.

Morehouse College police and the Fulton County District Attorney's Office are working together to investigate each case.

Meanwhile, several students 11 Alive spoke with in the Atlanta University Center complex didn't know about the incident.

Many, especially women, were upset the dorm incident happened on March 8th and the university still hadn't told them.

"I guess the school's trying to keep it on a low key thing; they did a great job of doing it 'cause no one found about it, no one," said Morehouse student Richard Washington.

"That's terrible, you know, you send you child to school for education and a safe environment...make connections and friends," said Morehouse student Jonathan Saxon.

"It's sad that something like that...happened on campus," he added.

"I feel like we should all be informed about what's going on in the community, seeing as there's three colleges here," said Clark Atlanta student Deshemika Benton.

"The public safety in the area is more reactive than proactive, which leaves us to defend ourselves," said Clark Atlanta student Marquet Cross.

Veteran prosecutor Al Dixon spent 27 years in the Fulton County District Attorney's office, many of them as deputy DA. He said this case is a complicated one.

"If you voluntarily drink to the point that you're still conscious, that's one thing," he said. "But if you drank so much to the point that you pass out and then someone takes advantage of you, that's a different thing."

"In this particular case, it appears that she was conscious and not unconscious. That would be tough for the prosecution. What this boils down to is whether the defendants in this particular case thought that she had given a valid consent."

Dixon said the district attorney's office will likely investigate over the next few months and re-interview eyewitnesses before deciding whether to indict.

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Rapper Chris Kelly of Kris Kross dead at 34

ATLANTA -- Rapper Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly of 1990's hip-hop group "Kris Kross" was pronounced dead at a local medical center on Wednesday evening. He was 34.

Fulton County Police were dispatched to Kelly's home on Stoneleigh Drive, shortly after 4:30 p.m. Upon arrival officials discovered Kelly was unconscious and non-responsive. Emergency technicians administered CPR on the scene before Kelly was transported.

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According to the Fulton County Medical Examiner's office, Kelly was pronounced dead at Atlanta Medical Center -- South Fulton around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday evening.

The cause of death appears to be a drug overdose, according to Fulton County PD however the Fulton County ME's office will not confirm the actual cause of death until a toxicology report is performed.

Kelly and his bandmate Chris "Daddy Mack" Smith" were discovered by music producer and Atlanta native Jermaine Dupri at a local mall in 1992. During performances, Kris Kross wore their clothes backwards -- it later became their signature look.

The group is most famous for their single, Jump. In 1992, Jump ranked No. 3 on the Billboard Top 100 list. Most recently, Kelly performed at the So So Def 20th Anniversary Concert in February.

Kelly's mother, Donna Kelly Pratte, along with The So So Def Family released a statement early Thursday morning, saying:

"It is with deep sadness that we announce that our beloved Chris Kelly has passed away on May 1. To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris - the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party. Though he was only with us a short time, we feel blessed to have been able to share some incredible moments with him. His legacy will live on through his music, and we will forever love him."

Funeral arrangements have not been set at this time.

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Man hit by car in critical condition

ATLANTA -- A pedestrian is in critical condition after being hit by a car near the Fox Theater on Wednesday evening. 

The incident happened on the 600 block of Peachtree Street in Midtown. 

Atlanta Police say the man was transported to a local medical center. He is expected to survive. 

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Cobb detectives seek public indecency, battery suspect

Sketch of suspect (Cobb County Police Department)

COBB COUNTY, Ga. -- Cobb County detectives are investigating an incident that happened Tuesday in Marietta near Cheatham Hill Road.

Two females were walking in Kennesaw National Park, when they saw a man standing in the woods, nude from the waist down. They told investigators that the man was acting inappropriately, and when he saw the women look at him, he chased after them.

Investigators say one of the women was knocked to the ground.

The man ran to a faded red 1990's Ford Dually pickup truck, and he was last seen driving west on Dallas Highway, in the direction of Paulding County.

Chief of Police J. R. Houser reported that similar incidents may have previously happened.

A sketch was released from the Georgia Bureau of Investigations after meeting with the two women and detectives. The suspect is wanted for public indecency and simple battery.

Houser described the man as either white of light-skinned Hispanic, 6'2" - 6'3" tall, 25-35 years old and around 230 pounds. He has a goatee with stubble, and his hair is shaggy or curly, and either dark brown or black in color.

The suspect's eyes are believed to be hazel. He was last seen wearing a light blue t-shirt with writing on it and gray cargo shorts.

Anyone within information on the suspect is asked to call Cobb police at (770) 499-3945.

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Some Bank of North Georgia customers say money's missing

NEWNAN, Ga. -- Investigators in Coweta County says thieves have drained the accounts of more than 100 bank customers, and they're still not sure how they did it.

All of the customers had debit cards associated with their Bank of Coweta accounts, which merged earlier this year with the Bank of North Georgia.

Investigators aren't sure when the security breech took place, but say somehow thieves managed to get the debit card numbers and PINs for at least 105 customers. According to the investigation, the information has been used to make duplicates of the customers' debit cards, and use them at ATMs in Florida, Texas and Louisiana.

One victim, who asked not be identified, says he noticed something wrong early Friday morning, when he went online to check his account balance.

"First thing I noticed is there had been an ATM withdrawal for $602.95. Within two hours I noticed there'd been two more withdrawals," he said.

The bank customer says thieves got away with $1,000 before the bank was able to put a block on his debit card. While he says the bank has promised to refund the money, he's had to beg the cable company and other debtors for more time to pay his bills as the matter gets worked out.

"It probably started several weeks ago but many of the victims are just finding it now, either they're getting a statement or going to the ATM and they're seeing their balance is way down," said Coweta County Sheriff Mike Yeager.

This isn't the community's first problem with identity theft. Less than a year ago, thieves installed skimming devices on gas pumps to record credit and debit card numbers. There were more than 100 victims then, too.

But Yeager says this is something different, especially when you consider many of the victims hadn't used their debit card in months.

"I don't know if somebody was able to breech Bank of North Georgia's computer or records ,but somehow they were able to obtain all this information," said Yeager.

The bank has yet to comment on the extent of the breech, or even to say there was one. It would only tell 11Alive it was "aware of the situation."

Yearger says at least $45,000 has been stolen so far and he believes there are more victims are out there. Investigators are asking anyone who used to have a Bank of Coweta account, to check their account and call Newnan police at 770-254-2355 or the Sheriff's Department at 770-253-1502, if they realize money is missing.

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11Alive's Valerie Hoff's Battle Against Breast Cancer

ATLANTA, Ga. -- The route Valerie Hoff drives to get her boys at their afterschool program is one she has done hundreds of times.

The after school routine is the same.

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But for Valerie, it all feels different now.

"I have a lot more ups and downs than I did in the beginning."

She keeps doing the normal things, as a mother, as a television anchor, but it's always there, the realization she has breast cancer.

"It was almost unreal. Kind of like an out of body experience. I didn't get all shaky or say 'Oh my God,' I was just like, 'Really?'"

This is a woman who has spent more than half her life in front of a camera. And she hasn't been shy about sharing personal journeys, blogging about her over 40 pregnancy with Nicholas, sharing her and her husband Derrick's trip to Russia to adopt their second son, Jhenya.

But this is different. She doesn't know how this journey will end.

"It's really scary. When you think about, I have this potentially fatal disease. Then it's not just a little lump being taken out. It becomes a bigger deal."

Valerie found the lump in her left breast just three months after she had a clean mammogram.

"I was just getting into the shower one morning and I was like what the heck is this?"

What she thought would be a routine follow up exam was not routine.

Valerie remembers when the doctor told her, "I'm just going to tell you point blank, I'm pretty sure you have cancer."

Derrick was getting the boys ready for a baseball game that day and Valerie was late getting home.

"I got a text, and then she calls, and then I talk to her and I'm like, 'What just happened?'"

Derrick and Valerie have confronted health issues before. He's recovering from knee surgery and two years ago Valerie underwent major spinal surgery, a four level cervical fusion.

And they always looked at the bright side.

"The underlying statement was at least it's not cancer," Derrick says. "And then, it's cancer."

Doctors say Valerie's cancer is Stage 2. They recommended a lumpectomy. Soon after she found out, she made the announcement on air.

The reaction to her announcement showed her she had to keep sharing this journey publicly.

"I have heard back from hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of other women who are overdue for their mammograms or who haven't done self exams and that part of it is so gratifying."

Derrick and Valerie told their boys.

They reassured Nicholas and Jhenya that Mommy will be fine. For Valerie it's not that easy.

"Everyone in the medical community or people that I meet, when I tell them that I have two small children that are 6 and 8 -- everyone is like, 'Oh no.' A lot of the studies are 'The five year survival rate is 80 percent' and things like that and I'm like five years? What's the 20 year survival rate?"

On the day before her surgery, she savors every hug, every moment with her three men.

The next morning at The Women's Center at Northside Hospital it's five hours of prep before surgery.

Today they will learn if the cancer has spread.

Doctor Brenda Simpson tells Valerie, "If those lymph nodes are negative I close you back up and we're done." Valerie says, "I hope that's what happens." Doctor Simpson says, "I hope so too."

Surgery gets underway and the lymph nodes are removed. They're negative for cancer. A huge relief.

Derrick says, "Obviously getting lots of good news along the way that helps. We can fight this."

Eight hours after she arrived, Valerie is headed home. Cancer treatment begins soon. An unwanted journey, but one she is facing head on.

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