January 25, 2025 - January 31, 2025 The Afro-American A5 THE BLACKwww.afro.com MEDIA AUTHORITY • AFRO.COM $2.00 $1.00
Volume 133 No. 26
Volume 123 No. 20–22
JANUARY 25, 2025 - JANUARY 31, 2025
AP Photo/Chris Pizzello
AP Photo George Walker IV
Photo courtesy of Ben Crump Law
Famed civil rights attorney Ben Crump is suing Southern California Edison, the company responsible for supplying power to homes in Pasadena, Calif.. Crump alleges the company is responsible for multiple deaths that occurred as a fire swept through the area and came into contact with live power lines. Shown here, a house on Altadena Drive and Santa Rosa Avenue, burning Jan. 8, in Altadena, Crump, and a shot of the damage left in the wake of the fires.
Ben Crump and NAACP sue Southern California Electric for Altadena residents impacted by Eaton fire By Deborah Bailey AFRO Contributing Editor
afro.com
Ashes are still settling over parts of Altadena, Calif., but victims of the Eaton wildfire have started filing lawsuits in the wake of the unprecedented blaze that destroyed more than 7,000 structures across more than 14,000 acres. Aside from property damage, lives were also lost, with officials saying multiple fires caused the death of at least 28 victims in Altadena, nearby Pasadena and surrounding communities. Now, noted civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Evelyn Cathirell, mother of Evelyn “Petey” McClendon. McClendon died in the Eaton fires that consumed much of the Altadena community and devastated parts of the surrounding neighborhoods of Pasadena. The suit, filed Jan. 15, is against Southern California Edison (SCE), the power company responsible
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for electrical service for the area. McClendon and Cathirell shared a home, which was consumed on Jan. 7 in the Eaton wildfire. McClendon’s remains were found by family members the following day. “We don’t take it lightly– this responsibility of making sure this Black angel, Evelyn McClendon gets full justice and accountability,” said Crump at a press conference announcing the lawsuit. “We don’t want anybody to marginalize her,” he added. The lawsuit filed on behalf of Cathirell is the first of a growing number of lawsuits that are being filed against
Southern California Edison as residents begin the process of reviewing the remains of their homes and property in the
of Erliene Kelly. The 83-year-old retired pharmacy technician who died in the Eaton Fire on Jan. 7.
“Altadena - a community deeply rooted in Black history and homeownership deserves justice.” wake of the Eaton fire. Crump has also filed suit against SCE’s parent company, Edison International (EI), on behalf of the family
The negligence lawsuit filed on behalf of Kelly claims SCE and its parent company are responsible for the tragedy due to “SCE’s aging electrical
equipment and its decision not to de-energize power lines, despite warnings from the National Weather Service,” according to a statement issued by Crump’s Florida firm, Lawyers for Justice. On Jan. 16, the NAACP joined with civil rights and environmental justice law firm Singleton Schreiber, announcing yet another lawsuit filed against SCE and EI on behalf of Eric Mahone and Mahone family members, whose home in Altadena burned to the ground. The negligence lawsuit claims the fire started “when Edison’s electrical equipment caused sparks to ignite dry
vegetation in Eaton Canyon. Despite previously identifying the area as an extreme fire risk zone, Edison failed to take adequate precautions to prevent the fire, resulting in this catastrophic tragedy,” according to a statement issued by the NAACP. “Altadena - a community deeply rooted in Black history and homeownership - deserves justice,” said NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson in a statement announcing the lawsuit. Pedro Pizzaro, CEO of Edison International, said the cause of the fires remains under investigation.
Commentary
Outrage builds over Black Vote, Black Power: Don’t executive order ending be fooled. The president’s J6 pardons DEI in federal agencies are all about race By Keith Boykin Word In Black Convicted felon Donald Trump has granted clemency to every criminal involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection to overthrow the U.S. government, including those who attacked police officers. If there was ever any doubt about the 2024 election, let it be known now that it was not about law and order; it was about White supremacy. More than 1,200 people have been convicted of Jan. 6-related crimes, including 200 who pleaded guilty to assaulting law enforcement officers. And for those who haven’t been convicted yet, Trump ordered the attorney general to dismiss about 450 cases now pending before judges. Although the Constitution prohibits treason, the president’s action virtually nullifies the spirit of the law and establishes a dangerous precedent
Courtesy photo
Keith Boykin is a New York Times–bestselling author, television and film producer, and former political commentator. This week, he discusses the presidential pardon given to more than 1,000 American terrorists who overran the U.S. Capitol Building complex on Jan. 6, 2021.
that whenever White people don’t like the outcome of an election, they can literally attack their own government by force and be forgiven for it. Yes, this was about race. The violent insurrection, the attacks on police officers, the targeting of Black election workers, and the attempts to throw out hundreds of thousands of Black votes in Atlanta, Philadelphia, Detroit and Milwaukee were all a part of a coordinated campaign to protect the interests of White America in our two-tiered system of justice. Even J.D. Vance argued against pardons for the people who attacked Metropolitan and Capitol Police officers. “If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned,” Vance told Fox News. So much for that principle. Sadly, Trump’s pardons are not an isolated event in AmeriContinued on A3
By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire
President Donald J. Trump’s first-day executive order to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies across federal agencies and contractors has drawn widespread condemnation. Critics say the move systematically undermines civil rights, economic equity and decades of progress toward inclusion for marginalized communities. The order terminates DEI considerations in federal hiring, promotions and contracting. It revokes affirmative action criteria in federal contracting and directs agencies to investigate private-sector DEI practices, claiming these measures violate civil rights. Trump’s administration heralded the order as a return to “colorblind equality,” but civil rights leaders, labor advocates and lawmakers strongly disagreed. CBC: “A step backward for America”
The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) lambasted the order, calling it “an attack on economic opportunity for Black and minority communities.” CBC Chair Yvette Clarke said the action “does nothing to help our communities grow economically or address the costs of living for hardworking American families.” Clarke connected the move to the Supreme Court’s recent decision to end race-conscious college admissions, stating, “This administration is dismantling tools that have opened doors to education and opportunity.” Continued on A3
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