(http://fox6now.com/2014/07/26/one-man-sets-an-example-to-young-boys-in-milwaukee-mr-andre-has-taught-us-responsibility/)
At the corner of 9th and Ring in Milwaukee, there’s a man with the power to impact young lives forever. “He talked mostly about becoming a man,” says Freddie Outlaw. Andre Ellis has a garden, and every Saturday, he gathers black boys and puts them to work. “It keeps me out of trouble. It makes me feel great. Just being in a place to help people clean up the community,” says 14-year-old Freddie Outlaw. From 8:00 o’clock a.m. until noon, the kids pick up trash from their streets and plant vegetables in the garden. Ellis watches over them and keeps them in line. “Some of the things that Mr. Andre has taught us responsibility. If we`re not here on time, we get sent home,” says 14-year-old Trevione Jones. For many kids, he’s the closest thing they have to a father. “When you have a group of 47 kids, and you say, how many of you don`t know your father and 38 of them raise your hands,” says Andre Ellis.
The kids do get compensated for their efforts, $20 dollars each. All of the money for the program is donated to Ellis, but it’s clear that the experience is priceless. “I was a troublemaker. I was fighting people on the block. He kept me from going to jail and stuff,” says Jermaine Stevens. A group of boys, who now know what it takes to be a man.
Ellis’s program will wrap up in mid August, but he isn’t abandoning the kids once they head back to school. Phase two includes taking what’s learned in the classroom, and continuing that education after school, and on the weekends.
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(from Straight No Chaser; The Life and Genius of Thelonious Monk by Leslie Gourse)
". . . He was cool with me. We'd talk about a lot of things. He would always have interesting kinds of ways of being very succinct and candid about his insights. One time someone made a comment to us-during the civil rights days, and things were pretty touchy, black power and all. I had a big Afro and dashikis. We were very conscious of this whole movement. This white guy said something about "you boys" this and "you boys" that to me. I turned to Thelonious and said, "I'm tired of these motherfuckers calling us boys. They don't have to go through all that. We're men." Thelonious said to me, "Ain't no drag, Larry, because everybody wants to be young." I said, "Okay, I'll think on that one." So he could really turn things into nothing with a few words. And there I was, upset, with my fist up in the air about respect. It was interesting. . . "
a: to join in a secret agree
By Sevil Omer and M. Alex Johnson, NBC News
(http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/08/14295418-sandusky-alleging-broad-conspiracy-insists-hes-innocent-of-child-sex-abuse-charges?lite)
". . .New in this version: Statement from Sandusky; reaction from attorney; links to text and audio
Updated at 8:27 p.m. ET: Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky insisted Monday that "I did not do these alleged disgusting acts" and blamed a systematic conspiracy among police, Penn State administrators and the media for his conviction on 45 counts of child sexual abuse.
Tom Winter and Michael Isikoff of NBC News and Lu Ann Cahn and Karen Araiza of NBC station WCAU-TV of Philadelphia contributed to this report by Sevil Omer and M. Alex Johnson of NBC News.
"They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart," Sandusky, 68, who is to be sentenced Tuesday, said in a three-minute statement recorded from his jail cell in Bellefonte, Pa., and aired on the Penn State student radio station.
Sandusky said his accusers were part of a "well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists (and) civil attorneys" to falsely put him in prison.
"My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues," he said.
Related: Full statement from Jerry Sandusky
Related: Audio of Sandusky's statement on Penn State student station ComRadio
"Over and over, I asked why? Why didn't we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial?" Sandusky said. "Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations?"
He said his accusers chose to join his Second Mile program for troubled boys "because of issues" and said that "some of those may remain."
Sandusky said he hoped his experience would help others, saying: "Some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I'm not sure about it."
Karl Rominger, an attorney for Sandusky, told NBC News that he hadn't known of Sandusky's plans to issue the statement beforehand. After hearing it, he said it sounded like his client.
Earlier, Sandusky's lead attorney, Joe Amendola, said his client was prepared for the worst when he is sentenced on 45 counts of child sexual abuse Tuesday.
"He's going to say that he’s innocent," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia. com.
Sandusky, who had become a hometown hero as a Penn State coach and as a champion for underprivileged boys, was convicted in June of abusing 10 boys over 15 years, including some attacks inside Penn State's athletic facilities.
Before the judge decides how much time Sandusky will spend in prison, some of his victims may speak out, as may Sandusky.
View NBCPhiladelphia's complete coverage of Penn State scandal
"Jerry will not be having anyone speak on his behalf," Amendola told NBC News on Monday before participating in a closed-door meeting with prosecutors and Judge John Cleland to discuss sentencing logistics.
Attorney Ben Andreozzi, who represents Victim 4, told the Patriot News that nothing surprises him from Sandusky.
"I keep hoping he will do the right thing and take responsibility for his actions but it appears that day will never come," Andreozzi said.
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Sentencing is expected to begin with a hearing to determine whether Sandusky qualifies as a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law, after which Sandusky will be sentenced.
Sandusky will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, given his age and the serious nature of his convictions. Several of the counts carry mandatory minimum sentences of five or 10 years.
Amendola said Sandusky is prepared to hear the worst.
"It's going to be tantamount to a life sentence for Jerry," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com.
Amendola told NBC News that he has letters defending Sandusky, including one from his wife, Dottie Sandusky, who stands by her husband and will attend the sentencing.
Sandusky admits to no wrongdoing, Amendola said, but he does admit making a mistake.
“What Jerry has always said, his mistake was using bad judgment and doing some of the things that led up to the accusations — getting showers with kids," Amendola told NBCPhiladelphia.com. "He said he should have realized, obviously, that wasn't the thing to do. But he's always maintained and still maintains his innocence."
Sandusky has spent the last three months in a cell with a bed, a sink and a toilet.
"It’s a Spartan life. He’s isolated," Amendola said. "Not because he's bad, not because they think he's a bad person, but for his own protection.”
Sandusky has been busy writing a detailed document that he is convinced will be the key to his appeal. . ."
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