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sheerbeautyreigns · 3 years

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DESIRE

Part 32

It was almost 12pm when Joe was returning from his run. It was so refreshing running in the countryside. Back home in Tampa, he’d normally run on the beach. It gave him plenty of time to just think about things between him and Paul but one thought he couldn’t shake was his conversation with Drew. He hated that he wouldn’t be able to spend time with him.

His thoughts were interrupted when he saw Paul’s car in the driveway. He thought it’d be another while before he would be back. He unlocked the front door and kicked off his Nikes.

Paul was sat at his laptop in the living room when Joe entered. “Hey.” He said looking up from the screen.

“You’re back early.” Joe said approaching him. “Yeah it didn’t take as long as I thought. Good run?” Paul said eyeing the sheen on Joe skin. “Yeah, great. It’s so nice out here, the greenery. So peaceful.”

Paul smiled “I have some good news for you baby.” He said clasping his hands together on the desk. “What would you say to another run at the Universal Championship?” Joe eyes lit up momentarily “It’d be great but Drew’s feuding with Bray right now? I thought he was set to become the number one contender?”

“Right now yes but I’m talking Summerslam.” Paul said leaning back in his chair.

“That’s only a few weeks away?” Joe was confused. “Creative proposed a triple threat match next Monday night. They want you in the mix.”

“Why? I haven’t done anything to warrant it.” Joe eyes followed Paul’s as he rose to his feet.

“Oh you’ve done plenty.” He said in his gravelly tone, pulling Joe against his body. “Was this your decision?”

“I might’ve pulled a few strings.” An uneasy look crossed Joe face. “What’s the matter? I thought you’d be happy?”

“I am, It’s just…” He started. Paul stepped back and looked him in the eye. “I don’t want to come off as being ungrateful but I just don’t want hand outs just because we’re fucking.”

“So what? Everyone knows how much you bust your ass every week and it’s been almost a year since you had a shot at the title.” Joe pursed his lips. “It’s nothing to do with Drew at all?”

“What are you talking about?” Paul was getting annoyed now. “Well I know you didn’t like things between us two...” Joe hated bringing this up but it seemed too obvious. Drew had been happy with his push and there was a lot of talk saying he was due to become the champion for the first time.

“This is not fucking about Drew!” He said raising his hand to slap him across the cheek only to have Joe block him. The young man was seething, his eyes wide with anger.

“You were gonna hit me! Again!?” Joe backed up and left the room with Paul in hot pursuit. “Baby I’m sorry!” He said following him up into his room. “I let my temper get the best of me!” He watched helplessly as Joe flung open his suitcase and threw his belongings in. “I told you I’d be outta here if you tried that shit again.”

“What was I supposed to do? You were pissing me off!” Paul said grabbing his arm and spinning him around. Joe stumbled, falling onto the bed. Paul immediately pinned him down by the shoulders. “I’m sorry. I love you.” He said firmly “I swear it won’t happen again.”

“Get the fuck off me!” Joe could feel tears forming in his eyes as he struggled to his feet. Paul exhaled heavily as Joe threw the last of his things into his suitcase and zipped it shut. He carried it out of the room and proceeded down the stairs. “Where the hell are you gonna go?”

“Away from you!” Paul could hear the shakiness in his voice now. Quickly he produced his phone and called a local cab company but it just rang out. “Look, let me take you.” Joe stood with his head bowed, a frustrated look on his face. “I’ll take you to the airport if that’s what you want?” Joe nodded, refusing to look at him. Paul grabbed his keys that were on the small table nearby and opened the door wide for him. Joe walked out.

Although the drive to the airport was only around 15 miles, it felt painfully slow. Both men didn’t utter a word. Paul chose to put the radio on to break the uncomfortable silence. Joe was trying his damnedest to hold back his tears. His stomach sank as they pulled into the departures area. He felt he would lose it at any moment. He hoped the airport wouldn’t be too busy for a Monday afternoon. He took out his shades and slid them on as Paul parked. “Thanks,” Joe uttered before getting out of the car. Paul felt so defeated. He looked in the rear view mirror and Joe pulled his suitcase out of the trunk and closed it. The best thing for him to do now was just leave.

Joe spent the next few days working on his place and catching up with his family. He felt heartbroken at how things had changed between him and Paul so quickly but he made himself a promise to get out if it happened again. He hadn’t heard anything from Paul either. Maybe it was the best thing for both of them. Scrolling through Instagram, he saw a post from Drew with his cat which made him smile. Impulsively, he called him.

“Hello?” came Drew’s voice. “Hey” Joe padded around his living room. “I just wanted to call and say sorry about how I acted on Monday. There was no need.”

“S”ok, don’t worry about it.” He was always so laid back. “How you doing?”

“I’m OK. I’m in Tampa now.” He hesitated before going on “I…I ended up leaving Paul’s early…”

“Is everything alright?” The Scot asked cautiously. “You were right about him. I wish I had listened to you.”

“Did he hurt you?” He asked with alarm. “No but he was going to. I left in time.”

“Shit man, sorry to hear but I’m glad you’re OK. Is there anything I can do?” He offered. “I’m OK, I just wanted to call and apologise. Are you working tomorrow?”

“Yeah, I was just packing when you called.” He responded. “Cool well I guess I”ll see you tomorrow.”

“I”ll look forward to it.”

Joe arrived in Phoenix for Smackdown the following afternoon. There were a number of familiar faces when he arrived. He went out to the ring to run things through with the team. Turns out he would interfere in a No Disqualification match between Drew and Bray. He would run in and attack his old foe Bray with a chair leading Drew to get the win. It seemed the story was going towards a triple threat Universal Title match at Summerslam, according to creative.

Joe was surprised it was still happening after what had happened with Paul but he went with it. The crowd loved it and he got a huge pop. Bray was doing a great job being the heel throughout his feud with Babyface Drew and for all they cared, Bray got what was coming to him after his sneak attacks on Drew over the past couple of weeks.

After his match, Joe went to his locker room. He proceeded in getting undressed to quickly shower when Colby walked in. He hadn’t seen him since Raw the week before. He attempted to look at him but he actually felt nervous. Probably because he knew that Colby would ignore him after all the shit they gave each other over the past few weeks. He was opening his locker when Joe finally spoke. Colby was always too stubborn to make the first move. “Hey, you OK?” He actually looked around as he took out his rucksack. “Yeah, good. Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

“I’ve had some time away.” Joe said forcing a small smile. He was just happy that Colby actually answered him. “What are you up to?”

“What, now?” He asked, leading Joe to nod. “Actually gonna chill out. Just tired. You know how busy it gets on the run up to Summerslam…”

For the first time in a long time, Joe felt awkward talking to him. It felt like they could never be friends like they used to be.

“Well I’m gonna head. Good to see you back.” Joe felt so defeated, watching him leave. He wanted to tell him that he was no longer with Paul. Maybe that would help get their friendship back on track. He just had to be patient.

Later after Joe had checked into his hotel, he was answering some emails when his phone rang. He froze, seeing Paul’s photo on the screen. He hesitated before answering.

“Hey,” He said lowly.

“I was hoping I’d catch you before you left the Arena.” Paul started. Joe shifted on the sofa, hearing his voice for the first time in days. It did something to him.

“I just wanted to get back to my hotel room. Didn’t really wanna stick around.” He said rubbing the back of his neck.

“Are you OK? I mean, you looked good out there tonight but…I wanna, talk.” Those three words made Joe stomach sink. “I didn’t think I’d hear from you.” Joe confessed.

“Why not?” Paul questioned. “I was pretty pissed when I left on Monday.” Joe said pulling his knees up to his chest.

“I wanted to give you some time. I was hoping we could talk this through?” Paul sounded hopeful. “Are you staying at the Hilton?”

“Yeah.” Joe answered with hesitation. “So am I if you wanna meet in my room? I just think it’s better in person.”

Joe wanted to be mature about this. “What room are you in?”

“475. End of the hall.” Paul informed him. “OK. I’ll be up soon.” Joe got up and started pacing around the room regretting his answer. He would have to see him in person again at some point so regardless of the outcome, he just wanted to get it over with.

Gingerly, Joe entered Paul’s suite while the older man looked him over. He looked good in his navy suit and crisp white shirt. Joe could feel his eyes on him.

“Would you like a drink?” Paul offered, gesturing for him to have a seat on the sofa. “I’m OK. Thanks.” Paul lowered to the sofa but kept a distance to make sure that Joe was comfortable. “Listen, I’m just going to cut to the chase. I’ve been thinking a lot about us over the past few days. You mean more to me than I could have imagined and I don’t want to lose you. I want you back.”

Joe swallowed at his confession as his eyes met Paul’s. He could see how sincere he was. “I’m not enough for you. We both know that.”

“What do you mean? You are enough. I was so happy when you were at mine. Granted, I didn’t always show it but I was the happiest I’d been for a while.”

“I dunno,” Joe said leaning back a little on the sofa. “Sometimes, you scare me. Your temper…” There was an uneasy look in his eyes. “I know, baby, I know. I’m working on it. After I left you off at the airport, I was so pissed off with myself for losing it again. I don’t wanna be that guy.” Paul said inching closer, placing his hand on Joe leg. The young man could feel his cock stirring at Paul’s touch. He shifted his position trying not to make it obvious.

“What about the dynamic we had?”

“What about it? I was happy with the way things were with you that last day. I was so happy with how you were just going with it. That was what I was working towards.”

“I was trying. Sometimes, I just feel I’m not enough…”

“Believe it or not, that’s how I want you to feel. It sounds strange but It’s good that the submissive doesn’t always feel like they’re good enough. Like, having low self worth.” Paul explained. He felt he was starting to get somewhere. Joe gave him a questioning look. “Why’s that a good thing?”

“Because it gives me, the dominant, more power in the relationship. Look, I know it can be a bit confusing at times and you’re still new to this but I don’t want to do this with anyone else.” Joe hesitated a moment as Paul searched his eyes, waiting for an answer. “OK.” Paul’s face lit up. “On one condition.”

“Just tell me.” Paul leaned in closer to him.

“You lose it again, I want out. You let me go. For good.” This lead Paul to nod in agreement. “I’ll make sure that doesn’t happen.”

#roman reigns #wwe #tribal chief #roman reigns fic #fanfiction #d/s #drew mcintyre #dominance #submission

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aurakaura · 5 years

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Beyblade-The Next Step 26

-Ibuki and his team met signed up for the Hunter and Hunted event along side Clayzero-. I was looking forward to this event as the rules were different from most other events. Suddenly there was a loud crowd reaction....oh no not this guy again, (Joro) “Ladies and Gentlemen thank you for the attention, now Ibuki me and you have a score to settle”. Part of me wanted to face this guy again as a victory over him could give me a huge confidence push...but he generates far to much attention for me. Suddenly the crowd began to grasp again, I looked over and saw three Bladers….no way Tray was traveling with them. “Hmm looks like Cipher is here too, man I hope I don’t draw him as my prey” Cipher....hmm it rings a bell. Oh yeah the 8th ranked Blader I heard that recently Shin faced him and scored a point. Did Tray really abandon the rest of his team just to hang out with this guy, he better not of hurt Maya. Suddenly Ryukio blocked me, (Ryukio) “Do not let your emotions get to you, I’m sure we will hear his story soon”.

(Host) “Welcome all you Bladers to this special event that is known as Hunter and Hunted. There is no prize for the winner so this is simply a battle to prove who is the strongest out of the participants. Now for the rules, each Blader will draw a card and on that card will be their target Blader and if you can defeat your target you may advance. However if your hunter defeats you are eliminated even if you have already defeated your target. In round one you may only challenge your own target, if you challenge a Blader who is not your target you will be disqualified.

Also if you refuse to battle the blader who is hunting you then you will also be disqualified. However in round 2 the last Blader standing is the winner as you can freely eliminate who you want until a winner is decided. Best of luck to all of the participants”. One by one everyone drew their card, it was my turn and my opponent was a Blader called Uroa. I tried to look around but I had no idea on who they were, who ever drew me is a lot more off putting. “Furthermore no showing who your target is to another participant as that will also warrant a disqualification”. It would be a bit upsetting if one of the others drew as a target but we are prepared to fight each other if it comes down to it. Plus in the second round it will probably be none stop battling any way, hopefully I can make it that far. Everyone else was eying each other up as the planned on eliminating each other, personally I’m just going to wing the event. I’m sure sooner or later I will bump into the one I have to defeat.

We all entered different rooms that lead to the entrances of the arena, not being able scout where your target starts is an interesting part of this event. Uroa get ready to face Sparrow because I won’t let myself be out done in this challenge. (Referee) “The Hunter and Hunted event shall officially begin in 3...2...1″ the gate to the arena opened. I ran out as quickly as I could, good luck everyone and I hope we get to face off in round 2. But me and Sparrow plan on winning this event as we will prove we can hang with the top 10.

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khalilhumam · 4 years

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A city shackled: How Beijing’s security law transformed Hong Kong in one short month

New Post has been published on http://khalilhumam.com/a-city-shackled-how-beijings-security-law-transformed-hong-kong-in-one-short-month/

A city shackled: How Beijing’s security law transformed Hong Kong in one short month

Within a fortnight, authorities have outlawed select protest phrases and arrested activists for allegedly inciting secession

Hong Kong police wave a purple banner warning of violations against national security law. Photo from Stand News, used with permission.

The original post was written by Jennifer Creery and published on the Hong Kong Free Press on August 1. The following edited version is published on Global Voices via a content partnership agreement. Once a vague spectre, national security legislation became a reality in Hong Kong last month when, in less than six weeks, Beijing imposed a law granting authorities sweeping powers to clamp down on dissent. Drafted behind closed doors without local legislative input, the law ostensibly targets acts in the city deemed a threat to state security, including terrorism and collusion with foreign forces, following months of sometimes violent democracy protests. With broad, catch-all provisions that encompass acts committed abroad and charges punishable with up to life imprisonment, the law has sent shivers down the spines of activists who fear it will chip away at the territory’s treasured civil liberties. The move was welcomed by the pro-Beijing camp as heralding the return of social “stability,” but activists and nongovernmental organizations have warned it will spell the end of One Country, Two Systems. Within a fortnight, local authorities have outlawed select protest phrases and arrested activists for allegedly inciting secession. Critics warned of a “chilling effect” as foreign governments, such as Australia and New Zealand, suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong; former lawmaker Nathan Law fled to the UK and Downing Street created a “lifeboat” citizenship scheme for British National (Overseas) passport holders looking to emigrate from Hong Kong. As some 7 million residents wake up to a radical shift in the city’s political order, HKFP rounds up some of the key developments in Hong Kong as the new legislation was rolled out.

First arrests under the security law

Despite the newly-gazetted law and the coronavirus restrictions on gatherings, thousands took to the streets on Hong Kong Island on July 1. Under the new law, police made their first arrest of several individuals including those who carried Hong Kong independence signs. On the same day, police introduced a new purple flag warning crowds that they may have violated the security law.

Protest slogan criminalised

Reverberating through shopping malls across the city, the chant “Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times,” came to define last year’s protests. Two days after the enactment of the security law, the government singled out that popular protest slogan as implying separatism; anyone found uttering or displaying it could be arrested, it warned. Legal experts have questioned whether the ban is binding in nature. But police swiftly cautioned pro-democracy political group Tin Shui Wai Connection at a street stall and arrested a demonstrator for holding a placard featuring the forbidden slogan in Yuen Long on July 27. Protesters have responded using creative workarounds, such as near-homonyms, a geometric typeface of the eight characters, or using initials of the romanised slogan. Some voiced their opposition by holding up blank signs, while others pasted blank Post-It notes on walls to mimic “Lennon Walls” – public display boards once filled with messages of support for the protest movement.

Democracy books pulled

Days after the enactment of the law, at least nine pro-democracy titles disappeared from public library shelves, prompting fears over censorship. Among the books removed for “review” included incumbent democrat Tanya Chan's “My Journeys for Food and Justice,” activist Joshua Wong’s coauthored “Unfree Speech,” as well as Horace Chin’s “On the Hong Kong City-State and Hong Kong State-survivors,” penned under the name Chin-Wan.

Protest song banned in schools

Hong Kong Education Secretary Kevin Yeung declared on July 7 that no one in schools should “hold any activities to express their political stance,” and teachers must not allow students to play, sing or broadcast the popular protest song “Glory to Hong Kong” on campuses.

Polling institute raided

Police with a warrant descended on the offices of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Institute (HKPORI) on the night of July 10 with the objective of seizing computers. The raid over a suspected data leak coincided with the pollsters’ involvement in self-initiated democratic primaries to select candidates to run in September’s legislative election, which went ahead as planned the following weekend. Officers left without removing any electronic devices.

Taiwan envoy leaves

Taiwan’s top acting representative in Hong Kong Kao Ming-tsun left the city on July 16, after refusing to sign an affidavit of support for “One China” for his visa extension application. “One China” is a diplomatic principle acknowledging only one Chinese government and Taiwan as part of China. Taiwan has been ruled by the Republic of China government since 1945 and considers itself to be an independent country. Kao has been the acting top representative after the designated official Lu Chang-shui's visa application was left pending since 2018. Taiwanese officials have accused the Hong Kong government of imposing “additional political conditions” when processing visa renewals and applications since the enactment of the security law.

Media bureau relocates staff

The New York Times suddenly revealed on July 14 it was to relocate its Hong Kong digital news team – equalling about a third of its staff – to Seoul, South Korea. It cited press freedom fears arising from the new legislation and unusual difficulties securing work permits, “rarely an issue” before, it added. The paper said it would keep some of its correspondents in the territory to chart its morphing political landscape.

Student arrests

On July 29, police arrested four former members of the pro-independence group Studentlocalism, including ex-convenor Tony Chung, ex-spokesperson Ho Nok-hang, as well as ex-members Yanni Ho and Chan Wai-jin, on suspicion of inciting secession, in the first major roundup following an investigation under the security law. Speaking to reporters afterwards, the department's Senior Superintendent Steve Li pointed to social media posts created after the law’s enactment that allegedly advocated the “joining of all pro-independence forces” to establish a “Hong Kong republic.” Studentlocalism announced a day before the government gazetted the security law that it would shift all local operations overseas. Critics sounded the alarm over potential retroactive application of the law following the arrests.

Democrats disqualified

Less than 24 hours after the student arrests, returning officers invalidated the nominations of a whopping 12 democratic candidates seeking to run in September’s legislative election. The list included prominent activist Joshua Wong, long a thorn in the side of the government, as well as incumbent lawmakers Kwok Ka-ki, Dennis Kwok and Kenneth Leung, previously considered moderates. Others included district councillors Tiffany Yuen, Lester Shum and Fergus Leung, and newcomer Gwyneth Ho, a former journalist. One of the reasons cited as grounds for disqualification was expressing opposition to the security law which, “in principle,” meant the candidate did not sincerely intend to uphold the Basic Law. In an ominous statement, the government said it would not rule out the possibility of barring more candidates in the future. Wong on Friday warned authorities were attempting to scrub the legislature of opposition figures in order to maintain the pro-establishment camp’s majority.

Exiled activists ‘wanted’

On July 31, Hong Kong police reportedly ordered the arrest of six pro-democracy activists, Nathan Law, Simon Cheng, Ray Wong, Wayne Chan, Honcques Laus, and Samuel Chu who is a US citizen on suspicion of violating the national security law. The controversial legislation includes passages which make it applicable worldwide, putting Hongkongers overseas at risk of arrest should they return to Hong Kong or Chinese jurisdiction.

Election postponed

Also on July 31, Chief Executive Carrie Lam announced Hong Kong would postpone September’s legislative election by one year owing to a resurgence in untraceable coronavirus cases. Hong Kong democrats, however, said the government was conspiring with pro-establishment lawmakers to stall the poll, using COVID-19 as an excuse.

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marymosley · 4 years

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Roger Stone Should Be Given A New Trial, Not A Pardon

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Below is my column in the Hill newspaper on the calls for either a new trial or a presidential pardon for Roger Stone. I believe that he has a far greater claim to the former than the latter.

While I believe that the sentence of 40 months was longer than was warranted in this case, Judge Amy Berman Jackson sentenced Stone where some of us had predicted on the guidelines range. It was less than half of what the prosecutors originally asked for. Yet, the decision to go forward with the sentencing seemed odd given the substantial claim of juror bias raised by the defense in a pending motion. The other pending motion for disqualification is quite weak, but the motion for a new trial in my view should be granted. Although the odds are against Jackson ordering a new trial, it is clear that the foreperson has now business being on this jury and that her past comments raised significant and legitimate questions over whether Stone was given an impartial jury.

Here is the column:

With his sentencing this week, “agent provocateur” Roger Stone finally provoked himself into prison. However, his latest “performance art” may be nowhere near its conclusion. That is not because he has a “very good chance of exoneration,” as President Trump himself predicted. Stone has about the same chance of exoneration as he does of canonization.

Rather, it is not clear that Stone received a fair trial due to alleged juror bias or, even if his trial is now finished, whether it will become undone by a presidential pardon. If nothing else, one thing should be clear. Stone holds a far greater claim to a new trial than to a presidential pardon.

The trial of Roger Stone

The decision of Judge Amy Berman Jackson to move forward with his sentencing was a surprise to many of us, following disturbing reports of potential juror bias by the trial foreperson. It was a curious twist on the position of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, who declared, “Sentence first! Verdict afterwards.” In this case, the court decided to resolve the sentence before resolving if there was a valid verdict.

I have previously discussed the statements made by Tomeka Hart before she became the jury foreperson. She exhibited intense hostility against Trump and his associates and protested against the administration. She also expressed support for investigations of the administration and even discussed this case. Worse yet, the transcript of the voir dire hearing did not suggest that the defense counsel was aware of this history. Either she disclosed the information and defense counsel was less than effective, or Hart had withheld the information and was less than transparent.

Jackson may have two equally unappealing choices. First, the court could order a new trial, making this sentencing drama a meaningless exercise. Second, she could dismiss any concerns as speculative and refuse to take any action. Such a decision would make a mockery of the jury selection process. What is the value of voir dire if a juror with such alleged bias can find her way not just onto the jury but into the position as foreperson? If there was indeed a failure to disclose, despite multiple questions on the juror survey seeking such information, then the failure to act would make a mockery not just of the judicial process but of the court itself.

While Stone is hardly a sympathetic figure, and certainly garnered little sympathy from the court in his misconduct as a defendant, he may still be the victim here. It is unfair to assure defendants that they are entitled to unbiased juries but then shrug when the forepersons are found to have clear bias or failed to disclose material information in voir dire.

The court demands the impossible if it wants clear proof that, if not for such bias, the juror would not have voted to convict or that the jury would have reached a different conclusion in the case. If there is a due process right to an unbiased jury, then there should be a presumption in favor of the defendant when bias is uncovered. In other words, Stone should be given a new trial. I doubt that he would be exonerated, however, there remains a serious question of whether he was properly adjudicated.

Should he receive a pardon?

It is equally clear that Stone should not receive a pardon and, even if he did, Trump would be the last president who should grant it. I have been critical of the heavy handed investigation and prosecution of Stone. He has long cultivated the role of evil jester of American politics, from the Richard Nixon tattoo branded on his back to his relishing dirty tricks against opponents. He finally crossed the line by communicating with witnesses in the special counsel investigation by Robert Mueller.

While the prosecutors piled up counts, particularly over false statements, Stone was certainly a legitimate target and legitimately convicted. He is neither innocent nor contrite, the two common elements in pardons and commutations. Stone never tried to be remorseful. He was more focused on being useful. That was precisely the point of Jackson, who said Stone “was not prosecuted, as some have claimed, for standing up for the president. He was prosecuted for covering up for the president.”

While I found that statement to be sensational, it captured the image that Stone himself put forward in public. He maintained that he would never give evidence against the president. For Trump to pardon him would be legitimately denounced as a misuse of that constitutional authority. That would be the case even from someone who does warrant a pardon.

For instance, former national security adviser Michael Flynn holds a much greater claim to being unfairly prosecuted for a single false statement. His case became even more glaring when FBI officials, such as fired former acting director Andrew McCabe, were accused of lying to investigators but were not prosecuted. McCabe was even involved in the Flynn probe. Nevertheless, Flynn is not likely to receive much if any jail time. If he is to be pardoned, then it would be better left to another president who was not directly involved or targeted in the underlying investigation.

Trump could of course still pardon all of the defendants in the Mueller investigation. The Constitution leaves the pardon power to the discretion of presidents, and the history of such pardons has been neither pristine nor inviolate. President Bush pardoned Iran Contra defendants despite allegations of his own involvement in that scandal. President Clinton pardoned his own brother, as well as donor and fugitive Marc Rich, who was neither innocent nor remorseful. President Harding and his attorney general were accused of selling pardons. One such pardon was given to Ignacio Lupo, a top mob enforcer suspected in at least 60 murders.

Presidents have given pardons to political allies, donors, and friends. But none of that excuses adding another sordid pardon to this checkered history. Stone was not wrongly prosecuted given his actions. He was wrongly convicted, however, if reports of juror bias are true. That gives him a legitimate claim for a new trial, but not a presidential pardon.

Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law for George Washington University and served as the last lead counsel during a Senate impeachment trial. He testified as a witness expert in the House Judiciary Committee hearing during the impeachment inquiry of President Trump.

Roger Stone Should Be Given A New Trial, Not A Pardon published first on https://immigrationlawyerto.tumblr.com/

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frontproofmedia · 7 years

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A Rare Breed: Marco Antonio Barrera

Marco Antonio Barrera was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame this year. Barrera will go down as one of the greatest fighters in the history of Mexico, and one of the most exciting of the last generation.

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Published: June 23, 2017

The last few weeks in the sport of boxing have been filled with announcements of upcoming fights and new ventures in the television landscape. Last week, the divisive yet financially lucrative fight between a returning 40-year old Floyd Mayweather (49-0, 26 KOs) and Mixed Martial Art’s star Conor Mcgregor (21-3) was announced for August 26th. This week Boxing Promotion Top Rank announced that 8-division champion Manny Pacquiao (59-6-2, 38 KOs) would be facing Jeff Horn (16-0-1, 11 KOs) on ESPN. It could lead to future shows that include the likes of Terence Crawford (31-0, 22 KOs) and Vasyl Lomachenko (8-1, 6 KOs).

We also had the press tours for Adrien Broner-Mikey Garcia and the mega-fight of Canelo-GGG. It cannot be forgotten that Andre Ward (32-0, 16 KOs) and Sergey Kovalev (30-2-1, 26 KOs) fought for the second time. This time with a clear victory for Ward, but with a controversial ending that will be debated for years.

Lost in the shuffle may have been the International Boxing Hall of Fame held in Canastota, New York. This year’s entrant’s included the late Johnny Tapia, Evander Holyfield, Jerry Roth, Steve Farhood and Barry Tompkins among others. One of the standouts this year was Mexican legend, Marco Antonio Barrera (67-7, 44 KOs). Barrera who began his career in 1989 at the age of 15 is among not only the greatest Mexican fighters of all time but an important piece of boxing’s last generation. Almost everything that you can experience as a professional boxer happened in the career of the 3-division champion.

HBO Boxing After Dark

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The HBO Boxing after Dark series is going through a renaissance after being all but dead in the water. In July, Miguel Berchelt (31-1, 28 KOs) will defend his title against Takashi Muira (31-3-2, 24 KOs) headlining an outstanding triple-header with Joe Smith (23-1, 19 KOs) taking on Sullivan Barrera (19-1, 14 KOs) on the undercard. Afterward, on September 9th Roman Gonzalez (46-1, 38 KOs) will rematch Srisaket Sor Rungvisai (43-4-1, 39 KOs) as part of what is being called the ‘SuperFly’ triple-header card. Fighters like Gonzalez and Berchelt in the lower weight classes may not even be featured on HBO if it were not for the success of the first Boxing after Dark telecast.

On February 03, 1996 the first HBO telecast of Boxing after Dark took place headlined by Barrera and Kennedy McKinney (36-6-1, 19 KOs). It was seen as the biggest test of the young Barrera’s career against a former Olympian and IBF world champion. That night Barrera and McKinney put on a fight that would forever be the bar to which fights on Boxing after Dark are held. In the fight, Barrera was down once in the 11th and McKinney down twice in the eighth, once in the ninth, and twice in the 12th. The fight is an absolute classic with infinite replay value as the standard bearer for great fights in the upcoming era.

Afterward, Barrera would go on to be part of one of the greatest rivalries in the history of the sport and a mid-career renaissance that would change how he would be viewed for the rest of his career.

Rivalry

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In 1996, Barrera fought a total of five times making four successful defenses of his WBO 122-pound championship. The Mexican star was growing in popularity not only in Mexico but California as well as he became a staple at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood. At the end of the year in November, he met Junior Jones (50-6, 28 KOs) and the first defeat of his career. After four rounds, Barrera was up on the judge’s scorecards until he ran into Jones’ lethal right hand. The Mexico City native hit the canvas hard and got up to a barrage of punches from Jones. Barrera’s corner had entered the ring before the referee called the fight off causing the fight to be ruled a disqualification loss for Barrera.

Not one to rest on his laurel’s Barrera went immediately into a rematch with Jones in April 1997. Barrera showed signs and indications of changes he would master in the future almost pulling off the victory in a close fight. The judges, however, scored the fight for Jones by unanimous decision. Barrera spent the rest of 1997 outside of the ring only to return in 1998 four times. He was able to win back his WBO 122-pound title against Richie Wenton (24-6, 10 KOs) in New Jersey by the end of 1998. Now the time was for a fight with the other popular Mexican fighter in his weight class, WBC champion Erik Morales (52-9, 36 KOs).

Going into the first fight with Morales, Barrera was a heavy underdog as Morales was coming off some big victories including a fourth round stoppage over Junior Jones. Many had thought Barrera's best days were behind him. The fight with Morales was personal for Barrera, as the two had exchanged insults in Mexico. The fight was the hardcore boxing fan’s wet dream, and it did not fail to disappoint. The fight took place at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas in February 2000. In the fight, Barrera proved that he was far from done as he engaged in an absolute war with Morales that would end up as the standard for the entire decade. It was a fight that can be shown to people who do not watch boxing to convert them to hardcore fans. Morales ended up winning a narrow split decision that was so disputed that the WBO refused to relinquish the title from Barrera. In a year with fights like De La Hoya-Mosley I and Trinidad-Vargas, Barrera-Morales stood above them all to win fight of the year honors for the year 2000.

The fights between Barrera and Morales were so good that the term Barrera-Morales has become part of the boxing lexicon as a term for a great back and forth fight between two Mexican fighters. The two men would go on to have two more fights in 2002 and 2004 with the third match-winning fight of the year honors. The Barrera-Morales fights interweaved a mid-career renaissance for Barrera. In his fights in between facing Morales, Barrera would utilize more of a boxing style with an elite jab. During this time Barrera was ranked consistently in the top five of the pound for pound rankings. He was able to show that while comparisons to Julio Cesar Chavez (107-6-2, 86 KOs) were valid that other comparison’s to Mexican greats such as Salvador Sanchez (44-1-1, 32 KOs) were also warranted.

The Barrera-Morales rivalry is one of the greatest in the history in the sport. They not only produced unbelievably violent fights but also had a level of hatred and animosity that brought it to another level. As significant and historic as the Barrera-Morales fights and rivalry were, the fights are arguably not the most important of Barrera’s career. That night belongs to April 7, 2001, where Barrera had his most historic performance.

Historic Nights

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After the first fight with Morales, the detractors and those who had written Barrera off disappeared. The Morales fight was the catalyst although not in the actual fight itself for a change to a more technical style for Barrera. It was all put together as a prelude for all to see in late 2000 against Jesus Salud (63-13, 38 KOs). After Salud, Barrera was ready to put on the best performance of his career.

In 2001, the landscape of boxing was unique. It was filled with punchers like Felix Trinidad (42-3, 35 KOs) and boxing savants like Floyd Mayweather. Undoubtedly, the fighter with the most charisma was Naseem Hamed (36-1, 31 KOS). At the time Hamed was thought of as the biggest puncher in the sport with victories over Kevin Kelly (60-10-2, 39 KOs) and Vuyani Bungu (39-5, 19 KOs). The man known as ‘The Prince’ made 15 defenses of his WBO featherweight championship. He also unified the WBC and IBF titles along the way only to vacate them both keeping the WBO title. Needless to say, Hamed was a heavy favorite going into the fight against Barrera.

For those boxing fans who are either too young or didn’t follow the sport closely in 2001, Barrera’s performance against Hamed can only be rivaled by Marcos Maidana’s (35-5, 31 KOs) win against Adrien Broner (33-2, 24 KOs) in December 2013. Barrera not only beat Hamed on that night but also embarrassed and humiliated him. The victory will go into the annals of boxing history as one of the most satisfying wins for any fighter. Although Hamed was a popular fighter with many fans, he also had plenty of detractors because of his pension to trash talk with a sense of confidence that came off arrogant.

In the final round of the fight, Barrera slammed Hamed’s head into the ring corner causing him to lose a point, but Barrera’s point had been made. The Mexican champion won a unanimous decision victory and earned his place in boxing history for providing a historic night in the sport.

Many point to the 1980’s as a golden age in boxing referencing the famous ‘Fab Four of Roberto Duran, Sugar Ray Leonard, Thomas Hearns, and Marvin Hagler. The 2000’s had it’s own ‘Fab Four’ with Juan Manuel Marquez, Manny Pacquiao, Erik Morales, and Barrera. All four gave fans great fights and for Barrera to be the first of the four in the Hall of Fame is appropriate. The man known as the ‘Baby Faced Assassin’ will be remembered for the bravery he showed inside the ring, the intelligence to adapt his style, and the great nights of boxing that fans will never forget. Boxers like Barrera are a rare breed, and we may not see many like him in the future.

(Feature Photo: HBO Boxing)

#HF #Marco Antonio Barrera #Hall of Fame #Erik Morales #JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ #Juan Manuel Marquez #Manny Pacquiao

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frontproofmedia · 7 years

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A Rare Breed: Marco Antonio Barrera

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By Hector Franco

Published: June 23, 2017

HBO Boxing After Dark

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Rivalry

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Historic Nights

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(Feature Photo: HBO Boxing)

#HF #Marco Antonio Barrera #Hall of Fame #Erik Morales #JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ #Juan Manuel Marquez #Manny Pacquiao

0 notes