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VIDEO: Newly Digitized Footage of MLK Assassin James Earl Ray

Thursday was the 45th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The civil rights icon was shot April 4 1968 while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.

The Shelby County Register's office has released newly digitized footage of Ray's arrest and trial of Ray. This includes footage of Ray being given his Miranda rights on an airplane after his arrest in London in July 1968. Ray is seen in the checkered shirt.

Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

"The personnel using the equipment were learning how to operate this technology as they recorded," said the Shelby County Register in a statement. "As a result, the footage is not always as clear as we are accustomed to seeing today. ... Audio portions are not always clear."

James Earl Ray pleaded guilty to the murder of Dr. King in 1969 and was sentenced to 99 years in prison. He died in 1997 at the age of 80. Watch the video AFTER THE JUMP ...

Former Officer Sentenced to 2 Yrs for Duanna Johnson Beating, Taxes

The former Memphis police officer captured on video surveillance beating a transgender woman in 2008 has been sentenced to two years in prison and two years probation for the assault and for tax evasion, reports the Commercial Appeal.

In August 2010, former Memphis Police Department Officer Bridges McRae plead guilty to violating the civil rights of Duanna Johnson. McRae also plead guilty to evading taxes between 2004 and 2008. McRae agreed to a two-year prison sentence.

Duanna Johnson was later killed in an unsolved shooting.

The 2008 beating happened while McRae was booking Johnson into the Shelby County Jail. Despite graphic surveillance video of McRae beating Johnson and the testimony of fellow police officers, McRae's April 2010 trial ended in a mistrial. The vote was 11-1 for guilty. McRae was facing up to ten years at retrial before his plea deal.

The altercation began after Johnson became upset because McRae repeatedly called her "Dwayne" and refused to call her "Duanna." Fellow officers testified, and the tape showed, McRae wrapping his handcuffs around his fist, repeatedly punching Johnson in the head and then using his pepper spray. "I love to fight," McRae boasted to officers.

Meanwhile: Civil suits are pending against the Memphis Police Department, the City of Memphis and Shelby County. And Duanna Johnson's killer or killers remain on the loose.

R20's complete coverage HERE.

Memphis LGBT Anti-Discrimination Ordinance Fails to Pass By 1 Vote

For the second time this year, the Memphis City Council failed to pass anti-discrimination protections based on sexual orientation for municipal employees. At last Tuesday's meeting, the measure "failed to gain the seven votes needed for approval" on the council's consent agenda and is likely dead until next summer. The measure failed by only one vote, reports the Commercial Appeal.

"If the minutes from Tuesday's vote are approved at the next council meeting, council rules prohibit the ordinance—or one that is substantially similar—from being heard for six months. Even though the ordinance failed, a study of discrimination in city government, including sexual orientation, will continue. 'It's not dead,' said Councilman Shea Flinn, who sponsored the ordinance and resolution. 'We're still conducting the study and after six months, it will be back up for grabs.'

"Flinn, Janis Fullilove, Edmund Ford Jr., Jim Strickland, Wanda Halbert and Myron Lowery voted to approve the ordinance on second reading. Council members Bill Boyd, Reid Hedgepeth and and Kemp Conrad voted against approval. Council members Joe Brown, Harold Collins and Bill Morrison did not vote. Councilwoman Barbara Swearengen Ware has been suspended from her seat after her felony indictment on a charge of official misconduct."

The measure was re-introduced in late October. In August, a similar ordinance sponsored by City Council Member Janis Fullilove was withdrawn due to a lack of support from the council and Mayor A. C. Wharton, who previously had publicly supported the bill. Fullilove received at least four death threats in July after sponsoring the bill. Someone also threw a dead cat on her front lawn.

Memphis becomes the third city in recent weeks to reject a non-discrimination ordinance. In October, the city councils of South Bend, Indiana and Omaha, Nebraska both rejected broader LGBT non-discrimination ordinances by 3-3 votes. Incidentally, the South Bend and Omaha ordinances, just like the Memphis bill, were introduced by Black council members. On the positive side, last week voters in Bowling Green, Ohio upheld two ordinances that protected LGBT residents.

Memphis' ordinance failed to move forward by only 1 vote. That's progress over last summer. The bigots are losing, slowly but surely.

NEWS: Mehcad Brooks, Kanye West, Memphis, Iraq, R.I.P. Pontiac

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For the second time this year, the Memphis City Council will debate anti-discrimination protections for gay and lesbian municipal employees. In July, Councilwoman Janis Fullilove received four death threats after sponsoring the proposal. The bill was later withdrawn due to non-support.

MTV's Jersey Shore mocks trans women.

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Dallas County, TX ballot includes two gay men and one Black lesbian—Tonya Parker, candidate for judge.

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After 84 years, GM's once iconic Pontiac brand will "endure a lonely death on Sunday after about 40 million in sales. Its biggest triumph was the GTO ... in violation of a G.M. policy dictating the maximum size of a car’s engine. The GTO was a hit, and the age of the muscle car had begun. For most of the 1960s, Pontiac ranked third in sales behind Chevy and Ford — a position now held by Toyota. But in the decades since, Pontiac’s edge and high-powered image wore off. By early 2009, Pontiac had fallen to 12th place in the United States market, and its top-selling model was the G6, a sedan commonly found on car-rental lots."

Autopsy Reports Slain Chattanooga AME Pastor Stabbed 18 Times

More on the tragic story of Rev. David Strong, the prominent Chattanooga pastor who was tortured and killed last week. Police have arrested a 25-year-old man with a history of mental problems and his 16-year-old cousin. Detectives believe Strong refused to reveal the PIN for his debit card during a routine robbery. Chattanooga Police Department detectives also tell the media the reverend was possibly "gay" and there could have been "motivating factors."

An autopsy report has been released that shows the pastor's death was extremely violent, reports The Chattanoogan and The Times Free Press.

The Rev. David Strong’s killer stabbed his torso 18 times and lacerated his head four times during a violent homicide last week, according to a medical examiner’s report released Wednesday. ... Diagrams show his neck was punctured seven times. Police say Antonio Henry, 25, and his 16-year-old cousin, Brendan Barnes, used a vase, a stick and a knife to beat Strong’s head and stab his throat. Lt. Kirk Eidson, head of the Chattanooga Police Department’s major crimes division, said dozens of superficial stab wounds indicate a long struggle.

Two days ago, Lt. Kirk Eidson told reporters, "The possibility existed that Rev. Strong was gay. We’re exploring that. We are currently investigating as to any type of motivating factor of that nature. ... Even if that would be the case, they planned a robbery, and they still killed him."

Police have not released any more details on Strong's sexuality or the "motivating factors" ...

Antonio Henry was an "acquainatance" of the slain pastor and Strong was "mentoring" him, members of St. Paul AME Church tell The Chattanoogan. Henry and Barnes each are charged with felony murder and aggravated robbery. Henry remains behind bars on $350,000 bond. Authorities soon will determine whether to try Barnes as an adult.

Rev. David Strong had pastored the St. Paul AME Church for a decade and had a long history in Tennessee and Kentucky with the AME Church. The 2.5 million-member African Methodist Episcopal Church is the world's oldest and largest predominately Black denomination. The AME Church has opposed openly gay clergy, same sex unions and marriage equality.

WATCH: Former Officer Pleads Guilty in Duanna Johnson Beating

Only weeks before his retrial was scheduled to begin, former Memphis police officer Bridges McRae has plead guilty to violating the civil rights of transgender woman Duanna Johnson. McRae agreed to a two-year prison sentence.  Johnson was later killed in an unsolved shooting

The 2008 beating happened while McRae was booking Johnson into the Shelby County Jail. Despite graphic surveillance video of McRae beating Johnson and the testimony of fellow police officers, McRae's April 2010 trial ended in a mistrial. The vote was 11-1 for guilty. McRae was facing up to ten years and a retrial was scheduled for September.

The altercation began after Johnson became upset because McRae called her "Dwayne" and refused to call her Duanna. Fellow officers testified, and the tape showed, McRae wrapping his handcuffs around his fist, repeatedly punching Johnson in the head and then using his pepper spray. "I love to fight," McRae boasted to officers.

McRae's attorney says the 2-year sentence is "reasonable". Meanwhile: Civil suits are pending against the Memphis Police Department, the City of Memphis and Shelby County. And Duanna Johnson's killer remains on the loose. Watch it  WHEN YOU JUMP ...

Memphis Proposed LGBT Anti-Bias Ordinance Withdrawn

There is a disappointing update to the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Ordinance in Memphis. City Council Member Janis Fullilove has withdrawn the proposal that would have protected LGBT municipal employees due to lack of support, reports WREG and the Commercial Appeal.

The Tennessee Equality Project and Fullilove said it was clear the ordinance, which was scheduled for the second of three readings this afternoon, lacked support from the 13-member council and Wharton’s administration, which said two weeks ago that it favors a more general ordinance approved by the Shelby County Commission earlier this year. Fullilove said she was disappointed that she had to withdraw the legislation. "We’ve been working on that for three years now and we have some closed-minded people on the council," said Fullilove. "They felt like if we could get Mayor [Art] Wharton to support it, we could get some of these other council members to support it."

Several proposed anti-discrimination bills have languished in Memphis and Shelby County in recent years. A countywide, non-discrimination ordinance was introduced by the Shelby County Commission earlier this year ... but the version eventually passed "didn't mention gays or any other protected group."

And yet another reason why we need a national Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

Councilwoman Janis Fullilove received at least four death threats in July after sponsoring the bill. Watch a news report AFTER THE JUMP ...

Death Threats for Memphis Councilwoman After Sponsoring LGBT Anti-Discrimination Ordinance

Memphis City Councilwoman Janis Fullilove has received at least four death threats after sponsoring an LGBT non-discrimination bill to cover municipal employees. Someone also threw a dead cat on her front lawn, reports WREG.

''Police think the threats are serious enough have increased patrols around her home to keep her safe. All four calls came Tuesday and each call mentioned the proposed employee non-discrimination ordinance. Someone also threw a dead cat on her lawn. Each phone call mentioned her support for banning discrimination against gays in city government. Distraught, Fullilove reached out to Jonathan Cole with the Tennessee Equality Project. 'She essentially said that they were threatening to kill her,' said Cole, who thinks the death threats are just another example of intolerance in Memphis. 'It's scary and our city needs to stand up to this kind of ugliness.' Police are keeping a close eye on Fullilove and her family. She's asked her telephone provider to track the calls.

The councilmember says the death threats will not sway her support and demonstrate why the bill is needed for LGBT employees. The measure is scheduled for an August 10 vote.

According to her bio, Commissioner Fulliove was a high school student civil rights activist in the 1960s, participated in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's sanitation marches and was once shot by police officers. Fullilove—love that name, right?—is keeping the dream alive.

Several proposed anti-discrimination bills have languished in Memphis and Shelby County in recent years. A countywide, non-discrimination ordinance was introduced by the Shelby County Commission earlier this year ... but the version eventually passed "didn't mention gays or any other protected group,' reports the Commercial Appeal.

Send your support to Janis.Fullilove@memphistn.gov.

Watch a news report WHEN YOU JUMP ...

WATCH: Memphis Police Respond to Gay Domestic Violence Call

On a recent episode of Police Women of Memphis on TLC, officers respond to a domestic violence call that involved a gay male couple. Officer Joy Jefferson said it was ""worst crime scene" that she'd seen in some time. Said the officer: "The windows were broken out, blood was splattered on the walls ... it was a really terrible scene."

"He came in here and attacked me with a knife. Acting crazy, poking me with a knife, telling me to get up" explained the suspect's boyfriend, identified as Thomas. "He stuck the knife up to me ... and threatened to kill me."

Officer Jefferson offered some good advice. "You have a lot of cleaning up to do, but you can start anew. Clean up this no-good man in your life, clean up your space, and you start over, okay? Five years is enough."

Thomas' partner was seen taken into custody and was eventually convicted of aggravated assault.

About  one quarter of all LGBT relationships include abuse, reports ShowMeLoveDC. LGBT youth are at much higher risk of dating and domestic violence than their straight peers. Via Advocate.com, watch the segment WHEN YOU JUMP ...

FedEx to Deliver Same-Sex Partner Health Care Insurance Benefits

The largest private employer in Memphis will now offer health care benefits to same-sex domestic partners, reports The Commercial Appeal.

"FedEx will offer health insurance benefits for same-sex domestic partners starting Jan. 1, 2012. The shipping giant, which already offers the benefits in California and to FedEx Office employees, said the change comes at the request of employees. 'Employees have been asking for the benefit,' said spokeswoman Sandra Munoz. It won't go into effect sooner because FedEx needs time to rebuild benefits that were cut as part of a belt-tightening to help weather the recession, Munoz added. Munoz said details will be worked out before employees get the option of choosing the benefit during health insurance enrollment in the fall of 2011. The benefit will not apply to heterosexual domestic partners"

Adds FOX13: "A company spokeswoman said it will take time for FedEx to add the benefit to a package that was cut to deal with the recession. It will be extended to all 225,000 domestic employees. Here in Memphis, that means about 30,000 people."

Will Batts, the executive director of the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center, adds that the benefits would only make Memphis competitive with better-educated employees."'One of the things we've learned about cities is that the more diverse they are the more they attract creative people, the more they attract people that are innovative and motivated to improve their communities,' said Batts. A creative class would only help to move Memphis to another level, he added."