Artist Rights
June 05, 2002
Al Sharpton and Johnny Cochran Are Calling for What from Who?

In what at first appeared to be an annoucement straight out of left field, it turns out that Al Sharpton and artists rights have a lot more in common than first meets the eye, via Sharpton's National Action Network.

Check out this little ditty from Billboard (registration required so I have cut and pasted it from an email sent to me):
Sharpton To Call For Changes In Music Biz.

Sharpton To Call For Changes In Music Biz

Billboard Bulletin:

June 05, 2002,

Cochran, Sharpton To Call For Changes In Music Biz

Seeking to end what they call the "subservient way" major record labels treat recording artists, lawyer Johnnie Cochran and the Rev. Al Sharpton will today hold a news conference in L.A. in which they plan to propose "radical changes" for the music industry.

Operating as the legal arm of Sharpton's New York-based National Action Network civil-rights organization, Cochran is seeking meetings with the majors to "try and get a sense how [artist] relationships and contracts are evolved," according to a spokesperson. Changes they plan to propose include a system that would emulate the free-agency market that exists in professional sports; presumably this would give artists greater opportunities to shop their services to the highest bidder.

The RIAA did not return calls for comment. -- Erik Gruenwedel, L.A.

Posted by Lisa at June 05, 2002 09:14 AM | TrackBack
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Comments

I need assistance in finding a lawyer that works with tramtic brain injury, my son was injured in a cab accident. I have filed a claim but never settled the case. We live in Detroit Mi. Please help us.

Posted by: Corla Carthen on October 23, 2003 03:24 PM

My son was involved in a cab auto accident we have filed a claim and never settled the case.

Posted by: Corla Carthen on October 23, 2003 03:25 PM

I was recently fired from a job that is know to hire ex-felons. I failed to listed a misdemnor charge of battery on my application, plus a case of agg battery, domestic battery which was nolle poss and I only worked there for about 23 days but I quit a job where i had worked for a year plus past up a opportunity to goto E.m.t class my previos job was offering plus i drop out of college for this job. I really thought that I had this job and was let go and left jobless and hungry. What can i do about this situation because I looked up some information where it seem this company has violated the law.

Posted by: tasha wilkins on October 26, 2003 03:50 PM

I was recently fired from a job that is know to hire ex-felons. I failed to listed a misdemnor charge of battery on my application, plus a case of agg battery, domestic battery which was nolle poss and I only worked there for about 23 days but I quit a job where i had worked for a year plus past up a opportunity to go to E.m.t class my previos job was offering plus i drop out of college for this job. I really thought that I had this job and was let go and left jobless and hungry. What can i do about this situation because I looked up some information where it seem this company has violated the law.

Posted by: tasha wilkins on October 26, 2003 03:51 PM

I need to contact Johnny Cochran via e-mail or phone.

Posted by: Helen Swain on January 6, 2004 02:21 PM

Mr. Cochran,

I am trying to contact you on behalf of my family. Please call or email me, it is very important that I talk to you or someone who represents you.

Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
Helen Swain

Posted by: Helen Swain on January 15, 2004 01:34 PM

My wife and I have been descriminated against by an potitial employer. We took a test and the results to the tests have no paper trail just like the new voting machines that are going to be used in 2004 election. lets get bussy and bring the issue out now. befor its too late.

Posted by: Darryl Harris on March 31, 2004 05:44 PM

Dear Mr. Cochran,
I am in desperate need of your help. I have lost my savings with "good old boy" attorneys and don't know what else to do. My rights have been violated and I am fighting to remain in my workforce. Can you help me?

Posted by: S. R. B. on April 21, 2004 07:54 AM

Dear Mr. Cochran,
I am in desperate need of your help. I have lost my savings with "good old boy" attorneys and don't know what else to do. My rights have been violated and I am fighting to remain in my workforce. Can you help me?

Posted by: Sabrina Betts on April 21, 2004 07:56 AM

Dear Mr. Cochran,
I am in desperate need of your help. I have lost my savings with "good old boy" attorneys and don't know what else to do. My rights have been violated and I am fighting to remain in my workforce. Can you help me?

Posted by: Sabrina Betts on April 21, 2004 07:56 AM

I would like to contact Mr. Cochran for a class action Medical Malpractice suit. This suit involves doctors addicting a patient on legal narcotics and keeping him on them for at least four years. The narcotics are codiene, temazapam, diazapam, zoloft and effexor, to name just a few. All without trying to find the root of the problem. Each time the patient complained, they just prescribed more drugs. One drug had the patient losing 5-19 lbs per week. Can you hepl me?

Posted by: Auhna Gray on May 8, 2004 01:26 PM


Dear Mr. Cochran

In today’s society, it not uncommon to read in the head lines of papers, or see on the nightly news, stories about young black men committing crimes, or killing each other or themselves with violence and drugs. But what I have failed to see are the stories about the young men that over come this stereotype and make it beyond what most expect of them. As I write this, my mind is confused at the way the system works for some, and turns a blind eye to others. I write this asking for help from those who see injustice and the unfair actions against people who don’t deserve it. If you can just take the time to read this and find it in your heart to lend a helping hand in some way, you would truly be saving a life.

Terrell Towns, a 22 yo. New Rochelle, New York Man is being faced with charges of Attempted Sexual acts on an 18 yo. Man. If convicted he will serve time as well as having convicted sex offender attached to his name for the rest of his life. This is why I am Writing. Just under two years ago, Mr. Towns was a 20 yo. Man addicted to Drugs. Yes, he was the image of that stereotype we see everyday on the news. Yet in august of 2002 Mr. Towns went into a drug rehab program. He realized, at 20 he still had a chance to live up to his potential. I’m so happy to say that he made it through. Off drugs and never looking back, Mr. Towns began doing things to better him self. He has a great talent in cooking; therefore he began Monroe College in January of 2003 Majoring in Culinary arts. Mr. Town was an A student who worked very hard in all his classes, made it to school daily and Placed school as His number one priority in his life. He was to Graduate with an associate’s degree in culinary arts in June of 2004, and planned to start working on his Bachelors degree in Accounting. In summer of 2003 he began
Working and he was able to begin looking forward to moving on his own and to continuing to better his life.

All of that was taken away in April of 2004, when a young man accused Mr. Town of Attempted sexual assault. Mr. Towns spent 2 weeks in Jail and his family was forced to put up money to get him released. Missed days at work forced him to lose his job and stop his schooling one-month before graduating. Mr. Towns has gone from living a year filled with responsibilities of going to school, staying an A student and working a good job. To staying at home feeling hopeless and feeling like there is nothing he can do to get the life he built for himself back. It was not helpful that the information was printed in the paper, leaving this open for everyone to read and damage his name and reputation.

When I first learned of this Situation I was appalled. I was troubled at the fact that someone accusations, unproven can affect and ruin someone’s life in such a way. Should a situation not be thoroughly looked at before something like this could take place. Because of his past Mr. Towns was serving a probation term, which he was recently released from due to his impressive change and attitude towards life. As far as the people who know him, we can all say first off that we can never believe those charges to be true, ever. Taking a closer look and his relationship with the Accusers family, The Scenario seems all to simple, and if this is all it takes to ruin ones name and life, Then why should anyone work for anything in life. If someone spends years to build a business and they do better then their competitors, is it possible for that competer to accuse this person of a crime and get their way? It seems to me now that they can.

What we have here is the story of young men that spend time with each other for years. Slacker among Slacker, The living stereotype of the young black male. One decides to make something of him self, succeeds at it and that just does not sit well with the other young man. They call him over with a story about needing a car jump, when he arrives believing he is among friends, he is arrested and in the blink of an eye, having his life ripped from under him. Is that really all it takes? I guess we should all pray no one in life ever becomes Vindictive towards us for doing good for our selves, they might just be able to have it all taken from us, Just as Mr. Towns has.

I can almost bet, As sure as they cared to place a story in the paper or on the news about A young black man making a better life for himself and beating the odds, They’d just love it much more to have his name and face placed on the page with a story that would take that all away.

Mr. Towns is in need of help. Someone who can help his case. Someone who can clear his name. Someone who can help the law see that sex crimes are serious, very serious. Yet to serious for just anyone to be able say it happen to them and have whoever they want put away. If the situation is looked at clearer I’m sure we would all see there is no case. Please, lets try to help one Young man get his life back. Life is easy for no one, why make it so much harder for someone who is tried so hard and bet the odds.

Thank You
Lyric

Posted by: Lyric Coverdale on May 23, 2004 02:24 PM

Actually, My comment has nothing to do withis article-I live in Richmond CA and I was informed while working at the USDA that the Federal Government sprays chemicals over the people of Richmond in an attempt to correct the Ozon layer problem we are having. These chemicals are known to cause birth defects in children born and carried in Richmond, CA- I need someone like Johnny Cochran to represent the people of Richmond because we have no power. I'm aware that there have been several chemical spills in Richmond, But I watch planes everyday spray chemicals in the air leaving a long line of fumes creating a toxic enviroment for the people of Richmond. And they wonder why people of Richmond are going crazy.

Posted by: Resa Mackey on May 24, 2004 04:40 PM

Short version: While receiving surgery for and recovering from prostate cancer, on a verified medical leave of absence, I was administratively accused of abandoning my job as an Employment Program Representative and given an awol separation, ending my 14 year career with the State of California. This leave period is legally covered under the Family Medical Leave Act, and I should not have been separated. I am looking for an attorney to litigate.

Irony: At the time of the treatment, recovery, and separation, I was employed by the Employment Development Department (EDD). EDD is the CA State agency entrusted with enforcing various labor laws throughout the State of California, including the California Family Rights Act (CFRA), California’s version of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). It must be noted that the CFRA incorporates all parts of the FMLA and in the event of any discrepancies between the Federal and State laws, the document which is most advantageous to the entitled is the rule which shall be applied. The Employment Development Department violated my rights under the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 29, Chapter V, Part 825, Subpart B
(29 CFR 825.208).

Tragedy: Although my prostate cancer was diagnosed at an early stage, and I was able to receive prompt (and hopefully) successful treatment, I no longer have medical/dental/vision coverage. For 5 months EDD has not processed my request for COBRA coverage. In addition, my girlfriend had been misdiagnosed and treated for narcolepsy for approximately 15 years. Her new and proper diagnosis is Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and she had to take a disability retirement from the CA State Department of Fish and Game (DFG) early this year. We didn’t believe her retirement would be a problem financially, but we didn’t anticipate my job loss. At 54, I must attempt to find employment or other replacement for our incomes, in order for us to keep our home and our lives. Oh yes, my followup medical examinations (including blood tests) to monitor the success of the prostate cancer treatment have not been able to be performed.

Conclusion of Short version: While on leave for cancer treatment and recovery, the CA State EDD illegally removed me from my position. Everyone with whom I have shared these facts says, “That doesn’t sound right. What are you going to do?” I then explain that because it is the State of California Employment Development Department, there is no one to hold them accountable. I need to resolve this matter as soon as possible, because I need to return to work. My other alternative is litigation, which takes time, money, and good representation, all limited resources for us at this time. The one question that I have not addressed is, “Why did EDD choose to engage in this kind of behavior toward me?” The short answer is “to whom is EDD accountable?” The full answer to that question involves the long version, which I am furnishing upon request.

Is there anything that you will do to help me right this horrific wrong and make the CA State Employment Development Department accountable for their illegal actions? Did I mention that I am a 54 year old African American male and that there appears to be class action violation? Federal case law appears to be in my favor, allowing similar complainants to hold agencies/organizations liable, as well as, each and every supervisor restricting access to the entitlement individually liable.

Posted by: Stephen A Williams on September 11, 2004 09:37 AM

I have been violated severely. I own a daycare center in monroe, la. The feds came in and took all records. I have been threatened to be indicted beginning March 11, 2004. Although nothing has happened so for, the state refuses to pay me but at the same time, I still have a license to operate. Basically everyone has either shunned me or ignored my calls for help. I have lost everything I own. House, vehicles....everything. I do have faith in God and that's why I am writing. I hope this letter touches someone's heart to respond to a desperate cry of help in Jesus name..........Thank you, Monica D. Tatum-McWilliams

Posted by: monica delain tatum-mcwilliams on September 20, 2004 08:16 PM
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