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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2003)
lune 18. 2003 ®hc Jlortlanb (Bbseruer Page B3 Focus P. Diddy Pleads for Drug Law Changes Supporters say Rockefeller-era legislature is too harsh 1 You can't really even fathom the S e a n “P. Diddy" C om bs a d d r e s s e s th e m ed ia during a n e w s c o n fe re n c e h e ld to call for th e rep ea l o f th e s ta te s Rockefeller-Era drug law s, la s t w eek in N ew York. The law s, p a s s e d in 1 9 7 3 a n d 1 9 7 4 during then-Gov. N elso n R o ckefeller's adm inistration, can s u b je c t first-tim e o ffe n d e r s to 1 5 y e a rs to life in prison if co n vic ted o f selling a s little a s 2 o u n c e s, or p o s s e s s in g a s little a s 4 o u n c e s, o f a con trolled su b s ta n c e . (AP Photo) amount o f damage this is doing to somebody’s family - somebody’s mother, somebody’s father, somebody’s child. - Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, speaking out against New York drug laws he feels are outdated (A P)— S ean“P. Diddy” Combs som ebody’s child,” Combs said joined fellow rap impresario Russell W ednesday. “Lives are changed Simmons and former U.S. housing by this law, that if it’s not happen secretary Andrew Cuomo in cal ling ing to you or to one o f your family for the repeal o f New Y ork’s strict members you may not really feel the R ockefeller drug laws. effect o f it.” “If you’re not affected by this The R ockefeller law s, passed law you can ’t really even fathom in the 1970s, can subject first- the amount o f damage this is doing tim e o ffenders to 15 years to life to somebody’s fami ly - somebody ’ s in prison ifconvicted o f selling as m o th e r, s o m e b o d y ’s fa th e r, little as 2 ounces or possessing as little as 4 ounces o f a co n tro lled substance. There is a broad consensus that the laws are too harsh, but Gov. George Pataki and the state Legis lature ha ve been unable to agree on how to reform or repeal them. Joining Simmons, Combs and Cuomo at a news conference at a midtown hotel were the Mothers o f the New York Disappeared, repre senting family m em bers o f people incarcerated under the Rockefeller laws. Rap Stars and R&B Legends Join ‘Hollywood Homicide9 Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett jo in rap sensations M aster P and Kurupt, as well as R&B veterans Gladys Knight and Smokey Robinson, in the fast-paced ac tion-comedy Hollywood Homicide. The film which open in local theaters Friday pro vides a rare inside look at the professional and personal lives o f Los Angeles Police Department detectives Joe Gavilan (Ford) and K.C. Calden (Hartnett), who turn LAPD upside-down with laughter. M a s te r P sta rs in th e film ‘Holly w ood H o m icid e’ which a lso fea tu re R&8 le g e n d s Gladys Knight a n d Sm okey R obinson. Lee tells Viacom to ‘Do the Right Thing’ Gavilan is a wearied but tenacious police veteran at the top ofhis game professionally, though his personal life is rapidly unraveling. K.C. moonlights as a yoga teacher and aspiring actor and is constantly getting in the way o f their investigation into a high-profile gang land-style murder. Kurupt’sm otherisplayedby R&B legendGladys Knight. Master P plays club ow ner Julius Armas, a man who D uring the film s final scenes, a w ild pursuit takes pride in being a successful businessman and ensues as G avilan and C alden close in on the entrepreneur, but suddenly finds him self thrust into suspect. W hen G avilan desperately needs a car, the middle o f an intense police investigation after four he com m andeers a taxi and takes it kicking and rappers are violently murdered in his nightclub. Rap sensation Kurupt plays K-RO, a young rap- songwriter who witnessed the gangland-style m ur scream ing from the cab driver, played by R&B veteran Sm okey R obinson. The m usic in the film also offers m ixed selec ders, but he is fearful about pointing the finger. He is tions o f today and yesterday w ith cu ttin g edge convinced the man behind the murders is Antoine hip-hop, as well as som e classic oldies. The mix Sartain (Isaiah W ashington) a dangerous record com adds to a w ild, but, ultim ately, satisfying m o v ie pany executive, whose version o f tough love is death. going experience. Buck Braden 's “Zu Zu Mamou ” depicts the human side o f the Big Easy. The ladies or “flow ers “ are incorporated with the New Orleans architecture, sights and sounds. The painting goes on display from June 26 to July 27 at the Talisman Gallery an artist owned cooperative at 1476 N.E. Alberta. F ilm m a ker S p ik e L e e h a s s u e d m e d ia g ia n t V iacom o v e r its p la n s to r e n a m e th e TNN c a b le c h a n n e l S p ik e TV. In th e s u i t file d Tuesday, L e e - b orn S h e lto n J a c k s o n L e e - c la im s S p ik e TV re fe rs to h is n a m e . V iacom d e n ie s th e a c c u sa tio n . if ev en b rig h t th in g s g e t you d o w n . PIZZA AGO GO We Deliver! A go going to North Portland, Swan Island, The Pearl, NW, and Downtown... When you want it HOT 4 You gotta have it NOW! Jackson ‘Thrilled’ Lawsuit Settled (AP) — A $12 million lawsuit against Michael Jackson by former financial advisers that could have revealed details o fh is finances has been settled. “It just got to a point where we agreed on what we needed to do,” Jackson attorney Zia M odabber said, adding that the singer “was thrilled.” Union Investment Corp, o f South Korea and its financial adviser, M yung-Ho Lee, claimed Jackson owed them $12 million in unpaid fees and expenses for their efforts to put his financial affairs in order. The agreement came as the j udge w as to ru le on a re q u e s t by Jackson’s lawyer to dismiss the suit on grounds that Lee was not properly licensed to give invest ment advice in California. Court TV was asking to televise the trial, which could have meant a public airing ofrecords o f Jackson's closely guarded finances. The suit claim ed that Jackson, who am assed a half-bi 11ion-dol lar join o u r M ichael Ja ckso n h o ld s u p an honorary d iplom a g iven to him b y R o o se v e lt High S ch o o l adm inistra tors in Gary, Ind., la s t W ednesday. J a ckso n retu rn ed to th e city o fh is h o m eto w n for th e first tim e in d e c a d e s a n d w as a lso p r e s e n te d with a k e y to th e city. (AP ph o to ) fortune as the “K ing o f Pop” over the past 20 years, is saddled w ith debt and teetering near b an k ruptcy. Jackson, mean whi le, was in Gary, Ind., for cerem onies honoring him in his hometown, which he had not visited for decades. Thousands o f fans lined the streets to watch his dozen-vehicle motorcade go by. Jackson, 44, was 9 when his family left the city. Stops included City Hall, where the mayor gave Jackson a key to the city, the neighborhood w here he grew up and a high school where Jackson was awarded an honorary diploma. Luther Vandross Leaves Intensive Care (AP) — Luther Vandross has been moved out o f intensive care and upgraded to stable condition, his business manager said Thurs day. Vandross “ is more and more re sp o n siv e each d a y ,” C arm en Romano said in a statement. “ I feel as though I am watching a modem day miracle.” The 52-year-old R&B singer re mains hospitalized at Cornell-Weill Medical Center. He had been in critical conditionsincehis April 16 stroke, at one point contracting pneumonia and needing a trache Luther otom y to help him breathe. Vandross However, family and friends told The Associated Press last week that Vandross was beginning to mouth words and had started light therapy. He also no longer needs a comes two days after the release o f respirator to breathe. his new album, “Dance With My His move out o f intensive care Father." 503*335 S ? 4 0 N. 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