St. LouiS AmericAnCOMPLIMENTARY

CAC AuditedSEPTEMBER 3 – 9, 2015

stlamerican.comVol. 86 No. 22

The

Salute to an educator and a counselor

Page A3

Almaz Staggs, Sonya Smith honored at Sept. 25 gala

Jamyla mourned by family, community

See JAMYLA, A6

See ATTORNEYS, A7

By American staff

In the first three years of The St. Louis

American’s Newspaper In Education (NIE) pro-gram, The American has won national first place honors from the National Newspaper Association, the largest newspaper association in the country, with more than 2,200 member newspapers.

It was recently announced that the program received an international Silver World Young Reader Prize from the World Association of Newspapers, the largest newspaper association in the world.

American launches 4th year of NIEAdds more elementary schools and partners

By Mariah StewartFerguson Fellow

Walking into the church sanctuary, Natasha Kelly grabbed her eight-year-old’s hand. “You okay?” Kelly asked.

Her daughter hesitantly nodded yes. “You sure?” Kelly persisted. “If you need

to leave at any time, let me know.” Her daughter, Akeelah Kelly, leaned her

head onto her mother’s arm, embracing a comforting side hug.

Akeelah, dressed in pink, squeezed her mother’s hand tighter as she walked into the

‘Jamyla may not be here, but she still speaks,’ says Pastor Gregory Bowers

See NIE, A6

See MANSUR, A7

By Chris KingOf The St. Louis American

The attorneys for the family of Mansur Ball-Bey have retained Dr. Cyril Wecht to review medical evidence on this case. They said they are presently waiting for Dr. Michael A. Graham, the City of St. Louis’ chief medical examiner, to complete his report so they can have Dr. Wecht review it.

They will also ask Dr. Wecht to review the injured part of the youth’s spinal cord, “which they still have at the medical examiner’s office,” said Jerome Wooten, who represents the Ball-Bey family along with Jerryl Christmas.

Attorneys seek second medical opinionMansur Ball-Bey

advocates question

city medical

examiner’s statements

Photo by Wiley Price

By Umar LeeFor The St. Louis American

The funeral of Mansur Ball-Bey was a colorful, ecumenical and passionate affair. Mourners packed Christ Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in North St. Louis to view the open casket.

The 18-year-old youth was shot dead on August 19 by St. Louis police under still

mysterious circumstances. Police claim he fled a drug house being served a warrant and flashed a gun, but attorneys for the family have witnesses who say he was not in the house and was not armed.

Ball-Bey, a graduate of McCluer South-Berkeley in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, had no criminal record. At the time

Homegoing for Mansur inspires cries for justice‘We are taking this matter very serious,’ says Moorish elder

sanctuary and saw the small, white coffin sitting in front of the pulpit, surrounded by pink floral arrangements.

Akeelah was attending her neighbor, Jamyla Bolden’s, funeral.

“They were friends,” Kelly told The

American.

Family and friends left roses on the casket of 9-year-old Jamyla Bolden at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens Cemetery on Saturday, August 29.

Bolden, 9, was fatally shot on August 18 while doing her homework on her mother’s bed at home in Ferguson. Several shots were fired. Bolden’s mother, Kendric Henderson, 34, was struck in the leg. A single bullet was the cause of Bolden’s death.

Bolden’s homegoing celebration was attended by a few hundred mourners at Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in North St. Louis on Saturday, August 29.

It is the second August in a row that the church has held a high-profile funeral. Last

Pallbearers brought the body of 18-year-old Mansur Ball-Bey from Christ Pilgrim Rest M.B. Church after homegoing services on Saturday, August 29.

Photo by Wiley Price

n “She had the heart and drive,” praise dance minister Mila Hogan said of Jamyla Bolden.