Rocky Mount NC – ANDRE KNIGHT FOUND NOT GUILTY IN STATE TRESPASSING CHARGES

Andre Knight (R), Attorney John McWilliam (L)
Photo by The DCN taken at the NAACP Humanitarian Awards Banquet. Knight received the John McClean Award.
Click on photo for more information.

MEDIA ADVISORY

Immediate Release

March 5, 2014

Contact: Rev. Andre’ D. Knight, President

ANDRE KNIGHT FOUND NOT GUILTY IN STATE TRESPASSING CHARGES

RALEIGH, NC –Andre’ Knight, President of the Rocky Mount Branch of the NAACP, was found not guilty today of trespassing charges brought against him by the State of North Carolina for acts of civil disobedience last summer. Knight said. “This is what democracy looks like. We live in perilous times when our elected leaders seek to imprison and prosecute law abiding citizens in order to suppress their right to free speech. I am glad that the courts have exonerated me and my peers today for being bold and courageous.” Knight, along with several other individuals, were protesting in the General Assembly building on Jones Street on June, 12, 2013 when they were arrested by General Assembly police. This protest was named Witness Wednesday to honor the 50^th anniversary of the assassination of slain civil rights leader, Medgar Evers.

John McWilliam, attorney for the defense and partner in a Raleigh and Garner law firm, McWilliam, Henderson and Wall, commented, “It was a pleasure representing people whose actions I saw on the video that made me feel proud. The judge found all seven of the Wednesday Witness defendants not guilty. The State never offered any evidence on who the owner of the property is that the defendants were allegedly trespassing on. I think we, the people, own the legislative building and therefore cannot be considered trespassers. What was also very apparent in the trial is that Chief Weaver has the unfettered discretion to decide when behavior becomes a crime and when it doesn’t.”

President Knight stated, “I am thankful that there are people of reason throughout the state of North Carolina and the entire nation that are hearing our objections to the tyranny that flows from Raleigh to the rest of the state. I am proud that I had the chance to lift my voice along with white, black, young, old, rich, poor and middle class citizens last June to serve as a witness that justice is still alive in the Old North State. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to our attorney, along with the other attorneys, that represented us and the more than 900 Moral Monday defendants because they believed in our cause.”

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Rocky Mount NC – Don’t Be Fooled By Them Ignant Ass Racist At WHIG-TV

WHIG-TV Tuesday Morning Show February 4, 2014

Since I work a real job during the day I have to look at the show at 11:30 at night.

Sandra and Andrew ignant asses were on their TV station today February 4, 2014 saying that Rev. Andre Knight and Rev. Dr. William J. Barber II get paid for being the Presidents of the NAACP. That is a damn lie because only the Executive Director receive pay and if the E.D. has a staff person or 2 that helps them they can be paid.

It is a damn shame that WHIG-TV tell a bunch of lies on their show but the sad part is they is the outlet for other racist to call in and say what they want to say but when someone who do not think like them, they say let me talk or I am going to hang up on you. They hang up on folks all the time without giving the the time to finish venting or should I say wearing their asses out. They don’t want to hear it so they hang up.

But damn ain’t that what they accused Rocky Mount Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight when Lige Daughtridge addressed the city council a couple of weeks ago. It was not Knight who shut Lige down it was Mayor David Combs.

Folks need to wake the hell up and see who is on the damn TV every day and has been since the late 90’s when Rev. Andre Knight purchased that house on Falls Road, when he got elected to the city council, when he became President of the NAACP and etc. These folks just want to silence Mayor Pro-tem Knight.

Sandra & Andrew at WHIG-TV hung up on a black man because he was talking about Rev. Gailliard and they said let them talk. But then Rev. Roosevelt Higgs called in and they let him talk and talk.

Roosevelt Higgs talked about he had a problem with the NAACP when it comes to stuff like black on black crime. He said that the NAACP don’t come out when a white person commits a crime but that is too ignant. He said if they did it would give more credibility to the NAACP. Well this goes to show you that his ignant ass don’t know the mission of the NAACP and evidently he do not watch TV because there are numerous whites that are a part of the NAACP. The Moral Monday consist of numerous white folks and Rev. Dr. Barber has traveled across the state to majority white counties to meet with white folks who have an issue that affects white folks, black folks and other such as unemployment, affordable health care and more.

And the black lady that called in and said the black man that they hung up on must had an axe to grind. Well won’t that nothing. The man was speaking how he felt but since they didn’t agree with him, they hung up on him. But didn’t Mayor David Combs tell Lige Daughtridge that he could not speak again because he had had his time at the podium.
You guys at WHIG-TV are always contradicting yourselves blamed the city council for not allowing Lige to speak again but ya’ll hang up on folks.

Damn they have Please Limit Calls to 3 Minutes but they allow folks that are saying what they want to hear to go way pass the 3 minutes.

See related:

Andre Knight 

Rocky Mount City Council

Rocky Mount NC – In Response To: “Put bickering aside and work to rebuild and advance Rocky Mount”by Harris Walker – Rocky Mount Telegram Editorial

If responding to code words when certain folks address the Rocky Mount City Council and Mayor Pro-tem address them for what they really are, then continue to call it playing the race card. I know for a fact that the Edgecombe County side of Rocky Mount has received the much needed attention that previous councils made sure they were left behind.

Not knowing how old you are and I assume you are atleast 30 years old and if you are older that makes it even worst. I haven’t heard any black folks that say they want to relive the time they remember from back in those days.

I know as a fact black folks don’t want to re-live going down to the all white and/or majority white council asking for their fair share and to be treated as if they were nobody and then when these folks left, that city council voted just like they wanted to leaving out black folks.

Perceived waste? Prove it! Fraud and abuse? Prove it!

Also prove that Knight called Lige a racist because the video I seen he did not. For Knight to say that he felt that Lige didn’t support it because the Rocky Mount City Council is a majority black and the city manager are black is a fact. Are you, WHIG-TV, Lige Daughtridge President The Community Council, Fighting Crime And Cleaning Up Rocky Mount and their supporters saying that the Rocky Mount City Council is not a black majority and the city manager is not black? If Knight wanted to call Lige a racist, the Knight that I know would have called him a racist by saying he was a racist point blank.

What more do you and they want? They have 3 minutes to speak on any issue and the issue do not have to be on the agenda unlike some other boards and commissions. The event center was not on the agenda.

Higher standards when responding? Oh so now you want the city council members to bow down to the white man and to respond how they feel the city council should respond to them. Now that is too ignant!

You say, “To Mr. Knight and others in Rocky Mount from all backgrounds, this outdated, racially motivated fighting must stop or Rocky Mount will continue on a downward spiral, losing more current business and deterring new businesses and people from moving to our great city.”

Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight you keep speaking truth to power because you have some power. You have the power of your 1 vote and it is up to the others how they vote. Do not allow those who want to take the city back to their youth days sway you. It is a lie that Rocky Mount is on a downward spiral and has not been since this council has been in office.

How misleading to make it appear that only Rocky Mount is losing businesses. All towns are losing businesses and some choose to stay and some choose go. The city council has no control over those who choose to stay and/or those who choose to leave.

You say “I’m a very progressive advocate of social change and equality in all areas, but I know a sideshow when I see one.”

I am enjoying the side show because I am here and I know better. You see if I couldn’t see and think for myself, I would take you and the other naysayers that have an issue with the Rocky Mount City Council having a black majority and black city manager serious. But I am an active engaged political activist in Edgecombe County so I know better. I have family and friends who live in Rocky Mount that have given me permission to speak for them. I am a life fully paid member of the Rocky Mount NAACP since the 1993. I am on the executive committee of the Edgecombe County Democratic Party so and I have worked in Rocky Mount for the past 26 years on yesterday January 26, 2014.

Since I know that I know that I know what is real and what is perceived, I  know the code words when some folks attempt to hide behind their racist and safe Negro mentality.

Who’s bickering? It appears to me that the bickering was recently promoted by WHIG-TV first who put up the video trying to discredit Mayor Pro-tem Knight. Then Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount took it to another level by starting a petition with misleading information as to why Knight should step down or they would seek enough signatures to attempt to remove him. It does not matter how many signatures they receive that is not the procedure nor the process to attempt to remove him. All I ask is that you and these Knight haters to just tell the truth and quick misleading folks. Mayor Pro-tem Knight did not call Lige a racist.

You say work together? Really? If they wanted to work together they would wait until the City Council put it on the agenda after they receive all the information from the black city manager and the staff. Nope that ain’t right. Lige and some others do not want the City Council to even receive the information from the black city manager and the staff. On Lige’s website The Community Council website says, "Wrong time, Wrong Place and Maybe Wrong all the way Around."

I used to attend the Rocky Mount City Council meetings regularly and I remember when, when the city council was a majority white and the black people asked for things and that city council heard us and responded some times during the meeting. But then they voted just like they wanted to. When will ya’ll learn that this city council will listen too, but will vote their convictions every time there is something that needs to be put to a vote.

You say, “When that happens, the economy will grow, our city’s pride will strengthen, and the thousands of young people who don’t return to Rocky Mount after finishing their education might actually have a reason to return to the city they love – including me.”

When the Edgecombe County side of Rocky Mount gets it fair share, then and only then will the pride strengthen and those who left that side will return home. Can’t say they all loved the city however they do call Rocky Mount home even though they get tired of some folks who have  a problem when it comes to bringing growth to the Edgecombe County side of Rocky Mount.

Enjoy your stay in Washington because this city council will continue to do what is best for the whole city of Rocky Mount and not for those who want to go back to their youth days. Damn the mere fact of thinking about those days would be a flashback to going backwards.

I am Curmilus Dancy II an actively engaged political activist that has been given authorization to speak for some family and friends who live in Rocky Mount NC.

See editorial: Put bickering aside and work to rebuild and advance Rocky Mount by Harris Walker

See related:

Ignant Column: Fighting Crime And Cleaning Up Rocky Mount Petition To Remove Rocky Mount Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight Is Too Ignant!

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Ignant Column: Fighting Crime And Cleaning Up Rocky Mount Petition To Remove Rocky Mount Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight Is Too Ignant!

It is a damn shame Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount has taken the video of the Rocky Mount City Council Meeting recorded by WHIG-TV and  began a petition on Change.org. The petition is misleading folks because nothing in it is cause for Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight to step down nor grounds for removal.

First of all Mayor Pro-tem Knight is not going to step down over ignant ass folks over at WHIG-TV and Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount mission. Their mission is baseless and racist in my opinion.

Let me break it down for you. The petition reads as follows:

Time and time again COUNCILMAN (MAYOR PRO TEM 2014)  ANDRE KNIGHT in WARD 1 has shown true UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR. His tone with the citizens, he continuously brings race into the equation, he has been arrested, he does not live in his ward, he has been caught in lies etc. PRACTICES that are UNPROFESSIONAL, UNETHICAL and are an EMBARASSMENT to NASH and EDGECOMBE COUNTIES!!!! In order to move forward we need to have him removed. Ask Mr. Knight to step down or BE REMOVED!

What law states that Knight can not talk about race?

He has been arrested? So what? Arrested for what? He was arrested in Raleigh during the Moral Monday where hundreds of folks have been arrested because they have protested the NC General Legislature. Just on Wednesday January 22 over 50 of those cases were dismissed. Even if the judge does not rule in Mayor Pro-tem Knight’s favor, the charge will only be a misdemeanor. Knight would have to be charged as a felon. so since the charges will not be a felony, he will not have to step down.

He does not live in his ward. Now in my opinion this is grounds for a lawsuit and I may be wrong. In my opinion this is defamation of character because the NC Court Of Appeals Ruled in Knight’s Favor when Roosevelt Higgs and the Edgecombe County Board of Elections filed a petition saying he didn’t live in Ward 1. Edgecombe County had to pay Knight’s attorney fees after he filed an appeal and won.

He has been caught in lies etc. What lies?

PRACTICES that are UNPROFESSIONAL, UNETHICAL and are an EMBARASSMENT to NASH and EDGECOMBE COUNTIES!!!! Who in the hell gave Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount the power to determine what is unprofessional, unethical and embarrassing when it comes to trying to define Mayor Pro-tem Knight? In my opinion this is racist as hell and all of the forward thinking folks, especially black folks who liked  Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount Facebook page ought to be blasting their page saying they do not appreciate the misleading information about Knight.

Hell I don’t have a problem with them being on a mission but just tell the truth. This petition is misleading and Mayor Pro-tem Knight ought to contact his lawyer to see if he can file a charge for defamation of character and harassment.

Ask Mr. Knight to step down or BE REMOVED! I ask Mayor Pro-tem/Rocky Mount NAACP President Andre Knight to continue to stand up and don’t let nothing and nobody turn you around.

It is a damn shame that Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount and WHIG-TV expect black folks to like their facebook pages but have the audacity to single out and try to silence one of our black leaders. I refuse to all allow them to do such without challenging them. Because I have challenged Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount before the petition was started, they blocked me from being able to post comments on their facebook page.

Fighting Crime and Cleaning Up Rocky Mount petition to remove Rocky Mount Mayor Pro-tem Andre Knight is too Ignant!

See related:

Fighting Crime And Cleaning Up Rocky Mount Facebook Page Has Blocked Me From Commenting

Rocky Mount NC: In Response to “Civic Center Debate Should Focus On Red And Green” by Jeff Herrin Editor Rocky Mount Telegram