Audrie Pott : the 15-year-old California girl who took her own life after an alleged sexual assault last September

The attorney for the family of Audrie Pott, the 15-year-old California girl who took her own life after an alleged sexual assault last September, told Yahoo News Friday that prosecutors will attempt to try the three accused teenage boys as adults.

"This is not your typical juvenile crime," said Bob Allard, who is representing the Pott family. "We're talking about an orchestrated crime. Right up next to murder would be an assault like this. An adult-like crime with an adult-like mentality."
Allard said he is advocating for a homicide charge on behalf of the family against the three alleged assailants who were schoolmates of Pott. The boys, all age 16, were arrested Thursday and charged with sexual battery. Their names were not released because they are minors.
Yahoo News generally does not release the name of alleged sexual assault victims, but the Pott family wanted Audrie's name known.
"This family has lost a sister and daughter to death," Allard said. "The penalty should be commensurate."
Reached by phone Friday, Jaron Shipp of the Santa Clara County district attorney's office said it is "unlikely" a suicide could become a homicide case. Shipp would not comment specifically on the Pott case, as it is a juvenile matter.
Pott was allegedly assaulted after passing out at a party in a house near San Jose last fall. Eight days later, after cell phone photos of the assault were passed around, she posted on Facebook that her life was ruined. "Worst day ever," she wrote. She then hanged herself.
"There's no doubt that the combination of the assault and the torture by cyberbullying caused Audrie to end her life," Allard said.
The use of social media has played a prominent role in several high-profile high sexual assault cases in recent months, including the rape of a 16-year old girl in Steubenville, Ohio last August. Two high school football players were convicted last month of assaulting the girl after photos exchanged on social media implicated them in the attack.
Eight months passed between the alleged assault on Audrie Pott and the arrests of the three boys. Allard said Audrie's parents are "temporarily rejoicing" at the news that they may be tried as adults.
Allard said the family will also be pushing for legislative action in the form of "Audrie's Law," which would call for harsher penalties for cyberbullying.
Matthew Galluzzo, a New York attorney who represents rape victims, said the fear of social media can keep victims from coming forward after an assault.
"A lot of victims don't want to tell their parents, their boyfriend," Galluzzo said. "God forbid the whole school knows. That's your world. You almost get victimized a second time."
According to Allard, the humiliation was too much for Pott to bear.
"It's the ultimate betrayal," he said. "The whole school knew. It's the worst way imaginable to be violated. That's something to be reserved for your husband. It's savage. It's just savage."
The Pott family is planning a press conference Tuesday.

Masters - first-round leaderboard (US unless stated)

Masters - first-round leaderboard (US unless stated)

    -6: M Leishman (Aus), S Garcia (Spa)
    -5: D Johnson
    -4: D Lynn (Eng), R Fowler, G Fernandez-Castano (Spa), T Immelman (SA), F Couples, M Kuchar
    -3: J Furyk, Z Johnson, A Scott (Aus)
    Selected others: -2: J Rose (Eng), L Westwood (Eng), T Woods
    -1: P Mickelson
    Level: R McIlroy (NI)
    +1: S Lyle (Sco), G Tianlang (Chn), G McDowell (NI)
    +3: B Watson
    +4: I Poulter (Eng)

Australian Marc Leishman and Spain's Sergio Garcia set the pace in the opening round of the 77th Masters at Augusta.

The pair both shot 66 for a one-stroke lead over American Dustin Johnson and two ahead of a group including English debutant David Lynn and past champions Fred Couples and Trevor Immelman.
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14-year-old golfer Guan Tianlang

14-year-old birdies last at Masters

Tiger Woods, chasing a fifth Green Jacket, carded a two-under 70, while Rory McIlroy took 72.

Alongside Woods were English duo Justin Rose and Lee Westwood with three-time champion Phil Mickelson one further adrift.

Fourteen-year-old Chinese amateur Guan Tianlang, the youngest player ever to compete at the Masters, carded 73 thanks to a birdie at the last hole.

Leishman, 29, dropped a shot at the first but came home in 31 to eclipse long-time leader Lynn on an overcast but mainly dry day after the threatened thunderstorms held off.

The world number 108 is playing in only his second Masters after missing the cut in 2010.
Masters first-round stats

    Jamie Donaldson's hole-in-one was was the 24th in Masters history and the fifth ever at hole six
    Worst single-hole score of the day was 8 - by Craig Stadler on the par-four 10th and Scottish amateur Dunbar on the second
    There were 33 rounds under par from the 93-strong field
    Tiger Woods has made 70 in the Masters first round four times previously and gone on to win on three occasions
    Honorary starters Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player have won 13 Masters titles between them

"The first time I was here I was like a bit of a deer in headlights, I guess," said Leishman. "I found myself looking around a little bit too much and not concentrating on getting the ball in the hole, which is what you need to do.

"To be here is awesome and to be sitting here is pretty cool. But, you know, it's only Thursday afternoon, so a lot of golf to play. But I feel good about my game."

Twelve months ago, Garcia said he was "not good enough" to win a major after a third-round 75 at Augusta.

But the 33-year-old, who has three times finished second in majors, picked up six birdies to belie the talent that many saw as a future multiple champion.

"It's obviously not my most favourite place, but we try to enjoy it as much as we can each time we come here," said Garcia, the world number 16.

"Sometimes it comes out better than others, but today it was one of those good days. And you know, let's enjoy it while it lasts."

Lynn, 39, revealed a text message exchange from former European Ryder Cup player David Gilford helped him on his first visit to Augusta, only his third appearance in a major championship.
Analysis
Image of Ken Brown Ken Brown BBC Sport golf commentator at Augusta National

"I watched Tiger Woods on the range and that was the best I have seen him hit and warm up for many years. I think the key to his round was he holed out very well from inside five feet. The only blemish came at the 14th where he dropped a stroke, but other than that it was a very sound round and he hit very few errant shots."

"He said, 'Don't be too intimidated by the greens. There are birdies out there. Try and be aggressive when you can be.' So I had that in my mind,'" said world number 53 Lynn, who earned his spot by finishing second behind McIlroy at last year's US PGA Championship.

Against Leishman and Lynn is the statistic that only one first-round leader since 1985 - Immelman in 2008 - has gone on to win the Masters.

Woods, the 14-time major champion, mixed three birdies with a single bogey at the 14th and deemed himself pleased with "a solid day" as he seeks a first major since 2008.

McIlroy, who Woods recently usurped as world number one, was two under through the first nine but had four bogeys to two birdies coming home.

"It could have been better," said the 23-year-old, who squandered a four-shot lead going into the final day in 2011.

"I felt like I played well and gave myself plenty of opportunities. I just made some silly mistakes - a couple of three-putts on the back nine. I made enough birdies but I just need to cut those mistakes out and I'll be fine."
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Leishman on leading the Masters

On the plus side for the Northern Ireland star, who shot a pair of 77s in the last two rounds to finish tied 40th last year, the record comeback by a champion after the first round is seven shots, achieved by Woods in 2005 and Nick Faldo in 1990.

Defending champion Bubba Watson, however, might have blown his chance of becoming the first player since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back Masters after a 75 left him nine shots back.

Ian Poulter 's hopes of beating last year's seventh-placed finish also took a tumble after he bogeyed the last two holes in a round of 76.

The 53-year-old Couples, the 1992 champion who was also sixth in 2010, was joined at four under by fellow Americans Rickie Fowler and Matt Kuchar and Spain's Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano.

Brad Paisley and LL Cool J’s Track Makes Waves

That’s how country singer Brad Paisley begins his new song “Accidental Racist,” an earnest tune Paisley ostensibly wrote as a means of helping to heal the nation’s continuing racial tensions. But with lyrics that appear to gloss over the South’s painful legacy of racism and slavery — although they’re probably sung with the best of intentions — the track is raising plenty of eyebrows. “Accidental Racist” appears on Paisley’s ninth studio album Wheelhouse, which debuts today; the video appears to have been pulled from the Internet, however. You can read the lyrics here.
Paisley maintains that his heart is in the right place. “This isn’t a stunt. This isn’t something that I just came up with just to be sort of shocking or anything like that,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I knew it would be, but I’m sort of doing it in spite of that, really.”

It takes a lot to take me away from my normal Sunday night viewing on PBS but when I was flipping through the channels and saw LL Cool J was making a guest appearance on the Academy of Country Music Awards (ACM), I just had to tune in. And I'm glad I did!
This week, Brad Paisley will be releasing his new album, Wheelhouse, and it has surprise collaboration with one of my favorite artists, LL Cool J. The rapper and country boy Brad Paisley have teamed up with an amazing perspective in their song, 'Accidental Racist.' This could not be more needed given today's political tone nor could the timing have been more perfect. 
When LL stated on the ACM that he and Paisley had a new song coming out, I buzzed over to Paisley's web-site to see if a sample was up. It wasn't, but the lyrics of this amazing song are up and, together, LL and Paisley confront the stereo-types that both white people and black people hold toward each other.    
The first verse starts like a letter, rather a note, to a Starbucks employee, "I hope you understand when I put on that t-shirt, the only thing I meant to say is I'm a Skynyrd fan." Paisley then takes on the confederate flag on his shirt and calls like it is, "the elephant in the corner of the south." The final line in the first verse speaks volumes, "lookin like I got a lot to learn but from my point of view."
One article of clothing and he's judged.
The second verse begins to build the bridge of communication, "I'm just a white man comin' to you from the southland, tryin' to understand what it's like not to be." The verse continues with the pride southerners feel about where they're from, but not everything that has happened.
History is history. It can't be changed and it should not be repeated.   
The chorus resonates the truth about their generation (and mine): "Our generation didn't start this nation." We didn't start this country yet the south, and the nation, is left carrying the burden of yesteryear, and many are "caught between southern pride and southern blame."
It's time to pull together, not tear each other apart.
The song then touches upon the Reconstruction period and how, after 150 years, we're still trying to rebuild in many ways. As much as we try to put ourselves in another's shoes, it, "ain't like I can walk a mile in someone else's skin."
We need to re-start the re-build.
The chorus shifts a little with the second line. He's still a white man and just like you, he's "more than what you see."
Don't judge me and I won't judge you.
The lyrics then shift perspectives, "Dear Mr. White Man, I wish you understood," and speaks to life for black people "livin' in the hood." The clothing style contrasts are once again highlighted, "Just because my pants are saggin' doesn't mean I'm up to no good.  You should get to know me." 
Like you, my clothes do not represent who I am.
The lyric "Now my chains are gold" gives me an appreciation for the progress that has been made but the subtle inference, "I want you to get paid but as a slave I never could," speaks volumes as do the lyrics, "Feel like a new fangled Django, dodging invisible hoods. So when I see that white cowboy hat, I'm thinkin' it's not all good."
LL then nails it, "I guess we're both guilty of judgin' the cover not the book."
The most poignant moment is where the lyrics speak to buying a beer and having a conversation to clear the air. But, there's one thing that gets in the way: a tee shirt with a flag leading to the misunderstanding, "you wish I wasn't here."
The ending of the song carries both perspectives in parallel. One white guy from the south, one black guy from the north; don't judge me and I won't judge you. History can't be rewritten, the past is the past, a longing to make things right (Paisley) and let bygones be bygones (LL).
I'm Gen X and very proud of these two Generation X men. Like the millennials/GenY, we shared our classrooms with many different cultures and skin tones. It didn't mean that there were some hidden judgments, there were. We ignored them and had a beer.
Like LL, I'm from the north. I do realize that there are pockets in the south who do not share my views and they need to get over it.
The political narrative that permeates our discourse right now is more than a little concerning and it's coming from both sides of the aisle. It's a rehash of the LBJ/Goldwater years taking us backward, not forward. It's time to stop imposing the false labels on one another.
Yes, we'll disagree on certain politics. But, this is about more than politics. It's about communicating with people and ending, not perpetuating, the polarization. If a country boy from West Virginia and an inner-city guy from Queens can step out of their genres, so can we.

source http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/04/09/is-accidental-racist-accidentally-racist-brad-paisley-and-ll-cool-js-track-makes-waves/
http://www.policymic.com/articles/33507/accidental-racist-lyrics-in-defense-of-brad-paisley-and-ll-cool-j-s-new-amazing-song