NEWS ROUNDUP: DEF JAM VP COMMITS SUICIDE / HUDSON FAMILY MEMORIAL / ANOTHER DRAGGING DEATH

Monday, November 3, 2008

Def Jam Executive Vice President Shakir Stewart, 34, died Saturday from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near Atlanta.

Stewart was found around 4 p.m. Saturday in the bathroom of his home in the Atlanta suburb of Marietta, Cobb County police spokeswoman Cassie Reece said Sunday. He was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

He was promoted to Executive VP in June following the resignation of Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter. He also retained his duties as senior VP of A&R at Island Def Jam.

On Sunday, his fiancée, Michelle Rivers, released a joint statement with his family:

“We would like to thank Shakir’s friends for the tremendous outpouring of love and support we have received during this difficult time,” the statement reads. “It has helped us to cope with our overwhelming grief and sadness. It is difficult to express or explain in words what led to the tragic occurrence on Saturday. Over the past several weeks, Shakir’s behavior was inconsistent with the man we all know and love. As much as we all tried to help him, Shakir was in deep pain and largely suffering in silence. Please remember Shakir for who he was … a wonderful father, partner, son and friend.”

Hundreds lined the street in front of Pleasant Gift Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago to pay their respects in a public memorial to Jennifer Hudson’s mother, brother and nephew.

During the service, several mourners spoke, sang and offered recollections of 57-year-old Darnell Donerson, 29-year-old Jason Hudson and 7-year-old Julian King.

A private, invitation-only service is scheduled to be held Monday at 9 a.m. at Chicago’s Apostolic Church of God. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the newly-created domestic violence fund:

The dragging death of 24-year-old Brandon McClelland raises racial tensions in Texas, just as the death of James Byrd did a decade ago. Black activists and the victim’s mother, Jacquline McClelland, are calling it a racist attack. However, a suspect’s sister, Krystala Boyd, says, “This was no hate crime. You can’t hate somebody you love.”

Shannon Keith Finley and Charles Ryan Crostley face up to life in prison if convicted. The grand jury is scheduled to convene Nov. 13.