Murder Of Post Editor Chauncey Bailey Awakens The Sleeping Giant Known As The Black Press

After Bailey's Murder, Black Journalists Encouraged To 'Step Up'

by Hazel Trice Edney

WASHINGTON - The publisher of the Oakland Post is issuing a call to arms to Black newspapers after the assassination-style murder of his paper's editor, Chauncey Bailey.

''If you don't cover something that needs to be covered just because you're afraid for your life, you don't need to be in the business. If you know there's wrong doing and you sit idly by; then who are you? If we turn the other way, we shirk our responsibility,'' says Paul Cobb, who says he too has received hate mail as publisher of the Post.

Oakland police said Devaughndre Broussard, a handyman at Your Black Muslim Bakery told police that he killed Bailey because he was angry over stories the journalist had written about the business and its employees and about future stories he might be working on.

Broussard was booked on murder and weapons charges and currently being held without bond, he allegedly was on probation for a San Francisco burglary.

In the past four years since Bailey was hired, the Post had received numerous ''threats of violence,'' Cobb says. ''He and I both have received hate mail.''

''His sacred cow was equity, fairness, openness of government, just general principles of decency,'' Cobb said of Bailey. ''Chauncey was a champion cheerleader for the Black community and self-help groups.''

It was apparently Bailey's fearlessness in his writing and his speaking on radio and television that caused the paper to flourish in the community. Cobb said the circulation skyrocked from 5,000 when Bailey was first hired four years ago up to its current audited and verified circulation of 60,000. That's a 1,100 percent increase in less than five years.

Just two months ago, Bailey was promoted to editor-in-chief of all the Post Newspapers - Oakland, Berkeley Tri-City, Richmond, San Francisco and South County.

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HOW IS "YOUR BLACK MUSLIM BAKERY" LINKED TO ASSASINATION OF OAKLAND JOURNALIST CHAUNCEY BAILEY?

With 72 Murders In Oakland This Year, Bailey's Case Takes A Strange Twist

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Chauncey Bailey, who recently was promoted to be editor of the Oakland Post, was fatally shot in downtown Oakland just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday in what appears to be a targeted premediated hit.

IN BREAKING NEWS, police are confirming that several arrests have been made at "Your Black Muslim Bakery," and these arrests are connected to the homicide investigation in this case as well as others in the Oakland area.

Law enforcement are also acknowledging another critical link, stating that they have found the weapon allegedly used to commit the homicide.

Mainstream media outlets such as Fox News have already begun suggesting that the Black-owned entity is a violent cult. More than just a restuarant, the Oakland landmark owns a school, apartment complex, and security company.

Whether this turns out to be the case remains to be seen. Reports are that Bailey was working on a story about potential financial impropieties and pending bankruptcy involving Your Black Muslim.

Holmgren said the 57-year-old journalist was shot multiple times in the 250 block of 14th Street near Alice Street, which is near a large post office on 13th Street and a McDonald's restaurant at 14th and Jackson streets. He lived about 12 blocks away from the paper's offices and typically walked to worked.

Click here to read the full story in the Oakland Tribune.

Publisher of the Oakland Post, Paul Cobb, said both he and Bailey had received many threats over time but police have asked him not to comment in detail, the Tribune reported.

VETERAN JOURNALIST CHAUNCEY BAILEY GETS GUN-DOWNED IN BLACK-ON-BLACK VIOLENCE ERUPTING IN OAKLAND

We're Killing Each Other In The Bay Area: Bailey Is Just The Latest Victim

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Chauncey Bailey, who recently was promoted to be editor of the Oakland Post, was fatally shot in downtown Oakland just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday in what appears to be a targeted hit.

"This is disheartening," said Oakland police spokesman Roland Holmgren, who knew Bailey.

Holmgren said the 58-year-old journalist was shot multiple times in the 250 block of 14th Street near Alice Street, which is near a large post office on 13th Street and a McDonald's restaurant at 14th and Jackson streets. He lived about 12 blocks away from the paper's offices and typically walked to worked. He was scheduled to be in at 9:00am.

Holmgren said witnesses told police that a lone gunman dressed in black clothing and black headgear approached Bailey, shot him multiple times and then fled on foot.

Witnesses said they heard four shots. Bailey was shot once in the back and once in the head, Oakland Fire Department Capt. Melinda Drayton said. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bailey worked for The Oakland Tribune for more than 10 years before leaving the newspaper in 2003, according to Tribune employees. He later joined the Oakland Post, which is oriented toward serving the area's black community.

"This is a great loss not only for the Post, but for the Bay Area," Cobb said. He said they were making plans to take the paper national. Cobb called the shooting surreal. He said Bailey had "a nose for news" and was the hardest working man in journalism.

Cobb said he spoke to Bailey on Wednesday night and he seemed upbeat.

Derrick Nesbitt praised Bailey for helping him get into the news business when Bailey hosted a television program called "Soul Beat." Nesbitt said, "Chauncey was very controversial and could bring anger out in people."

"I was shocked and saddened to learn of Chauncey Bailey's death this morning. Chauncey contributed so much to the fabric our community, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. It is my hope that the perpetrators of this horrible crime are brought to justice swiftly, and that Chauncey's untimely death will bring our community together and strengthen our collective hand in rooting out this type of violence," said Democratic Oakland Congresswoman Barbara Lee.

Mayor Ron Dellums also expressed words of praise for Bailey.

"It is a tragedy when any person loses his or her life by an act of violence. The crime and violence on Oakland streets presents me with the most painful and difficult challenge I’ve ever faced. We should all be able to move through our lives on the streets of Oakland in peace and safety. We are all diminished by the loss of any one of us," Dellums said.