Latest news with #EqualJustice
Times
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Times
Black superintendent drops ‘racist witch-hunt' claims against Met
A black former superintendent who was suing the Metropolitan Police over an alleged racist witch-hunt has withdrawn her claim after further negotiations with the force. The agreement came as a close supporter of Robyn Williams, 60, was due to give what was likely to be damaging evidence against her former employer at a tribunal. It is understood that Williams withdrew after the Met agreed not to pursue her for legal costs. It had repeatedly tried to sack Williams, a highly decorated officer, after she was convicted of possessing a video of child abuse that she was sent on WhatsApp but did not watch. Williams said that she was forced to resign after a protracted legal battle and accused the force of orchestrating a 'campaign of attack' against senior black and minority ethnic officers. She had previously told the Central London employment tribunal that the Met's leadership consisted of a 'white female clique' and 'white male pitbulls'. The force denied her allegations. The tribunal was about to enter its second week and ended just before a key witness Victor Marshall, a retired police superintendent, was due to give evidence in Williams's favour. His testimony was expected to be damaging to the Met because it was thought he was likely to contradict accounts given by detectives who had investigated Williams. Equal Justice, the law firm that represents Williams, said she had withdrawn her claim but there were still unresolved financial matters. Williams had said she is owed £73,000 in back pay. The case ended after the Met decided not to seek to recover its legal costs from her, which were estimated to be as much as £250,000. The force said that Williams 'approached the Metropolitan Police and confirmed that she wanted to withdraw all her claims'. It added: 'She has now done so and the matter has concluded. We have not settled the claims.' Williams and Sir Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, in 2016 GETTY IMAGES Williams was placed under investigation in February 2018 after a 54-second video of a young girl being sexually abused was found on her smartphone. Williams said that she did not report the video, sent by her sister, because she did not see it. She was the only one of 17 recipients of the footage to be charged. After she was found guilty at the Old Bailey, Williams was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and register as a sex offender for five years, even though the trial judge accepted that there was no sexual element to the crime. The Met sacked her in March 2020 but she was reinstated after the decision was overturned by the police appeals tribunal. She sued her employer for discrimination, harassment and victimisation, claiming that its pursuit of her had destroyed her life. She had been signed off work for months with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Williams, who won the Queen's Police Medal during a 39-year career, eventually resigned last year. The tribunal confirmed that the claims were withdrawn and the case had ended but provided no other details. Williams said: 'I would like to thank my legal team at Equal Justice solicitors and the many supporters who stood by me. I have no other comment to make at this time.'
Time of India
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Pawan Kalyan REACTS to influencer Sharmistha Panoli's arrest, says 'the nation is watching'
Actor and Deputy Chief Minister of has called for fair and impartial handling of the case involving Sharmistha Panoli, a social media influencer recently arrested in Gurugram, Haryana. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Controversial video leads to arrest Panoli, a 22-year-old law student and Instagram influencer, was taken into custody by Kolkata Police for posting a controversial video, which allegedly contained communal remarks and criticism of Bollywood actors for their silence on the military operation. The video sparked widespread outrage online, leading to her arrest and judicial custody. Pawan Kalyan calls equal justice On social media, Kalyan expressed his support for equal justice, stressing that secularism should be a two-way street and not be manipulated to target individuals unfairly. On X, the 'Vakeel Saab' actor wrote, "During , Sharmistha, a law student, spoke out, her words regrettable and hurtful to some. She owned her mistake, deleted the video and apologized. The WB Police swiftly acted, taking action against Sharmistha." Pawan Kalyan shared that while blasphemy and hurtful remarks must be condemned, secularism should not be used selectively as a weapon or shield. He urged the West Bengal Police to act justly and ensure that the principles of fairness and equality are upheld in this case. "Secularism isn't a shield or sword" He added, "Blasphemy must be condemned, always! Secularism isn't a shield for some and a sword for others. It must be a two-way street. West Bengal Police, the nation is watching. Act justly for all. #IstandwithSharmistha. #EqualJustice" Pawan Kalyan's upcoming films Meanwhile, Pawan Kalyan remains busy with his acting career, having three films lined up. He is preparing for the release of 'Hari Hara Veera Mallu: Part 1 Sword vs Spirit', a historical action drama. Additionally, he is working on two other projects, 'They Call Him OG' and 'Ustaad Bhagat Singh'. 'HHVM: Part 1 Sword vs Spirit' is set to hit theatres on June 12.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sarah Jessica Parker says she panicked when 'Sex and the City' was picked up by HBO: 'I didn't want to do a TV show!'
Sex and the City sans Sarah Jessica Parker?! Well, it almost happened! On the latest episode of the Are You a Charlotte? podcast, host Kristin Davis welcomed none other than her SATC costar, who revealed that, yes, there actually was a moment when Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), and Charlotte (Davis) could have been without SJP as their fearless fashionista friend Carrie Bradshaw. Parker recalled that months after shooting the pilot in New York City back in 1997, she had essentially forgotten about the project until she was approached on the streets of the Big Apple by a well-known female producer, who told the actress that she had seen the pilot and thought it was "really good." Parker said she didn't think much of it and "went on with my day." Soon after, though, HBO picked up the show — much to Parker's dismay. "I panicked," she told Davis about learning that the cable network wanted to move forward with the series. "When the show was picked up, I was like, 'I can't be on a TV show! I don't think I'm suited for that life.'" While Parker acknowledged with fondness the fact that she had done TV before — including the shows Equal Justice, A Year in the Life, and the underrated early '80s high school comedy Square Pegs — the experience "also kind of depressed me," so she was reluctant to return to the small screen. "I think that it was the idea of doing the same thing over and over and over again," she clarified about her hesitation regarding SATC. "I think I'd always been lucky that I got to be on a television series and then it was over. Like, I met great people, had a great experience, worked with great actors, great directors, thought the stories were interesting, wanted to do the shows, and they had shorter lives, maybe one or two seasons," Parker said of her past TV projects. "And then I moved on and I would do a play or I'd do some readings, and then I'd do a part in a movie, and then I'd do, you know, a movie of the week. And I just kind of bounced around and I really thought, 'That is the goal. The journeyman is the goal. You want to be moving.'" She continued, "So the idea of a television series meant that I couldn't do all those things," before admitting that she was wrong for thinking that way because actors "can still do [other] things on their hiatuses." But, without the benefit of the hindsight she has now, Parker recalled anxiously asking her agent, 'Can you get me out of this?' and even offered to do anything else for HBO if it meant not having to commit to SATC. "I said, 'I will give my services to HBO to fulfill my contract. So, any movies, I'll do for X number of years." However, Parker noted that her agent tried to get her to view the series commitment a little differently. "He said, 'It can be wonderful. It can be great.' And the beauty of HBO [at the time] was that it was kind of an unknown species ... and [former HBO chairman] Chris Albrecht said, 'Do it for a year, and if you don't want to do it anymore, we don't do it,'" she shared. It was in that moment that Parker had a change of heart. "It went from being this kind of oppressive idea to this one with endless possibilities. And the first day we started shooting as a series, the location was up the street from my house. I remember thinking, 'I can walk to work. I'm not driving on to a lot. I'm not getting on a freeway and hoping I get myself there.' And I walked up to the location and I never looked back." Never looked back indeed. As a result, Sex and the City ran for six seasons, earned seven Emmy Awards, including two Best Actress wins for Parker, saw the release of two theatrical films, and spawned the revival series And Just Like That, which returns for its third season May 29 on Max. You can hear Parker's full conversation on Are You a Charlotte? below. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
New York Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Why ‘panicked' Sarah Jessica Parker begged agents to leave ‘Sex and the City'
We couldn't help but wonder, what led Sarah Jessica Parker to almost walk away? Well, the actress, 60, recently revealed she 'panicked' at the idea of 'committing' to 'Sex and the City' while on the 'Are You a Charlotte?' podcast, hosted by her 'Sex and the City' co-star Kristin Davis. Despite already filming the 1998 pilot where Parker played the fashionable and single writer Carrie Bradshaw, she was still unsure if she wanted to do it. The star called shooting that first episode 'lovely,' but she 'forgot all about it' until she was walking in New York City and a producer told her she watched the pilot and it was 'really good.' 8 'Sex and The City' Season 1 Episode 1. HBO 'Then I went on with my day, and when the show was picked up, I panicked,' Parker recounted. 'I was like, I can't be on a TV show. I don't think I'm suited for that life.' While the 'Hocus Pocus' vet had done television before – including series 'Equal Justice,' 'A Year in the Life' and 'Square Pegs' – she admitted the small screen 'also kind of depressed me.' 'I think that it was the idea of doing the same thing over and over and over again,' Parker explained. 8 Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw. HBO 'I think I'd always been lucky that I got to be on a television series and then it was over. Like, I met great people, had a great experience, worked with great actors, great directors, thought the stories were interesting, wanted to do the shows, and they had shorter lives, maybe one or two seasons,' she continued about past television experiences. 'And then I moved on and I would do a play or I'd do some readings, and then I'd do a part in a movie, and then I'd do, you know, a movie of the week. And I just kind of bounced around and I really thought, 'That is the goal. The journeyman is the goal. You want to be moving.'' 'So the idea of a television series meant that I couldn't do all those things,' added Parker. Now, the New York City native realized it was the wrong way of thinking and actors 'can still do [other] things on their hiatuses.' 8 Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in the pilot. HBO Back then, she ran to her agent and asked 'Can you get me out of this?' 'I said, 'I will give my services to HBO to fulfill my contract,' she recalled negotiating. 'So, any movies, I'll do for X number of years.' Her agent, meanwhile, didn't think she had anything to worry about. 8 Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis of 'Sex and the City' pose for a portrait. Getty Images 8 'Sex And The City,' Season 2. Getty Images 'He said, 'It can be wonderful. It can be great.' And the beauty of HBO [at the time] was that it was kind of an unknown species … and [former HBO chairman] Chris Albrecht said, 'Do it for a year, and if you don't want to do it anymore, we don't do it.'' 'It went from being this kind of oppressive idea to this one with endless possibilities. And the first day we started shooting as a series, the location was up the street from my house. I remember thinking, 'I can walk to work. I'm not driving on to a lot. I'm not getting on a freeway and hoping I get myself there.' And I walked up to the location and I never looked back.' The cult classic – which also starred Kim Cattrall (Samantha), Kristin Davis (Charlotte), and Cynthia Nixon (Miranda) – ended up running for six seasons from 1998 to 2004. 8 Sarah Jessica Parker stars in 'Sex In The City.' Getty Images The show garnered seven Emmy Awards – with two Best Actress awards for Parker. Following the show there was the 2008 movie 'Sex and the City' and 'Sex and the City 2' in 2010. 17 years after the original series went off air, MAX came back with a spinoff 'And Just Like That….' which debuted in 2021. The show is set to returns for Season 3 on May 29 on Max. Fans can expect familiar and new faces arriving in the Big Apple this season. 8 Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon. Getty Images According to Entertainment Weekly, Patti LuPone is joining the spinoff, and although her role is top secret, executive producer Michael Patrick King told the outlet that she'll have 'an arc on our show this season.' King gushed about the third installment: 'It's a lot of 'new' within the familiar, but even the familiar characters are going through new things.' 'It's more than Carrie that has a new apartment. Miranda has a new apartment. We feel that there's a lot of newness in the world right now, especially for these characters. We wanted to tell new stories and put them through new obstacles.' 8 'Sex and The City' Season 1 Episode 1. HBO Other new cast members include Rosie O'Donnell, Logan Marshall Green and 'Law & Order' actress Mehcad Brooks. The show will continue to follow the close knit group of girls from 'Sex and the City' – now through life in their 50s. Notably, Cattrall's Samantha is visibly absent from the show, despite a brief cameo in Season 2. There has long been a rumored feud between Cattrall, 68, and Parker, but the 'Divorce' alum has denied claims over the years. In fact, Parker told The Post in 2018: 'I don't have a disagreement with Kim, there's no catfight … I've only ever expressed admiration and gratitude for everything she contributed — and I still feel that way.'
