The actress who became famous playing the Jamaican psychic Miss Cleo, claiming to know callers" futures in ubiquitous TV infomercials and commercials 15 years ago, has died of cancer.
Youree Dell Harris, 53, died Tuesday in Palm Beach, her lawyer, William J. Cone Jr., said.
The Los Angeles-born Harris was a struggling actress when the Psychic Readers Network hired her in the late 1990s to play Miss Cleo. She adopted her family"s Jamaican heritage for the role, persuading viewers to call for allegedly free psychic readings.
In one commercial, she is seen poring over tarot cards before telling a caller that the father of her baby is the "one who is very unpleasant and had another girlfriend while he was sleeping with you...but you knew that." The commercials ended with the tagline, "Call me now!"
The federal government said those "free" calls cost consumers about $1 billion. The Federal Trade Commission said the psychic service promised a free reading, but consumers calling a toll-free number were directed to a 900 number charging $4.99 per minute. The agency said nearly 6 million people made such calls and were charged an average of about $60 apiece.
The Psychic Readers Network"s parent company forgave $500 million in customer charges in a 2002 settlement.
After the settlement, Harris mostly faded from view for over a decade. She voiced a character in the "Grand Theft Auto: Vice City" video game and was an advocate for gay rights after coming out as a lesbian.
Harris returned to the public eye in 2014 when she appeared in the documentary "Hotline," which looked at the world of telephone psychics, phone s*x workers and suicide prevention specialists.
Tony Shaff, the film"s producer, said he found her to be "warm and welcoming and bigger than life."
"She was smart as a whip and very intuitive," Shaff said. "There was so much negativity surrounding psychic hotlines that she wanted to tell her personal story." He said she understood that some consumers felt they were swindled, "but she was being paid to do a job."
He said Harris claimed to have paranormal abilities, but didn"t like to be called a psychic or tarot reader because she felt her powers were much broader than that.
Harris briefly reprised the Miss Cleo character last year in a series of online advertisements for General Mills, which was bringing back its French Toast Crunch cereal. The ads stopped after the Psychic Readers Network sued, saying it owned the character.
(Copyright 2016 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Alicia Keys - No One (Official Video) Clinton appeared via satellite on the second day of the Democratic convetion.
Image: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
At the very end of the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Hillary Clinton made a surprise experience during the end of Alicia Keys" performance.
Following a long day including the official roll call nomination of Clinton and speeches praising Clinton"s capacity for leadership, Keys took the stage with a backing band to play a medley of songs including "Superman" and "Girl on Fire."
As Keys dramatically played drums, the screens behind her lit up in digital frames featuring all the former presidents before the cracking sound of glass was heard and the screen appeared to shatter to reveal Clinton, via satellite from New York.
Don"t worry, it was only a video effect.
It was a reference to the glass ceiling of the presidency that Clinton considers herself very close to breaking, having become the first woman ever nominated as the presidential candidate for a major American political party.
While Donald Trump made his presence known all four nights of the Republican National Convention, it looks like Clinton couldn"t restrain herself either, and didn"t want to wait for her speech Thursday night.
BONUS: Help Hillary find her way out of the conventionTopics:alicia keys, Democratic Convention, Democratic National Convention, DNC, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Watercooler
Jordan Davis Case Discussed on 20/20 / Discovery ID
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One of the most moving moments of the DNC came Tuesday when the Mothers of the Movement gathered on the convention stage. They were the mothers of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Mike Brown, Hadiya Pendleton, Dontr Hamilton and Sandra Bland, whose deaths spurred the Black Lives Matter movement. We hear from Geneva Reed-Veal, mother of Sandra Bland; Lucia McBath, mother Jordan Davis; and Sybrina Fulton, mother Trayvon Martin.
This is a rush transcript. Copy may not be in its final form.
JUAN GONZLEZ: It was an historic evening here in Philadelphia at the Democratic National Convention, as Hillary Clinton secured the Democratic Partys presidential nomination, becoming the first woman to head the ticket of a major U.S. party in the history of the country. At the end of the evening, Hillary Clinton spoke to delegates from New York.
HILLARY CLINTON: What an incredible honor that you have given me! And I cant believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling yet. Thanks to you and to everyone whos fought so hard to make this possible. This is really your victory. This is really your night. And if there are any little girls out there who stayed up late to watch, let me just say: I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next.
JUAN GONZLEZ: Earlier in the evening, Hillary Clinton secured the nomination after her rival, Bernie Sanders, joined the Vermont delegation and then moved to give her the partys presidential nomination by acclamation.
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS: Madam Chair, I move that the convention suspend the procedural rules. I move that all votes, all votes cast by delegates, be reflected in the official record. And I move that Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States.
REP. MARCIA FUDGE: Thank you, Senator Sanders. Senator Sanders has moved, in the spirit of unity, to suspend the rules, to suspend the rules and nominate Hillary Clinton by acclamation as the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party. Is there a second?
DELEGATES: [cheers]
REP. MARCIA FUDGE: All in favor of the motion, say "aye."
DELEGATES: Aye!
REP. MARCIA FUDGE: Opposed, "no."
DELEGATES: No!
REP. MARCIA FUDGE: The ayes have it.
JUAN GONZLEZ: One of the most moving moments of the second night of the convention came when the Mothers of the Movement gathered on the convention stage. These were the mothers of Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Michael Brown, Hadiya Pendleton, Dontr Hamilton and Sandra Bland, whose deaths spurred the Black Lives Matter movement. Sandra Blands mother, Geneva Reed-Veal, spoke first.
GENEVA REED-VEAL: One year ago yesterday, I lived the worst nightmare anyone could imagine. I watched as my daughter, Sandra Bland, was lowered into the ground in a coffin. She was my fourth of five daughters, and she was gone. No, no, not on administrative leave, but on permanent leave from this Earth, found hanging in a jail cell after an unlawful traffic stop and an unlawful arrest. Six other women have died in custody that same month: Kindra Chapman, Alexis McGovern, Sarah Lee Circle Bear, Raynetta Turner, Ralkina Jones and Joyce Curnell. So many of our children are gone, but they are not forgotten.
I am here with Hillary Clinton tonight, because she is a leader and a mother who will say our childrens names. She knows that when a young black life is cut short, its not just a loss. Its a personal loss. Its a national loss. Its a loss that diminishes all of us. What a blessing tonight to be standing here, so that Sandy can still speak through her mama. And what a blessing it is for all of us that we have the opportunity, if we seize itweve got to seize itto cast our votes for a president who will help lead us down the path toward restoration and change.
LUCIA McBATH: You dont stop being a mom when your child dies. You dont stop being a parent. I am still Jordan Daviss mother. His life ended the day that he was shot and killed for playing loud music. But my job as his mother didnt. I still wake up every day thinking about how to parent him, how to protect him and his legacy, how to ensure that his death doesnt overshadow his life.
Heres what you dont know about my son. When Jordan was little, he wouldnt eat a popsicle unless he had enough to bring out to his friends. He loved practical jokes. He liked having deep conversations with me about our love for G*d and how G*d could allow such pain and suffering. I lived in fear that my son would die like this. I even warned him that because he was a young black man, he would meet people who didnt value him or his life. That is the conversation that no parent should ever have with their child.
Hillary Clinton isnt afraid to say that black lives matter. She isnt afraid to sit at a table with grieving mothers and bear the full force of our anguish. She doesnt build walls around her heart. Not only did she listen to our problems, she invited us to become a part of the solution. And thats what we are going to do. Were going to keep telling our childrens stories, and were urging you to say their names. Were going to keep building a future where police officers and communities of color work together, in mutual respect, to keep children like Jordan safe. The majority of police officers are good people doing a good job. And were askingand were also going to keep using our voices and our votes to support leaders like Hillary Clinton, who will help us protect one another, so that this club of heartbroken mothers stops growing.
SYBRINA FULTON: First of all, Id like to say its an honor to be here, to stand with these mothers and be amongst you. I am an unwilling participant in this movement. I would not have signed up for this or any other mother thats standing here with me today. But I am here today for my son, Trayvon Martin, who is in heaven, and also for his brother, Jahvaris Fulton, who is still here on Earth. I did not want this spotlight. But I will do everything I can to focus some of this light on the pain of a path out of the darkness.
Hillary Clinton has the compassion and understanding to support grieving mothers. She has the courage to lead the fight for commonsense gun legislation. She has a planshe has a plan to divide that so often exists between law enforcement and the communities that they serve. This isnt about being politically correct. This is about saving our children. Thats why were here tonight with Hillary Clinton. And thats why, in memory of our children, we are imploring you, all of you, to vote this Election Day. Hillary is oneHillary is one mother who can ensure our movement will succeed. I want to thank you for standing with us and supporting us. And we like to leave with you what G*d has given us: strength, love and peace. Thank you.
AMY GOODMAN: Mothers of the Movement. That was Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin. When we come back, well speak to actor and activist Danny Glover and New Jersey Bernie Sanders delegate Larry Hamm, head of the Peoples Organization for Progress. This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. Were "Breaking with Convention." Stay with us
Marilyn Mosby speaks out on Freddie Gray case decision
Published: 07/27/16 09:57 am EDT.
Updated: 07/27/16 10:24 am EDT.
Prosecutors dropped the remaining charges Wednesday against three Baltimore police officers awaiting trial in the death of Freddie Gray, bringing an end to the case without a conviction.
Gray was a man whose neck was broken while he was handcuffed and shackled but left unrestrained in the back of a police van in April 2015. His death added fuel to the growing Black Lives Matter movement and caused turmoil in Baltimore, including large protests and the worst riots the city had seen in decades.
The decision by prosecutors comes after a judge had already acquitted three of the six officers charged in the case, including the van driver and another officer who was the highest-ranking of the group.
A fourth officer had his case heard by a jury, who deadlocked and the judge declared a mistrial.
Prosecutors had said Gray was illegally arrested after he ran away from a bike patrol officer and the officers failed to buckle Gray into a seat belt or call a medic when he indicated he wanted to go to a hospital.
2016 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Alicia Keys - Fallin" Clinton appeared via satellite on the second day of the Democratic convetion.
Image: AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
At the very end of the Democratic National Convention Tuesday, Hillary Clinton made a surprise experience during the end of Alicia Keys" performance.
Following a long day including the official roll call nomination of Clinton and speeches praising Clinton"s capacity for leadership, Keys took the stage with a backing band to play a medley of songs including "Superman" and "Girl on Fire."
As Keys dramatically played drums, the screens behind her lit up in digital frames featuring all the former presidents before the cracking sound of glass was heard and the screen appeared to shatter to reveal Clinton, via satellite from New York.
Don"t worry, it was only a video effect.
It was a reference to the glass ceiling of the presidency that Clinton considers herself very close to breaking, having become the first woman ever nominated as the presidential candidate for a major American political party.
While Donald Trump made his presence known all four nights of the Republican National Convention, it looks like Clinton couldn"t restrain herself either, and didn"t want to wait for her speech Thursday night.
BONUS: Help Hillary find her way out of the conventionTopics:alicia keys, Democratic Convention, Democratic National Convention, DNC, Hillary Clinton, Politics, Watercooler
Alicia Keys for Hillary Clinton - Democratic National Convention
Alex Wong/Getty Images
by Jerome Hudson26 Jul 20160
26 Jul, 201626 Jul, 2016
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Singer and social activist Alicia Keys closed out the second night of the Democratic National Convention with a spirited musical performance shortly after former presidentBill Clinton delivered the evenings lengthy keynote address.
Keys first launched intoher feminist anthem Superwoman,which she dedicatedto the mothers of the Black Lives Matter movementwho spoke earlier in the night.
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Women are the answer. We have the power to ensure that this country gets on the right path, Keys said while sitting behind a piano. I dedicate this song to the Mothers of the Movement and all mothers who have lost their sons and their daughter to senseless violence.
Until we deal with gun violence in this country, we cant claim home of the brave.
Wheres my Bernie people? Keys later yelled to the crowd.
Wheres my Hillary people? she asked.
Its time to be unified! Keys said before launching into her song In Common.
The audience was then treated to a video montage of photos of past presidents. The video abruptly cut to glass shattering, revealing a live feed of Hillary Clinton figurativelybreaking through the glass ceiling.
I cant believe we just put the biggest crack in that glass ceiling, Clinton told the crowd from New York. This is really your victory, this is really your night.
I may become the first woman president, but one of you is next, the Democratic party presidential nominee said, as the camera panned out, showing her in a room surrounded by women and young girls.
What happened on the second day of the Democratic National Convention:
Former president Bill Clinton sought to humanize his wife with a personal, folksy account of his wife"s lifetime of public service.
Hillary Clinton was officially nominated for president and will be the first woman to lead a major-party ticket. In a show of unity as a member of Vermont"s delegation, Bernie Sanders moved that "Hillary Clinton be selected as the nominee of the Democratic Party for president of the United States."
Many speakers celebrated the history making fact of a woman nominee, and Hillary Clinton appeared at the end of the night via video to say to little girls, "I may be the first woman president. But you"re next."
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