Contact: Ermias Alemayehu, BOND, 323-782-1980, 213-804-1872

LOS ANGELES, April 27 /Christian Newswire/ -- A CBS 60 Minutes segment aired this past Sunday reporting that the "stop snitchin'" campaign being promoted by some rappers in videos and on t-shirts is intimidating witnesses from coming forward to testify. According to law enforcement officials, this is causing crimes including murder to go unsolved in the inner cities. This epidemic has outraged social activist and author, Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, who says that this twisted "code" has been passed down by criminals and by corrupt Black leaders who have been promoting an anti-police culture for the past 15-20 years.

"No one should be surprised that this 'stop snitchin'' campaign has a foothold in the Black community," said Rev. Peterson. "Black leaders like Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Rep. Maxine Waters, former NAACP head Ben Muhammad (formerly Ben Chavis), and Russell Simmons have encouraged anger and distrust towards police for years."

In the 60 Minutes segment, CNN's Anderson Cooper talked with New York rapper Cam'ron, also known as "Killa Cam," who said, "It's a code of ethics (not to snitch)." Rapper Busta Rhymes, along with up to 25 people witnessed the Feb. 5, 2006 fatal shooting of his friend and bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, but according to New York Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, no one will talk or testify.  The segment also featured interviews with several young Black teenagers who said that in their neighborhoods, "People get respect for robbing banks, but if you're snitching that's a crime."

Rev. Peterson said, "What the rappers are doing is wrong, but we must realize that so-called Black leaders have long encouraged Black youth to hate and distrust police. Until we restore the family and Black men become responsible fathers, this problem will continue to plague America's inner cities."

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is the author of "SCAM: How the Black Leadership Exploits Black America." He's also an expert commentator on race and gender issues. For more information, visit www.bondinfo.org