It's a lot, and yet it's not enough

The man who killed Nailah Franklin back in 2007 has finally been sentenced. He got the maximum penalty, life in prison. Since he is now 38, I suppose he has at least 30 years ahead of him. In a cage. Without access to the fine clothes and high-end cars that he so enjoyed when he was on this side of prison bars.


Now I don't have to think about him anymore.

Instead, I'm going to close this post by concentrating on Nailah Franklin. I never met her, but I remember that warm day in 2007 when her former coworkers were handing out leaflets at my el stop, pleading with Chicagoans to be on the lookout for her and her car. Of course, by then she was already dead, but we didn't know that.

What I did know is that she was obviously much loved. Her short life and sad death touched me, and I honor her here.


Nailah Franklin graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalled "an exceptionally smart woman" and said that not a day went by that he didn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

Her young brother tearfully took the stand to tell the court that he wishes he could call Nailah "for advice on how to deal with losing her."

Nailah volunteered at the Chicago Urban League. She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

Guilty

It took the jury just over two hours to find Reginald Potts, Jr., guilty of the first degree murder of Nailah Franklin. Illinois no longer has the death penalty, but he is unlikely to ever walk free. He had eight previous convictions and warrants for $40,000 in outstanding child support by the time he was 31. He had recently been paroled when he met and wooed Nailah Franklin. When she found out about his past, and about the child he'd fathered while seeing her, she severed the relationship.

Women did not dump Reginald Potts, Jr. When she broke up with him, their relationship changed from boyfriend and girlfriend to, in the words of the prosecutor, "hunter and hunted."

Long ago I loved a man like that. He still resurfaces in my life from time to time and still has the power to scare and upset me. We all make mistakes. It breaks my heart that Nailah Franklin had to die over hers.

Her case has resonated with me since she went missing, that warm autumn of 2007. She had recently worked at Leo Burnett, an advertising agency just up the street from mine. Her former coworkers, who clearly adored her, were leafleting at my el stop and pressed one of these into my hand. Throughout my neighborhood, her face looked out at me from store windows.

First her car was found, abandoned and empty and wiped clean. I had hoped that perhaps it was a carjacking gone hideously wrong.

Then her body was found in an Indiana lot, beside the video store* which just so happened to be run by the brother-in-law of Reginald Potts, Jr.

Now it's over.

I hope that her family can find some measure of peace. They have suffered a great deal and lost a great deal more. They are in my prayers.

*When is the last time you saw a video store? That's how long this case has dragged on.

Now we wait

Remembered as "not just a star, but a superstar"

The last few witnesses have testified in the trial of Nailah Franklin's accused killer. His ex-wife and a former girlfriend described the physical abuse they suffered at his hands. A friend of his testified that they were together in Chicago all day, running errands, on the day Ms. Franklin went missing, and therefore he couldn't be dumping her body and car in Indiana. (Never mind that last week, he had a different alibi.) The accused chose not to take the stand in his own defense.

Tomorrow the jurors will hear closing arguments. Then they will begin to deliberate.

They will consider the cell phone evidence -- the threatening text messages he sent her, the defiant ones she sent in response, and the telltale "pings" that place their cell phones in the same vicinity on the day she died. Then there's the surveillance evidence -- the camera in the garage of her condo building shows them leaving together on the day she disappeared. Then there's his pattern of abusive behavior -- placing his hands on the necks of two other women in his life, relevant since Nailah's cause of death was asphyxiation.* Then there's the crime scene evidence -- her body was discovered in a vacant lot next to a business owned by the accused's brother-in-law, and her abandoned car was found just 10 minutes away. And now, his shifting alibis.

Then finally, after more than eight years, there will be a verdict. Most Illinois murder cases take two years to go from arrest to trial. This one took so long because the accused kept changing attorneys -- at one point insisting he could defend himself -- and complicating matters by committing literally hundreds of serious infractions from behind bars.

In 2007, when he was arrested, Illinois still had the death penalty. Now, as the jury hears closing arguments, it has been abolished.

*Though, to be fair, there is no evidence that she was strangled. Decomposition makes positive determination impossible.

Sisterhood can be powerful

This week in the trial of Nailah Franklin's accused murderer: A woman made her voice heard, even though she didn't testify.

A guy named Hugh took the stand and said that, on the night of the murder, he picked the accused up at an Indiana gas station, not far from where Nailah's abandoned car was found. This is not what he told police back in 2007. Then Hugh had provided his buddy an alibi, saying they had been together all evening in the city of Chicago.

Why did he change his story? He testified that his wife coaxed him "to tell the truth."

Good for her. Good for him. Good for the memory of Nailah Franklin, may she rest in peace. 

Today in court

This lovely young woman, who was murdered more than eight years ago, was much loved. So much so that two rows in the courtroom were filled with her family and friends as her accused killer's trial continued.

I'm glad those who cared about her are getting their day in court. I'm just sorry that the testimony they heard was so grisly. For today, the cop who found her body took the stand.

So I'd like to combat that sad ugliness by sending this image of Nailah Franklin out into the blogosphere.

Opening arguments

So today the Nailah Franklin murder case officially began. As  expected, the prosecution promised to show that the accused "erased" this young life, as he threatened to do. As expected, the defense promised to highlight holes in the prosecution case.

What I didn't expect to learn was this: Nailah Franklin's father, a retired biochemist, was not in the courthouse to see this. He died three years ago, before he could see justice for his daughter.

Finally, Nailah Franklin gets her day in court

On Monday, Nailah Franklin's accused killer will finally find himself in front of a judge and jury. If you're interested in why it's taken so long for this SOB to be held accountable, here's a Tribune story. You won't read his name on this blog. Instead, I'm celebrating this special, much-loved girl with a post I originally published in 2013.

With the perspective that comes with age, I wonder why a girl who had absolutely everything going for her got involved with such an irredeemable creep. Then I remember myself at 28, and the man whose violent streak and cruelty I thought I could change if only I loved him enough. So there's no judgement of this young woman here.

Only the tender wish that she'd had the last eight years.

I won't forget Nailah Franklin

This beautiful young woman was killed in 2007. It will be six years ago this September! And the man arrested for her murder -- a former boyfriend who threatened to have her "erased" -- is still sitting behind bars, no trial date set. I refuse to use his name in this post, but if you want to read more about the case, click here.

I prefer instead to concentrate on Nailah. I never met her, but our lives intersected. The advertising agency she once worked for is just up the street from the one where I work, and after she went missing, her heartbroken coworkers were on the el platforms, leafletting and making sure we were all familiar with their friend's face, her car and her license plate.

The search for Nailah was big news for over a week, but then her body was found, a suspect was arrested, and life went on.

But I haven't forgotten. I have an old lover in my past who mistreated me physically, so when I read about the suspect's arrest it stirred deep feelings in me. I was also moved by how much former her coworkers loved her, how hard they worked on her search. Nailah Franklin must have been very special. And so, in tribute ...

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalls "an exceptionally smart woman" and says that not a day goes by that he doesn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

I won't forget Nailah Franklin

This beautiful young woman was killed in 2007. It will be six years ago this September! And the man arrested for her murder -- a former boyfriend who threatened to have her "erased" -- is still sitting behind bars, no trial date set. I refuse to use his name in this post, but if you want to read more about the case, click here.

I prefer instead to concentrate on Nailah. I never met her, but our lives intersected. The advertising agency she once worked for is just up the street from the one where I work, and after she went missing, her heartbroken coworkers were on the el platforms, leafletting and making sure we were all familiar with their friend's face, her car and her license plate.

The search for Nailah was big news for over a week, but then her body was found, a suspect was arrested, and life went on.

But I haven't forgotten. I have an old lover in my past who mistreated me physically, so when I read about the suspect's arrest it stirred deep feelings in me. I was also moved by how much former her coworkers loved her, how hard they worked on her search. Nailah Franklin must have been very special. And so, in tribute ...

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalls "an exceptionally smart woman" and says that not a day goes by that he doesn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

He seems sad these days

My best friend is laboring under a dark cloud. I suspect it's work related, but I don't know for sure because when he tried to talk to me yesterday, I was under the watchful gaze of three (count 'em, THREE) office mates and by the time I could call him back, he was in a two-hour long conference call. Today he was too overwhelmed by work and the news out of Denver to talk.

While I am very grateful that no one he knows personally was touched by the tragedy, I understand how a local event can get under your skin. I am still haunted by the tragedy of Yummy Sandifer, the murderous 9-year-old gangbanger who was assassinated himself back in 1994. And I haven't forgotten Nailah Franklin, the much loved Chicago woman who was abducted and murdered in 2007 (and whose accused killer is still awaiting trial).

I also learned from exchanging emails with him that. for many in Colorado, Columbine is still a sensitive wound and this just tore it open again.

My best friend is a good man who is very involved with his daughters, very worried about his dad and his siblings -- especially one of his sisters, because he fears her drinking is interfering with her role as mother. So in a way I hope it's "just" work and the Dark Knight shooting that are bothering him. Because the massacre, while heart breaking, is outside of his sphere of influence, and work problems come and go.

I love my friend and I hope the sunshine finds him soon.

2,321,400 minutes

Do you remember that song from Rent? In "Seasons of Love," the cast sings, "525,600 minutes, 525,600 moments so dear, 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year?"

Well, I did a little math and it's been (approx.) 2,321,400 minutes since Nailah Franklin died in September 2007. Her lover was indicted, arrested and jailed, but as of today there still hasn't been a trial.

I haven't forgotten about Nailah Franklin. I didn't know her at all, but her disappearance touched me. The advertising agency she had recently worked for is located less than a mile from mine and many of her former coworkers were asking my fellow commuters if we had seen her, if we were able to help join in the search. She had good girlfriends in the neighborhood where I live, and I saw flyers featuring pictures of her car and its license plate throughout town. I remember thinking how smart the latter was, since parking spaces are at a premium in this village and an abandoned car taking up space would sure as shit be noticed.

The search did not have a happy ending. Nailah was found dead 10 days later.

One year later, her accused killer -- and former boyfriend -- was facing the death penalty. He sounds like a clever guy because, as near as I can tell, he has managed to use that ultimate penalty as a reason to delay his trial. He burned up months and months saying he wanted to represent himself and needed to time to bring himself up to speed on how to do it. Then he burned up months and months saying he is changing his mind and needs a PD. As I understand it, he now has a public defender but that lawyer needs months and months to prepare for trial.

Tick, tick ... Minutes go by that he has on earth. And Nailah remains, forever, gone.

I am against the death penalty on principal and in practice, and this case helps illustrate why. When the state has the ultimate punishment on the table, of course, we want them to be fair and give the accused every possibility to defend himself. But then delays like this happen, and there's no justice for his victim.

And she is who I care about. So I'm going to close with some of the facts I learned about Nailah Franklin, back when her story was in the news regularly. I know it's Valentine's Day and all, but if you get a moment, say a prayer for this girl. She was much loved and deserves to NOT be forgotten.

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalls "an exceptionally smart woman" and says that not a day goes by that he doesn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

Sunday Stealing

Sunday Stealing: The 14 Question Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. What do you consider your hometown to be? Chicago

2. What’s the hardest part of your average day? Getting there, wherever "there" happens to be. I find it hard to leave for work at a reasonable time, or once I'm there it's hard to put my pencil down and come home, or haul my fat ass to the health club.

3. The easiest? Why? Feeding the felines. Tending to them always makes me happy. My cats were all shelter rescues, and I'm so pleased to know that they went from being stray or abandoned to enjoying mealtimes in my kitchen.

4. What beverage do you reach for to quench your thirst? Coke.

5. What is one not-so-secret goal you have for your life? I’ll let you keep your secret ones to yourself. Getting -- and staying! -- organized here at home.I made a serious attempt over the summer and made real headway, but now I'm overrun with paper again.

6. What physical pain do you fear most? For example, I’m trying to decide how bad my jaw pain needs to get before I risk a potential needle from my dentist. So, for me, throbbing is preferable to jabbing. Migraines! They are brutal, I literally cannot move without pain so excruciating that I'm nauseous. And have you ever tried to vomit without moving? If I don't take my football-shaped prescription Naproxen at the very first sign of pain, I'm resigned to first hours of misery and then the hours of sleep required for healing and then I've sacrificed a day to a freaking headache.

7. Where do you find solace? I find that little happens in life that can't be made better by listening to the Beatles or watching Cubs baseball.

8. What makes you the saddest when you read/see the news? Senseless violence. Some stories really get under my skin. One was Nailah Franklin, the young woman whose family and friends were mobilized and passionate, trying to enlist the entire city in the search to save her. It was too awful when, days later, her body was found. Another was Blair Holt, the honor student who lost his life on the way home from school when he pushed a classmate out of the line of gangbanger fire. When I develop my globes for Mimi's Blogblast for Peace, it's not Afghanistan or Iraq or Darfur that I'm thinking of. I dream of my hometown, the day when there will be no more victims like Nailah Franklin and Blair Holt.

9. What do you eat for a favorite snack? Apple slices. Plain, or with cinnamon, or caramel or cheese, if you don't mind.

10. What movie could you/would you watch more than two or three times and still enjoy just as much as the first time? The Way We Were. I love how at the beginning of the movie, Hubbell is the gorgeous golden boy "for whom everything comes too easily," and Katie is all unfashionably sharp elbows and passion. He allows himself to give up what was truly important to him in order to keep his life easy, comfortable and neutral. By the end of the movie, while Hubbell is subdued and just kinda pale, she is still vibrant, still enthusiastic, still fighting for what she believes in. To thine own self be true! Of course, some day I'd like to see a movie where the heroine manages to maintain her individuality and get the gorgeous guy.

11. What boy/girl first made you cry? I truly don't remember. I don't know if that's a good or a bad thing.

12. What brand of coffee/tea do you drink most often? I hate, loathe, despise and abominate coffee. The brand of tea in my kitchen right now is Bigelow.

13. Dig in the dirt with or without garden gloves? I don't have a garden.

14. James Taylor or Carly Simon? Why must I choose?

August Happiness Challenge 2010 -- Day 13

I accidentally discovered that my blog has made a difference in someone's life, and it makes me happy.

Every now and again I check my statcounter to see who visits here and where they're from. I have received an unusual number of hits today from The Daily Kos. Huh? What? How on earth did I get referenced on The Daily Kos?

Well, one of the regular blogs on The Daily Kos is called Sistah Speak. The author is discussing race, racism and the impact on black women. A mention was made of the coverage of violent crime against women of color, and how it isn't covered as extensively as offenses against white women. Someone calling herself Amazinggrace commented, linking back to this blog:

Mitrice [Richardson] was an exception in reporting, as was my cousin Nailah Franklin here in Chicago. Their disappearances received continuous coverage because of the diligence of their families in pressing the issue.

Up until today, I had no idea that any of my posts about Nailah Franklin was actually seen, obviously appreciated and even remembered by her family! I hope they got some comfort from knowing how deeply Nailah's story touched the heart of this stranger.

P.S. There is some news about this case. The suspect is still in jail, awaiting trial, and has been charged for assaulting a corrections officer. Sounds like a terrific guy, doesn't he? But, since today's post is about happiness, and since all of my Nailah Franklin posts have been more about her life than her death, I will say no more about him.

Tribute to Nailah Franklin

I never knew this young woman, but her story touched me deeply back in September 2007 and I haven't forgotten her. When she was first reported missing, her friends and family leaped into action. Her mom and sisters were on TV, making sure her name and face and Impala were known to everyone. Nailah had worked at a competitive ad agency, Leo Burnett, and her former coworkers were out in force, handing out "Have You Seen Me" flyers to people like me as we boarded the el trains.

When her body was found a few days later, I was so sad for those who loved her. Nailah Franklin must have been a very special woman to have engendered such love, respect and loyalty from those whose lives she touched.

The Chicago Tribune recently (August 17) ran a story updating us on the case. I'm not including a link because the story necessarily mentions the suspect in her murder case. I am not a newspaper, I don't have to be fair or balanced or complete in my reporting. I want to shine the spotlight exclusively on this special woman. I owe much to Dawn Turner Trice's column, but if you want to read it yourself, you'll have to find it yourself.

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006 because she believed a sales job would help give her greater control over her finances and career.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She loved clothes and had a terrific sense of fashion.

Her mother told the Tribune that she wondered why Nailah "always seemed to be in such a hurry to live life. I think her spirit knew she had such a short time on this Earth and she had to cram in as much living as possible."

An older sister remembers her "little baby voice that she never grew out of, but she was bold and spirited, headstrong and beautiful."

Her father recalls "an exceptionally smart woman" and says that not a day goes by that he doesn't miss her.

A younger sister smiles when she remembers CD/DVD collection because "it was such a reflection of her -- a combination of old school songs by Luther Vandross and Tae Bo exercise DVDs."

Her youngest sister tried to follow Nailah to Urbana but she wasn't accepted. She treasures Nailah's words of encouragement as she applied to other schools. "When we learned she had died, I considered quitting the nursing program. But I remembered how much she believed in me and I thought it was important to keep going."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.

She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

She was just 28 when she died.

Nailah Franklin Update -- Suspect Now Has Representation

Last month, the man about to stand trial for the murder of Nailah Franklin had second thoughts about representing himself and has accepted the assistance of the Cook County public defender’s office. I apologize for being so late in posting this development.

For those of you who aren't familiar with this case, Nailah Franklin was just 28 -- with a promising career, a supportive network of friends and a family who loved her -- when, in September 2007, she was kidnapped and murdered. I didn't know this young woman personally, but her story touched me. For example, while she was missing, Nailah's sisters held out hope that she was still alive because "her spirited and strong personality would help her survive." Friends recalled that she loved shopping and "all things Oprah." She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League, and was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

Those close to her didn't want her to become just another "missing black woman statistic," and neither do I. Nailah Franklin deserves to be more than that.

I choose not to use the murder suspect's name here because I personally believe he's guilty and don't think he deserves notoriety for what he did. If after his trial I am proven wrong, I will publicly apologize. But for now, I choose to spotlight this lady instead. And my thoughts are with the family and friends who have to spend yet another Christmas without her.

Nailah Franklin Update -- Suspect will act as his own lawyer

In September, 2007, a promising young pharmaceutical sales rep was kidnapped and murdered. Her name was Nailah Franklin, shown here. I never knew her, but I was impressed and touched by the way her family and friends rallied and made sure she wasn't just another "missing black woman" statistic. This 28-year-old woman was clearly loved by many.

Yesterday, the suspect in her murder, a former boyfriend, told the court that he was going to represent himself. This 31-year-old says he cannot afford his own lawyer, and doesn't want a public defender because it would take too long to have one assigned and for that PD to be brought up to speed on his case. He wants a speedy trial because he maintains his innocence.

I will use his name here and publicly apologize if he is, indeed, found innocent. But for now, I want to devote this space to the young lady whose life was lost.

Nailah Franklin was one of 5 daughters.

She graduated first from Homewood Flossmoor High School and then the University of Illinois.

She spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett.

She moved to Eli Lilly in 2006.

She loved "all things Oprah."

She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.

She was eulogized as "not a star, but a superstar."

May she rest in peace.

Nailah Franklin Update -- Death Penalty Sought

Prosecutors here in Cook County have filed the necessary paperwork to seek the death penalty in the murder of Nailah Franklin.

I am not including a link to the news stories on this matter because they naturally include the suspect's name. I understand why news organizations must do that, but this blog is not journalism, it's my blog. I choose concentrate solely on Nailah Franklin. There was something about this young woman that touched and inspired her family and friends and I don't want her to be forgotten.

She was just 28 when she died last September.
She was a daughter and a sister, one of 5 girls.
She was a good student at Homewood Flossmoor High School and graduated from U of I.
She volunteered at the Chicago Urban League.
She worked for two well-known, well-respected companies, first Leo Burnett and then Eli Lilly.

Her friends fondly remember her sense of style, and how she loved all things Oprah.
Her funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners, who heard Nailah Franklin eulogized as "not just a star, but a superstar."

Nailah Franklin Update -- Bail denied

A judge has ruled that the accused killer of Nailah Franklin is enough of a threat that he must stay behind bars until his trial. Surveillance tapes, cell phone records and emails indicate that if he is the murderer, the act was most definitely premeditated. In one chilling email, he threatened to have Ms. Franklin "erased."

He didn't "erase" her, though. This 28-year-old woman lives on in the hearts of her friends and family. Warm and outgoing, involved with the Chicago Urban League, and busy with her career, Nailah Franklin was also a great deal of fun. She's remembered for her style, and how she loved shopping and "everything Oprah."

Nailah Franklin Update -- An arrest

Remember her? I do. This is Nailah Franklin, the local pharmaceutical sales rep who was brutally murdered last September.

Police have formally arrested her former boyfriend. Separated from his wife, the father of a baby with another woman, this man has quite the arrest record for assault. He threatened Ms. Franklin after she ended their relationship. I choose not to include his name here because this story should never be about him.

Except to wonder why Nailah Franklin -- a beautiful 28-year-old with a solid education, a good career, and a legion of loving relatives and friends who remember her as "not a star, but a superstar," and speak of "her spirited and strong personality" -- wasted her time with such a man. That makes me so sad.

May those who loved her find justice, and may she rest in peace.

Update on Nailah Franklin

This post is dedicated to the 28 year old woman who disappeared on September 18. For nine days, Ms. Franklin's friends and family were mobilized: searching for her, recruiting others to search for her, praying for her, keeping her name and photo in front of the news media. It was impressive and quite moving. Clearly Nailah Franklin was much loved. Sadly, her dead body was discovered on September 28.

There doesn't appear to be any progress in the search for her killer. At least nothing has appeared in the press recently. A former boyfriend of Ms. Franklin's was taken into custody on an unrelated matter. Since she recently reported that an old boyfriend had been threatening her, this seemed like a promising lead, but to date no one has been charged in her murder.

On a positive note, there's a Nailah O. Franklin Memorial Fund at Chicago Community Trust Bank. The fund will provide grants to community organizations working to prevent violence and guide young people's educational and social development.

About this woman who I never met, but whose story has touched me:

• One of five daughters
• Graduated from Homewood Flossmoor High School and University of Illinois
• Spent 5 years at the prestigious ad agency, Leo Burnett
• Joined Eli Lily as a sales rep in 2006
• Volunteered for charities including the Chicago Urban League
• At her funeral, which was attended by hundreds, she was remembered as "not just a star, but a superstar"

Update on Nailah Franklin

This post is about the local woman who disappeared on September 19. Her legion of friends and family searched for her and kept her story front and center until, unfortunately, her dead body was found 9 days later.

Ms. Franklin's funeral was held last Wednesday. Hundreds were in attendance. A pharmaceutical sales rep for Eli Lily, she was remembered fondly as "not a star, but a superstar."

A week before her disappearance, Ms. Franklin contacted police about threatening phone calls from an ex-boyfriend. A man who once dated her was arrested Friday for "misdemeanor battery" (he allegedly threatened a gas station attendant). I'm not including his name or photo here because the authorities have not officially tied him to Ms. Franklin's death. Let's just say that I hope that talking to him brings police closer to solving the mystery of Nailah's murder.