It’s official.  Usher, a Grammy-winning R&B singer, has filed for divorce less than two years after walking down the aisle.  His wife, however, was more than surprised that divorce was even being considered.  She’s provided an exact date as to their last intimacy and says she believed her marriage was intact.  Tameka Raymond’s lawyer, Randall M. Kessler, has only released one brief statement, “All I can tell you is that my

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client loves her husband and she loves her children.  She’s trying to keep this as private as possible.”  Usher’s lawyers haven’t released any statements, but the divorce papers filed in Atlanta, GA are speaking volumes. 

The reasons for the splitting of the sheets are listed as a hopeless reconciliation and that the marriage is irretrievably broken.  Not only that, but Usher is also seeking at least joint custody of his two sons, one who is less than two years old and another who is six months old.  In the meantime, his wife Tameka has asked the court to ensure her husband continues his financial support until the divorce and custody issues have been decided.  She’s also requested her husband pay her legal fees.

It’s not said where Usher is residing, though it’s most likely outside Atlanta and probably not even in Georgia.  The two were married in August, 2007.  It was his first marriage and her second marriage.  She also has three children from that first marriage.  He says they’ve been separated since July 2008, which, if true, means they separated before they even celebrated their first wedding anniversary.

Tameka Raymond is said to still be recuperating after being hospitalized for severe complications due to liposuction she received in Brazil.  It’s only when the rumors began circulating last week over the imminent filing that she hired Kessler.  The one striking difference in this celebrity divorce and others that have hit the headlines is there doesn’t appear to be any mudslinging….yet.  Hopefully, for the sake of the little ones, these two will remember they’re the adults and that the art of biting one’s tongue will go a long way in the psyches of their kids.

The first court date is set for July 15 in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta.

A new study released this week revealed that one half of all males who are arrested test positive for some kind of illegal drug(s). Although this is alarming, it’s not really surprising since there have long been links established between crime and drug abuse. There were ten major U.S. cities involved in the study and 3,924 men tested. In some cities, such as Chicago, the numbers were near 90% and in some cases, multiple substances were found. Other statistics include:

Marijuana is the most common drug found, with the exception of Atlanta where cocaine was found most often.

Heroin was found most often in men from Chicago and reveals an increase of 9% over the past year for a total of 29% in this most recent study.

This only highlights arguments proponents of court enforced drug rehabilitation programs have said for years. Advocates say the opportunity exists for every judge in the country to order counseling and rehabilitation instead of incarceration. They say recidivism rates are dramatically lowered when one completes rehab programs and is often the only chance many have at entering any kind of treatment facilities.
Still, the costs for those who don’t complete rehab amount to wasted taxpayer dollars and further, taxpayers must then foot the bill for housing those who, as part of their sentences, must go to jail if they fail to complete treatment. Many say drug courts only delay jail time for those adamant about not stopping their drug use.
For now, it’s often left up to the judge who determines sentencing whether or not to send an offender to rehab. With such a close eye on how limited monies are spent, many judges feel obligated to choose jail over rehab. Today’s release of these new statistics might change that, though. Even when one who is ordered into rehab doesn’t complete treatment, there remain six who do complete treatment and avoid jail time altogether.
One suggestion includes nationwide admissions guidelines with clear guidance on who is and isn’t eligible (such as no arrests for major drug trafficking). For more information on the cities’ individual statistics, see this USA Today report.

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