(ThyBlackMan.com) On April 4 of this year, a Little Rock social worker and anger management specialist, 39-year old Latoshia Daniels, shot and killed a 36-year old pastor Brodes Perry. She also shot and wounded Perry’s wife, 42-year old Tabitha Perry.
It all started when Perry began dating Daniels when they both lived in Little Rock, Arkansas. The two had spouses and from all impressions, the Perrys were a loving couple. So, it came as a surprise to his congregation that he was stepping out.
They’re Only Human
To those who regularly attend church or used to and are still in good standing, you’d think this kind of situation would be impossible. Of course, those who attend or used to attend know that it’s possible.
It doesn’t even have to be someone in the congregation itself. It’s just possible that the pastor, reverend, or bishop isn’t entirely practicing what they preach when it comes to relationships and fidelity. Leadership is a big thing in our community. Church leaders, school leaders, leaders among peer groups, community leaders.
Among Black men, we push leadership at an early age. Sports teach teamwork but those who show leadership—in addition to being a good athlete—are praised more so than those who are simply good athletes or jacks of all trades.
One thing about leadership is walking it like you talk it. You can’t demand of others what you don’t have or what you’re not doing yourself. You’re the leader after all, you’re supposed to be at least well-rounded and go by principles set. It’s why you’re supposed to go down with the ship or stay in a dangerous situation to make sure everyone else is safe before saving yourself.
When we get to religious leaders, you have these folks—often men—who are in charge of making sense of the word of God and giving their congregations food for the soul. Something to reflect on and apply to their lives to help them be good people.
It’s one thing for parishioners to falter in their faith. They’re only human and so are religious leaders. Of course, they’re the leaders. They’re preaching what is and isn’t virtuous and, in some cases, telling members where they will go if they aren’t walking the right path. That’s a ton of responsibility to have but that’s the life they chose.
If your faith states that infidelity or adultery is a sin and you’re the leader of a congregation in a denomination that believes in this and family values and traditional households, you don’t get to step out. That’s just hypocrisy—which isn’t exactly new to religion. It might not be your congregation; your leadership probably walks it like they talk it but it’s an issue throughout religion.
The Consequences of Their Actions
So, what should’ve happened to these two? Well, Latoshia Daniels is on trial and will likely go to prison for however long the state of Tennessee sees fit. I mean, she was yelling “You broke my heart” while shooting Perry and his wife. Then she resisted arrest.
It’s hard to argue not guilty and that it was a crime of passion when he tried to break things off, do right by his wife, and even moved from Little Rock to Memphis to get away from her. Sure, women who have appeared on Snapped have gotten away with worse but they had the complexion for protection. Their likelihood of jurors feeling that he had it coming is higher than Daniels’.
So, prison it’s for her. She’s a murderer clear and simple.
As for Brodes Perry, death shouldn’t have been his fate for going against values that held his congregation to. They’re definitely both to blame for planting the seeds that lead to this point. He was a married man stepping outside his marriage and she was a married woman stepping out with him.
However, she couldn’t take him moving on. As an anger management specialist, you’d figure she would be better at…managing her own anger. Again, walking it like you talk it. Something neither of them did but he shouldn’t have died over it and he didn’t. He died because an unhinged side chick couldn’t take a wife who didn’t know what the hell was going on being with her husband.
In the end, he should’ve been booted from his position and had word passed along to other churches in the area. Being killed when he was trying to get back on the right track with his wife is just sad.
What we’re left with is one Black woman messing up her life and going to prison, a dead Black man, and his wife who survived but is living with the fact that her husband was killed because a tryst became back to bite him.
Two sinners and an innocent in a situation that could’ve been avoided if the two parties simply practiced what they preached.
Staff Writer; M. Swift
This talented writer is also a podcast host, and comic book fan who loves all things old school. One may also find him on Twitter at; metalswift.