A memorial service and funeral Mass are scheduled in Detroit on Thursday for slain journalist Chauncey Bailey, who worked at the Detroit News as a staff writer and columnist from 1979 to 1992.

The service is planned for 6 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament, 9844 Woodward (near Boston). A memorial fund to benefit Bailey’s son has been established. Contributions may be sent to: Chauncey Bailey Memorial Fund, c/o Bank of America, Creekside Branch, 1188 Galeria Blvd., Roseville, CA 95678

In a separate development, the 19-year-old handyman from Oakland, Calif.’s Your Black Muslim Bakery accused of assassinating Bailey denied Thursday that he confessed and claimed he was innocent in an interview with KTVU-TV in San Francisco.

However, Homicide Commander Lt. Ersie Joyner III of the Oakland Police Department vehemently denied suspect Devaughndre Broussard’s allegations, saying the tactic was not unexpected and that suspects in other cases have tried to do similar things.

The Bay Area Black Journalists Association announced it is adding a $2,500 scholarship to honor Bailey. “I’m inviting NABJ chapters and anyone who knew Chauncey to make a donation to help fund the scholarship. Whatever money we raise will be matched here in the Bay Area by BABJA and anyone else who wishes to make a contribution,” said Bob Butler, the association president, referring to the National Association of Black Journalists.

Donations may be sent to: BABJA, 1714 Franklin St. #100-260, Oakland, CA 94612, attn: Chauncey Bailey Scholarship. The organization’s annual scholarship luncheon fundraiser is scheduled for Oct. 18.

More media outlets began to cover the story with editorials and pieces that discussed the significance of the killing in the contexts of journalism, recent violence and the history of black nationalism in Oakland.

• Brad Bennett, Broward (Fla.) Times: Chauncey Bailey: A martyr for freedom http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=376&Itemid=40
• Editorial, Harrisonburg (Va.) Daily News-Record: A Man of Courage 
  http://www.dnronline.com/opinion_details.php?AID=11631&sub=Editorial
• Editorial, Seattle Times: Death of a journalist on the streets of home http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=killed09&date=20070809&query=%22Chauncey+Bailey%22
• Editorial, Washington Post: A Journalist’s Death http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/10/AR2007081002109.html
• Hazel Trice Edney, National Newspaper Publishers Association: After Murder of Popular Editor, NNPA Publisher encourages Black Press to ‘Step Up’ Aggressive Reporting http://www.amsterdamnews.org/News/Article/Article.asp?NewsID=13853&sID=3
• James Fanelli, New York Post: Unholy ‘Journalist Slay’ Biz http://www.nypost.com/seven/08122007/news/nationalnews/unholy_journalist_nationalnews_james_fanelli__post_correspondent.htm
• Matthai Chakko Kuruvila, San Francisco Chronicle: Bean pies, power, sex and death at Oakland’s Your Black Muslim Bakery http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/08/12/MNQMRGR7U.DTL&tsp=1
• Neil MacFarquhar, International Herald Tribune: Black nationalist institution in California goes down in bankruptcy and disquiet http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/12/america/bakery.1-113321.php
• Morris W. O’Kelly, EURWeb.com: Change Our Mentality or Face Extinction http://www.eurweb.com/story/eur35889.cfm
• Karl Vick, Washington Post: For Some in Oakland, Editor’s Death Shows Subversion of Black Activism http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/09/AR2007080902259.html?sub=AR