He is very outspoken about family values in the black community. They view him as conservative on social issues. He tells them to stop blaming other people and take a look at what they are doing to themselves.
He supports democrats, including Obama, but that is not the whole picture. He is not like Obama in the race baiting category.
I also had sympathy for him when his son was murdered. How could anyone not but like you said above it is irrelevant to the accusations he now faces.