Romaine "Chip" Fitzgerald
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Kamau Sadiki is a former Black Panther and BLA Member who was convicted of a 1971 murder of a police officer in 2003. He maintains his innocence. Allegedly Kamau shot a Fulton County Police Officer in his police car outside a service station. Kamau was arrested for a molestation charge that he denies. His supporters believe this was a convenient way to keep him in jail so they could intimidate Authorities were desperately seeking information leading to the capture of Assata Shakur. He refused to cooperate and they put him on trial for the cop murder, 30 years after it had occurred. He has been seriously ill while in custody and apparently there has been a change where inmates are not allowed to sleep at least 8 hours on weekends or holidays. www.itsabouttimebpp.com/Political_Prisoners/Kamau_Sadiki.html
Brendan is an anarchist from Endwell. He plead guilty to a charge of attempting to damage or destroy a building by arson. On April 9, 2003 Brendan threw a Molotov cocktail through the window of a local armed forces recruiting station in Vestal, NY, near Binghamton. He did this to show his opposition to the war in Iraq. He was also charged with attempted destruction of communication lines utilized by the U.S. Armed Forces, which carried a maximum sentence of 10 years. Walsh is also responsible for smashing the window of the recruitment center in the previous year. Brendan was going to be released from prison to a halfway house on February 8th, 2008. He's in need of support from our movement more than ever as he faces his release. During a visit with Brendan last week, he communicated a desire for Kansas Mutual Aid to collect monetary donations to help aid Brendan in buying clothes and other needed items once released. Brendan's halfway house confirmation has been repeatedly delayed, so he has been under a lot of stress as he fights to ensure his release in February. He's in need of as much love and support as we can send. Please consider sending Brendan some words of love and support during his last several weeks in prison. 2004
Helen is a ploughshare prisoner serving 8 years & 10 months for a series of actions that focused the interrelationship of war and the destruction of the natural world. The actions included destruction of Government property (pouring a tin of red paint over the security desk of a federal court and making threatening communications. Prior to her arrest Helen had served 27 years for actions which included: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning $25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental destruction and economic injustice. During this action you told those around, “Money is evil. You don't believe in God; you only worship money.” 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets attached to Government & corporate officials.
SHAC 7
The SHAC 7 are 6 animal rights activists and the organization Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty USA (SHAC USA) who were convicted on March 2, 2006, under the controversial Federal Animal Enterprise Protection Act. The Act punishes anyone who "physically disrupts" an animal enterprise. The charges stem from these activists' alleged participation in an international campaign to close the notorious product testing lab Huntingdon Life Sciences. Specifically, these activists are alleged to have operated a website that reported on and expressed ideological support for protest activity against Huntingdon and its business affiliates. For this they are charged with "terrorism" and face an aggregate of 23 years in Federal Prison. The SHAC 7 case is the latest in an onslaught of attacks against domestic dissidents under the guise of fighting terrorism. Animal rights is a "fringe" issue and the government is banking on the broader social justice movement to turn a blind eye to those focusing on the “less important” issue of animals and expressing “extremist” views. But make no mistake - these activists are the canaries in the mine. This case is intended to pave the way for further silencing of activists involved in all issues. UDATE: Josh, and Darius are free. Andy is serving in a half-way house. www.shac7.com/
Exile (Nathan Fraser Block), and Sadie (Joyanna L. Zacher), both from Olympia, were indicted and arrested Thursday Feb. 23 (2006) in charges related to a May 2001 arson fire at Jefferson Poplar Farm in Clatskanie, Oregon, where experimental genetically altered poplars are grown. Exile and Sadie accepted plea agreements that did not incriminate persons other than themselves. They are each currently serving sentences of 92 months in federal prison. Judge Ann Aiken was dismayed that neither of the defendants expressed remorse for their crimes and sentenced them each to them to the full term requested by the prosecution, saying that they wanted to be known as "activist martyrs." http://olycivlib.blogspot.com/
Olajidai Crenshaw and Lasandra Burwell were given harsh sentences for alleged crimes committed during their participation in a counter demonstration to a Nazi invasion of their community. On October 15, 2005, the city of Toledo allowed a full detachment of uniformed Neo-Nazis to protest "black crime" at a largely black high school in a largely black working class community. To add insult to injury a largely white police force was sent to guard these Nazis. A peaceful counter rally was organized across from the high school by an ethnically diverse coalition of regional activists. The rally was well attended by several hundred mostly young community members and anti-racists from other areas of the Mid-West. The rally was peaceful, but at a certain point an African American young person from the community threw eggs over the heads of the white police officers at the hate spewing Neo Nazis. Nearly instantaneously the police charged on horseback, into the crowd of protesters. This was accompanied by the officers raining tear gas onto the largely youthful, local crowd. Many of the elders of the community had been watching the protest from porches and windows. As the community witnessed its conscious, opinionated young people being attacked, they could not sit by. As the police arrested people at random the community reacted in the incident that came to be known in the media as the "Toledo Riot". The police arrested over 110 people, many of them juveniles. In the course of the rioting, 17 year old Olajadai Crenshaw allegedly destroyed the lock on a local bar. Later, the bar was looted and burned to the ground by the angry community. Outrageously, he was tried as an adult and incarcerated. Lasandra Burwell, was sentenced to 8 years in Ohio State Prison for throwing bricks at police and smashing a police cars windshield during the Nazi rally. She was released in March 2008 but is still subject to strict parole for 3 years. http://www.myspace.com/toledosolidarity 2007 New Jersey 4 
Patreese Johnson # 07-G-0635 Bedford Hills Correctional Facility P.O. Box 1000 Bedford Hills, NY 10507
Albion Correctional Facility 3595 State Road Albion, NY 14411-9399 On August 18, 2006, seven young African American lesbians traveled to the West Village from their homes in Newark for a regular night out. When walking down the street, a male bystander assaulted them with sexist and homophobic comments. The women tried to defend themselves, and a fight broke out. During the resulting confrontation, Buckle first spat in Renata’s face and threw his lit cigarette at her, then he yanked another’s hair, pulling her towards him, and then began strangling Renata. A fight broke out, during which Patreese Johnson, 4 feet 11 inches tall and 95 pounds, produced a small knife from her bag to stop Buckle from choking her friend—a knife she carried to protect herself when she came home alone from her late-night job. Two male onlookers, one of whom had a knife, ran over to physically deal with Buckle in order to help the women. Buckle, who ended up hospitalized for five days with stomach and liver lacerations, initially reported on at least two occasions that the men—not the women—had attacked him. What’s more, Patreese’s knife was never tested for DNA, the men who beat Buckle were never questioned by police, and the whole incident was captured on surveillance video. Yet the women ended up on trial for attempted murder. Dwayne Buckle testified against them. Thus began the women’s nightmare for almost a year. Three of the women accepted plea offers. On June 14th, 2007 Venice Brown (19), Terrain Dandridge (20), Patreese Johnson (20), and Renata Hill (24) received sentences ranging from 3 ½ to 11 years in prison.
- Patreese has gotten her GED! She plans to continue on to college and is looking forward to that. She thinks she might be moved to another facility shortly. - Renata accepted a plea bargain and has 1.5 years left as of May, 2009.
Daniel McGowan is an environmental and social justice activist from New York City. He has worked on projects such as the demonstrations against the Republican National Convention, counter military recruitment efforts, organizing free markets in his neighborhood, and supporting political prisoners such as Jeff "Free" Luers. Daniel was also earning a Master's degree in acupuncture and was working at WomensLaw.org, a nonprofit that helps abused women navigate the legal system, when he was arrested by federal marshals on December 7th, 2005. He was charged in federal court on counts of arson, property destruction and conspiracy, all relating to two actions in Oregon in 2001. Until recently, Daniel was offered two choices by the government: cooperate by informing on other people, or go to trial and potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. His only real option was to plead not guilty until he could reach a resolution of the case that permitted him to honor his principles. Now, as a result of months of litigation and negotiation, Daniel was able to admit to his role in these two incidents, while not implicating or identifying any other people who might have been involved. Given a longer sentence than those who fully cooperated, he was sentenced to 7 years in prison on June 4, 2007 and began serving his time on July 2, 2007 at MDC Brooklyn. www.supportdaniel.org/
Jonathan has been an animal and environmental activist since the 1980s and a vegan for 25 years. He and his wife live with 5 companion animals off the grid, powering their home with solar panels. Jonathan is currently serving a 51 – month sentence in federal prison in Phoenix, Arizona for his role in the 1997 arson of the Cavel West horse slaughterhouse in Redmond, OR. Jonathan has dedicated his life to protecting the earth and alleviating the suffering of animals, human and non-human. From 1999 until the time he reported to prison in October of 2007, Jonathan served his community as an Emergency Medical Technician and volunteer firefighter. Jonathan has received numerous awards for his community service. He deserves our support and we need to let him know how much we appreciate his sacrifices. www.supportjonathan.org/
24 year old Grant Barnes, is serving a 12 year sentence for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles. H was arrested by Denver police in connection with at least two fires involving Hummer sport utility vehicles. On one of the vehicles the letters ELF was spray-painted.An officer arrested Grant Barnes during a routine traffic stop about 11:30 p.m., after finding suspicious materials in his vehicle. He was in the same neighborhood as the arsons, police said. http://grantbarnes.wordpress.com/ SF 8
Francisco Torres #2307534 out on bail. Eight former Black Panthers were arrested January 23rd in California, New York and Florida on charges related to the 1971 killing of a San Francisco police officer. Similar charges were thrown out after it was revealed that police used torture to extract confessions when some of these same men were arrested in New Orleans in 1973. Richard Brown, Richard O'Neal, Ray Boudreaux, and Hank Jones were arrested Jan. 23, 2007 in California. Francisco Torres was arrested the same day in Queens, New York. Harold Taylor was arrested in Florida. Two men charged – Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim – have been held as political prisoners for over 30 years in New York State prisons. A ninth man -- Ronald Stanley Bridgeforth – is still being sought. The men were charged with the murder of Sgt. John Young and conspiracy that encompasses numerous acts between 1968 and 1973. Harold Taylor and John Bowman (recently deceased) as well as Ruben Scott (thought to be a government witness) were first charged in 1975. But a judge tossed out the charges, finding that Taylor and his two co-defendants made statements after police in New Orleans tortured them for several days employing electric shock, cattle prods, beatings, sensory deprivation, plastic bags and hot, wet blankets for asphyxiation. Such "evidence" is neither credible nor legal. UPDATE: Everyone is out of jail currently. At the end of July, Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim were sentenced to probation and time served, after Herman agreed to plead to voluntary manslaughter and Jalil to conspiracy to voluntary manslaughter. All charges were then dropped on Richard Brown, Hank Jones, Harold Taylor, and Ray Boudreaux, with the prosecution admitting it had “insufficient evidence” against them. Charges had already been dropped against Richard O'Neal last year. Francisco Torres, of NYC, is the last person still with charges; he maintains his innocence and will appear in court on August 10.
Eric McDavid was arrested in Auburn, CA on January 13, 2006 as part of the government’s ongoing Green Scare campaign. Eric was held in solitary confinement at the Sacramento County Main Jail since the day of his arrest. He was arrested along with Zachary Jenson and Lauren Weiner and all three were charged with “conspiracy to destroy property by means of fire or explosives.” The government’s case is based on the word of a single FBI informant who was paid over $75,000 to fabricate a crime and implicate the trio. Both of Eric’s co-defendants have since caved under the threat of being imprisoned for 20 years and plead guilty to a lesser charge. In doing so, they also agreed to testify against Eric and cooperate in every way possible, including testifying in front of secret grand jury proceedings. Eric has been repeatedly denied bail. For over a year, he has only been allowed to leave his cell for a few hours per week and receives very little contact with the outside world. On September 7, 2007 Eric was found guilty of conspiracy and is waiting for sentencing. His sentencing date has been pushed back several times which is obviously difficult for Eric. http://supporteric.org/
Michael is a 17-year-old anarchist awaiting trial on charges in connection with some anti-development/sprawl arsons in Michigan. Police say that 17-year-old Michael Sykes torched two newly constructed homes in order to call attention to the problem of urban sprawl. The teen was arrested as he allegedly attempted to siphon gasoline from an unmarked police Jeep Cherokee near a new development. Detectives say that Sykes confessed to the arsons along with another at a Kroger supermarket in 2006, as well as a recent string of acts of vandalism including burning an American flag, damaging an 80-foot utility pole and painting an anarchy symbol. Sykes was charged as an adult, and has pled not guilty. He is being held in Monroe County Jail in lieu of $1 million bond. His next hearing is scheduled for March 26. He loves nature and would like to receive books, especially ones about Native Americans, environmentalism, and field guides. He said that if people write him he can send them artwork and that he would also like visitors. http://supportmichael.wordpress.com/
Avelino is a recent Puerto Rican Independence prisoner. Avelino was born in the town of Vega Baja on October 8, 1942. Since his days as a student in the public schools of his country he established himself as a fighter for the freedom of his homeland. Upon entering the University of Puerto Rico he became a member of the Pro-Independence University Federation (Federación Universitaria Pro Independencia –FUPI), a student organization founded in 1956 that has stood out for its struggle for university reforms to improve conditions at the university for our people. Avelino became its vice-president. He moved to New York City where he lived until the beginning of the 1970’s. He worked in Wall Street in that city while he carried out political work with the Puerto Rican community and organized part of the resistance of the revolutionary forces that were beginning to organize themselves in “the belly of the Yankee beast” and had begun to stand out by the end of the 1960’s. Avelino became part of the leadership of the Vito Marco Antonio Mission of the Movemento Pro-Independence (MPI) in New York. Avelino returned to his homeland to integrate into the political work where he stood out as one of its most capable and disciplined leaders. At the time of the arrests in 1985 he was known for his role in the administration of the operations of the political magazine Pensamiento Crítico (Critical Thought. For the past 22 years he alluded authorities as “Jose Ortega,” and was able to participate not only in the struggle for the peoples’ liberation but also as a worker and computer teacher where he realized work for the improvement of the services provided by the Department of Education of Puerto Rico. In August of 1985, Avelino González, along with other Puerto Ricans and 2 North Americans, were accused of having participated in the planning and authorization of an operation to secure $7,117,000.00 from a Wells Fargo armored truck in Hartford, Connecticut on September 12, 1983. That operation was carried out by the then PRTP-Macheteros. They are accused of being part of the Central Committee and Political Commission of the PRTP-Macheteros. Avelino, his brother Norberto and Victor Gerena, the main person accused, could not be arrested at that time. Norberto and Victor remain underground to this day. The charges against those arrested that year ended in a trial of a group of the accused (Carlos Ayes, Filiberto Ojeda, Juan Segarra, Norman Ramirez and Roberto Maldonado) in 1989 and finally led to a political-legal agreement in 1992 with the accused Orlando González, Hilton Fernández Diamante, Jorge A. Farinacci, Isaac Camacho, Elías Castro and Angel Días Ruiz and later led to another trial of the accused Ivone Meléndez Carrión. The legal agreement reached recognized the Macheteros as a political organization that fights for the independence of their homeland. Avelino was arrested Feb 7, 2008 and his is held in a state prison in the city of Hartford in conditions of “maximum security”. 23 hours in isolation in a jail cell, with one hour to get fresh air, with no access to his family and denied communication by telephone with his family members, his lawyers or friends. They propose to judge him, as they have his comrades in struggle, faraway from his Puerto Rican homeland. His hearing is set for later this year. UPDATE: Puerto Rican Political Prisoner Avelino Gonzalez Claudo is being denied medical treatment! Since his incarceration, he has developed a neurological condition. In November 2008, Avelino requested, several times, medical attention receiving only a “I do not know”, “I will read some books” answer from the Doctor assigned to his facility. Avelno has been mvoed to anew prison, so the campaign has a new target: Peter J. Murphy, the Warden of Avelino's new prison, MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution Directory: 2009 2009 -> The Truth about the Rwandan Genocide 2009 -> Guide to learn how to install, set up and access the music you need today! 2009 -> Lesson #11: Words with 2009 -> Terry L. Root 2009 -> The environment in the news 2009 -> Town of Nags Head Annual Report 2009 -> Cemir international Download 262.02 Kb. Share with your friends:
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