Support Parole for Eddie Africa

From the Move Organization:

In October 2015 our Brother Eddie Africa is set to make another appearance before the Pennsylvania State Parole Board. Your letters of support is urgently needed. All of the information is below as follows:

We are asking for your support at this critical stage to secure the freedom Eddie deserves.  Feel free to use parts of the sample letter below. Please write in your own words and with your own experiences of/with Eddie.

NOTE: Please send all letters of support to Orie Ross, P.O. Box 575, Times Square Station, New York, NY 10108-0575 so they can be reviewed and sent to the Board. The deadline for letters will be Wednesday September 30, 2015.

Sample Letter:

Board of Probation and Parole
Attn: Inmate Inquiry
1001 South Front Street, Suite 5300
Harrisburg, PA 17104

September  3, 2015

Regarding October 2015 Parole Hearing for: Edward Goodman #AM-4974

Dear Honorable Members of the Parole Board:

As a concerned citizen interested in helping Mr. Goodman successfully transition into life outside prison, I am writing to ask that you please grant him parole. He has served now 37 years of a 30-100 year sentence, even though the average sentence for his charges is 10-15 years. He is still in prison years after his minimum sentence despite having no major disciplinary problems in the last three decades. The notice provided to Mr. Goodman for his last parole denial lists the reasons for the denial as: “Your minimization/denial of the nature and circumstances of the offense(s) committed,” “Your refusal to accept responsibility for the offense(s) committed” and “The negative recommendation made by the prosecuting attorney.”

I understand the severe nature of the crime of which Mr. Goodman was convicted, however, I am concerned that Mr. Goodman maintaining his innocence is seen as an attempt to minimize or deny the nature and circumstances of the offense(s) or refuse to take responsibility, even while there is evidence that corroborates that the shot was fired from
a location where it is well known he was nowhere near. This phenomenon is referred to as “the innocent prisoner’s dilemma” implying that it is unfair and unethical to require someone who may have been wrongly convicted to provide false admission of guilt or remorse. Please take this dilemma into consideration.

I also understand that Mr. Goodman has not been recommended for parole by the institution where he is held despite having a clear disciplinary record for many years. In fact, the only time he received a disciplinary infraction in the last fifteen years was for not cutting his hair. He has completed all of the institutional programs he was asked to complete and has volunteered for others. Please take into consideration his good conduct as well as him having housing and employment secured upon his release. These factors, along with strong family and community support, make it very unlikely that Mr. Goodman will recidivate and I firmly believe that he is an excellent candidate for parole. I will personally help him acclimate in any way I can upon his release.

Mr. Goodman has now spent most of his life in prison, and the recidivism rate for people released at his age is very low. Please grant parole and allow him to be a part of, and contribute to, society as free citizen, a loving father and grandfather.

Sincerely,

[Name and signature]

 

Demand The Justice Dept Do The Right Thing Be In Philly August 1st

move9parole.blogspot.com:

This August 8th 2015 will mark 37 years now that our innocent family members have been unjustly imprisoned by Philadelphia and Pennsylvania officials for a crime that not only these officials but the world knows they did not commit. In 1998 and 2015 two of our family members Merle Africa and Phil Africa both died under very mysterious circumstances in Pennsylvania prisons after being unjustly jailed for so long. Merle spent 20 years of her life unjustly jailed and left to die in prison. Phil spent 36 years unjustly jailed and left to die by Pennsylvania officials in prison Enough Is Enough.

For 37 years now the Philadelphia District Attorney past Lynne Abraham and present Seth Williams have worked in conjunction with the Fraternal Order of Police and now the Pennsylvania Parole Board to ensure that our family remain in prison for the rest of their lives. Innocent people remain in prison who in the words of the Pennsylvania Parole Board are a risk to the safety of the community yet the biggest threat to the safety of our community, the Police, are walking the streets murdering our children with immunity. You can look no further than the example of Sandra Bland in the south.

The Move Family and our supporters are calling for people to be in Philadelphia Saturday August 1st for our community town hall meeting to demand the Justice Dept take action and investigate the case and wrongful imprisonment of the Move 9. There will be several topics discussed at the town hall meeting, topics such as:

The destruction of the house

The beating of Delbert Africa

The trial of the Move 9

The illegal practices of the Pa Parole Board

All of this and more discussing why the Justice Dept needs to take action.

We will also be joined by Temple Journalism Professor Linn Washington and activist attorney Michael Coard. Join us Saturday August 1st from 12:00pm to 4:00pm at the African American Museum located on 701 Arch Street Downtown Philadelphia.

For more info people can go to:
www.onamove.com

Justice for the move 9/Facebook

Move9parole.blogspot.com

Onamovellja@gmail.com

Delbert Africa Denied Parole

From Move 9 Parole:

Earlier this week we found out that our Brother Delbert Africa was denied parole by the PA Parole Board and was given a two year hit. One of the reasons they cited for Delbert being denied in their own words he is a risk to the safety of the community. This is unacceptable anyone who has ever met Delbert or has come in contact with him can tell you that Delbert Africa is nowhere near a threat to the safety of the community even the Superintendent of SCI Dallas who along with Delbert’s Counselor recommended Delbert for parole so the Parole Board has to come with something better than this. People in the community who the Parole Board are saying are at risk all wrote letters of support for Delbert’s Parole.

In fact their is a risk to the safety of people in the community but it’s not Delbert Africa or the rest of the Move 9. It’s the police known murderers of our children. The police that murdered Move men, women, and Move Children on May 13th 1985 walk the streets with immunity. The police who murdered Brandon Tate Brown in Philadelphia are still walking the streets with their identities protected. Akai Gurley,  Eric Garner, and so many others safety has been put at risk by these foul murderers who walk the street and continue to be a risk to the community as a whole’s safety. It’s obvious a person who has kept down gang  and racial violence in prison is far from a threat to the community at large.

It’s obvious that officials want our family to die in prison you can look no further than the examples of Merle and Phil Africa dying in prison. We cannot allow another person to die in these dungeons. We are urging people to please take the time to sign this petition that we have aimed at the United States Justice Dept you can go to the website at https://www.causes.com/campaigns/92454-free-the-move-9. We are demanding now that the justice dept look into the unjust imprisonment of The Move 9 as a whole. Our goal is to reach 25,000 signatures as a whole so we have some serious work to do as a whole and your help is needed now more than ever.

Ona Move

The Justice And Accountability Campaign

Parole Support Letters Needed For Delbert Africa

Posted June 3, 2015 on move9parole.blogspot.com:

Ona Move

First we would just like to take the time to thank all the People who have taken the time to make calls to a The Pa Parole Board this week in support of our Brother Delbert Africa. The Parole Board is feeling a tremendous amount of pressure over the issue of parole for Delbert and The Move 9 overall . Due to the amount of pressure over the calls they are now trying to divert people’s attention towards letters so that the calls will stop . We urge people to keep making calls and don’t stop if The Pa Parole Board has such an issue with us calling then they should grant parole for Move Political Prisoners bottom line .

In the meantime we are encouraging people to write letters on Delbert’s behalf in support of Parole for him . People can write to

Chairman John Tuttle
Pa Board Of Probation And Parole
1101 South Front St  Suite 5300
Harrisburg , Pa 17104

The deadline for letters is Friday June 12th 2015 . So let’s get as many letters  there as possible in support for Parole For Delbert (Orr) Africa Am 4985  and if you can’t write a letter continue to make your calls at (717) 772-4343 and let’s keep the pressure on

For More info people can go to

www.onamove.com
move9paroleblogspot.com

Facebook/Justice for The Move 9

Ona move

The Justice And Accountability Campaign

Delbert Africa Solidarity Week

Move 9 Parole:

Some time during the month of June 2015 our brother Delbert Africa will be making an appearance before the PA Parole Board. This will be Delbert’s first appearance since being denied in June of 2013. Delbert like other Move members were denied parole by the board based upon these reasons as states in his parole denial sheet:

Your minimization/denial of the nature and circumstances of the offenses committed.

Your refusal to accept responsibility for the offenses committed.

Our brother Delbert and the rest of our family in prison are innocent they need not accept responsibility and show remorse for something they did not do and this system and it’s officials know our family is innocent. At this point our family has nothing to explain to the Parole Board. The Parole Board is in a position now where they have explaining to do.

Why is it that Leslie Grey a former police officer who has VERY STRONG TIES to law enforcement communities in Pennsylvania be allowed to make a decision and vote on Delbert being granted parole? This is a blatant conflict of interest, this is the same woman who in December of 2014 voted on giving our brother Michael Africa a five year parole hit.

Parole Board members Michael Green and Jeffrey Imboden are appointees of Edward Rendell. Rendell being the former Governor of Pennsylvania, the former Mayor of Philadelphia, and the former District Attorney of Philadelphia whose office prosecuted the Move 9 in 1980 for the murder of police officer James Ramp.

Yet another clear conflict of interest that the Parole Board will not acknowledge yet they want Move people to accept guilt for something they did not do. Your help is needed now, we have to keep the pressure on the Parole Board for the release of Delbert.

From June 1st – 5th we are asking people to flood the phone lines of the PA Parole Board for Delbert Africa Solidarity Week. People can call the Parole Board (717) 772-4343.

Call and inquire into why:

(1) Leslie Grey a former police officer who is new to the parole board and obviously has a clear bias against the Move Organization, allowed to vote over whether Delbert receives parole or not.

(2) Michael Green and Jeffrey Imboden, who were both appointed to the Parole Board by the same man who prosecuted Move in 1980, Edward Rendell.

Delbert has the recommendation of the prison for parole and also has a home plan and employment set up for him upon his release from prison so this is now in our hands. So again, this entire week let’s keep the pressure on the Parole Board. Again you can reach the Parole Board at (717) 772-4343 and demand parole for Delbert (Orr) Africa Am -4985.

Ona Move

The Justice And Accountability Campaign

For More Info People can go to

onamove.com
move9parole.blogspot.com
Facebook/Justice for the move 9

Join the MOVE family and friends for May 13th!

Funds for May 13th Event

The MOVE family is working very hard to make the upcoming 30th commemoration of the bombing a truly memorable and significant event. We plan to do commercials to advertise the event and have public service announcements, etc. on 2 local radio stations. One radio station is willing to live-broadcast our event. All this cost money and we have raised a significant portion of all the needed funds. We still need to raise $2,000.00 to complete the expenses of putting this event on so we’re asking those that can, dig deep. Some of you have already sent generous donations. We really appreciate it and we are not asking you to do more, unless you absolutely can and want to. There are some of you that have not contributed yet so we hope that if you can, you will.

If you want to contribute, write your check or money order to MOVE and send it to me, Ramona Africa at 4506 Kingsessing Ave. Philadelphia, PA. 19143. Thanks in advance for your support—Ramona

MOVE: 30th commemoration May 13th event!

Phil Africa Passes Away

Rest In Peace brother

On Saturday, January 10th 2015 Phil Africa, revolutionary, John Africa’s First Minister of Defense, and beloved brother, husband and father, passed away under suspicious circumstances at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, PA.

On Sunday, January 4th Phil Africa wasn’t feeling well and went to the prison infirmary. Though he wasn’t feeling well, other inmates saw Phil Africa walking, stretching and doing jumping jacks. Hearing that
Phil was in the infirmary MOVE members drove up to visit him and were denied a visit by the prison. While they were visiting with Delbert Africa, Phil was secretly transported to Wilkes Barre General Hospital where he was held in total isolation, incommunicado for five days.

Prison officials at SCI-Dallas wouldn’t communicate about Phil’s condition.  They told MOVE that Phil was at Wilkes Barre General hospital but the hospital denied he was there and this back and forth lie went on for days almost the entire time Phil was being held. The hospital and the prison behaved very suspiciously denying Phil the ability to call family members or his wife of 44 years, Janine Africa, stating that she was not a blood relative. The hospital and prison received hundreds of phone calls in support of Phil from around the world. When they finally submitted to pressure and allowed Phil to call Janine on Thursday, January 8th he was heavily drugged, incoherent and couldn’t even hold the phone to talk to her.

On Friday, January 9th Phil was sent back to the prison infirmary and placed in hospice care upon arrival. On Saturday, January 10th Ramona and Carlos Africa were granted permission to visit Phil in the prison infirmary. When they reached him he was incoherent and couldn’t talk or move his head to look at them. An hour after they left Delbert called with the news that Phil passed away.

Inmates in the infirmary and others in the prison were shocked when they heard the news. They had witnessed his vigorous health for decades in the
prisons, had just seen him stretching and doing jumping jacks six days earlier. This rapid decline all occurred while he was being literally held
incommunicado from his MOVE family at Wilkes Barre General Hospital or Dallas prison or wherever these conspirators were holding him with murderous intent.

The fact that Phil was isolated for the six days before he passed–and that the prison refused to acknowledge that he was in the hospital–is beyond suspicious.

This is another example of how the system hates MOVE and will do anything to stop MOVE. You can look at the example of August 8th, 1978 when the MOVE 9 were illegally imprisoned, and May 13th, 1985 when the government dropped a bomb and intentionally murdered 11 MOVE members to see this point clearly. When Merle Africa died in prison on March 13th, 1998 the conditions were very similar. She had been one way in the prison, but within hours of being forced to go to an outside hospital she was dead.

Phil made a deep impression on people all around the world. He was constantly writing, often dozens of letters a day, encouraging solidarity and strength, and warmly advising hundreds of people. Phil worked hard to learn to paint and created countless paintings which he sent to supporters for free to draw attention to issues, get raffled off for the struggle, and bring people together. Phil took his commitment and work as a revolutionary very seriously, but was often smiling, laughing, and giving people hugs and encouragement.

He was a warm father figure to many in the prison where he taught inmates how to box, to think, and how to get stronger. Despite having two of his children murdered by the system and being separated by prison, Phil was a father figure to many. He was separated from his wife Janine for over 36 of the 44 years they were married, but he worked hard to stay connected with her even though they were so callously isolated by the system.

It’s this system’s intention for MOVE people to die in prison. The MOVE 9 never should have been imprisoned at all, and according to their sentence they should have been paroled over six years ago.

The death of Merle and Phil Africa rests directly at the feet of this government!

Phil will never be forgotten and this is not the end he is dearly missed but his strong example should inspire everyone to fight harder for the freedom of the MOVE 9 and all political prisoners.  This latest government treachery will be the fuel needed to motivate people to step up the pace for this revolution.

LONG LIVE PHIL AFRICA!

LONG LIVE MERLE AFRICA!

FREE THE MOVE 9!

LONG LIVE JOHN AFRICA!

For More Info Or How You Can Help

Contact
Ramona Africa
OnaMoveLLJA@gmail.com

Michael Africa Sr Denied Parole For A 7th Time

Ona Move

We just received word this morning that our brother Michael Davis Africa was denied parole for a record seventh time. What is more outrageous is the fact that Michael was given a five year hit by The Pa Parole Board. Since 2008 Move Members have been consistently denied parole for being nothing more than committed Move Members. At Different hearings over the years different members were given one year hits, two year hits,the longest hit being three years for Janet Africa until today when Michael Sr was given a five year hit by The Pa Parole Board.

The Parole Board cited these reasons for Michael’s denial

(1) Failure to show motivation for parole

(2) Risk to the safety of the community

(3) Negative recommendation made by the Prosecuting Attorney

(4) Failure to show remorse

(5) Failure to take responsibility for the crime committed

The Parole has stated that Michael is a risk to the community at large yet the request of the community to have Michael paroled was ignored by The Parole Board. Michael like other committed Move Members will not take responsibility for a crime he and other Move Members are innocent of. The District Attorney of Philadelphia Seth Williams again was only eleven years old when The Move 9 was arrested on August 8th 1978 and is doing this under the orders of The Fraternal Order Of Police.

Today’s denial of Parole for Michael and the five year hit is a result of the massive protest that you see going on this very day in regards to police brutality and the murder of our children. 36 years ago The Move Organization was speaking out and demonstrating against this same exact thing that is going on today and for this The Move 9 were unjustly jailed. The Parole Board is working in conjunction with The police and this System and it’s officials to keep Michael and other committed Move Members in prison. The issue of police brutality and murder is over all of America ‘s door steps today.

This system and it’s officials are working to keep innocent people in prison. People who have fought against this injustice are now being punished with five year parole denials because this system and it’s officials are being exposed on a worldwide level and our freedom fighters in prison are being made to suffer out of retaliation for doing nothing more than speaking the truth for so many years. This isn’t about Justice because if this system was about Justice then The guilty cops that killed Eric Garner would be in jail. The guilty cop that killed Akai Gurley would be in jail. The guilty cops that killed Move People on May 13th 1985 would be in jail not the people that demonstrated against this same thing 36 years ago. This Fight Is Far From Over There Will Be More Info To Soon Follow.