Lynne Stewart’s Health Deteriorating

Greetings

It is urgent that you listen to the audio email below. It is the latest update from Ralph Poynter, Mya Shone & Ralph Schonmann about LYNNE STEWARTS fate in prison.

Lynne Stewart’s breast cancer is spreading to her lungs and shoulders. She needs immediate treatment NOW. The prison authorities have known
this since September.

WE ARE ALSO IN THE PROCESS OF LAUNCHING HER APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT. DEADLINE FEBRUARY 21,2013.

All we are asking for in support is that you:

Listen to the audio below and update yourself on the facts. Check out the website as well.

Write a letter of support to Lynne Stewart- 53504 – 054, FEDERAL MEDICAL CNTR, CARSWELL, P.O. BOX 27137, FT. WORTH, TEXAS 76127. You don’t have to write the prison authorities because THEY READ EVERYTHING WE SEND AND TELL HER SO.

Send this email out to all your listservs, especially to LAWYERS because we are asking ALL ATTORNEYS SUPPORT HER CERT , (A REQUEST FOR THE SUPREME COURT TO HEAR HER CASE.

When it comes to the oppressed, there is no such thing as law or justice. THEREFORE, the movement determines the argument before the courts. Not this myth of justice before the law. We need attorneys who understand this and understand that LYNNE STEWART was one of the very few attorneys who understood this. She never had her political prisoners surrender their right to self defense or self determination. In her trial when questioned she still defended this human right and her right to give her clients the best defense possible. When she was re sentenced from 28 months to ten years, one of the reasons was that SHE SHOWED NO REMORSE. SHE DOES NOT FEEL REMORSE FOR DEFENDING THE BILL OF RIGHTS, therefore, we should defend her and all POLITICAL PRISONERS.

BETTY DAVIS
NEW ABOLITIONIST MOVEMENT

—–Original Message—

But, to listen to the report, go to:

128 kbps version (hi fi):

32 kbps version (lo fi):

Update on Anarchist Prisoner Sean Swain and Coordinated Rebellion at Mansfield Correctional

From Sean Swain

We have just received confirmation that between the night of Wednesday, September 19th and Monday, September 24th, Sean was held in a suicide cell in the medical wing of the prison, despite the fact that he is not in any way a suicide risk. Apparently the prison maintains a special cell behind the medical department to be used as punishment for inmates: “torture cell number 112.”

This cell does not have a bed, just a concrete floor that Sean was forced to sleep on. The cell had no heat and Sean did not shower, have access to incoming mail, pen, paper or any of his belongings. He also did not eat for two days.

Sean is now being held in “normal” segregation pending an investigation that now involves the Ohio State Patrol (which has jurisdiction over criminal investigations within the ODRC).

Apparently, these trumped up charges are somehow related to the recent uprising at Mansfield Correctional on Wednesday, September 19th in which guards used fire hoses to quell the rebellion. Inmates calling themselves “The Army of the Twelve Monkeys,” powered by anger sweeping through the prison over the negative impact of the recent privatization of the prison commissary, have created mayhem throughout the institution.

Despite the fact that Sean does not seem to have been involved in the riot, it seems like the prison is attempting to pin Sean as the “leader” of this movement. This is most likely based solely on the fact that Sean, as a prolific writer and harsh critic of prisons, recently penned a critique of the new privatization plan.

Called JPay, the new system requires friends, families and supporters to send money orders to a private corporation in Hollywood, Florida, rather than directly to the ODRC as in the past. In addition, JPay takes a chunk of the money as a “service fee.” The only people allowed to put money on an inmate’s books are those on their visitation list.

Please take a minute to send a letter, article, some paper (up to 5 blank sheets per envelope) or a couple embossed envelopes to Sean. He could really use our encouragement and support right now, as well as the impact it has on the prison to see a targeted inmate receiving a ton of mail.

Solidarity means attack!

CCF – victory of the hunger strikers

English original

Athens – CCF – VICTORY OF THE HUNGER STRIKES -ANNOUNCEMENT 1-5-2012
May 1, 2012 by actforfreedom | 0 comments
Translated by boubourAs/Act for freedom now!
CCF – VICTORY OF THE HUNGER STRIKES

ANNOUNCEMENT

1-5-2012

“A battle has been won but the war does not end here…”

After 23 days of hunger strike, we come out as winners against the corruption, defeatism and captivity that dominate in the world of prisoners.

We wrote: “We made a decision… we fight till the end…” We stood consistent to this choice of ours even when we saw our brothers Gerasimos and Panagiotis leave and be hospitalized in a bad condition at Tzanio hospital. Because from all that is written, we love what is written with blood and sealed with actions.All the rest is hollow babbles and a waste of time.

These 23 days we did not regret the hunger strike even for a moment. We knew the risk. We know everyone dies… but there are deaths that weigh differently, because we ourselves decide the way we will die, just as we choose the way we live. And we decided to come out of this battle as winners.

Gerasimos and Panagiotis won their final transfer from Domokos prisons. Gerasimos got transferred to Koridallos prisons and Panagiotis because he is considered a long term convict (he is sentenced to 37 years) and could not come to a prison such as Koridallos (a prison mainly for people who are waiting to be judged), won a transfer to a prison of his “choice” and will be transferred to Trikala prisons where three other members of the Conspiracy Cells of Fire are also being held.

This victory puts in its own way another pledge in our aim for political coexistence of the members of the CCF within the walls and abolishes the isolation they try to impose on us.In this confrontation opposite the system, time and fatigue, we put our bodies as a barricade and as a pawn of our decency. That’s why we did not plead, neither did we beg for solidarity in the places we avoided to hang out during our course as anarchists of praxis.

We stayed clear of leftist parties, from press conferences with a humane background, from reformist circles. Choosing thus a conscious loneliness we counted friends and enemies, comrades and indifferent, actions and silences… We do not have spare words for the small time politicians and the meaningless.

On the contrary the word “thankyou” is very poor for the comrades from the whole of greece who ran, gave out flyers, put up posters, set up PA systems, organized gatherings, occupied a tv station, they came with a demo by the prisons, carried out counter-information actions from radio stations…

Finally we send our warmest hug to all those vandals, the hooded ones, the provocateurs, the night time arsonists and bombers in Greece, the anarchist nihilists in Spain, our brothers in Bolivia, England and to all the cells of the Informal Anarchist Federation and of the Conspiracy Cells of Fire…

Nothing would be the same, without all of you…

May we meet soon comrades. Although we won, we have nothing more to do than start the next battle.

FOR THE SPREADING OF THE INFORMAL ANARCHIST FEDERATION (FAI/IRF) FOR THE BLACK INTERNATIONAL OF THE ANARCHISTS OF PRAXIS Cell of Imprisoned Members of CCF/FAI

And anarchist revolutionary Theofilos Mavropoulos

Fresno Jail Prisoners Sue Over Dangerous Conditions Prisoners Are Suffering Daily from Serious and Unnecessary Harm and Injuries

Four prisoners in the Fresno Jail filed a class action lawsuit today in federal court in Fresno claiming that Fresno Sheriff Margaret Mims is violating prisoners? Constitutional rights by maintaining dangerous facilities and  mailing to provide basic health care. A copy of the complaint is available at: http://www.prisonlaw.com and
http://www.disabilityrightsca.org.

Plaintiffs in the suit have been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment at the jail. They have been regularly denied treatment for life-threatening illnesses, severe mental health symptoms, and serious dental conditions. They have also been subjected to violence due to preventable defects in the jail?s design, operation, and staffing.
Plaintiffs seek only an order from the court requiring Sheriff Mims to provide basic health care and protection for prisoners from violence from other prisoners.

Earlier this year, plaintiff Bob Merryman, a 57-year-old prisoner at the Fresno Jail, was slashed in the face with a razor by another prisoner who was suffering from acute and untreated psychosis. Staff failed to protect Mr. Merryman, who has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and was too frail and weak to defend himself from such violence.

Pelican Bay Hunger Strikers Reject Proposal: The Strike Continues!

from Pelican Bay Hunger Strike Solidarity:

This afternoon leaders of the Pelican Bay hunger strike unanimously rejected a proposal from the CDCR to end the strike. In response to the prisoners’ five, straightforward demands, the CDCR distributed a vaguely worded document stating that it would “effect a comprehensive assessment of its existing policy and  procedure” about the secure housing units (SHUs). The document gave no indication if any changes would be made at all.

While the CDCR has claimed that there is no medical crisis, mediators report that the principal hunger strikers have lost 25-35 pounds each and have underlying medical conditions of concern. Despite the promises from the federal Receiver overseeing the CDCR, no one has received salt tablets or vitamins.

The hunger strike is now in its third week and shows no signs of weakening. In fact, the settlement document distributed last night to all hunger strikers at Pelican Bay prison, resulted in some people who have gone off the strike to resume refusing food. Hundreds of prisoners at Pelican Bay remain on strike, with thousands more participating throughout the CA’s 33 prisons. Advocates and strike leaders dismiss the false claims that the strike is being orchestrate by prison gangs. (Click here for a clip from a legal visit with hunger strikers, explaining why prisoners are doing this hunger strike)

International solidarity with the striking prisoners also continue to mount with demonstrations and messages emerging from the US, Canada, Turkey and Australia. According to mediation team Laura Magnani, “From day one. the CDCR has demonstrated it’s inability to resolve this situation. We call on Gov. Brown to step in and negotiate in good faith to bring this situation to a just resolution.” Strike supporters plan to flood the Governor’s office with phone calls and emails, echoing the striker’s demands.

Given how basic the strikers’ demands are, it is immoral that the CDCR would insult these men with such poor faith proposal,” state mediator Dorsey Nunn.

The challenge for supporters outside of prison is to match the courage of the hunger strikers, and to effectively pressure the CDCR to immediately negotiate on the standards any negotiation should follow: with the prisoners in good faith, addressing all of the demands, and with the prisoner-approved outside mediation team.

It is still important to continue calling in and writing letters to Sec. Cate. We also need to intensify pressure on all elected officials, from Governor Brown to local state representatives, to get involved in this struggle–urge them to make sure the CDCR negotiates with the prisoners, urge them to visit Pelican Bay and demand to see the prisoners. We can also be targeting press and media to do the same.

MOBILIZE to SACRAMENTO:  MON, July 18th from 1-4pm. Demonstration outside CDCR Headquarters. 1515 S. St. 

*FOR SUPPORTERS EVERYWHERE:

Join a conference call to hear direct updates, and to strategize effective ways to support the strike and the prisoners in winning their demands!

NATIONAL HUNGER STRIKE SOLIDARITY CONFERENCE CALL:

Monday, July 18th: 6 pm EDT/ 5 pm CDT/ 4pm MDT/ 3 pm PDT

Toll-Free Call In Number: 1(800) 920-7487

Participant Code: 62435226

July 9th: March for the 1 Year Anniversay of Marvin Booker’s Murder!

WHAT: March for Marvin Booker!

WHEN: July 9th 2011 11:30 AM

WHERE: Denver Skate Park – 20th and Little Raven

Please bring extra shoes that you’re willing to lose!

The March will snake through downtown and end at the jail, joining a rally put on by the ACLU.

It’s been 1 year since Marvin Booker was brutally murdered in the Van-Cise Simonet Detention Center. The murderers are still in the oppressive positions they so egregiously abused, still floating on our dime. We demanded the videos and they have been released. We continue to demand the immediate prosecution of the Sheriff’s Deputies. The community continues to demand justice!

In the last year pigs have terrorized, brutalized, and murdered:

Marvin Booker,

Oleg Gidenko,

Mark Ashford,

Shawn Johnson,

Michael DeHerrera,

Richard Arreola,

And countless other unnamed and unreported victims…

Recently the po-lice have attempted to intimidate and silence the anti-police brutality movement by arresting one of our comrades on ridiculous charges. Now more than ever we need to show that we will not be deterred, that we will stand strong!

Rights are never given; they are always taken and defended viciously. We’ve taken the streets, what comes next is in our hands…

Please bring extra shoes that you’re willing to lose!

Denver ABC is NOT organizing this event, merely providing legal support.

Georgia Prison Guards Arrested for Retaliatory Abuse of Inmate

Georgia Prison Guards Arrested for Retaliatory Abuse of Inmate
by Julianne Hing

On Monday seven Georgia prison guards were arrested for their involvement in the December beating of Terrance Dean, a 29-year-old prisoner in Macon State Prison after a highly publicized prison strike.

Christopher Hall, Ronald Lach, Derrick Wimbrush, Willie Redden, Darren Douglas Griffin, Kerry Bolden and Delton Rushin were each charged with aggravated battery and violation of oath of office, Atlanta’s WALB reported. Their arrests were the result of an inquiry done by the Georgia Bureau of Investigations at the request of the Department of Corrections. A coalition of prisoner rights advocates and allies demanded the GBI investigate the case earlier this year after they heard reports of retalitatory violence against prisoners.

Bulgaria: Anti-Facist Awaits Verdict, Asking for Support

Update from Freedom for Jock Palfreeman

“Jock had his final defense plea in his appeal on 19th of January. It means that theoretically within 30 days he should receive his verdict- the Bulgarian system however is not known for its efficiency so it might take more time than that. In the meantime we definitely need a last push for him!
Comrades in Moscow already organized another picket outside the Bulgarian embassy and we know there is something going to take place in Holland in few days. If you have a Bulgarian Embassy or consulate in your area why not to pay them a visit with few friends and a banner or at least go there and officially deliver a letter of support? (It has to be noted by embassy staff and sent to Ministry of Foreign Affairs so it carries more weight than you might think). If not that send few emails to Bulgarian authorities, reminding them that Jock is not forgotten and we are watching them.”
Here is very handy form for sending messages to a Bulgarian Ministry:
http://wwwmfa.bg/en/contact/

Free Jock website finally seems to be moving, with large update of different articles about him:
www.freejock.com
online petition for Jock here:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/freejock/

News about solidarity actions:
www.anarchistsolidarity.wordpress.com

Read original story on ABC blog:
https://denverabc.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/bulgaria-anti-fascist-gets-20-years-prison/

Colorado: Female prisoners file lawsuit against sexual abuse by prison guards

From the Denver Post:

The state’s Department of Corrections harbors an “overt culture of sexual abuse” by prison guards, and department leaders have done little to stop it, according to a lawsuit pending in federal court.

Ten female Colorado prison inmates sued the department last month, claiming repeated acts of sex abuse by male corrections officers.

The complaint details more than a dozen instances in which it claims officers in two prisons — the Denver Women’s Correctional Facility and the since-closed, privately run Brush Correctional Facility — coerced women into performing sex acts on them.

The officers made threats to have the women “written up” or to make life difficult if the women did not submit, according to the lawsuit.

Meanwhile, Department of Corrections officials failed to take “substantive remedial actions” to stop it, the lawsuit charges.

The department and the company that ran the Brush facility, GRW Corp., continued to employ officers suspected of abuse and failed to improve surveillance systems to reduce blind spots where abuse could occur, the suit says.

“This conduct amounts to deliberate indifference to the rights of inmates,” the lawsuit claims. “. . . The conduct is so grossly reckless that future misconduct was and is virtually inevitable.”

The inmates, who are represented by the Denver law firm Irwin and Boesen, are seeking to have the case certified for class-action status.

Katherine Sanguinetti, a Corrections Department spokeswoman, said the department will not comment on ongoing litigation.

The case becomes at least the second one pending in federal court in which a female inmate claims she was coerced into performing sex acts on a Colorado prison officer.

It comes not two years after a federal judge awarded $1.3 million in damages to another Colorado female inmate who alleged sexual assault by a guard. In making that award in 2009, Judge David M. Ebel said the sexual abuse of inmates in Colorado prisons was “distressingly common.”

As part of the settlement, corrections officials were supposed to beef up surveillance systems to eliminate blind spots, said Mari Newman, the plaintiff’s attorney in the 2009 case. The new lawsuit shows sex abuse by guards is still of “endemic proportions,” Newman said.

Sanguinetti said department officials have a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual misconduct by corrections officers.

Since 2009, she said, the department has improved officer training and encouraged inmates to report abuse. Officers, staff members and volunteers who cross the line are prosecuted criminally. The department has sought to eliminate security camera gaps, but Sanguinetti said some blind spots are inevitable.

She said the department welcomes civil judgments against officers who commit abuse.

“This type of thing does raise awareness of these issues,” Sanguinetti said. “For our staff and correctional staff everywhere, it sends a pretty strong message.”

Read more: Female inmates file lawsuit claiming sex abuse by guards – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_17314361#ixzz1DJ3YivTF
Read The Denver Post’s Terms of Use of its content: http://www.denverpost.com/termsofuse

The Worst of the Worst: Supermax Torture in America

“They beat the shit out of you,” Mike James said, hunched near the smeared plexiglass separating us. He was talking about the cell “extractions” he’d endured at the hands of the supermax-unit guards at the Maine State Prison.

“They push you, knee you, poke you,” he said, his voice faint but ardent through the speaker. “They slam your head against the wall and drop you on the floor while you’re cuffed.” He lifted his manacled hands to a scar on his chin. “They split it wide open. They’re yelling ‘Stop resisting! Stop resisting!’ when you’re not even moving.”

When you meet Mike James you notice first his deep-set eyes and the many scars on his shaved head, including a deep, horizontal gash. He got that by scraping his head on the cell door slot, which guards use to pass in food trays.

Read the rest here.