Prison Break: Glimmers of Light

  • April 3, 2021 1:53 am

from It’s Going Down

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

Political Prisoner Birthdays

The only political prisoner’s birthday in April is that of Mumia Abu-Jamal, who will turn 67. Mumia recently contracted COVID-19 and his health has continued to deteriorate during his 37 years of wrongful imprisonment. As a Pennsylvania prisoner he will only receive scans of correspondence, but send him a birthday letter or card now to show your solidarity.

April 24
Mumia Abu-Jamal,
Smart Communications/PA DOC
SCI Mahanoy
PO Box 33028
St Petersburg, FL 33733

Ongoing Cases

On March 17, lawyers for political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal filed a response in the hopes of re-opening appeals filed on Mumia’s behalf. You can read more about the struggles of Pennsylvania political prisoners Abu-Jamal and Russell Maroon Shoatz in the new Human Rights Coalition magazine, pages 33-38. On March 19th, Mumia issued a message to supporters who flooded phone lines and email inboxes, demanding his release. Here’s his statement:

Dear sisters, brothers, comrades, and friends and family on a MOVE! How can I thank you? These, my words, can hardly measure the flood of love that you have radiated on my behalf recently. I am almost — almost — without words, but I’ll try.

Thank you, Wadiya. Thank you, Pam Africa. Your support from Philadelphia to France, from points across the nation and literally around the globe, have pulled me from a prison cell and placed me in a hospital room to be treated for a condition I didn’t know I had.

In the age of pandemic as of January 2021, over 300,000 prisoners have tested positive for COVID-19. Imagine that in a cell, trying to breathe with a weight pressing on your chest. Imagine an elder man or woman, or even a young person, because yes, we are also in an age of mass incarceration, which day-by-day increases its infliction upon the elderly struggling, unsuccessfully, to breathe, to walk, to be.

I thank you all for reaching out and I urge you all, let our mission be abolition. I love you all. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.

Wednesday March 31st: Letter-writing for Fran Thompson

  • March 30, 2021 1:23 am

from Philly ABC

fran-thompson.jpg

Philly ABC has been busy gearing up for this year’s Running Down the Walls 5K (save the date of September 12th with funds split between the ABCF Warchest and Mumia Abu-Jamal!), but we didn’t want to miss a monthly letter-writing so we are hosting the next event online this Wednesday the 31st.

Philly ABC is energized by building momentum towards abolishing the police. As prison abolitionists, we stand in solidarity with the many people who have taken necessary actions to defend themselves without engaging police or courts. We believe self-defense is a right, and recognize that police and courts do not provide viable options to ensure safety. Both are even more biased against people who are known to stand up against injustice.

This month we encourage people to write letters to Fran Thompson, who was sentenced to life in prison for self-defense in 1994. Prior to her incarceration, Fran lived on a farm in Knox County, Nebraska. She was a dedicated animal rights and environmental activist. After a man who was stalking her threatened to kill her and then broke into her house, Fran shot and killed him in self-defense but was charged with murder.

Fran’s case was highly politicized. Fran had taken on the prosecutor and local government during her activism, organizing against two big projects, the Walden Egg Factory and a nuclear waste facility, that would have brought the county big profits. She was treated harshly by the local court for her commitment to animals and the environment. She was not allowed to enter a plea of self-defense and received a sentence of life without parole.

This event will be held on Jitsi – we’ll post the meet link on social media the day of. You can also message us to get the link beforehand. If you are unable to make the event, please drop Fran a line and let her know she is not forgotten:

Fran Thompson #93341
Nebraska Correctional Center for Women
1107 Recharge Rd.
York, NE 68467-8003

We also encourage sending a birthday card to Mumia Abu-Jamal, as a U.S.-held political prisoner born in April. Sadly, the other political prisoner who we would have been sending a birthday card to– [Chip Fitzgerald] (https://www.prisonersolidarity.com/prisoner/romaine-chip-fitzgerald)– recently suffered a severe cardio-vascular event and passed away on March 31st, so we send heartfelt condolences to his loved ones.

In Contempt #3: Calls to Action from Behind the Prison Walls, ‘Blockade Defense’ Campaign Launched

  • March 27, 2021 1:17 am

from It’s Going Down

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

Uprising Defendants

Everyone should support the defendants facing charges related to their alleged participation in the George Floyd uprising – this list of our imprisoned comrades needs to be getting shorter, not longer. The status of pre-trial defendants changes frequently, but to the best of our knowledge they currently include:

Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal #70002-066
FDC Philadelphia
P.O. Box 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

David Elmakayes #77782-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Shawn Collins #69989-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Steven Pennycooke #69988-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

When writing to pre-trial prisoners, do not write about their cases or say anything that you wouldn’t want to hear read out in court. If you have any updates, either about status changes meaning that people should be removed from this list, or about names that are missing and should be included, please reach out.

Upcoming Birthdays

Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia is an award winning journalist and was one of the founders of the Black Panther Party chapter in Philadelphia, PA. He has struggled for justice and human rights for people of color since he was at least 14 years old; the age when he joined the Party. In December of 1982, Mumia, who moonlighted by driving a taxi, happened upon police who were beating his brother. During the melee, a police officer was shot and killed. Despite the fact that many people saw someone else shoot and then run away from the scene, Mumia, in what could only be called a kangaroo court, was convicted and sentenced to death. During the summer of 1995, a death warrant was signed by Governor Tom Ridge, which sparked one of the most effective organizing efforts in defense of a political prisoner ever. Since that time, Mumia has had his death sentence overturned, but still has a life sentence with no opportunity for parole.

Mumia has a number of health issues as a result of medical neglect while in prison, and was recently diagnosed with COVID, lending a new urgency to the ongoing campaign for his freedom.

Pennsylvania uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Pennsylvania, Facility: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections”, going into the “messaging” service, and then adding Mumia as a contact by searching his name or “AM8335”.

Birthday: April 24

Address:

Smart Communications/PA DOC
Mumia Abu-Jamal
SCI Mahanoy
Post Office Box 33028
St Petersburg, Florida 33733

Janiis Mathis

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While the state has now given up on its attempts to charge Mathis in relation to the Vaughn uprising, he is facing continued retaliation, as he has been moved out of state to Pennsylvania, where many Vaughn defendants are being held on lockdown indefinitely (via placement on PA’s Restricted Release List) on vague and questionable grounds. Years after the uprising, these prisoners are still being abused for staying in solidarity with one another against the state.

Pennsylvania uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Pennsylvania, Facility: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections”, going into the “messaging” service, and then adding him as a contact by searching his name or “NU0423”.

Birthday: April 24

Address:

Smart Communications / PA DOC
Janiis Mathis – NU0423
SCI Greene
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733

#AmnestyForAll and #FreeAnt Banner Communique from Revolutionary Anarchists and Abolitionists in Rockford, Illinois

  • November 12, 2020 1:46 am

from AMW English

To our comrades in Philadelphia, Rockford and across the settler colony known as the United States,

The struggle for black liberation has intensified since the anti-police uprising that began in Minneapolis in May. The rebellion spread like wild fire across the so-called United States. In Rockford, we witnessed a black led multi-racial revolt against the Rockford Police Department on May 30th. Many of our comrades were arrested on that day and throughout the rest of the summer.

Despite the apparent Biden presidency, the state repression of the abolitionist movement will continue. It does not matter who is in office. The Federal charges against Anthony Smith in Philadelphia and others across the United States are proof that the State is attempting to create a new generation of black political prisoners. Repression will continue regardless of who is in power.

We encourage all revolutionaries to organize their communities to defend people being targeted by the State for their participation in the rebellion and radical political action. A truly resilient movement must support people facing state repression for their actions and organization. Let us build anti-repression councils in every city. Say no to the new Cointelpro!

We hope with our banner to amplify the demands of Philly revolutionaries to #FreeAnt. Furthermore, Ant’s charges and the charges of all others in Philly must be dropped. We also uplift the demands of the Black Philly Radical Collective to for the immediate release of Mumia Abu Jamal, Major Tillery, Arthur Cetawayo Johnson, Russell “Maroon” Shoatz, Omar Askia, Joseph “Jo-Jo” Bowen, and all Black Political Prisoners. 
We cannot forget our revolutionary elders.

It is imperative that revolutionaries in Rockford understand links between state repression in our own city and the larger State strategy to destroy movements for Black liberation. The Rockford Police Department and the Winnebago County Sherriff Office actions to surveill, repress and detain organizers, anarchists and movement participants is not unique to Rockford.

We demand that all protestors across the United States must be granted amnesty. All charges must be dropped. We have unconditional solidarity to all rebels, radicals and revolutionaries facing State repression.

Free Them All.

Fire to the Prisons.

Fuck 12.

Black Liberation Now.

Running Down The Walls 2020 Reportback

  • September 15, 2020 1:04 am

from Philly ABC

We’re happy to report the success of our third annual Philadelphia Running Down The Walls in support of political prisoners, held on September 6th 2020.

On this beautiful sunny day, participants began gathering in FDR park to check-in for their t-shirts, make donations, set up tables, and hang banners. With a nice breeze coming off the lake, Sheena Sood led another amazing yoga warm-up – this time right on the boardwalk by the shore. Blak Rapp MADUSA with the Dignity Act Now Collective kicked off the event with an epic introduction to Maroon and his book, Maroon the Implacable.

Walkers left the start line around 11:30 am, followed by folks moving at a medium pace, and finally the runners around 11:50 am. Afterward, we gathered to hear from two former juvenile lifers who were mentored in prison by Maroon– Kempis “Ghani” Songster and Robert Saleem Holbrook. We were also blessed to have Chuck Africa – the last of the MOVE 9 to be released from prison – speak for the first time since he was paroled on February 7th of this year. Check out this video for highlights of these speeches.

We’d like to thank Solidarity Food Not Bombs, Mike Africa Jr., and Dadaji Odinga from Akbar Originals for refreshments. More big thanks to Hate5six, Unicorn Riot, and photographers Joe Piette and Clifford Smith for media coverage, and the campaign to free Mumia Abu-Jamal for the banners that decorated the stage area. It was a huge honor to have all of the remaining Move 9 participating in this event with us; they not only donated themselves, but provided an additional donation from the Move organization. It was also an honor that we were joined by former Black Liberation prisoner of war, Ojore Lutalo, a founding member of the ABCF. We would like to thank Saleem and Ghani for sharing their powerful experiences spending time with Maroon, and Chuck Africa for choosing our event as the outlet for his first speech back home. We thank the tablers – Socialist Rifle Association, Here & Now Zines, the Never Give Up project, Khalid with the political prisoner artwork, as well as the families of Eric Riddick and Omar Askia Ali. Of course, we also thank the comrades behind bars who ran with us, and the families of people in prison who came out.

Together we raised a total of $14,012! As described in the event announcement, funds are split between Russell Maroon Shoatz and the ABCF Warchest– a fund sending monthly stipends to 19 political prisoners with lacking, little, or no financial support. A full breakdown of Warchest funds in and out since 1994 is available here. In accordance with Warchest policies, any funds over the reserved amount needed to send the monthly stipends will be disbursed as one-time donations to other political prisoners who demonstrate financial need. Philly ABC contributed our organization’s savings to the production of the event t-shirts, lovingly hand-printed by the Reclaim Printshop.

We look forward to more successes in the next year as we further the struggle to free Maroon and abolish the carceral system!

Until all are free!
Philly ABC

Mumia Abu-Jamal: Delbert Africa revolutionary!

  • August 7, 2020 1:31 am

from AMW English

by Mumia Abu-Jamal

He was born under the name Delbert Orr but is known in the world as Delbert Africa, a prominent member of the MOVE Organization.

In the ‘70s in Philadelphia, he was perhaps its best known and most frequently cited member. With more years than most, he was adept at using the media to spread information and promote MOVE purposes.

His country accent around Chicago and his ingenious puns made his remarks interesting and gave them journalistic value.

I regret to inform you that Delbert Africa, who won his freedom in January 2020 after 41 years imprisoned, lost his life a few days ago to the ravages of cancer.

But this is not the whole story. Late last year, Delbert was urgently taken to a nearby hospital due to an undisclosed disorder.

On leaving prison, Delbert consulted with some doctors who were horrified to learn of the drugs he was given while in Dallas prison in Pennsylvania State. A doctor said, “The drugs they used in that prison were poison.”

Still, Delbert ended his stay in prison strong in spirit. He loved the MOVE Organization and hated the rotten system.

Delbert criticized Black people who supported the system and opposed the revolution. He used to call them “niggapeans,” a word I’ve never heard from someone else’s mouth.

More than a decade before Rodney King’s police beating recorded on video in LA, Delbert was beaten by four Philadelphia police officers on Aug. 8, 1978, and the beating was recorded by a local station.

Video shows Delbert left unarmed from a basement window at his home after a standoff with police. With his naked torso, he had raised his arms in a gesture of accepting detention.

Delbert endured everything and walked free with his revolutionary Black soul intact.

Immediately, four officers surrounded him and savagely beat him, hitting him with the handle of their rifles, crushing his head with a motorcycle helmet, and kicking him until he lost consciousness.

Yep, that’s what they did.

Delbert suffered a jaw fracture and a swollen eye the size of an Easter egg.

There was a whitening trial of three of the police officers, in which the judge took down the case by impeaching the jury composed of people from rural areas of Pennsylvania, then declaring an acquittal of the police despite evidence recorded on video of the state brutality.

And that brutality was not limited to the streets of West Philadelphia, nor to the unfair trial and conviction of Delbert and other members of MOVE.

He continued for 41 years in exhausted soul lockdown and sorry health care. Delbert endured everything and walked free with his revolutionary Black soul intact.

As a MOVE member until the end, he continued to follow John Africa’s teachings and lived embraced in the love of his MOVE family and daughter Yvonne Orr-El.

After all, love is the closest thing we’ve come to freedom.

Delbert Africa, after 72 summers, turned to his ancestors.

From imprisoned nation, I am Mumia Abu-Jamal.

© Copyright 2020 Mumia Abu-Jamal. Keep updated at www.freemumia.com. Mumia’s latest book is “Murder Incorporated: Empire, Genocide and Manifest Destiny, Book One: Dreaming of Empire” by Mumia Abu-Jamal, Stephen Vittoria and Chris Hedges, published by Prison Radio in 2018. For Mumia’s commentaries, visit www.prisonradio.org. Send our brother some love and light: Mumia Abu-Jamal, AM 8335, SCI-Mahanoy, 301 Morea Road, Frackville, PA 17932.

Philly Turns Up the Heat for Mumia Abu-Jamal

  • January 8, 2019 5:52 pm

from It’s Going Down

The following press release about continued action in support of Black Liberation prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal was sent to It’s Going Down, which we reprint below.

A community delegation delivered thousands of petitions to Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner on January 7th, asking him to not stand in the way of justice for Mumia Abu-Jamal and to not appeal a December 27, 2018 court decision by Common Pleas Judge Leon Tucker.

Wayne Alexander Cook (nephew of Mumia Abu-Jamal) handed the 4,227 signed petitions to Krasner’s assistant as they entered the DA’s lobby. The thick manila envelope also contained letters from Tadashi Seto (Doro-Chiba, Japanese rail workers’ union), Edwin R Ferris (International Secretary-Treasurer of International Longshore & Warehouse Union) and other labor statements in support of Abu-Jamal’s quest for freedom after 37 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.

The DA refused to talk with the group that included Michael Africa, Jr (MOVE Organization), Sandy Joy (Rowen University professor) and other members of the umbrella group Mobilization4Mumia. The DA’s Director of Communications Ben Waxman did meet soon after, but revealed no new information when asked whether or not Krasner will appeal. “That’s above my paygrade,” he said.

The online petitions were gathered in ten days from thousands of people in the US and from around the world by Roots Action and Mobilization4Mumia.

The petitions are part of an effort to persuade Philadelphia DA Krasner to refuse an appeal of Tucker’s ruling. Such an appeal would lead to years of court proceedings and further postpone Abu-Jamal’s chance to prove his innocence. After almost four decades in prison and suffering from cirrhosis of the liver and related ailments, years of court delays will be nothing less than a death sentence and a denial of justice.

On January 5th, 2019 almost 200 people marched in the rain with signs and banners in front of the DA’s office with demands of: “Justice Now! Krasner: Don’t Appeal! Free Mumia! ”

Mumia Abu-Jamal won the significant victory before Judge Leon Tucker in a decision granting Abu-Jamal new rights to re-open appeals. The ruling could impact other prisoners whose appeals were similarly denied by biased judges.

Tucker ruled that former PA Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castille denied Abu-Jamal fair and impartial hearings by not recusing himself from the defendant’s appeals between 1998 and 2012.  The ruling referenced Castille’s public statements of being a “law and order” prosecutor, responsible for 45 men on death row, the support of the Fraternal Order of Police, and new evidence supporting the claim that Castille singled out men convicted as “police killers.” Tucker cited all the above because they created the appearance of bias and impropriety in the appeal process.

Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence in the fatal shooting of police officer Daniel Faulkner. Judge Tucker’s ruling means that Abu-Jamal’s appeals of his 1982 convictions are restored. Abu-Jamal has argued through his past appeals that he was framed by police and that the prosecution manufactured evidence of guilt and suppressed the proof of his innocence, in addition to other violations of his due process rights.

After decades in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Abu-Jamal’s supporters are demanding that the charges should be dismissed and he should be freed.

Pretty Vandalism

  • April 4, 2018 2:30 am

Submission

These photos were taken by me, friends, or stolen from the internet. They are of graffiti, stickers, and window smashings around town. To my knowledge none of these acts were claimed with communiques. I do not know the intentions of whoever carried them out but they lift my mood, and bring some joy to my day. I share them here to remind myself and anyone reading what is possible, to generate inspiration, and to help spread the disorder of the city to those who might not have the good fortune to stroll by it as they go about their day.

The broken windows are at Swirl Cafe in West Philly (attacked twice!) and OCF Realty in South Philly.

All these photos are from the last few months. Each photo (with the exception of those taken from the internet) have been cropped and all of them had their metadata removed to avoid identifying the cameras they were taken with.



Contact the DA’s Office and Pack the Court for Mumia!

  • January 10, 2018 7:22 pm

from Philadelphia ABC

[In a court case that could eventually lead to Mumia’s freedom, Judge Leon Tucker has ordered the District Attorney’s office to present new testimony in reference to Ronald Castille. The hearing will take place Jan. 17.
Castille was a Philadelphia DA. Later as a PA Supreme Court judge, he refused to disqualify himself when Mumia’s case came before the court despite having been the DA during Mumia’s prior appeals. The US Supreme Court has ruled such conduct unconstitutional.
The people’s movement forced the courts to take Abu-Jamal off death row in 2011 but his freedom was not won. Despite his innocence he was re-sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole.
The people fought for and won hep C treatment for Mumia but he now suffers from pain and severe itching from a skin ailment. Life without parole is still a death sentence for thousands of prisoners, especially when decent health care is routinely denied for people behind bars.
Mum has been unjustly imprisoned for 36 years. He should be released now.

CONTACT THE DA’S OFFICE: TELL THEM TO RELEASE ALL MUMIA’S FILES TO THE PUBLIC: (215) 686-8000; justice@phila.gov]

Upcoming Parole pushes for Herman Bell & 3 of the Move 9: convo with Orie Lumumba

  • December 29, 2015 1:04 pm

from The Final Straw

This week’s show features a conversation with Orie Lumumba. Orie is involved in the Move organization and the International Concerned Fmaily and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. We speak about the upcoming push to parole Debbie Sims Africa, Janet Halloway Africa and Janine Phillips Africa, the three remaining women of the Move 9. The Move 9 were 9 members of the Move organization whose house was raided in Philadelphia in 1978 after escalating conflicts with the Philadelphia police department and then-Mayor Frank Rizzo. The 9 were convicted of the death of Officer James Ramp during the raid, which the supporters and members of the Move 9 argue the 9 had no part in, that the shot was actually fired by the police department mistakenly. This was one of the many instances that the Move organization was repressed in Philadelphia during the 1970’s and 1980’s. The Move organization is a religious, vegan Black Liberation organization focused around social justice issues and bases it’s philosophy on the teachings of John Africa.

In February at the Malcolm X & Bettie Shabazz Educational Center there will be a rally around this parole push in New York City. There is also an online petition to push for the parole of these 3 members of the Move 9. More info on the struggle can be found at http://onamove.org and more on the parole push can be found at http://move9parole.blogspot.com

Updates and Reports of Local Prisoners

  • October 21, 2015 11:16 pm

from It’s Going Down

Mumia Abu Jamal’s support folks held a press conference to further pressure the prison to provide appropriate HEP C treatment to Mumia. Hepatitis C has an incredibly high rate of infection in the U.S. prison system. Recently there have been significant improvements in treatment of the disease with 95% rate of fully eradicating the virus. Prison officials (otherwise known as horrendous pieces of shit) are denying not only Mumia the right to such medical care, but all prisoners. This is beyond bullshit. You can find out more about the call to action for Mumia as well as the full press release over here. You can also watch the stream of the press conference over here.

untitled

If you haven’t already checked out NYC ABC’s dope bi-monthly Political Prisoner & Prisoner of War Update newsletter, do it already. These updates are sent out to pp/pow’s across the U.S. and are, for many of them, the only means they have of regular news with comrades. This last update from 10/13/15 has some great writing from Russell Maroon Shoates. Check out the description and then hop on over and read the full essay at NYC ABC’s site:

Maroon recently penned a brief essay reflection on some of the latest literature he’s had an opportunity to read. He explores the current political realities in the Rojava region of Syria, celebrating the civil and political organizations that have led to an anti-state and anti-capitalist experiment valuing feminism, direct democracy, ecological stewardship, and ethnic, linguistic, and religious pluralism in the midst of ongoing military threat, as explored in the book A Small Key Can Open A Large Door, published by the Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness collective. He then touches on the dystopia of Octavia Butler’s Parable Of The Sower, assessing the extent to which the current crises of climate change, late capitalism, and “sci-fi biotech” have made the landscape of Butler’s novel far more factual than fictitious.

You can learn more about Maroon at his site and send him a letter to:

Russell Shoats #AF-3855

SCI-Graterford

P.O. Box 246 Route 29

Graterford, PA 19426 – 0246