New Year’s Card Party: Monday Dec. 3rd 6:30pm

  • November 26, 2018 7:09 pm

from Philly ABC

The December letter-writing event will be a New Year’s card-writing party for all US-held political prisoners. Rather than focusing on a specific set of prisoners, we will send a card to each of the nearly 60 US-held political prisoners sending them season’s greetings. This is a time we set aside annually to send short messages of solidarity to everyone recognized as being held in prison for their political beliefs or actions. This enables us to drop a line each year to prisoners that we have either already featured more in depth at letter-writing events throughout the year or those we will be doing events for in the future. We will also send birthday greetings to those with birthdays in December: Muhammad Burton (the 15th), Connor Stevens (the 17th) and Casey Brezik (the 30th).

While the circumstances of our comrades’ incarceration and the current political climate leave a lot to be desired, much good has also come out of 2018 including the freedom of Debbie and Mike Africa. Long-term prisoners Herman Bell and Seth Hayes were also release on parole this year to return to their families bringing the US-held political prisoner count to below 60. This event is an opportunity to reaffirm our commitment to free the remainder, stay strong and stay in the struggle.

Light refreshments will be provided. Please come join in the festivities!

[LAVA 4134 Lancaster Ave]

Letter-writing for Black Liberation Movement California Cases

  • October 29, 2018 5:42 pm

from Philly ABC

It’s almost time for another monthly letter-writing for political prisoners! Join us Monday November 5th, 6:30pm at LAVA.

Our November event will feature Black Liberation movement prisoners with California cases. We’ll be sending our love and solidarity to Ruchell “Cinque” Magee and Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald.

Ruchell “Cinque” Magee is the longest held political prisoner in the U.S., having been locked up since 1963. Politicized in prison, he later participated in the Marin County Courthouse Rebellion, the attempted liberation of political prisoner George Jackson. Ruchell pled guilty to the charge of aggravated kidnapping for his part in the assault. In return for his plea, the Attorney General asked the Court to dismiss the charge of murder (Magee being the shooter of Judge Haley). Magee later attempted unsuccessfully to withdraw his plea, and was sentenced in 1975 to life in prison. He has lost numerous bids for parole. He has also worked tirelessly as a jailhouse lawyer, working on his own case and helping many other prisoners win their freedom.

Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald, born and raised in Compton, California, joined the Southern California Chapter of the Black Panther Party in early 1969 as a teenager who had just been released from the California Youth Authority.  He is currently serving 2 life sentences for the frame up of the murder of a security guard and attempted murder of a CHP officer.

We’ll also be sending birthday cards to Joshua (Josh) Williams (Nov. 25th). A staple of the Ferguson rebellion, Josh Williams was sentenced to 8 years in prison for his actions in attempting to light fires near a Quick Trip gas station, which others quickly extinguished, during a protest against the killing of Black 18 year old Antonio Martin by police in Berkeley, Missouri on Christmas Eve 2014. Josh, who was 19 at the time of the incident, was charged with first-degree arson, and second-degree burglary for allegedly stealing under $500.  He should be eligible for early release (in 2022) after serving six and a half years of his sentence.  He was transferred in 2017 to Jefferson City Correctional Center.

As usual, snacks will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there!

COMMUTATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE ‘VIRGIN ISLAND 3’

  • October 28, 2018 1:25 pm

from Facebook

The campaign to free the Virgin Island 3 is kicking into high gear. Malik, Hanif and Abdul have been locked up for 46 years and have just applied for commutation of their sentences by Governor Mapp.

Like many aging prisoners, they are experiencing increasing health problems and pose NO RISK to the society they’ve been locked away from for nearly half a century. Because Governor Mapp’s term is ending and he is up for re-election on November 20th, now is the time to contact him and the other decision makers to urge for commutation of their sentences.

Because the Governor will be concentrating on the election until late November, we are reserving fax, email and calls until then, but letters can be drafted and mailed at any time before then. Please take a few minutes to alter the template below into a personalized letter and mail to both the Governor and the Lt. Governor. You can use the same letter to do the fax and email portion of this campaign. This is it; all hands on deck!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
1) Write a letter

Please start by writing a letter in support of the VI3’s application to both: Governor Mapp and Lt. Governor Potter. This is also a good time to urge folks you know who care about social justice to get on board with this campaign!

Suggested letter format:

Governor Kenneth Mapp
Government House
21-22 Kongens Gade
Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas, VI 00802

Lt. Governor Osbert Potter
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
1131 King Street, Suite 101
Christiansted
St. Croix, VI 00820

Re: Warren Ballantine, Meral Smith, and Beaumont Gereau

Introduce yourself. This could include comments about your job, family or work in the community.

Explain how you know their cases and/or how you may know them personally.

Explain why you are concerned (if you are from the VI, explain how this affects your vote and if you are from elsewhere explain how commuting their sentences would positively influence society or your view of the VI).

Some Issues are:
1. Length of time in prison
2. Their deteriorating medical conditions
3. Aging and getting old
4. No community threat (example: while they were housed in the St. Croix, they were actually allowed to go out in the community to religious services and to speak to/mentor at-risk youth, sometimes unsupervised, with no issues)

Implore the Governor to commute their sentences. Explain that you understand that he eluded to this before he was elected and at the beginning of his term.

Respectfully end your letter.

2) Fax your letter [after November 20th] to:

The Governor’s office at: (340) 693-4374, and
The Lt. Governor’s office at: (340) 774-6953
If you do not have a fax machine, you can send a free online fax using faxzero.com.

3) Email your letter [after November 20th]:

https://www.vi.gov/contact.html

4) Call the three officials in charge of reviewing the commutation applications [as much and as often as possible after November 20th until further notice] to ask if they received your letter/fax/email:

Governor Mapp’s Office: (340) 774-0001
Lt. Governor Potter’s Office: (340) 774-2991
Attorney General Claude Walker: (340) 773-0295
Legal Counsel E. Henderson: (340) 712-2212
Leave messages letting them know you support the commutation applications for Warren Ballentine, Beaumont Gereau and Meral Smith.

A few talking points if desired, but feel free to keep it short and sweet:
• After 46 years of incarceration, they are of seriously ailing health and are extremely unlikely to re-offend… Warren alone is on 6 different types of medication after a massive heart attack a year ago.
• It is costing the state a TON of money to continue to house them and pay for medical care.

After November 20th, keep up the pressure until further notice! If he does not win re-election, his last day to grant commutations is on January 4th, 2019.

—

When you can, drop one or all of the Virgin Island 3 a note telling them about the actions you took on their behalf. You can also read about the campaign in Malik’s own words.

Warren Ballentine #16-047
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

Beaumont Gereau #16-001
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

Meral Smith #16-024
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

Monday, October 1st: Letter-writing to Commute the Sentences of the Virgin Island 3

  • September 24, 2018 12:46 pm

from Philly ABC

It’s time for our monthly letter-writing event again, but this time with a twist as the campaign to free the Virgin Island 3 kicks into high gear. Join us at LAVA at 6:30 pm for snacks and drafting letters to Governor Mapp and the Virgin Island 3, who have been locked up for 46 years. Like many aging prisoners, they are experiencing increasing health problems and pose NO RISK to the society they’ve been locked away from for nearly half a century. Because Governor Mapp’s term is ending and he is up for re-election this November, *now* is the time to contact him to urge for commutation of their sentences. This is it; all hands on deck!

 

How you can help:

1) Write a letter [ideally mail it the first week of October]

Please start by writing a letter to the Governor. This is also a good time to urge folks you know who care about social justice to get on board with this campaign!

Suggested letter format:

Governor Kenneth Mapp
Government House
21-22 Kongens Gade
Charlotte Amalie
St. Thomas, VI 00802

Re: Warren Ballantine, Meral Smith, and Beaumont Gereau

Introduce yourself. This could include comments about your job, family or work in the community.

Explain how you know their cases and/or how you may know them personally.

Explain why you are concerned (if you are from the VI, explain how this affects your vote and if you are from elsewhere explain how commuting their sentences would positively influence society or your view of the VI).

Some Issues are:
1. Length of time in prison
2. Their deteriorating medical conditions
3. Aging and getting old
4. No community threat (example: while they were housed in the St. Croix, they were actually allowed to go out in the community to religious services, sometimes unsupervised, with no issues)

Implore the Governor to commute their sentences. Explain that you understand that he eluded to this before he was elected and at the beginning of his term.

Respectfully end your letter.

2) Fax your letter [ideally the second week of October]:

Fax the letter you wrote to the Governor’s office at:
(340) 693-4374

If you do not have a fax machine, you can send a free online fax using faxzero.com.

 

3) Email your letter [ideally the third week of October]:

https://www.vi.gov/contact.html

 

4) Call the Governor’s office [as much and as often as possible until further notice] to ask if they received your letter/fax/email:

Phone: (340) 774-0001

Leave messages urging Governor Mapp to make good on his promise to free the Virgin Island 3 – Warren Ballantine, Meral Smith and Beaumont Gereau (these are the names the state recognizes them under)- by commuting their sentences and releasing them with time served.

A few talking points if desired, but feel free to keep it short and sweet:
• After 46 years of incarceration, they are of seriously ailing health and are extremely unlikely to re-offend… Warren alone is on 6 different types of medication after a massive heart attack a year ago.
• It is costing the state a TON of money to continue to house them and pay for medical care.

Keep up the pressure throughout November or until their sentences are commuted! When you can, drop one or all of the Virgin Island 3 a note telling them about the actions you took on their behalf. You can also read about the campaign in Malik’s own words.

Warren Ballentine #16-047
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

Beaumont Gereau #16-001
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

Meral Smith #16-024
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963

—

At this event, we will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in October: Skelly Stafford (the 3rd), Jamil Al-Amin (the 4th), Mike Africa & David Gilbert (both on the 6th), Malik Bey (the 8th), Jalil Muntaqim (the 18th), and Eddie Africa (the 31st).

Support the Vaughn 17 in court!

  • September 23, 2018 5:27 pm

from Facebook

In 2017, a large scale uprising was launched at the Vaughn Correctional Institution in DE. 17 prisoners are being accused of orchestrating the uprising, 16 of which are facing murder charges for the death of a corrections officer during the riot.

On October 8th the first trial will begin at the Leonard L. Williams Justice Center in Wilmington, DE. Let’s pack the court, write letters, and show support for the Vaughn 17 as they face state repression in the wake of a recent hunger strike and as they face trial.
All prisoners are now being held at the Sussex Correctional Facility, a poster with updated addresses can be found here;
https://itsgoingdown.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/vaughn-update918.pdf
Trial dates are currently scheduled as follows (but are subject to change, check back for updates);
Oct. 8/ Nov. 5/ Dec. 3/ Jan. 7/ Feb 11

Monday, Sept 10th: Letter-writing for the Vaughn 17

  • September 5, 2018 8:25 pm

from Philly ABC

Our monthly letter-writing event is this coming Monday due to the holiday and local actions in support of the 2018 Nationwide Prison Strike. Philly ABC stands in solidarity with all of those striking to demand humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery. Join us at 6:30pm at LAVA where we will be writing letters to the Vaughn 17, the individuals charged with involvement in the February 2017 uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Delaware.

For more information on the Vaughn 17, check out Live from the Trenches: Letters from the Vaughn 17. Contact information for the Vaughn 17 is found at the end of the pamphlet. We will also be sending birthday greetings to political prisoners with birthdays in September: Brian Vaillancourt (the 5th), Leonard Peltier (the 12th), Abdul Maumin Khabir (the 15th).

[LAVA 4134 Lancaster Ave]

International Day of Solidarity with Antifa Prisoners Card Night

  • July 30, 2018 7:41 pm

from Philly ABC

When: July 30th, 6:30pm
Where: LAVA, 4134 Lancaster Avenue

Due to Running Down the Walls on August 5th and in honor of the International Day of Solidarity with Antifa Prisoners that just passed on July 25th, we are diverting from our normal 1st Monday of the month schedule. Join Philly ABC on Monday, July 30th at LAVA to mail cards to antifa prisoners worldwide: https://nycantifa.wordpress.com/global-antifa-prisoner-list/). As usual, refreshments will be provided by North Philly Food Not Bombs!

Originating in 2014 as a Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans, the International Day of Solidarity with Antifa Prisoners is intended for the global anti fascist community demonstrates its solidarity with people who have been kidnapped by the state for anti-fascist actions. This could be demonstrated in many ways through direct actions, fundraisers, or other events done in solidarity with these wonderful bad asses.

Our next event will be Monday, August 27th at LAVA where we will commemorate Black August. Stay tuned for details!

Running Down the Walls 2018!

  • July 29, 2018 1:30 pm

from Facebook


Hosted by Philly ABC and sponsored by the MOVE organization, Philadelphia’s first Running Down The Walls (RDTW) event is dedicated to the MOVE 9. On August 8th, the MOVE prisoners will have been locked in prison for 40 years. Despite irrefutable evidence of their innocence, and the prosecutorial misconduct used to convict them, the political warfare to keep them imprisoned endures.

Join us and Move prisoners as we run/walk/bike/skate this 5K together. If you would like to participate in light yoga and warm-up stretches before, please arrive around 9:15am. Bring a mat if you can! Philadelphia RDTW 2018, exists to amplify their voices, show solidarity, strengthen our forces and help Free the Move 9! If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a participant either outside prison or inside or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring!

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and the MOVE 9 Support fund. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment.

Register for the 5K
Thanks for your support by running/walking/biking/skating the 5K! Everyone must fill out the following form to register NO LATER THAN JULY 22nd so that you receive your official shirt the day of the event. The registration fee of $40 confirms your place at the event and and it is preferred that this be paid before the day of the event by using the Seeds of Wisdom Patreon. Cash can also be accepted at the event. Additional funds over the $40 base fee raised through sponsorships are more than welcome. The registration form can be found at the link below, along with all the ways one can pay their registration fee.

https://phillyabc.wordpress.com/rdtw/

[10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Lemon Hill Dr]

International Day of Solidarity with Antifa Prisoners Card Night

  • July 23, 2018 1:27 pm

from Facebook

Originating in 2014 as a Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans, the call for an International Day of Solidarity with Antifa Prisoners is intended to be a way through which the global anti fascist community demonstrates its solidarity with people who have been kidnapped by the state for anti-fascist actions. This could be demonstrated in many ways through direct actions, fundraisers, or other events done in solidarity with these wonderful bad asses. Join Philly ABC on July 30th at LAVA to write cards to international antifa prisoners ( list found here: https://nycantifa.wordpress.com/global-antifa-prisoner-list/). Refreshments provided by North Philly Food Not Bombs!
[4134 Lancaster Ave from 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM]

July 2nd Anti-Imperialist Letter-writing

  • June 30, 2018 6:01 pm

from Philly ABC

While many are gathering on July 4th to celebrate the “birthday” of a deadly imperial force, Philly ABC ain’t having none of that. We’ll comfortably ignore this bizarre event and instead do something fun. Like an anti-imperialist letter-writing on July 2nd!!!

We invite you to join us, 6:30pm at LAVA, to show solidarity for anti-imperialist political prisoners! We’ll be writing letters to Jaan Karl Laaman, Tom Manning, and David Gilbert. Additionally we’re making birthday cards for Walter Bond (Animal Liberation), and Michael Foster (Earth Liberation). Good vegan food is provided by North Philly Food Not Bombs. So come on down and start your July with something that’s actually cool!

[4134 Lancaster Ave]

Running Down The Walls Statements from Hanif Shabazz Bey & Eric King

  • June 10, 2018 11:06 pm

from Philly ABC

We are just a little under two months away from Philadelphia’s Running Down The Walls 5k for political prisoners! In some cities the run/walk/roll has already taken place. For others it is just around the corner. See complete listing of RDTW events. The registration deadline for Philly is July 22. So if you haven’t already, please register here! Posters and flyers are available for download.

In the mean time, please enjoy these RDTW solidarity statements from Hanif Shabazz Bey of the Virgin Island 3, and anarchist prisoner Eric King!

–Philly ABC

Message for Running Down the Walls 2018 from Hanif Bey:

Once again, I am grateful to be able to give back something to the Anarchist Black Cross movement, if only in thought. As I run today, I will reflect on a card sent from Danny Tender, a comrade from the Colorado ABC collective. On the front of the card is a picture of someone’s hand holding a lit match, and at the bottom of the card Danny wrote, “Hanif, hold onto the light!”

The ABC bulletin being sent inside to comrades is part of that light, because it keeps us abreast of what’s going on with comrades in other gulags.

Also the assistance from the ABCF Warchest is also part of that light that works to counter the darkness that attacks inclusion, diversity, and equality.

The light is also symbolic of the “truth,” and the truth is that the “people’s power” can dispel the darkness, and make a better world.

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

Hanif S. Bey

– –
Write to Hanif at:

Beaumont Gereau #16-001
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, Mississippi 38963

 

Message for Running Down the Walls 2018 from Eric King:

Prisons are not abstract ideas. They are tangible businesses, with real tangible buildings, structures, employees, who have real tangible addresses. The prisons have roads, fences, mail rooms, offices, etc, etc. These are all real targets that should be looked at. No matter where you live, there is most likely a jail, holding center, prison, ICE center, or juvenile prison nearby. Tags and check-ins on instagram, twitter and facebook. That facility most likely has a facebook and its employees most likely have ‘liked;’ that site, or actively post in it. There are groups and forums for prison guards. This means we know WHO is working at these spots, we can find where they life, what they enjoy doing, where they like going. All the power is at the tip of our fingers. Lets find em!!

Let’s spitball some ideas, some realistic ideas, some I dream of seeing come to fruition… bedbugs can be rehomed into offices to infest all of their furniture, lice or fleas, the bug of your choice! Hammers can bust up roads or parking lots leading into facilities and potential potholes to bang up cars. Have fun with google map pages for the facility, yelp etc. All ideas are good ideas! One could find their local police union and creatively display rage, either way make our point. Show up at their houses and let their neighbors know what is up, dance parties in driveways. Or just keep it simple with call in campaigns, just to irritate the workers and jam up the phone system for a bit. If you know a prisoner has specifically shitty mailroom I hear glitter bombs are cool. Wardens and captains always need glitter, they are incredibly bland and basic and need sprucing up.. or if glitter isn’t your ticket I hear animal feces works just as well.

We can make prisons a horrible place to work, we can make prisons a DANGEROUS place to work even on off days. This is a fight against a system that hurts and destroys, it is a real fight. Not everyone is capable of doing everything, but everyone is capable of doing anything, any strike against these fucks is a good thing. There are a thousand ways to fight back, and I stand beside all of them. Solidarity to all who are keeping the struggle alive, fire to all of the prisons, welcome home Herman!!

UNTIL ALL ARE FREE, EK (A) (///)

– –
Eric King #27090-045
FCI Florence
P.O. Box 6000
Florence, CO 81226

June 4th Letter-writing for the Virgin Island 3

  • May 28, 2018 6:47 pm

from Philly ABC

As a follow-up to our movie showing in April, our June letter-writing event will feature the 3 remaining prisoners in the Virgin Island 3 case – Abdul Azeez, Hanif Bey, and Malik Bey. All 3 were rounded up in their early twenties with approximately 100 other black youths in the Virgin Islands and then framed for a shooting at the Rockefeller-owned golf club. It is appalling anytime people are unjustly persecuted for their political beliefs, but not only are the VI3 persecuted for their anti-imperialist beliefs but they are being held illegally in private prison in the U.S. despite the fact that the U.S. jurisdiction over VI cases was terminated years ago!

This letter-writing will feature a Q&A with Kwasi Seitu, former political prisoner and legal representative for the VI3, so that we can learn more about the case and what steps we can take to help secure their freedom. If anyone missed the film, The Hijacker’s Tale, about Ismael Ali, one of the codefendants who escaped to Cuba we encourage you to view it prior to the event. We will also sign cards for prisoners with June birthdays – Matt DeHart (11th), Jay Chase (12th), and Tom Manning (28th).

As usual, the event will be held at 6:30 pm at LAVA with food courtesy of North Philly FNB!

[June 4 at LAVA 4134 Lancaster Ave]

May 7th Letter-writing for Anarchist Prisoners

  • May 1, 2018 12:00 pm

from Philly ABC

Join us for this month’s letter-writing event in honor of May Day. On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers in 13,000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the first May Day celebration in history. Anarchists led the strike in the Chicago area, and the strikers were met with heavy police force. In response, the anarchists called for an open forum on police brutality held in Haymarket Square.  Eight anarchist were arrested as organizers and became known as the Haymarket Martyrs as four were later murdered by the state.

Over one hundred years have passed since that first May Day. In the earlier part of the 20th century, the US government tried to curb the celebration and further wipe it from the public’s memory by establishing “Law and Order Day” on May 1. In honor of the Haymarket Martyrs and those who have come before and since, we will be writing to anarchist comrades behind bars: Bill Dunne, Jeremy Hammond, Eric King and Cedar.

We will also be sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in May: Alvaro Luna Hernandez (the 12th), Kojo Bomani Sababu (the 27th), and Doug Wright (the 31st).

The event will be held at 6:30pm at LAVA.  Food will be provided by North Philly Food Not Bombs.

[May 7th at LAVA 4134 Lancaster Ave]

Running Down The Walls!

  • April 24, 2018 12:25 am

from Philly ABC

August 5th 2018, 10am
Fairmount Park 5K

Hosted by Philly ABC and sponsored by the MOVE organization, Philadelphia’s first Running Down The Walls (RDTW) event is dedicated to the MOVE 9. On August 8th, the MOVE prisoners will have been locked in Pennsylvania prisons for 40 years. Despite the overwhelmingly obvious, irrefutable evidence of their innocence, and the prosecutorial misconduct used to convict them, the political warfare to keep them imprisoned has lasted decades.

Join us and Move prisoners as we run down the walls together. Philadelphia RDTW 2018, exists to amplify their voices, rectify solidarity, strengthen our forces, and Free the Move 9!  If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a runner either outside prison or inside or one of each. Contact us for more information.

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and the MOVE 9 Support fund. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment.

Thanks for your interest in supporting the Move 9 by participating in this 5k!

[Register Here]

Philly ABC Film Screening:The Skyjacker’s Tale

  • April 12, 2018 3:53 pm

from Facebook

Philly ABC will be hosting a film screening of “The Skyjacker’s Tale” by Jamie Kastner. The film is a documentary and the description of it from the website can be found below. We look forward to seeing y’alls beautiful faces there.

“Ishmael Muslim Ali is the American convicted of murdering eight people on a Rockefeller-owned golf course in the US Virgin Islands. After years of trying to get his conviction overturned, he took matters into his own hands and hijacked an American Airlines plane full of passengers to Cuba on New Years Eve 1984, and got away with it. Until now.” – skyjackerstale.com

Ishmael, as well as Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral (Malik) Smith, Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph, and Hanif Shabazz Bey are known as the Virgin Island 5. On September 6th, 1972, eight American tourists were gunned down at the Rockefeller-owned golf course on the island of St.Croix. Quickly the colonial authorities picked up over one hundred blacks for interrogations, and the U.S. colonial troops carried out a series of repressive acts of violence against the black community. The F.B.I. and the United States Army troops led a 300-man invasion force into the islands and used strong armed tactics to conduct house to house searches of the low income areas.

The five were charged after being subjected to vicious torture, in order to extract confessions. They were beaten, hung from their feet and necks from trees, subject to electric shocks with “cattle prods”, had plastic bags tied over their heads and had water forced up their noses by the “defenders of the law.” The judge (Warren Young) overlooking the case prior to being placed on the federal bench worked as Rockefeller’s private attorney and and even handled legal matters for the Fountain Valley Golf Course.

Their trial was an obvious Kangaroo Court and a mockery of any sense of a fair trial. On August 13, 1973, each of the five men convicted and sentenced to eight(8) consecutive life terms.

Today, Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral (Malik) Smith, and Hanif Shabazz Bey are all confined in federal prisons. Ismail Ali was liberated to Cuba via an airplane hijacking in 1984. Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph was granted a pardon by the V.I. governor in 1992. Six years later Kwesi was mysteriously found dead of poison-laced drug overdose, after it was said that he was about to reveal evidence that would have exonerated at least one or more defendant.

More information on the case can be found here http://www.abcf.net/prisoners/vi5.htm