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
