In Contempt #5: Anarchism & Solidarity on Trial in Texas, Free the Prairieland Defendants, Free Them All!

from In Contempt

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

Intro

“Through our ability to help one another articulate our suffering, we help one another to act. And in helping one another to act we help to demonstrate to those around us that something different, something other than what currently is, is possible. When we unabashedly grieve, fully, publicly, without reservation, we invite other to do the same. Every act of resistance sows the seeds of its own replication. When we resist as part of daily life, we sow the reproduction of a daily life of resistance. “

(From “If We Go, We Go On Fire”, a zine presented as evidence during the Prairieland Trial)

We return, our hearts inflamed for our companions in struggle enduring the worst of state repression, with the latest In Contempt, a roundup of repression news, political prisoner updates, and prisoner rebellions. While repression may be inevitable for any movement for freedom, the future of the prison world is not. Until the day the cages are empty and the prisons are ashes, we must support those fighting inside for freedom.

A zine and pamphlet of this column will be available in the coming days to print and share with friends, comrades, and loved ones behind bars.

As always, we welcome contributions at in_contempt @ autistici . org.

NO ONE WAY WORKS,
it will take all of us shoving at the thing from all sides to bring it down.
— Diane di Prima, Revolutionary Letter

Political Prisoners / POWs

Casey Goonan

Casey Goonan has posted a Bookshop.org Wish List where people can purchase books to be sent to them at their new location at FCI Allenwood. Among many other topics, they’re interested in Palestinian history, political analysis, and literature, Black philosophy and critical theory, Autonomous marxisms, Analysis of the George Floyd Uprising, and books by anarchist historian Paul Avrich.

If you purchase books through other outlets please be mindful of the mail rules for Casey’s facility. You can send them as well as letters to:

Casey Goonan -511
FCI Allenwood Medium
Federal Correctional Institution

P.O. Box 2000
White Deer, PA 17887

George Floyd Uprising Prisoners

As far as we know, the current prisoners––welcome home Margaret!––from the George Floyd Uprising and their addresses to write letters of support are:

David Elmakayes -066
USP Lee
U.S. Penitentiary
Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 644
Jonesville, VA 24263

Smart Communications/PADOC
Khalif Miller
SCI Forest
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733

As always a printable letter writing zine is available to distro.

At The Gates: Fighting Detention Centers

The floorplan of the proposed Social Circle ICE detention facility, a dystopian vision of their fascist future if we do not stop it

As the DHS hopes to continue expanding its network of detention centers, community resistance, legal efforts, and Kristi Noem’s departure as secretary has stalled several proposed developments.

Project Salt Box has been investigating ICE property acquisitions: according to their current data, ICE has purchased warehouses for large-scale immigrant processing and detention facilities in Romulus MI, Tremont PA, Socorro TX, Hamburg PA, Salt Lake City UT, San Antonio TX, Social Circle GA, Flowery Branch GA, Roxbury NJ, Surprise AZ, and Williamsport MD; and is currently eyeing locations in  Durant OK, Starke FL, McAllen TX, Port Allen LA, Holtsville NY, and Orlando FL.

Birthdays

Mumia Abu Jamal

Birthday: April 24

Mumia is an award winning journalist and was one of the founders of the Black Panther Party chapter in Philadelphia. 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 was convicted and sentenced to death by what can only be called a kangaroo court. During the summer of 1995, a death warrant was signed, 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. More information: freemumia.com

Smart Communications/PA DOC
Mumia Abu Jamal
SCI Mahanoy
Post Office Box 33028
St Petersburg, Florida 3373
3

As PADOC is a digital mail scanning state, please use single sided letters; books must be sent to Mumia Abu Jamal / 268 Bricker Road / Bellefonte, PA 16823-1667

Casey Goonan

Birthday: April 24

Casey Goonan is an anarchist/anti-imperialist political prisoner incarcerated for actions carried out in solidarity with Palestinians facing genocide in Gaza and response to the repressive actions against the pro-Palestine student encampments in the United States. In January 2025, Casey pleaded guilty to one count of maliciously damaging or destroying property used in or affecting interstate commerce by means of fire or an explosive for the arson attack on a campus police car. As part of a plea agreement, Goonan took responsibility for the other attacks but pleaded not guilty to the additional charges and was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison. More information: freecaseynow.noblogs.org

Casey Goonan 511
FCI Allenwood Medium
Post Office Box 2000
White Deer, Pennsylvania 17887

Casey Goonan Moved To Northern Pennsylvania

from Free Casey Now

from the Casey Support Committee

Finally! As you may have seen elsewhere, Casey is finally out of the holdover unit at FCI Mendota and is in the transfer pipeline to their designated facility.

At 4 am on Tuesday, 2/11, Casey was woken up, told to pack it up, and then put on the bus before the sun rose. They were transported from Mendota to the SF Federal Bldg and then to the county jail in downtown SF. Casey reported that coming over the hills that morning into the Bay as the sun rose, they felt blessed. Casey, sitting in a van still cuffed up, was able to see the horizon, able to see the sun’s light grow and spread over the city and the Bay.
While at the SF jail, Casey was able to walk around the unit freely, talk to others, and enjoy phone access with their friends and loved ones in a way not possible for months in that shithole holdover unit. Casey and a member of our committee were able to have a loving, hour long conversation that didn’t feel like a rushed whisper through a keyhole. ❤️

Casey didn’t spend long in SF before they were put on a plane. On Friday, Casey showed up on the BOP inmate locator at FCI Allenwood – Medium, one facility of three in a prison complex located in northern Pennsylvania.

A few notes about Casey’s current placement:

  • This may be an intermediate placement. We have not confirmed with Casey that this is their permanent designated facility and this may well be a temporary location. All prison systems are opaque and move people around at will according to their own fickle bureaucratic criteria. When we confirm this is to be Casey’s designated facility, we will let you know.
  • It’s always good to write! Address for the facility is below. But know that in addition to this possibly being a short-lived placement, sometimes Casey’s mail has been held by the mailroom for weeks or months. We have also found that multiple pieces of mail have been blocked or “lost” as well. So independent of Casey being at Allenwood permanently or temporarily, know that comms through the mail are goofy as well as slow and fully surveilled.
  • Conditions have changed already. According to Casey, this current spot is more capable meeting their needs as a diabetic. They are let out of their cell from 8 am to 5 pm, have phone access, and at the time of the last call with fam, Casey was on their way to check out the library (!! of course. If you know Casey…🙂)
  • At some point, Casey’s counselor told them that they had been given a “Low” security classification. This has not been formally confirmed. So again, we will let you know when we know more. And yes, a Low can be sent to a Medium level facility – Welcome to the byzantine nature of prison regulations and practices.
  • All property is surrendered on transfer out of a holdover unit so Casey has to start over in terms of personal property and nutritional supplements from commissary to deal with their diabetes. To send funds to keep Casey’s commissary account topped,up, you can Venmo Casey’s fam – @JuliePetersonG

More on the toll of “holdover life”

Casey spent over 4 months in holdover at Mendota. Holdover – the limbo unit for people being received, moved, etc. – is worse than solitary in many respects. You have no property, no programs, limited access to anything but your tiny cell, and no definite date for getting out. Casey had only minimal access to medical care for their diabetes: insulin only dispensed once per day, insufficient blood sugar checks, mediocre diet, and maximum stress and uncertainty. The poor care had started to permanently damage Casey’s eyesight. If they were to continue much longer in holdover, Casey was anticipating needing a new prescription in order to read or see adequately.

Also, every other person that passed through holdover at Mendota only spent a few weeks there. A month in and Casey became in effect the “OG” of the unit, the prisoner housed there the longest, orienting others to the layout and program of the place. Yet again, to those who been locked up or who have years doing prisoner support, the question at some point becomes “Is this bullshit targeted or is it just random, just industrialized abandonment and they don’t give a shit about anybody?”

Well, Casey is a political prisoner. And while everybody inside gets a number and everybody gets put in the uniform, there is nonetheless a wild card or two in the deck for politicals. Consequences can be heavier. And that’s another thing for people on the outside to remember and take to heart regarding risks, expectations, and communications with our loved ones inside.

Legal update

Casey has been working on a habeas petition with another legal team in order to appeal their conviction and sentencing. The deadline for this filing will be 12 months from their sentencing (Sept. 23, 2026)  so we will report more on this in the coming months as it develops.

Free Palestine,
Fire to the Prisons

In solidarity,
CSC

To donate towards legal fees:
https://chuffed.org/project/supportcasey

Commissary support: Venmo @JuliePetersonG
Instagram: @freecaseynow
Email us: cscommittee@protonmail.com

Current mailing address for Casey:

Casey Goonan -511
FCI Allenwood Medium
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. BOX 2000
WHITE DEER, PA   17887