Statement on the passing of Robert Seth Hayes by the Certain Days collective

The following is a statement recently put out by the Certain Days Freedom For Political Prisoners Calendar collective. RIP to Robert Seth Hayes.

The Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar collective sends our deepest love and respect to Robert Seth Hayes, who passed away on December 21, 2019, and condolences to his family and all who loved him.

Seth was one of the founding members of the calendar project, and we were fortunate to correspond and visit with him for almost two decades, exchanging ideas and learning from each other. From his first involvement with the Black Panther Party in 1969 to his work with the Black Liberation Army to his years of contributions from prison, he had many experiences and lessons to explore. This inspiration is one of the great advantages of working in a group that includes members across borders and on both sides of the prison walls. As each year passed, we were struck by his unfailing commitment to his beliefs and his passion. He was very proud of the calendar and our work to bring the voices and visions of political prisoners to people around the world. He expressed a deep solidarity with freedom struggles everywhere, including First Nations peoples. We remember Seth as a wonderful storyteller, with so much love to give to his family and friends. He had the warmest smile and shared in our lives and journeys with great interest and excitement. He would absolutely light up around children and families. Without doubt, Seth’s life was shortened by the callous and neglectful medical treatment he received at the hands of the NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Many supporters fought for him to receive adequate care for his Hepatitis C and chronic diabetes. Even as he was facing these health challenges, he continued to contribute to the calendar and other projects. After his release in 2018, it was a joy to spend more time with him and share meals, memories and jokes. Our time with him was much too short, but we cherish it. Seth, you will be greatly missed and we thank you for your lifetime dedicated to building a better world. We will continue to work toward freedom for all, the way you would have wanted.

 

 

Anarchist Prisoner, Jennifer Rose had court today – an update – October 28th

Greetings everyone!

Jennifer Rose was in court today for her re-sentencing hearing at the Sacramento Superior Court. The hearing got started at 3:30 pm and lasted about 30 minutes. At the the end of the hearing the judge made a ruling that one of Jennifer’s past convictions that was once deemed a strike will no longer be considered a strike any longer leaving her with only two strikes on her record. Then to cap off the hearing the judge gave Jennifer a parole date of 2055 whereas prior to today’s hearing Jennifer was essentially serving a life sentence without parole.

There has been a lot of anticipation for today’s court date considering Jennifer has been locked up serving multiple 25-to-Life sentences due to the Three Strikes Law. At the last court hearing on September 6th that ended up getting continued to today there was 7 supporters there which filled Jennifer with joy as you can imagine and today 10 people came out which must’ve been a wonderful sight for her to see. Jennifer must be filled with a lot of different emotions after court today. Here is a link to her website with all the details of who she is and her plight, so let’s push forward and continue to spread the word about Jennifer Rose. Let’s get together with some friends to send her letters or a solidarity card! Jennifer turned 50 back on October 6th, so a belated birthday note could be added right along with it!

Here is her current address:

Jennifer Rose E – 23852
Salinas Valley State Prison D3-1250
P.O. Box 1050
Soledad, CA 93960

Thanks to everyone who came out today and to everyone who passed around the court support flyer!

In solidarity with Jennifer Rose!

-Sacramento Prisoner Support

40 years of incarceration – let’s tell the world about Anarchist Political Prisoner, Bill Dunne

This October 14th marks 40 years that Bill Dunne has been locked up. It was on that day in 1979 that he and two other comrades of his were arrested outside of the King county jail in downtown Seattle during an escape. Bill was sentenced to 90 years for aiding in that escape and since then he has seen some of the harshest prisons in the Washington state prison system as well as the federal system. In 1982 he was sent from the Washington state system to the federal system and landed in the United States Penitentiary (U.S.P) in Lewisburg, PA. The following year he tried to escape from that particular U.S.P and for that he was given an additional 15 years onto his sentence and 7 and a half were to be spent in the control units at U.S.P Marion, IL. After he did his time at U.S.P Marion and up until recently he has been in quite a few maximum security penitentiaries in the federal prison system.

Since 2014 he has been in three different medium security federal institutions here in California. The transition from maximum security institutions to medium security ones in 2014 also was the same year that his first parole hearing took place. In December of 2014 Bill was denied parole and received a 15 year hit. During those 15 years he still has what is referred to as ” interim parole hearings” but he has been denied at both of those he has been to since 2014 as well. The reason they’ve provided each time he has been denied is that he is still in communication with anarchist groups and individuals. We published his statement on the last time he was denied here and the first time he was denied here . Not only are maintaining relationships with like minded individuals inside and outside of prison important to Bill, but he has found great joy in teaching GED classes at almost every prison he has been at so far, and he has helped many prisoners get their GED.

Thankfully over the years Bill has not had any serious health scares until recently. Over the last two years he has needed surgeries in both eyes and finally got them , so his vision is much better and that is much less of a concern now. What the world needs to know though is that Bill Dunne remains in a federal prison today after 40 years of incarceration. His politics and principles are unwavering and his perseverance and will to survive in the face of repression is inspiring. With the help of friends we have created a new support poster for you to put up at your local social center, coffee shop, college campus or wherever you think would be an effective spot to post it and help get the word out about Bill Dunne.

Here is where you can download the poster and if you go to the Support Bill Dunne page on our site you can find a tri-fold flyer that the Anarchist Black Cross Federation has put together as well as a half sheet flyer we put together. There you can find links to other groups that have been supporting Bill over the years as well like the Jericho Movement and 4strugglemag. As October 14th approaches and on that very day let’s recognize who Bill Dunne is , his plight and let’s continue our commitment to raise awareness about him. Let’s tell the world about anarchist political prisoner Bill Dunne! As Bill always says – The future holds promise!

yours in solidarity,

Sacramento Prisoner Support

in memory of political prisoner Tom Manning – A Memorial Zine

Some friends have put together a zine collecting the public statements
made in memory of Tom Manning since he passed away on July 30th. We
wanted to offer it to people today to join in spirit with all those who
gathered for Tom’s memorial today in Boston.

Tom was a comrade, an elder and a teacher for generations on both sides of the walls. Many of us will always continue to carry Tom’s spirit in our hearts and our work. We thought that having these beautiful
statements collected in a zine would be one way to honor Tom and to help our many different projects and spaces keep Tom present with us. We also wanted to collect the statements to uplift and support the political prisoners who wrote about Tom and heed their words about our struggles as we mourn a movement elder.

Here is the reading version ( tomzineREADING ), and here is the printable version ( tomzineTOTAL ).

RIP to Tom Manning.

 

 

A Statement on the Passing of Tom Manning by Indigenous Political Prisoner, Leonard Peltier

Tom Manning’s unexpected passing that occurred at the United States Penitentiary in Hazelton, West Virginia back on July 30th of this year continues to bring those closest to Tom as well as all his supporters to want to share regarding the incredible person he is. Today people are gathering in Boston , Massachusetts for a memorial for Tom Manning – may he rest in power.

Here is a statement by indigenous political prisoner, Leonard Peltier on the passing of Tom Manning. Clearly these two revolutionaries being locked up for years together at the same prison lead to a connection that will last forever.

 

 

Greeting relatives, friends, loved ones, and supporters of Tom Manning. I want to say a few words regarding the passing of Tom Manning. I could say condolences and all that to you, but I want you to know that Tom Manning was a good friend of mine. I don’t know first hand of all the particulars of his past life that he came to be in this prison. Some of these he came to share with me, but I can tell you from experience, this man was a kind and thoughtful person who cared greatly for the freedoms of all mankind and felt like we all should take responsibility for protecting those freedoms.

The Tom Manning I knew, as I mentioned before, was a man of character renown and an artist that I could relate to on just about every level. His artwork reached out and spoke to your heart and brought you the faces of those who resisted oppression and reminded you of the humanity that has been persecuted and locked away in prisons because of their dissension against the corporate controlled governments of the world who only look at mankind and nature as a resource for gaining wealth. I will forever remember Tom Manning, the man I knew and loved as a brother and with deep regret I mourn his passing. My heart is with all of you who have these feelings. I really don’t know what else to say other than anyone who knew Tom Manning, the man, will need some level of condolences.

In the Spirit of Crazy Horse and Tom Manning!

Mitakuye Oyasin (All My Relations)

Leonard Peltier

 

Here is his current address for all letters of support:

Leonard Peltier
#89637-132
USP Coleman I
P.O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 3352

And to learn more about Leonard and his case, go here

Jeremy Hammond is resisting a grand jury as he reaches the end of his 10 year sentence!

A shareable graphic that Jeremy’s support crew put out after he got moved to the detention center in Virginia.

Recently a recap was posted to IGD –

“Anarchist political prisoner Jeremy Hammond was moved from prison in Oklahoma today to Virginia and is currently being housed in the same facility as Chelsea Manning, who continues to face fines for refusing to testify before a grand jury, presumably the same that Hammond is being called on by the Justice Department to speak before in relation to WikiLeaks. Hammond is serving time after receiving various federal charges for engaging in hacking against police, immigration, and other State institutions. ”  continue reading here

From the Jeremy Hammond support crew –

Writing to Jeremy

In September 2019, Jeremy was summoned to appear before a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia. While he is resisting this unfair and unjust summons, he is being held at the William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center in Alexandria, Virginia. This is not a federal prison and has different rules than what people may normally be used when writing and sending things to Jeremy. Please read this page carefully for everything you need to know about writing to Jeremy.

Jeremy’s current address is as follows:

Jeremy Hammond
A0182888
William G. Truesdale Adult Detention Center
2001 Mill Road
Alexandria, VA 22314

continue reading here

Lastly, here is the half-sheet flyer Jeremy Hammond’s support crew just recently put out –

jeremy hammond flyer half page

 

 

Update On Anarchist Prisoner Eric King, Who The State Is Attempting To Bury On Trumped Up Charges With An Extra 20 Years(from IGD)

https://itsgoingdown.org/state-attempting-to-burying-eric-king-with-20-more-years-on-trumped-up-charges/

Update On Anarchist Prisoner Eric King, Who The State Is Attempting To Bury On Trumped Up Charges With An Extra 20 Years.

In August of last year Eric was dragged into a broom closet and attacked by Lt Wilcox at FCI Florence. Attacked because he is an anarchist and anti-fascist. It was timed to line up with the surgery for his wifes cancer. He was subsequently tortured and abused and never checked out medically despite being kicked in the head for 5 plus minutes. And tied to a 4 point restraint for 8 hours, having to urinate himself resulting in nerve damage to his wrists.

Since the indictment was filed (in may but conveniently they wait for the painful anniversary to serve indictment) he has been attacked twice at the orchestration of the BOP. Once being blatantly led into a fenced in area where a fash was waiting to attack while the guards watched and by putting someone who was known to have attacked the last cellmates in his cell. Not even talking about all of the other attempts.

Since the attack he was unable to see or talk to his family for a year, kept in segregation, not allowed even the most basic needs as the right to read a book, have a photo. Denied medical care as he begged for help August 1st, the day before his birthday. His words coming out in slurs because the whole left side of his body… paralyzed. Cognitive and confusion. 29 days without a scan, 29 days… every day further from the potential ability to minimize potentially life changing damage. Being held under the custody of the bop while fighting a bop case. Being held in a prison in which an adult man threatened their daughter 2 years before, a man who had access. A prison where this man still works. A prison where guards currently fuck with him by asking where his daughters go to school over and over. Despite the fact the BOP has attempted to attack and intimidate, orchestrating these attack by use of white supremacists.

Eric was indicted yesterday for his own assault. He faces up to 20 years in prison for being attacked and beaten.By a guard who feels safe dragging prisoners off camera and attacking. A guard who is known by the PD office for doing this and then destroying lives. Being brought up in the federal court system, a court system that is built to crush as a much more effective machine than any other in our country. Where only 2% go to trial bc the feds dont take a case they cant win. Fewer than 1% going on to win their case. Things are looking grim.

We need folks help…

We need folks to write Eric letters, print articles, short stories… hell print books.

Eric King #27090045
FCI Englewood
9595 West Quincy Avenue
Littleton, CO 80123

[white envelopes, white paper, only black ink, no cards, card-stock, labels, marker, photos or postcards]

We need folks to donate, hold fundraisers, we need to be prepared

We need folks to show up at court appearances. We need to show the state we wont let them bury our friend. File court dates same day to try to ensure folks cant be there. We let them do this to Eric once already. We let the state convict him of attempted arson and give him 10 years in federal prison. Where they are trying to make sure he never walks out those doors. Is buried at the ADX.

We need help, Eric needs help.

With love and rage

-EK support crew

ANARCHIST PRISONER, JENNIFER ROSE HAS COURT IN SACRAMENTO ON October 28th!

** Update ** Jennifer’s re-sentencing hearing was supposed to be on Friday September 6th . The prison actually forgot to transport her to Sacramento for the hearing. So, at what ended up being a very brief hearing in dept. 20 they continued the proceedings to October 28th where we can expect the re-sentencing hearing to take place.

,

Mark your calendars! Jennifer Rose (who just recently changed her last name from Gann to Rose) has court here in Sacramento on October 28th at 3pm at the Sacramento Superior Court house ( 720 9th st.) in Dept. 20.

Jennifer is a trans anarchist prisoner who has been locked up since 1991. Originally sentenced to multiple 25 -to-life sentences, Jennifer now qualifies for a sentence reduction under California’s Prop 36, and early release under Prop 57 that just passed in 2016.

Her re-sentencing hearing here in Sacramento is coming up! Let’s let Jennifer know we got her back and show up for her that Monday afternoon!

To learn more about Jennifer Rose, her plight and for her current address to use when sending her letters or cards, go here , and feel free to print off the flyer that’s up above to help spread the word.

Statement on the passing of Tom Manning by Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar

The Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar mourns the loss of political prisoner Tom Manning, a longtime supporter and inspiration to us.

 

Tom’s contributions to Certain Days go right back to the first calendar in 2002 when we printed his portrait of Steven Biko. Tom’s art beautifully conveyed the internationalism and solidarity that animated both his own politics and those of the calendar project. His portraits of iconic figures such as Assata Shakur and Yuri Kochiyami paid homage to their leadership, while his paintings of the ordinary people in communities in Haiti, Chiapas and Cambodia highlighted their day-to-day struggles. Tom was extremely generous over the years and took the time to share his art with us even at moments when his health presumably made it quite taxing for him to be involved. He was warm, and funny, and we always looked forward to opening a letter from him. His work has appeared consistently in Certain Days over the last two decades (gracing the cover twice — a feat unmatched by any other artist). We’re honoured to have learned so much from our work with Tom, and saddened and angry to lose him too soon due to ongoing medical neglect while he was imprisoned. Rest in Power, Tom!

The Certain Days collective

certaindays.org

Tom Manning, Soldier of the Struggle, a statement by political prisoner, Bill Dunne

 

Tom Manning, Soldier of the Struggle,
Comrade,
Friend,
Brother,
Artist,
Human,
Mighty tree in the forest who has fallen.  The sound reverberates through everyone who aspires to positive practice in service to the struggle he shared.

I knew Tom more through his exemplary practice across decades and his comrades’ experience of him then by having had the opportunity to hang out and roll out some practice with him.  Except one time: a twelve and a half hour bus ride from the Federal Transit Center at Oklahoma City to the U. S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas.

We sat next to each other during the entire trip.  Notwithstanding the agents of repression, the chains, and the bars separating us from freedom just a window away, we freed ourselves by making revolution all the way.  He was farther along in his understanding of what that meant in theory and practice and showed himself to be all of the above in elucidating that praxis.

I will not forget that trip.  Some of Tom Manning will always ride with me as I try to make progress in the struggle.  He will help paint the most equitable social reality in which all people will have the greatest possible freedom to develop their full human potential that is our destination.

Tom Manning !Presente!

Bill Dunne
FCC Victorville FCI-1
9 August 2019
Nagasaki Day

The future holds promise!

Love, Bill

 

To learn more about Bill, his case and his plight, go here , and for a statement by Bill after getting denied parole most recently, go here , and to send words of encouragement and solidarity, the following is his most current address.

Bill Dunne #10916-086

FCI Victorville Medium I

P.O. Box 3725

Adelanto, CA 92301