NYC Jericho Movement

Let's Bring Jalil Muntaqim Home on Parole in 2018!

Since Jalil's parole hearing has been postponed due to a factual error on his COMPAS Risk Assessment Report, there is still time for friends and supporters to write letters for him.

To write a letter in you own words in support of parole for Jalil, address to:

Senior Offender Rehabilitation Coordinator
Sullivan Correctional Facility
325 Riverside Drive
Fallsburg, New York 12733

BUT SEND TO:

Nora Carroll
The Parole Preparation Project
168 Canal Street, 6th Floor
New York, NY 10013

The subject line should be "Anthony Bottom 77-A-4283"

We are making an effort to include letters of support for Jalil that are personalized and from people who are familiar with him and his work. If you want further instructions for how to write a strong, personalized letter of support, please email carroll.nora@gmail.com.

Also, please send a copy of your letter to Jalil for his files: Anthony Bottom #77A4283, Sullivan Correctional Facility, P.O. Box 116, Fallsburg, NY 12733-0116

LET'S BRING THE VIRGIN ISLANDS THREE
HOME WHERE THEY BELONG!

Please pass on to all respective list serves - members, supporters, family and friends!

The campaign to free the Virgin Island 3, who have been locked up for 46 years, is kicking into high gear. 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, and give respect to the Governor's Office.

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 alluded 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.

Warren Ballentine #16-047
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963
His name is Abdul Azeez, but address letter to Warren Ballentine

Beaumont Gereau #16-001
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963
His name is Hanif Shabazz Bey, but address letter to Beaumont Gereau

Meral Smith #16-024
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, MS 38963
His name is Malik Smith, but address letter to Meral Smith

Let's keep the pressure on and bring these brothers home!

Political Prisoner Rev. Joy Powell Update!

NYC Jericho spoke with Joy Powell on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, and she reports that C.O. Olivio is no longer on her unit. She thanks everyone who made phone calls on her behalf, as she had a visit from the Inspector General's office, and Olivio was removed from her unit immediately thereafter.

Joy is continuing the fight for herself and other women prisoners at Bedford Hills, and is demanding that Olivio be removed from his post completely. Sadists like him should not be C.O.s and have power over other people's lives!

For more information on Joy, please visit https://www.freejoypowell.org

Ramona Africa Needs Our Help Now!

The Move org. is informing our supporters, sympathizers and all those in solidarity with the cause of revolution, that Ramona Africa, Move's Minister of Communication, survivor of the May 13, 1985, holocaust, has been hospitalized as a result of health complications coming from a condition called PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). This is a direct result of the ongoing war waged on our Move Family by this government (we've lost 24 members to date). Two died in prison under suspicious circumstances termed ‘cancer.’ Now Ramona is diagnosed with ‘cancer’ and she's again battling to be a survivor.

From the Move family in Philadelphia:

Today the hospital informed Ramona that her insurance co. would no longer be responsible for paying her hospital and therapy bills and that she’s being released from both hospital and therapy unless she can pay the bills herself.

The problem is Ramona can’t stand without assistance and she can’t walk; she’s not good to go and she hasn’t had enough therapy to safely release her into the world. The other problem is the burden of costs; therapy sessions are extremely urgent and immediate or Ramona will regress, leaving any progress she’s made to date undone and she’ll have to start all over from the beginning.

These therapy sessions are necessary but at the same time they create a financial burden on the family; without the medical insurance, that we will not be able to handle, it’ll be more than we can afford, we need help. Ramona cannot afford to come out of the hospital; she is not physically ready and her home plan is not ready. Certain things she will require have to be met, like a hospital bed and special bedding, and bathroom facilities that need a contractor and plumber.

The family is doing what we can, but we do need help. We are establishing a “go fund me” account to accommodate any monetary donations that are sent for Ramona; the family appreciates the help you can give and thanks you in advance for your support. Ona Move

You can copy and paste it into your browser.

https://www.gofundme.com/helpsaveramonaafrica