Subject: New issue of Angola 3 Newsletter -- please help spread the word

http://angola3news.blogspot.com/2009/10/a3-newsletter-happy-birthday-herman_757.html

Happy Birthday Herman!



On October 13th, Herman Wallace will be turning 68, having spent most of his life in solitary confinement. Please Write Herman and wish him Happy Birthday. Write to: Herman Wallace #76759 Elayn Hunt Correctional Center Unit 5, E-Tier PO Box 174 St Gabriel, LA 70776 USA

Herman is optimistic about his appeal now pending at the State Supreme Court, where a decision is expected anytime. On September 19, 2006, State Judicial Commissioner Rachel Morgan recommended overturning Herman's conviction, on grounds that prison officials had withheld evidence from the jury that prison officials had bribed the prosecution's key eyewitness, Hezekiah Brown, in return for his testimony. However, in May 2008, in a 2-1 vote, the State Appeals Court rejected Morgan's recommendation and refused to overturn the conviction. Herman has appealed this to the State Supreme Court, which will either affirm or reverse the lower court's decision.

If you haven't heard them yet, be sure to listen to Herman's many broadcasts at Prison Radio. Listen here.

Kudos To Parnell Herbert!



The new play "Angola 3", written by Parnell Herbert, premiered at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA on September 18. Read the review and interview with Parnell Herbert on pages 10 and 11 of the Data News Weeklyhere. For more information about this amazing play, read here.


Our Newest Video: Political Prisoners in the United States






Angola 3 News has just released a new interview with author/activist Dan Berger that is mostly based on Berger's essay "The Real Dragons: A Brief History of Political Militancy and Incarceration: 1960s to 2000s," which is featured in the book "Let Freedom Ring: A Collection of Documents from the Movements to Free U.S. Political Prisoners" (PM Press, 2008).

Watch the two-part video interview here. Also, be sure to watch our previous video focusing on death row prisoner Kevin Cooper here.

The Secret World of Deaf Prisoners





In his new article, published by The Crime Report, James Ridgeway writes:

The deaf face a nightmare when they fall into the criminal justice system. They live in a world apart to begin with; but in prison they are thrown into a dread new environment where they literally can't understand the language of either their jailers or the other prisoners. When people who have never heard a spoken word try to speak,the sounds come out jumbled and weird-leading ill-informed jailers to think they are obstreperous or crazy. As a consequence, some deaf prisoners can end up in solitary.

I discovered numerous examples of abuses and violations of the rights of deaf prisoners as part of an ongoing investigative reporting project. But the most troubling discovery I made was how little has been done about the problem in the criminal justice system-and how little is known about it outside prison walls.

Read the full article here.

Fax Jerry Brown Monday October 5! Drop the Charges Against Cisco Torres!

Support Cisco in court Friday, October 9
8am Rally, 9am Court, 850 Bryant Street, San Francisco




The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights writes:

Dear Friends,

Once again we are asking for your help with a phone and fax campaign to demand that CA Attorney General Jerry Brown drop the charges against Francisco Torres, the last of the SF8 still facing prosecution. Brown has not yet dropped the charges against Francisco Torres, but he knows there is no case against him. He needs to get the message from people all over the country that we will not give up this just demand.

Please Take Action Here.

Solitary Confinement is Torture!
The Maine Prisoner Action Coalition has launched an important new campaign to end solitary confinement and other forms of torture in Maine State Prisons.





Over the past three months, concerned Maine citizens have worked to develop appropriate legislation to address longstanding abuses in the segregation units of Maine State Prisons. Last week, Representative Jim Schatz (Blue Hill) submitted the legislation. This is an important step to create the critical dialogue necessary to advocate for true prison reform in this state and end human-rights violations in our correctional facilities. Attached to this email is the bill language in its entirety. READ THE PDF HERE.


Now the Legislative Council will decide whether to accept the bill for the upcoming 2010 legislative session. THEY MAKE THEIR DECISION ON OCTOBER 15th. The Legislative Council comprises of leadership from both the Democratic and Republican parties from both the House and the Senate. Every other year in Maine, the state's legislative session is a "short" or "emergency" session.


Take Action Here.


Check out these new brochures made for the campaign, parts one and two. The Coalition can be contacted atmainepac@gmail.com and 207-252-5379


Journalist Lance Tapley has written an excellent series of articles detailing the numerous abuses in Maine Prisons.Read the full series.

Albert & Herman

Herman Wallace
#76759
Elayn Hunt Correctional Center
Unit 5, D-Tier
PO Box 174
St Gabriel, LA 70776

Albert Woodfox
#72148
CCR, Lower A5
Louisiana State Penitentiary
Angola, LA 70712