Da: "Michael Novick"
Oggetto: [stop-polabuse] ACTION ALERT: Jailed Black Activist Near Death, Needs Support!
Data: venerd́ 5 ottobre 2001 6.27
From: "JoNina Abron"
To: banco_midwest@hotmail.com
Cc: jonina1@yahoo.com
Subject: ACTION ALERT: Jailed Black Activist Near Death, Needs Support!
Date: Thu, 04 Oct 2001 00:21:15 -0400
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/html
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October 4, 2001
JAILED BLACK ACTIVIST NEAR DEATH, NEEDS SUPPORT!
Dear Friend,
Black anti-police brutality activist Robert C. Mitchell III, a prisoner at
the Calhoun County Jail in Battle Creek, Michigan, is in critical health
and may die unless he gets proper medical treatment.
In late August, Robert suffered a stroke, followed days later by a heart
attack. This afternoon, I visited him at the jail, where he had just
returned after spending several hours at the hospital because of severe
chest pains. He was shaken, very short of breath and struggled to carry on
a conversation with me over the jail telephone. Robert said that his chest
pains started last night and that he was taken to the hospital this
morning. He said the doctors told him that the valves in his heart are not
functioning properly. He's scheduled to return to the hospital Thursday
morning when the doctors will tell him what kind of treatment he needs.
Robert said that is his chest pains return before the morning, the doctors
told him to go back to the hospital immediately. It is *outrageous* that
the sheriff's deputies at the jail didn't leave Robert at the hospital!! I
saw with my own eyes, and I'm very afraid that I might a phone call tonight
that he's dead.
One reason that Robert Mitchell is being denied the proper medical care is
that he is a black man who dared to organize aganist police brutality and
racial profiling in the racist town of Battle Creek, Michigan. When he was
on the verge of building a strong anti-racist movement, the police, with
the help of a white woman (the old tried and true method of destroying the
character and credibility of a black man), framed Robert on charges they
know he did not commit. He's accused of kidnapping and beating Deborah
Sparks Gordon in July, 2000. Police claim Robert and Gordon argued after
she threatened to tell the black woman with whom Robert was living about
his alleged affair with Gordon. All along, Robert has been saying that he
was framed, and the police crime lab reports that he now has in his
possession prove his innocence. None of his fingerprints were found at the
"crime scene," Gordon's home. Robert's prints weren't there because he
wasn't there. Gordon lied under oath during the preliminary hearing.
Because he previously served time in prison for practicing law without a
license, Robert will spend the rest of his life in prison under "three
strikes and you're out" if he's convicted of assaulting Gordon.
Another reason that Robert is being denied adequate medical care is that he
has earned the wrath of Calhoun County Sheriff Allen Byam, whose office
runs the jail. In July, Robert and several other black inmates at the jail
filed a federal civil rights lawsuit charging Byam and his staff with
systematic racial discrimination. Robert, who is a trained paralegal,
prepared the lawsuit.
Unless Robert gets immediate help from the outside, he may die in jail
before he can prove his innocence in court. You can help by writing to
Sheriff Allen Byam demanding that Robert be allowed to stay in the hospital
until the doctors say that he is out of danger. As soon as possible, please
e-mail the letter below, or write on one of your own.
Stop the racist railroading and persecution of Robert Mitchell!
JoNina M. Abron
Acting Chair
Southwest Michigan Coalition Against Racism and Police Brutality
P.O. Box 19962, Kalamazoo, MI 49019
***********************************************************************
SAMPLE LETTER TO SHERIFF ALLEN BYAM
Sheriff Allen L. Byam
Calhoun County Jail
Battle Creek, Michigan
e-mail: ccsd@usa.net
Dear Sheriff Byam:
I have learned that civil rights activist Robert C. Mitchell III, who is a
prisoner in your jail, recently suffered a stroke, followed days later by a
heart attack. Either one of these illnesses alone could have killed him.
The fact that he suffered both within a short period of time poses a grave
danger to his health.
According to my information, today (October 3), Mr. Mitchell had to be
rushed to the hospital with severe chest pains, but was nevertheless
returned to the jail several hours later. This is outrageous! Prisoners
have the right to medical care, as stated in the International Covenant on
the Rights of Prisoners.
I understand that Mr. Mitchell and several other black inmates in your jail
have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit charging you and your staff with
racial discrimination. Is this why you are keeping him in jail when you
know that he is a very sick man?
I am writing to urge you to immediately transfer Mr. Mitchell to the
hospital, where he should stay until the doctors say it is safe for him to
return to jail. Surely, sir, you do not want Mr. Mitchell's blood on your
hands, which it will be if he dies because of inadequate medical treatment.
Sincerely,
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