WORKING CLASS HERO AND AMERICA

Scission's Theoretical Weekends goes "musical" with the truth...times two...





WORKING CLASS HERO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OksQzgP6sYM





AMERICA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxItMKBYAdQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

BLACK AUGUST

George Jackson, born Sept. 23, 1941, was not quite 30 when he was murdered at San Quentin Aug. 21, 1971, yet his writings from prison had built a large and passionate following. Inside St. Augustine’s Church in West Oakland on the day of his Revolutionary Memorial Service, the first Black August event, were 200 Black Panthers in full uniform, while 8,000 people listened outside, perched on rooftops, hanging from telephone poles and filling the streets. As George’s body was brought out, the people raised their fists in the air and chanted, “Long Live George Jackson.” - Photo: Stephen Shames

It is Political Prisoner Friday at Scission and this doesn't exactly fit, but I doubt that any political prisoners will be upset by my substituting this instead.  


Black August, The Autumn Marie writes, 

...is a month long observation honoring Black people and events that have contributed to the freedom and liberation of Afrikan people. It is a tradition that involves community building, fasting, physical training, reading/studying, reflection, and self-discipline. Started in the prisons, Black August has grown to be respected and practiced by thousands beyond the walls.

Rather than me explain the historical background, I will quote from a commentator at a forum on the Assata Shakur web site.

Black August originated in the California penal system to honor fallen Freedom Fighters, Jonathan Jackson, George Jackson, William Christmas, James McClain and Khatari Gaulden. Jonathan Jackson was gunned down outside the Marin County California courthouse on August 7, 1970 as he attempted to liberate three imprisoned Black Liberation Fighters: James McClain, William Christmas and Ruchell Magee. Ruchell Magee is the sole survivor of that armed liberation attempt. He is the former co-defendant of Angela Davis and has been locked down for 38 years, most of it in solitary confinement. George Jackson was assassinated by prison guards during a Black prison rebellion at San Quentin on August 21, 1971. Three prison guards were also killed during that rebellion and prison officials charged six Black and Latino prisoners with the death of those guards. These six brothers became known as the San Quentin Six. 

Khatari Gaulden was a prominent leader of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) after Comrade George was assassinated. Khatari was a leading force in the formation of Black August, particularly its historical and ideological foundations. Khatari, like many of the unnamed freedom fighters of the BGF and the revolutionary prison movement of the 1970's, was murdered at San Quentin Prison in 1978 to eliminate his leadership and destroy the resistance movement.

The brothers who participated in the collective founding of Black August wore black armbands on their left arm and studied revolutionary works, focusing on the works of George Jackson. The brothers did not listen to the radio or watch television in August. Additionally, they didn't eat or drink anything from sun-up to sundown; and loud and boastful behavior was not allowed. The brothers did not support the prison's canteen. The use of drugs and alcoholic beverages was prohibited and the brothers held daily exercises, because during Black August, emphasis is placed on sacrifice, fortitude and discipline. Black August is a time to embrace the principles of unity, self-sacrifice, political education, physical training and resistance.

In the late 1970's the observance and practice of Black August left the prisons of California and began being practiced by Black/New Afrikan revolutionaries throughout the country. Members of the New Afrikan Independence Movement (NAIM) began practicing and spreading Black August during this period. The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement (MXGM) inherited knowledge and practice of Black August from its parent organization, the New Afrikan People's Organization (NAPO). MXGM through the Black August Collective (now defunct) began introducing the Hip-Hop community to Black August in the late 1990's after being inspired by New Afrikan political exile Nehanda Abiodun.

Traditionally, Black August is a time to study history, particularly our history in the North American Empire. The first Afrikans were brought to Jamestown as slaves in August of 1619, so August is a month during which Blacks/New Afrikans can reflect on our current situation and our self-determining rights. Many have done that in their respective time periods. In 1843, Henry Highland Garnett called a general slave strike on August 22. The Underground Railroad was started on August 2, 1850. The March on Washington occurred in August of 1963, Gabriel Prosser's 1800 slave rebellion occurred on August 30 and Nat Turner planned and executed a slave rebellion that commenced on August 21, 1831. The Watts rebellions were in August of 1965. On August 18, 1971 the Provisional Government of the Republic of New Afrika (RNA) was raided by Mississippi police and FBI agents. The MOVE family was bombed by Philadelphia police on August 8, 1978. Further, August is a time of birth. Dr. Mutulu Shakur (political prisoner & prisoner of war), Pan-Africanist Black Nationalist Leader Marcus Garvey, Maroon Russell Shoatz (political prisoner) and Chicago BPP Chairman Fred Hampton were born in August. August is also a time of rebirth, W.E.B. Dubois died in Ghana on August 27, 1963.

The tradition of fasting during Black August teaches self-discipline. A conscious fast is in effect from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. Some other personal sacrifice can be made as well. The sundown meal is traditionally shared whenever possible among comrades. On August 31, a People's feast is held and the fast is broken. Black August fasting should serve as a constant reminder of the conditions our people have faced and still confront. Fasting is uncomfortable at times, but it is helpful to remember all those who have come and gone before us, Ni Nkan Mase, if we stand tall, it is because we stand on the shoulders of many ancestors.

The following is from the San Francisco Bay View (again).

Still all eyes on us

August 2, 2012

by Comrade Bobby M. Dixon, Minister of Justice of the NABPP-PC

In this drawing by Black Panther veteran and revolutionary journalist Kiilu Nyasha are George and Jonathan Jackson and (top left) Ruchell Magee, who, having survived the Marin Courthouse Rebellion of Aug. 7, 1970, has been punished ever since and is now in his 49th year in prison. Write to him this Black August: Ruchell Cinque Magee, A-92051, CSATF C2-107L, P.O. Box 5242, Corcoran CA 93212.

From behind the enemy lines of the California state prison system, from within the belly of the beast – that is the Amerikan injustice system – I greet you all and call your attention to the annual commemoration of Black August. I invite you, fellow prisoners and families throughout Amerika, to join us in honoring our beloved martyrs with fasting, study, sharing Panther love and knowledge in the spirit of our fallen comrades and Trayvon Martin, killed by a racist vigilante in Sanford, Fla., in February and Kendrec McDade, killed by racist cops in Pasadena, Calif., in March.

We’ll honor Troy Davis, executed on Sept. 21, 2011, in a Georgia state prison, and also Sean Bell and Gus Rugley, Hasan Shakur and all who have laid down their lives in the struggle to give humanity a brighter future. Comrade George Jackson, field marshal of the original Black Panther Party Prison Chapter, was gunned down in the yard by guards at San Quentin, and Hasan Shakur, the original minister of human rights of the New African Black Panther Party Prison Chapter (NABPP-PC), was executed by state of Texas for a crime he did not commit.

We also remember Oscar Grant, a 22-year-old Black man who the Oakland police handcuffed behind his back as they forced him to lie face down on a BART platform and then shot him in the back. This cold-blooded murder was caught on cell phone videos that millions have seen on TV and the internet. People in Oakland immediately took to the streets in righteous protest, and protests continue.

These murders have become a symbol of the continuing national oppression in “post-racist” Amerika. This must stop! And we must move beyond protest to make revolution and advance society to communism.

I invite you, fellow prisoners and families throughout Amerika, to join us in honoring our beloved martyrs with fasting, study, sharing Panther love and knowledge in the spirit of our fallen comrades.

We shed tears for our fallen comrades and for the masses brutally victimized by the racist, fascist, murdering police. We have a right to cry over our dead, for every life is precious beyond measure. The loss of each who has been killed by the oppressor in this land of our exile and enslavement is intolerable. We consecrate this month to those who have been taken from us but who will never be forgotten – for the love of freedom which their lives were dedicated to.

Our grief is real, and so is our determination to continue the struggle until all are free and the oppression of our people is no more. Our grief and our pain makes us more human – and stronger because it is based upon love. Our love and determination helps the people to struggle on and brings us closer to liberation. We must stand up as one – a united 

people, determined to win our liberation in this century.

Of his beloved younger brother Jonathan, George Jackson wrote that he “died on Aug. 7, 1970, courage in one hand, assault rifle in the other; my brother, comrade, friend, the true revolutionary, the Black communist guerrilla in the highest state of development; he died on the trigger, scourge of the unrighteous, soldier of the people.” Jonathan, then a 17-year-old high school student, had raided the Marin County Courthouse in an effort to free his brother.

Black August is a month of great significance for Africans throughout the Diaspora but particularly here in the U.S. where it originated. “August,” as Mumia Abu-Jamal noted, is “a month of injustice and divine justice, of repression and righteous rebellion, of individual and collective efforts to free the slaves and break the chains that bind us.”

The concept of Black August grew out of the need to expose to the light of day the glorious and heroic deeds of those Afrikan women and men who recognized and fought against the injustices heaped upon people of color on a daily basis in America.

To clear our minds, I propose that we eat but one meal a day throughout the month of August and fast completely on Aug. 7 in honor of Jonathan Jackson and on Aug. 21 in honor of George Jackson and again on Aug. 31 in honor of Hasan Shakur. On these three fast days, we should be quiet and contemplative and throughout August we should study and abstain from watching TV and listening to the radio.

“August,” as Mumia Abu-Jamal noted, is “a month of injustice and divine justice, of repression and righteous rebellion, of individual and collective efforts to free the slaves and break the chains that bind us.”

During this month, the veterans of the struggle and elders among us should make a special effort to reach out to and teach the youth our history and the lessons of our people’s struggle. We should strengthen our commitment to practicing Panther love and throw away old grudges and resentments and initiate new friendships. We draw those around us closer and build the bonds of brotherhood and sisterhood between us.

Besides fasting, comrades should work out and get a little physical exercise and strive to put mind, body and spirit in balance. Some texts I recommend for study are:

1. “Revolutionary Notes” by Julius Lester
2. “Read Like Your Life Depends on It” by Art Lewin
3. “Bad: The Autobiography of James Carr”
4. “No Justice No Peace: From Emmett Till to Rodney King” by Terry Morris
5. “Race Matters” by Cornel West
6. “Race in 21st Century America,” Curtis Stokes, Theresa Melendez and Gernice Rhodes-Reed, editors; foreword by Darlene Clark Hine

Send our brother some love and light: Bobby M. Dixon, C-41652, CMF H-209L, P.O. Box 2000, Vacaville CA 95696. He is minister of justice for the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter (NABPP-PC).

OBAMA LIES ON IMMIGRATION MADE CLEAR

No time for much commentary from me on this one.  Let me just say that the Obama Administration lied, plain and simple.  Whatever they claim their policy is on the incarceration of so called illegal aliens (how can a human being be illegal) AND their subsequent deportation, it is really no better that that of Bush.  The investigation referred to and the statement linked to in the post below documents plainly and clearly just one part of the lie.  


NO BORDERS!


The following is from Facing South.

Youth activists infiltrate Florida immigrant detention center, find people wrongly held

 ACTIVISTS with the National Immigrant Youth Alliance intentionally placed themselves in deportation proceedings in order to enter the Broward Transitional Center, an immigration detention facility in Florida -- and they say they found scores of detainees who shouldn't be there under the Obama administration's revised deportation policies.

"Our organizers inside of the detention center have discovered that the Obama administration is still deporting the same people it promises not to deport," the group said in a statement.

Beginning in June 2011, the administration ordered broader discretion in the prosecution of undocumented immigrants, with consideration to be given to age, how the person entered the country and his or her education, military service, criminal history and family circumstances. Then in June of this year, the administration extended the policy to cover undocumented youth brought to the U.S. as children.

But it appears that those policies are not being applied on the ground. Over the course of the past month, seven NIYA activists who themselves are undocumented immigrants entered the facility (in photo) in an effort to organize detainees. They report finding people who should not or need not be there, including:

* people with pending applications for U visas, which give temporary legal status and work eligibility to victims of certain crimes including rape, torture, domestic violence and human trafficking;

* more than a dozen youth eligible for conditional permanent residency under the DREAM Act, federal legislation that has not yet been approved by Congress but which sets out criteria that the Obama administration says it is using in making deportation decisions;

* several cases of immigrants in need of immediate medical care, including one person with a blood clot in his leg and another with a bullet in the spine; and

* more than 60 people with no criminal record or prior deportations who are eligible for discretion under the administration's policy.

Many of the detainees have been at the facility for at least five months, with some there for as long as 20 months, the activists report. Among those involved in the undercover investigation was Viridiana Martinez, an immigration-reform activist with the North Carolina Dream Team.

A facility specifically for low-priority immigrant detainees, Broward Transitional Center is operated by the GEO Group, a private correctional services company based in Boca Raton, Fla. Formerly known as Wackenhut Corrections Corp., GEO Group receives an average of about $166 a day in tax dollars for each detainee at the Broward facility, which has a capacity of 600.

NIYA publicized the findings of its undercover investigation in a July 30 press conference held outside the office of U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). The group is petitioning Homeland Security officials to undertake a full and immediate review of all detainees at the facility.

"NIYA will no longer allow GEO Group or other private prison corporations to profit off of shattered families and broken lives," the group said in a statement. "We will continue to organize inside their jails until the president lives up to his promises."

(Photo of Broward Transitional Center via Immigration Detention Justice Center.)

LAND GRABBING: FIRST THEY STOLE THE LAND FROM AMERICAN INDIANS AND YOU DIDN'T SPEAK UP...

Here's a map of shale deposits in the lower 48.
Pay close attention to the locations of where the current land grabbing is being focused on.

It has been going on for centuries.  Land grabbing.  In the USA, land has been grabbed from American Indians, Mexico, black farmers and more.  In fact, if you get in the way of "progress," ye shall face the consequences.   

Of course, the Empire doesn't stop at the US borders, so land grabbing continues and intensifies around the world.  In fact,  we have grown accustomed to reading about big corporations grabbing land from people in developing countries.

Guess what, suddenly your average American isn't immune.  I mean even your white farmers aren't immune.  Granted, the government does not send in the calvary to grab the land of farmer John.  No, things are slicker than that now days.  Big Capital will first really try to convince you the sell or leasing of your land for mineral extraction is really good for you.  They tell you you'll hit the jackpot if you just work with them. If that doesn't work there are other ways.  

Also, the forget to tell you some of the consequences of letting these friendly business types borrow your land for a while.

Capitalism kinda started out by grabbing land.  They never forgot how to do it.

The following is from the Black Commentator.

Big Land Grab in U.S. Coming to a Halt? Solidarity America 

By John Funiciello BC Columnist

Usually, stories about land grabs are about transnational corporations and powerful and rich governments going into developing countries and buying up land or leasing it for 99 years and using the land to benefit their own people, while excluding the local populace. Fracking is not a benign form of energy extraction. For a half-dozen years, however, American companies have sent their agents across the continental U.S. to convince landowners that they can get big money for just letting an “energy-extracting” company drill a few holes on a small piece of their property. “You won’t even notice it’s there,” is the line the landowner is usually told. In this short time, the effort by oil and gas corporations has been “one of the biggest land grabs in recent memory,” according to a Reuters story this month. The monumental effort has been made because most of the farmers, ranchers, and landowners who were promised that wealth “happened to sit atop some of the richest oil and gas deposits in the world,” according to the London-based news service. Chesapeake Energy is one of the companies that fanned out across New York State in recent years, telling landowners that they might share in a jackpot of money if they would just lease a few acres of their farm or property for hydrofracturing for natural gas, which abounds in the Marcellus shale formation or the Utica shale or one of the other shale formations. Many farmers in New York, strapped for cash and living on the edge of bankruptcy in a region that continues its economic decline hurriedly signed leases over to the energy companies, often without knowing what they were getting into or how little money they were being offered, compared with other areas or other countries. Even now, as the giant firms slow down the pace of seeking leases, they are filling the television airwaves with scenes of bucolic rural life, with green grass under blue skies and happy families eating lunch in the local diner of small town America. It reminds one of the infamous “morning in America” political ads used in the campaign for presidential candidate Ronald Reagan. Some wastewater treatment plants cannot handle what has been termed an “undisclosed cocktail of chemicals”. Just as his presidency turned out to be disastrous for working men and women across the country, hydrofracturing, or “fracking,” has been a disaster for untold numbers who have leased their land and for entire communities all across Pennsylvania and other states where it has been allowed without much restriction. And, it’s what the oil and gas firms are trying to do in New York State. A look at a map of the oil and gas industry’s planned frackingshows a huge portion of the country in play for exploitation. There are few areas that do not have some sort of shale formation and those are the targets. One of the reasons for the industry’s backing off on buying up leases is that the price of gas has dropped enough that profits cannot be maximized at this time. Depending on the duration of the leases and how the leases are worded, the companies can come back and the landowners might not have any recourse but to allow the fracking of their land and neighborhood. Even if they are winding down the land grab, they want to keep their options open, in case they want to return, so they haven’t quite gone away. Shale formations do not want to give up their gas or oil easily, so the drilling engineers have come up with a way to get it out. They drill deeply into the earth, sometimes as much as four to five miles down, and then they put the well casing in place and force a combination of water, sand, and cancer-causing chemicals under high pressure into the shale, causing the shale to crack and allow the escape of the gas or oil. Then, they collect the prize and they keep doing that until that well plays out (possibly a few years, sometimes as much as 10). The question for those who oppose this method of oil and gas extraction is: What happens to the millions of gallons of wastewater that contains large amounts of toxins, including some known to be carcinogenic? The companies say that it is removed and taken to municipal wastewater treatment plants for processing, but some plants cannot handle what has been termed an “undisclosed cocktail of chemicals” and it has been claimed that such waste has been simply dumped into local waterways. The Green Party’s newspaper, Green Papers, noted this month, “Residents of drilling areas have become chronically ill from liver, heart, blood and brain damage as well as leukemia and other cancers due to exposure to carcinogenic, neurotoxic, and radioactive wastes in the air, water and soil. Although hydrofracking has been around for more than 60 years, new techniques and new chemical compounds bring it to a whole new level of danger and in the last 15 years its use has in­creased by 3,000 percent, according to advocacy group Food and Water Watch.” Fracking is not a benign form of energy extraction. In the past, however, the drilling was vertical and the fracking was kept to the area adjacent to the well. Now, the drills can go in any direction, horizontally, for as much as a mile and the chemicals are new and undisclosed by the companies. The millions of fracking opponents in New York fear the contamination of ground water and it is not just the water of the rural areas that is threatened. Many reservoirs of major cities are in rural areas and the water of lakes, streams, and rivers eventually reach those reservoirs. It’s likely the reason that New York Governor Andrew Cuomo placed the watershed of New York City off limits to fracking, but is preparing to allow it along several Southern Tier counties, adjacent to Pennsylvania, where fracking has caused havoc in community after community. There is precious little potable water (clear, clean, drinkable water) on the earth, compared with all the water there appears to be on this “water planet,” and the continued destruction or diminishment of our potable water will spell the end of many things for all life, not just humans. Just remember, even to water the crops where that is possible, it takes water that is not tainted with toxins. No good water, no food. The U.S. government has a bad habit of viewing “mineral rights” as the government did back in the 19th Century and, in many cases, the payment to the government by the mining and other corporations is not much more than it was in the 1880s. That’s money for every kind of mineral (oil, gas, copper, zinc, gold, whatever) that the taxpayers are not receiving and that loss becomes profits for the corporations. The so-called mineral rights owned by big-money interests historically have caused landowners to go under, since they only own the surface and have no control what the corporations do under the surface, which they have to breach to get to their minerals underneath. In the past decade, when the U.S. was starting another of its wars in the Middle East, someone jokingly remarked, “How did our oil get under the sands of those countries?” The same could be said of so many other “natural resources” that seem to belong to the richest countries, no matter the location of resource or who is the apparent owner. That’s what the fight against land grabs in Africa, South America, Asia, and elsewhere is all about. The people who live on the land that is grabbed are left out of the development and what is left is the tailings or some other remnant of the destructive “extraction” industry. And the land is no longer fit to sustain life (like the notorious tar-sands oil that is being extracted in the Canadian province of Alberta). Just because the extraction industry is going after gas and oil in America’s various shale formations does not mean that the object and results are not the same as land grabs in Cameroon, Somalia, Borneo, or Brazil. Corporate America has had a lot of practice in the last 150 years, starting with the vast expanses of our own west, in having their way with the land and the people. Horizontal fracking is being done in sections of the country that are under extreme economic stress, just as the so-called developing world is in economic and social distress. They will grasp at any promise of help for the people and, therefore, are willing to sign over vast portions of their countries to foreign powers. America’s rural areas have been steadily emptying for the past half-century and the communities that are left are stressed. There are no jobs and there is little economic activity in many of them. Just remnants of their communities are left and the young people are gone…to the big cities where they hope to find work. They don’t find the work they need, but they don’t return home, either. Enter the oil and gas industry’s “landmen,” stumping for leases and inflating the benefits of gas drilling and minimizing the disruption and destruction of land, air, and water. And, because farmers, ranchers, and other landowners are strapped for cash, they sign the leases, seeing this as a way out of an economic dead end. It’s the promise of salvation through easy money and, of course, there is no such thing. Someone will pay the price and there are millions of people who do not want to pay the price of fracking. A look at a map of the oil and gas industry’s planned fracking shows a huge portion of the country in play for exploitation.   In land grabbing, there is a difference between what is happening in developing countries and what is happening in the U.S. Transnational corporations that grab land in poor countries have the help of the U.S. government (diplomacy, commerce, and aid programs), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and, even, when necessary, the military. The oil and gas industry’s landmen don’t have such ready assistance, but they have a long history of exploiting the powerlessness of the people and Corporate America thrives on it. They may have backed off a bit on buying up leased land and they may have backed off a bit on drilling, but when they feel the urge to come back, you know they will. This is a short respite, if it is any respite at all. This is what the fight over fracking is about…an old story and an old fight, but one worth taking on: The people versus Corporate America and its political and government supporters. All of these entities have a habit of not listening to the people. That’s why the opposition to fracking has such staying power and is growing. As in so many areas of our national life, only the people will save the people. Organizing is the way to do it. BlackCommentator.com Columnist, John Funiciello, is a labor organizer and former union organizer. His union work started when he became a local president of The Newspaper Guild in the early 1970s. He was a reporter for 14 years for newspapers in New York State. In addition to labor work, he is organizing family farmers as they struggle to stay on the land under enormous pressure from factory food producers and land developers. Click hereto contact Mr. Funiciello.

"BEHIND THESE WALLS, WE HONOR JOHN (J-ROC) CARTER"

THE CRIME SCENE FROM THE AIR

It has not been my intent to overemphasize prisons and prisoners here at Scission, but I guess as a member of the convict club, it is hard for me to see something what you will read below and NOT post it immediately here on my blog.

The deal is so much shit goes on behind the walls of America's so called correctional institutions that no one ever hears about, reads about, knows about that I feel it is imperative to try and get information out by the only means I have at my disposal.

They're murdering people,human beings, brothers and sisters in America's prisons all the time.  There is always a "reason," always an "excuse.''  Official investigations always "discover" that it was the fault of the prisoner, or once in a while a rogue guard.  


It is the prison system that is at fault.  It is the capitalist system that is at fault.  It is  the U.S. system of white supremacy that is at fault.  

Behind those walls and that razor wire prisoners simply don't have the power to be truly at fault all that often.  No, I am not saying everyone locked up is perfect and every incident is the result of some nefarious scheme by prison officials.  There are jerks locked up.  There are bad people locked up.  Bad people sometimes do bad things.

However, the basic "bad things" being done are not being done by some demented sociopath.  It is being done by rational people who call themselves "in charge."

Last spring, they murdered John Carter, thirty two year old man from Pittsburg.

His death "does not indicate any foul play at this time," according to a state police press release issued last month.

No evidence of foul play?

The Human Rights Coalition received shorty after the Carter's death:

... reports from multiple prisoners in the Restricted Housing Unit (RHU) at State Correctional Institution (SCI) Rockview in central Pennsylvania that John Carter, a 32-year-old state prisoner from Pittsburgh, was killed by prison staff during a cell extraction on April 26, 2012. A cell extraction is a procedure where six guards suit up in riot gear armed with pepper spray, a stun shield and taser, and enter a prisoner’s solitary confinement cell and forcibly subdue, handcuff and shackle him.

According to witness accounts, prison guards filled Carter’s solitary confinement cell with an extraordinary quantity of pepper spray prior to opening his cell door, tasering and assaulting him. One report stated that the incident began after Carter protested being deprived of food.
Another prisoner reported that during the cell extraction he could hear Carter say, “Alright, alright, I’m coming out. Let me cuff up.” The same report stated that he then heard a guard say, “No, you should’ve come out when we asked you the first time,” and that the guards continued to spray Carter, “turning his cell into a gas chamber.”

No evidence of foul play?


Well, a whole lot of folks, led by John's family, beg to differ.  They do see evidence of "foul play."


Read the posts below from San Francisco Bay View and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if you join those who think there just might have been a wee bit of "foul play."

John Carter, 32, murdered by guards: He probably knew they were coming to kill him

July 25, 2012

12

by Human Rights Coalition

John Carter

According to multiple witness accounts, staff at Pennsylvania’s SCI (State Correctional Institution) Rockview killed John Carter, a 32-year-old man from Pittsburgh, during a cell extraction in the prison’s solitary confinement unit on April 26, 2012. The declaration of one witness, esteemed writer André Jacobs, follows this introduction.

John Carter had been held in solitary confinement in several different prisons for the last eight to 11 years, where he had developed a reputation as a jailhouse lawyer willing to speak out against the rampant and endless cycle of human rights violations in prisons throughout the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. A fellow prisoner wrote of Carter: “He was a person of integrity. He did not believe in abuse of others, especially the abuse of prisoners from prison guards. If he could help someone in understanding the law, he was there. And he had a lot of patience with others, especially the mentally impaired.”

A cell extraction is a procedure where six guards in riot gear, armed with pepper spray, a stun shield and a taser, enter a prisoner’s solitary confinement cell and forcibly subdue, handcuff and shackle him. According to witness accounts, on the day of his death, prison guards filled Carter’s solitary confinement cell with an extraordinary quantity of pepper spray prior to opening his cell door, tasering and assaulting him.

One report stated that the incident began after Carter protested being deprived of food. Another prisoner reported that during the cell extraction, he could hear Carter say: “All right, all right, I’m coming out. Let me cuff up.” The same report stated that he then heard a guard say, “No, you should’ve come out when we asked you the first time,” and that the guards continued to spray Carter, “turning his cell into a gas chamber.”

A fellow prisoner wrote of Carter: “He was a person of integrity. He did not believe in abuse of others, especially the abuse of prisoners from prison guards. If he could help someone in understanding the law, he was there. And he had a lot of patience with others, especially the mentally impaired.”

In a story published by Solitary Watch, “Death in Pennsylvania Solitary Confinement Cell Raises Questions,” Hannah Taleb writes: “In 1995, John Carter took part in a robbery that resulted in the murder of one man in Pittsburgh, Pa. He was 16 at the time and was convicted of second-degree felony murder. In Pennsylvania, which has more juvenile lifers than any other state, his conviction meant a mandatory life sentence without the possibility of parole. (Under the Supreme Court’s June 25 ruling, in Miller v. Alabama, that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles were unconstitutional, Carter would likely have had his sentence reconsidered, had he lived to see the day.) …

“Before his death Carter had spent the last 10 to 11 years in solitary. According to prisoner reports, he had been known to break the rules of his unit in order to share food, hygiene items and writing utensils with newcomers to his block and adamantly used both the grievance process and legal system to challenge acts of abuse and retaliation by prison staff. …

Guards prepare for a cell extraction at a Pennsylvania prison. – Photo: Butch Comegys, The Times-Tribune

“(O)fficials first claimed that no cell extraction took place the day of Carter’s death, then that there was an extraction but no video footage, and finally that an extraction took place but the footage may have been ‘damaged.’ …

Under the Supreme Court’s June 25 ruling, in Miller v. Alabama, that mandatory life sentences without parole for juveniles were unconstitutional, Carter would likely have had his sentence reconsidered, had he lived to see the day.

“No statements have been made by the State Police since May 10. Toxicology reports from the coroner’s office are still forthcoming more than two months after John Carter’s death.

“John Carter’s family is not satisfied with the investigation thus far and are resolved to find justice in his death. They arranged for a second autopsy and filed a criminal complaint with Center County District Attorney Stacy Parks-Miller in June. As a response, the DA’s office is now overseeing the investigation carried out by the State Police but has released no further information on its progress.”

An interview by Hannah Taleb with John Carter’s sister, Michelle Williams, for Rustbelt Radio can be heard here:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Go to http://hrcoalition.org/node/223 to read more documents HRC has gathered in relation to the murder of John Carter. They are provided to raise awareness, to garner support for his family seeking justice, and to inspire action against deliberate torture and killing of prisoners inside Pennsylvania prisons.

T

he Human Rights Coalition is a group of predominately prisoners’ families, ex-prisoners and some supporters. Our ultimate goal is to abolish prisons. We seek to empower prisoners’ families to be leaders in prison organizing, while reducing the shame of having a loved one in prison. We want to make visible to the public the injustice and abuse that is common throughout our judicial and prison systems and eventually end those abuses. Contact the Human Rights Coalition at 4134 Lancaster Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19104, (215) 921-3491 or Info@hrcoalition.org. Excerpts from Hannah Taleb’s story were added to the HRC account by Bay View staff.

Declaration of André Jacobs on the murder of John Carter

André Jacobs, being duly sworn, declares the following under the penalty of perjury:

Background

On April 26, 2012, prisoner John Carter was murdered by prison guards in SCI-Rockview’s Restricted Housing Unit (RHU). The murder was in retaliation for Carter protesting what began as guards Sherman, Hellman and another guard denying him his dinner meal and Lts. Sutton and Davis refusing to rectify it upon being informed of it by myself, Carter and other prisoners.

SCI Rockview, known as Pennsylvania’s “Big House,” was the first prison in the state to use the electric chair. This is the main building.

The pretextual dispute was whether Carter’s 21-meal foodloaf punishment was over, i.e., whether Carter was, in fact, entitled to a food tray – he was, in fact. He received his first foodloaf on April 19 at lunchtime. A universal thing called mathematics dictates that his 21st foodloaf was issued at lunchtime on April 26.  

“Foodloaf” is an inedible brick-like slab of cold rice, oatmeal and other unknown items issued to prisoners who allegedly abused a food tray or item. It is a tactic to starve prisoners.

Description of incident

Carter covered his cell door window in protest of being denied his dinner meal. He allegedly threw a liquid outside his cell door after being denied a remedy. It is unclear how this is possible since, after the first claim that he threw something from his cell, he was put in A1-2 cell, which is specifically designed to prevent the throwing of items out of the cell at any time.

During the collection of our food tray, guard Sherman said to me, “Your buddy’s going down tonight,” while smiling. I have a non-contact policy with Sherman because he previously assaulted me and denied me a food tray also.

Carter was never ordered beforehand to remove the door covering. Instead, Lt. Sutton and Lt. Davis mounted an extraction team, often referred to as the “goon squad” or “winga turtles” because they wear helmets, vests, protective face, arms and leg armor. They are also armed with batons, electroshock riot shields, handheld electroshock devices and O.C. spray (Oleoresin Capsicum, commonly known as pepper spray).

Before the guards proceeded down the range in formation, Lt. Sutton turned on the extremely loud fan.

André Jacobs: “He’s turning the fan on so we can’t hear what’s going on!”

Robert Hankins: “Turn the fan off!”

Terrell Rhem: “The fan ain’t been on all day. Now you turn the fan on?”

The fan they are supposed to use after the cell extraction/spraying is over is the exhaust fan to suck the O.C. out of the atmosphere. The fan used served only to make noise, knowing that all RHU prisoners’ witness accounts in such situations are based on what we can hear. And it was turned on long before it was officially declared that Carter would be sprayed.

Guards: “Carter! Come to your door and cuff up! Carter! Come to your door and cuff up!”

Carter remained unresponsive the entire time. The guards began spraying O.C. into the cell. I and others screamed that they were spraying beyond the “2-3 second burst” dictated by Department of Corrections (DOC) policy. They continued to spray.

Israel Torres: “They got two different types of spray! Two different types!”

The fan used served only to make noise, knowing that all RHU prisoners’ witness accounts in such situations are based on what we can hear. And it was turned on long before it was officially declared that Carter would be sprayed.

After spraying a voluminous amount of O.C. into Carter’s cell, the guards tried to enter for attack but realized that the door was jammed.

Guards: “Carter! Turn on your light, come to the door and cuff up! Uncover your door!”

By this time, they had sprayed so much O.C. that he was probably afraid to come out of his safe space. Even if he wanted to surrender they had discouraged him by spraying excessive O.C. He probably already knew they were coming to kill him.

A number of times, the extraction team left to regroup or make phone calls. They eventually returned with the maintenance man. After the maintenance man tried unsuccessfully to unjam the door, they sprayed more O.C. in the cell. By now, they were using sticks and poles to push items from Carter’s door in order to get as much O.C. into the cell as possible.

André Jacobs: “Y’all would rather do all of this than give that man his food tray, huh? He’s hungry!”

The guards sprayed O.C. into Carter’s cell at least 10 times knowing they could not get into the cell. In all of my years of witnessing and participating in cell extractions, I’ve never ever witnessed so much O.C. used on one prisoner. It had to be enough to subdue an elephant.

The murder

They ripped the door off like madmen. Six guards entered the cell as the camera man stood outside, supposedly audio- and visually recording the assault.

SCI Rockview is an old prison, built in 1912. This 1940 view was printed as a postcard.

John Carter’s last words, as reported by Carter’s neighbor, Corey Blanchard: “Get off me!” or “Get off my fingers!”

Anthony Autwell, Carter’s other neighbor: “I heard them banging him around on the wall and floor. They were saying, ‘Stop resisting,’ as usual. I heard Carter say something like, ‘Stop twisting my fingers.’ They electro-shocked him at least seven times.”

While the guards had on gas masks, they left Carter pinned to the ground without any protective gear on a cell floor full of O.C. for several minutes. He was then dragged out of the cell by his knees with his head dragging along the floor, out into the hallway between A1 and A2 showers.

It was reported to me that Carter was not handcuffed or shackled when he was removed from his cell. This is troubling, since they spent so much time inside Carter’s cell doing what? The official plan in any cell extraction is to take the person to the ground and handcuff and shackle him. It’s like they knew they were going in Carter’s cell to kill him.

Lt. Sutton: “Cut the camera off!”

Camera man: “Do you want me to keep filming?”

Lt. Sutton: “No! Cut it off!”

Nurses Julie, Bob and possibly Amanda were all loosely present in the RHU. None of them attempted to intervene or caution the guards about the amounts of O.C. being used.

It was reported to me that Carter was not handcuffed or shackled when he was removed from his cell. This is troubling, since they spent so much time inside Carter’s cell doing what? The official plan in any cell extraction is to take the person to the ground and handcuff and shackle him. It’s like they knew they were going in Carter’s cell to kill him.

After about 10-15 minutes, I heard a female scream, “Call 911!” It was at least 10-15 minutes longer before trained medical personnel arrived. I personally heard them try to revive him only once.

Top prison officials, including Superintendent Lamas and Deputy Horton, are witness to Carter’s death. Carter was wheeled out of the RHU without any definite declaration as to whether he was dead or alive.

Cory Blanchard: “I solemnly swear to you, he had no life whatsoever in his face when they dragged him out. His body was limp, his head was sideways and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth. They didn’t even have respect for his body. Isn’t it a crime for people to disrespect a dead person’s body?”

Crime scene corrupted

Immediately after the RHU clan cleared out, inmate workers were ordered by Lt. Sutton and other unknown prison officials to clean the cell. O.C.-soaked items were removed from Carter’s cell, and the cell was watered down with a hose and mopped. I cannot recall in what sequence, but at some point a guard – I believe was Lt. Davis – took pictures of Carter’s cell.

All of these actions tampered with the crime scene because none of these people were trained professionals. Some, in fact, were inmates – who are also on the “honor block” and will do practically anything to maintain the privileges that come with that.

A guard patrols one of the tiers at SCI Rockview. – Photo: Daily Collegian

The amount of O.C. in Carter’s cell and on items in the cell were indicative of the amount of force used, possible baton strikes might have been visible on the floor or wall, and the condition and station of the mattress were all pieces of evidence that helped to shed light on exactly what happened. It could all also contradict the guards’ version.

O’Neil Thompson: “When I was at Greene, I witnessed the handling of several crime scene incidents. One was a homicide or real bad stabbing, the other was a rape. Both times, they had the cell sealed off for weeks before anyone touched them.”

Late night whispers

In the very early hours of April 22, myself and Robert Hankins overheard John Doe and Jane Doe (“Lynn”) speaking to a guard in front of Carter’s cell. Both were plainclothes; we believe they were detectives of some sort. Lynn: “Well, where’s his property?”

Guard: “I don’t know.”

Hankins: “Why are questioning guards who were not there?”

He received no answer and both detectives ignored our specific requests to be interviewed they instead resolved to ask informal, insignificant questions to guards they knew were not there. They did not question a single prisoner on the range and did not seem particularly concerned about the murder. We believe she said she would return later in the day.

The aftermath

Many are afraid that they are next to die. Instead of trying to recapture the small sense of normalcy that existed before they killed Carter, many closet-racist guards – Councan, Taylor, Sherman, McHenry, Archer, Phillips, Lt. Hardy and Lt. Graham etc. – have added to the already hostile environment by making light of Carter’s death.

Both detectives ignored our specific requests to be interviewed they instead resolved to ask informal, insignificant questions to guards they knew were not there. They did not question a single prisoner on the range and did not seem particularly concerned about the murder.

Lt. Hardy, Deputy Marsh and Superintendent Lamas were informed orally and in writing that at least nine prisoners on this range identify and reported the assault on Carter as a murder, citing DC ADM 001 Abuse Monitoring Policy. Each of them brushed it off, refused to report it via DC 121 Incident Reports and generally took the approach that they do not want us to expose the truth.

On the afternoon of April 27, prisoner Shawn Hampton was slammed on the ground by guard Baumgartner following an escort from the yard. I overheard Baumgartner say, “Start murdering these fucking niggers!” Hampton was placed in cell A1-6, four doors away from me. I heard him say he was having medical/breathing complications and needed his inhaler. This was at 12:00. When the 2:00 p.m. shift guards arrived at Hampton’s cell on their first round, they discovered him sprawled out and unresponsive.

Many are afraid that they are next to die.

Lt. Graham was summoned over the walkie-talkie but took at least eight-10 minutes to show up even though he was in the control bubble only 30 steps away. As a result of this blatant display of disrespect, prisoners Rhem and Hankins noted loud that Hampton had been waiting for medical help for hours.

Lt. Graham breached security by turning off the hand held video recorder to go to Hankins and Rhem’s cells, telling them to “shut up.” He then specifically said, word for word: “Why don’t you die like Carter? You’re gonna die like Carter!” It was our first confirmation that Carter died.

Jeffery Rackovan was orally informed of this incident and was asked to reserve all video evidence to support the claim. He said he would, and that he would file a 121 Incident Report.

Prisoners in SCI Rockview who are not in solitary confinement work in the Big House Products factory manufacturing products used throughout the state. – Photo: Dave Bonta

Later the same day, during the distribution of food trays, guard Taylor exclaimed, “Who gets the loaf – Carter?” and began laughing. He then began “whistling Dixie” down the entire range. As he was leaving, he made the flat-line “beeeep” noise.

Corey Blanchard: “My main concern is whether they’ll continue to have these people working around us. Nurse Vicki, Julie, Amanda, Michelle – they’re all friends and didn’t like Carter. You never know; they could have purposely let him die.”

On the morning of April 28, guard Sherman grinned the entire day to provoke a response while we were coming in from yard. He and he only selected particular prisoners to ask, out of the blue: “Are you refusing to come in? We can easily call the CERT team.” Those asked included myself, Hankins and Rhem, not ironically.

Institutionalized terrorism

The murder of John Carter on April 26 is deeper than “a cell extraction occurred in the RHU and a man died.” His death exemplifies what Carter himself and many others have endeavored to expose for years: that solitary confinement is a dark hole where anything goes.

There is no accountability for rogue prison guards, and top officials turn a blind eye to the abuse, dismissing abuse claims in rote fashion. This only encourages the perpetrators to continue breaking the law.

The only difference between a street criminal and a prison guard is that the street criminal knows if he gets caught doing wrong, he’s going to prison, whereas the prison guards are part of a system that endeavors to uphold an image of professionalism. They will cover up and protect that image no matter what.

His death exemplifies what Carter himself and many others have endeavored to expose for years: that solitary confinement is a dark hole where anything goes.

Systematic practices throughout the entire DOC include, but are not limited to:

● a high presence of reject guards like Sherman, Taylor, McHenry and others who cannot function in population due to poor social skills;

● a misconduct system with a 99.9 percent conviction rate against prisoners and a 98 percent rate of rejecting all grievances filed against DOC stuff, as per the DOC’s own statistics;

● the encouragement of prisoner on prisoner violence, including suicide and sexual assault;

● retaliation against prisoners exercising their constitutional right to file grievances, criminal complaints and civil suits regarding conditions of confinement and prison guard/official abuse. Retaliation comes in the form of fabricated misconduct, placement or extended time in solitary confinement, destruction of property and denial of parole;

● failure to provide adequate physical or mental health care;

● frequent use of racial slurs, threats of violence, and verbal and physical abuse by the guards, which ultimately leads to cell extractions or other occasions for guards and officials to torture, abuse or murder; and

● the issuance of cold, inedible, sometimes frozen foodloaf as a tactic to starve prisoners.

There is no accountability for rogue prison guards, and top officials turn a blind eye to the abuse, dismissing abuse claims in rote fashion. This only encourages the perpetrators to continue breaking the law.

In one of my prior writings, I penned: “As the years passed, I came to overstand that a job as a prison guard only appeals to those who need to be controlled/instructed on what to do and not to do and are not leaders. They rise through artificial ‘rank’ systems of sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major etc. based on following written scripts on how to be a leader. They are not permitted to be innovative or let their individual characters shine. There is not much of a difference talking to a guard of the lowest rank or a warden or superintendent because the mentalities are the same.”

[Systematic practices are listed above. Specific practices applicable to Carter are listed below. – ed.]

● They continued shocking him after he was already subdued by the O.C. and the guards.

● Carter was already physically and mentally weak from being starved of food off and on for seven days.

● They kept Carter in the cell full of toxic chemicals, knowing he needed fresh air.

● They took an excessive amount of time to call for help after Carter stopped breathing.

The imbalanced equilibrium

Other facts which factored into Carter’s decision-making include:

● There is no legitimate avenue of relief or protection from abuse for the DOC prisoners. I have overheard him ask Blanchard rhetorically: “Do you know how many grievances, complaints and lawsuits we’ve filed? Between me, Hankins and Jacobs alone at least thousands.”

● Carter was locked in adult prison since the age of 14 serving a life sentence. If I understand his crime, he participated in a robbery in which the victim was accidentally shot and killed.

Prisoners are sent to “the hole” – solitary confinement – like this one in a Pennsylvania prison most often, they say, for protesting prison conditions, especially if they’re Black or Brown.

● He was unjustly placed in the Special 

Management Unit (SMU), which led to his placement in solitary confinement indefinitely, a practice called Restricted Release List (RRL), which can be ended only with the approval of the secretary of the Department of Corrections.

● He spent years in solitary confinement witnessing and experiencing prison guard abuse without any accountability.

Before completing this report, I discovered the following:

● Guard Taylor (There are two Taylors monitored in this report: The killer is the father of the antagonist and potential killer.), who Carter allegedly assaulted on April 19, was a member of the cell-extraction team that killed Carter. This is attributable to a DOC and Rockview policy, practice or custom of refusing to issue separations between parties whenever it will inconvenience them. Hayden Marshall was in the law library while the cell extraction team was mounted and personally saw Taylor in gear.

● On May 1, while Hankins, Torres and Rhem were in the law library, Lt. Sutton processed in the RHU a new comment. He pointed an imaginary gun at these three prisoners and began “shooting,” indicating that they are marked for death.

● Ex-SCI-Rockview prisoner Mark Robinson has a pending lawsuit against Lt. Sutton for constitutional violations, possibly assaults.

● Ex-SCI-Rockview prisoner Steven Gravely has several incidents with Lt. Sutton, including possibly being sprayed.

● Current and severely mentally ill prisoner Allen Barnes was viciously and excessively sprayed with O.C. by Lt. Sutton.

● Lt. Sutton supervised and condoned an assault by prison guards on Robert Hankins in 2011.

● On his own accord and without approval of the dietician, Lt. Hardy literally cut the food portions in half, stating “make a move.” The entire RHU was in an uproar.

● On May 1, Sgt. Stitzer outright denied prisoner Rhem his dinner meal, along with guards McHenry and Sherman, who have repeatedly assaulted prisoners, myself included, as a team. While leaving the range, Sgt. Stitzer knocked on Carter’s cell door and said, “Hello? Is anyone there?” as they all laughed.

● On the same night, under Lt. Kern’s supervision, guard Glass slammed the arms of Anthony Bloom in the food slot and tried to fabricate a claim that Bloom assaulted him. The cameras were viewed, showing Glass had lied. While in the yard on May 2, I witnessed Bloom’s arms severely cut up and bandaged. Glass specifically boasted of Carter’s murder and called Bloom a “nigger.”

● During rounds on May 2, myself, Rhem, Hankins and Thompson all informed Superintendent Lamas of these events. I insightfully informed her that now that they have gotten away with a murder, other racist, hot-headed guards are seeing how much more they can get away with. I also informed her that I firmly assert my right to self-defense, as I have successfully done in the past.

After the murder of Carter on April 26, guard Sherman returned to work on April 28 without a care in the world. A total atmosphere of terror and intimidation has been created in an attempt to make prisoners afraid to expose the murder of Carter or otherwise make them afraid to give statements critical of Rockview if interviewed.

During rounds on May 2, myself, Rhem, Hankins and Thompson all informed Superintendent Lamas of these events. I insightfully informed her that now that they have gotten away with a murder, other racist, hot-headed guards are seeing how much more they can get away with.

If history and the shabby police work done is any indication, I foresee that Carter’s murder will be ruled accidental or justifiable and swept under the rug like all the other murders of RHU prisoners throughout the state of Pennsylvania. The abuse will continue until all are spiritually broken or moved to rebel, Carter will become a footnote, and racist, blood-thirsty guards will rear their ugly heads to kill again.

Pursuant to 28 USC §1746, I, André Jacobs, declare that this statement is true and based upon my own personal knowledge or belief. I certify that nothing in this writing is meant to mislead or deceive.

Signed: André Jacobs

“Man must not care how and where he dies, provided he dies at the post of honor and duty.” – Abraham Lincoln

Affidavit of Andre Jacobs on retaliation for protesting the murder by guards of John Carter

On June 6, 2012, I was returned from court to SCI-Rockview. Guard Baumgardner, who, within a two-week period before I left for court, had denied one prisoner a tray, assaulted another prisoner and threatened to kill me, immediately began going through my legal property, stating, “You won’t be seeing any of this for a while. I heard about the shit you wrote about me.” This was around 12 noon.

For the 2-10 shift, Lt. Graham and guards Archer, Weaver and Shoeman were working. I requested but was repeatedly denied my legal property, without any justification. The next morning, Superintendent Lamas said to me that I should consider recanting what I wrote in regards to the murder of John Carter. I asked her what does that have to do with me being the only RHU prisoner without in-cell property, noting that I am not on any restrictions. Lt. Hardy was present the entire time.

When I came out of my cell to go to the yard, Lt. Hardy asked me, “Have you reconsidered? We have your property out there right now.” I continued walking without responding. Upon my return from the yard to my cell, the guard holding the restraint tether began lightly squeezing my arm trying to provoke a response. I did not respond the entire time.

Failing to provoke a response that way, he then tightened the cuffs and pushed me in the cell. When I braced myself from falling, Baumgardner immediately screamed, “Stop resisting!” viciously grabbing the tether and yanking it through the food slot, and slammed the door. All three guards pulled on the cuffs as they were removed, causing bruising and swelling on my wrists.

I requested medical care from Nurse Lisa during medication distribution. She refused me medical care, denied me my prescribed medications and showed me a tattoo on the inside of her right wrist and stated, “You see this? I hate niggas for real. I can have you killed.” She said this openly and loudly for the entire tier to hear.

I was later seen by Nurse Asmirelda, who took pictures. To date I do not have any legal property.

Pursuant to 28 U.S.C. Sec. 1746, I swear under penalty of perjury that this statement is true and based on my personal knowledge and belief.

André Jacobs

Open letter to the family of slain comrade John Carter

by André Jacobs

Behind these walls, we honor John (J-Roc) Carter as a fellow soldier who died in the line of duty. He stood for a cause and went above and beyond the call of duty. John Carter was a warrior in a mission by the Pennsylvania Department of Corruption (DOC) to break his spirit so that his body would labor for the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC) without resistance.

Pennsylvania activists who oppose solitary confinement rallied in Philadelphia on July 18, 2011, at the height of last year’s first California hunger strike. – Photo: Joe Piette

They could not kill his spirit, so they killed his body. These small minds fail to realize that J-Roc’s spirit lives on. His spirit is alive and breathing and shining brighter than it was before. A warrior’s spirit never, ever dies.

I met J-Roc at SCI-Houtzdale in 1998; he immediately stood out because he was the only juvenile with a voice as deep as singer Barry White. He wrote music, sang not so well and was a great rapper. To his dying day, he was awed by the fact that I remembered many of his songs from back then word for word. I connected with him because he was insightful, loyal and not too strong to show compassion. He was a fighter and stood firm on his beliefs.

Me and J-Roc were imprisoned together at SCI-Greene in 2001 but did not get to see each other. We were both aware by word of mouth that we were officially identified as threats by the oppressor as our minds elevated and we came into cultural, personal and revolutionary conscientiousness. We struggled and grew together without being in each other’s physical presence. For years, I was eager to see where his mind was and just how much he had grown.

Behind these walls, we honor John (J-Roc) Carter as a fellow soldier who died in the line of duty. He stood for a cause and went above and beyond the call of duty.

We met back up when I arrived here at SCI-Rockview in April of 2011. He wasn’t much taller but he no longer had the build of scrawny juvenile. I commented on his deep voice and he smiled. He congratulated me on a lawsuit I won against the DOC and we talked about law, politics, business, Black Panthers, struggle, pain and plans.

He was well rounded and I told him I was proud to see he had grown. I shared with him my vision for an entrepreneurial movement called “Supreme Network” and he said to me, “You know I’m all for the cause.” He told me he wanted to incorporate into it the fight for juvenile lifers in Pennsylvania and elsewhere. I promised him a meaningful position not because we were friends but because I knew that given the opportunity he would rise to the occasion.

One of J-Roc’s temporary goals was to get removed from the restricted release list (RRL) that caused him to be sentenced to die in solitary confinement. He gave me a copy of a lawsuit he filed which demonstrates that the biased DOC selected him for placement in the special management unit (SMU), which ultimately led to his RRL status.

While in the SMU, J-Roc, like many others, was subjected to every form of mental and physical abuse the oppressor has to offer those of us who refuse to accept slavery and torture in the form of assaults, food starvations, constant provocation, sensory and perceptual deprivation and mail destruction. It is like the story of Kunta Kinte.

They explore various methods to discover the one we are most vulnerable to. The only difference here is that J-Roc never broke. He stood for the cause knowing full well how diabolical and savage-like his enemies were.

If I know J-Roc at all, and we’ve spent many a day and night talking or debating, I know he has no regrets. His spirit is well and breathing, watching to see how the future unfolds.

J-Roc’s spirit lives on. His spirit is alive and breathing and shining brighter than it was before. A warrior’s spirit never, ever dies.

By this letter to you, I am making an undying promise to you that I will make J-Roc’s name live on forever. He was a well respected and decorated soldier in this war on Blacks and oppressed people and is held in high esteem. Every man, myself included, is prepared to die a thousand deaths. J-Roc believed that it is better to die on your feet than live on your knees.

The oppressor maimed and hurt J-Roc’s body but they can never, ever take his spirit from him or us. When you think of J-Roc, think of George and Jonathan Jackson, Martin and Malcolm, Sojourner, Ms. Parks and all of our other great warriors who walked their talk and transitioned with no regrets.

I am here for you in any way you need me. All my love, respect, loyalty and support.

In the Spirit,

André Jacobs

I think they killed a friend of mine

I think they killed a friend of mine

Yeah, I think it’s time

They dragged him out the cell limp

Shocked him seven times

Ripped the door off like madmen

Just to taste his blood

He was fine in his solitary cell

But then the O.C. poured in floods

I think they killed a friend of mine

Yeah, I think it’s time

It was enough chemical spray to slay a lion

They pumped it hard like ghost busters

I heard ‘em scream, “Call 911!”

About 20 minutes later

Sprawled out on the floor as if a worthless rag

No one there to cater

I think they killed a friend of mine

Yeah, I think it’s time

The medics took a half an hour at least

The nurses dragged their feet

While trying to revive his silent heart

But couldn’t get it to beat

I think they killed a friend of mine

Yeah, I think it’s time …

Part II

I know I said they “killed” my friend

But, nay, he didn’t die.

They maimed and killed his physical body

But his spirit is still alive.

I know because I feel its warmth

Like fire that shines so bright

And gives the comrades strength to fight

An energy as vital as life.

He took them to their knees, I say

Because they profess to be upright

But let us not say they killed this man

And no one needs to cry

Just tilt your hats and honor his strength

Because warriors never die.