Several days ago, I received a message from both of our lawyers, Bob Boyle and Brett Grote, informing me that the latest lab test came in from discovery requests. And they told me that the Hepatitis C infection level is at zero. And as of today, I’m Hep C-free.
This is in part due to some fine lawyering by Brett and Bob who, remember, filed suit while I was in the throes of a diabetic coma, unconscious, and thus unable to file for myself.
But it’s also due to you, the people, brothers and sisters who supported our efforts, who contributed to this fight with money, time, protests, and cramming courtrooms on our behalf, who sent cards, who prayed, who loved deeply.
I can’t thank you all individually, but if you hear my voice or read my words, know that I am thinking of you, and I’m thanking you for showing once again the power of the people. This battle ain’t over, for the state’s cruelest gift is my recent diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver.
With your love, we shall prevail again. I thank you all: our noble doctors, Cory Weinstein, who told us what to look for; and Joseph Harris, who gave me my first diagnosis and who became the star of the court by making the mysteries of Hep C understandable to all; an internist working up in Harlem, Dr. Harris, found few thrills better than telling his many Hep C patients that they’re cured.
This struggle ain’t just for me, y’all. Because of your efforts, thousands of Pennsylvania prisoners now have hope of healing from the ravages of Hepatitis C. Let us march on ‘til victory is a-won, so goes the old Negro spiritual, the black national anthem. We are making it a reality. I love you all.
From imprisoned nation, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
![Prison Radio is sharing an abbreviated version of a press release covering recent racist incidents at SCI Rockview in PA and the organizing to demand accountability. We are reaching out to people incarcerated at Rockview as well as recently transferred folks, inviting them to call, in hopes of hearing commentaries from them.
Benner Township, PA.-
On November 24th, 2023, imprisoned people at SCI Rockview found two nooses hanging in the CO’s office, displayed visibly for many prisoners to see. When the prisoners asked the staff why the nooses were hung, they were told it was a joke.
By December 4th, prisoners filed a grievance to document what they saw, noting that the hanging of the nooses was “unethical, racially motivated, hateful, [a] deliberate debasement of black inmates" and “unsafe for inmates, staff, [and] the whole prison in general.” In the grievance, they demanded that Sgt. Mosser and CO Richard be fired and investigated for a hate crime, and for CO Kirchner to get therapy. Captain Andrews, the head of security, denied the grievance.
The sergeant and COs are still working in the prison to this day, with no repercussions...
As of March 10th, prisoners have reached out to Pennsylvania officials at the Dept. of Corrections in a letter campaign, sending 100 copies of the grievance. Copies of the letter also were mailed to Governor Shapiro, Senator Fetterman, Senator Street, and various advocacy groups. The demands for relief in the original grievance have now become the platform of demands for this campaign. About 20 of the 100 letters were withheld by the prison.
Activists on the outside are joining forces with prisoners to elevate their demands, flooding the phone lines of DOC offices, assisting with outreach to media, and circulating the stories of prisoners who have found unity in opposition to the facility's virulent institutional racism.
In any other workplace, hanging a noose would be grounds for immediate termination. However, Nicki Paul, the superintendent's assistant and "grievance coordinator" informed the public that they self-investigated their staff and found they did nothing wrong.
Read the full article at i
https://conta.cc/4ayDxlB](https://www.prisonradio.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)