“Johndi Harrell doesn’t speak for Pennsylvania lifer prisoners,” by Kerry Shakaboona Marshall.
Pennsylvania’s primary elections was bittersweet for Pennsylvania lifer prisoners and families in regards to the reelection of State Representative Jason Dawkins of the 179th District in Philly.
Bitter because, during elections, Johndi Harrell and his TCRC and black party groups sought to replace incumbent representative Dawkins for candidate Abu Edwards whom supported the much-hated DA candidate Tariq Al-Shabaab over Lawrence Krasner, and who not on record for supporting parole for lifers.
Sweet because lifer prisoners and their families supported and campaigned on behalf of Representatives Dawkins causing him to win reelection with over 70% of the vote.
Lifer prisoners and their families are infuriated by Johndi’s counter-freedom actions of supporting Edwards and campaigning to replace Dawkins. That’s treasonous, how could he? Representative Dawkins has champion parole eligibility for lifers from the start and introduced House Bill 135 in the legislature when no other politician would do so.
Which begs the question why the hell would Johndi Harrell try to remove Representative Dawkins from office while knowing lifers and families fully support Dawkins and his House Bill 135 of parole for lifers? Doesn’t he know that doing so actually sabotages lifers’ chances to get a parole for lifers law enacted?
Of course he knows. Either Johndi Harrell is a political novice, counter-freedom activist, or a hired obstructionist by the Philly Democratic establishment sent to divide and weaken criminal justice reform movement. One thing is for certain: Johndi Harrell doesn’t speak for lifers prisoners and their families. Lifers and their families choose their own representatives and they have chosen Representative Dawkins and his House Bill 135.
From the belly of the beast at Prison Radio, I am Shakboona. Thank you for listening.
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)