My name is, uh, Omar Askia Ali, aka Edward Sistrunk. I’m housed in Coal Township in Pennsylvania. I’m speaking about parole eligibility for life-sentence prisoners in the state of Pennsylvania.
There is a dire need for all who are concerned to support representative Jason Dawkins’ House Bill 135. Although there’s more traction now then we’ve witnessed before, let us not be hoodwinked and be aware that the voice of the people must be demonstrated in their actions and deeds, which is support for House Bill 135, or the politicians will be prone to vacillate without our tax-paying supporters.
We’re planning to put up billboards as another component to bring high visibility in our quest for parole eligibility for life-sentence prisoners in Pennsylvania. We’re awaiting Clear Channel Outdoor spokesperson, Barry Tarlowe, to quote us an updated price because the ballpark price a few years ago was $750.
In order to bolster the visibility of parole eligibility for lifers, [inaudible name], Daryl Muhammad, [inaudible name], and myself, Omar Askia Ali aka Edward Sistrunk, or appealing to our supporters in the outer community, professed their love to please forward their donations to Human Rights Coalition 4134 Lancaster Avenue in Philadelphia, PA 19104, earmark the billboard. You will be kept at breadths when the amount of the billboard is reached. Please know, once we erect the first billboard, why not another?
John F. Kennedy- the United States attorney general in 1964, said “What has been demonstrated is that usually only one factor determines whether a defendant stays in jail. Before he comes to trial, that fact is not guilt or innocent, it is not the nature of the crime, it is not the character of the defendant. That factor is simply money.” John F. Kennedy in 1964, former United States attorney general.
Thank you.
(Sound of a cell door closing.) 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)