>on the testimony of a single eyewitness.
>
>"I hope they don't do that [execute Sankofa]," Bobby Pryor
>said. "He just didn't get his justice in this trial."
>
>The Rev. Jesse Jackson visited Sankofa June 20, along with
>Amnesty International representative Bianca Jagger and
>Nation of Islam Southwestern Regional Rep. Minister Robert
>Muhammad.
>
>"I hope that my presence will get Bush's attention and
>there will not be an execution on Thursday," Jackson said
>in Chicago June 19. If not, Jackson said, he will be on
>hand to witness the state's legal lynching of Sankofa.
>
>The New York Times, Amnesty International, the Detroit
>City Council and the Reform Jewish movement are among those
>calling on Bush to stop the execution. Even U.S. Attorney
>General Janet Reno denounced the "high level of
>incompetence" among court-appointed capital defense
>attorneys.
>
>"There is a sizzling movement from below," said Johnnie
>Stevens of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement and
>the International Action Center, the groups that initiated
>the nationwide June 19 protests. "People here know Gary
>Graham, they know his case. They know about the controversy
>in the media. With the leaflets and posters getting out on
>the streets people are feeling empowered."
>
>PROTEST AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION
>
>On June 16-18, Sankofa's supporters took the death-row
>prisoner's case to the doorstep of the Texas Republican
>Party Convention in Houston.
>
>On opening day about 100 activists carried big posters
>reading "Stop the execution of Shaka Sankofa" and
>distributed leaflets.
>
>Police had set a designated protest area five blocks away.
>But the protesters, ignoring the cops, marched right to the
>convention's entrance and used their sound system to
>condemn Bush.
>
>Those speaking out included Minister Robert Muhammad,
>Njeri Shakur of the Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement,
>and SHAPE Community Center Director Deloyd Parker.
>
>"Poor people do not get justice from this system," Parker
>said. "Shaka was a poor person, a young person. He didn't
>get justice."
>
>Several members of the New Black Panther Movement also
>demonstrated at the convention's opening. Expressing their
>right to self-defense against a racist system, these
>protesters carried rifles and shotguns. In Texas it is
>legal to carry such weapons in public.
>
>This militant protest created a sensation among the media
>and hostile delegates.
>
>`JUNETEENTH IS ABOUT FREEDOM TODAY'
>
>Abolitionists also took Sankofa's case directly to the
>Black community here at Juneteenth celebrations.
>
>Juneteenth--June 19--marks the day in 1865 when slaves in
>Galveston, Texas, finally learned of the Emancipation
>Proclamation, two years after it became law.
>
>The Rev. C. Anderson Davis, grand marshal of Houston's
>Juneteenth Parade, spoke about Sankofa's case to over 2,000
>marchers June 17. He said: "Juneteenth isn't just about
>freedom 135 years ago. It's about freedom today."
>
>Anthony Freddie of the Shaka Sankofa/Gary Graham Justice
>Coalition said: "Juneteenth has a historical value on the
>release of bondage. This symbolizes that in the judicial
>system there's still bondage when equal due process is not
>given."
>
>The Abolition Movement distributed "Stop the Execution"
>posters by the hundreds. Within hours, they began to appear
>taped around light poles, in the windows of homes and in
>storefronts in Black neighborhoods.
>
>Activists continued to reach out at a Juneteenth fashion
>show and hip-hop concert that evening. Artists like The
>Rebel and G.E.S. raised money for buses to take people to
>protest in Huntsville June 22.
>
>"This year Juneteenth is a real tribune of the people,"
>Johnnie Stevens told Workers World. "The community is using
>the posters and leaflets to speak to the whole working
>class and is using the controversy in the media to get out
>the facts of the case.
>
>"When we see the Houston Chronicle or the New York Times
>finally reporting the gross injustices of Shaka's case, and
>the fact that he had an incompetent lawyer, we should
>remember that people here have been saying that for nearly
>20 years."
>
>"The media could decide to drop this case today,"
>cautioned Ashanti Chimurenga, a lawyer and activist, in the
>June 19 New York Daily Challenge. "While it's helpful to
>highlight Shaka's case, it is not the same as freeing a man
>from the threat of death and freeing him from
>incarceration.
>
>"That's got to be our ultimate goal. We want him free and
>walking out," she said.
>
> `INMATES TERRORIZED'
>
>Abolitionist Njeri Shakur visited the Terrell Unit in
>Livingston, Texas, on June 17. Terrell is where death-row
>prisoners are housed in high-tech isolation.
>
>Shakur reported "a level of terror going on" against the
>inmates there.
>
>Many prisoners have been locked down since February--when
>two heroic prisoners, Ponchai "Kamau" Wilkerson and Howard
>Guidry, took a prison guard hostage. Their action
>dramatized the inmates' demands for better living
>conditions and a moratorium on executions.
>
>Wilkerson, minister of defense for the death-row group
>Panthers United for Revolutionary Education, was executed
>amid international protests on March 14.
>
>Shakur said the prisoners are still being denied
>commissary rights, including access to toothpaste,
>deodorant, writing paper and stamps. They are living on a
>diet of fried eggs and stale bread. Many have not seen
>family and friends in months.
>
>"The media are trying to portray things like they are
>getting better," said Shakur, "but inside the inmates are
>being terrorized."
>
>PURE Chair Emerson Rudd called on "all progressive forces,
>organizations, individuals that are struggling for justice
>to do everything in their faculty to save the life of Gary
>Graham/Shaka Sankofa.
>
>"Our fight against racism, frame-ups and the death penalty
>is a contribution to a larger struggle against social and
>economic injustice on behalf of all people who suffer,"
>Rudd wrote.
>
>"For this reason just people of all races, creeds and
>colors should defend Shaka Sankofa--protesting and letting
>the system know that just as it is bent on spreading fear,
>we are just as bent on not being afraid."
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 22:56:55 -0400
>Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
>Subject: [WW] FARC-EP Back On-Line
>Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the June 29, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>FARC-EP BACK ON-LINE
>
>By Andy McInerney
>
>After hundreds of letters protesting the closing of the
>BURN! Collective's web site, the censored pages are back on
>line.
>
>The Department of Communications at the University of
>California at San Diego--reportedly under pressure from the
>university administration--had shut down the site on the
>grounds that it hosted the home page of the Revolutionary
>Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP).
>
>The decision to shut the site unleashed a torrent of
>letters to Communications Department Chair Carol Padden,
>protesting her capitulation to right-wing forces opposed to
>the FARC-EP's political views. The Colombian insurgency has
>won the respect of millions in Colombia and around the
>world for its determined fight for a socialist society.
>
>While the Communications Department still has not agreed
>to host the site, the burn.ucsd.edu address has been re-
>enabled, pointing to a mirror site at tierra.ucsd.edu
>maintained by the Groundwork Collective. Web addresses with
>the BURN site are automatically routed to the new site.
>
>The FARC-EP's web page is burn.ucsd.edu/~farc-ep.
>
>The BURN! Collective issued a statement on June 16
>thanking supporters for writing letters on their behalf.
>"It was your solidarity that convinced the university to
>restore our hostname," the group wrote.
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Date: Wed, 21 Jun 2000 22:56:56 -0400
>Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
>Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
>Subject: [WW] National Protests for Graham/Sankofa
>Message-ID: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>-------------------------
>Via Workers World News Service
>Reprinted from the June 29, 2000
>issue of Workers World newspaper
>-------------------------
>
>NATIONAL ACTIONS TELL BUSH: "STOP THE EXECUTIONS!"
>
>PALO ALTO, CALIF.: PROTEST DISRUPTS BUSH FUNDRAISER
>
>Holding up placards that read "Stop the execution of Gray
>Graham" and "Gov. George Bush: Don't kill another innocent
>man," two people disrupted the $1,000-per-person fundraiser
>for Bush at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Palo Alto, Calif., on
>June 19.
>
>Outside, over 200 people protested the slated June 22
>execution of Texas death row inmate Shaka Sankofa, formerly
>known as Gary Graham.
>
>As Bush's motorcade drove into the hotel, the crowd
>chanted: "What do we want? New trial for Shaka! When do we
>want it? Now!" The main chant heard during the protest was,
>"Don't kill another innocent man, new trial for Gary
>Graham."
>
>Nancy Mitchell of San Francisco and Coleen Lamp of Belmont,
>Calif., both supporters of the International Action Center,
>were ejected from the hotel after the disruption. They
>joined the protest outside.
>
>Lamp explained: "I started chanting, `Stop the execution of
>Gray Graham,' as [Bush] was introduced. I know he feels the
>strength and will of the people to stop this execution."
>
>Mitchell said: "Gary Graham is clearly innocent. The
>torrent of media coverage about Graham's case in particular
>and the death penalty in general exposes the racist and
>anti-poor character of the death penalty.
>
>"Gary Graham's execution is three days away. George Bush:
>The time is now. Don't kill another innocent person."
>
>Speakers at the rally included representatives of Legal
>Services for Prisoners with Children, International Action
>Center and the Campaign to the End the Death Penalty.
>
>As part of nationwide coordinated demonstrations, a follow-
>up protest was planned for June 20 in San Francisco.
>
>--Saul Kanowitz
>
>NEW YORK.: 1,000 MARCH, SIX ARRESTED FOR SANKOFA
>
>About 1,000 people protested outside "Bush for President"
>headquarters in midtown Manhattan June 19 to demand that
>New York Republican Party leaders pressure Bush to stop the
>execution of Sankofa. New York Gov. George Pataki
>reintroduced the death penalty here in 1995.
>
>A spirited march across busy 42nd St. tied up traffic
>during the evening rush hour. Many onlookers, who'd heard
>about Sankofa's case as the struggle for his freedom grew,
>asked for flyers.
>
>The marchers chanted, "Death row, hell no! Free Gary
>Graham!" and "Moratorium now!"
>
>The march ended outside the New York State Republican
>offices in the Sterling National Bank Building. Inside, six
>activists from Millions for Mumia/International Action
>Center had occupied the Republican offices. They said they
>would not leave until Bush agreed to stop the June 22
>execution.
>
>The six were Larry Holmes, Elijah Crane, Qausu Thwaites,
>Brad Lawton, Deirdre Sinnott and Hillel Cohen. After more
>than an hour inside, the activists were arrested and
>dragged out by police. All were charged with criminal
>trespass and kept in jail overnight.
>
>Outside, the demonstration grew more militant. The many
>youthful protesters, chafing at police demands to remain
>across the street from the occupation site, began sneaking
>through the cop blockade. Soon 20 protesters were in front
>of the Republican office building, then 40.
>
>Eventually, the demonstrators crossed the street en masse,
>blocking traffic and setting up a boisterous picket line in
>front of the office building. To the rhythm of drums, they
>shouted "Free Shaka! Free Mumia!"
>
>Later about 60 people marched to the 17th Precinct, where
>the arrested activists were held. Protesters said they
>planned to return to Bush headquarters June 21 for a 24-
>hour vigil against the execution.
>
>The demonstration was initiated by the International Action
>Center as part of the National Days of Resistance to Stop
>the Execution of Shaka Sankofa. Speakers included the IAC's
>Teresa Gutierrez, Kevin McGruder of Gay Men of African
>Descent, lesbian anti-racist author and activist Minnie
>Bruce Pratt, and a representative of the Campaign to End
>the Death Penalty. Imani Henry of Rainbow Flags for Mumia
>chaired the rally. --Greg Butterfield
>
>DETROIT: HUNGER STRIKE AGAINST EXECUTION
>
>On June 19, a group of Detroit religious, labor and
>community leaders completed the second day of a 5-day fast
>demanding that Texas Gov. George W. Bush halt the execution
>of Sankofa. The Central United Methodist Church and the New
>Bethel Baptist Church launched the hunger strike. Hundreds
>in those congregations heard about the struggle to save
>Sankofa's life.
>
>The hunger strikers include community activist Shirley
>Sanders; Arnetta Grable of the Coalition Against Police
>Brutality, whose son was killed by Detroit cops; Groundwork
>for a Just World organizer Jeff Nelson; and David Sole,
>president of Auto Workers Local 2334. Sally Peck, a leading
>anti-death-penalty activist in Michigan, and Elena Herrada,
>a Latin community activist, joined the hunger strike on its
>second day.
>
>On Day 2, the hunger strikers set up camp outside the
>Detroit City Council building, where they will remain all
>week. The council passed a resolution in mid-June calling
>for Sankofa's execution to be stopped.
>
>Hunger strikers and supporters leaf let-ed people about the
>case. People on foot and in cars stopped to sign petitions
>demanding the execution be stopped. About 200 signatures
>were gathered and faxed to Bush.
>
>A noontime rally was well attended and broke the Detroit
>media blockade with coverage from local TV, radio and
>newspapers. Later the hunger strikers joined a picket by
>cafeteria workers fighting for a contract at Ameritech
>phone company.
>
>Lunch-hour rallies are planned every day at the Coleman
>Young Municipal Building.
>--Cheryl LaBash
>
>
>
>BOSTON: DEATH-PENALTY FOES SEIZE GUV'S OFFICE
>
>Hundreds of angry death-penalty abolitionists answered the
>call of the Boston Coalition for Mumia Abu-Jamal and
>executed a militant, lightning-quick occupation of the
>building housing the "Bush for President" campaign
>headquarters in Boston's Downtown Crossing on May 16.
>
>Perhaps the panicked Republican staffers knew that the
>protestors had come with indictments charging Texas Gov.
>George W. Bush and Massachusetts Gov. Paul Cellucci with
>mass murder and conspiracy to commit murder for their roles
>in the serial killings of hundreds railroaded into Texas
>death row. Elevators were shut down and staffers hid behind
>locked doors. Police on call came running.
>
>But they could not prevent reporters' question to their
>bosses that evening: "What about this man they call Shaka
>Sankofa?" Many New England media organizations covered the
>demonstration.
>
>Saraivy Orench-Reinat, speaking for the Mumia Coalition,
>delivered the indictment, charging Bush with "130-plus
>counts of murder in the first degree, that is, premeditated
>murder, for the vicious and inhuman execution of prisoners
>on death row in the state of Texas ... and for the
>attempted murder of Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham). [He was]
>just 17 years old when he was charged with capital murder--
>a violation of international law prohibiting minors from
>receiving death sentences."
>
>The growing crowd of protestors jammed the rush hour
>streets in the shopping district. They chanted, "Hands off
>an innocent man! Hands off Shaka Sankofa!"
>
>Several times marchers outmaneuver ed police, taking and
>blocking major downtown streets, moving to the swift beat
>of drums. Loud calls of "Bush, Cellucci, we say no! The
>death penalty has got to go!" annoyed a few storeowners,
>but gathered large crowds of youths and commuting workers
>who joined in support.
>
>Speakers from the International Action Center, Refuse &
>Resist, the Community Church of Boston, Steel workers Local
>8751, and many others echoed Mumia Abu-Jamal's call to step
>up "unsparing protest" this summer to stop Sankofa's
>execution and to shake the conventions of the Republican
>and Democratic ruling parties.
>
>This budding New England abolitionist coalition, full of
>youthful vigor and dead set on demolishing the prison-
>industrial complex, has announced plans to send thousands
>from the region to Philadelphia and Los Angeles to prohibit
>business as usual and win justice for the movement's
>leaders, such as Sankofa and Abu-Jamal.
>--Steven Gillis
>
>Demonstrations were also held in Austin, Atlanta,
>Cleveland, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Palo Alto,
>Calif., Providence, R.I., San Diego, Calif., and many other
>cities in the U.S. and around the world. Major
>demonstrations were scheduled for June 20 in San Francisco
>and Los Angeles.
>
>
>LOS ANGELES.
>
>On June 20, Texas Gov. George Bush was once again confronted
>by angry International Action Center activists demanding he
>stop his planned execution of Shaka Sankofa (Gary Graham).
>
>Maggie Vascassenno and Bob McClauskey, who is also a union
>representative, slipped into the $1,000-a-plate campaign
>fundraiser at the Century Plaza Hotel to add to the California
>heat Bush experienced the day before in Palo Alto.
>
>The June 20 protest, organized by the Shaka Sankofa/Gary
>Graham Defense Committee and the International Action Center,
>started outside of the hotel with 100 very vocal demonstrators
>shouting, "Stop the legal lynching, free Sankofa."
>
>One of the demonstrators was Herman Atkins, who spent 14
>years in prison based on false eyewitness testimonies. DNA
>evidence finally exonerated him. His presence highlighted the
>recent studies blaming police-manipulated eyewitness
>testimonies as the main cause leading to erroneous
>convictions. Sankofa's execution is based on one eyewitness,
>who many have said was manipulated by the police.
>
>--John Parker
>
>
> - END -
>
>(Copyleft Workers World Service. Everyone is permitted to
>copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but
>changing it is not allowed. For more information contact
>Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail:
>[EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message
>to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org)
>
>
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