Shandre Delaney 54 Wabash St #2 Pittsburgh, PA 15220 PH: 412.403.6101/FX: 412.922.1238 sd4hrc@gmail January 9, 2014 Dear Sir/Madame: Although former Luzerne County judges Ciavarella and Conahan now sit in prison, the corruption which allowed and encouraged their outrageous crimes continues to flourish in Luzerne County. Currently the corruption which freely operates within the Luzerne County Courthouse is demonstrated by the malicious prosecution of five inmates who were tortured by corrections officers at SCI Dallas. They reported the abuse to the Human Rights Coalition (HRC) and filed a complaint. In retaliation, the Luzerne County District Attorney Office and PA Department of Corrections is maliciously prosecuting them on false charges. These prisoners are collectively referred to as the Dallas 6. Members of Dallas 6 who are seeking your assistance are Andre Jacobs, Carrington Keys, Duane Peter, and Derrick Stanley. On April 29, 2010, guards were beating prisoners whose names were mentioned in an abuse report by HRC. Knowing harm was inevitable, they covered their cell windows and barricaded their doors, then “peacefully” asked to speak with outside officials or counselors for mediation. Instead of mediation, guards dressed in riot gear attacked the Dallas 6 on video with pepper spray, tasers, and their fists, then all but one (Duane Peter) were emergency evacuated to other prisons. Mr. Peter is still being tortured at SCI Dallas and needs to be moved. The men filed complaints about the abuse and Mr. Keys filed a civil suit against SCI Dallas and Jackie Musto Carroll, who was then Luzerne County District Attorney. Musto Carroll had received complaints but never investigated. Initially, they were given a disciplinary misconduct for refusing to obey an order which in retaliation has turned into a felony riot charge. Approximately 3 months later on July 6, 2010, the DOC and Jackie Musto Carroll filed “riot” charges against the tortured prisoners. There have been numerous criminal procedure violations, yet Judge Gelb moves right past them and tells the Dallas 6 to “appeal it later.” The Commonwealth committed a major violation in regard to Rule 600, as it had 180 days to bring each defendant to trial. The Commonwealth claims to have initiated these charges in July 2010. This would mean the Commonwealth had until January 2011 to bring each defendant to trial, at the very latest February 2011. President Judge Thomas F. Burke has been notified of all violations and has not acted to correct them. Per PA Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 116, Judge Burke has the authority and the duty to bring his judicial district officers in compliance with the law. It is a legal maxim that he who condones a bad act conditions it. For peacefully demonstrating for an end to human and civil rights abuses, nearly 4 years later these men are facing trial for a fraudulent and retaliatory complaint for a policy violation that should have been handled before the prison disciplinary board. A pre-trial has been continued for January 21, 2014 at 1pm. HRC, family members, and supporters have begun a campaign to get the charges dismissed. A petition to dismiss was delivered to Luzerne County District Attorney office on December 2, 2013 that to date has over 300 signatures. We ask you to support our efforts by investigating the facts and signing our petition to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking for an indictment to be brought before the grand jury for all of the Luzerne County officials involved. Testimony was brought before the Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee on solitary confinement and also to the Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing headed by Dick Durbin. Currently, the Department of Justice is investigating solitary confinement units at every prison in Pennsylvania due to findings at SCI Cresson in Cresson, PA. Information regarding the Dallas 6 case has been submitted to them as well. If you need additional information please call me at 412.403.6101 or email sd4hrc@gmail. Below are links from news articles, reports, interviews and other information about the case. Thank you for consideration of this special request. PETITION: petitions.moveon.org/sign/petition-to-indict-luzerne SUMMARY IN SUPPORT OF THE PETITION TO INDICT https://drive.google/file/d/0B5YaRM54BmAaSzNwNUZYSjRlMFk/edit?usp=sharing DALLAS 6 BLOG scidallas6.blogspot/p/about-dallas-6-resistance-and.html Shandre Delaney Investigator/Advocate, HRC-FedUp Mother of prisoner, Carrington Keys Links: Newspaper NBC usnews.nbcnews/_news/2013/12/09/21793945-pennsylvania-solitary-confinement-inmates-charged-with-rioting-due-in-court?pc=25&sp=25#discussion_nav San Francisco Bayview sfbayview/2013/the-dallas-6-case-solitary-confinement-on-trial-in-a-us-courtroom/ Radio Interviews Legacy of a Nation – Weekly show – 9:30 pm every Thursday blogtalkradio/thelegacyofanation/2013/11/27/host-by-ramisous-and-vania-gulston-speak-with-ms-shandre-delaney The Other America thedallas6.org/2013/12/04/an-interview-with-andre-jacobs-of-the-dallas-6-about-the-groups-prison-protest-against-solitary-confinement/ Petitions petitions.moveon.org/sign/petition-to-indict-luzerne change.org/petitions/petition-to-dismiss-all-charges-against-dallas-5 Videos Cell Extraction hrcoalition.org/node/296 Solitary Confinement Rally https://youtube/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=7Xla0IdNX5U Pennsylvania House Democratic Policy Committee Hearing on Solitary Confinement https://vimeo/50403661 Dallas 6 Blog – Updates daily scidallas6.blogspot/ Written Testimony to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Human Rights solitarywatch/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/shandra-delaney-mother-of-prisoner-in-solitary.pdf Abuse reports by Human Rights Coalition Institutionalized Cruelty hrcoalition.org/sites/default/files/Institutionalized%20Cruelty.pdf. Resistance and retaliation hrcoalition.org/sites/default/files/Resistance and Retaliation-August 2010_0.pdf Petition to dismiss charges against Dallas 5 change.org/petitions/petition-to-dismiss-all-charges-against-dallas-5 __._,_.___
Posted on: Sat, 01 Feb 2014 05:52:47 +0000