[News] Jalil Muntaqim Denied Parole

[News at freedomarchives.org]

PO Box 12122

Eugene, OR 97440

<http://www.breakthechains.net/>www.breakthechains.net



July 31, 2004



Dear Friends,



Greetings, we hope this letter finds you well and in strong spirits. As 
many of you know, we have been working in support of the release of Jalil 
Muntaqim (aka Anthony Bottom), specifically around his July parole hearing. 
Many of you have received packets and/or letters from us regarding Jalil’s 
parole hearing and many of you wrote letters on Jalil’s behalf, urging the 
parole board to release him back to his community, and for this we thank 
you. We are writing to let people know what happened at the parole hearing 
on <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = 
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />7/27/04 and to see where we 
can go from here.



On July 27, 2004, Jalil had his second hearing before the parole board. 
Once again he was denied parole. Even though many of us expected this 
outcome, we are outraged and know we must continue to do all we can to 
ensure Jalil’s release. We encourage all those who care about justice, who 
fight against racism, and who understand the inherent corrupt nature of the 
U.S. criminal justice system, to do all they can in support of Jalil and 
all U.S. political prisoners.



Here is an excerpt from the most recent letter we have received from Jalil, 
dated the day of the hearing. In it, Jalil explains what happened and lays 
out what he would like people to do. It reads:



“As you may have already learned over the net, once again I was denied 
parole, rescheduled for the next appearance for 7/27/06. The denial read as 
follows:



‘DENIED - HOLD 24 MONTHS, NEXT APPEARANCE DATE: 07/2006



Upon a review of the record, personal interview and due deliberation it is 
the determination of the panel that parole is denied. You are presently 
incarcerated upon your conviction of murder, by verdict, you and 2 cohorts 
ambushed and gunned down 2 New York City Police Officers, killing both. 
Your criminal justice history also includes California and Federal felony 
convictions. The panel has considered your programming and clean 
disciplinary record since your last board appearance. Also considered is a 
comprehensive submission advocating for your release. All factors 
considered, the panel concludes that discretionary release must again be 
denied. You committed a vicious and particularly violent crime evidencing a 
callous disregard for the sanctity of human life. Your proclivity towards 
weapon related criminality lends further support to the panel’s conclusion 
that you lack suitability for release to the community. You destroyed 2 
lives denying children of their fathers and wives of their husbands and 
release at this time would deprecate the severity of your conduct, 
undermine respect for the law and tend to trivialize the tragic loss of 
life which you caused.’



“This boilerplate decision essentially holds that the nature of the crime, 
in and of itself - of which will never change due to the conviction, 
prohibits my release on parole. Basically, this is the same reason for the 
last denial.



At any rate, I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all 
supporters, especially those who wrote letters to the parole board in my 
behalf. However, I will be appealing this denial, and in preparation of my 
appeal I would urge all those who wrote letters in my behalf to write a 
second letter to the Chairman of NYS Div. of Parole, stating the following:



‘Based on the unjust denial of parole on July 27, 2004, for Anthony Jalil 
Bottom, and pursuant to NYS Div. of Parole Policy and procedure Manual - 
Item 8355.00, I request a FULL BOARD CASE REVIEW. In the parole denial it 
was stated that, “
the panels conclusion that you lack suitability for 
release to the community.” However, the parole panel has disregarded the 
fact over 200 letters in support of Mr. Bottom’s release was submitted to 
the parole board. The parole board failed to take in consideration that the 
conviction is based upon established perjured testimony, and the weapon Mr. 
Bottom was alleged to have used in this case has turned out to not have 
been the actual murder weapon. Based on these facts, I ask for a Full Board 
Case Review of the July 27, 2004 parole denial of Anthony Jalil Bottom.’



“If at all possible, I ask that this be post on the internet and people be 
encouraged to write and send this letter to: Richard Dennison, Chairman of 
NYS Div. of Parole, 97 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206.



Also, in this posting, I ask that people log on to 
<http://www.thejerichomovement.com/>www.thejerichomovement.com and learn 
how they can participate and contribute to the Jericho campaign to collect 
school supplies for African AIDS orphans in support of U.S. political 
prisoners.



Please extend my very best regards to the righteous at heart with you. The 
struggle continues




Yours in struggle -



Jalil”



Again, we thank you all who have written letters in support of Jalil and 
who have spread the word. Please keep doing so. We will continue to keep in 
touch and work with Jalil in support of his release. Please pass this on.



In solidarity and struggle,



Break The Chains



The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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