[News] Veronza Bowers still imprisoned 100 days after mandatory release

[News at freedomarchives.org]

Veronza's Mandatory Release denied by the U.S. Parole Commission. Why?

After going through all of the legal channels to secure his release, 
including two law suits against the U.S. Parole Commission, Veronza's only 
hope for freedom rested on his right to Mandatory Release under federal 
law. April 7, 2004 had been set many years ago as the date for his release 
from prison. With all administrative processes and paperwork completed, the 
warden at Coleman shook Veronza's hand and wished him well. A new room at 
his sister's home in Maryland was approved by the local parole authorities 
and Veronza was all set to begin his new life outside of prison walls. His 
daughter, three sisters, friends and supporters, at great personal expense, 
flew from all over the country to welcome him into their loving arms as he 
emerged through the gates of the federal penitentiary.

But this was not to be.

Less than 18 hours before his eagerly anticipated release, prison 
authorities at the Coleman Correctional Center received a telephone call 
from the National Parole Commission in Washington, D.C. informing them that 
the waiver of a final parole hearing, which they previously granted, had 
been rescinded and that Veronza would not be released as promised. 
Everyone, including the Warden at Coleman, Veronza's Case Manager and 
Counselor at the prison, were shocked by this sudden and unanticipated turn 
of events. All efforts by authorities at Coleman to intervene on Veronza's 
behalf were shot down by the USPC. Soon after giving away all his 
possessions in emotional farewells to friends, Veronza was granted a brief 
visit with his family then locked back up in his cell.

Be sure to read <http://www.geocities.com/veronzab/P-April7.html>Veronza's 
own words on the events leading up to April 7th (below)

<http://www.geocities.com/veronzab/Q-MandatoryRelease.html#Garf>Review of 
events on April 7th by Maynard Garfield

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What is the next step?

April 7th was not only a sad, frustrating and discouraging day for many of 
us, but also a blow to the spirit of democracy in our nation. In over 16 
years of advocating on Veronza's behalf ­ dealing with regional and 
national parole commissions, criminal lawyers, members of Congress, prison 
authorities and the federal judiciary ­ our faith in the fundamental truth 
of this democratic republic has been shaken to the core. In Veronza's case, 
we have witnessed up close a callous disregard for the laws of this nation, 
the Constitution, human rights and human decency itself. Perhaps this 
latest round should come as no surprise.

On May 2nd, Veronza met with attorney Gilda Sherrod-Ali of Washington, D.C. 
and presented her with the draft of an Emergency Petition For Writ of 
Habeas Corpus. along with a with a motion requesting immedciate release on 
bond. These legal challenges to his unlawful detention have now been filed 
in the U.S. District Court in Ocala, Florida. We await the court's ruling.

The statutory issues surronding Mandatory Release and questionable actions 
of the U.S. Parole Commission are presently being studied by a new team of 
attorneys and legal researchers who were appalled by recent events.

While support for Veronza has existed for many years, little was done to 
publicize his plight beyond the boundaries of an of an interested few. Our 
main effort was to find remedy through the slow, but established legal 
channels. The events surroounding April 7th have made it very clear that 
the only hope for justice in this case lies not with the government and 
administration of this country, but in a direct appeal to the American 
people and those who are willing to stand up for human rights all over the 
world.

We need your help. Please pass on this web site to a friend, organization 
or write to your local elected representatives.

This web site is an invitation for you to learn more about Veronza and join 
us in making your voice heard about this miscarriage of justice. If you 
<http://www.geocities.com/veronzab/F-Contact.html>have any questions, 
please get in touch.

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Veronza would love to hear from you. He can be reached at the following 
address:
Veronza Bowers, Jr., #35316-136
FCC, Medium C-1, P.O. Box 1032, Coleman, FL 33521-1032
<mailto:veronzab at yahoo.com>veronzab at yahoo.com
All responses by snail mail, so please include your return address.

Mailed: after 34 days unlawful detention

Dear Friends,

I send each and everyone one of you my very warmest greeting from 31 years 
deep inside of the Belly of the Beast.

As you know I’m a former member of the original Black Panther Party and 
even though government officials claim that there are no political 
prisoners in this country’s prisons and jails, it’s a simply not true. 
Having already “served” over 3 decades in continuous custody in federal 
prison, I’m one of the longest held political prisoners in the U.S. of 
A
there are quite a number of us scattered about
but, that’s a very long story.

Picture this in your mind...if you dare:

After 30 years of being denied release on parole, despite the fact that 
your conduct has been exemplary for over 20 years and you have long since 
met the criteria to be released on parole, finally your Mandatory Release 
date rolls around. April 7th, 2004. Everything is set, viz: you daughter, 
who was 5 years old when you were taken away to prison and is now 36, sent 
you a top-of-the-line fashion suit of clothes so that you would be properly 
dressed to “step in the name of freedom with love”. She, along with 3 of 
your sisters fly in from across the country to be there at the prison fate 
to pick you up
in fact, there will be a whole entourage of dear friends and 
well-wishers who will be out in front of the prison with planed to all 
gather at the home of a friend about an hours new red Cadillac’s ride away. 
A grand celebration is planned: a grand celebration is planned: a big 
cook-out at which your Godmother had cooked hot-wings and made home-made 
strawberry cheesecake, another friend from Tonga, in keeping with their 
cultural traditions has roasted under-ground several baby pigs, others are 
bringing all kinds of foods. There will be a live band playing jazz and 
blues, a swimming pool, etc, etc, etc. In a word, a lot of caring people 
have gone though a lot of effort, not to mention expenses, to welcome you 
in their brave new world far removed from the world of prison walls that 
had kept you on ice for so long
they are there to welcome you with 
unconditional love and support.

On the inside of the prison there has been “going home” gathering put 
together by friends, all replete with food, music, emotion-filled, 
open-hearted, teary-eyed talk and laughter. Everyone came together to wish 
you well and a prosperous new life. You’d given away to friends all of your 
possessions: watch, alarm clock, sweat clothes, running shorts and tennis 
shoes, had-balls, weigh-lifting belt, visiting clothes and shoes, 
commissary items, rain-poncho and winter coat
the only things you kept were 
your 3 Taipei Shakuhachi, silver flute and some books. You’d used up all of 
your 300-for-the month telephone calling minutes because after April 6th 
you wouldn’t be needing any more from the BOP. You’d make the rounds, 
shaking hands and hugging so many men you’d probably never see again
you’d 
even tried to give words of encouragement and hope to young and old men 
alike who you were leaving behind in very desperate and hopeless 
situations. Yes, the time was growing near you to leave the world of 
concrete and steel and razor-wire and gun-towers
the land of the living 
dead
and you were very happy and at the same time very sad.

The last “official thing” that you were required to do, you did. All 
prisoners, on the day before his/her actual release date, are required to 
“go on the merry-go-round”, i.e., you must take a “check-out” form around 
to each department head for their signature which means that you are 
cleared of all obligations to that department, viz: commissary account is 
closed; your telephone access is shut off; clothing and issue is satisfied 
that you don’t have any institutional clothing (you can’t imagine why they 
would think a prisoner would want to keep any!); the education dept.; ditto 
for religious services; a perfunctory signature from the psychology dept.; 
Lt’s office; hospital; and Receiving and Discharged. You did all of that on 
April 6th. Everything is all set to and good to go. “We have a lift-off 
Houston”!

After doing all of that, you’re sitting outside in the Sweat Lodge area 
with your two closes friends just enjoying each other’s company in SILENCE. 
A loud announcement over the loud speaker ordering you to “report to your 
unit-team immediately” beak your peace. You know that something is not 
right
years 6th sense (maybe even a 7th one!) that let’s you know the 
“hidden” right away.

As you walk into your Counselor’s office, you know what he’s about to say, 
even before he say it. So, you focus upon that one thing that has sustained 
you and always pulled you though the roughest of times
even pulled you 
though those time when knife blades were slashing at flesh, when bullets 
were flying thought the air trying to fin your body, when you learned of 
the passing of your Dear Mamma and the officials wouldn’t allow you to 
attend her funeral even though you had only 7 months left until your 
Mandatory Release date – yeah
One breath at a time.

“You won’t be leaving tomorrow.”

You already that, but you didn’t know why
so you breathe deeply
1 full 
breath, 2 full breaths – a strange silence fills the room, and since it’s 
quite obvious that some reaction is expected of/from/by you, you just 
continue focusing upon the Breath. “Why?”

“Well, all we know is that the National Parole Commission called the 
institution and ordered that you not be released tomorrow. The Warden is 
very upset and he’s been on the phone with them all day trying to get some 
clarity.”

Just like that! A simple phone call from a National Commissioner in Chevy 
Chase, Maryland, and all of the plans for you to be “Steppin’ in the Name 
of Freedom, with Love” are cancelled, wiped out, voided until further notice.

How do you feel?

.Me, too!!!!!

Monty and Garf have already given you the details of what went on the 
afternoon of April 6th. Since that terrible day, a number of things have 
happened.

1. I, with the help of some friends here, put together a very good draft of 
an “Emergency Petition Unlawful Detention Beyond April 7th, 2004, His 
Statutory/Mandatory Release sate Under 18 U.S.C. 4206 (d.).

2. I tired to get the prestigious law firm of Willie E. Gary to take my 
case. To date, I don’t know whether his firm will get involved.

3. On May 2nd, I met in the visiting room with attorney Gilda Sherrod-Ali 
(0f Washington, D.C.) and presented her with the draft of my 2241 motion. 
We discussed it at length and it was agreed that she would file it in the 
U.S. District Court in Ocala, Florida. (Note: It will go before Judge 
Hodges, the same judge who denied and dismissed my last action against the 
Parole Commission. My situation now is that I am being held in prison 
UNLAWFULLY since my Mandatory Release date of April 7, 2004.

Also, I asked Gilda to file, at the some time, a motion for a bond hearing. 
Because of my unlawful detention and because of the high probability that I 
will prevail on the merits of my 2241 seeking immediate release, I am 
entitled to be released on bond (bail) pending the out-come of this 
litigation. Plus, such a motion will necessitate that the entire proceeding 
be expedited.

Of course, if I prevail, then I will file a civil lawsuit against the 
appropriate parties.
I’m hoping that when the time come for this hearing that we’ll be able to 
pack the court-room in Ocala with people who are concerned and willing to 
make known their reasons for being there
”concerned observers.”

Sooo
that’s about it from this side of hell, my friends. I want to thank 
you with all of my heart all of the love, concern and support, you’ve given 
me. Without each and every one of you, I can’t imagine.

I know that in the past whenever Monty or Garf put out the call for 
financial contributions to cover attorney fees, you didn’t hesitate. I also 
know Monty and Garf very well and I don’t want to ask either of them to ask 
any of you for money again. But, I have to ask you. There will be one more 
round and unfortunately there are not many lawyers around like it was in 
the 60’s. So, please, any contribution you can spare for my Legal Defense 
fun, as you know, will be greatly appreciated.

I remain steadfast and looking toward. A Better Future For Us All

Veronza


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