[Ppnews] 2 Freedom Fighters mark over 40 years in prison

[Political Prisoner News]

TWO FREEDOM FIGHTERS MARK OVER 40 MARCH BIRTHDAYS IN PRISON!
by Kiilu Nyasha
(March 3, 2007)

Hugo L. A. Pinell, affectionately known as Yogi Bear, was one of six 
brothers who became known as the San Quentin Six in the 1970s 
following the assassination of George Lester Jackson on August 21, 
1971.  Yogi will be 62 years old on March 10.  Forty-three of those 
years have been spent in California gulags.

Ruchell Cinque Magee, sole survivor of the Marin Courthouse Rebellion 
of August 7, 1970, will mark his 68th birthday on March 17.  He has 
now been incarcerated for 44 years.

Trophies for Black August:

On August 7, 1970, after seven years, two trials and countless 
petitions filed against his illegal incarceration, Magee joined the 
guerrillas in California's Marin County Courthouse, when Jonathan 
Jackson stormed the court armed to the teeth and tossed guns to 
William Christmas, James McClain (on trial for assaulting a guard), 
and Magee (testifying for McClain).  Militants of the Black Movement 
behind bars, the brothers took the judge, prosecutor and three jurors 
hostage thinking they would be insurance in their plan to drive to a 
radio station to announce the murderous/racist prison conditions and 
demand the release of The Soledad Brothers (John Clutchette, Fleeta 
Drumgo, and George Jackson, Jonathan's older brother) --  facing 
trial and a possible death sentence.  The four revolutionaries never 
got out of the parking lot.  The San Quentin guards got there in time 
to shoot up the van killing all three guerillas and the judge, 
seriously wounding the prosecutor and Magee,
and slightly injuring one of the jurors.  Angela Davis was hunted 
down and captured for having legally purchased the guns (Jonathan 
Jackson had been her body guard in her defense activities for the 
Soledad Brothers in a dangerous climate.).  Although Ruchell was 
unconscious at the scene having been shot, the State tried to pin the 
murders on him, but had to drop those charges.  Nevertheless, he was 
convicted of simple kidnap and remains in prison to date.

Magee's own jail house lawyering got him released from the Pelican 
Bay SHU back in the early 1990s and he is currently on the Corcoran 
Prison mainline.  As brother Willie Sundiata Tate has often stated, 
"Ruchell never hurt anyone."  Nevertheless, he was denied parole 
again last year, and is now enduring his 44th year of incarceration.

August 21, 1971, was the day Soledad Brother, George Lester Jackson, 
was murdered on the yard of San Quentin State Prison, in addition to 
three prison guards and two inmate trustees.  Six prisoners were 
singled out and charged with various counts of murder and assault:
Fleeta Drumgo, Willie Sundiata Tate, David Johnson, Luis Talamantez, 
Johnny Spain, and Yogi.  Spain was the only one convicted of murder, 
and has been out of prison since 1988.  Yogi was convicted of assault 
and has spent the last 35 years in solitary confinement (no contact, 
no phone calls).  He has been in Pelican Bay's torture chamber since 1990.

Pelican Bay's supermax control unit is located in the Northwest 
corner of California on the Oregon border in pristine, redwood 
territory.  The prison is solid gray concrete and the SHU (Security 
Housing Unit) is completely windowless.  It looks like a large 
tomb.  It's hi-tech with automatic doors and gates, only artificial 
light, and the so-called yard is nothing more than a "dog run" or 
outdoor closet with 20' high walls covered on top by Plexiglas.  SHU 
prisoners are locked down 24/7 except for a possible hour on the dog 
run where they can exercise alone with no equipment whatsoever, not 
even a ball.  They are permitted no arts or crafts materials, and 
only a very restricted number of books and property.  They're chained 
hand and foot whenever they leave their cells escorted by two 
guards.  Visits are no contact and limited to weekends and holidays 
for less than two hours.

One way we can let these righteous soldiers know they are loved and 
appreciated, while sending a strong message to their jailers, would 
be to flood their cells with cards and letters (a money order may be included).

So please send these brothers a birthday greeting and give them a 
lift and some love.

They can be reached as follows:

Hugo L.A.Pinell, A88401, D3-221,
Box 7500, Crescent City, Ca. 95531-7500.

Ruchell Cinque Magee, A92051,
3A2-131
Box 3471 CSP
Corcoran, Ca 93212

For more information, you can go to 
<http://www.hugopinell.com>www.hugopinell.com or google Black August 
+ Kiilu Nyasha.

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