[Ppnews] Support Ralph Hamm's Parole Hearing - May 5

[Political Prisoner News]

via Critical Resistance
****************************
Hello all,

Last year I finished a book entitled "When the Prisoners Ran Walpole." it
is an unlikely story about a group of prisoners in a maximum-security
prison and their struggle for self-determination. One of my co-authors is
Ralph Hamm.

Ralph went to prison at the age of 17. He acknowledged his presence at the
crime scene but not his culpability for all that was done. He had two
co-defendants, both older and more experienced with the criminal justice
system. Ralph is Black, his victims were white, the crime took place in
1968 in racially polarized liberal Massachusetts. He was railroaded into a
juryless trial and therefore could not exercise many of the protections
afforded in a jury trial.

He was given two second-degree life sentences for a crime where no one
died. He became the man described in the book despite his condemnation.
38 years later, the original police report surfaced exculpating him of two
of his 4 convictions. His case is under review. Because of this, the
parole board does not want to hear him for parole. Accepting
responsibility for your actions is a prerequisite for parole. Fighting
your conviction is a barrier. So, at 41 years incarceration - he is facing
the parole board [on May 5] for the third time with narrow hope for
success. They have only given him 13 days to prepare.

I am asking those of you who are inclined to read the book and Ralph's
words and - if you feel moved - and I think you will - please write a
letter to the parole board supporting Ralph's parole. Ralph was and is a
radical intellectual. We cannot change who he is, perhaps it is time the
State hear why this is important to so many of us. I am including the
parole board address below:

Massachusetts Parole Board
Central Office
12 Mercer Road
Natick, MA 01760
Phone: 508-650-4500

Mark Conrad is the Parole Board Chair.

I thank all of you who take action on this request.

Jamie Bissonette



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org  
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