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<font size=3>Via Sister Marpessa<br>
From: Sis. Johanna Fernandez<br>
--------------<br><br>
Dear Friends:<br><br>
I visited Mumia yesterday, December 15, in the new prison that houses
him, SCI Mahanoy. Even though he has been released from death row, he
remains in Administrative Custody while he awaits transfer to general
population. Because he is still in Administrative Custody and not yet in
general population, visits still take place behind the plexiglass
barrier characteristic of the no-contact visits to prisoners on death
row. <br><br>
Mumia boarded a vehicle to SCI- Mahanoy in the early morning hours of
December 14th at 4AM. Despite the dehumanizing character of the heavily
armored vehicle that transported him from SCI Greene to SCI Mahanoy,
Mumia delighted in the opportunity to see cows, horses, and
Pennsylvania's beautiful landscape during the 7 hour ride to Frackville,
PA.<br><br>
He described the last number of days as a "crazy
whirlwind." Last Friday alone, he spent 6 hours packing up
books, letters, and other belongings in preparation for what he believed
was a move into general population at SCI Greene. But the
Department of Corrections had other plans in mind. As you know, that same
day, December 9, his call came through at the National Constitution
Center. At the prompting of Pam Africa, the last 30 seconds of that
call turned into a rousing ovation to Mumia by the 1,100 people in
attendance. This is was he wrote in a letter about his experience that
very same night on December 9, "It's been minutes since I've hung up
the phone, and I'm still buzzing from the loving vibes zapping through
the phone. It's really electric!" <br><br>
While in Administrative Custody at Mahanoy, Mumia is technically in
"the hole." This means that he has absolutely no human contact;
absolutely no belongings in his cell other than a rubber pen, 8
sheets of paper and 8 envelopes (4 of which he has used to write
letters to family and friends); he gets only one hour in the yard
and one visitor a week; and at night the lights in his small cell are
dimmed <b>only</b> slightly, and otherwise remain on all day. <br><br>
Mumia noted that he missed the knock of his next door neighbor on the Row
at SCI Greene, Sugarbear, who called for him through a knocked on the
wall "at least 20 times a day."<br><br>
Mumia noted that as he was being escorted to his cell at Mahanoy, the
majority of prisoners he saw in "the hole" were black and he
immediately thought of Michelle Alexander's evocative analysis and
descriptions of mass black imprisonment nationwide.<br><br>
Mumia is committed to remaining mindful of the challenges of this new
period. He remains strong and hopeful about the possibilities of this
next phase of struggle, both in his personal day-to-day life, and
in the movement. He welcomes and is prepared for the change. Below
please also note a special note he dictated to OWS.<br><br>
Mumia reiterated that despite his isolation and the alienating character
of his transfer to Mahanoy, he feels vibrations of love around
him.<br><br>
We await, impatiently, Mumia's transfer to general population and call on
the DA's office to complete the transfer immediately. PLEASE NOTE: The
DA's number and address below.<br><br>
Let us remind the DA that Mumia should have been in general population
since 2001 when Judge Yohn overturned the death penalty in his case; but
the DA's office held him on death row for a decade while it filed losing
appeals. By law, Mumia should be in general population, not in "the
hole." We demand his immediate transfer. <br><br>
With love and solidarity,<br><br>
Johanna Fernandez<br><br>
<br>
</font><font face="Verdana" size=3>SETH WILLIAMS, Philadelphia
DA<br><br>
Three South Penn Square<br>
Corner of Juniper and South Penn Square<br>
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3499<br>
215-686-8000<br><br>
</font><a href="http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/contact.html">
http://www.phila.gov/districtattorney/contact.html</a><br><br>
__________<br><br>
Mumia's Message to OWS as dictated while in Administrative Custody at SCI
Manahoy in Frackville, PA.<br><br>
<br>
Thursday, December 15, 2011<br><br>
My Friends of OWS,<br><br>
My message will have to be brief. But let not this brevity take from it,
its strength.<br><br>
You are the central movement of the hour. You're raising questions that
are in the hearts of millions. Your motto, "We are the 99%,"
has been heard, heeded, and responded to by millions. You can be certain
that the 1% have heard you clearest of all.<br><br>
Your work, however, is just beginning. You must deepen, strengthen, and
further your work until it truly reaches the 99%, almost all of us:
workers, black folk, Latinos and Latinas, LGBTs, immigrants, Asians,
artists, all of us, for we are integral parts of the 99%. I salute you
and hope fervently that you will grow beyond number.<br><br>
Though I speak to you today by proxy, I'm confident that you will here my
voice soon.<br><br>
Love, fun and music,<br><br>
Mumia Abu-Jamal<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
<br><br>
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