Committee to End the Marion Lockdown
The Committee to End the Marion Lockdown (CEML) was a movement organization that opposed control unit prisons in particular, and racism and oppression in general. It was founded in 1985 and came to a close in 2000. Over the course of those 15 years, CEML led and organized hundreds of educational programs and demonstrations in many parts of the country and tried to build a national movement against “end-of-the-line” prisons. Along the way the Committee wrote thousands of pages of educational and agitational literature and pioneered new ways of analyzing and fighting against this national quagmire that morphed into the proliferation of the “prison industrial complex.”
Collection includes: Publications on their efforts to shut down the Marion Prison control unit, prevent the opening of USP Florence, CO; protests against toxic water at Crab Orchard Lake; efforts to improve conditions for inmates; efforts to stop the proliferation of Control Units in general; and further human rights and social justice in the US prison system.
Kurshan, N. (2012). OUT OF CONTROL: A Chronological Narrative of the Committee to End the Marion Lockdown's 15 Year Struggle (manuscript ed., p. 1).
Documents
Allegation of ill-treatment in Marion Prison, Illinois, USA
Also known as: Amnesty International Report on Marion written 1987, produced 1988 and reproduced by CEML 1991 . Allegations of ill-treatment guards towards prisoners of Marion penitentiary. Includes 1) Report on Prisoners' lawsuit against Marion Prison, Illinois, USA / David Matas. 1/1986. 2) Letter to Dir. Norman Carlson from Jose Zalaquett for A.I. Secretary General inquiring into an official investigation. 3/22/1984. 4) Letter to Jose Zalaquett from Carlson asserting no further investigation was needed. 4/3/1984. 5) Letter to Carlson from Clayton Yeo citing Matas' report and A.I. recommendation for a full, impartial investigation. 12/30/1986. 6) Response Carlson referencing modifications of prison procedures and pending litigation before U.S.D.C Southern District, IL. 2/4/1987. 7) Further response to Yeo Carlson. 2/27/1987. 8) Response from Yeo stating inadequacies of the litigation. 3/20/1987. Part of packet (Enclosure 1).
Letter to Michael J. Quinlan
Response to BOP Dir. Quinlan's letter sent 11/28/1990. Requests information on plans for USP Florence, CO. Part of packet (Enclosure 6).
Letter to William J. Hughes
Letter expressing concern over the planned construction of new CUP in Florence, Colorado. References attached enclosures. Part of Packet.
Letter to Jan Susler
Letter to CEML Jan Susler from General Counsel Cheney regarding inquiry for information on plans for USP Florence, CO. Asserts no documents for plans at Florence exist Part of packet (Enclosure 8)
Letter to Friends
Regarding call to action on 11/17/1990 at Depaul university and a packet of information, including questions regarding the planned control Unit in Florence, CO.
Letter to Wallace H. Cheney
CEML response to BOP General Counsel Cheney's letter dated 12/31/1991. exposes inconsistencies in statements that there are no documents associated with the plans of USP Florence, CO. Asserts FOIA request. Part of packet (Enclosure 9)
Letter to Glenn Good
Letter responding to request for information CEML dated 1/22/1991. Details planned living conditions for inmates. Part of packet (Enclosure 10)
Letter to Friends
Letter informing members of CEML activities; references enclosure for second issue of Walkin' Steel.