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LOCAL Announcement :: Crime & Police
Anarchist prisoner Shaka N'Zinga needs support now
New Afrikan anarchist prisoner Shaka N'Zinga has the opportunity now to get his case back into court and potentially be released within 3 or 4 years. But he will need financial support and grassroots organizing to support his struggle.
PLEASE FORWARD TO ANY INTERESTED PEOPLE OR LISTS
Shaka N'Zinga, a New Afrikan anarchist writer and activist who has been held captive for over 15 years, is at a crucial point in his legal struggle and in desperate need of funds to continue his fight for freedom. Many of you are probably familiar with Shaka through his writings in prison movement newsletters over the years, or through his recently published novel _A Disjointed Search For The Will to Live_ ( available from Soft Skull Press - softskull.com ).
Shaka, now 31 years old, is serving two consecutive 20-to-life sentences on felony rape and murder charges. Entering the system as a functionally illiterate 15-year-old, he was picked to take the rap for an incident in which he was only marginally involved after the fact. Overlooking the initial statements from witnesses, the state's attorney pressured a key witness to change his testimony and implicate Shaka. The public defender assigned to his case colluded in the frame-up by convincing him that his only option was to accept the state's plea bargain, effectively sealing his fate.
In 1995, Shaka and his family hired paid counsel and filed a post-conviction appeal. The appeal was summarily denied, as were all the subsequent appeals. The difficulty of appealing a plea-bargain, the lawyer's negligence in failing to bring up significant issues, and Shaka's inexperience in directing a legal strategy and handling a lawyer were too much to overcome.
Because of the initial plea-bargain and the denial of the first post-conviction petition, Shaka's best option at this point is to apply for a modification of sentence. This is not ideal; it would leave him with a felony conviction and a sex offence conviction on his record which would follow him wherever he goes. But it seems probable that if the case was brought to court, a relatively unbiased judge would agree to modify Shaka's sentence to something like 25 years - more in line with sentencing norns - which could mean the difference between being released in 3 or 4 years and remaining in prison for another 20 years.
Shaka has retained local attorney Larry Nathans to work on his petition. Nathans is a high-profile attorney with a strong reputation for filing successful suits on behalf of prisoners - most recently, he was instrumental in overturning the conviction of Mike Austin, who has been speaking out in support of Shaka since his release. Nathans' fee is $20,000, which Shaka and his supporters have been raising and paying over the past few years. To date, we have raised slightly over $16,000. However, we're far behind on our payment schedule and in danger of losing this opportunity if we can't come up with the remaining balance shortly.
To this end, we're putting out the call for people who have known Shaka over the years to step up and help us raise the necessary funds. Checks or money orders can be sent directly to Larry Nathans's office with "Shaka N'Zinga" in the memo line. Please contact Claustrophobia or Shaka directly as well to let us know how much is sent.
For more information, please contact:
Claustrophobia
P.O. Box 1721
Baltimore, MD 21203
claustro.phobia-AT-verizon.net
or
Shaka N'Zinga (Wiggins 196612)
P.O. Box 534
Jessup, MD 20794
. . . until all are free . . .
Shaka N'Zinga, a New Afrikan anarchist writer and activist who has been held captive for over 15 years, is at a crucial point in his legal struggle and in desperate need of funds to continue his fight for freedom. Many of you are probably familiar with Shaka through his writings in prison movement newsletters over the years, or through his recently published novel _A Disjointed Search For The Will to Live_ ( available from Soft Skull Press - softskull.com ).
Shaka, now 31 years old, is serving two consecutive 20-to-life sentences on felony rape and murder charges. Entering the system as a functionally illiterate 15-year-old, he was picked to take the rap for an incident in which he was only marginally involved after the fact. Overlooking the initial statements from witnesses, the state's attorney pressured a key witness to change his testimony and implicate Shaka. The public defender assigned to his case colluded in the frame-up by convincing him that his only option was to accept the state's plea bargain, effectively sealing his fate.
In 1995, Shaka and his family hired paid counsel and filed a post-conviction appeal. The appeal was summarily denied, as were all the subsequent appeals. The difficulty of appealing a plea-bargain, the lawyer's negligence in failing to bring up significant issues, and Shaka's inexperience in directing a legal strategy and handling a lawyer were too much to overcome.
Because of the initial plea-bargain and the denial of the first post-conviction petition, Shaka's best option at this point is to apply for a modification of sentence. This is not ideal; it would leave him with a felony conviction and a sex offence conviction on his record which would follow him wherever he goes. But it seems probable that if the case was brought to court, a relatively unbiased judge would agree to modify Shaka's sentence to something like 25 years - more in line with sentencing norns - which could mean the difference between being released in 3 or 4 years and remaining in prison for another 20 years.
Shaka has retained local attorney Larry Nathans to work on his petition. Nathans is a high-profile attorney with a strong reputation for filing successful suits on behalf of prisoners - most recently, he was instrumental in overturning the conviction of Mike Austin, who has been speaking out in support of Shaka since his release. Nathans' fee is $20,000, which Shaka and his supporters have been raising and paying over the past few years. To date, we have raised slightly over $16,000. However, we're far behind on our payment schedule and in danger of losing this opportunity if we can't come up with the remaining balance shortly.
To this end, we're putting out the call for people who have known Shaka over the years to step up and help us raise the necessary funds. Checks or money orders can be sent directly to Larry Nathans's office with "Shaka N'Zinga" in the memo line. Please contact Claustrophobia or Shaka directly as well to let us know how much is sent.
For more information, please contact:
Claustrophobia
P.O. Box 1721
Baltimore, MD 21203
claustro.phobia-AT-verizon.net
or
Shaka N'Zinga (Wiggins 196612)
P.O. Box 534
Jessup, MD 20794
. . . until all are free . . .
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