After more than 10 years in solitary confinement and enduring many years of torture and abuse, Mr. Duane Peters has maxed out of solitary on 10/14/14 and will be released into general population.  

California Families Against Solitary Confinement at the Left Form, 1 Jun...

After almost a year of going back and forth with the court, who in my opinion, was using incompetence as a retaliation and to hold up the case. Duane Peters has been found competent to stand trial on November 10, 2014.  

 UPDATE ON ANDRE JACOBS CIVIL TRIAL

Even though both of the defendants told different stories, the defendant being caught in more than a few lies,  and the co-defendant admitting that Andre was pushed and held up against a wall, the jury decided in favor of the defendants in about 2 hours.  Not very happy, but all we can do is keep on keeping on and fighting!  In the words of Maya Angelou:

"You may encounter many defeats but you must not be defeated."

DALLAS 6 WILL HAVE JUSTICE IN THE COURTS ON MAY 5TH!!!

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Dallas 6: Peaceful Protesters Charged with Riot in Solitary Confinement

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January 2, 2014 Radio Show 

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Andre Jacobs Court Update

Today is the last witness, closing statements  and then jury deliberation.  Court starts at 10:30 at the U.S. Courthouse U.S. Courthouse, 700 Grant Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. 

Andre Jacobs, one of the Dallas 6, is in court this week for a civil case against US Marshalls and Allegheny County.  On March 3, of 2005, Andre was in court for another civil matter.  There was retaliation going on such as his witnesses not receiving meals, confiscation of his eyeglasses and racist slurs just to name a few.  On a trip to the holding cells for a morning recess, Andre was pushed into the elevator then pushed into the back wall, then choked until the door opened on the third floor to let a passenger on.  When the door opened, standing there was a court employee.  She says the door was opened for about 10-15 seconds and that Andre was screaming for help. Yet, this court employee, even though it was protocol and her duty, did not report the incident to anyone because she felt he did not need any help.  It’s real simple, she didn’t report it because it was marshals with whom she works with every day, and because who cares if someone’s abusing a prisoner.  Isn’t that what they deserve?  I guess she thought no one would find her and subpoena her to court. 

Apparently, he was escorted by two individuals one a federal marshal, one a ACJ guard who escorted with the marshals as a part-time job.  The federal marshal was the one who actually put his hands on Andre and the ACJ guard is the one who did not intervene.  According to the ACJ guard, the marshal pushed Andre into the elevator because he was refusing to go in.  Then once he got him in the elevator, he pushed him up against the wall and held him there from the 9th to the 2nd floor.  He did not see him choking or even remember stopping on the 3rd floor.  According to the marshal, nothing whatsoever happened.  It was a normal escort.  The marshal was very cocky and you could tell if you got out of line with him, he would put his hands on you.  He got caught in several lies on the stand and just dismissed them by being even cockier.  (Typical of guards who abuse people and almost always get away with it.)

Anyway, there was an expert witness who described various uses of force and explained scenarios and what would and would not be considered use of excessive force.  Choking a prisoner is excessive force, Pushing a prisoner is excessive force.  According to the witness, when another guard is present during use of excessive force, he should intervene and not look the other way.  When’s the last time you ever heard of that happening?

DALLAS 6 TRIAL UPDATE

 

 The case has been postponed to May....but of course! On January 21, we went in for Judge Gelb to deny the rest of the pretrial motions as she has not acknowledged any of the case law pertaining to the motions or given any case law in defense of her denials to date. The air in the courtroom was as usual one of disrespect and intimidation. Guards hawk-eyed us from the moment we got in the courtroom, watched every move and every word we said. We had a guard come stand at the end of our row with her hands in a intimidating way (fist in palm). I think they still think its slavery days in that county. She also bumped into one of the supporters and then grimaced at her. But at the same time they were watching us we were writing notes on their every move and staring right back. 

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED!  

We will not be intimidated and corrupt Luzerne "kids for cash" county SHOULD  not continue to think they are going to get away with maliciously prosecuting these men. The men held their own under the duress of being handcuffed throughout and unable to handle their paperwork which is illegal. They cited case law after case law which the judge did not acknowledge or consider!!! They were yelled at to sit down like they were animals if they stood to address the judge which is what you normally do when you address the court. But its quite clear a black man can't stand up or speak for himself without it being regarded as disrespect! 

As one of the supporters Karen Lee state "The judge was grossly inept, biased and shredded the constitution like it was confetti. In this hearing, the Dred Scott decision was acutely evident whereby black men had no rights that whites had to respect. " One thing for sure! We shall not be moved and Luzerne County is going to remember who they f-----d with when we get done. We will continue to build support and we will continue to do everything we can to SHUT THIS DOWN!!!

Audio - Carrington Keys gives update on Dallas 6 Trial

 JUSTICE FOR THE DALLAS 6

PACK THE COURTROOM

January 21, 2014

1:00 pm

Luzerne County Courthouse

200 N. River St
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711

Judge Lisa Gelb

In April 2010, at SCI Dallas (PA), after a series of abuses at the hands of corrections officials, 6 prisoners housed in the solitary confinement unit decided they had enough and decided to stage a protest in response to the inhumane conditions and mistreatment of prisoners. Each prisoner involved in the protest is now collectively referred to as the Dallas 5.    They are Andre Jacobs, Carrington Keys, Anthony Locke, Duane Peters and Derrick Stanley. They peacefully covered their cell windows and barricaded their doors to protect themselves from harm after guards began beating prisoners one by one. They asked for an outside official to come into the prison and mediate between the inmates and guards, who were abusing prisoners.  Instead of receiving this mediation by an outside official, guards attacked the Dallas 5 with pepper spray, Tasers, and their fists.

For peacefully demonstrating for an end to human rights abuses, these men suffered retaliation and criminal charges of riot.   Contrary to the charges, these men did not incite riot. They did not cause or create riot!  They had no ability to do so within a single cell solitary confinement unit!  These same men contributed to the Human Rights Coalition report which detailed ongoing abuses and human rights violations within the dungeons of this state and especially at SCI Dallas.  These charges are inappropriate; non-violent protests are always handled through internal Pennsylvania Department of Corrections disciplinary actions not criminal court.

As revealed in the Human Rights Coalition report and before the House of Representatives, there has long been a policy within the prison walls of Dallas and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) to operate a corrupt administration under an iron wall of silence.   Under this code of silence, SCI Dallas, PA DOC, District Attorney’s Office, Attorney General’s Office as well as the Pennsylvania State Police operates in participation and conjunction with one another to cover up crimes and misconduct by overlooking video footage of officers, the real criminals, committing human rights violations.   The guards should be on trial and not the Dallas 5.