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In my last commentary, I talked about the TRUE program in the Cheshire Correctional Institution in Connecticut. It's a program where young prisoners, 18 to 25 years old, are housed together along with a small group of older prisoners, who basically run the unit and serve as mentors. The president of the union representing correction officers in Connecticut, a guy named Rudy [inaudible] is skeptical of TRUE. He feels there's a lack of structure in the program. Specifically, he criticizes TRUE's disciplinary tactics. Punishments can include doing pushups, learning dictionary words, and being fined, instead of being sent to solitary confinement and revoking phone and commissary access. Correction officers are used to using harsh disciplinary tactics, including yelling and using sticks and mace. That's what they do here at Great Meadow Correctional Facility. But it doesn't work. The level of violence here at this facility is unrelenting. So, where is the deterrent effect of solitary confinement, sticks, mace, and

Eyes-Passing of a Healer (2:29) Mumia Abu-Jamal

First off, I like to give my appreciation to those on the outside for the doing what you do to help us prisoners, however little or big. But to introduce myself, my name's James Ward, but everybody calls me J. I'm 29 years old, and I've been locked up since I was 15, unjustly tried as an adult. And since I've been in here, I've been through many struggles and hardships, with hardly any real outside help, besides a few recent friends. I've been beat on by guards, put in solitary confinement for things I didn't do, and forced to pay debts I can't pay. I was also an active participant in the 2018 National Prison Strike. On June 14th, 2018 five COs in SWAT style uniform came in my cell and beat on me, dislocating my left shoulder. Then I was refused medical treatment that was ordered by the outside hospital. I put in a lawsuit concerning all that was involved and as a result, I was beat on again, several months later. On February 22nd, 2019, while in the infirmary on a hunger strike, protesting my issues, three C

I have forgotten how slick and comping the Lancaster mice were. How they shape shift from one dimension to another and ease through cracks so small one cannot see them. One mouse had- has now for weeks outsmarted prisoners and guards and turned his nose up to trap set to ensnare him. The mouse had telepathy or something. I had just moved into cell block five and my plastic container lid was cracked. The mouse came in and slithered through the slit where my packaged food was and proceeded to eat his way through sunflower seeds, destroying two bags. And then he feasted on my Oreo cookies, not just one, but he nibbled on five different cookies. Normally I sought to commune with the different animal species I encounter in prison, yet there was no communication with the super mouse. I only found out about the second bag of sunflower seeds when I picked it up. Seeds fell like rain. The next night I was given a Stick-Em type mousetrap. Sticky traps, ones that are considered humane. For many years building five had b

Mumia Abu-Jamal is bringing attorneys. Judith L. Ritter, a [could not parce] university law school, and Samuel Spital, NAACP legal defense fund, were granted a court ordered discovery request that forced the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to produce material, long buried in countless boxes. Some labeled, I quote, "legislative files." We gaze, awe-struck, into the deep, dark, [inaudible] of an intrinsically racist mindset in the prosecutor's office under Ronald D. Castille, who used Mumia high profile status and an unjust conviction to lobby a powerful political establishment to pass laws requiring the governor’s to quickly sign death warrants, speed up executions, and providing a blueprint for judges dismantling the protections of U.S. Constitution, and the forcement of case laws for the United States Supreme Court of no effect in Pennsylvania. In July 1991, Deputy District Attorney Gail [inaudible] testified under oath before Congress that, in Philadelphia, no such discrimination in jury selection existed. Tho

Two days ago, I received an article entitled quote, "How Scott Semple Helped Turn Connecticut's Prisons Into a Nationally Recognized Laboratory of Reform," end quote, which was posted @wwdotconnecticutmag.com. I had just come back to my cell after my last college class, when I began to read the article. Halfway through the article, I got so excited, I almost couldn't finish reading it. I started to write several letters to people I wanted to tell about the article. I felt the need to take action, but I forced myself to finish the article and to think. What had me so excited is that in 2017, the Connecticut Department of Corrections, working with Vera Institute of Justice, started a pilot program dedicated to creating a better prison environment for young prisoners. Cheshire Correctional Institution was selected as the spot for the program, which is called the TRUE unit, an acronym for: truthfulness to oneself and others, respectfulness toward the community, understanding ourselves and what brought us here, an

MOVE Women: Janet and Janine Africa Free at Last (2:21) Mumia Abu-Jamal

Permanent Political Seasons (2:15) Mumia Abu-Jamal

I'm a man of action. So it bothers me I'm stuck in prison and thus limited in the impact I can make in this world to help myself, help my family, and to help others. I could do more to make a difference behind these walls, but DOC doesn't offer me much of an opportunity to do so. In my efforts to save young prisoners here at Great Meadow, I spearheaded the effort to get a shietsu netsu study group approved. Shietsu netsu is a Kemetic ancient Egyptian religion that teaches self-discovery—or to know thyself—and self-mastery. Shietsu netsu pushes us to walk the earth as giants, being reflections of God, doing great and wonderful deeds. Being that DOCs won't recognize and approve UFD, I decided to use Shietsu netsu to reach young prisoners. Lo and behold, facility administrators here at Great Meadow are deliberately sabotaging my efforts. First, they make us designate the religion we want to participate in. This entails having to fill out a form and to submit it to the coordinator chaplain. I had young guys doing

FBI Spies and Spying (2:52) Mumia Abu-Jamal

Circumstances did not make the man that reveals him to himself. This situation didn't make me strong; it allowed me to see how strong I was. Me being 27, going on my 11th year in prison, and still being here, I'm blessed. Spiritually, I'm growing, but established. Physically, I'm active. Mental, I'm striving. Emotionally, I'm aware. And now I'm ready. Because tested our being and for [inaudible] due to His mercy, making difficulty relaxing to me. So, life as I know it is beautiful, leaving me grateful for the blessings that be. I got my hand, I got my touch, my smell, my taste. I got my five senses. I'm grateful. I have no complaints. My spirit is intact, it hasn't been broken and my faith is strong. Surely, I'm blessed. I have no complaints. This situation has allowed me to see how strong I am. (Sound of a cell door closing.) These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio. 

Only in what I believe in, will I exhaust myself of everything worth striving, in the name of the all loving, in the name of the truth. Because a lot of times we spend too much energy on the things that we will forget later. Life itself just don't give you joy; it give you space, to give yourself to a purpose, and dedicate your being to it. Time is only so long, so every tick of it must be tooken advantage of. Or we'll be cursed by our wastefulness. I'm telling you time is not money. Time, you can't get back. Money, you can make over again. We must not take nothing for granted and use everything we gifted with. Through the eyes of a modest soul, you know, a humble servant. Thank y'all. (Sound of a cell door closing.) These commentaries are recorded by Noelle Hanrahan of Prison Radio. 

My name is Jamil, and this is "A Letter To Her." It's not a time you present your energy to me and my joy levels don't rise. It's no secret I'm attracted to you, your vibe, your eyes, your smile, just all of you. And I display that by risking my whole livelihood, striving to put myself in your world. And you know like I know, that ain't easy, but I'm here, with you right in front of me. And I appreciate you, because it’s been a number of times you've given me your sincerity, you trust. Something I never forsake, something I'll always protect with my piety and my righteousness, as long as I'm able to inhale and exhale. I want you to understand that I'm just not some prison guy. My name is Jamil Pirant, son of [inaudible], who was a student of the slums. I come from a slum tribe, a Chicago family. This is who I am—not a prison number. And I know you understand this, but my mission is you, man. My mission is you. And I can only hope and pray your willing to continue to give yourself to me: my sincerity, my truth

Can you imagine a world without artists? No composers, no painters, no actors, no writers, no sculptors, no singers, no musicians, no film makers, no dancers and no poets. What does a world without handheld hard-written letters and a natural barren landscape—but touch of lips instead of a kiss. People in prison might be the last letter writers in the world, like the Dead Poet's Society or the lost ancient language. Some folks in the free world have never received a letter: not a sad or happy letter, not a real love letter that touches hearts and souls. Some people have grown up without ever having written a letter or even knowing how to address an envelope. Because the art and the soul of letter creating has become truncated, abbreviated, and high-tech. But you cannot replace the stars, the sun, or moon with a pin light, flashlight, or spotlight. Emails and text mails and whatever mails in space will vanish over the years, but the written word stands strong like a mountain. Letter writers create words in thei

As I said in previous commentaries, the United States Supreme Court denied my petition for a writ of certiorari. Thus, declining to hear my case why the court should extend a constitutional right to rehabilitation for juvenile and youthful offenders, who end up in prison, or in prison-like juvenile facilities that make them worse. This was upsetting to me because the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit is robbing me for $505, which is collected out of my meager $12 I make every two weeks: money I was charged for making the argument in that court that juvenile and youthful offenders should be given a constitution right to rehabilitation. After charging me the $505, the Second Circuit turns around and dismisses my case without even hearing my argument. So, what does this all tell me? First, our judicial system is biased against incarcerated pro se litigants. If the same argument was made by a lawyer, the courts would have respected it. But I couldn't get no legal help from none of the legal se

Alienation Nation (2:30) Mumia Abu-Jamal

Michael Paul Astorga and my piece is titled: "Wrongfully and Unjustly Convicted." Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try. Hello, my name is Michael Paul Astorga. I like to start by taking the time to thank you for the opportunity to tell my story. On March 22nd, 2006 at approximately 12:44 AM, a New Mexico state deputy was murdered in the East Mountain. It was the day that will forever change both mine and my loved ones' life as I became the state's number one suspect. After a long four years and a lengthy trial, in May- June of 2010, despite the fact that I was over an hour away from the crime scene, at a friend's home with several witnesses, with no scientific nor forensic evidence, they tied me to the murder. Only one eyewitness that claim she seen a beat-up old white pickup with two men inside, and she said she seen it speed away from the crime scene. Please keep in mind my pickup was golden color and diesel operated. And not to mention key evidence, including dash-camera evidence, footage t

I think of the children of Angola given no fresh water but sold Coca-Cola. Kids killing kids in school, out of loneliness, out of despair, out of wanting the spotlight there. Who feels sad? It's not cool. Yes, it's sad. It's not cool that schools being shot up in America, not many, just a couple now and then. In Angola, soldiers kill not only with guns, but with spears, axes, swords and machetes. Children dying of thirst and of AIDS is worse. I think of the children of Angola given no fresh water but sold Coca-Cola. Children not seen on American TV, too busy following some celebrity. Too busy chasing some politician, getting his [inaudible]. Too busy filming someone pulling a dog from a lake or cat from a tree. Too busy to see that many of the Angolan soldiers are children, forced to kill over and over again, some before the age of 10. Sometimes their own moms and dads. Children dying of thirst and of AIDS is worse. I think of the children of Angola given no fresh water but sold Coca-Cola. Who feels sad? It's

Uh, my name is uh, Fred Jackson. I'm addressing some concerns as to, uh, systematic poisoning in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation at high level security uh, prisons. Uh, particularly, uh Tehachapi state prison. Tey have, uh, high content of lead, which is, uh, exceeding the maximum contaminant levels. And it causes, uh, brain damage, high blood pressure, muscle pain, memory, and concentration problems. Most symptoms were never- they were concealed from the inmates. Uh, I found this as uh, seems like a pattern of housing, uh, troubled inmates, problem and problematic inmates and inmates who are litigators and just people that they don't really care for. Uh, this is occurred, you know in Kern Valley State Prison as well, but the, the situation was, uh, arsenic in the water as opposed to lead. And, these are the lead poisoning and the arsenic poisoners seems like a pattern of behavior by the California Department of Corrections in housing most of the undesirable inmates. Uh, the arseni

The Power of Movements (1:47) Mumia Abu-Jamal