abuse of power

Albert Woodfox, 43 years in Solitary,”Buddy Caldwell and Burl Cain made this case personal”

Posted on by CatAprilWatters

Albert Woodfox was released last Friday after spending 43 years in Solitary Confinement in a 6 x 9 ft cell for 23 hrs a day in Angola prison in Louisiana, longer than anyone in the history of the United States. Albert Woodfox was one of 3 black me arrested in the 60’s for being involved wit the Black Panther party. He went straight to his mothers grave because he wasn’t allowed out when she died. He also visited his sisters grave who died while he was behind bars.

Albert was serving a 5 year sentence for armed robbery when he and another inmate, Herman Wallace, were accused of stabbing a Corrections Officer in 1972 extending his sentence. Albert and Herman always maintained their innocence and said they were targeted for organizing a chapter of the Black Panther party in the prison, protesting against horrific prison conditions. Along with a 3rd man, Robert King, were known as the Angola 3. Amnesty International and other groups campaigned to free the 3 men. Woodfox was the last of the 3 men to be freed. Robert King was freed in 2001 when his conviction of murdering an inmate was overturned. Herman Wallace was freed in 2013, a few days before dying of cancer but, the state refused to free Woodfox until last Friday.

Woodfox’ first conviction was overturned and the state of Louisiana retried him successfully in 1998. A federal Judge ruled in 2014 that Woodfox should be freed on the grounds of racial discrimination in his retrial. Then, Attorney General, Buddy Caldwell planned to try Albert Woodfox again. U.S. middle court judge, James Brady, ordered Albert’s release based on 5 facts; Albert’s age and poor health, the unavailability to provide witnesses, “This court lacks the confidence of the state to provide a fair 3rd trial, The prejudice done onto Mr Woodfox by spending 40 years in Solitary Confinement, and finally, the very fact that Mr. Woodfox has already been tried twice and would otherwise face a third trial for a crime that occurred over 40 years ago.” The 5th circuit then approved continued detention for Albert.

Amy Goodman asks Albert Woodfox how it feels to be “Free”. That would mean that all of us out here are free and nothing could be further from the truth. Albert Woodfox might not be it literal prison but, he is still in the prison in his mind and in this larger prison called society.

Albert Woodfox was able to read in is cell which enabled him to maintain his focus and not be broken by being in solitary and stay in touch with the outside world. He read history books and books on Malcolm X, Dr King, & James Baldwin. Albert was allowed 2 visitors a month but, his family was unable to come too much due to distance.

A key witness in the “murder” of the Corrections Officer said he witnessed the murder but, who’s credibility was questionable. At first the witness said he wasn’t anywhere around and knew nothing about the murder. A couple of night later he was dragged out of bed in the middle of the night and interrogated under bright lights and told by the guards on night duty if he helped them crack the case they would get the “witness” his freedom. The “witness”, Hezakiah Brown, then said the killers were Wallace and Woodfox.  Hilton Butler, a former Warden, is heard on tape saying that “you could words in Hezakiah Brown’s mouth.

Albert Woodfox stated that at that time he and Herman Wallace were very active in the prison organizing resistance around the corruption in the prison such as brutal beatings, and killings. It’s ironic that those organizing against brutal beatings and killings, even of the guard, are the ones blamed for killing the guard and put into CCR. Even the wife of the guard said she did not believe Woodfox and Wallace killed her husband. She said “It’s time the state stop acting like there’s any evidence that Albert Woodfox killed Brent. After years of looking at the evidence and soul searching and praying I realized I could not believe what I was told to believe by a state that did not take care of Brent while he was working at Angola and did not take care of me when he was killed”, Teenie Rodgers.

Long time Angola Warden Burl Cain said he would keep Woodfox in lockdown regardless of his crimes since, “I know he’s still trying to practice Black Pantherism”.

Albert Woodfox, “BURL CAIN AND BUDDY CALDWELL MADE THIS CASE PERSONAL. SO PERSONAL TO THE POINT WHERE THEY TOTALLY DISREGARD CONSTITUTION, STATUTORY LAW, DUE PROCESS, LACK OF EVIDENCE. THEY JUST DECIDED I WAS GUILTY, HERMAN WAS GUILTY AND KEEP US IN JAIL UNTIL WE BOTH DIED. Unfortunately, they almost succeeded. As tragic as it was to lose Herman, he died a Free man”.

And Might I add,, This is EXACTLY how this ENTIRE country is run! People in “power”, from “Parents” to “Presidents”, Corporations and bankers (but corporations and banks are not in power to protect and raise the people), doing what ever they want irregardless of laws, truth, justice and facts.

I am so compelled to write after hearing stories like this because it’s the same situation I felt and experienced growing up in my house as a child. I’m not going to stop writing about my upbringing because I had no voice for so long, was silenced exactly like Albert Woodfox, Robert King and Herman Wallace not because of any facts, truth or evidence but, because of people abusing their power and making situations personal.

My story is very similar except it happened with people who are supposed to be family. I naturally protested in my house about the unacceptable conditions of domestic violence, stress and abuse I was forced to live with as a child. I’ve written about it on a previous blogs and have to write about it over and over to plead my own case of feeling guilty since I’m 8 years old for standing up for myself and needing those in “power” to do their jobs and at least make an attempt to create a decent, healthy environment I could grow in.

The same thing that happened to Wallace and Woodfox happened to me. It was personal. Who ever has power, as incompetent and they are, can just decide to make someone guilty and imprison them. The “family” is the easiest place this is done. “Parents” or a “parent” as in my case because my father was out of the house by the time I was 6, who are not emotionally mature, which most are not, can easily respond from a place of Personal and be triggered by a child’s healthy resistance and determination to assert their separateness.

I’ve read and studied many books on emotional and relationship health over the decades for this exact reason. It doesn’t matter who someone is or what their role in life is, if they’re emotionally immature and developmentally arrested they will abuse their power and do to innocent people what warden, Burl Cain and attorney general, Buddy Caldwell did to the Angola 3. The same thing my mother did to me. The very people depended upon to protect our rights, stand for truth and justice are doing the exact OPPOSITE and VIOLATING them instead!

I felt psychologically imprisoned my entire life not just from having my rights violated in my house by my “parent” but, when I stood up to that abusive parent I was guilted again by neighbors and other “adults” around me who all made excuses and let off the very person who is supposed to be there for me to rely on. So many people are programmed to let those in “power” off, even when they’re clearly wrong and abusive. People are completely Unconscious. This is what must be addressed. It’s the actions and the behaviors that need to be paid attention to, not what position a person holds. I call it, looking at the ingredients instead of the packaging. Look beneath the surface to who the person is, not what’s on the outside, like you would if you were on a date with someone.

Just as in the case of 28 year old Akai Gurley here in Brooklyn, NY, killed by NYPD Peter Liang last Nov when Peter Liang mistakenly fired his gun which ricocheted off a stairwell wall hitting Gurley in the chest killing him. Asians started rallying around Asian Peter Liang calling to get the conviction dropped saying it was accidental. The Aunt of Akai Gurley points out the same fact that I tried pointing out decades ago when people said the same thing about my mother, “oh, her abuse was unintentional, She didn’t mean to cause harm”, or “she couldn’t raise you good because nobody taught her”. All these “excuses” are Betrayals and NOT things ADULTS should be telling a child. Adults these days are total LOSERS and COWARDS and pretty soon it will be revealed because Nature does not tolerate excuses. People are Clearly Advocating then, being allowed to pass down their incompetence. They, literally, were telling me right to my face, just like in the case of Woodfox and Wallace, that people in “power” can do what ever they want and get away with it. The “adults”, instead of stepping up to the bar and being the smart, role model people children need and deserve, instead, guilt a child into submission and brainwash them into accepting garbage and abuse. THIS IS THE WORLD WE ARE LIVING IN.

In Akai Gurley’s case, his Aunt, Hertencia Petersen addressed the Asians rallying to let off Peter Liang telling them that if it was such a mistake killing her nephew then why didn’t Peter Liang do anything to help Akai Gurley? Why didn’t Peter Liang call for help instead of worrying about his job and calling his Union rep instead? Why didn’t Peter Liang administer CPR on Akai Gurley himself as he is trained instead of an untrained downstairs neighbor doing it?

The VERY SAME point I was left on my own to make as a CHILD to the “adults” I was surrounded by when they through all the Lame reasons not ONE adult could be there for you. If my mother was so unintentional, then why didn’t she apologies, why didn’t she do anything to make up for the harm she clearly caused? Why didn’t she admit responsibility as she was, instead of trying to save herself and pawn the responsibility onto me, the total innocent one? Why didn’t she ever do anything to change her behavior and try to do better? Instead, she just kept right on doing the same behavior for the rest of her life.

Is natural law going to simply be suspended because a “parent” calls in sick indefinitely? Is a child magically going to not have needs that must be met just because a “parent” is incompetent and emotionally unfit? People think if they have excuses natural law is going to just be suspended and let them off the hook. Nature will function no matter what and people will need what they need and deserve what they deserve irregardless of whether or not someone in power likes it or not.

All people deserve to be healthy and free. All people deserve to grow to be their unique selves and share their unique talents and gifts with the world. For anyone to assert themselves and their spirit, especially in conditions of abuse and brutality, is called NORMAL and HEALTHY. For a warden or a “parent” to want to crush a person simply for being healthy and asserting their rights, self worth and practice Black Pantherism because they feel threatened and get off on using their power to violate people’s rights is the most egregious abuse of power there is. These people in power are there to UPHOLD LAWS, UPHOLD JUSTICE, PROTECT PEOPLE’S RIGHTS, NOT VIOLATE THEM. How this Attorney General got away with it is also due to the fact that people in the “justice” system bow to people in power worse than the Angola 3 did. Why doesn’t someone in the Justice system in Louisiana step up and say something about the abuse of power that’s going on to get the warden and AG held accountable?

When are people going to function according to nature and health instead of what’s on the surface? This judge completely disregarded LAW, DUE PROCESS, the CONSTITUTION and made a case personal! That’s OUTRAGEOUS! And those responsible for keeping Albert Woodfox in Solitary for 43 years need to be arrested and placed in Solitary themselves!

 

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NYPD Peter Liang trial for accidentally shooting to death Akai Gurley

Posted on by CatAprilWatters
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After giving statement to the press during a lunch break on Monday, the aunt of Akai Gurley who was shot and killed by a bullet fired accidentally by NYPD Peter Liang Nov 20 2014 in the pink houses in east NY Brooklyn while on vertical patrol.

I sat for the first day of trial on Monday for NYPD cop, I don’t use the term Officer, Peter Liang who fired his gun that ricocheted off a stair well wall hitting Akai Gurley in the chest killing him.

 November 20, 2014 at the Pink Houses, 2724 Linden Blvd. in east NY Akai Gurley and his girlfriend Melissa Butler took the stairs when the elevator took too long at around 11pm at night. Peter Liang and his partner, Shaun Landau, were ‎doing vertical patrol.
 The lighting in the stair well at the Pink Houses ‎on the 7th fl were out. Possibly a second fl also, that wasn’t clear. However, there was no threat, no crime, no call on radio and yet Peter Liang had his gun drawn and finger on the trigger.
 The prosecuting attorney did a good job during opening statement. Marc Fliedner made the point that NYPD modified the trigger on their guns, the 9MM Semi auto, making it harder to fire the gun by making it harder to pull the trigger. He said PL violated training by having his gun out. The prosecutor got down on his knee in front of the jury illustrating how PL didn’t even get close to Akai Gurley to help him in anyway after shooting him as AG lay bleeding on the stairwell landing. The fact that PL didn’t do anything to help AG after “accidentally” shooting him was no accident.
That is also what’s being argued. That also makes PL guilty.
 The words of PL’s partner were, “What the fuck just happened?” PL’s response was “I shot by accident”.  Then, the fact that PL was more concerned with losing his job and contacting the union instead of radioing  the shooting and calling for help. The 2 partners argued for 4 mins not even knowing someone was shot and that Akai Gurley ran down the 2 flights then lay bleeding on the 5th Fl landing.
 It ended up being the 4th fl neighbor, Melissa Lopez, who was asked to call 911 by AG’s girlfriend‎, Melissa Butler. Melissa Lopez didn’t even know it was the 2 cops who appeared at the 5th fl landing while she was on the call with 911 who were responsible for the shooting. She thought they showed up as a result of her 911 call.
 ‎ The defense attorney, in her opening statement, asked the jury to find the defendant innocent after she went through a mirade of lame excuses; it’s a “high crime” area, that they were on their way to the roof where it’s a known crime area. Wall St is a high crime area, the pink houses is a by-product. Places like the pink houses are there to give people like Peter Liang the belief that he’s “doing” something, has a job which is nothing more than keeping the “poor” exactly where they are and the “rich”, really insane Madmen, where they are.
 Other excuses were the lights out in the stair well, that PL was a rookie with little time on the job, ‎that the 2 cops just came from a previous stressful call, etc.

 The fact that the defense ‎even thinks that PL should be set free, totally innocent of any wrong doing when the simple fact is, that he fired a shot that killed a human being, is just adding insult to injury.

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Akai Gurley’s aunt, Hertencia Petersen, walking with supporters during lunch break on Monday, the first day of trial for the NYPD cop who fired a shot that killed Akai Gurley.
 People in positions of power who claim to be there to serve & protect, which many are realizing is simply not true. The system is all about profit. policing has become For Profit, the jails are now For Profit. There is no incentive for people to do what’s “right” because there’s no $$ in it.
 ‎ Again, this is the macro of the micro I’ve been speaking about since the early 70’s. Those who are supposed to be in a position of helping are doing the opposite and it’s those they’re supposed to be protecting who are picking up the tab for their incompetence. If that’s helping and protecting, thanks but, No Thanks! Not only does Akia Gurley end up shot dead, PL doesn’t call it in, doesn’t administer CPR and Now wants to get off scott Free!
 The message is clear. Those in power are NOT there for us, they’re there for THEM. It’s like being in a forced relationship with someone you know is not in your best interest and you can’t get out of it. Like “family”. Children don’t ask to be born or choose their parents.
 This is the same scenario I’ve been trying to point out all my life about “family”. If this is family, who needs enemies? The “family”, My “family”, parent(s) were exactly the same. You’re in a forced relationship with them who are clearly not in your best interest and you’re trapped. They’re there for themselves at your expense. The facts are the facts.
 All people did when I was a child was say to me “oh, you’re poor mother” when I tried expressing the abuse and harm I was suffering. Everyone around me was in on bailing out the perp. All people did was make excuses for the perp and allow the most vulnerable child take the fall. These are facts. There is no one there for you. All who should be there are not. They’re the opposite and sell you out. Those in “power” make the mess then when those to whom they’ve made the mess of respond justifiably They are the ones who get criminalized. There is no one there to help you become someone, No one there teaching you that you’re valuable, that you’re loved, cared for, that you matter, that you have value and that you have a RIGHT to stand up for yourself. It is any wonder there’s no one teaching the young the most important thing there is to learn? Is it any wonder the PTB want to break up the family? For exactly that reason, so they can have weakened, obedient people who are not strong. I have every right now to call out the poor treatment I had to deal with then and had NO ability to. It’s a social Avalanche when there is no reinforcement in place for the most vulnerable and the entire weight of society is crushing them.
 What’s incredible about the case of Akai Gurley and Peter Liang is that physics doesn’t lie. Akai Gurley is dead. That can’t be undone. And yet, despite that fact, there is a trial trying to get Peter Liang off. That makes no sense. He killed Akai Gurley. He admitted to firing the shot. How is this complicated?
 If PL gets off, all Hell should break loose!‎ This entire system is exactly the larger version of my “growing up”. The people in charge are the OPPOSITE of who they should be and use the people as a garbage dump for their error. All I heard as a kid was “oh, your poor mother, she couldn’t treat you right because no one taught her”. Think abou that. What kind of people teach a child to allow themselves to let the one person who they NEED to be there for them, to instead, let them off the hook? Everyone around is completely betraying that child. Leaving a child totally alone and making excuses for the lame parent. It’s sickening what people get away with. A child cannot afford to not have a healthy adult there for them. Are the laws of physics going to get suspended because the “parent” is incompetent and has a million and one excuses why they can’t treat a child the way that child deserves?  NO! That child will be forever harmed and their life completely altered and damaged by not having any healthy adult, leader there protecting and sticking up for them.
 Like the case of Peter Liang, who wants to get off for taking someone’s life, because, afterall, the people have no value. So what if PL killed Akai Gurley. The cops probably are taught that the public is the enemy and are out to get them which is why Liang had his gun out and his finger on the trigger in the first place. The public is there to generate revenue. That’s it. That’s clear.
 People can’t even have Families any more with partners and parents who truly do right by them never mind ‎having a system and police who give a shit about them.
 The system is so imbalanced to begin with. It’s completely an un equal playing field. Those who have no recourse and no leverage are being thrown  ‎to the “wolves”. I don’t like using animals to make these kinds of point because humans are worse.
 Noche Diaz, and activist and demonstrator from Stop Mass Incarceration and the Revolutionary Communist Party is being threatened with a ridiculous amount of jail time for protesting!  ‎He had a court date this morning. They were looking to give him something like 13 years!
 What kind of system are we living in where “cops” can get off for MURDER and Noche Diaz can see over 10 for protesting???
 I lived in a house that nearly drove me to madness when I was a child. A CHILD has NO Recourse! THERE IS NO WHERE TO TURN! THERE IS NO ONE TO TURN TO when the system has deteriorated so badly, morals, values, family has been sold for profit. “Parents”‎, relatives and neighbors are such cowards they allow a child to take the fall. The public has become so complacent and void of any kind of fitness and standards whatsoever.
 I had NO eyelashes from the 2nd to the 5th grade due to stress. I had no one by myself to stand up for me from the age of 6 on because I was smart enough to speak out about growing up in an unhealthy environment. How dare you be healthy and their sick and abusive environment not be good enough for you. How dare your body have healthy responses to the unacceptable conditions and treatment they force you to live in. How dare people like Kalief Browder not be able to stand the horror and torture of being innocent and kept in Rikers Island for “stealing a backpack” without charge or trial and not be able to deal with the beatings and abuse he was subjected to there. How dare Akai Gurley get in the way of Peter Liang’s bullet.
 How dare I feel I deserve justice and compensation for the abuse and harmful environment I was forced to endure as a child with NO “adult” with Any courage there for protection. I have no choice but to speak out now that I’m older on my own behalf because there was no one to do it for me who was entrusted to. As long as the young have no one there truly looking out for them they’re going to be crushed. ‎Like animals, people in the middle east, the vulnerable and the environment.
 Capitalism MUST end. The profit junkies who’ve hijacked all the $ and power must be brought down. And it must be done soon!
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Hertencia Petersen, Akai Gurley’s aunt said at the #RiseUpOctober protest about Akai Gurley’s mother, “She has a hole in her heart that will never be healed”. This picture from Monday’s trial of Peter Liang outside during a lunch break Hertencia gives a statement to the press.