Sunday August 06, @03:35AM
A half-dozen recently released R2K prisoners held an emotional
press conference Saturday afternoon. They described repeated
instances of police brutality and neglect during their time in
custody. The extraordinary bails (as high as $1 million) being
levied against protesters also came under fire.
"I think these bails are meant to stifle dissent," said Paul Hesnekker
of the R2K Legal Team. "It's part of an attempt to criminalize
political activism in this country."
Jimmy Graham, a legal oberver for the National Lawyers Guild, was
arrested when he tried to film a group of police officers who
ambushed a young woman wearing a Rainbow-colored bandana. She was
suffering an asthma attack and vomiting. When Graham told her she
would be o.k., the police began slamming his head into the wall.
He would later be charged with four misdemenors: failure to disperse,
disorderly conduct, obstruction of a highway and obstruction of
justice.
"I foolishly thought I wouldn't be arrested because I was a legal
observer," Graham said. "I thought the yellow hat would give me at
least a little bit of protection."
Graham was taken to the hospital for treatment of his head wounds.
He was told by a police officer that he would be charged with
aggravated assault of an officer for having done so.
Later, after he was discharged to the 23rd precinct station, Graham
was placed in a jail cell that had no running water with which he
could wash his wounds. Fellow prisoners used wawa tea cartons to pass
along water to Graham before they were confiscated by guards.
Jordan, a labor organizer from New York city, said that it was common
at the Roundhouse for five or six prisoners to be held in a single
5'x7' cell with one metal cot. Joseph Rogers, a local Quaker activist,
said prisoners were subject to random beatings. "It didn't really
matter if you were cooperating," he said. "They still treated you
with brutality."
Jessica Mammarella, a sophomore at Temple University, was one of
78 "puppetistas" arrested Tuesday at the puppet warehouse on 41st
and Haverford Avenue. She said she ws placed on a boiling hot bus
for hours without water before the police gave the 32 arrestees on
board a 16 oz. water bottle to share. Later, as it began raining,
Mammarella was able to stick her middle and index fingers through
a slit in the bus window. The rainwater ran down her arm and people
took turns drinking it as it trickled off her elbow. When people
were too weak to get up, others would cup their hands beneath
Mammarella's elbows and carry the rusty-tasting water to their
friends.
"You guys don't think about it," she said."But it felt great
to be able to drink water."
Mammarella faces nine misdemenor charges. She posted a
$1,500 bond, which came out of tuition money she had saved
for the fall semester.
"I feel so righteous," she said. "We did nothing wrong.
Our puppets will be seen" * * For more about what it's like
to be in jail solidarity see, www.cybertraveler.org/jail_a16.html
Released R2K Prisoners Hold Press conference
By John Tarleton