[Imc-newsroom] IL Political prisoner Richard Flood Faces 30 years

Tue Dec 25 15:28:16 CST 2001

This came from the SDAS list, and it's old; but it's probably a story we 
could cover.  Since he's been sentenced already, we could report on what 
happened and what the future plans are.

This would probably be important for the website and the newshour.  (The 
Public I, too?)

-Peter

>>U.S. Political Prisoner RICHARD FLOOD Faces Sentencing DECEMBER 13; 
>>LETTERS TO JUDGE URGENTLY NEEDED.
>>
>>
>>RICHARD FLOOD is a longtime organizer in the neighborhoods of Chicago and 
>>former political prisoner, who was arrested in March after an incident in 
>>which, unarmed, he was defending his wife against an assault by three 
>>persons--one of them armed with a knife--at a gas station in Joliet. He 
>>is facing up to 30 years.
>>
>>Richard was kept in jail while the Prosecution repeatedly delayed the 
>>trial-date as it tried to fabricate a case against him. The verdict 
>>reached last month was as bizarre as was the pretext originally used for 
>>arresting him. Richard's use of force was found to be justified against 
>>one of the attackers but not justified against another attacker.
>>
>>The trial judge, DANIEL ROZAK, in a manner worthy of Judge Sabo in 
>>Mumia's case, did everything he could to help the Prosecution. He allowed 
>>police witnesses to offer hours of unsubstantiated testimony as to 
>>statements allegedly made by Rebecca Flood (Richard's wife), but never 
>>allowed the jury to see Rebecca's actual written statement, which said:
>>
>>"We stopped at a gas station. While my husband was inside, I used the 
>>phone. As I was on the phone, three people jumped me and were beating me. 
>>Next thing I know, I heard my husband telling them to get off me and he 
>>was putting me in the car."
>>
>>Richard and Rebecca are urgently requesting that letters be written to 
>>the judge prior to the December 13 sentencing-date.
>>
>>Letters should not directly challenge the judge's handling of the case 
>>but should ask that the judge exercise his discretion not to send Richard 
>>to prison. In support of this kind of request, the best I can offer is 
>>the following excerpt from a letter to the judge written by John Santana, 
>>the executive director of a Chicago neighborhood youth center. He writes:
>>
>>"We offer an alternative to street gangs through educational assistance, 
>>leadership and empowerment training, and self-esteem enrichment programs. 
>>One of our valuable assets is Richard M. Flood? He has a unique ability 
>>to communicate with people from many different walks of life. His theory 
>>is that by raising socio-political consciousness of teen gang members we 
>>can quell the criminal mentality that is prevalent in them, before they 
>>end up in prison or dead."
>>
>>Letters should be sent to:
>>
>>Judge Daniel Rozak Twelfth Judicial District Circuit Courthouse 14 West 
>>Jefferson St. Joliet, IL 60432 ph: 815-727-8592 press one; then zero (it 
>>rings a long time). 815-727-8896 fax
>>
>>Copies and/or letters of support may be sent to:
>>
>>Richard Flood # 01-2374 WCADF 95 S. Chicago St. Joliet, IL 60436
>>
>>Repression in Chicago: Background
>>
>>Richard Flood is a former political prisoner who served a long term in 
>>the Illinois State system, the last few years of which were in the Tamms 
>>"Supermax" prison, to which he had been sent in reprisal for his very 
>>valuable legal and organizing work on behalf of other prisoners. He was 
>>released from Tamms in March of 2000.
>>
>>Upon his release last year, he returned to Chicago, where he secured 
>>employment in construction (as a member of Ironworkers Local #1) and 
>>continued his political work. During his incarceration, this had 
>>included, in his own words, "'re-educating' so-called 'prison gang' 
>>members by introducing them to revolutionary political consciousness 
>>while steering them away from criminal behavior and mentality, much in 
>>the spirit of the late Black Panther Party leaders Fred Hampton and 
>>George Jackson." Since his release, he has worked with a highly regarded 
>>community organization called the MR MALO Youth Center [MR MALO=Managing 
>>Resources to Make Available Life's Opportunities], whose Director, John 
>>Santana, has written a glowing letter in Richard's support.
>>
>>Richard's current plight results from a bizarre incident in March of this 
>>year, which has landed him in jail (without bond) and facing serious 
>>charges. Here is the account from the flier he is distributing: "On March 
>>24, 2001, while in route to a meeting with leaders from several of 
>>Chicago's 'street nations,' Richard and his wife Rebecca stopped at a gas 
>>station. Richard returned from inside the station to find his wife being 
>>viciously attacked by three armed persons. Richard, himself unarmed, 
>>disarmed one of the attackers, and, during the course of the struggle, 
>>two of the attackers were injured. And although Rebecca herself was 
>>seriously injured, she was denied medical treatment by the authorities, 
>>who also not only refused to arrest the three attackers, but arrested 
>>Richard instead on charges of attempted murder."
>>
>>The Chicago law firm Wigell & Associates whose lead-attorney Raymond 
>>Wigell writes as follows: "Our investigation of the facts indicates that 
>>Mr. Flood was not the aggressor in this altercation, making available the 
>>affirmative defense of justifiable use of force. However, as you know, 
>>even with a trial by jury, the judicial system is seriously flawed. The 
>>presumption of innocence is beset, particularly where, as in this case, 
>>the defendant is obsequious to his political views."
>>
>>
>>============================================
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