[sixties-l] Berrigan in segregation

From: radtimes (resist@best.com)
Date: Fri Sep 21 2001 - 16:08:54 EDT

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    From: carol wolman <cwolman@mcn.org>
    Subject: Re: Berrigan in segregation

    Dear friends, I just spoke with several officers at the Elkton prison.
    If they receive many calls, perhaps they will reconsider what they are
    doing. Phillip Berrigan's inmate number, which they will ask for, is
    14850056. I told the officials that what they are doing is fascist. I
    urge everyone to call the prison at Elkton.

               In Jesus' name, Carol Wolman, MD

    Scott Mathern-Jacobson wrote:

      Please take time to read this. This comes from Jonah House
      in Baltimore MD.

      - Scott

      September 19, 2001

      Philip Berrigan is in FCI Elkton in Lisbon OH serving a
      sentence of a year and a day for probation violation [As a
      result of a Plowshares action]. After more than a week of
      not hearing from him (most unusual for him), I phoned the
      prison today to learn the cause of the silence. After
      repeated efforts I learned:
      1. That he was in segregation
      2. That he was not allowed any visitors
      3. That he was not allowed any phone calls
      I was not told why or for how long. I inquired about his
      ability to communicate by mail and was assured that that
      was permitted. I asked if he had access to the basic
      necessities for such communication and the member of his
      team with whom I spoke was certain that he was allowed to
      write and receive mail. When I pointed out that no mail was
      forthcoming he assured me that he would look into the
      matter and see that Phil had paper, writing implements,
      stamps, etc. I suspect that he has been deprived of those
      basic items for well over a week and have no way of knowing
      whether or not he has been given mail that has been sent to
      him.

      After this exchange I called Senator Barbara Mikulski's
      office and spoke with Betty Deegan. She phoned the prison
      and confirmed what I had learned earlier as well as:

      1. That Phil was put in segregation on September 11, 2001
      as a direct consequence of the attacks on the World Trade
      Center and the Pentagon
      2. That this was done "for his protection!" He is, she was
      told, a high profile prisoner.

      I would submit the following:

      1. That if Philip is in segregation "for his protection"
      why the punitive denial of visits with his family?
      2. That Philip has no need for protection. He is a World
      War II veteran. He has lived and worked much of his adult
      life in the harshest ghettoes of American cities
      (Anacostia, VA; New Orleans, LA; and Baltimore, MD). He is
      a veteran of more than 11 years of prison in this country. In
      all those years with all kinds of people and through all
      kinds of situations Philip has never had an incident in
      which his life or his well-being or his person was
      threatened - either in the inner city or by another
      prisoner. He can point to that history (and the institution
      can verify it) because he is practiced at working with
      people. He has a long and consistent history of commitment
      to nonviolence. He has a long and consistent history of
      standing for life. He is a Christian. He will choose to
      accept suffering rather than impose it on another. He has
      learned that that, in and of itself, is the way one can
      touch the mind and heart of even an enemy. He neither needs
      nor wants "protection." He believes that the only defense
      allowed us as human beings is the practice of justice; the
      only security assured us is that of standing together as
      sisters and brothers.
      3. As his wife, I stand with Philip in these convictions.
      Neither I nor my family will hold the prison responsible
      for any incident with any prisoner in which Philip might be
      a victim as a consequence of his convictions or his
      history.

      I do not believe that Philip is in segregation for his
      protection. It has all the texture of reprisal and
      vindictiveness - a punishment for thinking outside the
      consensus and acting against our nation's love affair with
      weapons of mass destruction. If any of the attitude I feel
      and fear is present it is the absolute end of all that we
      say we value as a nation. I deeply appreciate any
      intervention you can make to right this wrong. If you
      require any further information from me, I would be ready
      in a moment to supply it.

      INTERVENTION IDEAS:

      Call Kathleen Hawk Sawyer, Director.
      Federal Bureau of Prisons
      320 First St., NW
      Washington, DC 20534,

      Warden, FCI Elkton
      8730 Scroggs Road
      P.O. Box 89
      Elkton, Ohio 44415
      330-424-7448

      Northeast Regional Office, Bureau of Prisons
      U.S. Custom House, 7th Floor
      2nd and Chestnut Streets
      Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19106
      215-521-7300, Fax: 215-521-7476

      You may know that Marilyn Buck is also in segregation for
      the same reason. She is being held incommunicado. We
      believe the same is happening with Leonard Peltier. So
      thanks for any attention you can give to any of these.
      We all need more to do in these times don't we! And it took
      all day to get this information!

    Love, Liz



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