A letter from Eric McDavid

From: sacprisonersupport@riseup.net

Dear friends,

Below is a letter from Eric. We want to keep this short, and leave you

with his words, but just a quick note: last night Mark filed a 28-page

motion for a new trial/to acquit based on the errors made throughout the

trial. Most of these have been discussed in previous alerts and court

reports, with the exception of one. When the court issued it's answers on

Thursday morning to the questions the jury asked Wednesday afternoon, the

judge told the jury not to write down the answers, as the jury would be

issued a type-written response upon their return to the jury room. The

answer given to the first question in court (whether or not Anna was a

government agent in August 2004) was an unequivocal "yes." However, the

answer given to the jury upon their return to the deliberation room was a

type-written "No." This clearly could have had alarming impacts on the

verdict they decided upon in Eric's case. . .

A letter from Eric...

i've been told that my conduct has been seen by some as inspirational, i'm

grateful to be able to provide a source of strength to those in my family

who find themselves in a time of need - more so as being a part of their

process of growth and self creation... but my behavior is, in a sense,

selfishly borne - my intent originates from a perspective which

encompasses my family and their future generations... though, the term

"family" i don't utilize in a conventional or everyday sense - the bubble

has expanded beyond the customary... it holds within it the micro and

macro, all those with whom i have shared that muted and unblinking stare

of understanding - be it on the streets, at a skillshare or class,

concert, speech or march, rally, home-demo or a really free market - at a

convergence centre, library, campsite, critical mass, on an on-ramp,

alongside of a highway, at a rest stop, from a train, in a forest, a city

park or square, or at a stream, river, lake, hot-spring or beach... this

bubble also includes each and every one of those individual places -

unique unto themselves in appearance, locality, time and

energy/personality ~ as well as the non-humyn inhabitants therein, who aid

in the continual self-creations of those environments... keeping that

selfishness close to my Heart and mind is something i aim for - knowing

that all my life i have been conditioned by our society to the contrary...

during my ten days of "disciplinary isolation" last fall an idea made

itself known to me ~ it was to create with that which is provided, not

necessarily to its particular purpose, but to my own... this includes the

pain which resides within my Heart due to the separation between us...

i've come to see energy as the most malleable aspect of this reality, and

the emotions that surge through our bodies can be utilized for any number

of means and ends... painless stagnant can fester into hate and reaction

- but utilized with a conscious and open intent it could nurture the

catalysts required to move through our thresholds... hate is the death of

joy and reaction is nothing more than unconscious reflex brought about by

a certain stimulus (perceived or not) which induces predictable responses

- in most cases, conceding to the terms and definitions of the initiator,

allowing the stimulus to have affect, signifies it's success... conscious

creations with the cycles of growth and health do not fit into the matrix

of cause and effect - their qualities and forms flow through the rigid

structures that seek to encapsulate, reform, define... ... i object to

being pigeonholed (physically and figuratively) by cleaving to some

marshal or warrioresque mantra that many have chosen when confronted with

similar circumstances - what they chose is for their own personal path,

what they've perceived as necessary for their survival... from where i

stand, it feels that if i followed that train of thought i would be

adhering to a path too well-worn ~ and don't get me wrong, i honor and

respect those that have come before me who continue to adhere to the

wisdom in their hearts, but those known trails can also be used by others

that have scouted them for weaknesses ~ if experience has taught me

anything, it's been to stick to the deer trails or create my own...

another of my recent lessons has been to recognize the beneficent

qualities of shape-shifting, as defined by terry tempest williams = "this

has nothing to do with inconsistency. it has to do with seizing the

moment, perceiving what is necessary in that moment ... knowing what each

occasion demands, and standing our ground in the places we live..." ...

but this is neither the time nor the place to fully delve into such

things, for this letter has another intent... ... ... throughout this

experience i have been in awe of the loving support given by family, known

and unknown from around the country and the world, who have nourished me

during this part of my journey ~ i've received such an inundating amount

of mail that i haven't been able to respond to it all ~ there is no

concept that can adequately express my thanx and appreciation to you

all... ... to all of those unknown and unnamed beautiful individuals who

have aided me on this case, i am impatiently waiting to thank you properly

with a huge hug... ... christine, i haven't forgotten about the vegan

dinner i promised... ... to my counsel mark, who's expertise in his field

is unquestionable - his abilities, passion, and determination provide a

wellspring of strength, especially knowing that he continues to fight for

me - as he said on the 27th "it's only the openings of the third quarter"

~ the notion of gratitude doesn't begin to encompass the feeling in my

heart, my friend, much love... ... to jed, my investigator/case

manager/Elder, your energies vested into this case have been the bedrock

of grounded exploration, balancing the sometimes frenzied and boisterous

antics that accompany markus' high energy nature, thank you my friend...

... i'd also like to thank bob, my first investigator, for his time,

company and aid working on the hours upon hours of transcripts with me

over that first summer (which my partner and sister painstakingly gleaned

from the shockingly abhorrent quality of fbi recordings)... ... the

actions and aid of sac prisoner support have and continue to transcend any

and all of my ideas concerning prisoner support groups and have been

monumental in this experience on every conceivable front - too much

love... ... the Love, Support, and Understanding of my Parents and Sisters

goes beyond scope, simile, and metaphor - i Love you all ... ... and i

Feel and Know in my Heart, Body, and Soul that my survival has been

impacted to an inexpressible degree by the Love and Support of my Partner

~ and the intertwining of Our Paths has brought a Depth and Quality of

Life i had never before imagined to exist - my Thanx transcend language

and my Love, only a Beginning... ... ...

my Thanx and Love 2 U All

This is far from Over

D

find your joy