Byron Chubbuck (Oso Blanco) Being Dangerously Isolated

Fri, 25 Sep 2009

Looking for support for an eco/indigenous warrior getting worst treatment of his lengthy sentence - worst treatment out of 5 fed prisons. Please write or call... I don't want to use the words 'prisoner emergency' yet but we are rapidly approaching it. Hello, my name is Sumner Gray and I have been writing Oso Blanco aka Byron Chubbuck, for over 5 of the 10 years he's been in the fed. prison system and this is the WORST TREATMENT HE HAS RECEIVED while incarcerated. For full info on Oso visit www.osoblanco.org ('the case' and 'the cause' tabs explain a lot).

There are two main areas of concern. First is my belief that USP Lewisburg is an archaic institution, stuck in time in its interactions with inmates (openly racist and hateful). Oso has been punished for the silliest things and I truly believe that this prison is trying to rack up enough punishment time against him that he will lose all contact with the outside world. In short, they are trying to keep him indefinitely in solitary. Oso has racked up 1.5 years of no phone calls, 1.5 years of no visitation, and 1.5 years of loss of store privileges! He hasn't even been at this facility for 6 months (more details below). Secondly, mail (isn't that always a problem for political prisoners?) has come to a halt in and out for Oso. He has not received any of his three current paid for magazine subscriptions nor any political papers since his transfer to Lewisburg. Oso is an avid writer - often sending two to three letters out a day. All contact has been lost for months except to me off and on.

All I'm asking from anyone who receives this is to please call or write the warden and ask the prison to STOP TAMPERING with Byron Chubbuck's mail. If you would like to comment further on the incidents listed below, great and thank you. But it is vital (and will fit on a postcard) to get Oso's mail flowing again. Keep it simple: "We have proof that Bryon Chubbuck's mail is being tampered with to and from your facility. Please immediately investigate and rectify the situation." Then add lib the rest. So please write or call:
570-523-1251 (keep trying if no answer) Or write:
Warden
USP Lewisburg
U.S. Penitentiary
2400 Robert F. Miller Drive
Lewisburg, PA 17837 (please include a return street address so we can hear the warden's response)
Feel free to post this call to action on myspace or facebook or email chains or indymedia - get the word out! Oso has been brave to openly speak about prison abuse at various facilities (that even lead to his re-capture in 2001), the least we can do is follow thru with his claims. Below are specifics from Oso on prison treatment and my example letter.
His punishment incidents:
1- "Our cell is very very clean but no there is no ventilation. So we have to hang up anything damp to dry or in a day it will start to mold" Oso and his cellie got 6 months for a towel hanging up to dry.
2 - "Around 50 people got a shot (write-up) for taking off these hot ass jump suits to work out in our dog cages. They put bar cuffs on very tight. This cuts into your wrists and swells up your hands like balloons. It's a form of torture". Oso got 6 months for removing a jump suit.
3 - Oso was violently attacked by guards and gassed while cuffed and left in a cell with water on the floor with only his underwear on for 72 hours or so. The guards claimed he threw feces at them. Anyone who knows Oso (or looks at his prison record) knows this is a false claim. Indeed, Oso filed a formal complaint against the attacks and the false claims. Oso says he was left in tight cuffs from 6/24 - 6/27 and has lost feeling in his big right toe as a result. He has been denied medical treatment and still has no feeling months later. Oso got 6 months for getting beat up and shackled. STOP THE ABUSE!
Writing the warden is vital but if you want send Oso a quick card or letter at:
Byron Chubbuck #07909051, USP Lewisburg, U.S. Penitentiary, PO Box 1000, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, North America (Oso request no zip codes).

Sample letter:
September 11, 2009

Dear Warden,

Our group has been in contact with inmate Byron Chubbuck #07909051 for over five years now in various USPs. Mr. Chubbuck has recently received disciplinary action including loss of phone, visitation and commissary for extremely trivial matters. He has also been accused of throwing fecal matter at your staff. We find these claims either completely false (fecal throwing) or excessive punishments (hanging a towel to dry, removing jump suit to work out). But our biggest concern is the lack of mail that Mr. Chubbuck receives AND sends. We know for a fact that he is not receiving mail. We have talked with family and friends and know that mail is not getting into your prison to your inmate. Mr(s). Warden, this is unacceptable and needs to be rectified immediately. This is the worst handling of mail for Mr. Chubbuck in over five years and at five different USPs. We hope this is not in retaliation for Mr. Chubbuck's political views as this would obviously violate his rights as well as BOP policy.

We will await a response from you but in the meantime we have sent copies of this letter to state representatives in order to establish a record of what we consider abuse. We will also be going through the proper channels within the BOP system. Please know that Mr. Chubbuck will not be cut off from his international supporters. He will not be forgotten!

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Citizens In Action (C.I.A.)
Sumner Gray, co-founder
354 Juanita Ave
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904-824-8526
ciastaugustine@yahoo.com

cc: Senator Robert Casey, Senator Arlen Specter, State Rep. Adam Harris, U.S. Rep. Christopher P. Carney

Byron Shane Chubbuck