Saturday, January 15, 2011

OSP 3 end hunger strike - win some demands

Denis O'Hearn 4:33pm Jan 15, 2011
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Folks, I have a short report on today's rally at OSP in support of
the three men on hunger strike. But, first, I can now report to you
the wonderful news that all three have resumed eating because they
achieved a victory. The prison authorities have provided, in writing,
a set of conditions that virtually meets the demands set out by
Bomani Shakur in his letter to Warden Bobby, provided elsewhere on this site.

The hunger strikers send you all thanks for your support and state
that they couldn't have won their demands without support from people
from around the world. But they add to their statement the following:
this time they were fighting about their conditions of confinement
but now they begin the fight for their lives. They were wrongfully
convicted of complicity in 1993 murders in Lucasville prison and have
faced retribution because they refused to provide snitch testimony
against others who actually committed those murders. Now, because of
Ohio's (and other states') application of the death penalty, they
still face execution at a future date. Ohio is today exceeded only by
Texas in its enthusiasm for applying the death penalty. We need to
take some of this energy that was created around the hunger strike to
help these men fight for their lives.

So, we may celebrate a great victory for now. Common sense has
prevailed in a dark place where there appeared to be no light. But
watch this space for further news on their ongoing campaign.

I hope to share a copy of the Ohio prison authorities' written
statement that ended this hunger strike in a short time.

As Bomani has told me many times,
It ain't over...

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