Jalil Muntaqim hit with 6mo. SHU

via Brooke Reynolds

Hello Everyone,

I am writing you urgently after a visit to Jalil Muntaqim yesterday (Saturday).
He is currently in SHU at Attica, having been hit with 6 months after
his trial on Monday. He put a full report about what happened in the
mail, which I will type up and send out as soon as i receive it, but
here is the basic jist of what happened:

On Monday, he was taken down to trial regarding the photograph that
was "recovered" in his cell (the photo was from Cetewayo's memorial
held at Hunter College this past March, in which a BPP banner was
hanging in the background. Guards confiscated the photo on grounds
that it demonstrated "unlawful organization.") This photograph had
been sent in through the mail, and therefore presumably been processed
through Attica's correspondence department. Jalil had lined up 3
witnesses for this bogus trial: 1. The head of Attica's correspondence
dept, to argue that mail sent in through correspondence could not be
considered contraband after the fact; 2. The head of Attica's gangs
unit to show that BPP is not a designated gang (originally, the
charges included gang affiliation as well); 3. Jalil's counselor, to
demonstrate good behavior and non-involvement in unlawful
organizations.
when he arrived to the trial, he was told all 3 of these witnesses
were denied on the basis of "irrelevancy." He was therefore
unrepresented and with no witnesses. A lieutenant was then brought in,
confirmed that the photo was of unlawful organization, and Jalil was
hit with 6 months SHU right then and there.

He has been in SHU since monday, with only the clothes on his back. He
has not been given any personal property, and was told he probably
won't receive any of it for weeks. He has no phone privileges, no
commissary, no packages, and will eventually be allowed 5 books and
limited legal materials. He will have only one visit weekly for the
duration, and these are no-contact visits which take place in Attica's
SHU.

He is asking that people contact NYS Attourney General Eric
Schneiderman, as well as Commissioner Brian Fischer to demand that the
charges be dropped, Jalil be released from SHU immediately, and that
this campaign of harassment come to AN IMMEDIATE END! These charges
are entirely fabricated and show premeditation on behalf of the prison
administration to lock Jalil away until his next parole hearing in
June.

NY Attourney General Eric Schneiderman:
Office of the Attorney General
The Capitol
Albany, NY 12224-0341

Commissioner Brian Fischer
NYS Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
Building 2
1220 Washington Ave
Albany, New York 12226-2050