We then watched most of the film In the Land of the Free. Homework is to develop an argument taking its theme from the film. Write a response to the film here. Look at the argument(s) presented by the director, Vadim Jean, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson http://www.inthelandofthefreefilm.co.uk/
Visit http://www.angola3.org/and http://www.amnesty.org/en/appeals-for-action/justice-for-albert-woodfox-and-herman-wallace and for an interview this morning: http://www.democracynow.org/seo/2012/4/17/40_years_in_solitary_confinement_two
When writing the argument think about the following:
1. What is my reason for writing the paper?
2. What is the best way to introduce the problem, given my evidence and audience?
3. What definitions of concepts or explanations do my readers require?
4. What exactly is my position on the matter?
5. How will my readers most likely react? Indifferently? Skeptically? Enthusiastically? How can I deal with this in advance? (For example, if the audience is likely to be skeptical, can I say things that would remove some of their skepticism?)
These questions are taken verbatim from The Well-Crafted Argument: A Guide and a Reader, Third Edition, by White and Billings.
Daniela Debergue
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
19 April 2012
Homework: “In the Land of the Free…” Response/Argument
I thought this documentary was very well put together. The story behind it is completely disheartening, though. It really shows how justice in this country is never really served. Even if Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox were let out of prison today, their lives would still be a constant struggle. They would be burdened by the labels of “felons” that would be slapped on them upon their release, making it extremely difficult for them to be able to find work. They would also no longer be able to vote, making it impossible for them to help change the political conditions that put them in prison in the first place.
OUTLINE
Introduction: Discuss who was murdered and how. Introduce Hezakiah Brown and the Angola Three.
Thesis: Hezakiah Brown’s testimony was not sufficient evidence upon which to convict the Angola Three of murder.
Evidence:
1. Hezakiah Brown was almost totally blind at the time he “witnessed” the murder.
2. Hezakiah Brown was later found to be mentally retarded, making the merit of his statement questionable.
3. Hezakiah Brown was sociopathic. Sociopaths are known for being extremely selfish, dishonest, impulsive, and irresponsible. This also makes the merit of his testimony questionable.
4. Hezakiah Brown was promised freedom (as he was also a convict at the time) for his testimony, which means he could have only testified against the Angola Three to gain his freedom, and not because the three men were actually guilty.
Conclusion: Hezakiah Brown’s testimony should be re-assessed by the court and cross-examined with his known visual shortcomings and psychological disorders. The court should overturn the remaining Angola Two’s convictions and release them based on a lack of sufficient evidence.
Liliulachelle Finley
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
19 April 2012
The Angola 3 and The Nightmare of Confinement
The strength of the Angola 3 has inspired many worldwide. With the efforts of the Black Panthers and its’ supporters, many would not know the story of three men who served sentences of imprisonment that turned into solitary confinement without any good reasoning. Solitary confinement is “a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact.” (Wikipedia.) The solitary confinement of these three men is, without question, cruel and unusual punishment. Though, the courts didn’t see it that way. With a jury of only white men at the first trial in a time of the post-civil rights movement and racism still strong, it couldn’t have be hard for a jury to put these men away in solitary confinement. It is sad to know that, still, two of these men are held in solitary confinement after many appeals, lack of evidence and several distorted testimonies shared.
Many prisons throughout the United States do not utilize the term “solitary confinement,” but rather “prison segregation” or “restricted housing.” Solitary confinement is a term that renders a feeling of torture, sorrow and anguish. Imagine being all by yourself, locked up within walls, hour after hour, day after day. One may become crazy, close enough to causing self-inflicted injuries. The suicide rates in solitary confinement are highest in California prisons than in any other housing unit in prison over anywhere else in the country. (Solitary Watch) How long will it take for the States’ system to realize that solitary confinement rather causes horrifying effects than anything else?
Though there is reasoning for these men to be in prison already, there is no reason that they should be upheld for the murder of a prison guard when there isn’t any evidence to be shared that places these men at the scene of the crime. One of the men, Robert Hillary King, arrived at the Louisiana State Penitentiary two weeks after the murder of White correctional officer, Brent Miller. How could this man be placed in the crime, anyways? His involvement in the Black Panther Party is in no way evidence to a crime. What many astonish one is the fact that the state did not uphold to find out who the fingerprint, found at the scene of the crime, belonged to. One is insane to not find out who it belonged to because it was the only piece of evidence that could put the murderer to justice and this case to rest. However, the State failed to do so in this case and the question is still up in the air for many.
(Liliulachelle Finley cont.)
ReplyDeleteBecause lack of evidence and shattered testimonies doesn’t place the three men at the crime, none of them should’ve been held in solitary confinement. In the video, “In The Land of The Free,” ex-convicts of the Louisiana State Penitentiary shared that being in jail was hard enough, but to be put in solitary confinement made one crazy, go insane and become beyond delusional. One account of a woman held several times in solitary confinement at a Women’s Control Unit in Florida is horrifying as she states, “I knew I couldn’t just “sit here and pass time” and I would emerge from this abyss unchanged. I had to do something, something different from my first CM stay (where I broke) – I had hung myself and was cut down by my “torturers” – revived and sent to an outside hospital for observation.” (STOPMAX Voices.) To be locked away from the world and suffer from malnourishment is cruel and unusual punishment. It is worse than the treatment of a dog locked in the house all day, everyday. Yet, the State of Louisiana still doesn’t understand the effects that it pulls on its’ prisoners, especially on those who don’t deserve to be there in the first place.
The story of the Angola 3, which has now decreased to the Angola 2, sets many to question the State’s federal prison system and the justice system in general. One can find that, in this case especially, the system will keep those locked up for something they may or may not have done to cover up their tracks. Yes, they have testimonies placing the suspects at the crime but they both contradict each other and the courts know that. Is this right? No. Should these men still suffer from confinement, or from the punishment upheld if there isn’t any clear and concrete evidence? No. Is solitary confinement even an answer, in this case? Not at all. However, racism and the emotions it renders created the clouded judgement of many to put these men away. But, when will the justice system step in for Albert Woodfox and Herman Wallace and say that their punishment is unfair? The answer still awaits. It doesn’t take a genius or even a judge to see that solitary confinement for these men is inhuman and a violation of human rights.
Works Cited:
1. Wikipedia. "Solitary Confinement." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 Apr. 2012. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. .
2. Black, Naima. "Testimony from Women's Control Unit in FLA." STOPMAX Voices: Solitary Confinement Testimonies. AFSC's STOPMAX Campaign, 27 June 2008. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. .
3. "FAQ." Solitary Watch. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. .
4. "A Call for Justice." Criminal Injustice in Louisiana Continues. 2010. Web. 19 Apr. 2012. .
5. In The Land of The Free. Dir. Vadim Jean. Perf. Samuel L. Jackson, Robert King. The Mob Film Company, 2010.
Tiffanya Richardson
ReplyDeleteXinia Sanchez
Joseph Paez
Saba Ghanem
Professor Sabir
English 5
Angola three free write
I. Introduction
A. In the land of the free, exploring human rights versus civil rights regarding the Angola three case.
B. The Angola three were sentenced to solitary confinement for a murder that they were sentenced for without substantial evidence.
C. Inmates Herman Wallace, Robert King and Albert Woodfox were targeted for the murder of officer Brent Miller.
II. Position Statement
Exploring human rights versus civil rights regarding the Angola three case.
III. Appeals and evidence.
A. A civil right is defined as the nonpolitical rights of citizens; especially: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of congress.
B. According to Webster, Human rights refers to rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons.
IV. Refutation
They were held responsible for the brutal murder of officer Brent Miller, therefore they were sentenced to life in solitary confinement.
V. Conclusion
A. Webster’s dictionary defines justice as the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments; the administration of law.
B. Watching the film in the land of the free, sends surges of fear through my soul when I realize this term justice in certain circumstances is liable to be completely biased.
C. Who is doing the administration? The fact that one can be imprisoned for years without any substantial evidence is in my opinion a total abuse of power.
Aaron Villanueva, Shayne Keator, Jacob Mendoza
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5 COA
April 24, 2012
Cyber Assignment: Angola 3
Outline:
I. Introduction:
A.. Lead-in: The Angola three are three African Americans who have been treated unfairly by the criminal justice system.
B. Overview: The criminal justice system is unfair to African Americans.
C. Background: The Angola Three are three African American males who were members of the Black Panther Party were put in solitary confinement for political reasons.
II. Position Statement:
Although America is the land of free, the Angola three African-American males who have been falsely accused of murder, experienced a modern day of slavery by being imprisoned for 30 years in solitary confinement.
Confirmation:
A. Appeals -The information provided by the documentary
B. Pathos - The Angola three had political belief and knew their rights were being violated. There was no evidence for the crimes that put them in solitary confinement.
C. Ethos - Civil rights were being violated according to the lawyer in a short film
Refutation: The people who prosecuted the Angola 3 feel that they should remain in solitary confinement. However, the amount of time that the Angola 3 has spent in solitary confinement violates their civil and human rights. There are people who contend that the Angola 3 are guilty of their crimes, though is no evidence to support that they are in fact guilty.
Conclusion: The Angola 3 have been treated unfairly. The members of the Angola 3 that remain in solitary confinement should be moved out of solitary confinement and perhaps released from prison due to their unfair treatment.
Tiffanya Richardson
ReplyDeleteXinia Sanchez
Joseph Paez
Saba Ghanem
Professor Sabir
English 5
Angola three free write
I. Introduction
A. In the land of the free, exploring human rights versus civil rights regarding the Angola three case.
B. The Angola three were sentenced to solitary confinement for a murder that they were sentenced for without substantial evidence.
C. Inmates Herman Wallace, Robert King and Albert Woodfox were targeted for the murder of officer Brent Miller.
II. Position Statement
Exploring human rights versus civil rights regarding the Angola three case.
III. Appeals and evidence.
A. A civil right is defined as the nonpolitical rights of citizens; especially: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of congress.
B. According to Webster, Human rights refers to rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons.
IV. Refutation
They were held responsible for the brutal murder of officer Brent Miller, therefore they were sentenced to life in solitary confinement.
V. Conclusion
A. Webster’s dictionary defines justice as the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments; the administration of law.
B. Watching the film in the land of the free, sends surges of fear through my soul when I realize this term justice in certain circumstances is liable to be completely biased.
C. Who is doing the administration? The fact that one can be imprisoned for years without any substantial evidence is in my opinion a total abuse of power.
Adalie Villalobos, Ronald Parker
ReplyDeleteMs. Wanda Sabir
English 5 11-12:15pm
April 24, 2012
Angola Three Outline
i. Introduction
A. Lead In- 38 years ago, deep in rural Louisiana, three young black men were silenced for trying to expose continued segregation, systematic corruption, and horrific abuse in the biggest prison in the US, an 18,000 acre former slave plantation called Angola.
B. Overview of the situation-Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox, and Robert King were charged with murders they did not commit and thrown into 6x9 foot solitary cells. Robert was released in 2001, but Herman and Albert remain in solitary, continuing to fight for their freedom. The State’s case is riddled with inconsistencies, confusions, and missteps. A bloody print at the murder scene that was found does not match Herman, Albert or anyone who was charged with the crime and was never compared with the limited number of other prisoners who had access to the dormitory on the day of the murder.
C. Background- Wallace, Woodfox and a third black man, Robert King, came together to form a chapter of the Black Panther movement inside the prison, hoping to organize African American inmates against the brutal treatment they endured. Then on April 17, 1972, a prison guard called Brent Miller was murdered during an arrest on one of the wings. The Angola 3 were immediately accused of the murder, and placed that same day in solitary. They have insisted ever since on their innocence, pointing to the lack of any physical evidence linking them to Miller’s death and suggestions that the main eyewitness against them was bribed by prison officials. Each cell, Amnesty International records, has a toilet, a mattress, sheets, a blanket, pillow and a small bench attached to the wall. Their contact with the world outside the windowless room is limited to the occasional visit and telephone call, “exercise” three times a week in a caged concrete yard, and letters that are opened and read by prison guards.
ii. Position- I believe Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox are innocent. I believe their continued incarceration in solitary confinement is in violation of the 8th amendment of the United States constitution which forbids cruel and unusual punishment in the land of the free.
iii. Appeals-
A. Daphne Benton from Glasgow Scotland UK, “yesterday I watched the film In the land of the free. I felt inspired by their example and wept for them and for the U.S.”
B. Potentially exculpatory DNA evidence has been “lost” by prison officials—including fingernail scrapings from the victim and barely visible “specks” of blood on clothing alleged to have been worn by Albert.
iv. Refutation- Since 1972, Wallace and Woodfox have been brought before more than 150 prison boards where their unprecedented duration in solitary confinement has been reviewed only for them to be sent straight back to their cells.
v. Conclusion
After watching the Angola 3 documentary I am much more aware of the violation of the 8th amendment in the United States Constitution. Due to the injustice the Angola 3 have endured multiple organizations have come together to end the cruel and unusual punishment that criminals face in solitary confinement. Amnesty International hopes to build pressure on the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, to release the two remaining men from solitary by delivering a petition bearing more than 65,000 signatures to the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge today. Since 1998, city and states participating in grassroots movements are New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, New York, Chicago, Austin and Dallas have gain momentum to bring more attention to Wallace and Woodfox's 40 years of cruel and unusual punishment. There are several Angola 3 Support Committee in Belgium (Brussels), Portugal (Lisbon), Holland (Amsterdam), and England (Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Birmingham).
Lyrics to the Aaron Neville song "Angola Bound"
ReplyDeleteToo many mornin' gotta wake up soon
Oh lord, and eat my breakfast by the light of 'de moon
Oh lord, by the light of 'de moon
If you see my momma, tell her this for me
Oh i've got a mighty long time, lord knows i'll never go free
Oh lord, i'll never be free
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
I got lucky last summer when i got my time, angola bound
Well my partner got a hundred, i got ninety-nine, angola bound
You been a long time coming but you're welcome home, angola bound
And go to louisiana get your burdens on, angola bound
Oh captain, oh captain don't you be so cruel, angola bound
Oh you work me harder than you work that mule, angola bound
If it wasn't for the captain, oh lord, i'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and a' jumpin', oh lord, it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Don't want no gal-boy lovin' cause i got my load, angola bound
Don't want no trouble out 'de boys i know, angola bound
Oh they always talkin' 'bout dangerous blue, angola bound
If i had my shank i'd be dangerous too, angola bound
Oh captain say walk and the boss say run, angola bound
If i had my pistol i would do 'nere one, angola bound
If it wasn't for the captain, oh lord, i'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and 'a jumpin', oh lord it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
If it wasn't for the captain, oh lord, i'm shaggin' house
I'd be with my woman, yeah, before the sun goes down
You come up here skippin' and 'a jumpin', oh lord it won't last long
Gonna wish you was a baby boy, in your mother's arms
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
If i'd always listened to what my momma said, angola bound
I wouldn't be deep down in the trouble this way, angola bound
Oh my momma, she told me, leave that junk alone, angola bound
Got hooked to the habit, had to carry on, angola bound
The jury found me guilty cause they wrote it down, angola bound
Judge said, junkie boy you're penitentiary bound, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
Angola bound, now, angola bound
source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/a/aaronnevillelyrics/angolaboundlyrics.html
Kelsey Johnson
ReplyDeleteMaya Dobjensky
Brianna DeGrano
Abigail Boggs-Moura
Tori Coleman
Jules
Wanda Sabir
English 5
04/26/2012
Angola Three
In the 1960s three Black Panther members were arrested for petty crimes. Once in prison they were framed for the killing of a white prison guard. Despite the blatant disregard of evidence testifying to the men’s innocence, they have collectively spent a century in solitary confinement at Angola Prison. The Angola Three suffered inhumane, cruel, and unusual punishment while serving their sentences. There are basic human rights stated in the constitution that should be upheld even within prisons; solitary confinement should only be used in the most extreme of cases, while still upholding human rights.
The constitution states that basic human rights should be upheld for every citizen, including those who are incarcerated. Basic human rights are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. There are certain rights that are implicit in moral conduct that are shared around the world. Most important of these rights is human dignity. These rights have been violated in American prisons and specifically in the case of the Angola Three. The men spoke of being chained to the bed for hours, gagged, and defecating on themselves. This is a blatant violation of human rights both on a legal and moral level.
The extreme conditions of solitary confinement should not be taken lightly. Solitary confinement should only be used in extreme cases in which s/he proves to be a danger to him/herself or others. If you make threats against yourself or others, exhibit behavior that shows blatant intent to commit violence then solitary confinement should be considered as a possibility. Even within confinement prisoners should be treated as human beings and not animals. The excessive time and the conditions that the Angola Three were placed in solitary confinement were unnecessary and cruel.
The conditions of the prison system need to be systematically revised to respect human beings’ rights. The terrifying experience of the Angola Three is all too common. Solitary confinement should be used only as an extreme punishment, not as a living condition. There should be safeguards in place to protect the prisoners against cruel and unusual punishment. These three Black Panther members are an ongoing representation of how much progress there is still left to make.
Daniela Debergue & Edwin Peabody
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
26 April 2012
Freewrite: Angola 3 Essay
In 1972, Robert King, Herman Wallace, and Albert Woodfox were accused of murdering Angola prison guard Brent Miller in Louisiana. All three men were convicts in the Angola prison at the time of the murder. Both Wallace and Woodfox were convicted of the murder and sentenced to solitary confinement. Robert King was also sentenced to solitary confinement but was not charged with murder. The three men are known as the “Angola 3.” Another prisoner in Angola at the time of the murder, Hezekiah Brown, claimed he witnessed the crime and served as the main informant to law enforcement officers on the case. He also provided the main testimony in court used to charge the Angola 3 with murder. However, later investigation into Brown’s testimony by those who believe the Angola 3 are innocent prove that he was not physically or mentally fit to provide an accurate and reliable enough testimony against the Angola 3 to charge them with murder.
At the time Hezekiah Brown claimed he witnessed King, Wallace, and Woodfox stab prison guard Brent Miller to death, he was legally blind. This was not discovered until after Brown testified against the Angola 3. If he was legally blind at the time he claims he witnessed the three met commit the murder, there is a very good chance he could have been wrong about who he thought he saw.
Another discovery made about Hezekiah Brown following the Angola 3 charges was that he is sociopathic. Some common traits of a sociopath are extreme selfishness, compulsive dishonesty, impulsive behavior, and irresponsibility. Due to the psychological instabilities that Hezakiah Brown suffered, there is a good chance that his testimony was heavily convoluted with untrue accusations.
In later investigations of Hezekiah Brown’s testimony, it was discovered that he was bribed by law enforcement officials to provide a statement against the Angola 3 in return for freedom from Angola prison, as well as special privileges within the penitentiary until his release. Brown was promised cigarettes and cash bribes from officers in Angola prison, and was later released from a life sentence. Brown’s known sociopathic nature made him extremely likely to accept a bribe and lie in order to gain special privileges. Naturally, if Brown had actually witnessed the Angola 3 commit murder, there would have been no reason for officials to bribe him to provide testimony. On the other hand, if Hezekiah had asked for special privileges in exchange for his testimony, the merit of his testimony would still be questionable. It is very possible that he only provided his testimony to gain benefits.
Due to Hezekiah Brown’s physical and mental disabilities, his testimony against the Angola 3 was unreliable. Even so, Brown served as the main witness in the case, and his testimony was used to sentence three men to more than a century of solitary confinement between the three of them. Hezekiah Brown’s testimony should be re-assessed and cross-examined with his visual shortcomings and psychological disorder. The court should overturn the convictions of Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox, who are still locked up in Angola prison, and release them based on lack of sufficient evidence for incarceration.
Ana Cristina Muro
ReplyDeleteWilliam Everett
Evelyn Rodriguez
Vincent Coral
Thanhhuong Nguyen
Professor Sabir
English 5
19 April 2012
In the land of the free Film
Three men were incarcerated and blamed for a crime that they did not commit during their time for other crimes. Being affiliated with the black panthers might seem you would be getting protected by your peers that are trying got get these civil rights. The Black Panthers were fighting for civil rights against discrimination and injustice during the Jim Crow era. For the Angola Three, they served severe punishment for crimes they committed and did not commit resulting in 100 years total of solitary confinement. Solitary confinement itself is inhumane and violates civil rights depicted in the 8th amendment and that form of punishment should be revised into a proper rehabilitation method that doesn’t involve keeping someone locked away for the rest of their lives.
The reason in which their punishment seems so cruel is because of the condition which they had to live in. The Angola were limited to only 30 minutes to an hour of sunlight a day, the rest was spent in their cells which weren’t illuminated and anyway. They also had no social interaction with other inmates and we forced to think of ways to keep their minds occupied. This is itself was going to their greatest challenge in the long run saying how they were severely limited on the things you can do in their cells. On top of that the cells were small (6Wx9Hx12L), this meant very limited room if you wished to do physical exercise.
Not only is this means of punishment cruel it is also ineffective. They are not being shown or told why their alleged crimes are wrong instead they just let to sit by themselves in the dark. If these inmates had actually committed these crimes seeing a counselor even once a week to explore why they had would give us great incite on the conditions which breed law breakers. Another reason in which this form of punishment is invalid and ineffective is the cost it puts on the tax payers. For example someone commits a crime as convicted and sentenced to a life sentence, it is now the tax payers job to feed clothe and keep this inmate healthy.
Many people believe that solitary confinement is the best punishment there is for this criminals. Criminals deserve to pay for their crime. The Angola 3 needed to pay for the murder of Brent Miller. The reasoning behind the extreme sentence was that the Angola 3 was suspected of committing a political hate crime. Due to the time period they were in being a black panthers was a radical idea and any associated with the movement was to be considered a radical. These radicals were the prime suspects when a prison guard was murdered and they had no suspects. These men were chosen to be suspects only for the fact that they were black panthers, there was no evidence tying them to the crime scene, other then the testimony of a shady eye witness. However, there was no evidence that the Angola 3 were even involved.
Solitary confinement is an inhuman form to punish a criminal. The evidence presented in this case was purely based on political views. The witnesses that testified against the Angola 3 were biased and had a motive to testify against them. The information that was provided in the trial was falsified and over all inaccurate. There was no real evidence that tied the 3 Angola inmates, yet they were still convicted. Alternative means of punishing inmates convicted of murder should receive some type of rehabilitation other than solitary confinement. Solitary confinement does not do any good for any inmate. A psychological test should be done to see if the inmate is able to go back into the main prison facility. All human rights should not be infringed no matter how severe the crime is.
Ana Cristina Muro
ReplyDeleteWilliam Everett
Evelyn Rodriguez
Vincent Coral
Thanhhuong Nguyen
Professor Sabir
English 5
19 April 2012
In the land of the free Film
Outline:
I. Introduction
a. Lead in: you have just been convicted of a crime in which you had no part in and you have been sentenced for life in jail. Sounds bad right? Additionally your sentenced is to be served in solitary confinement.
b. Overview of situation: these were the exact conditions of three inmates which have been named the Angola Three.
c. Background: the three individuals are Albert Woodfox, Herman wallis, and Robert kim. Herman always maintained he was innocent.
II. position statement: ccr. Solitary confinement is inhumane and violates your civil rights.
III. Appeals and evidence:
A. Appeals: ethics and character reason-
The ethics of solitary confinement is a cruel form of punishment because the inmate is limited to only (30-1hours) of sunlight a day. As well they have no contact with any other inmates, which could potentially lead to mental and social disorders. This form of punishment is not very economical and is expensive to enforce. There are other more humane ways to rehabilitate inmates, without having to torture them with isolation. Therapy should be a more practical and common form rehabilitation.
B. Evidence
Cells were small (6Wx9Hx12L), in a few years the inmates in solitary the Angola 3 would have to started to mentally deteriorate if they had not taken college to keep the mind sharp and active, they also to started playing chess with each other with makeshift chessboard.
IV. Refutation
The reasoning behind the extreme sentence was that the Angola 3 were suspected of committing a political hate crime. Due to the time period they were in being a black panthers was a radical idea and any associated with the movement was to be considered a radical. These radicals were the prime suspects when a prison guard was murdered and they had no suspects. These men were chosen to be suspects only for the fact that they were black panthers, there was no evidence tying them to the crime scene, other then the testimony of a shady eye witness.
V. Conclusion
A. Highlights
Solitary confinement is an inhumane form of punishment. Suspected purely based on political view. There was no real evidence that tied the 3 Angola inmates yet they were still convicted.
B. Recommendation
Alternative means of punishing inmates convicted of murder should receive some type of rehabilitation other than solitary confinement.
C. Illuminating statement
All humans rights should not be infringed no matter how severe the crime is.
Jerald Appling
ReplyDeleteProfessor Wanda Sabir
English 5 11-12:15pm
April 26, 2012
Human Rights vs. Civil Rights
When the topic of human rights breaches the conversation most begin to consider the definition of inhumane. It’s safe to say that all acts against another human that are considered to be inhumane are a violation of human rights. Amnesty International is a global movement… in more than 150 countries and territories who campaign to end grave abuses of human rights.1 Human rights are defined as any fundamental right believed to belong to an individual and in whose exercise a government may not interfere. Examples include the rights to speak, associate, work, etc.2 Civil rights are defined as the right to full legal, social, and economic equality extended to blacks.3 Although, by definition, civil rights is attributed to blacks, all US citizens have civil rights. Civil rights are related to the constitution of each country, whereas human rights are considered a universal right. While human rights are basic rights inherent with birth, civil rights are the creation of society.4 Every human has human rights.
In the film, “In the land of the free…” we see numerous examples of human rights being violated. To keep a human being in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day, 7 days a week for 40 years is inhumane for many reasons. One reason is due to the small cell space. Inmates were not allowed access to sunlight nor exercise which are basic human needs. Without exercise, muscles will begin to atrophy and without sunlight, humans could develop a vitamin D deficiency. A vitamind D deficiency could then lead to rickets. Rickets is a disorder caused by a lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. It leads to softening and weakening of the bones.5 As a further punishment, inmates were often sent to “solitary within solitary” where inmates were strapped to the bed and forced to lay in their own excrement. Solitary confinement for prolonged periods of time can cause psychological damage as well. The Angola 3 found a way to play chess (creating a chess board and pieces from toilet paper) in order to remain sane. However, some other inmates would intentionally injury or cut themselves in order to get out of solitary and into a hospital for the sake of better treatment. In the story of the Angola 3 we see a case of three men that have been (and continue to be) held in solitary confinement for a combined total of 100 years! Clearly, their human rights have been violated, but we must also examine all civil rights violations tied to this case.
Jerald Appling
ReplyDeleteProfessor Wanda Sabir
English 5 11-12:15pm
April 26, 2012
Human Rights vs. Civil Rights [Part II]
To simplify the definition of civil rights (as they relate to human rights) I’ll refer to them as legal rights for this argument. There have been several legal missteps in the case against the Angola 3. Brett Miller was a guard in the Angola prison that was stabbed 32 times, causing his death in 1972. All experts agree that every prison in the vicinity of the crime should have been interviewed after the murder. Such interviewing never took place. Originally, there was a 4th man accused of being an accessory to the murder. This man was no longer thought to be guilty after it was found out that his name was added to the list of suspects simply to discredit the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. Once the Angola 3 were found guilty and sentenced by the Louisiana court, the sentencing never specified or even suggested solitary confinement as part of their punishment. After decades in solitary confinement, a new generation of lawyers began reviewing the infraction of legal rights on the Angola 3 case. This new generation of lawyers found that the key witness, Hezekiah Walker, was legally blind and mentally retarded. Hezekiah testified that he witnessed the murder and documents have been found indicating that Hezekiah was promised his freedom for tesifying. Legally speaking, this case was mishandled on multiple levels. The civil rights of the Angola 3 have most certainly been violated.
Human rights are basic rights inherent with birth and in the case of the Angola 3, those rights have been violated. Civil rights are the creation of society, based on its laws, and in the case of the Angola 3 those rights have been violated. In this dual violation of human and civil rights, the US federal government should not leave the task of creating awareness for such violations to Amnesty International or volunteers at a rally. If this is truly the land of the free, our federal government should do their part to uphold the constitution and a level of respect for human life.
1 http://www.amnesty.org/en/who-we-are
2 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/human+rights?s=t
3 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/civil+rights?s=t
4 http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/politics/difference-between-human-and-civil-rights/#ixzz1sVznLBUt
5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001384/
Adalie Villalobos, Ronald Parker
ReplyDeleteMs. Wanda Sabir
English 5 11-12:15pm
April 26, 2012
Seeking Justice
After watching the Angola 3 documentary I am much more aware of the violation of the 8th amendment in the United States constitution. For over hundreds of years the streets have been swept with laws and rules that have lead to multiple injustice acts. One of the biggest acts of injustice in the history of man has been the Angola 3. Forty years ago deep in the rural south three young black men were silenced for trying to expose continued segregation, systematic corruption and horrific abuse in the biggest prison in the US, an 18,000 acre former slave plantation known as Angola. Prisoners by the name of Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King were charged with murders they did not commit, and thrown into 6x9 foot solitary cells. From my understanding murder one is the worst crime you can be held accountable for.
These men were accused of murder, and placed in solitary confinement that same day. Each cell, Amnesty International records, has a toilet, a mattress, sheets, a blanket, pillow and a small bench attached to the wall. Their contact with the world outside the windowless room is limited to the occasional visit and telephone call, “exercise” three times a week in a caged concrete yard, and letters that are opened and read by prison guards. Begging and pleading for their innocence to be proven with little or no actual evidence being presented upon the jury. How can a man be accused of murder when he hadn’t been incarcerated at the time, or even individuals receiving such a harsh sentence without the proper evidence being presented? Potentially exculpatory DNA evidence has been “lost” by prison officials – including fingernail scrapings from the victim and barely visible “specs” of blood on clothing alleged to have been worn by Albert. The evidence that is being shown is lacking any physical evidence linking them to Miller’s death and suggestions that the main eyewitness against them was bribed by prison officials.
The Angola 3 documentary has proved to communities everywhere that justice is not always served. I believe Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox are innocent. I believe their continued incarceration in solitary confinement is in violation of the 8th Amendment of the United States constitution which forbids cruel and unusual punishment in the land of the free. Due to the injustice the Angola 3 have endured multiple organizations have come together to end the cruel and unusual punishment that criminals face in solitary confinement. Amnesty International hopes to build pressure on the governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal, to release the two remaining men from solitary by delivering a petition bearing more than 65,000 signatures to the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge today. Since 1998, city and states participating in grassroots movements are New Orleans, the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento, New York, Chicago, Austin and Dallas have gain momentum to bring more attention to Wallace and Woodfox's 40 years of cruel and unusual punishment. There are several Angola 3 Support Committee in Belgium (Brussels), Portugal (Lisbon), Holland (Amsterdam), and England (Manchester, Nottingham, Liverpool, and Birmingham).
Edwin Peabody
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
25 April 2012
: Response to The Land Of the Free
After watching the video on the Angola 3 I found it to be very disturbing. Inmates Herman Wallace, Robert King and Albert Woodfox were targeted for the murder of officer Brent Miller and were all sentenced life in solitary confinement. After serving nearly 100 years between the three of them in solitary confinement the case was reviewed, and it turned out that there is a huge possibility that they may have all been wrongfully convicted due to insufficient evidence. I don’t think that Hezekiah Brown testimony should have ever been taking into consideration considering the fact the he was also an inmate. Also I believe that informants are not always right so they cannot be trusted. It is terrible that these three men have experienced such a horrible nightmare. No one deserves to live a life in solitary confinement for the rest of their life especially if they are innocent.
OUTLINE
Introduction: Discuss who was murdered and how. Introduce Hezekiah Brown and the Angola Three. Thesis: Hezekiah Brown’s testimony was not sufficient evidence upon which to convict the Angola Three of murder.
1. What is my reason for writing the paper? The Angola three was wrongly convicted for the murder of officer Brent Miller. Hezekiah Brown’s testimony was not sufficient evidence upon which to convict the Angola Three of murder.
Evidence:
2. What is the best way to introduce the problem, given my evidence and audience? Hezekiah Brown’s testimony was not sufficient evidence upon which to convict the Angola Three of murder.
Evidence:
1. Hezekiah Brown was almost totally blind at the time he “witnessed” the murder.
2. Hezekiah Brown was later found to be mentally retarded, making the validity of his statement questionable.
3. Hezekiah Brown was sociopathic. Sociopaths are known for being extremely selfish, dishonest, impulsive, and irresponsible. This also makes the validity of his testimony questionable.
4. Hezekiah Brown was promised freedom (as he was also a convict at the time) for his testimony, which means he could have only testified against the Angola Three to gain his freedom, and not because the three men were actually guilty.
3. What definitions of concepts or explanations do my readers require?
The definition of a sociopath is person as a psychopathic personality, whose behavior is antisocial and who lacks a sense of moral responsibility or social consciousness.
Retardation- is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deflects in two or more adaptive behaviors.
4. What exactly is my position on the matter?
Hezekiah Brown’s testimony should be re-assessed by the court and cross-examined with his known visual shortcomings and psychological disorders.
The validity of his testimony is questionable considering his disorders and also the fact that he was bribed for his freedom.
5. How will my readers most likely react? Indifferently? Skeptically? Enthusiastically? How can I deal with this in advance? (For example, if the audience is likely to be skeptical, can I say things that would remove some of their skepticism?)
Some people may believe that the three men were guilty of the crime and have no doubt about Hezekiah testimony and others may feel that the way I do. They were wrongly convicted. Hezekiah Brown’s testimony was not sufficient evidence upon which to convict the Angola Three of murder.
Monsoon Pandey
ReplyDeleteShayne Keator
Amber Robbins
Ms. Wanda Sabir
English 5
In the Land of the Free
The Land of the Free is the tragic story of the Angola Three, three black men who have been victimized by the corrupt justice system in Louisiana. As a result of this unfair sentencing Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King, three members of the Black Panther party, have lived in solitary confinement for approximately100 years. Although America is the land of free, these men have been locked in prison as a means of modern day slavery. Rather than for the sake of justice, Wallace, Woodcox, and King, have been locked in solitary confinement for political reasons.
After further investigation of the trials of the Angola Three, new evidence has been found to suggest that they were falsely accused of crimes that have barred them in prison for most of their adult lives. Recently several lawyers, while investigating the cases of the Angola Three, have found that not all key evidence to the investigation was used.
The American justice system is supposedly based upon the presentation of evidence and sound witness statements, however in this case neither were the primary proponents of the conviction. Prime evidence, a bloody finger print on the murder weapon, was not compared to the complete collection of finger prints that would be available in a prison system to discover the identity of the murderer. Also, there is much support for the fact that the one major witness in the case was not mentally sound and his account of the crime is actually invalid. This utter lack of investigating evidence able of a conviction is both alarming and suspicious. The status of the men convicted cannot be ignored in this case. Each of the men in this case are African American and are formidable former members of the Black Panther party. This case, rather than operating on justice, was fueled by racism and political reasons. They Angola three were perceived as a threat to the power structure within the Louisiana prison because of their background in activism and their influence among the other prisoners.
Some believe that the Angola Three are rightfully locked in prison for the murder of William Sadler, a white prison guard. However, it is undeniable that even in the case of these men being guilty, in no way is it just or even humane for a prison sentence of thirty years to be completed in solitary confinement. For twenty three hours a day, all three men are alone in a cell barely small enough to pace in. Unbelievably they have been able to retain their mental facilities for this long. This is not only a breach on justice, but even more so a complete disregard for civil and human rights.
From both a moral and a lawful perspective, there is no valid reason why these men should still remain in Angola. One of these men, Robert King, actually has been released from the nightmare of solitary confinement in one of the biggest prisons in the United States. Part of the injustice of this case has been righted with the release of King, however, Woodcox and Wallace still remain in solitary confinement. The fact that these men have not been released just shows the prevailing prejudice against African Americans and is a major scar on the supposed colorblind justice the United States is settled upon. This case gives the opportunity for the American justice system to do what it was originally designed to do, provide justice for the innocent. With the release of these men, the justice system could rise above the racial stigma associated with black population in America, and make an example of effort to truly serve justice to this Nation as promised.
Tiffanya Richardson
ReplyDeleteJamie McNair
Xinia Sanchez
Joseph Paez
Saba Ghanem
Professor Sabir
English 5
In the land of the free…
The Angola three
Webster’s dictionary defines justice as the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments; the administration of law. The film, In the land of the free, directed by Vadim Jean, sends surges of fear through my soul when I realize this term justice ,in certain circumstances is liable to be biased. Who is doing the administration and defining what is just? The fact that one can be imprisoned for years without any substantial evidence is an abuse of power. Human and civil rights depends on who is administrating justice within a society.
A civil right is defined as the nonpolitical rights of citizens; especially: the rights of personal liberty guaranteed to United States citizens by the 13th and 14th amendments to the Constitution and by acts of congress. Unless the term guaranteed has multiple meanings, this definition could not be more far off regarding the Angola three. Around 1970, while incarcerated, the Angola three was subjected to segregation and various forms of abuse in the majority African American prison population. They decided to form a Black Panther party and speak about the different types of corruption they experienced. Shortly after speaking on the issues they faced in Angola State prison, Robert King, Albert Woodfox, and Herman Wallace, were convicted for the murder of prison guard Brent Miller. Miller was one of the officers left to patrol the prison, when he was stabbed thirty two times. According to the film, in the land of the free, this was the first time a prison guard was killed in over nine years at Angola Prison.
The key witness, Hezekiah Brown was serving a sentence for molestation and was bribed with a carton of cigarettes and his freedom, in exchange for his testimony against the defendants. A key piece of evidence, a bloody fingerprint left at the scene of the murder was ignored. Another key witness who claimed to see Herman and Albert at the scene was both autistic and blind. Even though the fingerprint was proven not to be Herman or Albert’s, prison officials failed to match the prints with the other inmates. The film points out that Herman and Albert were targeted for Miller’s murder by prison administration because they were apart of the Black Panther party.
According to Webster, Human rights refers to rights (as freedom from unlawful imprisonment, torture, and execution) regarded as belonging fundamentally to all persons. In cases such as the Angola three were dealing with more then words these definitions are actually affecting people’s lives, their human rights. The Angola three were sentenced to solitary confinement for a murder that they were convicted of without any substantial evidence. Robert King sat in solitary confinement before being released. He was linked to Millers murder even though King was nowhere near to Angola Prison during the time of the murder. To sit in solitary confinement for twenty plus years in cruel and violates human rights.
ReplyDeleteThe reason the Angola three formed the panther party while incarcerated was based on prisoner’s human rights. Violence, segregation, rapes, and having your body traded for goods were the key issues that the Angola three were trying to combat. In return, for trying to organize human rights within the prison community, prison administration sentences them to over twenty years in solitary confinement. Solitary confinement depends on behavior, there is no excuse to have an individual spend over a decade locked away like an animal with no record of wrong behavior. These three men’s story screams the horrid truth that human and civil rights depends solely on who is administrating justice. Unfortunately, it seems as though the Angola three where on the wrong side of the justice system.
Work Cite
In the land of the free…3 men over 100 years in solitary confinement . In America. Today. Directed by Vadim Jean.
In the land of the free. http://www.inthelandofthefreefilm.com/history.aspx
webster dictionary
ReplyDeleteLola Levi
ReplyDeleteEng.5
Prof.Sabir
4/26/12
Outline of Angola 3
Topic: Solitary Confinement (Angola 3’s 40th anniversary as the case study)
Background
Land of the Free, directed by Vadim Jean, narrarated by Samuel Jackson, explored the case and the circumstances surrounding it presently and historically.
Anita Rodick, The Body Shop founder, gives a International aspect
Jackie Summell artist, The House That Herman Built
3 men: Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King Wilkerson
40th Anniversary April 17, 2012
Amnesty International calls the case a human rights violation. When people are incarcerated they are still human beings and cannot be denied their human rights.
Black Panther Party members, in fact they established the Black Panther Party behind bars at Angola State Prison
The widow the slain officer HW and AW were to have killed said they didn’t kill her husband.
Evidence points to tampering and mishandling and bribes of witnesses
There is an international cry for their release and multiple jurist have ruled for the release of Albert Woodfox.
Robert King was released after 29 year in solitary confinement.
Solitary confinement is inhumane. Thesis
Appeals: logos and pathos
For each of these positions: What do you want to say that looks at the issue from this perspective?
Pathos: Locked up for a crime that a person didn’t commit, “For nearly 39 years, Jim Crow justice in Louisiana kept Herman Wallace and Albert Woodfox locked in solitary confinement for a murder everyone knows they didn't commit, says, Color Of Change.org.
Albert Woodfox was not allowed to go to his mother’s funeral, because of the charges he didn’t commit.
The jurors in their cases didn’t have a black person in it.
Logos: The reason why a person should not be placed in solitary confinement, because people began to loose their minds. Studies show that people have began to hurt their selves, because of the time that they are spending in solitary confinement.
Pathos: After all this time of living in a 6x9 cell, one would think that these men are insane. Herman and Albert have maintained their sanity. Their families have been doing all that they can to help them win their freedom, even though it has been hard and discouraging to see that the state of LA. are not releasing these men or allowing them out of solitary confinement, because they are continuing to represent the Black Panther party.
Stealing a cement truck (AW) was one of the reasons for his arrest to begin with.
Cruel and unusual punishment –what does this mean?
Cruel is to be harsh or severe; causing pain or suffering. Which I definitely would say these men encountered, an Unusual is when some is done out of the ordinary. The fact that these men were in solitary the amount of time that they were wasn’t normal at all.
Opponents of solitary confinement hold that it is a form of cruel and unusual punishment[10] ,US News, and torture[11] , "Survivors of Solitary Confinement". National Radio Project, because the lack of human contact, and the sensory deprivation that often go with solitary confinement, can have a severe negative impact on a prisoner's mental state[12] that may lead to certain mental illnesses such as depression, permanent or semi-permanent changes to brain physiology,[13] an existential crisis,[14][15][16][17] and death.[11]
Negative psychological effects have been documented,[18] "Psychological Effects of Solitary Confinement". Solitary Watch, leading one judge in a 2001 suit to rule that “[Solitary confinement] units are virtual incubators of psychoses—seeding illness in otherwise healthy inmates and exacerbating illness in those already suffering from mental infirmities
Lola Levi
ReplyDeleteEng 5
Prof. Sabir
part 2 of Angola 3 outline
A lot has changed legally since 9/11. We can legally torture people, search spy on a person without a search warrant.
Refutation (Counterargment)
Solitary confinement is separating inmates that are not able to be around others, w/o harming others or themselves. It is something crucial to deal with, but I believe that it should have a time limit. Unlike what these men are facing, together over a 100 years in solitary confinement. No rights are being upheld and the state is in violation of refusing the freedom these men that they have not found guilty with the information that was presented to the courts.
Conclusion
After all that has been done and said, I hope that these men will get their freedom. There is no reason why they are being held. This is reminding me of another story, in the Holy bible when Pharaoh wouldn’t let the children of Israel go. God had harden his heart and made him stubborn. I don’t understand what His plan in this circumstance is but He has a plan and a purpose for all. I pray that their faith is in God, and not man, and that they don’t give in until justice prevails. To make a change for the future of others living in the state of LA.