Hasan Ends Hunger Strike, Awaits Serious Misconduct Panel Hearing

Update on Hasan's situation and Hunger strike.

On Wednesday August 8, Hasan ended his hunger strike due to abdominal pain and the need to prepare for his defense before the Serious Misconduct Panel hearing.

News from Staughton and Alice Lynd:

  Hasan ended his hunger strike after suffering abdominal pain due to constipation for five days.  He is no longer in the infirmary; he was being returned to his old cell.  

   He is still in "segregation."  He now has writing materials, envelopes and stamps.  He does not know whether he can have visitors, phone calls, email, or recreation.  

   He wants his supporters to know that he appreciates all the love and support they have shown.  "I'm good!"

The next step in this ordeal will be the hearing before the Serious Misconduct Panel, which is currently scheduled for Tuesday August 14. We and the Lynds are reaching out to witnesses Hasan has requested to testify before the panel. more details on that:

   Hasan was told that his Serious Misconduct hearing would be held on Tuesday, August 14.  He did not know at what time.     

   According to the administrative rule, the chairman of the Serious Misconduct Panel is responsible to "arrange for the presence of witnesses."  Hasan has asked for five witnesses.

   According to the policy for disciplinary procedures, the chairperson may postpone or continue a hearing for a reasonable period of time for "good cause."  Good cause includes "preparation of the inmate's defense."  The SMP policy also says:  "Inmates must have an opportunity to present documentary evidence at the SMP hearing."

 Pictured above, Hasan and Ben Turk who was named in the conduct report and hopes to testify at the hearing.

Work stopped at Ohio State Penitentiary

In the midst of repression against Imam Siddique Abdullah Hasan, guards have been acting petty and another Lucasville survivor had his transfer out of the supermax denied by the same classification officer: Brian Wittrup.

Greg Curry reports:

"Meanwhile, the low wage cops harassing us looking to create problems. So Enough prisoners that recognized this decided to start protest that include refusing to work! of course the cops went to there SPECIAL INMATES to get them to cross the Pickett line but that was frowned upon so the pod is looking like we're HELD AGAINST OUR WILL! IMAGINE THAT."

Greg also wrote that a knife was found not at all having anything to do with him, but since he has "Lucasville" attached to his name, the officers keep him without any privileges and keep a close eye on him.

"Just today I've had to be interviewed by the Unit staff then later by the Warden himself. Stay Tuned."

This needs to stop.

Greg should be moved out of the Ohio supermax. We know there was a very weak response from Wittrup, but we must keep telling it to him. Stop the torture.

This is what Greg asked in his email of today:

Week two of Hasan's hunger strike

Today is the 11th day of Hasan's hunger strike. We have the following updates on his situation:


1. He finally got the minimum envelopes they are legally required to give him and sent out the conduct report. It is online here or download pdf.

2. Hasan thinks the hearing may be on Thursday or Friday of this week.  He is almost sure he will be convicted. He is able to call witnesses who can call in. We're reaching out to find the people he requested, at least one is ready to testify on Hasan's behalf.           

3. He is currently housed in the infirmary and they are requiring him to do medical checks to delay him from accessing his legal counsel. According to Alice Lynd:

When we called yesterday to arrange an attorney visit for today, we were told that he had refused a medical assessment that morning (August 6), and he could not leave the infirmary for an attorney visit unless he consented to a medical assessment this morning.  He did consent, but he regards a legal visit as a right that should not be denied based on whether or not he submits to a medical assessment.

4. He is grateful for everyone making support calls. He got mail from supporters. As we anticipated, he wants calls directed to central office, since that's who originated the conduct report. Get details on contacting Gary Mohr and other ways to support Hasan here. 

5. The charges he's facing are more serious than in 2016 or other attempts to lock him out of communication, and will be harder to fight. He believes this is a first amendment struggle. ODRC is likely to railroad him and we will need to take the fight to the federal level. Here's a more technical description of the legal stuff.

  On July 30, Hasan was told by the lieutenant who is in charge of the Rules Infraction Board that his case would not be heard by the RIB but was being referred to the Serious Misconduct Panel, the members of which are appointed by the regional director.  See AR 5120-9-08.1, Disciplinary procedures for violations of inmate rules of conduct before the serious misconduct panel, available at http://codes.ohio.gov/oac/5120-9-08.1, and Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Policy 56-DSC-03, Disciplinary Procedures for the Serious Misconduct Panel, available at http://www.drc.ohio.gov/Portals/0/Policies/DRC%20Policies/56-DSC-03%20Apr%202017.pdf?ver=2017-11-01-083126-567.

            The inmate may request witnesses who may testify in person, by phone, or electronically.  As witnesses, Hasan has requested Ben Turk, Steven Kirschenbaum, Queen Tahiyrah, and Abe Bonowitz (in connection with the protest outside the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2018).             Hasan emphasized the magnitude of the situation he is in.  If convicted, he can be subjected to a lot of restrictions.  His access to the phone and kiosk could be limited for a significant number of months... Furthermore, in Hasan’s view, this matter cannot be won within the ODRC.  He regards it as a First Amendment issue and he wants outside support and coverage by the media.

Siddique Abdullah Hasan on Hunger strike

On Friday July 27 Siddique Abdullah Hasan was locked down on a conduct report signed by Brian Wittrup at ODRC central office which referred to his receiving information about the upcoming prison strike.

Over the weekend we organized a phone zap based on word from other prisoners. It wasn't until late Monday evening that supporters were finally able to hear from Hasan directly via an attorney phone call with Staughton and Alice Lynd. Here is there report from that call:

Unprofessional Analyst on (Paralysis) Mental Illness.

A new piece, written by Greg Curry.

UNPROFESSIONAL ANALYST ON( PARALYSIS) MENTAL ILLNESS.

Mental illness has many layers. It goes without saying that a person trying to physically harm themselves is mentally ill, not so defined is a prisoner sentenced to life confined to a prison of any security level whom continually wake up to be harassed by prison low wage cops, other prisoners instability that could manifest in a violent outburst at anytime, bad food, bad medical care, petty arbitrary rues, lack of fresh air, clean water, lack of any REAL hope beyond the next commissary day, or family visit. 

Year after year some prisoners hold out hope for a favorable court decision or parole hearing/security level reduction that never happen as he age as he internalize suppression of basic human rights as we normalize not being able to take a dump uninterrupted, endless strip searches, as the faith in one GOD or the other grows any sign of thirst/ resistance for FREEDOM diminish, the more hours given to PLAY the less likely anyone cares about there situation and yet tomorrow we're up bright and early smiling, happy, singing, dancing within the( acceptable) boundaries decided by our overseers this is mental illness !

Otherwise these GODS these COURTS these LAWYERS these PRAYERS this LOVE these DISTRACTIONS would be meaningless in the face of the actual fact that year after year we're still here! 

Let's get SANE, Let's have a Revolution of the mind. 

FREEDOM FIRST, 

GREG CURRY.

Greg has been an active prison rebel for years, despite being locked up in the supermax since being falsely charged following the Lucasville Uprising. Due to poor evidence against him at trial, Greg evaded the death penalty, which ironically put him in a worse situation for two reasons. First, Ohio only appoints appeal lawyers to death penalty cases, so he's been fighting his case on his own. Second, guards took it upon themselves to punish him and nearly killed him.

Despite clear evidence that the prosecutors lied to the jury and judge at his first trial (they boldy admit it in an appeal brief) his lack of representation has left his case neglected. The innocence project and other avenues of legal aid have said he has a strong case to overturn his uprising conviction, but he has since been convicted of years worth of new charges for defending himself against the guards who targeted him for alleged involvement in the uprising.

In truth, Greg never entered the occupied cell block during the uprising.

Learn more at FACEBOOK/ GREGCURRY
Email Greg through JPay: JPAY.COM/ E MAIL.
Write to Greg:
Greg Curry
A213159
878 Coitsville Hubbard Rd
Youngstown, OH 44505

Hunger strike Successful!

Hello supporters,

Keith/Bomani just shared that they were able to meet with the Warden this morning after 4 days of being on hunger strike and successfully negotiated full reinstitution of their previously earned privileges, ones that some were attempting to corrode. He, Hasan, Jason, and Greg send their heartfelt thanks for any and all ways in which you lent of yourself during this struggle. They’ve agreed to end the strike.

One love.

Message from Keith Lamar on the hunger strike:

I just met with my attorneys, Alice and Staughton Lynd, along with the warden and North regional director, Mr. Ishee. At present, we're still on strike pending a meeting with the warden, which he assured me would happen "sooner than later." I anticipate it happening in the next day or so. In the meantime, this is my understanding of where things stand:

No one to date has accepted responsibility for rescinding our privileges, but the why and wherefores of that is neither here nor there. What matters is that it not happen again, and I was assured by Mr. Ishee that unless warranted (based on our personal behavior), our privileges would not be summarily rescinded as they were. In addition, there's several issues with respect to visiting and other areas that were already in place before new administration came about, and these things will be discussed with warden in aforementioned meeting. It's my general feeling that these matters will be resolved, and that present problems will not recur again.

To the larger issue of our general situation, we all agree that we cannot rely on the system to deliver the justice we seek. As with the case of our privileges, the only way things will l change is through the utilization of our own agency, and with the support of The People. This lesson is continually being taught to us, and I think we can