MOJUK: Newsletter 'Inside Out' 31

=============================================

"however much they steal of my life, it can never add so much as a day to theirs'

It is not quite 5:30am, as I start this letter, unable to milk any further sleep from the udders of night, my joints aching, whenever they touch the thin mattress, and my mind still trying to make sense of the world.

Recently I went back on fluids only and to make sure no one tried to undermine me again I told the people who occasionally put something on my table to eat, that if they did so again, I would volunteer to go down to segregation where no one will be able to get at me. Unconsciously I must have been preparing for this for after 12 months of being on anti-depressants, I weaned myself off them and stopped altogether about two months a go. This time I will listen to no siren voices telling me how reason and law has to prevail. Too many people in high places want me incarcerated despite all saying I should have been released many years ago.

Staying alive seems far less important to me than saying, with this life 'enough' the persecution must end now.

Perhaps also I was triggered to action by a staff member coming to my cell a few weeks ago to tell me I was wanted to appear before a 'sentence planning Board'. I pointed out that I was being held in prison in defiance of the laws of this country and of human-rights and therefore sentence planning did not apply to me.

A while ago all I read that an autopsy can show whether a person has eaten anything up to 20 days prior to death, I passed that point two days a go. I do hope there's some independent organisation that would be prepared prepared to observe my autopsy. As I am sure you must be aware, anyone who works for the government's top industry (the prison industry) concealment of truth is as mentally pliable as a contortionist is physically and I would hate to have my death written-down as natural, though neither would I be so foolish as to expect the Lord Chief Justice and the Home Secretary to be cited as murderers as a result of the criminal conspiracy to prevent a course of justice resulting in death.

I really am weary of it all, 14 years of injustice is more than is required to make once see life in the darkest of tones. A month ago and, I had two photos taken on a visit. Having only see myself in the five-inch square of plastic that passes for a mirror for so many years, and it was a shock see a emaciated man.-This was a week before I started this last fast, flanked by his two beautiful daughters the elder 17 and Charlotte aged 11, neither are biologically mine but I couldn't wish for two more lovely and loving children. Even that has become too painful the time and expense of visiting me in the past few years. It is a reversal of the natural world. Where a father should be doing everything for them until they take on adult responsibility.

The hospital here it is closed at present, of which I am glad of, as it it saves argument should they wish to put me in it. Apart from the aching of my bones when sitting or lying I am not in any physical discomfort, though there is an awareness that my heart seems to be straining, rather like an old motor carrying a heavy load and trying to climb a steep gradient.

I was told a few days ago and I shall be seeing a ophthalmic surgeon and the dentist soon. That pleased me if it should be in time. There must be some primitive reason for that, a wish or belief that the physical presence we now inhabit should define or influence something to come. Not that I am religious, I know just enough about life to be able to say I don't know.

It is a defeat, but at least it is on my own terms and not as they would wish it, and as I have said before, however much they steal of my life, it can never add so much as a day to theirs.

As usual my best wishes to all the hostages and you at MOJUK. How you can continue to stand fast, and remain sane, with the flood of knowledge of injustice pouring over you, I don't know.

Sincerely yours,

Ronnie Easterbrook, HMP Whitemoor

=======================

Back to the Court of Appeal

Samar and Jawad (HMP Hollowway and HMP Frankland)

Tuesday 16th October 2001

One long years wait, Samar and Jawad have been waiting a year for there appeal to resume. That appeal is expected to last at least two days.

Will we witness the continuation of the farce of the initial appeal when the three Court judges sat in judgment, alone with the prosecution and security services, whilst the defence lawyers, members of the public and the press had to stand outside in the corridor!

For more details contact: BM Box FOSA London WC1N 3XX

=================================

Susan May (HMP Newhall) her appeal against wrongful conviction will begin on October 30th, 2001 and is listed for four days.

For more details contact:

Friends of Susan May
942 Oldham Road
Rochdale OL11 2 BS

=================================

Michael O'Brien, one of the men wrongly jailed for the murder of Cardiff newsagent Philip Saunders is due to file a claim for £1.1m compensation.

The legal team acting on behalf of Michael O'Brien will submit their final report to the Home Office on Monday.

Michae, 32, spent 11 years in prison with Darren Hall, 32, and Ellis Sherwood, 31, after they were convicted of Mr Saunders' murder in 1988.

In 1999, after a lengthy battle to clear their names, the Court of Appeal quashed the men's convictions.

Michae has been at the forefront of a campaign since then to receive a public apology from South Wales Police and he has demanded a full inquiry into the case.

He is now seeking full compensation for his loss of liberty.

In April, South Wales Police confirmed no action was to be taken against any officers connected with the Cardiff Newsagent Three case.

All three men had served 11 years of a life term after being convicted based on Mr Hall 'confessing' to detectives.

Questions have been raised about the conduct of investigating officers, who were alleged to have shown a "systematic disregard" of the rules governing interrogation of suspects.

In February this year, the Crown Prosecution Service announced it would not bring charges against any officers.

=================================

After 23 years in jail for burning curtains, an inmate absconds

David Blagdon may not have had long to wait to win his freedom. But after 23 years in jail for setting fire to a set of velvet curtains in a village church, his friends say it was hardly surprising he done a runner.

Blagdon committed the offence on the day of his foster mother's funeral in July 1978 and pleaded guilty to arson at Oxford crown court.

He absconded once before five years ago when a parole board turned down his request for release. Two years ago, the News of the World began a campaign to free him, and last May the paper published a story under the headline Curtain blaze man to go free. But it proved another false dawn.

A friend said that Blagdon had repeatedly been set responsibility tests designed to make him fail. "They were completely inappropriate for him and had nothing to do with whether he was fit to be freed."

She believes friends may try to persuaded Blagdon to go back to Sudbury - though it is the last thing he wants to do.

============================

Only doing their job tra laa

The SAS, the Parachute Regiment and the Police go on a survival weekend together to see who comes out top. After some basic exercises, the trainer tells them their next objective is to go down into the woods and come back with a rabbit for tea.

First up are the SAS. They don their infrared goggles, drop to the ground and crawl into the woods in formation. Absolute silence for 5 minutes, followed by a single muffled shot. They emerge with a rabbit, shot cleanly through the forehead. "Excellent" says the trainer.

Next up are the Para's. They finish their cans of lager, cover themselves in camouflage cream, fix bayonets and charge down into the woods, screaming at the top of their lungs. For the next hour the woods ring with the sound of machine gun fire, mortar bombs, hand grenades and blood-curdling war cries. Eventually, they emerge, carrying the charred remains of a rabbit. "A bit messy, but you got a result. Well done" says the trainer.

Lastly, in go the police, walking slowly, hands behind backs, whistling the theme tune from Dixon of Dock Green. For the next few hours, the silence is only broken by the occasional crackle of a walkie talkie: "sierra oscar lemur one, suspect headed straight for you" etc. After what seems an eternity, they emerge, escorting a white squirrel in hand cuffs. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" asks the incredulous trainer. "Take this squirrel back and get me a rabbit, like I asked you 5 hours ago!"

So back they go. Minutes pass. Minutes turn to hours, day turns to night. The next morning the trainer and the rest of the crew are awakened by the police, holding a black squirrel, which has had the shite knocked out of it, bruises everywhere one ear hanging off.

"Are you taking the piss ?" asks the seriously irate trainer. The police team leader shoots a glance at the squirrel, who squeaks: "Alright, alright, I'm a fucking rabbit!"

=======================================

Alarm raised on custody suicides

Prison vans are nicknamed 'sweat-boxes' A prison reform charity has demanded action to reduce suicides and self-inflicted injuries by those in custody.

The Howard League for Penal Reform wants a major reduction in deaths and injuries in police cells and prison vans.

The charity said nearly 400 people harmed themselves in cells and escort vehicles last year.

A report by it said cold and dirtycells in courts and long hours spent in prison vans, nicknamed "sweat-boxes", were problematic.

The report's author, Tim Colbourne, said: "There were 376 incidents of self-harm in court cells and prison escort vehicles in the last year, including many attempted hangings.

"This is likely to be the tip of the iceberg, because men, women and children who are traumatised by their experiences at court carry their stress and anxiety with them into prison."

Independent review

The Howard League wants the Prison Service to takeresponsibility for conditions in court cells and improvestandards.

The report also demands an independent review of prisoner escort services, which were privatised in 1993.

The current system means prisoners are often housed in police stations overnight, the charity said.

There have been eight suicides in court cells since the contracting out of the escorting service, the report said.

One inmate who was interviewed said he would rather serve an extra five years on top of a 20-year sentence if he could avoid travelling in prison vans.

Predominantly unconvicted

Mr Colbourne added: "[We found] 28% of suicides take place within a week of reception to prison.

"People held in court cells are predominantly unconvicted or unsentenced.

"They should be treated at all times with humanity and respect.

"They should not be kept in holding cells or prison vans for prolonged periods, and must be given information about what is going to happen to them."

The report also said welfare workers should be employed at larger courts to help prisoners and there should also be better information about prison for people held in court cells.

===========================

Death police 'should be grounded'

Police officers involved in serious incidents, such as deaths in custody or fatal shootings, should be suspended from duty, rather than transferred to desk work, the deputy chairman of the Police Complaints Authority said yesterday.

Molly Meacher said the failure to suspend officers implied their force had concluded they did act improperly before an independent inquiry was completed.

She urged the Association of Chief Police Officers to introduce a policy of suspension during an inquiry which, if implemented, would mark a significant extension of the action taken against officers during investigations.

Mrs Meacher added: "It's very difficult for the public to have confidence in an investigation when they may believe that a judgment may have been made on the other side - that by officers remaining on duty there's an implied indication that the home force does not believe that any wrong-doing has been committed."

Glen Smyth, chairman of the Metropolitan Branch of the Police Federation, said suspension would reflect adversely on officers.