Post by Admin on May 20, 2007 18:29:35 GMT -5
Posted: prisondesk@igc.org (JusticeNet Prison Issues Desk)
Ohio prisoner needs support!
Ohio prisoner sent to the hole for alleged gang activity
>From Prison News Service:
In a telephone conversation today (June 16, 1996) John Perotti reported
that Dan Cahill, a prisoner in Ohio, has been thrown into the hole in the
Ohio State Prison at Chillicothe. This information was confirmed by Karen
Thimmes of Ohio Cure who visited with Cahill on the 16th as well.
Cahill was put in the hole pending an "investigation" for alleged gang
related activity, a charge he has faced before. The investigation was
initiated by a Major Payton who was responsible for the earlier charge
levelled against Cahill. It was triggered by the distribution of a letter
written by Cahill by a Sister Ann, who is unknown to this circle of
activist. It was sent into various prisoners along with a covering letter
that was considered to be inflammatory.
Cahill's letter called for support for George Skatzes who has recently been
sentenced to death for his part in the Lucasville uprising at Easter time
in 1991. (See Cahill's letter below for details about this case.) This
letter also appears in the Spring issue of Prison News Service (#54) which
should have started arriving in Ohio state prisons about the same time that
Cahill was placed in the hole - Tuesday, June 11th.
Dan Cahill needs some support to get him released from the hole. Cahill has
been an activist prisoner for several years, writing for Prison News
Service, working with outside support groups, and working to organize
prisoners in the prison industries. He needs phone calls to Eric Dahlberg,
who is a regional director for the Department of Rehabilitation and
Corrections. Send him letters of support, or even simply asking him how he
is doing, or inquiring about the allegations would let the prisoncrats know
that they are being observed.
Mr Eric Dahlberg - Regional Director
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
1050 Freeway Dr. N.
Columbus OH 43229
phone (614) 437-2771
We'll update this information as soon as possible.
Write:
Dan Cahill 251-641
P.O. Box 5500
Chilicothe, OH 45601
The following is the letter that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and
Corrections is trying to suppress. This is the version that appeared in
Prison News Service.
George Skatzes faces execution!
On January 30, 1996, George Skatzes (pronounced like "Skates") was
sentenced to death for the murders of two other prisoners during the 11-day
uprising, in April 1993, at the maximum security Southern Correctional
Facility in Lucasville, OH.
During the uprising George acted as a peacekeeper and spokesman for the
prisoners. Many prisoners credit George with saving their lives during the
riot. Former hostage guard Jeffrey Ratcliff asked the jurors to spare
George's life, stating under oath that George helped protect two guards and
even released a third guard who was badly injured. Ratcliff went on to say
that he wouldn't be alive today if not for George. Surely the death toll
from the uprising would have been much, much higher if not for George.
He's been sentenced to death because he refused to cooperate (snitch) with
prison officials, who promised not to prosecute him if he would
"cooperate". George became the target of the investigation because he had
the courage to come forward and help negotiate a peaceful end to the
uprising. As a spokesman, he became a symbol and a target.
The prisoners who actually committed the murders that George has been
sentenced to death for haven't been charged with any crimes, or were given
lenient sentences in exchange for their testimony against George. Is that
how justice works? The real killers get off the hook by blaming their
crimes on someone else? They admitted that they killed the prisoners, but
claim that George gave the order. These low-lifes would say anything to
avoid the death penalty!
Assistant Franklin County prosecutor Dan Hogan stated, "Hopefully we've
sent a message to any other inmates who might ever consider doing anything
like this again." Yes, they intend to execute George - to send us a
message. But the message is: You can kill guards and prisoners during a
riot and blame someone else for it afterwards - and the state will help
protect you! Another message the state sends us with this verdict is: Don't
get involved; don't step forward and try to stop the killings. Step aside
and let it happen - otherwise you become a symbol and a target for state
prosecution.
That's the real message, and justice was not served in the death penalty
verdict George received. He's 49 years old and sitting on death row waiting
for his appeals to run out and an execution date be set.
The truth has to come out. We can't allow George to die as a symbol, to
send us a "message". I have known him for several years, and he's a good,
solid convict who's always willing to help someone else. Everyone who knows
George agrees that he's innocent of these charges.
This is a desperate plea to support an innocent man. His sister has agreed
to help form an outside support group and a defense committee for her
brother. Anyone interested in making a financial contribution to his
defense fund, or who would like to help organize support for George or
wants more information about this case.
Contact:
Mrs Jackie Bowers
P.O. Box 1591
Marion, OH 43301-1591
Thanks,
Dan Cahill
Thanks
Jim for Prison News Service
pns@pathcom.com
Ohio prisoner needs support!
Ohio prisoner sent to the hole for alleged gang activity
>From Prison News Service:
In a telephone conversation today (June 16, 1996) John Perotti reported
that Dan Cahill, a prisoner in Ohio, has been thrown into the hole in the
Ohio State Prison at Chillicothe. This information was confirmed by Karen
Thimmes of Ohio Cure who visited with Cahill on the 16th as well.
Cahill was put in the hole pending an "investigation" for alleged gang
related activity, a charge he has faced before. The investigation was
initiated by a Major Payton who was responsible for the earlier charge
levelled against Cahill. It was triggered by the distribution of a letter
written by Cahill by a Sister Ann, who is unknown to this circle of
activist. It was sent into various prisoners along with a covering letter
that was considered to be inflammatory.
Cahill's letter called for support for George Skatzes who has recently been
sentenced to death for his part in the Lucasville uprising at Easter time
in 1991. (See Cahill's letter below for details about this case.) This
letter also appears in the Spring issue of Prison News Service (#54) which
should have started arriving in Ohio state prisons about the same time that
Cahill was placed in the hole - Tuesday, June 11th.
Dan Cahill needs some support to get him released from the hole. Cahill has
been an activist prisoner for several years, writing for Prison News
Service, working with outside support groups, and working to organize
prisoners in the prison industries. He needs phone calls to Eric Dahlberg,
who is a regional director for the Department of Rehabilitation and
Corrections. Send him letters of support, or even simply asking him how he
is doing, or inquiring about the allegations would let the prisoncrats know
that they are being observed.
Mr Eric Dahlberg - Regional Director
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections
1050 Freeway Dr. N.
Columbus OH 43229
phone (614) 437-2771
We'll update this information as soon as possible.
Write:
Dan Cahill 251-641
P.O. Box 5500
Chilicothe, OH 45601
The following is the letter that the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and
Corrections is trying to suppress. This is the version that appeared in
Prison News Service.
George Skatzes faces execution!
On January 30, 1996, George Skatzes (pronounced like "Skates") was
sentenced to death for the murders of two other prisoners during the 11-day
uprising, in April 1993, at the maximum security Southern Correctional
Facility in Lucasville, OH.
During the uprising George acted as a peacekeeper and spokesman for the
prisoners. Many prisoners credit George with saving their lives during the
riot. Former hostage guard Jeffrey Ratcliff asked the jurors to spare
George's life, stating under oath that George helped protect two guards and
even released a third guard who was badly injured. Ratcliff went on to say
that he wouldn't be alive today if not for George. Surely the death toll
from the uprising would have been much, much higher if not for George.
He's been sentenced to death because he refused to cooperate (snitch) with
prison officials, who promised not to prosecute him if he would
"cooperate". George became the target of the investigation because he had
the courage to come forward and help negotiate a peaceful end to the
uprising. As a spokesman, he became a symbol and a target.
The prisoners who actually committed the murders that George has been
sentenced to death for haven't been charged with any crimes, or were given
lenient sentences in exchange for their testimony against George. Is that
how justice works? The real killers get off the hook by blaming their
crimes on someone else? They admitted that they killed the prisoners, but
claim that George gave the order. These low-lifes would say anything to
avoid the death penalty!
Assistant Franklin County prosecutor Dan Hogan stated, "Hopefully we've
sent a message to any other inmates who might ever consider doing anything
like this again." Yes, they intend to execute George - to send us a
message. But the message is: You can kill guards and prisoners during a
riot and blame someone else for it afterwards - and the state will help
protect you! Another message the state sends us with this verdict is: Don't
get involved; don't step forward and try to stop the killings. Step aside
and let it happen - otherwise you become a symbol and a target for state
prosecution.
That's the real message, and justice was not served in the death penalty
verdict George received. He's 49 years old and sitting on death row waiting
for his appeals to run out and an execution date be set.
The truth has to come out. We can't allow George to die as a symbol, to
send us a "message". I have known him for several years, and he's a good,
solid convict who's always willing to help someone else. Everyone who knows
George agrees that he's innocent of these charges.
This is a desperate plea to support an innocent man. His sister has agreed
to help form an outside support group and a defense committee for her
brother. Anyone interested in making a financial contribution to his
defense fund, or who would like to help organize support for George or
wants more information about this case.
Contact:
Mrs Jackie Bowers
P.O. Box 1591
Marion, OH 43301-1591
Thanks,
Dan Cahill
Thanks
Jim for Prison News Service
pns@pathcom.com