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Leavenworth: Trial Dates Set!

By VVAW

Murder charges against four black Leavenworth Brothers (Odell Bennett, Jessie Evans, Alf Hill and Alfred Jasper) were dropped on June 21st. The dropping of these charges occurred because the government admitted they had no evidence. These charges were originally brought against the Brothers as a result of the July 31, 1973 rebellion which happened at the Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas in response to the repression and inhuman conditions existing in that prison.

Judge Theis (the judge who will preside over the trials) also ordered that these four prisoners are to go on trial in Wichita beginning July 29th. The charges they are still facing are assault and conspiracy to riot and mutiny. The other two Chicano Brothers, Jesse Lopez and Armondo Miramon, have been charged with kidnapping and their trial is scheduled for August 12.

In other developments, the Brothers won a victory regarding their motion to be transferred from Leavenworth to a County Jail. The reason the motion was filed is because the Brothers felt they could not prepare and adequate defense due to the continued repression within the prison and because many of the guards who are to testify against the Brothers are still working in and around the Segregation Unit where the prisoners were being held. Theis granted this "motion to transfer" and the Brothers have been moved. Blatant racism is reflected in this transfer, however, as the black brothers were sent to the Sedgwick County Jail in Wichita, while the Chicano brothers were moved to the Harvey County Jail in Newton, KS. Though this division of the races has occurred, the six Brothers still remain united, and the granting of the motion is seen as a victory. It is vitally important for the well-being of the Brothers that they are no longer behind the walls of Leavenworth.

As the trials approach, it is clear that the government has some doubts about the credibility of their case against the prisoners. The murder charges against Bennett, Evans, Hill and Jasper were not dropped out of the goodness of anybody's heart. They were dropped because there simply is no case, because the Brothers were originally charged as a result of their political involvement in speaking out against the repression of prison life, and because the prison administration needed someone to "pay" for the uprising which happened last July. But we may assume that because the government knows they cannot "hang" the Brothers with murder, they will be pushing even harder to try to make the other charges stick.

The Brothers need your help. We ask that everyone send a postcard to Judge Theis (U.S. District Court, Federal Building, Wichita, KS) demanding that the trials be further postponed (this is because lawyers only entered the case a month ago, because witnesses still need to be interviewed, and because an extensive FBI report must be researched). Also, fund for the defense are still needed. If people can spare a contribution, or wish further information. contact: Leavenworth Brothers Offense/Defense Committee, P.O. Box 5818, Kansas City, MO 64111.