Download PDF of this full issue: v4n1.pdf (8 MB)

Leavenworth Prisoners Continue The Struggle

By VVAW

On July 31, 1973, Leavenworth Penitentiary (Kansas) became the first federal prison to experience a mass rebellion by inmates in which political awareness and blatant oppression were the motivating forces. During the rebellion four guards were taken hostage, with one of the guards killed. At least ten other guards were inured when they attacked prisoners with baseball bats; parts of the prison shoe factory were set on fire; and the dining room was taken over by inmates.

As a result of the July 31 action, at least 40 prisoners are now in segregation units (the hole) facing charges of riot, murder, assault and arson. These 40 men have been in lock-up since July, after Warden Daggett had promised there would be no reprisals if the inmates would relinquish their hold on the penitentiary. A grand jury is now sitting somewhere in Kansas deliberating the state's "evidence", and indictments for the 31st rebellion are expected in the near future.

While everyone was awaiting the decision of this grand jury, the government slipped another grand jury into existance and has indicted three brothers for activities which occurred after the 31st, but these first indictments cannot be separated from the context of what took place in July. Odell Bennett and Alf Hill have been indicted for inciting a mutiny; Alfred Jasper has been charged with assaulting a federal officer and possessing a deadly weapon. All of these brothers are members of VVAW/WSO, and all have been deeply involved in prison organizing and speaking out for their rights (as have the remainder of the 40 men now awaiting indictment).

When examining the incidents which led to these 3 indictments, it should not be difficult to see that these indictments are pure harassment and continued political repression against those people in prison who have the courage to say "No." In August, Bennett was being taken to court were a judge was to hear one of his petitions against the prison. Guards attempted to give Odell a "finger wave" (rectal search for weapons and contraband) and Bennett resisted. He was then beaten, his clothes torn off and was forcefully searched. Guards sat on him in the back of the car all the way to the courtroom and managed to get in another beating before Bennett entered the courtroom where he was bound and gagged. When the judge requested that the gag be removed so that he could speak, a guard claimed that Bennett had bit his finger (thus the assault on a federal officer).

Later in October, Alf Hill was to appear at a "good time" hearing (a hearing to determine if the amount of time earned in good behavior should be revoked). Guards entered his cell and severely beat him, breaking his nose and cracking some ribs. While Hill was being beaten, other prisoners in the segregation building began protesting by beating on their doors, beating on the pipes in the ceiling, etc. Guards came to stop this "mutiny" and singled Alfred Jasper out of the group. Jasper was taken into the hall by guards, slapped around and searched. Guards claim that they found a sock with broken glass in his pocket.

Judging from the events of these two days, it is clear that what we have in Leavenworth is a repressive attempt at framing these three brothers, simply because they resisted being treated as something less-than-human by prison officials. However, the treatment received by Bennett, Hill and Jasper on these two days is actually nothing unique to routine prison policy and this is the reason that the July 31 rebellion occurred in the first place. The situation inside Leavenworth is extremely tense. Leavenworth is the largest and highest maximum security federal prison in the country. It is also the most overcrowded federal prison. Added to this is an incredible amount of racial tension in the prison which is almost solely fostered by the prison bureaucracy itself. Prior to the uprising, four inmates were murdered by with no explanation for the deaths offered by the prison. All four were either black or Chicano. Since the July rebellion, the murders have continued, without an explanation in sight. Added too all this is the fact that the prisoners confined in the segregation building have recently been discovering razor blades in their food. Taking this, plus the routine beatings and general inhuman brutality, it is no wonder that the Leavenworth prisoners felt they had no alternative left other than outright revolt.

Though the indictments for the 31st rebellion are not yet public, the defense is already preparing for these major indictments and the indictments already received by Bennett, Hill and Jasper. However, because of the physical locality of the prison, the defense of these brothers will be extremely difficult. The lawyers have termed the state of Kansas as having "the most reactionary federal district in the U.S." On top of this, the state is suffering from a severe case of political isolation: there is no Lawyers Guild, Legal Aid, ACLU or any other legal organization with a political perspective. The lawyers that are sympathetic to prison struggles are consistently over-worked because of the fact that within a 200 mile radius of Kansas City, there are two federal prisons and several major state penitentiaries.

The Kansas City chapter of VVAW/WSO is in the process of getting the defense committee together and functioning. It will be necessary for people all across the country to support the struggle of the Leavenworth brothers, both in speaking out against the repressive policies they have been subjected to, and with financial assistance. Contributions for the defense of these brothers should be sent c/o VVAW/WSO at P.O. Box 8695, Wornall Station, Kansas City, Missouri. (Contributions should be marked for the defense).