From: "Marpessa Kupendua" Save Address - Block Sender To: Save Address Subject: [Y4M] !*New Mumia Legal Briefs/Updates on Kissingers/Kim Lamberty Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 11:02:57 -0400 ReplyReply AllForwardDeletePreviousNextClose New legal briefs for Mumia have been posted to www.mumia.org (and other sites) =============================== From: C. Clark Kissinger Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 5:31 PM Report on Clark Kissinger's Probation Status / Update on Kim Lamberty’s status: 7-11-00 This morning about 35 people, including several carloads from Philadelphia, rallied to support Clark Kissinger as he appeared for an appointment with a federal probation officer. He was accompanied by an attorney from Ron Kuby’ s office, but this time no supporters were allowed upstairs, and a heavy police presence surrounded the gathering. Pam Africa from ICFFMAJ; Brian Becker of the International Action Center; and Fran Goldin and Marcie Geyer who were arrested together with Clark on July 3, spoke. Clark turned in forms with “name, rank, and serial number” only, refusing to provide information on his finances and who he associates with. He was told that the probation authorities will be notifying the judge that he is not cooperating in failing to fill out the forms completely, and that he should appear again on August 10. Kim Lamberty sent the following message to the gathering: Dear Friends, Two weeks ago I received notice that the D.C. Probation Office notified Judge Rapaport that I was not cooperating with the conditions of my probation. Judge Rapaport has summoned me to a hearing on July 19 at 11:00 a.m. in Philadelphia to determine whether to revoke my probation and impose a more severe penalty. Although I did report to a probation officer when requested to do so, and I paid my fine, I have not surrendered my passport; nor have I provided the detailed and intrusive financial information requested by the Probation Office. Article 13 of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, passed by the U.N. and ratified by the United States in 1948 in the wake of the horrors of World War II, states that every person has the right to travel within their own country, and to leave their country and return to it. This internationally-recognized human right is in force unless a person poses a grave danger to society. Clearly the "crime" I was convicted of--a minor misdemeanor analogous to a traffic ticket--does not fall into that category. The Declaration of Human Rights was invoked by the international community, including the United States, against South Africa under apartheid, when citizens of that country were prevented from traveling freely. Similarly, it was invoked against the former Soviet Union for prohibiting free travel. In fact, in the former Soviet Union, political dissenters were harassed by being forced to surrender their passports and ask for permission to travel, which was routinely denied. This is the same kind of harassment we who dissent from the State of Pennsylvania on the death penalty and on the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal are now experiencing at the hands of our own government. I object to revealing any financial information to the government--not because I have anything to hide, but because I have paid my fine and do not owe them any money. I was not convicted of a financial crime, and they have no reason to keep a file on everything I buy each month! I'm willing to cooperate with probation by reporting to them every month if they so desire. But I am unwilling to become an accomplice in their human rights abuses. Thank you for your support. Kim Lamberty * * * The address of the courthouse is 601 Market Street in Philly. Kim’s court date July 19 at 11:00 a.m. Courtroom 5-C will have a posting of the room the hearing is in (look for "Kim Lamberty".) Please write the judge: The Judge is Arnold Rapoport US. District Court Suite 3401, US Courthouse 504 West Hamilton Street Allentown, PA 18101 Please copies to Kim at: pmagno@igc.org ============================================> Update on Judy Kissinger: Some weeks ago I received a subpoena from the US government for ten years of financial information, along with a subpoena to appear before a grand jury. This came within just a few days of my husband, Clark Kissinger, being ordered to produce financial records in the current attack against him and others active in the battle to stop the execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal. There has been a serious move by the government, in the guise of one year's supervised probation with severe restrictions, on some leaders and activists in the Mumia movement. (See recent emails and letters from Clark, Frances Goldin, Mitch Cohen, Kim Lamberty, and others for the current status of these important political cases. See also the R&R website: www.refuseandresist.org ) The "amazing coincidence" of both Clark and me being asked for this information forced us to view it as an attack on both of us and the entire Mumia movement. I asked many of you to contact the assistant US attorney in my case, to tell him who I am, that intrusion into personal finances for political reasons is unacceptable, and to let him know that many people are watching this case. There is still no clear reason not to think and act as if these subpoenas were anything other than part of a political assault on the movement. Even though the government claimed to only be concerned with activities of a former employer of mine, it would have been irresponsible for me, a resistance activist, to open the door to the state to pry into our lives at a time when the movement as a whole is under attack. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO CONTACTED THE ASSISTANT US ATTORNEY! That, together with some media work and attention, has had a profound effect at this point. Because of all this, I have not had to appear before a grand jury, speak to the FBI, nor produce bank statements and charge account information that had been subpoenaed. As our resistance movement grows, it is vitally important that standards be fought for and set for how we relate to those who would stop us. Cooperating with grand juries, speaking to the political police, and aiding government fishing expeditions should not be part of our movement. More attacks will come down as we make further gains - and this in turn will give rise to further resistance. If we do our work well, this back and forth process will strengthen our movement by bringing many more people into the battle, aiding in forming and forging new alliances, and clarifying who the enemy is and what they are up to. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Spending too much money calling friends and family all over the country? Check out beMANY! for LOW long distance rates. Click for more. http://click.egroups.com/1/6846/4/_/30522/_/963677943/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Stop the execution! New trial for Mumia! Youth & Students for Mumia http://www.mumia2000.org