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June 21, 2008

Why is Senator Jim Webb the only national figure focused on the prison economy?

I find it so very exciting that Senator Jim Webb continue to question the US incarceration rate and to explore the economic consequences of mass incarceration and criminal justice drug policies. Senator Webb's congressional hearing on these topics this week is nicely reviewed in this Nation piece, and it ends with an encouraging report that Senator Webb is just getting revved up:

With this hearing, Senator Webb continues to lead a much overdue Congressional reaction to the US's failing drug policy. Indeed two colleagues on the committee, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Representative Maurice Hinchey praised Senator Webb for his "courage." And don't expect the Senator to back off any time soon. His press secretary, Kimberly Hunter, e-mailed me following the hearing, "Senator Webb has been interested in the US incarceration rate and drug policies since he was a journalist studying the Japanese prison system in 1984.... [This] issue is far from popular but needs to be debated in the public view. With every hearing, his efforts help to raise the awareness of the American people and draw attention to a problem that is easier to ignore then address head-on."

Also encouraging is that, as detailed in this new Wall Street Journal article, Senator Webb may soon have an even bigger stage from which to draw attention to these issues. I sincerely hope that Senator Webb will continue to make these issues a priority even if he becomes Senator Obama's VP choice.

What mystifies me, however, is the failure of any other national politicians to talk seriously about these issues. As Senator Webb is rightfully highlighting, mass incarceration and failed US drug policies are very, very costly for national, state and local governments. I think modern bloated criminal justice systems are a telling example of big government gone bad. And yet, with all the government bashing and economic hand-wringing, it seem that Senator Webb is still among a rare few politicians with the courage to explore important policy realities without an undue and misguided concern about political rhetoric.

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Comments

It is very sad that it takes courage for a senator to hold a hearing on an important public policy issue. Obviously Senator Webb is a leader and I hope he will be joined by others.

I have no idea what the Office of National Drug Policy Control does other than testify before congressional committees but in this case they did not show up. No doubt they were afraid of Professor Peter Reuter how pathetic can you get?

Posted by: John Neff | Jun 21, 2008 4:57:37 PM

My Husband received 8 years in prison along with co-defendants for importing lobster tails from Honduras(violation of the lacey act. ) This case should have been nothing more than civil remedies. He sold his lobster tails to Red lobster Resturant. Please read See Quinn Hillyer's article beow dated june 13, 2008, which pretty well sums up our lobster case .

Thanks Dianne Blandford . Violent prisoners are released, because the prisons are so full, yet my husband along with co defendants remain in prison

Commentary

Quin Hillyer: Crustacean frustration

Quin Hillyer

2008-06-13 07:00:00.0

Current rank: # 1,100 of 8,003

WASHINGTON -

When the story first broke in 1999, the Mobile Register played it tongue-in-cheek. “The defendants,” wrote reporter Mike Wilson, “have proved model prisoners, detained at present at minus 8 degrees Fahrenheit.”

The originally named defendants were 70,787 pounds of spiny lobster tails. Less than 5 percent of them were, horror of horrors, too short – which may or may not have been a violation of Honduran sea-harvest laws.

Even worse, the dastardly tails entered Bayou La Batre, Ala., not in the required cardboard containers, but in plastic. Again, Honduran law may have been violated.

U.S. prosecutors, perceiving a dangerous conspiracy, stopped bothering the lobsters and threw their net at the lobster importers. Using something called the Lacey Act, which makes it illegal in the United States to import goods in contravention of another nation’s laws, the prosecutors began building their case.

And building, and building. Because all of the lobster, not just the tails adjudged too short, was in the wrong packaging, that bumped up the “value” of the amount in violation.

And if it were an illegal import, well, that made it “smuggling,” right? And if the importers used the money they earned to buy any goods in the United States, well, that turned the case into “money laundering.”

Suddenly, the allegation of minor civil violations became a major criminal case. Three defendants were given sentences of – get this! – eight years each. In federal prison. To enforce a foreign regulation. About undersized lobsters.

Never mind that the importers openly took the lobsters through Customs, seemingly unaware they were doing anything wrong. Never mind that the U.S. Department of Commerce published an official price list for Honduran lobsters of the very sizes supposedly outlawed.

Never mind that one of the importers was a Honduran businessman, David Henson McNab, who willingly returned repeatedly to the United States to defend himself, apparently thinking it was all a misunderstanding.

And never mind that from the very start, there was conflicting, expert testimony about whether Honduran law was violated at all. The original trial judge, citing a midlevel Honduran official, allowed the trial to continue, all the way to convictions.

Later, when the attorney general of Honduras (!) wrote to say the regulations at issue had been repealed four years before this case began, the appeals court said it was too late.

“There must be some finality with representations of foreign law by foreign governments,” wrote the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. So: Prison! Even though no existing law had been violated.

McNab and his American co-defendants applied for executive pardons or commutations. No response. Finally, in December 2004, the president of Honduras – yes, the president of the whole country, Ricardo Maduro – wrote a letter to President Bush.

“In the case of Mr. McNab,” Maduro wrote, “all the legal bodies of Honduras … have determined that Mr. McNab has not violated any law of Honduras… . I believe the interest of justice will be best served if you assent to the request for clemency.”

No such luck. Miguel Estrada, the brilliant lawyer whose judicial nomination (by Bush) was famously filibustered by Democratic senators, represented McNab on appeal. Estrada’s administration connections did not help. “No one has done squat about it,” he told me this week, in frustration. “I never got the time of day.”

In retrospect, well-meaning prosecutors did what they always do: Take seriously their charge to enforce environmental laws. But the courts badly mishandled the case. It was a case in which the U.S. government claimed to enforce Honduran law, but where the Honduran government said the law no longer exists, and for which there was no U.S. violation unrelated to the original non-offense.

And one defendant was a Honduran who by logic (if not law) should be under the jurisdiction of his own country rather than this one, all about an “offense” that most people would find inoffensive.

President Bush ought to cut through the idiotic red tape at the Department of Justice and pardon all three defendants, immediately. For co-defendants Robert Blandford and Abner Schoenwetter, Americans who began serving their time three years later than McNab did, a pardon would give them back their freedom. For McNab, who finally is due to be released on Sept. 4, a pardon will merely clear his record.

This case has been an abominable injustice from the start.

Examiner



Posted by: Dianne Blandford | Jun 21, 2008 6:31:40 PM

Even though the Wall Street Journal article didn't say anything about Webb's mission to shine a light on our incarceration policies, I was very happy to see him portrayed as a contender and a coming force in our political dialog.

There isn't much more to say about the state of our criminal justice system. Unfortunately Mr. McNab's case is one where we use prisons egregiously for non violent offenders. In many cases we can't be clear about the offense. Being sorry will not give him back his life.

Posted by: beth curtis | Jun 21, 2008 8:24:24 PM

I believe that the only reason Mr. Webb is standing alone on this issue is because the others have accepted the prison system as big business. I have heard it from a prison camp staff myself, as long as the prison is full, his job was secure. How sad, to incarcerate people for a paycheck.

Posted by: Rickey Brunet | Jun 21, 2008 11:52:23 PM

More people are employed by prisons than Wal-Mart, the nation's largest private employer. And because conservatives have been so successful in outsourcing (for profit) core government functions like building and running prisons, there is now a large private prison industry, . The economic impact, in terms of GDP, therefore cuts both ways, although both ways are socially negative (which is why GDP is a meaningless statistic).

The fact of the matter is our brand of capitalism cannot employ all the people we have. So a good chuck of 'em get warehoused and another good chunk of 'em get paid to watch them. From the perspective of conservatives/rank capitalists, that kind of socially negative government spending is the only acceptable kind. (Socially positive government spending might give us ideas and builds solidarity, a big no-no for conservatives. This is why they seek to dismantle social security.) And for the prison industrialists, well, a profit is a profit, regardless of how you come by it. All the better when the profit is guaranteed by the government.

Until the grip our modern day robber barons have over our government and culture is broken, Webb will stand alone.

Posted by: DK | Jun 22, 2008 1:00:38 AM

Great. Now I hate to spend excessive amount of my spare time pushing a rollback for the return of Federal Parole for non-violent offenders. The problem is that we have the perfect storm to pass it in Congress but the one person who rally the masses is going to be me.

I have no interest in this cause unless I know that this 111th Congress will do it and there is high probablity of it. This shows me that there is potential Congress has the will but it takes the grassroots to make it happen

Posted by: Chris | Jun 22, 2008 9:33:16 PM

the story about Mcnab is my story.

i was sent to prison for the same violation of the Lacey Act.

here is what i learned about the prison sysytem

1. a HUGE business

2. a corrupt business

3, heard heroin was sold in my unit 3 weeks before i left, by fellow prisoners. how did it get in? (wink wink)

4, corrupt lawyers as they extract huge fees and sit back knowing full well, the fight is a losing cause.

5 cowardly federal judges who sit sanctimoniously without any compassion and who are surely not judges, but act different because either their hands are tied or are cowards themselves to speak out and say" guilty!! sentence: 1 day for importing illegal lobsters, that would stop the nonsense.

6. the evil empire , the USA.

called what i did as and i quote," moral turpitude"

described as a depravity of social deeds by some.

what a crock ! the immorality lies with the GREAT SATAN, the USA.

7. every prisoner I met, some in prison for inane reasons, so inane you would cry, all said to me

that the USA is on its way down, because as Gandhi said;' you can judge a nation on how they treat their animals" exactly describes the usa in how they treat their prisoners.

I was at a medical facility (LOL) where the staff

was a joke. lawsuits were many and treatment almost non-existent.

records; made up to look good

sounds incredible? welcome to the BOP of the usa and

the laws of the usa.

I signed a paper where i would not enter the usa again for 10 years, i asked for 25, making me 90.

NEVER AGAIN.

oh yes, civil rights, you have zero.

lastly, i entered voluntarily from Canada and when i left, law does provide the same courtesy, but i left in chains, driven to the border and dropped off.

I had been willing to pay my way myself 3 days earlier.

perfect example of USA arrogance at its height.!!

do I hate americans, absolutely NOT! some of the best people one would want to know.

do I hate the legal system ? dare i say?

Posted by: peter | Jul 9, 2008 10:55:05 PM

I am an informal student of constitutional law (self-educated and rather late in life, at that). You might say that until the last few years I was one of those Americans who was politically unconscious. Clearly, I needed to be educated. I also think that, like me a few years ago, the majority of Americans are simply unaware and would be appalled at what happens in our country.

Most private sector federal criminal defense attorneys come out of the DOJ. They know our criminal justice system has little to do with fairness and justice, but speaking out against it represents a huge conflict of interest. After all, it's how they make their living. It's how a lot of people make their living.

One can only hope that the prosecutors in the Blandford et al lobster/Lacey Act case will get their due rewards in the hereafter. Even more so for the judges sitting on the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals. (Note: I wouldn't want to be them.) I am taken aback by such...such....such evil (I was trying to think of another word for it, but there really isn't one). The prosecutors were motivated to advance their careers (another notch on their career belts) - not right but given human nature one can understand it, but what excuse is there for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals who upheld prison sentences for these men when no existing law had been violated? Answer: None whatsoever! I wonder how they would feel if one of those men were a father, brother or son and were taken from them for 8 years - all for breaking a law that didn't exist. Let's just hope it's true, that what goes around comes around...in spades.

I agree that a grass-roots movement is the only way things are going to change. Too many people have a vested interest in having things stay the way they are, from our Congressmen and Senators on down. Ours is supposed to be a government by the people; it's time we took our country back.

Posted by: Antonia M. | Sep 1, 2008 2:49:38 PM

JUDICIAL INJUSTICES BEING INFLICTED ON POORER AMERICAN'S NEEDS....C*H*A*N*G*E......

SENATOR OBAMA PLEASE LET THIS COUNTRIES VOTERS KNOW YOUR FEELINGS AND THOUGHTS ABOUT A NEEDED FUTURE REPAIR AND RENOVATION OF OUR BROKEN JUDICIAL SYSTEM THAT CONTINUES TO ALLOW THE EXECUTION'S OF EVEN POSSIBLE INNOCENT AMERICAN’S LIKE TROY DAVIS OF GEORGIA ?????

BEING THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD SENATOR OBAMA, DON'T WE NEED AS THE LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD TO BEGIN ONCE AGAIN TO RE-INVEST THE PROPER MONIE$ IN OUR OWN US JUDICIAL SYSTEM, ASSURING ALL OF OUR CITIZENS THEIR RIGHTS TO FAIR TRIALS WITH PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION ???

DOES GOD NEED TO LOBBY OUR US CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD ON BEHALF OF OUR poorer american’s SENATOR OBAMA,OR ARE YOU WATCHING OUT FOR THEM ?? ***OUR US CONGRESS CONTINUES TO DENY MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION EVEN THOUGH WRONGFUL EXECUTIONS & FALSE INCARCERATIONS CONTINUE ALL ACROSS AMERICA ???

*** 700 BILLION $$$ AVAILABLE FOR US BAILOUT, & NO $$$ FOR ALL POORER AMERICANS PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION ?

SENATOR OBAMA, THIS JUDICIAL INJUSTICE HAS BECOME AN AMERICAN ART FORM, AND NO LONGER CAN BE KEPT HIDDEN OR SECRET FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EVEN IF CERTAIN (501c3) U$ RELIGIOU$ LEADER$ HAVE BEEN $ILENCED ??

LETS ALL HOPE OUR MEDIA FRIENDS CONTINUE TO SHOW AN INTEREST IN REPORTING ON THIS AMERICAN HORROR FACING THESE (TENS OF THOUSANDS) FORGOTTEN AND TRAPPED POORER AMERICANS, AND HOW THIS PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDER HANDLES THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE FACING AMERICA’S LATINO AND BLACK AMERICAN COMMUNITIES ????

WITH 80% OF THE BLACK AMERICAN VOTERS SAYING THEY SUPPORT SENATOR OBAMA IN THIS PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, IT IS ONLY FAIR FOR EVERYONE TO KNOW PRIOR BEING ELECTED OUR NEXT PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES HOW THIS DEMOCRATIC SENATOR TRULY FEELS ABOUT THIS AMERICAN JUDICIAL INJUSTICE CONTINUING TO INFLICT GRAVE HARM ON THE BLACK & LATINO AMERICAN FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES NATIONWIDE ??????

*** WHEN GOD’S FACE BECAME VERY RED *** THE US SUPREME COURT GAVE ENEMY COMBATANTS FEDERAL APPEAL HC RIGHTS LAWYERS AND PROPER ACCESS TO US FEDERAL COURTS,AND POORER AMERICANS (MANY EVEN ON DEATH ROW) ARE DENIED PROPER FEDERAL APPEAL LEGAL REPRESENTATION TO OUR US FEDERAL COURTS OF APPEAL, AND ROTTING IN AMERICAN PRISONS NATIONWIDE ?????????

**** INNOCENT AMERICANS ARE DENIED REAL HC RIGHTS WITH THEIR FEDERAL APPEALS ! THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE $LOWLY FINDING OUT HOW EA$Y IT I$ FOR MIDDLE CLA$$ AND WORKING POOR AMERICAN$ TO FALL VICTIM TO OUR U$ MONETARY JUDICIAL $Y$TEM.

****WHEN THE US INNOCENT WERE ABANDONED BY THE GUILTY **** The prison experts have reported that there are 100,000 innocent Americans currently being falsely imprisoned along with the 2,300,000 total US prison population nationwide.

***WHERE ARE AMERICA'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS ???????

Since our US Congress has never afforded poor prison inmates federal appeal legal counsel for their federal retrials,they have effectively closed the doors on these tens of thousands of innocent citizens ever being capable of possibly exonerating themselves to regain their freedom through being granted new retrials.

This same exact unjust situation was happening in our Southern States when poor and mostly uneducated Black Americans were being falsely imprisoned for endless decades without the needed educational skills to properly submit their own written federal trial appeals.

This devious and deceptive judicial process of making our poor and innocent prison inmates formulate and write their own federal appeal legal cases for possible retrials on their state criminal cases,is still in effect today even though everyone in our US judicial system knows that without proper legal representation, these tens of thousands of innocent prison inmates will be denied their rightful opportunities of ever being granted new trials from our federal appeal judges!!

Sadly, the true US *legal* Federal Appeal situation that occurs when any of our uneducated American prison inmates are forced to attempt to submit their own written Federal Appeals (from our prisons nationwide) without the assistance of proper legal counsel, is that they all are in reality being denied their legitimate rights for Habeas Corpus with our US FEDERAL COURTS and will win any future Supreme Court Case concerning this injustice!

For our judicial system and our US Congressional Leaders Of The Free World to continue to pretend that this is a real and fair opportunity for our American Middle Class and Working Poor Citizens, only delays the very needed future change of Federal Financing of all these Federal appeals becoming a normal formula of Our American judicial system.

It was not so very long ago that Public Defenders became a Reality in this country.Prior that legal reality taking place, their were also some who thought giving anyone charged with a crime a free lawyer was a waste of taxpayers $$.

This FACADE and HORROR of our Federal Appeal proce$$ is not worthy of the Greatest Country In The World! ***GREAT SOCIETIES THAT DO NOT PROTECT EVEN THEIR INNOCENT, BECOME THE GUILTY !

A MUST READ ABOUT AMERICAN INJUSTICE:

1) YAHOO 2) GOOGLE MANNY GONZALES THE KID THAT EVERYONE FORGOT IN THE CA PRISON SYSTEM.

** A JUDICIAL RIDE OF ONES LIFE !

***Someone please tell our US Congress that the GED degree that Manny Gonzales acquired in prison is not a LAW DEGREE !!!!!!

lawyersforpooramericans@yahoo.com (424-247-2013)



Posted by: DOUGLAS FIELD | Oct 18, 2008 12:23:42 AM

AMERICA'S RELIGIOUS LEADERS TELL CONGRESS ~ SHOW US THE MONEY ?



WILL AMERICA'S VARIOUS RELIGIOUS LEADERS NOW TAKE A UNITED STAND WITH THE IVORY TOWER LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD US CONGRESS FOR FUTURE FUNDING TO BE ALSO BE ALLOCATED TO OUR UNDERFUNDED US JUDICIAL SYSTEM ? OVER 100,000 INNOCENT MIDDLE CLASS & WORKING POORER AMERICAN'S ENSLAVED IN OUR AMERICAN PRISONS NATIONWIDE NEED YOUR HELP RIGHT NOW WHILE TRILLION$ ARE BEING DOLED OUT TO OTHER US CONGRESSIONAL BUDDIES !!!!!

PRESIDENT OBAMA NEEDS TO TELL THE IVORY TOWER LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD DEMOCRATIC US CONGRESS ~ GIVE THEM LIBERTY OR GIVE THEM LAWYERS !

WILL THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD COURT, THE POPE AND THE NFL PLAYERS ALSO COME TO THE RESCUE OF THESE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF ENSLAVED POORER AMERICAN'S ? ** THERE ARE OVER 100,000 INNOCENT POORER AMERICAN'S WITHOUT PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN OUR US PRISONS NATIONWIDE AND MANY EVEN ON DEATH ROW WITH TENS OF THOUSANDS MORE ON THE WAY !!

***The CATHOLIC CHURCH could also now really help AMERICA by arranging a speech from the VATICAN by the POPE concerning THIS modern day ENSLAVEMENT of POORER AMERICAN'S by our complacent IVORY TOWER US CONGRESS who appears to be more interested in financing other US Congressional interests then our UNDERFUNDED AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM.

****THE POPE KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STATE MURDER OF TROY DAVIS IN GEORGIA, AND A JUDICIAL EXECUTION OF TROY DAVIS IN GEORGIA ***

MANY INTERNATIONAL CITIZENS HAVE ALREADY STARTED TO BOYCOTT THIS ROGUE STATE OF GEORGIA ***

WILL MILLIONS OF CARING AMERICAN'S AND INTERNATIONAL CITIZENS AVOID GIVING THE STATE OF GEORGIA ANY FUTURE BUSINE$$ IF A 3YR. BOYCOTT TAKES PLACE OVER THIS STATE NOT EVEN OFFERING JUSTICE WITH A NEW LEGITIMATE CRIMINAL TRIAL FOR MR.TROY DAVIS? IT'S BEEN SAID BY MANY THAT A THREE YEAR INTERNATIONAL BOYCOTT OF THIS STATE MIGHT VERY WELL COST IT TENS OF MILLION$ WHERE A NEW AND FAIR TRIAL OF TROY DAVIS MIGHT COST THE STATE ONLY $100,000.

**** A SPECIAL FEDERAL TASK FORCE MADE UP OF INVESTIGATORS AND LAWYERS DESIGNED TO VERIFY EVERY ASPECT OF THE 3,300 VARIOUS DEATH ROW LEGAL CASES NATIONWIDE,IS OUR COUNTRIES ONLY REAL METHOD TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT ALLOW STATES LIKE GEORGIA TO CONTINUE ATTEMPTING TO MURDER POSSIBLE INNOCENT POORER AMERICAN'S LIKE MR.TROY DAVIS!

*** FOR THOSE MILLIONS OF AMERICAN'S WHO BELIEVE IN GOD, WE ALL HAVE TO WONDER IN TOTAL AMAZEMENT, HOW OUR AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS HAVE ALLOWED THIS HORROR TO CONTINUE WRONGFULLY EXECUTING AND INCARCERATING INNOCENT AMERICAN'S ALL ACROSS OUR COUNTRY ???

lawyersforpooramericans@yahoo.com(424-247-2013)

**WWW VOLUNTEERS DEDICATED TO LOBBYING THE POPE,WORLD INTERNATIONAL COURT,THE ROYAL FAMILY,NFL PLAYERS, OPRAH,PRINCE CHARLES AND CARING AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LEADERS FOR MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS WHO ARE BEING WRONGFULLY EXECUTED AND IMPRISONED ALL ACROSS AMERICA DUE TO LACK OF PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN OUR UNDERFUNDED US JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN NEED OF C*H*A*N*G*E.....

*************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

AMERICA'S GREAT LIE

by Gerry Spence

The idea that we should furnish the poor with a public defender has been an effort to save our nation from shame - for sending the poor to prison without adequate representation. But today the nation's public defender system has become a mockery of justice.

To provide an accused with a public defender who has three hundred other cases to defend is simply to laugh in the face of both justice and the accused himself. It takes me months to prepare the average criminal case for trial. The trial itself can take weeks, even months.

While O.J. Simpson was being tried in Los Angeles for murder, a case that cost millions to defend and months to conclude, another black man was being tried in the same courthouse for a similar murder. It took only three days for a jury to find him guilty. He had a public defender with scores of other cases to defend. Many prosecutors boast that they have over a 90 percent conviction rate. Little wonder. Under the present public defender system the prosecutors should enjoy one hundred percent convictions, and many in fact approach perfect conviction rates.

The public defenders in seven states have finally refused to take on any new cases. It's about time. If I walked into court to defend my client and had never talked to him, never previously opened his file, never discovered the witnesses against him, much less interviewed them, never reviewed the evidence in the hands of the prosecution, never demanded my clients rights to discovery, never read the cases relevant to the case at hand, never prepared the cross examination of the witnesses against my client, never ... and on and on, I would be guilty of legal malpractice.

Every public defender who purports to represent an accused under circumstances in which he or she has neither the time nor the resources to fully defend the client is guilty of malpractice. These public defenders cannot be saved from malpractice because they are crushed under a ridiculous case load - some with even as many as five hundred cases or more. No one who was accused with such an attorney has received a fair trial and every such accused is entitled to an appeal on that basis alone. The judge must not sentence the accused under these circumstances because the judge would be taking part in a fraud on the system. Yet hundreds of thousands of indigent persons go to prison each year under circumstances no better than those outlined above.

When I was coming up as a young prosecutor, the defendants were represented pro bono by the lawyers in the local bar. It was part of the duty of members of the bar to take part in the justice system. Today that idea is unheard of. The practice of law is first and foremost a money-making profession. I see nothing wrong with that notion, but what about giving back?

Every trial lawyer should be required to take on a couple of pro bono cases every year. At our office we have a separate pro bono law firm and have for over ten years. It often brings us more satisfaction than our big money wins. The job of a lawyer is to represent the people - the lost, the forgotten, the damned, the hated, the voiceless and the poor. Indeed, God forbid, we may one day become one of those who are entitled to representation but cannot afford it.

Every time an accused goes to prison without having received a fair trial we are one step closer to the loss of our own freedoms. Our rights are, in fact, being fought for by public defenders who can never fulfill their duty to their clients because of their pathetic, impossible, caseloads. When they fail, we are in danger. Our system becomes a hypocritical charade. And we prove, once and for all, that the promised justice for all in America is an evil lie that is imposed on the poor.

If only those with money can receive justice, then how can we permit our children to recite a horrible falsehood in school when they chant, "with liberty and justice for all." That can no longer be the truth in America.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

GERRY SPENCE IS A RENOWNED LAWYER AND PATRIOTIC AMERICAN WHO EVEN AT THE AGE OF 82, CONTINUES TO SHOW A KEEN INTEREST IN WANTING TO BETTER AMERICA FOR THE MASSES OF POORER AMERICANS BEING CAUGHT IN OUR UNDERFUNDED JUDICIAL SYSTEM.LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS THANKS YOU MR.SPENCE FOR TAKING YOUR TIME AND INTEREST IN SPEAKING THE TRUTH ABOUT A JUDICIAL SYSTEM IN NEED OF C*H*A*N*G*E...

** WE CAN ONLY HOPE AND PRAY OTHER AMERICAN LAWYERS AND JUDGES WILL FOLLOW YOUR LEAD SO THE PROPER FINANCING CAN BE ALLOCATED BY OUR IVORY TOWER US CONGRESS !

*** ANYONE INTERESTED CAN GOOGLE OR YAHOO GERRY SPENCE ON THE WWW FOR MANY OTHER ENLIGHTENING HONEST ARTICLES.

Posted by: LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS | Dec 5, 2008 7:45:54 PM

IS THIS REPORTED GAY SANTA MONICA COMMISSIONER JUST ONE BAD EXAMPLE OF A NEW POLICY IN AMERICAN FAMILY COURTS ALL ACROSS AMERICA OF DON'T ASK AND WE WON'T TELL ???



LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE VERY REAL POSSIBILITY THAT COMMISSIONER DAVID J. COWAN OF SANTA MONICA CA COURT HOUSE IS A CLOSET GAY MAN OR FOR THAT MATTER ~ OPEN GAY MAN, THAT HAS SOMEHOW BEEN GIVEN COURT CASES INVOLVING FAMILY CHILD CUSTODY ISSUES AND IS THE NEWEST FACE OF WHAT IS TO COME IN AMERICAN FAMILY COURTS ACROSS AMERICA ?????????????????

MR.DAMON DUVAL AND HIS TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN (MAYA & JAZZ ) HAVE ALL NOW BEEN KEPT APART FROM ENJOYING EACH OTHERS COMPANY BY COMMISSIONER DAVID J. COWAN SINCE DECENBER 4 2008. FOR SOME VERY UNCLEAR REASONING THIS APPARENT GAY NAPOLEON COMMISSIONER APPEARS TO BE MORE INTERESTED IN MR.DUVALS MENTAL HEALTH STATUS THEN THE LIVE IN BOYFRIEND OF HIS EX WIFE OF THE LAST 2 YRS., WHO HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE EL SEGUNDO POLICE DEPARTMENT AS HAVING TOUCHED MR. DUVALS LITTLE 3 YR OLD MAYA ON HER PRIVATE PARTS ??

THIS SANTA MONICA COURT COMMISSIONER APPOINTED CHILDREN'S COUNCIL AT MR. DUVALS REQUEST (LAWYER AMY NEIMAN OF SANTA MONICA CA) WHO HAS BEEN MORE INTERESTED IN ACTING AS A MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT( WITHOUT THE QUALIFIED DEGREES ) AND MISLEADING THIS CHILD CUSTODY MATTER INTO GAY NEVER NEVER LAND WITH THIS SANTA MONICA COMMISSIONER FOLLOWING HER FEMALE INTUITION & ADVICE CONCERNING THE MENTAL HELATH STATUS OF MR. DUVAL!

FOR SOMEONE WITHOUT MENAL HEALTH DEGREES TO QUESTION THE PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH EXPERT WHO HAS ALWAYS STATED CLEARLY TO THE COURT THAT MR. DUVAL IS OF SOUND MIND AND WOULD TESTIFY IN PERSON TO THE COURT CONCERNING THIS FACT, IS ALMOST ANOTHER FUTURE LEGAL CASE FOR LA COUNTY WAITING TO HAPPEN ?

**WE STRONGLY ENCOURAGE THE LA COUNTY COURT SYSTEM TO OPEN A INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS THAT ENCOMPASS THIS POSSIBLE CHILD PEDOPHILE CUSTODY CASE AND HOPE THAT ALL CURRENT COURT APPOINTED LAWYERS WORKING FOR LA COUNTY LIKE AMY NEIMAN ARE ADVISED TO HELP PREVENT CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS RATHER THEN CREATING ONE IN THE FUTURE !



LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS WILL CONTINUE WRITING ABOUT THIS SPECIFIC LEGAL CASE ON THE WWW UNTIL A PROPER OUTSIDE INVESTIGATION OF THESE PEDOPHILE CHARGES HAS BEEN PROPERLY ANSWERED !!!

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS HAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME WITH ANY RESULTS THAT COME FROM THE EL SEGUNDO POLICE CONCERNING THIS INVESTIGATION DUE TO THE CLOSE RELATIONSHIP OF MR. DUVALS FORMER WIFES CURRENT DIVORCE ATTORNEY (MR.ROY KIGHT )HAVING HAD HIS LAW OFFICE SITUATED IN EL SEGUNDO FOR THE LAST 20 YRS.+ , AND HAVING GOOD FRIENDS IN EL SEGUNDO TO DO HIM CERTAIN FAVORS WHEN NEEDED !!!

~ A SIX MONTH RESTRAINING ORDER THAT BEGAN THIS CHILD CUSTODY SEPERATION OF MR. DUVAL AND HIS CHILDREN WAS BASED ON A EL SEGUNDO REPORT THAT MR. DUVAL SAYS WAS CLEARLY FABRICATED ABOUT HIM TO MAKE HIM LOOK BAD TO THIS PRESIDING JUDGE ~

*** ISN'T IT A LITTLE ODD THAT THIS EL SEGUNDO LAWYER MR.ROY KIGHT WAS ABLE TO PREDICT 22 MONTHS AHEAD OF TIME BY TELLING MR. DUVAL OUTSIDE A SANTA MONICA COURT~ ROOM THAT HE WAS "GOING TO TAKE AWAY ALL HIS CHILD VISITATION AWAY BETWEEN HIM AND HIS CHILDREN AND THAT THIS IS A POKER GAME FELLA AND ARE YOU READY TO PLAY " ***

NO MR. DEVALS MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT THE ISSUE IN THIS LEGAL CASE, THE REAL ISSUE HERE IS DID THIS DIVORCE LAWYER ROY KIGHT SET MR. DUVAL UP WITH GAINING FALSE TESTIMONY IN EL SEGUNDO CA AND INFLUENCE THE EL SEGUNDO PEDOPHILE INVESTIGATION OF HIS 3YR, OLD DAUGHTER ???



ATTORNEY ROY KIGHT IS ON THE RECORD AS HAVING PREVIOUSLY THREATENED MR. DUVAL OUTSIDE THE SANTA MONICA COURT ROOM AND WE FEEL MIGHT ALSO BE SO CAUGHT UP IN THIS CUSTODY BATTLE AND THAT HE MIGHT HAVE HAD WAY TOO MUCH INFLUENCE AND INTEREST WITH THE PEDOPHILE INVESTIGATION THAT NEVER TOOK PLACE ????????????????

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS WOULD BE VERY INTERESTED IF LAWYER ROY KIGHT WOULD ADMIT UNDER OATH (AND SUPPLY INVESTIGATORS HIS PHONE RECORDS) AS TO NOT EVER ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE THE FORMER (NOW RETIRED EL SEGUNDO POLICE DETECTIVE MULRONEY CONCERNING THIS PEDOPHILE CRIMINAL LEGAL CASE ???????????????????????????

WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE INTERESTED IN PREVENTING FAMILY COURT GAY COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGES ACROSS AMERICA FROM CONTINUING TO ALLOW THEIR COURT APPOINTED LAWYERS LIKE (AMY NEIMAN OF SANTA MONICA) TO MISLEAD JUDGES AROUND THE COUNTRY LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN MR. DUVALS CHILD CUSTODY CASE IN SANTA MONICA CA,TO CALL THEIR GOVERNMENT LEADERS WHO THEY FEEL MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP MAKE THE NEEDED CHANGES IN THIS LEGAL PROCESS FROM SEPERATING AND DESTROYING OTHER FAMILIES IN OTHER CITIES AND TOWNS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY !!!



***PLEASE ENTER THESE TITLES LISTED BELOW INTO ANY WWW SEARCH ENGINE TO SEE THE FIRST OF MANY WRITTEN ARTICLES CONCERNING MR. DUVAL AND HIS TWO CHILDREN. THE PICTURE OF THIS CARING AND LOVING FATHER WITH HIS TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN IS SPECIAL AND SAYS IT ALL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!



1) SANTA MONICA SCANDAL CREATED BY THE U.S. CONGRESS ~

2) PRESIDENT OBAMA YOU TUBES 4 U.S KIDS !!!

3) AMERICAN DIVORCE COURTS NEED A GIDEON FROM U.S.SUPREME COURT !!!



LAINDYMEDIA.ORG HAD THIS VERY SPECIAL PICTURE FEATURED WITH THE ARTICLES ! WE ALSO ENCOURAGE ANYONE INTERESTED TO ALSO WATCH THE VIDEOS MR. DEVAL HAS OF HIM SPENDING YEARS OF TIME BEING TOGETHER WITH HIS KIDS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS (beach,hikes in Santa Monica Mountains,riding scooters in parks,etc on ~

BIGDADDYMAYAANDJAZZ.COM OR AT THE END OF PREVIOUS ARTICLES UNDER VIDEOS .....



LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS A WWW LOBBY GROUP MADE UP OF VOLUNTEERS WHO CONTINUE TO LOBBY AROUND THE WORLD ON THE WWW FOR MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS TO ALL BE AFFORDED PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION BY OUR U.S. CONGRESS IN CIVIL, CRIMINAL AND FAMILY COURTS OF LAW NATIONWIDE.

JUST ENTER LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS OR OUR PHONE NUMBER INTO ANY WWW SEARCH ENGINE TO READ PREVIOUS ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD !

lawyersforpooramericans@yahoo.com (424-247-2013)

WE ALSO WANT TO GIVE YOU ANOTHER SMALL SAMPLE OF OTHER WRITTEN ARTICLES THAT LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS HAS PUBLISHED ON THE WWW.

1) TROY DAVIS,PLEASE REMEMBER THAT AMERICA IS NOT THE OLD SOUTH ~ AFRICA !!!

2) MANNY GONZALES THE KID THAT EVERYONE FORGOT IN THE CA PRISON SYSTEM !

3) REV RICK WARREN, THESE REALLY ARE CRIMES AGAINST HUMNITY ISSUES !!

4) ARE THEY KINGS OF SLAVES OR THE U.S. CONGRESS ??

5) PRINCE CHARLES, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IRAN GAVE U.S. JOURNALIST ROXANA A FAIR TRIAL !!!

6) INTERNATIONAL PROTEST WITH GOOGLE NEWS STORY NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT TO SAVE 2 AMERICANS !!!

7) DOES OPRAH CONDONE THIS INJUSTICE ???

8) INNOCENT AMERICANS ARE DENIED HC RIGHTS WITH THEIR FEDERAL APPEALS !!

9) U.S. JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS IN NEED OF BILLIONS IN BAILOUT FROM IVORY TOWER U.S. CONGRESS !

10) WHEN THE INNOCENT ARE ABANDONED BY THE GUILTY !!

11) PRESIDENT OBAMA DID NOT CREATE THIS MESS, BUT LETS ALL SAY A PRAYER FOR HIS SUCCESS !!!

12) ACTOR CHRIS NOTH AND MARK BURK SLANDERED BY MODEL BEVERLY JOHNSON !!

13) POORER AMERICAN S NEEDS WORLDS COURT HELP !

14) WILL THE ROYAL FAMILY NOW HELP PRESIDENT OBAMA FREE THEM ?

15) U.S.CONGRESS DECADES OF NEGLECT & ABUSE OF POORER AMERICANS ~ A SAD AND TRAGIC REALITY !!!

16) AND GEORGIA WANTS TO EXECUTE TROY DAVIS ???

17) IS NELSON MANDELA NEEDED IN AMERICA TO CORRECT THIS INJUSTICE ???

18) THIS SUPREME COURT KNEW REAL JUSTICE ?

19) 100,000 INNOCENT U.S. PRISON INMATES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN OFF BY OUR GOVERNMENT !!!

20) WORLD COURT FINDS CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY IN USA !!!

21) WHY DO POORER AMERICANS NEED GOD TO LOBBY OUR U.S. CONGRESS SENATOR OBAMA ???

22) WHERE ARE AMERICAS RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHEN IT BECOMES THIS EASY TO EXECUTE EVEN INNOCENT AMERICANS ???

23) MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS HAVE BEEN PORTRAYED BY RICH AMERICA !!!

24) AMERICAS JUDICIAL SYSTEM NEEDS C*H*A*N*G*E...

25) WILL THE POPE NOW SPEAK OUT ABOUT THESE AMERICAN INJUSTICES ???

26) WHEN GODS FACE BECAME VERY RED !!!

27) ARE AMERICAS RELIGIOUS LEADERS BEING SILENCED ?

28) IS THE U.S.GUILTY OF CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ??

29) THANK GOD PRESIDENT OBAMA RESPECTS OUR POORER AMERICANS !!!

30) U.S.CHIEF JUSTICE JOHN ROBERTS HAD TO BEG U.$ CONGRE$$ ...

31) GOD AND PRESIDENT OBAMA ARE WALKING HAND IN HAND ON THIS ONE !!!

By LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS

lawyersforpooramericans@yahoo.com 424-247-2013

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DouglasField



THIS SANTA MONICA COMMISSIONER DOES NOT BELONG IN FAMILY COURT ANYWHERE IN AMERICA !!!

ALL OUR READERS ARE ENTITLED TO KNOW THAT MR. DUVAL HAS BEEN PICKETING IN FRONT OF THE SANTA MONICA COURTHOUSE NOW FOR 21 WEEKS MONDAY - FRIDAY FROM 9AM TO CLOSING AT 4:30 PM !

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS IN TOTAL DISBELIEF THAT COMMISSIONER DAVID COWAN WOULD EVER THINK THAT HE IS EVEN CAPABLE SOMEHOW OF EVER BEING A FAMILY COURT JUDGE IN THE FUTURE IN SANTA MONICA WITH THIS BIASED JUDICIAL MENTALITY TOWARDS STRAIGHT MEN WITH THEIR CHILDREN !

IT IS OBVIOUS TO ANY HONEST PERSON VIEWING THIS LEAGL HORROR STORY THAT COMMISSIONER COWAN HAS DONE EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER TO DESTROY THE LOVING RELATIONSHIP MR. DUVAL HAS HAD WITH HIS TWO CHILDREN AND I WOULD DARE SAY THAT THIS COMMISSIONER COWAN WOULD BE WELCOME TO SIT IN ANY COURTHOUSE IN FAMILY COURT WITH MEAN SPIRITED CALLOUS DECISIONS AS THESE PORTRAYED IN THE DUVAL LEGAL CASE !!!!

**LAST MONDAY THIS SO CALLED GAY COMMISSIONER, AGAIN CONTINUED HIS CALLOUS DECISION MAKING IN THE DUVAL LEGAL CASE BY TURNING DOWN MR. DUVALS (AND ANY LOVING FATHERS NORMAL REQUEST) TO BE WITH HIS KIDS ON FATHERS DAY !

MR. DUVAL IS SUPPOSE TO ONLY GET 10 MINUTE PHONE CALLS EVERY NIGHT WITH HIS TWO KIDS (IF THE EX WIFE DECIDES TO EVEN PICK UP THE PHONE ?)

COMMISSIONER COWAN HAS ISOLATED TWO BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN FROM A LOVING FATHER WHO HAS SPENT YEARS HAVING FUN AT THE BEACH,HIKING IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS, RIDING SCOOTERS ALL OVER VENICE BEACH ETC...WITH HIS KIDS ???

*** PLEASE VISIT MR. DUVALS WEB SITE

BIGDADDYJAZZANDMAYA.COM TO SEE THE VIDEOS OF DAMON DUVAL WITH HIS KIDS AT THE LOCAL POOL, IN THE SCHOOLS ON SPECIAL EVENTS ..ETC

MR. DUVAL HAS SPENT YEARS ENJOYING AND LOVING HIS TWO CHILDREN TO HAVE THIS ONE MAN CONTINUE IN HIS VICIOUS ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY THE LOVING BOND HE HAS HAD WITH BOTH CHILDREN.

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMRICANS HAS INFORMED MR. DUVAL THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR HIS GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO CONTINUE BEING THE LOVING FATHER TO BOTH LITTLE MAYA AND JAZZ !!!

SANTA MONICA COURT HOUSE HAS NOW BECOME A FUTURE BATTLE~ GROUND LOCATION FOR STRAIGHT FAMILIES IN AMERICA TO DEMAND TO HAVE THEIR COMMISSIONERS AND JUDGES NOT BE CLOSET GAYS OR OPEN GAYS DECIDING CHILD CUSTODY MATTERS !!!

THANK YOU COMMISSIONER COWAN FOR DEMONSTARTING TO STRAIGHT AMERICA THAT BIASED GAY MEN LIKE YOURSELF DO NOT RESPECT TRADITIONAL FAMILY VALUES AND SHOULD NEVER EVER BE IN FAMILY COURT OR EVER GIVEN CHILD CUSTODY LEGAL CASES !!!

Posted by: LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS | Jun 11, 2009 1:09:24 AM

DOES PRESIDENT OBAMA OR OUR U.S. SUPREME COURT DO WINDOWS ???

~ AMERICANS CONTINUE TO DEMAND FAIR TRIALS IN IRAN & NORTH KOREA,BUT NOT HERE IN OUR GLASS HOUSE ~

OUR AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY ONLY OBLIGATED ( U.S.SUPREME COURT 1963 GIDEON RULING ) TO PROVIDE OUR POORER AMERICANS WITH A INITIAL CRIMINAL LAWYER AT THEIR TRIALS. MANY TIMES IN AMERICAN STATE TRIALS THERE IS REALLY VERY LITTLE INVESTIGATION BEING OFFERED TO DEFEND OUR POORER AMERICANS AGAINST EVEN UNFOUNDED CRIMINAL CHARGES ?

IF AMERICA IS ONLY NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT (17YRS AFTER THE FACT) SEVEN OF NINE WITNESSES LYING IN THE TROY DAVIS LEGAL CASE,ARE WE NOW SUPPOSE TO THINK THAT TROY DAVIS HAD A PROPER LEGAL Defense AT HIS CRIMINAL TRIAL IN GEORGIA ???

CARING AMERICANS KNOW REAL JUSTICE AND SADLY OUR POORER AMERICANS ARE CONTINUING TO HAVE CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY INFLICTED ON THEM IN OUR U.S.JUDICIAL SYSTEM.WE CONTINUE EXECUTING INNOCENT AMERICAN CITIZENS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY BECAUSE OUR IVORY TOWER U.S. CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD HAVE NEVER EVEN CARED ABOUT SPENDING THE NEEDED $$$ TO CORRECT THIS LACK OF PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION FOR OUR MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS.

FALSE IMPRISONMENT FOR TWENTY YEARS OR MORE ,WRONGFUL EXECUTIONS,RAPES AND MURDERS IN OUR AMERICAN PRISONS ARE HAPPENING EVERY DAY IN AMERICA AND JUST MAYBE THE TIME HAS COME WITH OUR SPECIAL AND UNIQUE PRESIDENT AND U.S.ATTORNEY GENERAL RUNNING OUR COUNTRY TO OFFER OUR POORER CITIZENS THE NEEDED C*H*A*N*G*E….. TO HELP MAKE OUR NEW AMERICA AND HER UNJUST JUDICIAL SYSTEM A MUCH MORE JUST SOCIETY FOR ALL AMERICANS TO RESPECT AND CHERISH !!!

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL,AND THE NAACP ARE JUST TWO INTERNATIONAL AND NATIONAL HIGHLY RESPECTED ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE BROUGHT THESE TWO SEPERATE AMERICAN HUMAN LIFE INJUSTICES TO THE WORLDS ATTENTION,BUT MAKE NO MISTAKE IN THINKING THAT TROY DAVIS AND MUMIA ABU - JAMAL ARE ALONE IN NOT EVEN BEING ABLE TO RECEIVE NEW AND FAIR TRIALS IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD !

** GEORGIA HAS HAD AT LEAST FIVE OTHER PREVIOUS LEGAL CASES OF INNOCENT BEING RELEASED ON THEIR DEATH ROW BEFORE THEY WERE FALSELY EXECUTED **

DOES THAT MEAN THAT TROY DAVIS IS ALSO INNOCENT OF THE CRIME OF MURDER...NO,BUT MOST ALL AMERICANS WANT TO KNOW FOR SURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE IS EXECUTED IN ANY AMERICAN STATE, THAT THEY ARE TRULY THE GUILTY PARTY WHO DID THE CRIME,NOT JUST THE TIME ?

I DO NOT SEE WHY ANYONE WOULD OBJECT TO HAVING NEW TRIALS FOR ANY OF OUR DEATH ROW INMATES IN AMERICA WHERE TREMENDOUS DOUBT ABOUT THEIR INITIAL GUILT IS IN PLAY?

WHY WOULD ANY FAMILY MEMBER OF ANY MURDERED RELATIVE WANT OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM TO RUSH TO SO CALLED JUSTICE AND BE IN REALITY CONTRIBUTING TO HAVING ANOTHER POSSIBLE INNOCENT PERSON MURDERED IN THE NAME OF THEIR FORMER INNOCENT LOVED ONE ?

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS A WWW LOBBY THAT HAS WRITTEN MANY OTHER ARTICLES THAT CAN BE FOUND WITH ANY SEARCH ENGINE BY ENTERINGOUR NAME OR PHONE NUMBER. lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

(424-247-2013)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

GEORGIA & PENNSYLVANIA CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY ~ U.S. EXAMPLE FOR THE REST OF THE CIVILIZED WORLD ??



~AMERICA~S WEALTHY ELITE HAVEN TURNED THEIR BACKS ON OUR POORER AMERICANS~



MILLIONS OF AMERICANS ALSO NEED HELP FROM THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD IN OFFERING THEIR SUPPORT FOR THIS FUTURE PROPOSED PRISONER EXCHANGE BETWEEN PRESIDENT ALAN GARCIA OF PERU AND PRESIDENT OBAMA OF THE UNITED STATES.

**PLEASE REMEMBER THE 3 YR. INTERNATIONAL BOYCOTT OF GEORGIA AND PENNSYLVANIA TOURISM & TRADE IS CURRENTLY EVERY~ONES WAY TO SAY THAT FAIR TRIALS BEFORE EXECUTION IN GEORGIA AND PENNSYLVANIA ARE THE ONLY INTERNATIONAL HUMAN STANDARDS WE ACCEPT !!



** THIS IS THE LETTER WRITTEN TO PRESIDENT ALAN GARCIA OF PERU ***



~ DEAR PRESIDENT ALAN GARCIA ~

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS ASKS ALL OF PERU TO PLEASE THINK SERIOUSLY ABOUT EXCHANGING U.S. JOURNALIST LORI BERENSON HELD IN A PRISON IN PERU SINCE 1995 FOR OUR TWO BLACK AMERICAN PRISONERS ON DEATH ROW IN GEORGIA AND PENNSYLVANIA ???

EVERYONE IN PERU MIGHT REMEMBER THAT LAST MONTH IRAN AND PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADDINEJAD MADE SURE THAT U.S. JOURNALIST ROXANA SABERI WAS FAIRLY TRIED AND LATER RELEASED TO RETURN HOME TO AMERICA ?

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS AT THAT TIME HAD ALSO REQUESTED OF IRAN AND THEIR PRESIDENT MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS SAME PRISONER EXCHANGE OF THE AMERICAN U.S. JOURNALIST ROXANA SABERI FOR U.S.PRISON INMATES TROY DAVIS OF GEORGIA & MUMIA ABU ~ JAMAL OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MILLIONS OF AMERICANS HAVE BEEN ATTEMPTING TO SECURE NEW AND FAIR TRIALS FOR THESE TWO ( POSSIBLE INNOCENT) BLACK AMERICANS ON DEATH ROW HERE IN AMERICA AND NOW HAVE TO AGAIN TURN TO OTHERS OUTSIDE OF AMERICA FOR THEIR POSSIBLE HELP !!!

AMERICA HAS NEVER REALLY OFFERED OUR POORER CITIZENS LIKE TROY DAVIS AND MUMIA ABU ~ JAMAL FAIR OPPORTUNITIES TO HAVE PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN OUR U.S. COURTS SO IT HAS BECOME VERY OBVIOUS TO MILLIONS OF AMERICANS AND OTHERS WORLDWIDE THAT INNOCENT PEOPLE ARE CONTINUING TO BE FALSELY EXECUTED RIGHT HERE IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD !!!

WE ASK ALL OF THE FAIR AND LOVING PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF GOVERNMENT IN PERU MR. PRESIDENT GARCIA TO PLEASE SERIOUSLY CONSIDER THIS PRISONER EXCHANGE OF YOUR PRISON INMATE AMERICAN LORI BERENSON FOR OUR POSSIBLY INNOCENT TWO BLACK AMERICAN PRISON INMATES WHO WILL OTHERWISE SURELY BE EXECUTED WITHOUT BEING AFFORDED NEW AND FAIR TRIALS !!!

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS A WWW VOLUNTEER LOBBY GROUP THAT SING OUT AT OUR IVORY TOWER U.S CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS OF THE FREE WORLD FOR MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS TO BE AFFORDED THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE PROPER LEGAL REPRESENTATION IN OUR U.S. CIVIL,CRIMINAL AND FAMILY COURTS OF LAW ALL ACROSS AMERICA .

LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS CAN BE ENTERED INTO AND WWW SEARCH ENGINE BY OUR NAME OR PHONE NUMBER TO FIND OTHER WRITTEN ARTICLES.

lawyersforpooreramericans@yahoo.com

(424-247-2013)

Posted by: LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS | Jul 1, 2009 12:28:39 AM

GOD DOES NOT HAVE A MANDATE WITH OUR U.S. SUPREME COURT TO CONTINUE ALLOWING WRONGFUL EXECUTIONS TO CONTINUE BEING INFLICTED ON OUR AMERICAN POOR ....

TROY DAVIS & MUMIA ABU-JAMAL PLEASE REMEMBER ~ JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF ALSO HAD 2 DEAL WITH ......

OUR U.S.CONGRESS HAS DOCUMENTED OUR UNJUST AMERICAN JUDICIAL SYSTEM AND WE STILL HAVE CERTAIN AMERICANS EVEN TODAY WANTING TO RUN THE RISK OF EXECUTING EVEN POSSIBLE INNOCENT CITIZENS RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE REST OF US IN THE NAME OF THEIR SO CALLED JUSTICE.

**TROY DAVIS & MUMIA ABU ~JAMAL ~ ARE HAVING PRAYERS FOR JUSTICE SAID FOR THEM WORLD~WIDE ..WE CAN ALL ONLY HOPE AND PRAY THAT EVERYONE IN OUR U.S.CONGRESS THAT KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS HOW UNJUST OUR U.S JUDICIAL SYSTEM CAN BE WITH OUR POORER AMERICANS,BECOMES ACTIVE IN MAKING SURE THAT TROY DAVIS OF GEORGIA AND MUMIA ABU~JAMAL OF PENNSYLVANIA RECEIVE FAIR AND JUST TRIALS BEFORE ANY POSSIBLE WRONGFUL EXECUTIONS TAKE PLACE.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE COMMISSION ACT OF 2009

The National Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 that I introduced in the Senate on March 26, 2009 will create a blue-ribbon commission to look at every aspect of our criminal justice system with an eye toward reshaping the process from top to bottom.

I believe that it is time to bring together the best minds in America to confer, report, and make concrete recommendations about how we can reform the process. This legislation has already garnered wide bipartisan support in Congress and from interest groups representing a range of backgrounds and political viewpoints.

Why We Urgently Need this Legislation: With 5% of the world's population, our country now houses 25% of the world's reported prisoners. Incarcerated drug offenders have soared 1200% since 1980. Four times as many mentally ill people are in prisons than in mental health hospitals. Approximately 1 million gang members reside in the U.S., many of them foreign-based; and Mexican cartels operate in 230+ communities across the country.

Post-incarceration re-entry programs are haphazard and often nonexistent, undermining public safety and making it extremely difficult for ex-offenders to become full, contributing members of society. America's criminal justice system has deteriorated to the point that it is a national disgrace. Its irregularities and inequities cut against the notion that we are a society founded on fundamental fairness. Our failure to address this problem has caused the nation's prisons to burst their seams with massive overcrowding, even as our neighborhoods have become more dangerous.

We are wasting billions of dollars and diminishing millions of lives. We need to fix the system. Doing so will require a major nationwide recalculation of who goes to prison and for how long and of how we address the long-term consequences of incarceration. MATERIALS & RESOURCES Read the legislation, S. 714 Fact sheet on the legislation Senator Webb's floor speech introducing the legislation PARADE Magazine cover story, "What's Wrong with our Prisons?" Senator Jim Webb,

Sunday March 29, 2009 The scope of the problem: relevant charts and graphs List of Support for the National Criminal Justice Commission Act Of 2009 Opening Statement of Sen. Webb at Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on National Criminal Justice Commission Act, June 11, 2009 Watch Senator Webb's Floor Speech Introducing the Legislation, March 26, 2009 Senator Webb's article on the Huffington Post, "Why We Must Reform Our Criminal Justice System" MATERIALS FROM PAST HEARINGS, SYMPOSIUMS Joint Economic Committee Hearing, conducted by Senator Webb, "Mass Incarceration in the United States: At What Cost?" October 2007 Joint Economic Committee Hearing, conducted by Senator Webb, "Illegal Drugs: Economic Impact, Societal Costs, and Policy Responses,"

June 2008 George Mason University Symposium, hosted by Senator Webb and the GMU Administration of Justice Department, "Drugs in America: Trafficking, Policy and Sentencing," October 2008 Senator Webb's Keynote Address to the Brookings Institution's Policy Roundtable on the Challenges to Prisoner Re-entry, December 2008 NEWS ARTICLES & COMMENTARY Virginian Pilot editorial: "Time to reconsider U.S. justice system," April 6, 2009 Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star: "Behind-bars review," April 5, 2009 The Washington Post Writers Group: "Webb Leads the Charge for Much-Needed Drug, Prison Reform," April 5, 2009 Economist: "A Nation of Jailbirds," April 2, 2009 Daily Press: "Go After the Real Problem," March 31, 2009 New York Times: "Reviewing Criminal Justice," March 30, 2009 Lynchburg News & Advance: "Webb Takes on Politics' Third Rail: Prison Reform," March 29, 2009 Salon.com: "Jim Webb's courage v. the "pragmatism" excuse for politicians," March 28, 2009 The Virginian Pilot Editorial:

"Time to Rethink Goals of Prison," January 5, 2009 Roanoke Times Editorial: "The Criminal Justice System Needs Help," January 5, 2009 Las Vegas Sun Editorial: "Voice for Broken Prisons," January 3, 2009 U.S. News & World Report: "James Webb Shows Leadership Regarding Prison Reform," January 2, 2009 New York Times Editorial: "Sen. Webb's Call for Prison Reform," January 1, 2009 Washington Post: "Webb Sets His Sights On Prison Reform," December 29, 2008 Daily Press: "Alternative to Jail for Addicts Gains New Supporter," December 28, 2008 The Virginian Pilot: "Senator Elevates Debate on Failed Drug, Prison Policies," October 18, 2008 The Roanoke Times Editorial: "A Sensible Call for Sentencing Reform," October 13, 2008 Washington Post Op-Ed: "Two Separate Societies: One in Prison, One Not," April 15, 2008

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LAWYERS FOR POOR AMERICANS IS A WWW VOLUNTEEER LOBBY THAT SINGS OUT FOR OUR MIDDLE~CLASS AND WORKING POOR AMERICANS. WE CAN BE FOUND WITH ANY SEARCH ENGINE BY OUR NAME OR TELELEPHONE NUMBER. (424-247-2013)

lawyersforpooreramericans@gmail.com

~ WE ENJOY BRINGING THE GOOD LIFE TO ALL OF America's little people ON THE WEB.

***MANY MORE IN OUR U.S.CONGRESS ARE NOW HEARING THE TRUTH !!!

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