CBPM Index:
Haley Barbour to Free the Scott Sisters:
Beyond Race to the Bitter Aftertaste ~
By Nordette Adams

Black Unity
All Things Afrikan

A message to all members of Black Unity
From: Nancy Lockhart

See The Entire Story Here ~~~

http://www.blogher.com/haley-barbour-will-free-scott-sisters-and-
its-bittersweet-aftertaste?page=full

Editor's update: A spokesperson for the Scott Sisters,
Nancy Lockhart, announced tonight, Wednesday,
January 5, that the Scott Sisters will be released from
prison on Friday to start their lives on parole.

By now you may have heard that on December 29, 2010,
Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour, possibly a Republican
contender for the presidency in 2012, has suspended indefinitely
the life sentences of Jamie and Gladys Scott. You've probably also
heard that Jamie Scott was on dialysis in prison and that a
condition of her sister's release is Gladys must donate a kidney to
Jamie as soon as possible by decree of Gov. Barbour. That
condition is only one of many disturbing elements in the sisters'
journey through hell to freedom.

My mantra for this post: I am happy Haley Barbour will free the Scott
Sisters. God bless those young women. They are overjoyed to know
freedom. God bless social media activists. God bless the NAACP. God
bless the sisters' attorney Chokwe Lumumba. God bless America. I am
happy. Breathe.

The Scott Sisters are African-American women who were convicted of
armed robbery in 1994 in Mississippi's Scott County based on the
testimony of three teen males who took plea bargains and swore the
women planned the robbery. Both sisters were considered first-time
offenders, and so neither had a criminal record before their convictions.

They were not accused of handling a weapon or of demanding anyone's
money, but the jury found them guilty and the judge sentenced them to
life in prison. According to Nancy Lockhart, an advocate for the sisters,
and others, they actually received two life sentences each, "double life."
This is a complicated story, and so, the devil's in the details when we
consider how these two young mothers landed in jail. You may read the
bedtime version here, and the fuller background at this 2010 BlogHer
post.

When I first heard that Barbour had suspended their sentences, I
rejoiced, but not as much as I would have rejoiced had the governor
pardoned the women because it is my understanding that an indefinite
suspension amounts to life on parole and leaves both women with felony
records, making it difficult for either to find work.

I was also leery. Barbour, a real-time, good-old boy of the South had
been pressured for years with blasts from activist bloggersand other
purveyors of social media and then the johnny-come-lately grumblings of
the NAACP that arose in September to let the sisters go. Their release
seemed like it would never come, but when the timing was right, when
Barbour found himself wading in hot water after an attempt to rewrite
history and paint segregationist Citizens Councils of the 50s and 60s as
warriors against the KKK╉to tell a story that even some white
conservative southerners refused to buy╉then Mississippi Parole
Board deemed the Scott Sisters no longer a threat to society and Voila!
Presto. Free at last!

Free sort of, that is. Time served on a sentence that even Barbour
himself called longer than usual for the alleged crime committed wasn't
enough payment; a kidney was due. When I read that Barbour╉a
"tough on crime" governor╉said the condition for freedom for Gladys,
who had already said a year ago without coercion that she wanted to
donate a kidney to her sister, was she must part with an organ, a little
more of that initial happiness ebbed from me. "What!" I said and decided
not to write too much about it then lest my anger set the computer on fire.

I don't have to go into exactly what's wrong with the "kidney deal" here.
Bioethicists have already objected. Barbour's "quid pro quo" order
violates 50 years of organ transplant law, they say. But the governor,
with his sights on the Oval Office, is not worried. In fact, he seems to
think he's found a new way to claim that he's fiscally responsible as he
signs off on the sisters' release.

Undoubtedly nodding to some constituents who never saw a budget cut
they couldn't love, Barbour framed Jamie's release in terms of cost
savings. In his official announcement he says:

"To date, the sisters have served 16 years of their sentences and are
eligible for parole in 2014. Jamie Scott requires regular dialysis, and her
sister has offered to donate one of her kidneys to her. The Mississippi
Department of Corrections believes the sisters no longer pose a threat to
society. Their incarceration is no longer necessary for public safety or
rehabilitation, and Jamie Scott's medical condition creates a substantial
cost to the State of Mississippi.

Jamie's dialysis, according to Barbour, could cost the the state $200,000
per year and that's the best reason to release her. A release in the name
of justice, in the name of compassion? No, can't have that. It's far better
to court the muses of Southern Grotesque.

And Barbour's very pleased with himself about his decision. In the video
below you'll hear a clip of the governor on WMPR talking to Charles
Evers, the station's manager, a small-town mayor, civil rights activist and
older brother of the late Medgar Evers (Yes, that Medgar Evers).
Someone is chuckling off camera while Barbour discusses how ridiculous
it is for the State of Mississippi to pay for a prisoner's dialysis...

I have spoken to a comrade and who had a chance to speak to Mz
Roscoe and as this moment no donations have come in. I will be
donating a little something in the a.m. BU family please donate a little
something.For it is the right thing to do and you will be doing by showing
some unity and love to the family.

Visit Black Unity at:
http://blackunity.ning.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network
Mrs. Evelyn Rasco, the mother of
Jamie and Gladys Scott is their
spokesperson. Mrs. Rasco's blog is:
http://www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.com

Information regarding the case may be
located on the blog.  Jamie Scott has had
kidney failure and is receiving substandard
care. Jamie has had three temporary
catheters which have been infected and
has not received the permanent shunt for
dialysis as of yet. This is at least a month of
the madness with Jamie Scott's health.
Information explaining this may be found on
the blog.  
(http://www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.c
om)

Presently, Mrs. Rasco has requested that we
place pressure on the Governor for a
compassionate release for Jamie Scott and to
commute Gladys Scott's  sentence.

Also, please contact the Commissioner of
Prisons, Christopher Epps  and ask that the
volunteer specialist be allowed to go into the
prison and examine Jamie Scott.  The doctor
who has volunteered to go behind the walls will
cost the MDOC absolutely nothing.  

Dr. Gloria Perry is the physician - director-
for MDOC please contact her and request that
an outside physician, who has volunteered his
services be allowed to examine Jamie Scott.  
Gloria Perry, is responding that Jamie is
receiving the proper care and that our
information is erroneous. THIS IS NOT TRUE!
Please do not back off. Be kind and courteous
but please continue to assist Mrs. Rasco in this
matter to save her daughters.

Last, The Scott Sisters are in need of a
criminal attorney. Attorney Chowke Lumumba
is handling Jamie Scott's medical crisis only.

Mrs.  Rasco is not at home with access to a
computer as she is in Mississippi trying to see
Jamie, as the prison is giving her the run
around. They know that she has to return
home to care for her grandchildren.   Please
visit the blog for updates or contact her
assistant - Sis Marpessa ~nattyreb@gmail.com

I am more than happy to assist with any
additional information (Nancy
Lockhart)~thewrongfulconviction@gmail.co
m - 641.715.3900, Ext.99222

Christopher Epps, Commissioner of Prisons for
the State of Mississippi
601-359-5600
CEPPS@mdoc.state.ms.us
723 North President Street
Jackson, MS 39202

Dr. Gloria Perry, Medical Department
(601) 359-5155
gperry@mdoc.state.ms.us

Haley Barbour -
Personal Assistant
Dorothy Kuykendall
1-877-405-0733
(601) 359-3150
DKuykendall@governor.state.ms.us

Thank you for your assistance.

Nancy Lockhart, M.J.
--
http://nancylockhart.blogspot.com
April 20, 2010
From:
Jamie Scott # 19197
CMCF/2A-B-Zone
P.O. Box 88550
Pearl, MS 39288-8850

Unconstitutional Living Condition
The living condition in quickbed area is not fit for any human to live in. I have
been incarcerated for 15 years 6 months now and this is the worst I have
ever experience. When it rain out side it rain inside. The zone flood like a
river. The rain comes down on our heads and we have to try to get sheets
and blankets to try to stop it from wetting our beds and personnel property.
Because the floors are concrete and it have paint on it, it makes it very
slippery when it rain and there have been numerous of inmates that have
broke their arms and hurt there self do to this. Above our heads there are
rows and rows of spiders as if we live in the jungle. There are inmates that
have holds in there bodies left from spider bites, because once they are
bitten it take forever to get to the clinic for any help. There are mold in the
bathroom ceiling and around the walls and toilets. The toilets leak sewage from
under them and they have the inmate men to come in and patch them up occasionally. The
smell is awful. The showers are two circular poles with five shower heads on each pole.
The floor in the shower is also concrete and slippery. There is nothing to hold on to when
you exit the shower so there have been many inmates that have hurt there self in the
process. Outside the building there is debirs where the unit is falling apart. Each day we
are force to live in these conditions. The staph infection is so high and we are force to
wave in toilet and sewage water when we have to go to the bathroom. I have witness to
many inmates die at the hands of this second rate medical care. I do not want to be one of
them. When this is brought to the health department or anyone attention. The MDOC tries
to get the inmate to try to pamper it up so if someone comes in it want look as bad as the
inmates said it did. I am fully aware that we are in prison, but no one should have to live in such
harsh condition. I am paranoid of catching anything because of what I have been going throw with
my medical condition. We are living in these harsh conditions, but if you go to the administration
offices, they are nice and clean and smell nice because they make sure the inmates clean their
offices each day. They tell us to clean the walls. Cleaning the walls will not help anything.
Cleaning the walls will not stop the rain from pouring in. it will not stop the mold from growing
inside the walls and around us. It will not stop the spiders from mating. They have 116 inmates on
each wing, and we live not five feet from each other in order to pack us in. We have the blowers
on the ceiling and if the inmates are acting crazy or the staff come in mad they use the blowers as
a form of punishment. The taxes payers really are lead to believe we are been rehabilitated. That
is a joke. All we do is sit in this infected unit and build up more hate. Rehabilitated starts within
you. If you want to change you will change. One thing about MDOC, they know how to fix the
paper work up to make it seen as if they are doing their job. You can get more drugs and anything
else right here. I have witness a lot in my time here. Do I sound angry, I am not I am hurt and sick.
Because they have allowed my kidney to progress to stage five which been the highest. They told
me years ago I had protein in my urine, but I went years without any help. Now, it seen the eyes
are on me because my family are on their case. Every inmate is not without family. Yes, you do
have many inmates that family have giving up on, but my sister and I are not them. I do not want
special attention; I want to treat, and to live how the state says on paper we are living. The same
way when it is time for the big inspection we are promised certain food if we please clean up to
pass this inspection. So I beg of anyone to please understand Mississippi Department of
Correction is a joke. They will let you die or even kill yourself. We are told when visitors come into
the prison do not talk to them. Well I have the right to talk to anyone and if the health department
or anyone comes I will talk to him or her, because this is my life and I should or anyone else
should be force to live like this. They use unlawful punishments to try to shut us up. I need help. I
need a inmate to help me, but for some reason they will not allow me to move with my sister, so
she can help me. There are mother and daughter, aunties, and nieces housed together and also
there are a total of 12 inmates acting as orally for others inmates. I have all the names of the
inmates acting as a orally if need to be giving. However, the subject of my sister is been danced
around. A form of discrimination. My sister (Gladys Scott) and I were housed together for over ten
years and not once have we ever caused any problem. We were spit up because in 2003 the
Commissioner came with the order to separate all family members. Because its payback because
my family is holding them accountable to do what they are paid to do. Also, do to the fact Mr.
Daniels on it’s a New Day & Grassroots are keeping the supports inform that is been pointed out
to me in a negative way. Now that I am sitting everyday because of my sickness I have time to use
my typewriter. MDOC have gotten away with to much. In addition, some of the things that go on
here I truly believe that Mr. Epps
Make a Donation to the
Scott Sisters Here
www.freethescottsisters.blogspot.com
Contact:
Mrs. Evelyn Rasco
Jamie and Gladys Scott's
Spokesperson
http://www.freethescottsisters.b
logspot.com
Scott Sisters are FREEEE!!!
The Scott Sisters are Innocent - Enough is Enough
Grassroots
Organizing In
Support Of
Wrongful
Convictions
When the judicial system fails,
we must search for strategies to
assist the wrongfully convicted.
The contents within have been
designed to guide the lay
person in organizing grassroots
committees in support of
wrongful convictions.

Enter Here

http://nancylockhart.blogs
pot.com/
DICK GREGORY Calls for
Mass Support for the
Gray-Haired Witnesses Fast for
Justice!
Enter Here
Join the Wrongful
Convictions Network &
Let's fight for our people.

http://wrongfulconvicti
ons.ning.com/
Your Legal Analyst
South Carolina, United States
Rip Daniels of Wjzd radio
station in Gulfport,
Mississippi has
consistently given updates
on this case and will
continue to do so until The
Scott Sisters release. Rip
Daniels is the only person
who has interviewed Jamie
Scott from behind the
walls. Please listen to him
streaming via internet. Mrs.
Rasco gave an interview
yesterday.
www.itisanewday.com
Evelyn Rasco, Jamie, & Brother
Scott's Family
GRAY-HAIRED
WITNESSES
We Stand in wisdom
and with courage as
the moral
consciousness of a
Nation
Scott Sisters
are FREEEE!!!
Counter