Behind enemy lines: News briefs

RIP Richard ‘Mafundi’ Lake

The tragic news came to the Bay View from Taharka Omowale that Black Panther Political Prisoner Richard “Mafundi” Lake had joined the ancestors. Mafundi’s decades of schooling the youth in Alabama prisons makes him the progenitor of the Free Alabama Movement and the current, burgeoning prison abolition movement across the country.

Mafundi, the consummate revolutionary organizer – “See, you got to organize the people,” he’d say – taught generations of Alabama prisoners law, politics and history. One of his students, Melvin Ray, now known as Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun, tells how in the ‘60s, Mafundi and his comrades “organized under Inmates for Action and (fought) back against an all-white corrections force that was known for murder and pick-axe killings of the incarcerated.”

Mafundi was a strong supporter of the Bay View, repeatedly sending what little material wealth he had in the form of books of stamps, not only for his own subscription but for gift subscriptions to comrades. He would call from time to time; now we wish we’d recorded his wise words.

The Bay View invites you, if your life was touched by Mafundi, to write a brief tribute for publication.

Attention to all prisoners undergoing 30 minute ‘security/welfare checks’

The Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Committee to End Sleep Deprivation has learned of a number of suicides that have taken place at the same time the checks are ongoing. We are keeping track of these suicides. If you know of any person who has committed suicide while undergoing the checks, please contact our committee with as much information as you have about the occurrence, in particular the name of the deceased and date of death. Mail to the PHSS Committee to End Sleep Deprivation, P.O. Box 5692, Eureka, CA 95502.

JTVCC uprising update

by Christopher West

On Oct. 17, the state of Delaware charged 16 people who had been in Building C during the February uprising with first degree murder, kidnapping and other charges. Also, two more people were charged with kidnapping and conspiracy.

In early November, many of those charged and others who were in Building C were taken to Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, on interstate transfers.

The word in Delaware papers is that the reputation of the entire state’s legal system is riding on the upcoming trials. As the only state’s evidence will be biased testimony from informants and police, our brave, strong freedom fighters charged must keep their heads up and honor high.

Send them all the positive energy we can, as they are innocent, and it hasn’t been proven Officer Floyd didn’t die as a result of the DOC and SWAT breach on Feb. 2, 2017.

Solidarity!

Send our brother some love and light: Christopher West, 415857, JTVCC, 1181 Paddock Road, Smyrna, DE 19977.