by Iyanna “Nana Soul” JonesCrusading “movement” lawyer Lynn Stewart is ordered to begin serving a prison sentence. “To put her behind bars when no one was injured, no one was harmed, when those who produced the torture memos, those who produced the war are going free and even prospering is really the irony of our time.”
The Mis-Incarceration of Lynne Stewart
by Iyana “Nana Soul” Jones
“The war on terrorists includes the war on lawyers who defend those who are accused.”
On Thursday, November 19, long time civil rights attorney Lynne Stewart was ordered by Judge John G. Koeltl to turn herself in to begin serving a 28-month prison sentence for her 2006 conviction for conspiracy and providing material support to terrorists. Amidst a backdrop of chants of “Free Lynne Stewart!” and “We love you Lynne!, and swarmed by supporters, friends and family members, Stewart issued a statement outside the US District Court at 500 Pearl Street, in Manhattan, before being taken into custody.
On November 18, Judge Koeltl, who presided over Stewart’s case, revoked her bail and ordered her to surrender forthwith, but stayed the order until 5:00pm allowing Stewart’s attorneys to file an application for a stay. The application was denied. Upon hearing the news Stewart replied, “Okay, we’re going to prison folks! I want to remind you all that today was the day that Joe Hill was executed. And you know what he said? Don’t mourn me, organize!”
A union organizer and activist executed before a firing squad for the alleged murders of two men, it is reported that Hill’s trial was fraught with inconsistencies and miscarriages of justice, paralleling the case of modern day political prisoner and death row inmate Mumia Abu Jamal, whom Stewart also supports.
“Lynne Stewart will always be free no matter how much you imprison her.”
In attendance at the rally were roughly three hundred protestors from a variety of organizations including The Troops Out Now Coalition, WBAI, Artists and Activists United for Peace and the Bail Out the People Movement. The sendoff was also attended by City Councilman and long time supporter of Lynne Stewart Charles Barron.
“Lynne Stewart would never do anything that would lead to the harm of any human being on this planet,” said Barron. “Lynne Stewart will always be free no matter how much you imprison her because you can jail a revolutionary but you can’t jail the revolution.”
Also in attendance was attorney Leonard Weinglass, who said “The Lynne Stewart case is the case that’s going to mark this era as the era of the war on terrorists, which includes the war on lawyers who defend those who are accused of terrorism. To put her behind bars when no one was injured, no one was harmed, when those who produced the torture memos, those who produced the war are going free and even prospering is really the irony of our time.”
While the demonstration resonated with a contagious fighting spirit a few tears mingled with the farewells. Stewart’s soul mate of several decades, Ralph Poynter who is also co-founder of the New Abolitionist Movement, kept a positive outlook for those who turned out to say goodbye to the radical “People’s Attorney.”. Says Poynter, “It’s a sad moment for me and a sad moment for the Black community and the poor and for anyone who needed representation by a lawyer and could not afford it. We are all hurting but we will continue to struggle until Lynne is back to carry that struggle for us.”
“She will be the voice of the voiceless while she’s in there.”
Many see Stewart’s incarceration as a boon, particularly for those who are behind bars without adequate legal representation. And though she was disbarred upon her indictment, Stewart will undoubtedly play the role of jailhouse lawyer, acting as a mentor and advocate to those on the inside for whom justice is hard won if at all.
Pam Africa, Minister of Confrontation for MOVE and co chair of International Concerned Family and Friends For Mumia Abu Jamal, both headquartered in Philadelphia, was optimistic. “These people made a huge mistake but it’s a plus for the movement. She will be the voice of the voiceless while she’s in there.”
Others are angry that Stewart, a grandmother, is serving any time at all, due to her recent 70th birthday, her battle with breast cancer and her partner Ralph’s battle with skin cancer. With the upcoming holiday season, it would seem that the decision is somewhat vindictive.
Stewart believes her case is a trumped up maneuver to warn attorneys with a penchant for social justice away from taking on the government. Says Stewart, “I believe the larger implications are that this is a warning shot for other lawyers. Don’t advocate for your clients in a vigorous, strong way or you will end up like she did. Disbarred and in jail.”
“This is a warning shot for other lawyers. Don’t advocate for your clients in a vigorous, strong way.”
But there is little fear that the plan will work. In fact, the consensus is that it will achieve the opposite effect: inspiring more lawyers to stand up to a fundamentally flawed legal system, fight against racism and classicism, partner with grassroots community based organizations, hold the justice system up to the standards it professes to adhere to and most importantly, follow in the footsteps of Lynne Stewart.
For many, this is not a goodbye. Rather, it is a new beginning in a continuous struggle for justice against oppression and as has been the case for decades, Lynne is at the helm, rendering the bars that seek to contain her voice and influence invisible.
Before she went into the courthouse someone asked whether she had the medicine she needed for her cancer treatment. Lynne replied, “I have the love of you good people and your strength and support. It will be all the medicine I need.”
For more information on Lynne Stewart visit lynnestewart.org. Iyanna Jones can be reached at iyannajones@blackwaxx.com
Comments
Great article. Loved the end. I heard Lynne S. speak with Sall
y O'Brien, interview done at 3:30pm (taped) and played on Sally O'Brien's "Where We Live", WBAI in the very packed 8pm hour. The interview was done and then Lynne Stewart went into the marshall's at 5pm. ( Note: WBAI has had a coup in management, a Pacifica community sponsored station. I voted for Lynne Stewart for Local Station Board in the current election. See www.takebackwbai.org especially "latest news" link.)
I am so pleased to see this article here, so quickly. I just finished art and honor Lynne Stewart as my "punch line". Hope to get copies made - limited edition (limited money), on paper. update: some copies on paper were done; some distributed. Pleased when I can get something done and "out".
Update:Nov.24: Jeff Mackler put an article "Lynne Stewart Update" on www.monthlyreview.org/mrzine/ and has posted her address at the Manhattan jail: Lynne Stewart 53504-054 , MCC- NY, 150 Park Row, NY NY l0007 (put her name and number on a line, then the prison MCC-NY, then the address - my skills at doing the lines ...)
Lynne's so strong! Thanks. If my link to www.takebackwbai.org does not work (sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't) - just type it in.
No one is free from jack-booted, tyrannical fear-mongers
The fact that the government would seek to imprison this woman for this particular transgression when the bastards were surreptiously spying on her (and probably the shieiks supporters as well), for a maximum of 30 years tells you all you need to know about the routine miscarraige of justice, institutionalized prosecutorial vindictiveness, and government overreaching based upon naked fear. No one is immune from the jack-booted juggernaut that is the criminal justice system.
While the torture lawyers are rewarded with partnerships at major law firms, prestigious teaching positions, and man the dais at prestigious law seminars for their intellectually barren, bullshit opinions which sanctioned murder, rape, and war crimes, this champion of justice for all, even the most despised amongst us, gets 28 months in prison and is disbarred.
What a hypocritical joke this country has become. The mendacity of blabbering about the "rule of law" is evident to anyone without a plank in their eye. The same shit goes down in the so-called United Nations/World Court. Where "disposable" leaders/dictators/rulers are routinely prosecuted by that standard bearer of justice, the US and the so-called civilized Western World. Is there any wonder why we are so hated over the world when hypocrisy morphs into mendacity?
Sadder and scarier is fact
Sadder and scarier is fact all this flies under the radar of 75% of the population. Ask 10 people in your subdivision, on the street, in your apartment complex, at work, at Thanksgiving dinner have they heard about how the assault on civil liberties and the constitution continues, or, inquire about ANYTHING reported on this and other indy sites - and you'll get a blank stare from 8 of them. Half of this lot will get angry and/or go off on you if you happen to mention the current Messiah in Chief's and his administration's dirty hands in these matters.
Freedom and democracy these days are looking a lot like all those repressive regimes our govt has installed, propped up, or vilified in other countries throughout the years. Maybe George W was right; the Constitution is just a g--damn piece of paper.
E. Cynic:in the interview I cited above, L. Stewart said (paraph
rasing): If the gov't listens in on client - attorney conversations (which they were doing with her when she visited her client in prison), then you don't have a judicial system. The interview is archived for 90 days from last night www.wbai.org free. (I support the "undo the coup" movement at wbai, See www.takebackwbai.org ) And William Kunstler was saying a decade and a half ago (he died in the mid90s) that we had a police state.
No point in being afraid.