“Live From the Trenches”: The Vaughn 17 Speak

In early 2017, a large scale uprising was launched at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center in Delaware. For background information, see Bloc Party’s interview with a former Vaughn prisoner here, and print out an awesome poster with addresses to write to, here.

“Live From the Trenches” Zine for Printing HERE
“Live From the Trenches” Zine for Reading HERE

Between the months of January and May of 2018, a small group of friends in Chicago reached out to the 17 individuals charged with involvement in the February 2017 uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Delaware.

This zine is an attempt to share the thoughts and experiences of these comrades as they shared them in their letters. We asked for and were generously given their consent. We hope that reprinting them for others to read will deepen connections with these individuals and help to multiply acts of solidarity and support. Contact information for the Vaughn 17 may be found throughout and at the end of the zine.

There is also a callout for a phone zap on Monday, July 2nd starting at 9 AM. All of these individuals still experience daily retaliation over a year after the uprising took place. All are still held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day, with only one hour out of their cells. One inmate was badly beaten just last week after being shocked with an electric shield and jumped by Correctional Officers at Howard R. Young.

In response this individual has started a hunger strike which may still be ongoing. A number of other letters containing documented cases of retaliation by both guards and administration can be found throughout the zine. These folks face brutal conditions every day for their suspected role in the Vaughn uprising and it is imperative that we show them continued support. We want the prisons to know that we are watching and their retaliation against these individuals doesn’t go unnoticed. Calling in can be a very effective way to do this. Please do call but also be creative in the ways you show your solidarity. Some other ways to show support are included at the end of the zine. A flyer containing the numbers to call and a sample script can be found below.

SNITCH DISCLAIMER: While there are 18 individuals charged with some form of connection to the uprising, one individual– “Royal Diamond Downs”–has collaborated with the authorities by giving statements against other prisoners. As such we refer only to the Vaughn 17 herein. May Royal Downs and all snitches get what they deserve…