Prison Rebel Birthdays for February, 2020

Roundup of political and social prison rebel birthdays in February of 2020.

Inspired by the spirit of the Political Prisoners Birthday crew, (and recycling some of their artwork because why not) here’s a short listing of some rebel prisoners who have upcoming birthdays in February. For an an introduction on how to write to prisoners and some things to do and not to do, go here. If you have the time, please also check IWOC’s listing of prisoners facing retaliation for prison strike-related organizing.

February also sees the International Day of Solidarity with Leonard Peltier on the 6th. And sending big congratulations to Delbert Africa, the last-but-one MOVE 9 prisoner, who was released in January after serving over 40 years inside! You can donate to his release fund here.

Michael “Rattler” Markus

Water protector serving 3 years for a Civil Disorder charge from the Standing Rock protests.

Birthday: February 2

Address:

Michael “Rattler” Markus (address envelope to Michael Markus)
Prisoner No. 06280-073
FCI Sandstone
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 1000
Sandstone, MN 55072

Veronza Bowers

Veronza Bowers Jr. is a former Black Panther Party member framed for the murder of a U.S. Park Ranger. He is being illegally held past his 30 year sentence, making him one of the longest-held political prisoners in U.S. history.

Birthday: February 4

Address:

Veronza Bowers, Jr. #35316-136
FMC Butner
P.O. Box 1600
Butner, NC 27509
United States

Deric Forney

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While Deric was acquitted in court of all charges in relation to the uprising, he is facing continued retaliation, as he has been moved out of state to Pennsylvania, where many Vaughn defendants are being held on lockdown indefinitely (via placement on PA’s Restricted Release List) on vague and questionable grounds. More than two years later, these prisoners are still being abused for staying in solidarity with one another against the state.

Birthday: February 6

Address:

Smart Communications / PA DOC
Deric Forney – NS2698
SCI Coal Township
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733

David Campbell

David Campbell is being unjustly imprisoned for events that unfolded at the protest of a New York City alt-right event on January 20, 2018. The initial charges were dropped after surveillance footage failed to back up any of the police allegations. However they were replaced with a more vague and heavy-handed charge of Gang Assault—which makes any group of three or more people involved in a fight legally responsible for each other’s actions, meaning that the prosecution doesn’t need to show that a specific defendant actually did anything in order to get a conviction. He enjoys experimental theater, museums, cooking, camping and hiking, animals, traveling, languages, learning new things, and meeting new people (as long as they aren’t assholes). If you’d like to send David a birthday message, but can’t be bothered with stamps and things, his support crew have set up an online form so it’s super easy for people to contact him.

Birthday: February 15

Address:

David Campbell #3101900657
Robert N. Davoren Complex
11-11 Hazen St
East Elmhurst, NY 11370

Kamau Sadiki (Freddie Hilton)

Kamau Sadiki is a former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, who was convicted of a 30-year old murder case of a Fulton County Police Officer found shot to death in his car outside a service station. At his trial, the judge ruled that statements by a witness who heard other people discussing their participation in the shooting, and stated that he had nothing to do with it, could not be accepted as evidence. The state recently attempted to amputate his foot despite this not being medically necessary, but were forced to back off by outside solidarity.

Birthday: February 19

Address:

Freddie Hilton #0001150688 (address card to Kamau, envelope to Freddie)
Augusta State Medical Prison
Bldg 13A-2 E7
3001 Gordon Highway
Grovetown, GA 30813
United States

Luis Sierra (Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer)

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While the state has now dropped its attempts to criminalize Luis in relation to the uprising, Vaughn defendants continue to face retaliation. Luis is also a contributor to “Live from the Trenches,” the Vaughn 17 zine.

Birthday: February 19

Address:

Luis Sierra #00455723
James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
1181 Paddock Rd
Smyrna, DE 19977

Red Fawn Fallis

Water protector serving 57 months for a gun charge from the Standing Rock protests. The gun in question was supplied to her by an undercover government informant.

Birthday: February 25

Address:

Red Fawn Fallis
#16358-059
FCI Dublin
5701 8th Street–Camp Parks
Dublin, California 94568

Byron Shane “Oso Blanco” Chubbuck

Also known as “Robin the Hood,” Oso Blanco is serving 80 years for bank robberies to raise funds for the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, along with additional charges for escape and resisting the FBI.

Birthday: February 26

Address:

Oso Blanco (Address envelope to Byron Chubbuck, address card to Oso Blanco)
#07909-051
USP Victorville
Post Office Box 3900
Adelanto, California 92301

Ana Belen Montes

Ana Belen Montes was a Pentagon intelligence analyst who, opposed to the plans of aggression against Cuba being developed, felt morally obliged to alert the Cuban government of said plans. Her actions were uncovered and she was accused of high treason, a crime punishable by death. She was forced to negotiate with the prosecution and to plead guilty to espionage on behalf of Cuba. In 2002, she was sentenced to 25 years in prison, a sentence she has been serving under extreme and inhumane isolation. As part of her conditions of severe isolation, she is only allowed to receive letters from 20 specific people, but she can receive books sent directly from bookstores or publishers. She recently beat breast cancer while imprisoned.

Birthday: February 27

Address:

As above, please note that she can’t receive normal mail, just books from publishers or bookstores.

Ana Belen Montes #25037-016
FMC Carswell
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127
United States