dispatch
By KRISTIN FLOR, MIGGY 420, MINDI GRIFFITHS AND DANIELLE VITALE-O’BRIEN
JULY PRISONER UPDATE [ ]
>> NEWS FROM THE FRONT LINES of THE HUMAN SOLUTION
PRISON OUTREACH Our prison system is beyond broken. It’s full
oners are on no one’s priority list, especially small-time criminals who really want to do better. Thomas is just a poor American who was treated badly as a youth and was never taught to make grown-up decisions. Thomas has become just another number behind bars, which means he could be denied treatment for his brain tumor and even post-traumatic stress disorder caused by sexual assault in prison. If Thomas didn’t have a loving daughter who believes in her father, he would just be another cog in the judicial wheel.
of mandatory minimums and three-strike laws. Where’s the rehabilitation? Where’s the fix? This Father’s Day, many men and women were behind bars for our plant. Each person is a father, a mother, a brother, a sister, and perhaps has a son or daughter who they couldn’t spend time with on the holiday. Thomas Landreth, a lifelong petty criminal, was offered a plea deal of 20 years in prison or the Go to thsintl.org to learn how to write to chance to go to trial and face the possibility of a prisoner, adopt a prisoner or donate money life behind bars for possession of a couple grams to a prisoner’s commissary account and help of marijuana in a joint. A mandatory minimum is change their life. not a fix, especially when it can put a man behind bars for 20 years for weed — a man whose biggest crime was being a shitty criminal with multiple petty crimes. Twenty years for weed or life. Either way, you’re going to get jason endicott: The Endburied in a system only to eventuicott family was moving from ally die and never be thought of the Northwest to Florida in again. Our judicial prison system is October 2013. The couple rea Band-Aid, not a cure. port that Jason’s wife, Tiffany, Thomas is a prime example of was pulled for having Oregon Thomas Landreth was offered a why a drug war exists — to keep the license plates and speeding. plea deal of 20 years in prison poor and the least educated under The officer requested to search for possession of a few grams. control, and to provide cheap labor the vehicle, but Tiffany refused for the prison system. He’s dying He could also take his chance to consent. Police brought in a slowly in a system not meant to in a courtroom but that has risks. canine to do an open-air search make the person better but to put and claimed the dog made a the unruly kids in a corner so the positive hit, which compelled rest don’t have to hear them. Thomas Landreth is Jason to consent to the search. Police seized 4 not a killer but a “piller,” which means he’s more of pounds of medicine and Jason was processed a danger to himself than the rest of the world. The and released within a few hours. Thomas Landreths of the system, whether they’re Now Jason faces the fight of his life. Pretriblack, white, brown or yellow, are the grease in the al is scheduled for July 20 in Henrietta, Texas. machine of rich people who own the companies Any amount of prison time could be a death that keep them “safe” while “rehabilitating” them. sentence for Jason because of his poor health. Since his incarceration, Thomas has seen the deCourt support is humbly requested. Jason is terioration of cellmates who have died, leaving him an Oregonian and needs all the help from the the impression that he could die before his release, kind-hearted people of Texas he can get. The too. Thomas has many health problems and prisphysical presence of supporters in the court-
OREGON NEWS
20/JULY 2015 FACEBOOK.COM/NWLEAF
room is an effective way to show government officials the power of the will of the people.
Oregon activities: Portland chapter coordina-
tor Mindi Griffiths will be speaking on behalf of POW420, THSI and plant prisoners at the Emerald Empire HempFest in Eugene. This is a three-day event starting July 17. Go to emeraldempirehempfest.com for activities and details. You can also email media@thsintl.org and get more information at thsintl.org/calendar.
WASHINGTON NEWS Josh Mauk and Debbie Brechler: We reported
that Josh and Debbie’s trial would begin in July. In an effort to present the best defense, their attorney is requesting the case be continued until Nov. 16. Although that’s good news, Debbie says, “It sucks not being able to medicate (due to a “no intoxication” order) during this time, though. We have to call in every night to find out if we have to do a UA the next day, but it is better than the alternative!” On a positive note, the prosecutor has dropped the recommended sentences from 30 to 41 months to 18 months. However, any amount of time in prison for a plant is unacceptable.
Martin Nickerson and his two co-defendants
are still facing 12 felony charges. They have been fighting for their rights since being raided four years ago. Martin says, “All we have done is help sick and dying medical patients.” The group known as the Bellingham 3 appeared for a pretrial hearing in April, only to have their court date postponed. The new pretrial date is scheduled for July 22. Please join them in solidarity as they plan to take the case to trial by jury so their peers will ultimately decide their fate. Help educate everyone you know about jury nullification, which requires a juror to judge the law, not just whether the law was broken. A juror has the ultimate power to vote not guilty and nullify unjust laws.