Delivery of over 2,000 petitions and letters telling DA Cyrus Vance to drop the charges against Jazz Hayden.
 

EMERGENCY! Jazz Hayden's Freedom is On the Line

Two Urgent Actions to Keep Jazz Free:

THURSDAY: GRAND JURY PROCEEDINGS TO INDICT JAZZ!

Thursday, September 13th, 8:30 am -1 Hogan Place

(near Centre and Worth Streets, around the corner from courthouse at 100 Centre Street; Trains: 4/5/6/N/R to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall; Q to Canal; A/C/J/Z to Chambers)

Join us at the press conference & rally
 
And earlier in the week...

    TUESDAY: CALL-IN DAY TO KEEP JAZZ FREE!

    Tuesday, September11th

    Call Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office: Attorney William Darrow, tel. 212-335-9192

    Tell Darrow to Drop the Charges Against Jazz Hayden! We want to keep Jazz Free!

This is an urgent week in the campaign to keep Jazz free! Despite over 2,000 of us raising our voices, and despite the obviously retaliatory nature of the charges, District Attorney Cyrus Vance has re-affirmed he intends to pursue an indictment at the Grand Jury hearing this Thursday.

Jazz is a 71-year old grandfather and community activist, unflinchingly devoted to defending the people of Harlem and New York from the racist police humiliation and brutality communities of color experience on a daily basis. The NYPD and the courts are using bogus weapons charges to try to silence his cop watch activities and send a chilling message to the rest of us. Jazz is facing a possible 14 years in prison.  

TURN OUT ON SEPTEMBER 13!! We need to send a strong message to jurors and the prosecutors as they enter the courthouse: WE STAND BY JAZZ HAYDEN!

CALL THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY ON SEPTEMBER 11!! Take just two minutes on Tuesday to flood their phone lines with one clear message: drop the trumped-up charges against Jazz Hayden! Call Attorney William Darrow at 212-335-9192 and tell him to stop persecuting Jazz for his community service!

Sign Jazz's petition and learn more about his case at www.freejazzhayden.wordpress.com

Coverage on NY1

Jazz Speaks to NY1's Natasha Ghoneim outside Manhattan Criminal Court

Jazz Hayden along with a large group of supporters packed Manhattan Criminal Courthouse inside and out on the morning of July 31, 2012.  They were there demanding that District Attorney Cyrus Vance drop the charges against Jazz Hayden.  The charges against Jazz are seen to be retaliation for his filming and scrutiny of police activities in the Harlem community.  

The Judge set another date for Jazz's case on October 11, 2012 in anticipation of a grand jury indictment.  The grand jury will be convened sometime during September (TBA).  The supporters plan to mobilize around both events of these dates.    

To keep up with Jazz's case or get involved go to
www.freejazzhayden.wordpress.com

also

Sign the petition

David Galarza speaks to the importance of filming police activities in our communities to show the truth in whats going on.  He describes a recent video he shot of an NYPD officer fondling and body slamming a young teenager.  He tells of how the news reported it as a good job by the officer while his video tells a different story.  

While David is speaking you will notice that one of the court officers behind him is filming him and the group of supporters.  Why? And what will they do with this tape we don't know.

Click to read more ...

ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
BOGUS NYPD WEAPON CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST ACTIVIST BRO. SHAKA SHAKUR

By BRO. SADIKI "SHEP" OJORE OLUGBALA
Special Thanks To The Amsterdam News


On December 12, 2011, Bro. Shaka Shakur, a coordinator of the Peoples Survival Program (PSP) and a respected Bronx & Harlem community activist, was arrested at work after a taskforce of police agents raided his apartment in the Bronx with a baseless warrant. In the course of the raid the police also took the opportunity to violate the home of veteran Black Panther Cyril "Bullwhip" Innis under the guise of an alleged search for illegal weapons.

This was seen at the time as another direct attack by the forces of state repression against those that both organize in the Black/Latino community and; who fearlessly fight against both the US Prison Industrial Complex and the racist police terror conducted daily by the NYPD.

Monday, June 11, 2012 after seven months of organized struggle, and in front of yet another courtroom packed with supporters; the bogus NYPD weapon charges were finally dropped against Bro. Shaka.

In addition to the very strong legal defense in this case, Attorney Michael Tarif Warren pointed out during the victory press conference that "it was both the Bronx Grand Jury's respect and appreciation for Shaka's continuing history of community work and especially the reality of your continuing to pack the court room during any upcoming jury trial; that ultimately convinced the Bronx District Attorney's Office that it was in their best interest to drop the bogus NYPD charges."

Bro. Shaka then addressed the crowd of enthusiastic supporters in reiterating his attorney's analysis that "it was the power of the people that won this victory for the people; But there are still other Anti-Police Terror cases to be supported and the struggle still continues."

On behalf of Bro. Shaka Shakur and his family, The Peoples Survival Program would like to thank CEMOTAP for its "Shaka Shakur Legal Defense Fundraiser"; Activist Attorney Michael Tarif Warren, Esq., his usual legal prowess inside and outside of the courtroom; and especially for the friends, family, activists, supporters and true comrades; Who sacrificed their time by answering the call to help us to "OCCUPY THE COURT HOUSE & KEEP BRO. SHAKA FREE"

Press Release from National Lawyers Guild