Abayomi Azikiwe report from Libya 360: http://tinyurl.com/p7v7df7

Life exemplifies links between African Revolution and Cuban Internationalism

Nelson Mandela with Jorge Risquet and Juan Almeida in Namibia

Stand with Rasmea and fill the appeals courthouse in Cincinnati!

We will organize a support rally in front of the courthouse at 8 AM EST on Wednesday, October 14, 2015, and then fill the courtroom immediately thereafter, as Rasmea’s defense and the prosecution each present their oral arguments to a three judge panel.

Tell us that you’re coming to Cincinnati!

WHEN:
Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at 8 AM EST (oral argument for the appeal starts at 9 AM EST)
WHERE:
U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit
540 Potter Stewart U.S. Courthouse
100 E. 5th Street
Cincinnati, OH 45202

Bus and carpool info from Chicago coming soon!

The Rasmea Defense Committee contends that Judge Gershwin Drain did not allow for a full and fair trial, and believes that is why Rasmea was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison and deportation.  We are confident that she has solid arguments on appeal, and wrote in late July that the “defense argues conclusively that the government ‘never really addresses the basic constitutional deprivations asserted in Ms. Odeh’s opening appellate brief,’ and that Rasmea is ‘entitled to present her complete defense to the jury,’ which can only happen in a new trial.”

After the oral arguments are heard by three appellate judges on October 14, a decision will be made between two and six months later.  If the court agrees with the defense and overturns the conviction and the sentencing, the case gets sent back to the prosecution to possibly refile charges, whereupon the entire trial process begins anew.  But this time, evidence of torture, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), etc., would be allowed into the courtroom.

If the court upholds the conviction but disagrees with the sentence, the appellate judges send new sentencing guidelines back to Drain for re-sentencing.  In the worst possible scenario, her conviction and sentencing would be upheld, meaning that she would have to serve 18 months in prison and then be deported.  If this happens, the defense could ask that all of the 6^th Circuit appellate court judges, not just the three panelists, review the case as a last ditch effort to win the appeal.

We have been doing non-stop fundraising, organizing public events, and pitching Rasmea’s story to media across the country and the world.

There is still much more organizing to be done!

Register here to join us in Cincinnati on October 14, visit www.justice4rasmea.org for more information, and / or email justice4rasmea@uspcn.org with any questions.

Tuesday, October 6 is the Senate Committee on Labor and Government Reform hearing on the civil service bill. The hearing will start at 8:30 a.m. in room 411S and continues to 6:00 p.m., with a break from 11:50 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Please attend this hearing and testify in opposition to this attack on our long-standing and landmark civil service law.

Come out and support and stand with the Johnson family at a 4:30 p.m. press conference at the Mental Health Complex and a 5 p.m. march. Let’s continue to raise awareness about what has and continues to happening to our children in the city of Milwaukee. There needs to be accountability and we need justice!

‪#‎JusticeForBrandonJohnson‬

http://www.atu998.org/