Report by Global Women's Strike, Philadelphia

Court Report: The Dallas 6 Win a Continuance to Prepare Their Defense Nov 10, 2014 Luzerne County Courthouse, Wilkes-Barre PA

The Dallas 6 are prisoners from SCI Dallas PA who face trial for blowing the whistle on and protesting against solitary confinement, abuse & violence by prison guards.

For the latest info and how you can get involved, go to scidallas6.blogspot.com.  Please read and circulate this article on the Dallas 6 by Victoria Law for Solitary Watch 
Listen to an interview with Shandre Delaney on Pacifica Radios Sojourner Truth (or go to archive.kpfk.org to stream the audio).  Make a Donation! or send check/money order payable to Abolitionist Law Center, P.O. Box 8654 Pittsburgh PA 15221 Memo line: Dallas 6

In a victory for the Dallas 6, Luzerne County Judge Lesa Gelb agreed to their motion to continue the trial until February 17, 2015. The continuance was requested so that Michael Wiseman, newly-retained attorney for Derrick Stanley, could review the case and meet with each of the men and because, despite court orders, the men have been prevented from communicating with each other in order to prepare their defense.

The men were also able to put on the record how they are being denied their right to due process, are experiencing retaliation, and had their legal papers tampered with. In response, Judge Gelb said she would talk to the local solicitors about anything going on in jail, and offered to put prison officials on the phone with them and Mr. Wiseman. She denied their motion to recuse herself from the case.

Shandre Delaney and Derrick Stanley at the press conference at the Luzerne County courthouse.

Four of the original Dallas 6 remain united in their quest for justice: Andre Jacobs, Carrington Keys, Derrick Stanley, and Duane Peters. Anthony Kelly accepted an earlier plea deal and Anthony Locke is being represented by Ernie Preate in a severed case. Derrick Stanley is out of prison.The remaining three were brought in to court late, shackled and without the suits provided by their family members, and seated within close hearing distance of their prosecutors. Carrington Keys told the court his legal papers arrived from SCI Retreat torn and in shambles with boot marks on them and that they were inventoried without him being present. Andre Jacobs said that he was not allowed one single phone call to discuss the case in over a year. Duane Peters said the prison said were not making photocopies for Blacks, and he asked the judge why the DA is not enforcing the judges orders against retaliation.

Isaac Sanchez, whose abuse in prison after he stood up for a fellow prisoner prompted the Dallas 6 to act.

About two dozen family and supporters attended the trial and the lively press conference that preceded it, which was attended by WNEP TV and The Independent News.

Shandre Delaney, mother of Carrington with the Human Rights Coalition and Abolitionist Law Center in Pittsburgh, spoke of how the Dallas 6 are being persecuted and maliciously prosecuted for being whistleblowers and for having the audacity to stand up for their constitutional right to be free fromcruel and unusual punishment.

 

Derrick Stanley spoke of how the abuse he saw and suffered from affected his psyche so that he had to act in peaceful protest.

Isaac Sanchez whose confinement to a restraint chair prompted the Dallas 6 to cover their windows in protest spoke of his support for and gratitude to the Dallas 6.

Other statements of support came from Phoebe Jones of the Global Womens Strike, Eric Gjertsen of Payday mens network, Theresa Shoatz whose father was in solitary for much of his 40 years inside, and Lynne Iser from a Jewish faith-based mass incarceration campaign. Also represented were Decarcerate PA, the Every Mother is a Working Mother Network, Human Rights Coalition Philly, Marcellus Shale Earth First, and the Shalefield Organizing Committee.