Eco-prisoner Justin Solondz spends birthday behind bars this Monday

This Monday, October 3^rd, marks the first birthday Justin Solondz will spend in a US prison. He is currently awaiting trial on allegations of involvement with ELF arsons in the Pacific Northwest. Justin was recently extradited to the US from a prison in China and is now facing the gauntlet of green scare informants, including ex-girlfriend Brianna Waters.

Send him a note today and let him know you’re thinking of him. Remember, do not talk about the case in your letter, as he has a trial pending. Pre-made cards or photocopied pictures are a safe bet (hand made cards risk rejection by prison officials.)

Justin Solondz #98291-011, FDC SeaTac, PO Box 13900, Seattle, Washington 98198

And while you have the pen and paper out, below are some other eco-prisoners and freedom fighters who also have birthdays in October. A political prisoner birthday list also comes out in the printed Earth First! Journal in time to send cards, but our print schedule is a bit off do to funding needs. So we wanted to be sure some people get this in time to drop a timely letter to these prisoners, as well:

Eric McDavid #16209-097, FCI Victorville, Medium II Federal Correctional Institution, PO Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301

Birthday: October 7th Eric McDavid was arrested and charged with “Conspiracy to damage and destroy property by fire and an explosive.” His arrest was the direct result of a government informant—known only as “Anna”—who spent a year and a half drawing him in and working with the FBI to fabricate a crime and implicate Eric in it. Eric was imprisoned for what amounts to thought-crime – no actions were ever carried out. supporteric.org

Michael Davis Africa #AM4973, SCI Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244

Birthday: October 6, 1955 

Edward Goodman Africa #AM4974, SCI Mahoney, 301 Morea Road, Frackville, PA 17932

Birthday: October 21, 1949  Michael Davis Africa and Edward Goodman Africa are two of the people who make up the MOVE 9. There are currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. The 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died in prison in 1998. MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group dedicated to liberation struggles. www.onamove.com

Herman Wallace #76759, Elaine Hunt Correctional Center Unit 5 E-Tier, PO Box 174, St Gabriel, LA 70776

Birthday: October 13, 1941 Wallace and two others began a prison chapter of the Black Panther Party in 1971.The men then organized prisoners to build a movement within the walls to desegregate the prison, to end systematic rape and violence, for better living conditions, and worked as jailhouse lawyers helping prisoners file legal papers. They organized multiple strikes and sit-ins for better conditions.  Angola3.org

Lynne Stewart, #53504-054, FMC Carswell Federal Medical Center, PO Box 27137 Fort Worth, TX 76127

Birthday: October 8th Veteran New York criminal defense attorney Lynne Stewart was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime of defending a terrorist too vigorously in court. She was convicted of “providing material support to the Gama’a Islamiya”, which was on the Bush administration’s list of terrorist organizations. “Whatever I did, I did as a lawyer. It’s nothing different than I have done for 20 years.” lynnestewart.org

Jamil Abdullah Al-Amin #99974-555, USP Florence ADMAX P.O. Box 8500, Florence, CO 81226

Birthday: October 4, 1943 Also known as H. Rap Brown, came to prominence in the 1960s as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Justice Minister of the Black Panther Party. imamjamil.com

David Gilbert #83-A-6158, Auburn Correctional Facility, PO Box 618, Auburn NY 13021

Birthday: October 6, 1944 David Gilbert was a founding member of Columbia University SDS and a member of the Weather Underground. After about ten years underground, he was arrested in October 1981, along with members of the Black Liberation Army and other radicals.

Robert Seth Hayes #74-A-2280, Sullivan Correctional Facility, 325 Riverside Drive, PO Box 116, Fallsberg, NY 12733-0116

Birthday: October 15, 1948 Robert ‘Seth’ Hayes is one of the longest-held political prisoners in the USA. Seth was imprisoned due to his activity in the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army, a fighting formation which grew out of the Black liberation movement of the 1960’s. www.sethhayes.org