On Aug. 5, Aaron Patterson was arrested by the Chicago Police Department and Federal Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents. Patterson was charged, along with Isaiah Kitchen and Mark Mannie, with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and firearms. Patterson is not charged with possession of drugs or guns, rather the prosecutors are alleging that he intended to become involved in illegal activities. According to the federal government, it is involved in this case because it is able to seek sentences that are much greater than those administered at a local level. Aaron Patterson, if convicted, could face life in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

The source of the government’s evidence against Patterson is derived from an informant who is known by the street name of Fox. Fox was arrested in November 2003 for possession of over $100,000 in drugs and was facing a possible 30-year prison sentence. Yet Fox never went to prison, because he told authorities he could deliver Aaron Patterson to them. In March, under guidance from the Justice Department, Fox initiated contact with Patterson and taped a series of conversations with him, for which Fox was paid $6000 by the government.

According to Patterson, he knew all along that he was being targeted and taped by the government through Fox. At the same time that Fox was taping Patterson, Patterson was taping Fox. He was trying to trap the government agents who were trying to entrap him. As he told the Chicago Tribune, “I got videotapes, I got license plate numbers of undercover cars. Serial numbers for all the money. Everything.” Whether Patterson’s evidence of his entrapment will be helpful to his defense is unclear, since federal agents removed loads of evidence from his mother’s home the day of his arrest.

From his jail cell, where he sits after his bail was denied, Patterson was asked what his goal was when trying to document the police corruption surrounding his arrest. “It was to expose. Let’s do something real and get it on tape. The stunt was not to get locked up. The stunt was that I wanted to do something that would put them on the spot.”

Aaron Patterson’s arrest took place just 24 hours after a federal judge in Chicago ordered former Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge back to Chicago to testify. Jon Burge is alleged to have tortured or to have supervised the torture of 108 Black and Latino suspects while he was a detective in Chicago Police Area 2 and commander of Area 3. Burge and the detectives working under him are accused of using electric shock and suffocation with typewriter covers to extract confessions. One of those tortured suspects was Aaron Patterson, who has a pending civil suit against Burge.

Aaron Patterson has survived police torture and years spent on death row for a crime he didn’t commit and he came out swinging against a corrupt and racist criminal justice system. By targeting him, the Chicago Police Department and the U.S. Justice Department are trying to tell victims of police and prosecutorial misconduct to suffer in silence. Anti-police corruption activists will not stay silent. Instead we will raise our voices to denounce this latest frame-up and to demand the immediate release of Aaron Patterson. Patterson’s next court date is Oct. 8. For more information, please email CEJchicago ( at ) worldnet.att.net.

#ChicagoIL #PoliceBrutality #AaronPatterson #ComiteExigimosJusticia #DeathRow

Chicago, IL – Aaron Patterson es una de las cuatro personas que el Gobernador Ryan perdonó el 10 de Enero del 2003. El fue torturado y sentenciado a la pena de muerte en 1989 por asesinatos que el no cometió. El es una de las muchas personas que fue torturado por el Comandante Jon Burge del Departamento de Policia de Chicago, Area 2. Los Comités por la Defensa de Aaron Patterson y Liberen a Mumia han sido de los mas fuertes en el área de Chicago por muchos años. Aaron fue puesto en libertad un Viernes por la tarde. El próximo día, sabado al mediodia, el habló en una manifestación en contra de la Guerra donde explicó que los verdaderos terroristas son el Alcalde Richard Daley y Dick Devine, porque estan atacando a las comunidades negras y latinas. El se dió prisa para ir al norte a escuchar al Governador Ryan quien estaba anunciando el perdon de las penas de muerte. Aunque el evento del Gobernador ya habia empezado, Aaron exigió hablar directamente con el para hablar acerca de los que han sido sentenciados por error. El Gobernador concedió hablar con el ese día. El día domingo, Aaron habló en un evento auspiciado por el Comité Exigimos Justicia para pedir justicia por los latinos que son sentenciados erroneamente, a la vez, apoyó la petición de limpiar la estación de policia del Area 5.

En el corto tiempo que ha estado libre, el ha sido entrevistado por casi todas las estaciones de televisión. Ha dado muchas entrevistas en el programa radial Voz de la Gente (Pueblo). El apareció en la cubierta del periodico Chicago Defender, un programa de dos partes con Oprah, Chicago Reporter, Operation PUSH, medios internacionales de comunicación, y numerosas reuniones en los barrios. El ha ayudado a organizar delegaciones para ir y exigir reuniones con la Oficina de Requerimiento Profesional, la Directiva de la Policia, el Departamento de Justicia, el Alcalde, el nuevo Gobernador y el Abogado Estatal. Una delegación, frustrada por la negativa del Abogado Estatal Dick Devine, fue con Aaron a la vivienda privada de Devine para invitarlo a salir a tomar té y hablar. Recientemente, Aaron Patterson hablo en otra manifestación en contra de la Guerra cuyo enfoque fue el de parar las “Army of One” campaña de reclutamiento, que estan dirigidas hacia jovenes Africano-Americanos y Latino Americanos. El estaba tan inspirado por tanta energia que llamó al Canal 9 y les dijo que era urgente se hicieran presentes. Ellos estaban perdiendose algo muy importante. Y se hicieron presentes.

Cuando las elecciones en la ciudad, Aaron Patterson ya tenía una lista de candidatos independientes que él estaba apoyando y un candidato para alcalde, el Reverendo Paul Jakes, todo con la intención de desplazar a Daley. Patterson organizó un grupo de gente para que testificaran en Springfield, lo cual ayudó grandemente para ganar el voto en favor de abolir la pena de muerte. Recientemente el ha testificado con relación a los abusos en contra de los prisioneros detenidos en el Departamento de Correcciones de la 26 calle y California.. El dia siguiente, el recien asignado renunció, y se acordaron nuevas reglas sobre como videograbar los chequeos en las celdas.

Días antes de que la guerra empezara, Patterson habló en el centro de la ciudad ante una multitud de 10,000, sobre una campaña para destituir a Bush del poder. La primera noche en que la guerra empezó Patterson le preguntó a la multitud si sabian ¿como tomar las calles? El dijo: “Yo acabo de salir de la linea de la muerte, y la gente dice que yo he conocido los mas viciosos y mafiosos del Diablo que puedan existir alrededor de nosotros, ¡pero esta gente no es nada comparados al Presidente George Bush! El es el peor Mafioso que existe.” Patterson dijo cuando salió libre: “Yo soy el enfadado hombre Negro del que ustedes escuchan hablar.” Patterson camina la charla (hace lo que dice) con resultados.

¡LyR!: Cuales son tus objetivos ahora?

Por ahora mi objetivo inmediato es ayudar a los candidatos que tienen nuestra agenda por la justicia para ganar en las proximas elecciones. Yo apoyé al Reverendo Paul Jakes para Alcalde. Tenemos que desplazar a Daley y a Devine. Mas allá, mi objetivo es crear puentes de acercamiento entre las coaliciones de Latinos y Negros. Estoy trabajando duro para establecer una Comision de Inocencia para crear una avenida de alivio a los muchos hombres inocentes que estan en prision.

¡LyR!: Porqué crees tú que el Governador Ryan firmó los cuatro perdones y abolio las sentencias de los 167 presos en Illinois que esperaban en la linea de la muerte?

Nosotros lo forzamos. Pusimos bastante presión en él, de manera que tuvo que hacerlo. Nosotros presentamos amplia evidencia, de tal manera que el fue presionado a hacer lo correcto.

¡LyR!: Hasta el momento, y desde que estás libre, que crees tú que has llevado a buen termino?

Bueno, es demasiado pronto para decirlo. Yo creo que he ayudado a crear una red de unidad entre las coaliciones de Latinos y Negros. Creo que hemos presionado al abogado estatal Dick Devine a que tome acción con respecto a los tests de DNA. Yo creo que él esta hablando de iniciar este procedimiento porque nosotros lo hemos presionado. Yo puedo decir que hemos tenido un impacto con nuestra acción en favor de algunos inmigrantes que fueron despedidos por no tener documentacion para trabajar, esto despues de una barrida en una tienda Target en Vernon Hills. A ellos les fueron dados sus trabajos nuevamente despues de protestar y llamar a los medios de comunicación. Tenemos algunos abogados e investigadores que estan viendo casos de prisioneros que han sido sentenciados erroneamente. Es muy pronto para ver el impacto. Solo seguimos golpeando el pavimento. Estamos trabajando todos los angulos- todas las avenidas.

¡LyR!: Porqué crées que el tema de las Prisiones es muy importante estos dias?

El tema de las prisiones es muy importante estos dias porque es una industria multi-billonaria que está dirigida hacia los Negros, Latinos y Blancos pobres. El tema de las prisiones es bueno para los que nos encierran. Es un tema muy malo para nosotros. Nosotros somos una comodidad para ellos.

¡LyR!: Que quieres decirle a los prisioneros?

Yo apoyo a todos los prisioneros. Estoy trabajando 24 horas al dia y 365 dias del año para luchar por ellos. Los que han sido sentenciados por error, yo sé como se siente. Voy a batear por todos ustedes. Vamos a ir a Springfield para que haya un investigador independiente que trabaje en este asunto. Hay mucha politiquería y racismo en todo esto.

¡LyR!: Como está conectada la Guerra al problema del sistema de prisiones en los Estados Unidos?

Las tacticas se ven diferentes pero es una situacion muy similar de dominación, racismo, y ambición lo que está jugandose en el escenario mundial. Tenemos que parar la agresión porque en las dos situaciones, tienen que ver las ganancias a costa de las espaldas de las minorias.

¡LyR! Un ultimo pensamiento para los lectoros de Fight Back?

Tenemos que hacer lo que dice el nombre del periodico, tenemos que pelear (luchar). Todos tenemos que caminar y poner nuestro grano de arena. Nosotros podemos hacer la diferencia.

#ChicagoIL #Interview #Interviews #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #AaronPatterson #DickDevine #OperationPUSH #RichardDaley

Patterson’s lawyer played the tape in court in which Patterson was heard specifically asking for replica guns – not real ones. Patterson was trying to do a reverse sting to expose how the police work to entrap people and had a lot of evidence of this – evidence that was not presented in the trial. The trial was filled with injustices that Patterson and his many supporters tried to fight at every turn.

Aaron Patterson is a former death row inmate who was pardoned after 17 years in prison. From the first day that he was released in January, 2003 until his recent arrest he worked to free other wrongfully convicted people and fought for the rights of all Black and Latino youth across the country. He said in an interview in July, 2005, “I am what you call a freedom fighter, a revolutionary and a professional troublemaker.”

Patterson’s lawyer confirmed that they will appeal the outrageous conviction. This same week has been marked by militant protests of a police shooting on Aug. 6. Aaron Harrison, a Black 18-year old from the West Side of Chicago, was fatally shot in the back by police. As Fred Hampton, Jr., Chairman of the Prisoners of Conscience Committee, put it at the funeral, “If we don’t organize, if we don’t fight back, then it’s suicide. It’s one struggle, one people.”

#ChicagoIL #News #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #AaronPatterson

At the press conference, Patterson explained, “This lawsuit is part of the process of getting justice: by holding Mayor Daley and State's Attorney Dick Devine accountable for their racist attacks on Black and Latino communities.”

Patterson, true to form, used the occasion of the lawsuit press conference to educate Chicagoans on the specific cases that he is focusing on now. By his side was Nathson Fields, a former prisoner on Illinois death row, now going through a new trial . Fields was bailed out with money that Patterson took out a personal bank loan to get. Patterson explained that he is working on a full program of demands to stop the state terrorism against the Black and Latino communities.

Patterson spoke at the press conference about the problems in Area 5 police district in the Puerto Rican and Mexican neighborhood of Humboldt Park. He explained that, even though a particularly crooked cop, Detective Miedzianowski, was sent to prison for life, nothing was being done to re-open the cases where Miedzianowski was involved in framing people. After the press conference, Patterson stayed to strategize with the activists about future demonstration targets and tactics.

#ChicagoIL #News #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #AaronPatterson

Chicago, IL – Aaron Patterson is one of the four death row inmates pardoned by Illinois Governor Ryan on Jan. 10. Sentenced to die in 1989 for murders he did not commit, he is one of the many tortured by Area 2 Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge.

The Chicago-based Aaron Patterson Defense/Free Mumia Committee has been one of the strongest defense committees in the city for many years. Since his release, he has used his every waking hour to advance the people’s struggle.

Patterson was released on a Friday afternoon. On Saturday, the very next day, he spoke at a noontime anti-war demonstration, explaining that the real terrorists are Mayor Daley and State’s Attorney Dick Devine – they are waging a war on the Black and Latino communities. He then raced up to the North Side to hear Governor Ryan announce his commutations. Although the governor’s event had already begun, Patterson demanded to speak directly with him about the wrongfully convicted. The governor spoke with him there and then. On Sunday, Patterson spoke at an event hosted by Comite Exigimos Justicia, to help demand justice for the wrongfully convicted from the Latino community and backed their demands to clean up Area 5 police station.

In the short time that he’s been out, he has done interviews with almost all the TV stations. He has done numerous interviews on Voice of the People radio shows. He was on the cover of the Chicago Defender, in a two-part Oprah show, the Chicago Reporter, Operation PUSH, the international media and at many town meetings.

He helped to organize delegations that demanded meetings with the Office of Professional Standards, the Police Board, the Justice Department, the mayor, the new governor, and the state’s attorney. One delegation, frustrated by State’s Attorney Dick Devine’s non-response, went with Patterson to Devine’s private home to invite him out for tea and discussion.

Recently, Aaron Patterson spoke at another anti-war demonstration that focused on stopping recruitment campaigns (done by the public relations firm Leo Burnett) which target African American and Latino youth. He was so inspired by the protest’s energy that he called channel 9 and told them that they needed to get down there right away – they were missing something important. And so they came.

By the time of the city elections, Aaron Patterson already had a list of independent candidates that he was supporting. He also backed the progressive mayoral candidate Reverend Paul Jakes, in an attempt to boot out the reactionary Mayor Daley.

Patterson organized a crew of people to testify before Springfield lawmakers, greatly helping the effort to win a vote to get the anti-death penalty bill out of committee and to the legislature’s floor. Recently, he testified about the abuses of the prisoners being held in the massive Department of Corrections jail complex at 26th Street and California. The next day, the newly-appointed head resigned and new rules were agreed on about video taping cell checks.

Days before the war started, Patterson spoke to a downtown crowd of 10,000 about an ‘impeach Bush’ campaign. On the first night that the war started, Patterson asked the crowd if they knew how to take the streets. He said, “I just got off death row, and people say that I had met the most vicious and evil gangsters around, but those people were nothing compared to George Bush! He’s the worst gangster around.”

Aaron Patterson walks the talk and gets results. Fight Back! interviewed Patterson shortly before Chicago’s most recent elections.

FB!: What are your goals now?

My immediate goals now are to help the candidates that have our agenda for justice to win in the run-off elections. I supported Reverend Paul Jakes for mayor. We have to get Daley and Devine out. My goals beyond that are to bridge the gap between the Latino coalitions and the Black coalitions. I’m working very hard to get an Innocence Commission established to get an avenue of relief for the many innocent men in prison.

FB!: Why do you think Governor Ryan signed the four pardons and commuted the sentences of all 167 death row inmates in Illinois?

We forced him. We put enough pressure on him so that he had to do it. We presented so much evidence that he was hard-pressed not to do right.

FB!: What do you think that you have accomplished so far since you have been out?

Well, it’s really too early to tell. I think I’ve helped build a good networking unity between Latino and Black coalitions. I think we’ve pressed State’s Attorney Dick Devine into taking action now about DNA testing. I think he’s talking about opening that up because of our pushing him. I can say that we had some impact on some immigrants that were fired because of documentation sweeps at a Target in Vernon Hills, so that they got their jobs back after protesting and calling the press in. We’ve got some lawyers and investigators looking into cases of prisoners that were wrongfully convicted. It’s too early to see the impact. We just keep pounding the pavement. We’re working all the angles – all the avenues.

FB!: Why do you think the prison issue is so big right now?

The prison issue is so big right now because it’s a multi-billion dollar industry that is targeted on Blacks, Latinos and poor whites. The prison issue is great for the ones who lock us up. It’s a very bad issue for us. We’re a commodity to them.

FB!: What do you want to say to the prisoners?

I support all the prisoners. I’m working 24 hours and 365 days a year to fight for them. To the wrongfully convicted, I know how it feels. I’m going to bat for you all. We’re going to Springfield to get an independent investigator to deal with this stuff. There’s too much politics and racism going on.

FB!: How is the war connected to the U.S. prison system problems?

The tactics look different but it is a very similar situation of domination, racism and greed being played out on the world stage. We have to stop the aggression because in both situations it’s about profit on the backs of minorities.

FB!: Any last thoughts for Fight Back! readers?

We have to do what the name of the paper says – we have to fight back. Everyone has to step up and do their part. We can make a difference.

#ChicagoIL #Interview #Interviews #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #AaronPatterson