Demand Immediate Release For The MOVE 9

Dear Parole Board:

This petition requests that the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole releases the surviving MOVE 9 members.
    
In a letter to Phil Africa (William Phillips) it is requested that reasons of the denial of his parole be voided including the paragraph denying parole for Phil Africa and the rest of the surviving MOVE 9 members.

"FOLLOWING AN INTERVIEW WITH YOU AND A REVIEW OF YOUR FILE, AND HAVING CONSIDERED ALL MATTERS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO THE PAROLE ACT, THE BOARD OF PROBATION AND PAROLE, IN THE EXERCISE OF ITS DISCRETION, HAS DETERMINED AT THIS TIME THAT: YOUR BEST INTERESTS DO NOT JUSTIFY OR REQUIRE YOU BEING PAROLED/REPAROLED; AND, THE INTERESTS OF THE COMMONWEALTH WILL BE INJURED IF YOU WERE PAROLED/REPAROLED. THEREFORE, YOU ARE REFUSED PAROLE/REPAROLE AT THIS TIME."

The MOVE people, including the MOVE 9, have done an immense amount of goods and services for their communities, here are these actions:

1.) THE MOVE 9 HAS KEPT DOWN GANG/RACIAL VIOLENCE IN THEIR PRISONS AND SETTLED GANG WARS/RACIAL VIOLENCE ON THE STREET PEACEFULLY

2.) THE MOVE WOMEN HAVE HELPED THEIR FELLOW INMATES WHO ARE MOTHERS ESTABLISH RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR CHILDREN OUTSIDE OF THE PRISONS

3.) MOVE HELPED PEOPLE PAY THEIR TAXES

4.) MOVE FED THE CHILDREN IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING PROGRAMS

5.) MOVE RESCUED ANIMALS OFF THE STREET AND EITHER FOUND A HOME FOR THEM, LET THEM GO FREE, OR TAKE CARE OF THE ANIMAL THEMSELVES.

6.) MOVE PROTESTED FOR CLEANER WATER IN INNER CITY AREAS

7.) THE MOVE 9 IN THEIR PRISONS CURED THEIR FELLOW INMATES WITH DRUG ADDICTIONS/ALCOHOLISM. OUTSIDE OF THE PRISONS, MOVE PEOPLE SET AN EXAMPLE OF LIVING. WHEN PEOPLE FOLLOWED THIS EXAMPLE, PEOPLE WITH DRUG ADDICTIONS/ALCOHOLISM AS WELL AS PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND INFERTILITY GOT OVER THESE PROBLEMS. 

8.) MOVE PEOPLE HAD A PREFERENCE FOR HARD PHYSICAL WORK AND WERE CONSTANTLY RUNNING DOGS, SHOVELING SNOW, OR SWEEPING THE STREET.

9.) MOVE RAN A POPULAR CAR-WASH WITHIN THEIR OLD HEADQUARTERS ON 33RD STREET AND POWELTON AVENUE.

10.) MOVE HELPED HOMELESS PEOPLE FIND PLACES TO LIVE.

OTHER MOVE MEMBERS WHO WERE INCARCERATED SUCH AS MO AFRICA, SUE AFRICA, CONSUEWELLA DOSTON AFRICA, RAMONA AFRICA, AND CARLOS AFRICA WERE NEVER TAKEN TO PRISON AGAIN (ALL OF THESE PEOPLE ARE NOT PRISONERS ANYMORE).

We, the petitioners, are also concerned with the following reasons: 

"YOUR REFUSAL TO ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OFFENSE(S) COMMITTED."

"OTHER FACTORS DEEMED PERTINENT IN DETERMINING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT BE PAROLED: DENIES OFFENSE"

These reasons are re-worded. We would also like to present the following US constitutional amendments:

Amendment 1 - Freedom of Religion, Press, Expression. Ratified 12/15/1791.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.                                                                                                               

Amendment 5 - Trial and Punishment, Compensation for Takings. Ratified 12/15/1791.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.     

THESE AMENDMENTS ESTABLISH THAT IT IS ILLEGAL FOR A PAROLE BOARD TO DEMAND THAT PAROLEES SAY THAT THEY ARE GUILTY OF WHAT THEY WERE CONVICTED OF OR DENY A PAROLEE/PAROLEES PAROLE BECAUSE OF NOT SAYING THAT THEY ARE/THAT PERSON IS GUILTY OF WHAT THEY WERE/THAT PERSON WAS CONVICTED OF.

"YOUR LACK OF REMORSE FOR THE OFFENSE(S) COMMITTED"

The MOVE 9 claim that they are innocent and have maintained that since the beginning, therefore they have nothing to be remorseful about.

"YOUR MINIMIZATION/DENIAL OF THE NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE OFFENSE(S)"

Things like the nature and the circumstances of the offense(s) and what MOVE did or didn't do with it were already taken into account when the judge sentenced the MOVE 9. To use this as a reason in parole denial is basically a re-sentence.

"THE NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY"

The prosecuting attorney in the MOVE 9's trial literally said to the Judge Edwin S. Malmed "oh wait, these medical reports don't confirm with my story, here let me confirm them for you". The prosecuting attorney then used a pencil and an eraser to change the medical report that dealt with the bullet deviation in regards to the bullet that hit James Ramp. The prosecuting attorney changed the bullet deviation from "left to right" to "right to left". When the MOVE 9 objected to this Judge Malmed said "sit down" to the MOVE 9 as well as "shut up". This establishes if not implicates that using a recommendation from the prosecuting attorney in this case is unfair.

There is no reason for the prosecuting attorney to give a positive recommendation, the prosecuting attorney prosecuted the MOVE 9 and won, why would the prosecuting attorney come back and say %u201Coh I want them to be paroled%u201D?

"YOUR INTERVIEW WITH THE HEARING EXAMINER AND/OR BOARD MEMBER"

The MOVE women were unfairly interviewed. Matthew T. Mangino asked the MOVE women about their innocence, Mangino then did not want to hear about the MOVE women's innocence as Janine Africa claimed. To further elaborate, when the MOVE women told their story, Mangino would either interrupt them or ignore them and look down at his notebook.

Phil Africa and the rest of the MOVE 9 have also proven to be a valuable contribution to society, please don't maintain this reason to deny Phil Africa and/or the rest of the MOVE 9 parole.

"AT YOUR NEXT INTERVIEW, THE BOARD WILL REVIEW YOUR FILE AND CONSIDER: WHETHER YOU HAVE PARTICIPATED IN/SUCCESFULLY COMPLETED A TREATMENT PROGRAM FOR:
                -THINKING FOR A CHANGE"

"WHETHER YOU HAVE MAINTAINED A FAVORABLE RECOMMENDATION FOR PAROLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS"

"WHETHER YOU HAVE MAINTAINED A CLEAR CONDUCT RECORD AND COMPLETED THE DEPARMENT OF CORRECTIONS' PRESCRIPTIVE PROGRAM(S)"

The MOVE 9 have not caused any major disciplinary problems and have been serving double, then quadruple than what the 3rd degree murder stature provided at the time.

MOVE members including the MOVE 9 also helped incarcerated offenders meet parole requirements through a rehabilitation program

Nowadays, the jail inmates and guards look up to the MOVE 9 prisoners with admiration in their prisons across Pennsylvania.

Please also look at the following biographies/accounts from each individual MOVE 9 member. These biographies/accounts establish how the surviving MOVE 9 members should not be required to "think for a change" 

Chuck Africa:

http://www.onamove.com/chuck.html

Debbie Africa:

http://www.onamove.com/debbie.html

Delbert Africa:

http://www.onamove.com/delbert.html

Janet Africa:

http://www.onamove.com/janet.html

Janine Africa:

http://www.onamove.com/janine.html

Merle Africa

http://www.onamove.com/merle.html

Mike Africa

http://www.onamove.com/mike.html

Phil Africa

http://www.onamove.com/phil.html

In all respect, solidarity, and sincerity, please allow the surviving MOVE 9 members to return home to their families, they have proven to be a valuable contribution to society inside and outside of the prisons.

SINCERELY AND BEST REGARDS

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