Michael Walli was released

Friends,

 

Let me know if you can identify the videographers in the attached photo.  The photo was taken in May 2008 at a parking lot for vehicles heading to Andrews Air Force Base.

 

After a June 17 status hearing in D.C. Superior Court on a charge of contempt, Maria Allwine and I were washing dishes at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker.  A resident of the house said that Michael Walli called to say he had been released from jail. Art Laffin was not sure if the information was accurate. It was.

 

Kagiso,

 

Max

 

SOA Watch <info@soaw.org>

 

Judge Faircloth Change of Heart?

Michael Walli Released from Jail!

 

Today, only three days after he was sentenced to six months of federal

prison for carrying the protest against the School of the Americas

onto Fort Benning, Michael Walli was released from jail.

 

Early Thursday, Michael was ordered to pack up his belongings from his

jail cell. He expected that he would be transferred to a federal

facility but was then told by the wardens that he is free to go,

without any further explanation.

 

From the jail, Michael managed to get to Father Roy Bourgeois'

apartment at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia. The two celebrated

his release and Michael is now on a bus headed to his home in

Washington, DC.

 

According to the Columbus Ledger Enquirer, U.S. Magistrate G. Mallon

Faircloth, who had only days ago handed down the maximum sentence to

Michael, reduced Michael's sentence to time served.

 

We are full of joy that Michael is out and that he will soon be

reunited with the great folks at the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker House

in DC.  Michael can be reached at 503 Rock Creek Church Road

Northwest, Washington, DC 20010-1612. Phone: (202) 882-9649

 

At the same time, the human rights defenders Ken Hayes, Father Louis

Vitale and Nancy Gwin, all of whom were arrested with Michael during

the 2009 vigil at the SOA/WHINSEC, remain in federal prison where they

serve their harsh prison sentences.

 

Please contact Judge G. Mallon Faircloth to commend him for doing the

right thing in Michael Walli's case and to also demand the release of

ALL Prisoners of Conscience that he incarcerated. There is no

justification that our friends Nancy, Ken, and Louis are spending

their days and nights in prison for speaking out against the SOA,

while those responsible for the training of human rights abusers and

for the use of torture manuals at the SOA have never even been

investigated:

 

G. Mallon Faircloth

U.S. Magistrate Judge

Post Office Box 117

Columbus, GA 31902-0117

 

Courtroom Clerk:

Terrie Smith - (706) 653-2942

 

Please also send messages of support to the Prisoners of Conscience

who are still incarcerated in federal prisons across the United States

and let them know that you are keeping up the work to close the School

of the Americas and to change U.S. foreign policy! You can find their

prison addresses here:

http://soaw.org/about-us/pocs/150-articles/3421-write-to-the-soa-watch-prisoners-of-conscience

 

Consider engaging in nonviolent direct action:

Keep the pressure on! People who put their bodies on the line to speak

in solidarity with the people of Latin America are crucial in the

struggle to close the SOA/ WHINSEC.

 

Stand up for justice at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia in November:

http://SOAW.org/take-action/november-vigil.

 

Contact us at:

SOA Watch, PO Box 4566, Washington, D.C. 20017, USA

E-mail: info@soaw.org

Our telephone: (202) 234 3440