Thursday, February 18, 2010

THE STATE MOVES TO ISOLATE GRAND JURY RESISTER CARRIE FELDMAN

It is February 18, 2010 and Carrie Feldman is STILL locked up for refusing to testify before the grand jury in Davenport investigating animal rights activists. Now, the authorities appear to be trying to isolate her further.

The following is from Support Carrie and Scott.

URGENT: Carrie may be moved, visits being restricted

We received word today that Carrie is being told that she’s going to be moved to a different jail. Jailers in Washington County won’t tell her when or to what jail she’ll be moved, but they are telling her she needs to sign a property release form and that we’ll have 30 days to get her stuff from Washington County Jail after she’s been transferred. She has already been moved to a different cell.


This probably stems specifically from an incident this week in which two friends who visited her were reprimanded for greeting her through her cell window, which looks out onto the parking lot; they were immediately told they would be banned from future visits. After Carrie talked to the jail admin, she was told that they would be allowed to visit the next day, after all. However, when they arrived, they were IDed and then told to leave, and advised that they’d be arrested if they were ever seen again.

We believe this all to be part of a larger State plan to isolate Carrie and harass her supporters, in an attempt to coerce her testimony before the grand jury and to intimidate people into abandoning her and other targets of State repression. Of course, it won’t work, and only strengthens her resolve to resist their grand jury, and our resolve to work harder to support her.

We won’t know where she’s being transferred- or even if they’re actually moving her- until it’s happened. So, while we try and figure out exactly what is going on and what we can do, we’re asking people to *continue writing Carrie,* but to refrain from sending books or other items. If your letters are returned, hold on to them so that you can re-send when we know where she’s been transferred. Additionally, we’re not sure if any visits will be allowed at this point so, if you want to visit her, please contact us first at davenportgrandjury@riseup.net to check in about the situation.

Lastly, we all feel the anger and frustration of having our friend locked up and understand the short-term therapeutic value (for those of us on the outside) of resisting even minor regulations. NONETHELESS, we want to remind everyone of the fact that Carrie will suffer for our fuck-ups more than we will, and to encourage everyone to consider the real consequences of their actions before taking them. We’re in this for the bigger win rather than instant gratification.

In solidarity,

the SCSC

No comments: