PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

I Live and Die On Principles
by Andre Jacobs Friday, Dec. 12, 2008 at 2:30 PM
SCI Fayette 50 Overlook Drive, LaBelle, PA 15450

The following article was written by Andre Jacobs, a state prisoner recently awarded $185,000 by a jury in a federal lawsuit after they found 3 current and former employees of the PA Department of Corrections guilty of conspiring to deny him access to the courts by seizing and destroying his legal property.

I Live and Die on Principles

My victory against the DOC is a victory for all prisoners in Pennsylvania, as well as groups who support prisoners. It shows that society is growing with the times, that prisoners do present valid claims, and that society is becoming more aware of how prison guards abuse their authority to violate our rights and retaliate.

Prior to the trial, I had remained misconduct free for over a year and was working toward being released from “the hole” into general population. Within days of the trial beginning, I was harassed by prison guards, deprived of sleep, and then issued a misconduct report for allegedly breaking a camera the guards stationed in my cell to watch everything I did in my cell on a 24 hour basis. After speaking to the prison maintenance worker who actually installed the camera, he wrote a report which proved the guards were lying, and the misconduct was dismissed as a result.

After the verdict was returned in my favor, I was issued another false misconduct. This time, a guard I don’t even know claims I cursed and threatened him for no reason. That misconduct is still pending and will result in a major setback. But this is the kind of retaliation which is harder to prove.

I am deeply thankful for everyone who aided me throughout the litigation of my lawsuit against the DOC. But the reality of it all is that justice rested solely in the hands of those 8 jurors. They could have ignored me, ignored my pain, ignored my plea for justice by closing their ears to my words. But they heard me and they heard me through their hearts. So, I am very grateful to them and thankful for this wonderful feeling of justice and balance they have given me.

Besides being polled after the verdict, none of the jurors said a word. Yet, their verdict spoke volumes. It resounded throughout the courtroom like thunder at its peak. It told the DOC the games are over and that their overt and covert tactics will not be tolerated. Most important to me, the jury’s verdict said it will hear the valid claims of prisoners and give us justice.

Hopefully, the DOC heard me also and will consider addressing prisoners’ complaints more honestly in the future instead of attempting to bury our claims by falsely characterizing us as liars, or, as I suspect, they can continue oppressing and persecuting me for exercising my rights. But I will never stop resisting because I live and die on principles. It is who I am.


Andre Jacobs
12-6-08

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I Live and Die On Principles
by Pointer Friday, Jan. 09, 2009 at 4:06 AM

I Live and Die On Principles

(YAWN)

good thing you don't live or die on your grammer or spelling
(ROFL)

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I Live and Die on Principles
by Bozwell Friday, Jan. 09, 2009 at 4:10 AM

what a bunch of trype.

don't they have anything usefull for you to do
having too much time on your hands was the reason you landed where you are. this is a life lesson

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