forwarded by Michael Hoover > > Common Courage Political Literacy Course - > http://www.commoncouragepress.com > > > > Dear friend, > > > > Several months ago, we at Common Courage corresponded with an Indiana > > death-row prisoner named Zolo Agona Azania. Currently working on a > > manuscript, he is a talented artist and writer who has been active in > > the black liberation struggle for decades. Just recently, the Indiana > > Supreme Court set Zolo's execution date. He is now scheduled to die by > > lethal injection on October 25. We are asking that you please take a > > few minutes to help save his life. > > > > Zolo was a committed community activist even before his arrest in 1981. > > But in the years he has spent behind bars, he has continued to use his > > painting, drawing and writing skills to fight for "economic > > self-reliance, local community control and development free of > > corruption." Zolo identifies as a Conscious Citizen of the Republic of > > New Afrika and he firmly supports any cause that works in earnest with > > poor people "regardless of race or religion, in their struggle against > > hunger, disease, exploitation and poverty." It's very little wonder our > > government wants him dead. > > > > This is not to say, however, that Zolo isn't guilty of any crimes. > > Prosecutors contend that he robbed a bank with two other men, and that > > he fatally wounded a police officer while they were fleeing. Taking a > > person's life is quite clearly a serious charge that must be addressed. > > But also as clear is the fact that Zolo was singled out because of his > > race and his political views. Prosecutors sought the death penalty > > against him, rather than life in prison, because they considered him "a > > New Afrikan terrorist." > > > > For obvious legal reasons, Zolo is not saying whether or not he was > > involved in the robbery. His lawyer contends that a co-defendant > > actually killed the officer. And while there is evidence to suggest > > that that may be the case, we cannot say with any certainty whether or > > not Zolo is innocent. Like many indigent, black men on death row, Zolo > > Azania never received a fair trial to establish the facts. The state > > tampered with key witnesses, important evidence was not introduced and > > Zolo's court-appointed attorneys failed to even provide mitigating > > evidence during the sentencing. > > > > One can only imagine what would happen in this country when a defendant > > identifies himself as a New Afrikan citizen: race played an important > > role. The jury that convicted Zolo was all white. During his > > sentencing retrial, a so-called "computer error" eliminated 70% of the > > county's black jurors from his potential jury pool, so he was again > > sentenced by a "jury of his peers" with no black members. > > > > Despite any questions of guilt or innocence, we are fighting for Zolo > > Azania's life. We do so because he has asked us to. We do so because > > we are against the death penalty. And, most importantly, we do so > > because Zolo continues to use the gifts he has, even from death row, to > > help other human beings. > > > > If you would like to add your name to a letter to the Indiana Supreme > > Court asking that they grant Zolo a stay of execution and that they > > allow him to file a post-conviction petition addressing the "computer > > error" and other issues, please visit our website at > > http://www.commoncouragepress.com/zolo.html. > > > > Thank you for your time, and for accepting this intrusion. I look > > forward to hearing from you. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Arthur Stamoulis > > Common Courage Press
