"Justice for Larry Hales!"
By Frank Neisser
Mar 20, 2008
The campaign demanding justice for Larry Hales is gaining momentum. People
around the country are outraged at the action last Nov. 30 of the Denver
police, who stormed the home of Hales, a prominent anti-police brutality and
political activist in Denver, as well as a central organizer for upcoming
protests at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.
On the false pretext of a 10:30 p.m. “parole visit” to a parolee
staying with Hales, who was not at home at the time, 10 cops illegally burst
into Hales’ home without permission, ransacked the apartment, handcuffed
his partner to a chair, brutalized Hales, pulling out several of his
dreadlocks, and arrested him on bogus charges of “interfering with the
police.” Pretrial hearings that were to have occurred on Feb. 29 have
been rescheduled to April 25, with the trial date rescheduled to May 21.
A National Justice for Larry Hales Committee has been formed. More than 700
people have participated in an online petition, sending more than 100,000
emails to the city attorney, judge and mayor, Denver City Council, Colorado
legislature and governor, the full Colorado congressional delegation,
congressional leaders, President Bush, Vice President Cheney, Attorney General
Mukasey, U.N. Secretary-General Ban and members of the media calling for all
charges in the case to be dropped.
City councilors, lawyers and concerned clergy have faxed letters on their
own letterhead to the mayor, city attorney and judge. A letter signed by
unionists from the United Federation of Teachers; UNITE HERE; United
Steelworkers; United Auto Workers; Communication Workers union; American
Federation of Teachers; American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees; Office and Professional Employees International Union; Maryland
Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and others was also faxed to them.
Boston City Councilor Chuck Turner’s letter concluded, “We in
Boston believe that an injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere, and we are
prepared to stand with Mr. Hales until he receives justice.”
USW Local 8751, the Boston School Bus Drivers Union, also sent a letter. It
stated: “The prosecution of Mr. Hales is nothing more than a blatant
racist frame up. We in the labor movement believe and live the time tested
union motto that AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL! We stand in 100 percent
solidarity with brother Hales and will be with him until justice is
done.”
Join the campaign by visiting troopsoutnow.org/larryhales and signing the
online petition, faxing letters on organizational stationery, contacting others
and spreading the word and putting out the information on listservs. Send
copies of your messages to justice4larryhales@safewebmail.com. And if you are
in the area, please plan to come and help pack the court on April 25th and May
21.
