[Ppnews] Veronza Bowers - Letter Writing Campaign

[Political Prisoner News]

NOW IS THE TIME TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD!
Dear Friends,



My name is Alexis Miles and I have taken over the task of keeping everyone 
informed on the status of Veronza's appeal before the U.S. Parole 
Commission while Monty Levenson is helping our lead attorney with the legal 
brief in preparation for the October 5th hearing.



We are coming to the end of a very long road and need your help.  On 
October 5th the U.S. Parole Commission will meet for what may be the last 
time to vote on Veronza’s petition for mandatory parole. He has been 
recommended for parole on several occasions only to have his release 
rescinded literally at the very last moment due to political pressure 
placed on the Commission by law enforcement agencies. At his last hearing 
the full Commission met and voted to uphold Veronza’s right to parole, 
tacitly rejecting the unfounded accusations levied against Veronza by law 
enforcement agencies opposed to his release.



Now the U.S. Attorney General has intervened in a blatantly illegal manner 
and convinced the Commission to change its procedural rules and revote on 
Veronza’s petition. In this process the rule of law has been subverted by 
the very agencies mandated by the U.S. Constitution to uphold it. USPC 
Commissioners are being pressed to change their votes. In the meanwhile, 
Veronza has completed his required 30-year sentence plus 16 months of 
illegal detention and still remains incarcerated.



We have initiated this letter writing campaign to help counter the false 
and distorted image of him presented by the Fraternal Order of Police, FBI 
and others. It is critical that we present a clear picture of Veronza’s 
exceptional character to the Commission. Please join us in writing to the 
U.S. Parole Commission to express support for Veronza's release on 
mandatory parole.



WHAT TO SAY:  Please do not refer to Veronza as a political prisoner or 
attempt to address the fairness of his original conviction. This is not the 
concern of the U.S. Parole Commission and will only work against him.  This 
is the time to talk about Veronza’s character, exemplary behavior and 
social skills.



The Commission is concerned with two things:  (1) Veronza’s behavior while 
in prison, and (2) whether he will be a “threat to society” if he is 
released.  To be effective, our letters must address these 
concerns.  Therefore, please frame your letter in a positive light and 
emphasize the following points:


    * Veronza’s institutional adjustment has been exceptional. He is a 
model prisoner with no violations or incident reports in over 20 years.
    * He has used his time productively.  His accomplishments while in 
prison include earning an Associate of Arts degree, becoming an 
accomplished musician, and mastering several hands-on healing techniques. 
Many inmates have benefited from his work with healing meditation.
    * He has engaged in many positive works during his incarceration. He 
founded the All-Faith Meditation Group and established a chess club.  He 
has taught reading and problem solving skills to learning disabled prisoners.
    * He developed positive relationships with many prison administrators 
and officials who consider him a role model and mentor for other 
inmates.  Prison unit managers and case managers have testified on 
Veronza’s behalf at his parole hearings—a very rare occurrence. Here are 
some of the things they have to said:

·       " 
. this is exceptional that the inmate could conduct himself in 
an institution in such a manner as not to even receive an incident report. 
Incident reports are very easy to get and he has set the standard for not 
getting any incident reports.”

·       “Mr. Bowers has been someone that we've counted on to handle our 
most difficult students
.Mr. Bowers has been a role model in the unit
. I 
have always heard him be very respectful, very appropriate to staff and 
inmates.”

·       “Without Mr. Bowers drive and hard work, the Chess Club would not 
be the high caliber organization it is now. He deserves to be recognized 
for his efforts to improve himself and to aid others.”

·        “Veronza Bowers, Jr.'s contributions to the operations and 
programs of this institution's Recreation Department have been both 
numerous and significant
. Mr. Bowers can be depended upon to willingly and 
cheerfully perform any extra task which the staff of this department might 
ask of him.”
    * Veronza has strong support among his family and friends who are eager 
to assist him in his readjustment to the outside world. He has a job 
awaiting as a paralegal upon his release.
    * Because of his solid spiritual foundation, self-discipline and 
maturity, it is very likely that he will be successful in life on the 
outside and that he will benefit society.
    * Veronza’s suitability for parole was extensively evaluated by an 
independent, professional agency.  The evaluation was conducted by Mr. Hans 
J. Solvag, Clinical Director of the Augustus Institute, who is a licensed 
clinical social worker.  Mr. Solvag’s report stated that Veronza does not 
have a value system typical of that found in criminal populations and that 
he does not harbor a corrupt or criminally-oriented style of thinking.
    * The Clinical Director also reported that the overwhelming majority of 
Veronza’s confinement was without violation while replete with pro-social 
accomplishment.   He stated that should Veronza be granted parole, he would 
in all likelihood continue to engage in a lifestyle that is respectful of 
himself and others.  In other words, Veronza is pro-social, not anti-social.
    * Tell the Commissioners who you are and how long you have known Veronza.
    * If you have had direct contact with Veronza, talk about your 
impressions of him and his positive impact on you and your life.



It is best to speak in your own voice and to speak from your heart.  If you 
need help getting started, review the letters of support on Veronza’s 
website, <http://www.veronza.org/>www.veronza.org, or see the sample letter 
below.



Time is of the essence, so please write or, better yet, FAX your letter to 
the Commission as soon as possible. Please use letterhead, if possible.



Fax or mail your letter to:





U.S. Parole Commission

Chairman Edward Reilly, Jr.

Cranston J. Mitchell

Deborah A. Spagnoli

Issac Fulwood

Patricia Cushwa
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 420
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7286
FAX: (301) 492-5307





For added impact, Cc your letter to:



Alberto Gonzales
U.S. Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001







Thank-you for your continued help and support!  Please share a copy of your 
letter with us by e-mailing it to 
<mailto:veronzab at yahoo.com>veronzab at yahoo.com.



Sincerely,



The Freedom Team



If you prefer not to receive these updates, please let me know and I will 
remove your name from the list.

Sample Letter

[Date]



U.S. Parole Commission

Chairman Edward Reilly, Jr.

Cranston J. Mitchell

Deborah A. Spagnoli

Issac Fulwood

Patricia Cushwa
5550 Friendship Boulevard, Suite 420
Chevy Chase, MD 20815-7286
FAX: (301) 492-5307





Re:  Support for the Mandatory Parole of Veronza Bowers, Jr.

Dear U.S. Parole Commission,

Veronza Bowers, Jr. is living proof that the American prison system can and 
does work.  In the 30-plus years of his confinement, Veronza has become a 
model prisoner.   He has used his time well and is an accomplished 
musician, author and practitioner of hands-on healing arts.

His parole petitions have been strongly supported by numerous prison 
officials and administrators who have worked closely with him and who speak 
highly of him as a mentor and role model for younger prisoners.  Those who 
have worked with him agree that he is a living example for what we hope 
other prisoners can achieve.

While it is true that criminal behavior should be punished, it is also true 
that rehabilitated prisoners should be released when they reach parole 
eligibility or serve their sentence.  Mr. Bowers, who is clearly 
rehabilitated, has served more than 20 years beyond his initial parole 
eligibility.  In fact, he has completed a full 30-year term and was 
scheduled for mandatory release on April 7, 2004.  Yet, over a year later, 
he is still in prison.

Mr. Bowers is not a threat to society.  A December 14, 2004 forensic 
assessment stated that “
Mr. Bowers, should he be granted parole, would in 
all likelihood continue to engage in a lifestyle that is respectful of 
himself and others.”

Mr. Bowers has an extensive network of family and friends outside of prison 
who are anxious to aid his reintegration into society as a productive 
citizen.  He has a solid structure in place to help ensure his success in 
the outside world, including a job, a home and many supporters.

In this case, the prison system has fulfilled its mission to protect 
society and to rehabilitate inmates.  I therefore urge you to remain 
steadfast in upholding your decision to approve Veronza Bowers, Jr.’s 
petition for mandatory parole.

Sincerely,

[Signature]

[Insert your address if you are not using letterhead]



Cc:

Alberto Gonzales
U.S. Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

The Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 863-9977
www.freedomarchives.org 
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