Whitby supporters step up campaign to win her release

Supporters of wrongfully imprisoned Rebecca Whitby succeeded in catching the attention of people on April 3 at the last night of the Cleveland International Film Festival by doing a line dance to a song protesting racist incarceration called “Another Black Man Gone” by Jon Fromer. Family members are appealing for Whitby’s immediate release from the Ohio Reformatory for Women so that she can care for her 5-month-old daughter, A’Marhi, who has health problems.

Whitby has rejected proposals which would require her to essentially admit to acts she did not commit. The young African-American woman was accused of involuntarily assaulting one of two police officers with liquids expelled from her mouth when they assaulted her in April 2009. The officers stated that they were arresting her, but her offense was never established.

The guilty verdict was read Feb. 7 by Judge Daniel Gaul, not by the jury foreperson, as is customary. Whitby was found not guilty of seven out of nine charges. Although the jury did not contradict the judge’s inclusion of convictions on two counts, there was visible consternation on their part.

Whitby’s aunt, Marva Patterson, told this reporter, “Judge Gaul is utterly without scruples. He has no respect for canon law. A complaint previously filed against Gaul in the Joaquin Hicks case called for him to be removed from the case and removed from the bench due to bias and the inability to render an ethical and just decision.”

In spite of a request by Whitby’s family for an investigation into the use of excessive police force against her, including the use of racist epithets, there has not been a report of findings nor have the officers been charged yet.

The Whitby case is laden with political machinations; therefore, the family has carefully chosen an attorney for the appeal. Funds are being collected for the necessary investigative and legal work. Supporters ask that contributions be sent to Tyresha Brown-O’Neal, c/o Workers World Party, P.O. Box 5963, Cleveland, OH 44101.

To send messages of support, write to Rebecca Whitby, #80920, MCC ORW, 1479 Collins Ave., Marysville OH 43040. She can also be emailed through the JPay Ohio email services using her prisoner number.

Concerned people are also asked to contact Will Eleby, Chief, Bureau of Classification, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, 770 W. Broad St., Columbus OH 43222; or call 614-752-1106. Make sure to include Whitby’s prisoner number.

Ask Eleby to release Whitby on a hardship basis so that she can care for her sick baby. Or, as a less desirable alternative, ask Eleby to have Whitby transferred to the Northeast Pre-Release Center in Cleveland so that her family can bring her baby to visit. The Marysville prison where Whitby is now is a three-hour drive from Cleveland.

Six cops recently charged with excessive force

Almost two years of protesting Whitby’s brutal beating by the police — with chants such as “Charge the cops” — may have encouraged the reporting of recent instances of excessive force by Cleveland police officers. In both cases the beatings also happened to be caught on videotape.

On Feb. 24 and March 2, two female officers were charged with misdemeanor assault, obstruction of official business and several other misdemeanors after hitting a handcuffed female inmate Dec. 27. A police spokesperson stated that the prisoner’s injuries were not serious.

On March 18, four officers were charged with felonious assault and obstruction of official business after beating the handcuffed Edward Henderson on Jan. 1. Henderson sustained a broken eye socket, broken nose and detached retina. The officers have pleaded not guilty.

Free Rebecca Whitby! Tear down the walls!