BRONX PICKETS SAY
'Justice for Tabitha Walrond'
By Sara
Catalinotto
Bronx, N.Y.
Fifty to 60 people picketed outside the Bronx County
Courthouse on the morning of July 9 to demand justice for
Tabitha Walrond. Walrond's baby Tyler died after being turned
away from a clinic. Now she was to be sentenced for "criminally
negligent homicide"for not having saved the baby herself.
She had tried to nourish her son with breast milk but was
unsuccessful because of prior breast surgery.
The crowd was mostly women, about half African American and
half white. They chanted their support for the view that what
this tragedy calls for is adequate health care for all children
and pregnant women, not a jail term for a grieving young
mother.
The National Organization for Women, Black Radical Congress
and Workfairness were well represented. Walrond was there--in
tears, but buoyed by the continuing proof that the community
has long since exonerated her.
Letter campaign grows
The sentencing was postponed until Sept. 8. One of Walrond's
lawyers told Workers World that the judge is reading over the
700 letters he has received urging compassion and no jail time.
Various motions to dismiss the case have all been denied, but a
defense motion to set aside the racist, sexist verdict will be
made on the day of sentencing.
Letters from inside and outside New York are still needed.
Copies should be sent to the judge, district attorney and
defense lawyer. Their addresses, in that order, are:
Hon. Robert H. Straus, Bronx County Courthouse, 851 Grand
Concourse, Bronx, NY 10451;
Hon. Robert T. Johnson, District Attorney, Bronx County, 200
E. 161st St., Bronx, NY 10451;
Susan V. Tipograph, 351 Broadway, New York, NY 10013.
Keep reading Workers World to find out how to fight for the
only system that makes free and accessible health care a
priority: socialism.
This article is copyright under a Creative Commons License.
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