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San Francisco Bay View newspaper readers at California Men’s Colony (CMC) win big appeal in Sacramento
by Shai Alkebu-Lan, Director, Founder and International Spokesperson for the House of the Lions of Judah Ecumenical Rastafari Service at CMC-East
San Luis Obispo – From February through April 2020, prisoners with valid subscriptions to the San Francisco Bay View newspaper were denied their monthly publications by the mailroom supervisor and her sergeant working therein. However, a state of California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation memorandum, dated May 8, 2020, sent to “Wardens/Mailrooms,” subject: “Response to Institutional Request for Approval of Temporarily Withheld Publications,” was denied by Acting Deputy Director Charles W. Callahan, Facility Support – Division of Adult Institutions.
In February and March 2020, the director of Rastafari Services at CMC-East and readers of the SF Bay View at the institution in San Luis Obispo, Calif., filed a CDCR 602 appeal to address false allegations by custody and mailrooms herein. The state’s false allegations were, in accordance to an unjustified cite of the Title 15, California Code of Regulation, Section §3006 (c)(19) Contraband, which states in part, “Inmates shall not possess or have under their control written materials or photographs that indicate an association with validated STG members or associates …” The SFBVN is not contraband.
‘San Francisco Bay View, February 2020, Volume 45, Number 2, does not contain contraband or violate departmental policy …’ … the request to permanently withhold this publication is denied.
Upon the inmates’ appeal reaching the Second Level Review, expressing the stance of the over 15 inmates receiving the Bay View, Sacramento was called to review the issue. Acting Deputy Director Callahan concurred with the decision: “A review of the documents submitted to substantiate this publication’s withholding by the Division of Adult Institutions was conducted, and has determined, ‘San Francisco Bay View, February 2020, Volume 45, Number 2, does not contain contraband or violate departmental policy …’ … the request to permanently withhold this publication is denied. Your institution is instructed to deliver the magazine to the inmate(s) within 15 days of receiving this memorandum.” I received this memorandum May 12, 2020.
I personally want to thank all the prisoners, convicts all over the nation and the world who read the San Francisco Bay View newspaper and contribute to the paper – which inspires us to keep it lit, and fight to keep the paper in the institutions. Further, thanks to Dr. Mary Ratcliff and Dr. Willie Ratcliff, who gallantly tread on to keep the paper going – giving us convicts as well as community members a vehicle to voice our concerns. Off top, real talk, enough said!
You can call and thank Acting Deputy Director Charles W. Callahan via your calls to Mr. Ruben Jimenez, Correctional Lieutenant, Standardized Procedures Unit at 916-327-5305.
Lastly, please continue to cover your noses and mouths, even if you must tie a t-shirt around your faces, during COVID-19, and don’t let any political officials brainwash you into thinking that this disease started in another country. It’s a worldwide attempt at population control by global oppressors. Dread and alive!
Send our brother some love and light: Shai Alkebu-Lan, P-02598, Cell 7382, P.O. Box 8101, San Luis Obispo, CA 93409-8101, Director, Founder and International Spokesperson for the House of the Lions of Judah Ecumenical Rastafari at California Men’s Colony East.
