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Alabama exacts a high price on outspoken Black leaders
by Malik Washington
“The preservation of a racist structure in the U.S. has been closely tied to the preservation of class rule. The new reign of terror that arose in the Southern states after the formal ending of slavery was directed above all at controlling Black labor and preventing any possible working class alliance across racial lines (of which there were some indications in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, during the brief period known as Radical Reconstruction). But the institution of lynching – which was initially applied to block the extension of voting rights under the 15th Amendment – served not only to terrorize Black people; by its public and even festive character, it fostered complicity and conformity in the white population. The laws imposing racial segregation were thus reinforced by the dominant culture and could easily be seen (by people growing up within that culture) as reflecting a ‘natural’ order.” – Professor Victor Wallis, Ph.D., from “Democracy Denied: Five Lectures on U.S. Politics,” page 52
On the evening of Friday, Jan. 29, on C-Unit at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Alabama, Robert Earl Council, better known as Kinetic Justice, was nearly beaten to death by officers at the facility. Bay View Managing Editor Nube Brown and I interviewed one of Kinetic Justice’s close supporters, Amirra Rose, on Jan. 30 and got intimate details of the horrific beating which resulted in Kinetic being rushed to a local hospital.
Once on the unit, officers began to beat and pepper spray prisoners. Alabama prisoner Ephan Moore was beaten unconscious. Then three specific officers proceeded to Kinetic’s cell.
It all started a couple of days ago when officers on C-Unit attacked an elderly prisoner. On Friday, Jan. 29, Kinetic asked the officers why they had beaten the elderly prisoner. At the time Kinetic asked his question, there were multiple prisoners outside of their cells and a correctional officer by the last name of Griffin called in reinforcements.
Once on the unit, officers began to beat and pepper spray prisoners. Alabama prisoner Ephan Moore was beaten unconscious. Then three specific officers proceeded to Kinetic’s cell.
Correctional Officers Griffin and Milton and Sgt. Binder entered Kinetic’s cell and began to beat him unmercifully. A ranking officer named Capt. L. Scott stood by and watched as these officers brutally beat Kinetic. Kinetic’s cell-mate Darrol Shaw observed the entire incident and he suspects that these Alabama correctional officers will eventually come back to kill him because he witnessed everything.
Darrol stated that since Kinetic had arrived after filing lawsuits at Limestone Correctional Facility, both he and Kinetic had been moved often from cell to cell and officers have threatened them regularly.
Kinetic suffered serious head injuries, a punctured lung and one of his teeth was knocked out from the root. Kinetic was transported to University of Alabama at Birmingham hospital trauma unit. His cellmate Darrol Shaw said: “You don’t have to be an activist to be subjected to these beatings. They are constantly telling us that ‘our gang’ is bigger and badder than your gang. That is the culture here.” The aftermath of the beating was posted to social media.
This beating comes on the heels of a 30-day Blackout-Boycott initiated by Kinetic Justice. He and his close comrades and friends have formed the Alabama Resistance Movement or ARM. ARM has been working closely with Alabama college students who are supporting an effort to end mass incarceration.
One of the key college students is Morgan Duckett, whose organization is called Alabama Students Against Prisons or ASAP. The University of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Corrections have refused to allow Kinetic’s family to see him. In response, numerous college students and concerned citizens have assembled outside UAB Hospital in order to demand that Kinetic’s family be allowed in to see him. So in this we see some collusion between the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the state of Alabama to violate Kinetic’s civil and human rights.
Managing Editor Nube Brown asked Amirra Rose if she thought these officers were trying to kill Kinetic Justice and she said: “Yes, you could see from the amount of blood in the cell in the video that they were definitely trying to kill Earl (Kinetic). It doesn’t take three men to beat down one.”
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Alabama on Dec. 9, 2020, citing incidents just like this. I will say this again: There are two types of justice here in America, one set of rules for the privileged and the rich and another set of rules for the poor and the underprivileged.
There has been some tension between the Free Alabama Movement and ARM. Amirra said: “This is not the time for division; this is the time for unity.” Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun of the Free Alabama Movement is doing all he can from inside to get free world support for his fallen comrade Kinetic Justice.
Sisters and brothers, now is the time for a national public outcry. An outcry that reaches the ears of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. An outcry that demands that the federal government stop standing by passively while Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and her henchman, Alabama Department of Corrections Commissioner Jeff Dunn, subject principled leaders like Kinetic Justice to modern day lynching. Donald Trump has created a very racist and violent culture which prison administrators and law enforcement officials have been capitalizing on.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the state of Alabama on Dec. 9, 2020, citing incidents just like this. I’ve said it once and I will say it again: There are two types of justice here in America, one set of rules for the privileged and the rich and another set of rules for the poor and the underprivileged. For four years we watched as Donald Trump used his words to sow seeds of hatred and distrust among the citizens of the United States.
It is said that Joe Biden is using his words to unify and heal this nation. I have a message for Joe Biden. The words you say definitely count, but your words must be backed up with some decisive action. There is a strong body of historical data and evidence which clearly shows that the state of Alabama has no respect for the humanity of the prisoners in their care. It is time for the federal government to take over the Alabama Department of Corrections.
I have another message for the members of the U.S. Congress. Do not drag your feet in installing Kristen Clarke as the chief of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The racism that plagued Black people in the antebellum South is still alive here in America and it cannot be ignored.
The last word from Alabama was that Robert Earl Council, aka Kinetic Justice, was in stable condition and speaking slowly. Please know that you can tune in every Thursday to the Flashpoints-Bay View Report on KPFA 94.1FM, usually scheduled on Thursdays at 5:15 p.m., to hear updates on Kinetic Justice and other struggles taking place behind enemy lines. I also remind you to tune in every Thursday at 11 a.m. to Prison Focus Radio hosted by Bay View Managing Editor Nube Brown on KPOO San Francisco 89.5FM. We will not remain silent, will you?
Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win, All Power to the People.
Bay View Editor Malik Washington can be reached at Malik@sfbayviewnews.wpenginepowered.com. Contact him whenever you see news happening. Please visit our website, sfbayview.com, read and share the knowledge, wisdom, understanding and Black culture contained in our one-of-a-kind national Black newspaper and sfbayview on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
