by Donald ‘C-Note’ Hooker
In April, a California Parole Board panel recognized no crime occurred in finding me, Donald “C-Note” Hooker, the Black August Artist, suitable for parole. “Commissioner Nwajei and I both find it very plausible that this crime did not happen,” stated Parole Board Commissioner Neil Schneider. “That does pose a question for any panel. If the panel finds it’s plausible, like you said, ‘Then why, why am I here in prison?’”
I had submitted “MY LIFE CRIME as the original LAPD Rampart corruption whistleblower” as a means to confront and expose the Los Angeles County District Attorney (LACDA) for sitting on exculpatory evidence of my innocence for years. An attorney representing the LACDA was at this Parole Board hearing. Twenty years earlier, former federal Public Defender Ronald O. Kaye wrote to me, saying, “Your claims are very compelling. It appears that you have some solid evidence to challenge your prosecution – keep on fighting.”
Black August began in 1979, by San Quentin prisoners as a month-long memorial to commemorate the lives lost in the struggle for prison reform, most notably, the August deaths of George and Jonathan Jackson. Nearly 50 years later, its practices of fasting, studying, activism and reflection have become internationally observed. Others have expanded this month-long reflective commemoration to observe other August events, such as the Haitian Revolution and the Watts and Nat Turner rebellions.
“The Black August Artist,” so named after my self-portrait work of the same title, was a work inspired by the iconography of Emory Douglas, the Minister of Culture for the Black Panthers. As the world’s most prolific prison artist, I prominently feature women in my work, as all the prison reform energy is geared towards the men and not women prisoners. This artistic sentiment is strongly reflected in my first political work, “Black August – Los Angeles,” a work featured in the Wikipedia article, “Black August (commemoration).” I define the goal of the campaign this way: As Black August nears, and you need to tell a Black August story, tell this story. And when I come home in August, and you’re doing a Black August event, allow me to speak at your event.
Note: C-Note enlisted many well known fellow prisoners and prisoner supporters in his fight for freedom. Mumia Abu-Jamal recorded a 15-minute video. Following is a report by Ricardo Alvarez of the organization P.E.A.C.E. (Parole Elder Abuse Concerns Everyone). Thanks to Minister King X for passing it along.
How C-Note won his freedom
We are awaiting the imminent liberation of Donald C-Note Hooker, who won his historic April 15th Parole Board hearings entirely on his terms: C-Note Challenges to the CA Parole Board.
Allow me to share some reflections regarding the importance of holding the parole board accountable. We are in the process of recording this victory on the P.E.A.C.E website.
Consider C-Note’s preparation for the Parole Board process:
- He refused to be seen by the Parole Board until they recognized that he was a non-violent Black elder who insisted that he will not engage in any demands for remorse as his claims of innocence have never wavered.
- He asserted that he had no intention of engaging in prison validated rehab programs as his life accomplishments stood on their own merits,
- He asserted that the parole boards were legally required to see him as eligible for “presumptive release” should be the standard of the proceedings and any action or statement that was prejudicial to his freedom would be scrutinized and held to the highest standard of legal and professional review.
- He coordinated communication through me as a 30-year trauma-informed physician the notification that he or I would be submitting a claim to the California Board of Psychology regarding the behavior of one Parole Board member and board certified psychologist who used language to suggest C-Note had “tangential thoughts” and “pressured speech” which is absolutely contraindicated by transcripts and witnesses.
- He is the first prisoner in the US known to commit a hunger strike exclusively for parole justice.
- He openly challenged the dangerous use of “confidential memos,” which are used against a prisoner’s release but are not subjected to a prisoner’s direct review,
- He specifically noted the perjury that resulted when the complicit and corrupt arresting sargeant denied under oath ever being investigated or interviewed and the LA DA Investigation Division stated under oath that he was investigated and interviewed.
- C-Note made clear to the Parole Board that documented evidence of a bad case against him by the LA DA office, which was summarized in “My Life Crime” and which explicitly notes their legal and ethical responsibility to release him.
Consider the Parole Board outcome:
- C-Note was granted recommendation for freedom and will be free about 120 days from April 15th.
- The Parole Board recognized the legitimacy of his lifework as evidence of rehab.
- The Parole Board explicitly states that they were required to honor all the court decisions before them but noted all the irregularities in the reporting and the deep discrepancies in the veracity of the case and stated that his innocence was “highly plausible.”
- The confidential memo was removed from consideration in his hearing as he made clear that he would engage legal counsel to examine the complete failure of the CDCr to take appropriate steps to protect other prisoners or investigate a plausible threat of harm.
- A representative of the LA DA dared to stand before the court and acknowledge that she did not read the entire case but stood against his freedom. C-Note has already sent a complaint to the California Bar Association for this behavior.
Send our brother C-Note some love and light – and congratulations: Donald “C-Note” Hooker, K94063, A2-150, P.O. Box 4430, Lancaster CA 93539.