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Since the almighty algorithm favors pictures of faces, here are some pics from the last time I got dressed up like 3 months ago. Please direct your attention to this v important life update + call for community support!
*THREAD*
*THREAD*
In June, I created an Instagram page, @evidenceagaintspacejesus. Space Jesus (Jasha Tull), an EDM DJ and ex-boyfriend of mine, is a serial rapist and predator. 37 other victims came forward after I created the page, including some underage girls.
A few days later, @evidenceagainstbassnectar was created about Bassnectar, one of the most famous DJs in the world. He also turned out to be a serial sexual predator and pedophile. The power of the people prevailed! Rolling Stone and Billboard wrote about it. They were
dropped by their agents and managers, and now face charges. Dozens of other musicians were held accountable by their victims afterwards, all throughout the music industry. I have interviews coming out soon. So, I’m still processing all that, but it got me thinking about how to
continue this movement of using social media to bring power to people who need justice the most.
That’s when I started writing to three wrongfully convicted men serving life without parole at hard labor, at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, more commonly known as Angola Prison-
That’s when I started writing to three wrongfully convicted men serving life without parole at hard labor, at the Louisiana State Penitentiary, more commonly known as Angola Prison-
named after the slave plantation it was before (and still is).
I discovered that Angola is the largest maximum security prison in the US and has the highest inmate mortality rate, and that’s before COVID–19. These men were sentenced to life in prison by non-unanimous juries,
I discovered that Angola is the largest maximum security prison in the US and has the highest inmate mortality rate, and that’s before COVID–19. These men were sentenced to life in prison by non-unanimous juries,
called ‘Jim Crow juries’ due to their explicitly racist origins and intentions. At Angola, the DOJ and prison officials’ severe neglect during the pandemic has turned life without parole into a potential death sentence. I've teamed up with Sabrina Cutaia, Development and Program
Director of New Orleans’ French Quarter Fest, to start a non-profit providing social media campaigns and crowdfunding to wrongfully convicted prisoners at Angola. We’ve started campaigns for Quierza Lewis, Aljerwon Moran, and Joe Bailey (all of whom are black men convicted by
non-unanimous juries). Today, I’m sharing Joe’s case with you, because he urgently needs our help to get an attorney for a precedent-setting case. In 2013, Joe was arrested for punching and breaking a car window. He was charged with simple burglary, even though nothing was stolen
from the car. Because it was his “third strike,” he was sentenced to life without parole at hard labor. His prior two felonies were a 1990 armed robbery (no one was hurt) and a 2006 simple robbery conviction. The armed robbery was committed when he was much younger and addicted
to drugs. At the time of his 2013 arrest, Bailey had been sober for many years, and was working 50-60 hours a week at two different jobs. His employers wrote letters to the judge testifying to his kindness, integrity and strong work ethic. Shortly after I started writing to Joe,
he got great news. On July 24th, the Supreme Court remanded his case for resentencing. This doesn’t happen very often for a black man from Caddo Parish, since there are still two different justice systems for blacks and whites in Louisiana. This means he’ll have another court
hearing soon where they’ll reconsider his life sentence. In post-conviction, he’s no longer entitled to a public defender. He’s expected to represent himself, despite the fact that Angola’s prison library law books are severely outdated. He will have a MUCH better chance with an
attorney representing him. The Innocence Project referred us to Christopher Hatch, an attorney who specializes in post-conviction and feels especially passionate about cases like Joe’s. The standard fee for this kind of proceeding is $5,000, but he brought his rate down to $4k.
The court date hasn’t been set yet. Joe could get a notice any day, or it could take months. If Joe gets a new date before we hire him, Mr. Hatch will request that they give us more time. He said he’s confident the judge will allow it. Either way, we need to raise the $4,000 ASAP
That’s where you come in. Do you feel called to do something that will make a CONCRETE difference, right now, in the life of a wrongfully imprisoned black man in the USA? Donate right here and 100% of the proceeds will go to getting him an attorney for this upcoming case.
Together, we can make this happen! Any amount matters and is very much appreciated! I’ll keep all of Joe’s supporters regularly updated. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and to consider supporting the fight for Joe’s freedom. http://gf.me/u/yw92ga
