Inmate questions causes
of prisoner’s death
THE BLACK INK
Capital Punishment
by Sekou TayanJLvaiiia
Central Prison Inmate
In October 1973 a Black inmate
at Central Prison was brutally
murdered by five racist white
inmates. Since that time only two
have been charged with murder.
But the death of Bro. Charlie
Richardson isn’t the actual reason
for this writing. Nor is the death of
Bro. Joseph Waddell, known to us
as Joe Dell, whom supposedly died
of a heart attack at the age of 22,
and whose body the prison officials
performed an autopsy and
removed his stomach and all of his
large and small intestines. No,
these are not the real reasons for
this writing, but you should keep
them in mind.
We, Black inmates are aware of
who the actual murderers are of the
above two brothers. But we are
in doubt of whom the real
murderers are of Bro. John
Cuttino. We could say that the
prison officials are the ones to
blame, and this would be partially
true. But what about the SBI’s
investigation? They allegedly
investigated the death and
concluded that no flammable
liquids was involved. Is this true?
There is ample evidence to refute
that conclusion. To do so, we must
.Jimmy D. Covington
Central Prison Inmate
Prison for the little Black fly,
power and freedom for the big
white fly. The little Black flies are
always sent to prison, but the big
white fly, rich and powerful,
continues to fly away undeterred.
This system overlooks the major
contributor to crime who operates
openly, successfully and
undeterred; this system is too busy
pursuing and persecuting all the
little black flies that fall into the
web, while the big whale size white
fly continues to fly away
undeterred, he is the intelligent,
scientific mastermind of crime, the
creator of crime, the big white fly,
just like the one in Durham, North
Carolina in public office fooling
the people^ like he is going to
remove all of th drug pushers off
the street, those that have sold and
those that are still selling.
The little black fly says “yes” he
is going to get all the drug pushers
off the street, that are not selling
for the big white fly and those that
stopped selling for the big white fly.
But the big white fly continues to
fly away undeterred. Now another
imbalance had been created, the
reaction of social environment
“we” don’t like crime, we do not
like those offenses against us and
our rules, they frighten us, they
anger us, they hurt us, but if we can
catch those little black flies we’re
not likely to believe anything they
have to say.
“Caught!” The httle black fly in
handcuffs, standing in the police
station, surrounded by cops, the
cops are very tired and sweaty men,
irritated by the difficulties the little
black fly has caused them, and are
far from tactful or gentle to tell the
truth even “civil.”
They are caught in an obsolete.
examine the night that Bro.
Cuttino died.
Contrary to the time given, it
was actually 11; 10 p.m. The fire
began as a small blaze and in a
couple of minutes a whooshing
sound was heard as if some
flammable material had exploded.
The prison department has
admitted that the paint used in the
cells at central prison is highly
flammable have they not? IS this
the case then? It would be if the
black community had nothing to
refute this statement and believed
exactly what the prison
department released to the Raleigh
reporters. But, there is some
evidence that refutes that
statement.
On February 12, 1973, there was
another fire set on H5. The same
floor that Bro. Richardson died
on. This fire was started the same
way the allegedly suicide death fire
of Bro. Cuttino. There was paper
and articles of clothing used on
February 12, 1973. This fire was set
in a corner of the cell. Right against
the allegedly highly flammable
walls. There was no whooshing
sound of highly flammable
material igniting. The flames
leaped up the walls, but did not
catch. The only effect the flames
ineffective “crime-breeding” rather
than crime-preventing system,
which they have inherited; the
white fly continues to fly away
undeterred, but the little black fly
says he will clip the wings of the big
white fly, because he did the little
black fly wrong.
He intimidated the little black fly
to sell his drugs, had them sent to
prison, and is still trying to send
them (the little black flies) to prison
Once there he no longer can
control.
But one of the Uttle Black flies
talks, now all of the little black
flies, that fall into your web will
start talking about the big white
fly, and you will be brought before
the bar of justice to answer the
charge, and you will not fly away
undeterred.
More to come on the big white
fly, written by one of the little black
flies.
Insomnia (the easy way)
this uncompromising time
spring sleeps
awaiting pressing appointments
tomorrow many times before
a Cardinal sings
talking to myself
again reliving today
when dreams have no price
cause 1 drank coffee
at Pat’s now
un-finishing a poem
together in bed
wanting to paint a novel
no friend can help
drink more red wine
— to seduce forty winks
pray
repeat the sacred om
count raindrops
fall off the bed
watching Pat sleep
Jonn E. Hankins
had on the walls was smoking them
up. What then caused the
whooshing sound of igniting
material in Bro. Cuttino’s cell?
That is something for you. Black
community, to decide. I can only
say that highly flammable liquid is
known to make a whooshing sound
when ignited. There isn’t supposed
to be any type of flammable liquid
in the cell blocks.
Why did the prison officials on
duty allow Bro. John Cuttino to
remain in his cell from 11; 10 p.m.
until ll;25p.m. before opening his
door? They claimed they needed
permission, but does it take 15
minutes to procure permission to
op^n the door of a burning cell
where a man is- housed? This is a
cell where a human being is
housed. Even though he has
committed an act against society’s
mores, it makes him no less a
human being.
The nurnber of the captain’s
office is 223 and he’s there most of
the time, and if by chance he isn’t,
there is a lieutenant on hand. It was
ever second of 15 minutes, or
more, before a guard bought the
water hose up to Cell F-2-11. But
let any individual start making
noise and the hose is there with
inside of two minutes. These are
things for you. Black community,
to contemplate on.
It would seem that the prison
department had something to
cover up in the death of Joe Dell,
by removing his stomach and
intestines.. Do they have something
to hide in the death of Bro. John
Cuttino?
SfKolu Tayari Karanja
Central Prison Inmate
The primary problem
confronting us today in
formulating successful and
concrete revolution against the
capitalist-imperialist ruling class is
mistrust between Black and white
contemporaries. Revolutionaries
of both races fail to comprehend
completely what type of
detrimental effect this mistrust is
having on further development of
the revolution to a higher level.
On May 10, 1968, J. Edgar
Hoover launched a counter
intelligence program against all
militant and revolutionary
organizations. This program,
which is still in effect, was aimed at
keeping us divided.
Hoover correctly assumed that if
we formed a united revolutionary
front, we could successfully wage a
revolution. The FBI, CIA, DIA
and other counter-intelligence
organizations presently have over
41 offices operating to keep us
from merging into one collective
organization.
Look at the armed forces. G-4
(civil affairs) is getting extreme
advance training in taking over the
city administration of every major
city and other. The 82nd Airborne
Division supply line are being
beefed up. National Guard units
restockpiling ammunition and
weapons in high quantities.
Nixon made a statement that he
is only concerned with saving the
office of the presidency. What does
this mean, and for whom? The U .S.
Army was asked to conduct a study
coot, from p^2 _
we must step down a level right
under the condemend men. This
concerns the men with life
sentences. Again Blacks are in the
majority. When a white receives a
life sentence, he can expect to get
out in seven to 10 years. A Black
man receiving the same sentence
can expect to get out in 12 years or
more. More than Hkely it will be
more than 12.
Why the discrimination? The
white prison officials know that
they have indoctrinated the Black
communities against prisoners to
such an extent that when Black
men are committed to prison the
Black community forget they exist.
They evpp feel grateful to the white
authority.
While doing this forgetting, the
Black community commits Blacks
concerning nationwide martial
law. The U.S. special forces
kidnapped a mayor and other city
officials, and took over a whole
town in Alabama. It is assumed
that the nationwide martial law
study has been concluded.
Black racism detrimental
Racism practiced by Blacks is
just as unrevolutionary as that
practiced by white capitalist
adherents. For us to be called true
revolutionaries, we must critically
analyze ourselves and denounce,
completely, the petty bourgois
elements we believed in before..
Racism, in itself, is detrimental,
and not only to the movement, but
to the individual, as well.
We must not divide ourselves or
allow our forces to become
dormant. This is what the May 10.
1968, FBI program was aimed at.
By keeping us divided, we can not
wage a successful revolution. By
keeping us divided, we can not
wage a successful Revolution. We
must unite, completely, our forces,
white and Black and begin to
practice true revolutionary
ideologies. Ideologies that will
make our struggle successful
through unity of trhe populace.
At no time should we allow
ourselves or comrades to
contemplate ethnocentric
thoughts. We must be aware of the
racism that is being practiced
against whites as well as Blacks,
although it is not as openly
discussed.
Poor whites receive just as harsh
and unfair as Blacks. We must
to prison for nothing less than 12
years, while the white prisoners are
getting out in less time, is this
right? Is it legal? If your answer is
no, then your answer to the legality
of the death penalty should be no
also.
For the Black prisoner to receive
just and proper treatment, the
Black community must become
concerned for his safety and
welfare. There can be no, “I’ll
check into this tomorrow.” It must
be done today. We have put off for
tomorrow things that could be
accomplished today for the last 108
years (close of the Civil War).
We must awaken to the fact that
the majority of the Black
community have relatives in
prisoti. Whether it’s fathers, sons,
cousins or in-laws, they are still
your relatives and Black.
become aware of this and extend
support to them. We are waging a
class struggle, not a race war.
Our struggle for liberation
should not and will notr be
nationalistic. We will not confine
our war of liberation within the
borders of the base camp of the
capitalistic-imperialist, but will
include Canada and Mexico. We
will extend support to all of the
Americas until Ihere is complete
liberation in the western
hemisphere.
To allow our struggle to become
nationalistic, would be a practice
of racism as was practiced in Nazi
Germany of the 1930-40’s. Norwill
this become a war of conquest.
If the people of the Americas
request admittance or formulation
of an international Central
Committee, they will have equal
representation of equal voice,
regardless of the country and size,
in area or population.
As long as one country on single
individual remain in the iron grip
of capitalism, our struggle is not
finished. We must continue to
work until the country or
individual is liberated. Regardless
of nationality confined within the
border of the country or the
individual.
It is time for Black
revolutionaries to start seeking out
their white contemporaries, and
for whites to do the same.
Revolution is no game. It is
dealing, with peoples' lives, nor is
racism a game. It can be just as
deadly as a loaded gun. Racism is
detrimental. It corrupts the mind
of the individual.
System operates against
the poor and powerless
Liberation demands unity