Opposition to Rockefeller Drug Laws mounts

NY District Attorney Richard Brown is leading the effort to preserve New York's unjust and destructive Rockefeller Drug Laws. On February 28th at noon, The William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice and Queens Mothers of the New York Disappeared protested at Brown's office in New York City.

Terrence Stevens, a former Rockefeller drug war prisoner received clemency less than a month ago. He invited drug war opponents in the New York area to join him, saying, "When I was granted clemency and subsequently released from Green Haven correctional facility in Jan. 31, 2001, I left behind thousands of nonviolent low level drug offenders warehoused in a brutal and sadistic prison system. A system where institutional racism is rampant and constantly on the rise. Even with advanced Muscular Dystrophy, I was subjected to a daily dose of the most hideous form of racism. If they treated me that way, you can imagine how they treat prisoners who can walk."

"Despite the profound advances, I can attest to the reality that work is still needed to be done especially with prosecutors fighting to maintain the racist status quo of New York's legal system. I truly believe that if we continue to stick together and mobilize, then Judgment Day is near. It is true we are finally closer to change than ever before. We cannot give up. We cannot lose hope. I believe the injustices of these draconian laws will continue unabated if families, friends and former prisoners don't unite and struggle. We have worked extremely hard to get where we are today. Repeal of the Rockefeller Drug Laws can only be successful if enough of our supporters participate with us."