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Christopher "Naeem" Trotter Needs Support Against Injustice!
Christopher "Naeem" Trotter is incarcerated at the Indiana State Prison in Michigan City. Christopher is a young man, 30 years old from a working class Black family. Chris is serving a 142 year sentence as a result of his participation in the February 1, 1985 prison rebellion at the Indiana State Reformatory. In the rebellion, 7 correctional guards were stabbed and 4 other guards taken hostage for a period of 16 hours. The rebellion was in direct response to the racist and unprovoked beating of a Black prisoner while handcuffed and shackled by white guards, during a shakedown of the Maximum Restraint Unit. These beatings had become an established pattern among the guards. Out of the more than 300 prisoners who participated in some form in the rebellion, only 6 including Chris (all Black) were hand-picked and charged on various counts. The counts included battery, attempted murder, confinement and rioting. Before the rebellion occurred, Chris had only a few more months to serve.
In April 1987, Chris was tried and convicted by an all white jury on 2 counts of attempted murder, 4 counts of confinement and 1 count of rioting. Chris was given the maximum sentence for each of these culminating in 142 years. The trial took place within the same jurisdiction as the Reformatory. The case was tried in a vacuum in which the jury was deliberately prevented from viewing all the evidence by court intervention.
Chris raised self-defense and defense of a third person (Lincoln Love, the prisoner who was severely beaten that morning). There was extensive evidence to verify this claim, crucially from one of the guards who was stabbed and from other State witnesses. In his deposition Richardson (a white guard) describes in great detail the events that led to the rebellion. Richardson spoke of a pseudo-Klu Klux Klan organization entitled the "Sons of Light" among correctional officials that systematically beat Black prisoners, and set the climate of the terror within the Reformatory. Such racism and brutality were sanctioned at the highest level; Richardson states "Then you have somebody like Captain Sands. Our children used to be baby sitted by him and played with his Klan robe. He carries a card. He's involved in it. That's the Captain which is over all the Captains of the Institution." The evidence Richardson provided regarding the beating that morning and the internal terror network were declared by the Court to be irrelevant and collateral to the charges Chris was facing. Thus, the evidence was excluded.
There are many conflicting scenarios surrounding the case of Christopher on behalf of the Indiana judicial system. We are fighting back and need your support to help assure this brother's freedom from such grotesque injustice.
Under the National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (NPDUM) we have created a Christopher "Naeem" Trotter Defense Fund (CNTDF). We are seeking the help of people who support democracy, freedom and self-determination. We can not allow this or any injustice to continue among our people. Whether you contribution is time, participation or monetary patronage it is welcomed and appreciated. For additional information on the case or to see how you can be involved, please contact Aziza Trotter, coordinator of the (CNTDF), POB #441761, Indianapolis, IN 46244-1761 at (317) 685-8758. You may also contact the (NPDUM) POB #368255, Chicago IL 60636, (312) 924-7072.
Send letters of support to:
Christopher "Naeem" Trotter #862556
P.O. Box 41
Michigan City, IN 46360
In April 1987, Chris was tried and convicted by an all white jury on 2 counts of attempted murder, 4 counts of confinement and 1 count of rioting. Chris was given the maximum sentence for each of these culminating in 142 years. The trial took place within the same jurisdiction as the Reformatory. The case was tried in a vacuum in which the jury was deliberately prevented from viewing all the evidence by court intervention.
Chris raised self-defense and defense of a third person (Lincoln Love, the prisoner who was severely beaten that morning). There was extensive evidence to verify this claim, crucially from one of the guards who was stabbed and from other State witnesses. In his deposition Richardson (a white guard) describes in great detail the events that led to the rebellion. Richardson spoke of a pseudo-Klu Klux Klan organization entitled the "Sons of Light" among correctional officials that systematically beat Black prisoners, and set the climate of the terror within the Reformatory. Such racism and brutality were sanctioned at the highest level; Richardson states "Then you have somebody like Captain Sands. Our children used to be baby sitted by him and played with his Klan robe. He carries a card. He's involved in it. That's the Captain which is over all the Captains of the Institution." The evidence Richardson provided regarding the beating that morning and the internal terror network were declared by the Court to be irrelevant and collateral to the charges Chris was facing. Thus, the evidence was excluded.
There are many conflicting scenarios surrounding the case of Christopher on behalf of the Indiana judicial system. We are fighting back and need your support to help assure this brother's freedom from such grotesque injustice.
Under the National People's Democratic Uhuru Movement (NPDUM) we have created a Christopher "Naeem" Trotter Defense Fund (CNTDF). We are seeking the help of people who support democracy, freedom and self-determination. We can not allow this or any injustice to continue among our people. Whether you contribution is time, participation or monetary patronage it is welcomed and appreciated. For additional information on the case or to see how you can be involved, please contact Aziza Trotter, coordinator of the (CNTDF), POB #441761, Indianapolis, IN 46244-1761 at (317) 685-8758. You may also contact the (NPDUM) POB #368255, Chicago IL 60636, (312) 924-7072.
Send letters of support to:
Christopher "Naeem" Trotter #862556
P.O. Box 41
Michigan City, IN 46360
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