Early Release Depends on the Crime?

John Rigas is out of federal prison and back home in Coudersport, PA after being given “compassionate release” because of his age (91 years old) and health condition (bladder cancer that appears to be spreading).

Rigas, and his son, was convicted of looting Adelphia Communications (on very solid evidence) of $1 billion. Reminds me of the 2007 crash leaders almost. Only they looted more and received less of a punishment. They were better connected to the people in power though. Rigas spent his lootings on his family.

So he's now out. And was welcomed home as a hero.

I can understand the compassionate release as he is 91 and probably won't live long.

But his race and wealth got him off easy.

He's white and wealthy.

Mumia Abu Jamal was convicted of murdering a police officer on the flimsiest of evidence (I've seen sheer dresses that had more to them) and now sits in a Pennsylvania prison, suffering from eczema, diabetes, and hepatitis.

And the fight to get him proper medical treatment for his condition is stymied at every turn and worse than having wisdom teeth pulled without any pain killers.

Then again, Mumia is a Black Panther and the federal government has had a war on any black power movement since slavery ended. Mumia is not the latest victim, just the most well known because of his radio work and journalism.

Then there is Leonard Peltier – also convicted on flimsy evidence of murdering an FBI agent (see the dress analogy above) and is dying of diabetes. Diabetes is a slow death sentence because of all the complications that go with it.

Leonard is another victim of the federal government's war on activists. Leonard is a member of the American Indian Movement which sought to act within its rights and power as a sovereign nation and have the US government respect the treaties that it made with the First Nations Peoples.

Fat chance. Corporate America wanted the natural resources that the First Nations peoples had on their territorial land and they were willing to do whatever it took in order to get a comprador to sign the land over to them.

If it meant framing an innocent man, then so be it.

So, defraud and destroy a corporation, unemploy hundreds of people, and receive a hero's welcome home.

Stand up against government oppression and get life in prison and a death by a thousand cuts.

If Rigas can receive compassionate release from the government, than so can Mumia and Leonard.

Socialists demand: Free Mumia! Free Leonard! Free all political prisoners!

End the repression of the African and First Nations peoples and give them just compensation for the crimes committed against them.

Socialist Action Articles on Mumia

Socialist Action Articles on Leonard

Update April 4 2016

So John Rigas – the man who defrauded investors of their savings and investments - receives a feature article in the Buffalo News and a two page spread about the story of his criminal activities and how he is now working to clear his and his family's names.

The News doesn't do this kind of coverage for other people that have been convicted, served time in jail, and then released.

Then again, John Rigas was a member of the 1%.

He's white.

He was basically caught red handed.

And he hurt members of the 1%.

So the News is doing everything it can to help a fallen rich white man receive redemption.

It gives next to no coverage to others that suffer the same fate.

Or of those wrongly convicted and released.

So, isn't there something more important for the News to be covering?

Then again, they are the mouthpiece for the 1%, so the story does make sense.