Ojore Lutalo (recently released Black Liberation Army prisoner of war and New Afrikan Anarchist) was pulled off the Amtrak train in La Junta, Colorado on his way home to New Jersey from speaking at the LA Anarchist bookfair. After his recent release from time served as a POW, Ojore lived briefly in Philadelphia and was engaged with local actvist, anarchist and New Afrikan projects.
They are charging him with “endangering public transportation,” but have not explained to him what that means. An officer said that bail will be set at $10,000.00 which means we will need a minimum of $1,000.00 with a good chance of it being higher in order for him to be released, while waiting for the court date.He will be arraigned Thursday morning in Coloradao. Supporterse are working on getting him a lawyer.
We will need some emergency fund raising.
Go to paypal.com and send $$ to “timABCF@aol.com”
Put “Ojore Bail” in the notes section.
NYC contact- nycabc [at] riseup [dot] net
Or contact your local ABCF Chapter
******UPDATE*****
Repost from by Denver Anarchist Black Cross
http://denverabc.wordpress.com/2010/01/28/update-on-ojore-lutalo/
Please forward to anyone that needs or wants an update, so we can get some funds raised.
Ojore had an arraignment this morning, Thursday January 28, at 11 am in the La Junta City Courthouse. Ojore was formally charged with “Interfering with Public Transportation,”a class 3 felony, based on allegations from train passengers that Ojore made “terroristic threats against the train” while on a personal phone call while he was a passenger the Amtrak train. Ojore has said that he was having a political conversation with a friend at the time.
The prosecution initially asked for a $50,000 bond citing Ojore’s previous ”criminal” background and imprisonment as well as him being an out of state resident.
The defense argued for a $1,000 bond citing Ojore’s links to the Denver community and housing available to him as well as his previous imprisonment being a “politically biased imprisonment”.
The judge ruled that Ojore’s bond would be set at $30,000, justifying this amount because Ojore is an out of state resident, and in 1982 Ojore was convicted of a failure to appear charge and presently posed a flight risk due to this history.
Denver Anarchist Black Cross Federation members were present for the hearing and are presently in La Junta working to bail him out. A bondsmen has been secured that will post bond for Ojore at the cost of $4,500. This cost has been fronted by various amazing folks from across the country, but much of this money is being loaned. Ojore is in major need of donations to help pay these loans back!
The Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross Federation is accepting donations for this effort. Donations can be sent via paypal to: timABCF@aol.com
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