> > Common Courage Political Literacy Course -
> http://www.commoncouragepress.com
> >
> > Dear friend,
> >
> > Several months ago, we at Common Courage corresponded with an Indiana
> > death-row prisoner named Zolo Agona Azania. Currently working on a
> > manuscript, he is a talented artist and writer who has been active in
> > the black liberation struggle for decades. Just recently, the Indiana
> > Supreme Court set Zolo's execution date. He is now scheduled to die by
> > lethal injection on October 25. We are asking that you please take a
> > few minutes to help save his life.
> >
> > Zolo was a committed community activist even before his arrest in 1981.
> > But in the years he has spent behind bars, he has continued to use his
> > painting, drawing and writing skills to fight for "economic
> > self-reliance, local community control and development free of
> > corruption." Zolo identifies as a Conscious Citizen of the Republic of
> > New Afrika and he firmly supports any cause that works in earnest with
> > poor people "regardless of race or religion, in their struggle against
> > hunger, disease, exploitation and poverty." It's very little wonder our
> > government wants him dead.
> >
> > This is not to say, however, that Zolo isn't guilty of any crimes.
> > Prosecutors contend that he robbed a bank with two other men, and that
> > he fatally wounded a police officer while they were fleeing. Taking a
> > person's life is quite clearly a serious charge that must be addressed.
> > But also as clear is the fact that Zolo was singled out because of his
> > race and his political views. Prosecutors sought the death penalty
> > against him, rather than life in prison, because they considered him "a
> > New Afrikan terrorist."
> >
> > For obvious legal reasons, Zolo is not saying whether or not he was
> > involved in the robbery. His lawyer contends that a co-defendant
> > actually killed the officer. And while there is evidence to suggest
> > that that may be the case, we cannot say with any certainty whether or
> > not Zolo is innocent. Like many indigent, black men on death row, Zolo
> > Azania never received a fair trial to establish the facts. The state
> > tampered with key witnesses, important evidence was not introduced and
> > Zolo's court-appointed attorneys failed to even provide mitigating
> > evidence during the sentencing.
> >
> > One can only imagine what would happen in this country when a defendant
> > identifies himself as a New Afrikan citizen: race played an important
> > role. The jury that convicted Zolo was all white. During his
> > sentencing retrial, a so-called "computer error" eliminated 70% of the
> > county's black jurors from his potential jury pool, so he was again
> > sentenced by a "jury of his peers" with no black members.
> >
> > Despite any questions of guilt or innocence, we are fighting for Zolo
> > Azania's life. We do so because he has asked us to. We do so because
> > we are against the death penalty. And, most importantly, we do so
> > because Zolo continues to use the gifts he has, even from death row, to
> > help other human beings.
> >
> > If you would like to add your name to a letter to the Indiana Supreme
> > Court asking that they grant Zolo a stay of execution and that they
> > allow him to file a post-conviction petition addressing the "computer
> > error" and other issues, please visit our website at
> > http://www.commoncouragepress.com/zolo.html.
> >
> > Thank you for your time, and for accepting this intrusion. I look
> > forward to hearing from you.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> >
> > Arthur Stamoulis
> > Common Courage Press