[Antiracism] Urgent: Arraignment for Jason Vassell TOMORROW - carpools to leave UMass at 1pm

[Mishy Leiblum]

All,
Many apologies for the last minute notice, but we're writing to urge you to attend Jason Vassel's arraignment tomorrow if at all possible, and to bring friends -- the amount of people we can turn out tomorrow may help to prevent Jason, the victim of a racial hate crime and a UMass student, from being imprisoned for 10 years. Mishy

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Justice For Jason <justiceforjason at gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 14, 2008 at 3:24 PM
Subject: Urgent: Arraingnment for Jason Vassell TOMORROW - carpools to leave UMass at 1pm


Dear allies:
 
Tomorrow (Tuesday 4/15) there is an arraignment for Mr. Jason Vassell, the victim of a racial hate crime at UMass Amherst - we NEED you to attend in support of Jason! There is a carpool leaving from the UMass Amherst Southwest Cafe *and* the Student Union at 1pm tomorrow. Please make time to attend, and to share this call for justice with allies:


 
At a recent pretrial hearing, the judge removed Jason's ankle bracelet, while maintaining his curfew, drug and alcohol screenings, and they added a new order preventing him from trespassing on the UMass campus.  On March 25th, a Grand Jury barely lessened the charges against Jason from two counts of attempted muder and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. However, these charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon are a felony, which could mean 10 years in prison for the highly respected Mr.Vassell -- which is absolutely unacceptable! One of the white male attackers still has had no charges brought against him, and no arrests have been made for either of the attackers, no bail has been posted. We are calling for justice.  Our community needs to be ensured that the attackers that cast this bigotry and hatred on our community are being held responsible to the full extend of our judicial system.  


 
We desperately need you to attend Jason's arraignment tomorrow (Tuesday 4/15) at 2pm at Hampshire Superior Court (15 Gothic Street, Northampton MA).  There is a carpool leaving from the UMass Amherst Southwest Cafe *and* the Student Union at 1pm.  


 
I would also like to thank everyone for supporting Jason Vassell in these hard times.  The support at the forum, vigil, rally and court dates has been phenomenal.  This gives Mr.Vassell and his family so much hope for justice. If you have not already done so, please sign the petition calling for the excessive charges to be reconsidered: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justiceforjason/ .  



PLEASE FORWARD WIDELY!!
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Website: www.justiceforjason.org
Petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/justiceforjason/


Facebook: http://umass.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8053969667&ref=nf
To contribute, you may write a check to Esmie James, Mr. Vassell's mother.


Mail checks to "Justice for Jason," PO Box 197, Amherst MA 01004 



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