Dream Defenders started a [ [link removed] ]petition demanding the immediate release of
Anthony Swain, a Black man who has been held pretrial for 4 years and who
recently tested positive for COVID-19.
[ [link removed] ]Sign now
Anthony Swain has been sitting in a cage and waiting for his day in
court for over FOUR years. Now he has COVID-19.
It's time to bring Anthony home. Tell Attorney General Ashley Moody to
fight for Anthony's release!
[ [link removed] ][IMG]
Dear John,
Anthony is a 43-year-old Black man who has been paralyzed from the waist
down for most of his life. For the last four years, Anthony has been
sitting in the local county jail waiting for a trial date that never
comes. In the midst of a global pandemic, Anthony’s life hangs in the
balance.
Anthony believed that if he wasn't released as soon as possible, he would
catch COVID-19 at the jail. And now our worst fears have come true --
Anthony is ill with coronavirus and now sits in an isolation cell.
On Mother's Day, he could not breathe. He was taken to the hospital, where
he tested positive for the virus. As a person with multiple pre-existing
conditions including a respiratory condition, Anthony may never see his
family or know freedom again -- all because of a corrupt and punitive
money bail system.
Anthony’s life now lay in the hands of Florida Attorney General Ashley
Moody. Attorney General Moody can work with Anthony’s legal team, agree to
early release, and present a united front before a judge, so Anthony can
come home. Yet, the Attorney General’s office has been slow to act.
It’s time for all of us to join the fight. Together, we can apply enough
public pressure to force state officials to release Anthony back to his
community.
[ [link removed] ]Sign the petition: Demand Attorney General Ashley Moody and Prosecutor
Nicholas B. Cox bring Anthony home.
In February of 2016, Anthony was arrested on drug charges. Before he was
locked up, Anthony was a staple in his community. On any given weekend, he
could be found at his church with his tight-knit family or doing fish
fries to feed people in his neighborhood.
A judge determined that Anthony Swain was eligible for release, but set
his bond at $650,000 -- an amount that no one but the very wealthiest
would be able to afford. Since he has been incarcerated, Anthony's
condition has deteriorated. He was diagnosed with cystic myelomalacia in
2019, which causes respiratory problems and a severely weakened immune
system. To make matters worse, Anthony also has immediate concerns about
his health and well-being. He is at risk for long-term repercussions
including blood clots, stroke, heart disease, and so much more. Anthony
has been forced to endure utter cruelty for too long. An unaffordable bond
shouldn't strip someone of their right to live a safe, healthy life.
Currently, thousands of people are being held in Florida jails simply
because they can’t afford to pay money bonds in order to purchase their
freedom. The state's pretrial system punishes people for being poor,
separates them from their families, puts them at risk of losing their
jobs, costs them custody of their children -- and now places them in grave
danger by needlessly exposing them to COVID-19. For thousands of
Floridians, poverty is now a death sentence.
[ [link removed] ]COVID-19 might become a death sentence for Anthony if we fail to act
-- John, will you help save Anthony’s life?
Time is of the essence. Last month, several organizations including our
organization, Dream Defenders, filed an emergency class-action lawsuit
requesting the federal courts to intervene in Miami-Dade County jail. The
writing was on the wall. For years, incarcerated people have been forced
to live in unsanitary and unsafe conditions. Many have gone without access
to proper medical care. Even before this public health crisis, countless
men, women, and children have died.
In response, the federal judge ordered jail officials to provide cleaning
and medical supplies as well as a plan to maintain social distancing. Yet,
county officials have appealed the decision, citing the judicial order
creates an unnecessary hardship. This is unacceptable. If county officials
refuse to prioritize the health and wellness of our incarcerated community
members then we must step in.
Just a few weeks ago, Charles Hobbs, a man cleared for pretrial release,
died of the coronavirus. It didn't have to happen. At various points
leading up to Hobb's death, county officials could have made a decision
that might have saved Hobb's life. The COVID-19 pandemic lays bare a
powerful truth: jails and prisons are violent institutions. No human being
should be inside of a cage. And none of us are safe as long as these
places are allowed to exist.
Together, we have the power to stop another unnecessary death from
happening in the facility.
[ [link removed] ]We have to bring Anthony home. Will you join us in demanding his
release?
Yours in freedom,
-- Rachel Gilmer and Jonel Edwards, Dream Defenders
[ [link removed] ]Sign now
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Join us and [ [link removed] ]start your own petition on OrganizeFor today!
[ [link removed] ]Color Of Change is building a movement to elevate the voices of Black
folks and our allies, and win real social and political change. [ [link removed] ]Help
keep our movement strong.
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