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Post-release Fund For NATO 3 Prisoner Brent Betterly
Brent Betterly of the “NATO 3″ is scheduled to be released on April 16th. His support crew has a campaign to raise money for Brent’s release. Donate at youcaring.com/help-a-neighbor/prison-release-fund-for-brent-betterly/308054 to help welcome Brent home.
On May 16th, 2012, just prior to the NATO summit in Chicago, three Occupy activists were arrested and eventually charged with 11 felony counts, including four under the never-before-used Illinois terrorism statute. Brent Betterly, Maya Chase (formerly Jared Chase), and Brian “Jacob” Church came to be known as the NATO 3. The case went to trial in January of 2014, and the NATO 3 were acquitted of all of the terrorism charges. Unfortunately, the jury found them guilty of two felonies each— possession of an incendiary device with the intent to commit arson and possession of an incendiary device with the knowledge that another intended to commit arson. They were given sentences ranging from 5 to 8 years in state prison.
Brent Betterly is the second of the three to be released. Please donate to his release fund to help ease the transition after 3 years behind bars. Donations are needed to help pay for Brent’s living expenses while he works to get back on his feet during the immediate aftermath of his imprisonment. Brent is the father of a young child who lives several states away. Funds raised will also help Brent maintain contact with his son.
If you’d like to write to Brent before his release, please address envelopes to:
Brent Betterly M44724
Sheridan Correctional Facility
4017 East 2603 Road
Sheridan, Illinois 60551
And if you have any questions, you can email freethenato3@gmail.com, or check out freethenato3.wordpress.com
BK/NY – Tuesday, March 17 – Letter-writing to NATO 3 Prisoners
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, March 17th, 2015
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
Are any of us surprised that frat boys in Oklahoma (or virtually anywhere else) are vile, basic ass racists? Of course they are. And they are the same dudes who go on to be the heads of industry and the leaders of government. The only surprise is that they let it slip in such a public way. And the fraternity is as grounded in white supremacy as the rest of this country. As long as we’re discussing current events, we’ll mention the new campaign to welcome home soon to be released prisoner Brent Betterly. To coincide with this campaign, and since it’s time again for the every-other-week NYC ABC political prisoner letter-writing dinner, we’re focusing on the remaining NATO 3 prisoners.
The NATO 3 were arrested on May 16, 2012 in the lead up to the anti-NATO protests in Chicago, Illinois. They were originally charged with 11 felony counts under the Illinois state version of the USA Patriot Act including material aid for terrorism, conspiracy to commit terrorism & possession of an incendiary device. What surfaced after their arrest were that two undercover cops, “Mo” and “Gloves” had been trying to entrap these three activists and others as part of Chicago’s surveillance & targeting of the local activist community. The NATO 3 went to trial on January 21, 2014, were acquitted of all terrorism counts on February 7. They were found guilty of possession of an incendiary device with the intent to commit arson, possession of an incendiary device with the knowledge that another intended to commit arson and mob action. On April 25, 2014, Brian Church was sentenced to five years, Brent Betterly to six years, and Jared Chase to eight years. In November 2014, Brian Church was released on parole. In February 2015, Maya Chase announced that she is transgender. Please take note to address envelopes to her state name, Jared.
More information: freethenato3.wordpress.com
We expect to see you on Tuesday. If you can’t make it, please take the time to write letters (and send books) to the prisoners:
Brent Betterly M44724
Sheridan Correctional Center
4017 East 2603 Road
Sheridan, Illinois 60551
Maya Chase M44710
Dixon Correctional Center
2600 North Brinton Avenue
Dixon, Illinois 61021
*Address envelope to Jared Chase.
BK/NY – Tuesday, March 3 – Card-signing for Women’s History Month
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
So cops in Chicago now function like the thugs of the CIA by having a black site where they torture and disappear folks they arrest. Let that set in for a minute. Chicago cops, with a storied history of corruption and brutality, operate an off-the-books compound where they interrogate folks. Ask many of the prisoners we support and they’ll describe similar torture during their detentions and/or imprisonments. Speaking of supporting political prisoners, it’s time again for the every-other-week NYC ABC political prisoner letter-writing dinner. In this month of women’s history, we offer our solidarity to female rebels.
Come find out more about Debbie, Janet, and Janine Africa, Maya Chase, Chelsea Manning, Rev. Joy Powell, Megan Rice, and Rebecca Rubin. We’ll also have other political prisoner news, so come enjoy a meal with friends (new or old).
We expect to see you on Tuesday. If you can’t make it, please take the time to write letters to the prisoners:
Debbie Sims Africa #OO6307
SCI Cambridge Springs
451 Fullerton Avenue
Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania 16403
Janet Holloway Africa #OO6308
SCI Cambridge Springs
451 Fullerton Avenue
Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania 16403
Janine Phillips Africa #OO6309
SCI Cambridge Springs
451 Fullerton Avenue
Cambridge Springs, Pennsylvania 16403
Maya Chase M44710
Dixon Correctional Center
2600 North Brinton Avenue
Dixon, Illinois 61021
*Address envelope to Jared Chase.
Chelsea E. Manning 89289
1300 North Warehouse Road
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 66027-2304
Reverend Joy Powell #07-G-0632
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 1000
Bedford Hills, New York 10507-2499
Megan Rice #88101-020
MDC Brooklyn
Post Office Box 329002
Brooklyn, New York 11232
Rebecca Rubin #98290-011
FCI Dublin
5701 8th Street – Camp Parks
Dublin, California 94568
NYC Anarchist Black Cross 
