It has been two weeks since the jury found Eric guilty, and we are still trying to regroup and get ready for the next round. While this is going to be a long process – one which will require your help and support in a variety of ways – there is one thing that simply cannot be put off.
The jail is still denying Eric vegan food. After enduring a two-week hunger strike in March 2006, Eric was finally given vegan meals on April 24, 2006. This lasted for 15 full months. Then, without any warning or reasonable explanation, the jail cut off Eric’s vegan meals one week before his trial began. Since that time, he has been surviving off the few options he can purchase from commissary (peanut butter, beans, chips…) and the little food he can pull off of the meal trays they bring him (usually bread and fruit – sometimes oatmeal in the morning). Clearly, this is not enough to constitute a healthy, balanced diet. It is the jail’s responsibility to provide Eric with the food he needs to remain healthy and strong. This is obviously something they are completely able to do, as they did so for 15 months with no problems.
Eric has been contemplating what courses of action are open to him in this matter, but unfortunately, his options have become even more limited. The suit that Eric filed against the jail to secure vegan meals was dismissed by the judge, greatly diminishing any hope he had for redress in the courts. A hunger strike could be extremely risky due to the bout of pericarditis for which he was taken to the hospital in April. It is unclear whether his heart could handle the strain a hunger strike would put on his body – he could quickly end up back in the hospital, potentially with a VERY serious heart condition.
Because Eric’s options are so limited, in the jail and in the courts, he needs support from the outside more than ever. This seems to be the only hope for change. In the meantime, Eric continues to lose weight, and his health will soon begin deteriorating. Please call the jail immediately and request that Eric be given vegan meals…again. When you call, be prepared to sit through a lot of ringing and possibly transfers. The person who made the decision to cut off Eric’s food before trial is Lt. Ilg, and the person who oversees him is Scott Jones. Feel free to request to speak to either of these people when calling the jail.
It’s always helpful to have Eric’s x-reference number handy when calling the jail, in case the person you are speaking with asks for it. Eric’s x-ref is: x-2972521. You can call the jail at :
916-874-6752
916-874-6905
Below are some things you might suggest while talking to the jail:
1)The jail fed Eric vegan food for 15 months with no problems. There is no reason they cannot continue to do so.
2)The jail is responsible for providing Eric with a healthy diet. Eric has made it clear that he will not eat food that is not vegan. As such, they will be responsible for any health problems that Eric suffers due to his lack of nutrition.
3)The jail cannot claim they are unable to provide Eric with vegan food due to associated costs. This is simply false. The jail is paid thousands of dollars by the feds to house federal inmates (such as Eric). They are profiting from Eric’s incarceration (and let’s face it, vegan food is simply cheaper to begin with…)
In an affidavit filed with the court in March 2006, Eric wrote, “…my vegan beliefs and morality are animated by the way of living which shows a respect for all life, recognizing the rights of living creatures; extending to them the compassion and kindness exemplified toward people. It is a truly ethical relationship between humans and other living creatures. My vegan lifestyle is based upon my own health and my own ethical and moral underpinnings which I have arrived at conscientiously and I am firmly convinced it is the right and appropriate way to live. It is healthier for me and the planet I live on. It is as sincerely held to me as others hold their own religious beliefs.” Throughout his time in the Sacramento County Main Jail, Eric has maintained his integrity and resolve to live his life in the most ethical and compassionate way possible. Let’s do our part to support him and ensure that he does not suffer for doing so. Please call the jail and request that Eric be given vegan meals immediately. And then call again, and again, and again – until this simple demand is met.
Lastly, thanks to an outpouring of support, Eric is currently very well off on books. At this point, he’s asking that people please hold off on sending any additional books until he’s able to get through the ones he currently has. We will post an update as soon as he’s able to receive more. As far as financial contributions, the best way to contribute to Eric is to donate to his legal defense; we are preparing to file an appeal and need to raise funds as quickly as possible. We are currently able to cover Eric’s commissary needs. Thank you again for keeping Eric in your thoughts and doing so much to help him through this very difficult time.
Letter from Eric 10/5/07
Dear friends,
Below is a letter from Eric. We want to keep this short, and leave you with his words, but just a quick note: last night Mark filed a 28-page motion for a new trial/to acquit based on the errors made throughout the trial. Most of these have been discussed in previous alerts and court reports, with the exception of one. When the court issued it’s answers on Thursday morning to the questions the jury asked Wednesday afternoon, the judge told the jury not to write down the answers, as the jury would be issued a type-written response upon their return to the jury room. The answer given to the first question in court (whether or not Anna was a government agent in August 2004) was an unequivocal “yes.” However, the answer given to the jury upon their return to the deliberation room was a type-written “No.” This clearly could have had alarming impacts on the verdict they decided upon in Eric’s case. . .
A letter from Eric…
i’ve been told that my conduct has been seen by some as inspirational, i’m grateful to be able to provide a source of strength to those in my family who find themselves in a time of need – more so as being a part of their process of growth and self creation… but my behavior is, in a sense, selfishly borne – my intent originates from a perspective which encompasses my family and their future generations… though, the term “family” i don’t utilize in a conventional or everyday sense – the bubble has expanded beyond the customary… it holds within it the micro and macro, all those with whom i have shared that muted and unblinking stare of understanding – be it on the streets, at a skillshare or class, concert, speech or march, rally, home-demo or a really free market – at a convergence centre, library, campsite, critical mass, on an on-ramp, alongside of a highway, at a rest stop, from a train, in a forest, a city park or square, or at a stream, river, lake, hot-spring or beach… this bubble also includes each and every one of those individual places – unique unto themselves in appearance, locality, time and energy/personality ~ as well as the non-humyn inhabitants therein, who aid in the continual self-creations of those environments… keeping that selfishness close to my Heart and mind is something i aim for – knowing that all my life i have been conditioned by our society to the contrary… during my ten days of “disciplinary isolation” last fall an idea made itself known to me ~ it was to create with that which is provided, not necessarily to its particular purpose, but to my own… this includes the pain which resides within my Heart due to the separation between us… i’ve come to see energy as the most malleable aspect of this reality, and the emotions that surge through our bodies can be utilized for any number of means and ends… painless stagnant can fester into hate and reaction – but utilized with a conscious and open intent it could nurture the catalysts required to move through our thresholds… hate is the death of joy and reaction is nothing more than unconscious reflex brought about by a certain stimulus (perceived or not) which induces predictable responses – in most cases, conceding to the terms and definitions of the initiator, allowing the stimulus to have affect, signifies it’s success… conscious creations with the cycles of growth and health do not fit into the matrix of cause and effect – their qualities and forms flow through the rigid structures that seek to encapsulate, reform, define… … i object to being pigeonholed (physically and figuratively) by cleaving to some marshal or warrioresque mantra that many have chosen when confronted with similar circumstances – what they chose is for their own personal path, what they’ve perceived as necessary for their survival… from where i stand, it feels that if i followed that train of thought i would be adhering to a path too well-worn ~ and don’t get me wrong, i honor and respect those that have come before me who continue to adhere to the wisdom in their hearts, but those known trails can also be used by others that have scouted them for weaknesses ~ if experience has taught me anything, it’s been to stick to the deer trails or create my own… another of my recent lessons has been to recognize the beneficent qualities of shape-shifting, as defined by terry tempest williams = “this has nothing to do with inconsistency. it has to do with seizing the moment, perceiving what is necessary in that moment … knowing what each occasion demands, and standing our ground in the places we live…” … but this is neither the time nor the place to fully delve into such things, for this letter has another intent… … … throughout this experience i have been in awe of the loving support given by family, known and unknown from around the country and the world, who have nourished me during this part of my journey ~ i’ve received such an inundating amount of mail that i haven’t been able to respond to it all ~ there is no concept that can adequately express my thanx and appreciation to you all… … to all of those unknown and unnamed beautiful individuals who have aided me on this case, i am impatiently waiting to thank you properly with a huge hug… … christine, i haven’t forgotten about the vegan dinner i promised… … to my counsel mark, who’s expertise in his field is unquestionable – his abilities, passion, and determination provide a wellspring of strength, especially knowing that he continues to fight for me – as he said on the 27th “it’s only the openings of the third quarter” ~ the notion of gratitude doesn’t begin to encompass the feeling in my heart, my friend, much love… … to jed, my investigator/case manager/Elder, your energies vested into this case have been the bedrock of grounded exploration, balancing the sometimes frenzied and boisterous antics that accompany markus’ high energy nature, thank you my friend… … i’d also like to thank bob, my first investigator, for his time, company and aid working on the hours upon hours of transcripts with me over that first summer (which my partner and sister painstakingly gleaned from the shockingly abhorrent quality of fbi recordings)… … the actions and aid of sac prisoner support have and continue to transcend any and all of my ideas concerning prisoner support groups and have been monumental in this experience on every conceivable front – too much love… … the Love, Support, and Understanding of my Parents and Sisters goes beyond scope, simile, and metaphor – i Love you all … … and i Feel and Know in my Heart, Body, and Soul that my survival has been impacted to an inexpressible degree by the Love and Support of my Partner ~ and the intertwining of Our Paths has brought a Depth and Quality of Life i had never before imagined to exist – my Thanx transcend language and my Love, only a Beginning… … …
my Thanx and Love 2 U All
This is far from Over
D
find your joy
More info at http://www.supporteric.org/
More info on the Green Scare at http://greenscare.org/