BLOGGERS IN SUPPORT OF THE SCOTT SISTERS!

Thanks to everyone who participated in the days of blogging for the Scott Sisters on 3/18 and 3/25. These blogs will go a long way toward helping spread the word of the desperate and very serious need for help for these courageous women and their embattled family online and around the world. It's never too late to join in and blog about the case, please do and encourage all those who link to you to follow suit, we need the support as this is truly an each one, reach one effort!

Each week we would like to feature a supporter's blog so if your blog isn't listed, please send your link to nattyreb@gmail.com so that it can be.

FEATURED BLOG:

WHERE ARE THE MARCHES FOR THE SCOTT SISTERS? ARE THEY TOO FEMALE FOR THE JENA 6 TREATMENT?

My heart breaks for these women, their children and their families. Yet, I remain hopeful that we can do something. My only question is WHY haven't we done something yet?

Bloggers were instrumental in creating and pushing the Jena Six (or Jena 6) movement which culminated in some modicum of fairness for the six teens who were going to be royally hosed for some old bullshit.

I know that we can make that kind of change happen, but the response in regards to these two sisters has been "cool." Is it because they are women? I hate to say it, but I think so.

Mind you, I don't want to take on the tone of "Us vs. Them" as it relates to black men and black women, but I am pointing out that once again, black women are shown to be the least protected, least cared about group in this country (and the world in general). Maybe it's age old stereotypes about us that have helped to doom the Scott Sisters, what with people clutching to those as truth and eventually believing this two women were up to no good.

People are asking to "Free Weezy" but there's little fanfare from us as a black community to "Free the Scott Sisters" and that is being watched.
(Continued at http://www.rippdemup.com/2010/03/where-are-marches-for-scott-sisters-are.html#ixzz0kSQEynor)

FREE THE SCOTT SISTERS BLOGGERS! PLEASE JOIN THEM BY BLOGGING AND HELPING TO SPREAD THE WORD!

http://www.blackperspective.net/index.php/upcoming-day-of-blogging-for-scott-sisters/

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/african-american-political-pundit/665824572837e2e97d24c2dc6a1ddcb3

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/my-brown-eyed-view/aa018adc8afaef43eade79608347ad92

http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/the-intersection-of-madness-and-reality/d29eb17e8dc8d4a55d7fd959a806fcca

http://conversations.blackvoices.com/entertainment/99435682aaea4564b24369ed6fc90973/free-the-scott-sisters/4a55e29dc2b84cd0b8e1b91eb7b55fec

http://eddiegriffinbasg.blogspot.com/2010/03/sister-jamie-scott-dying-in-prison.html

http://www.feministpeacenetwork.org/2010/03/25/free-the-scott-sisters/

http://frozenjustice.blogspot.com/2010/03/help-free-scott-sisters-wrongfully.html

http://hannington-hd.blogspot.com/
http://inheritingthetrade.com/blog/?p=1720

http://jessemuhammad.blogs.finalcall.com/2010/03/day-of-blogging-for-scott-sistersblack.html

http://lifeanddeathmatters.blogspot.com/2010/03/travesty-of-justice-in-mississippi.html

http://luckyrooster.net/2010/03/25/reblog-from-luckyrooster-net-scott-sisters-injustice-in-mississippi-2/

http://marenda.biz/2010/03/mississippi-injustice-inadequate-medical-treatment-jamie-scott-needs-your-help/

http://nothingwillstandinourway.blogspot.com

http://ourcommonground-talk.ning.com/profiles/blogs/free-the-scott-sisters?xg_source=msg_mes_network

http://peace4missing.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=2153128%3ABlogPost%3A108165&commentId=2153128%3AComment%3A108196&xg_source=activity

http://prisonabolitionist.blogspot.com/2010/03/scott-watch-international-day-for.html

http://www.reformingjustice.com/blog/Default.aspx

http://www.rippdemup.com/2010/03/where-are-marches-for-scott-sisters-are.html#ixzz0kSQEynor

http://rustbeltradical.wordpress.com/

http://www.solidarity-us.org/current/node/2747

http://streetvisuals.typepad.com/blog/2010/03/free-the-scott-sisters-325-day-of-blogging-for-the-scott-sisters.html

http://terryhowcott.com/greenspace.asp?id=1296

http://thefreshxpress.com/2010/03/fxp-alert-free-the-scott-sisters/

http://weallbe.blogspot.com/2010/03/tha-artivist-open-letter-to-bro-tavis.html

http://womenoftheafricandiaspora.com/2010/03/18/day-of-blogging-for-the-scott-sisters/

3/25 SCOTT SISTERS UPDATE!

NOTE: If reading this before 10:00 a.m. EST on 3/25, please tune into http://www.wjzd.com for a possible live Scott Sisters update from Mrs. Rasco on the Rip Daniels "It's a New Day" show if she's able to call in; she's been suffering from hoarseness as well as a poor telephone connection which may interfere with her ability to do so. Rip Daniels is a very dedicated supporter who starts each show off at 10 a.m. daily counting down how long Jamie and Gladys have been wrongfully locked down and tormented in that prison and will even discuss the case during some mornings on his program, so please check in as regularly as you can.

Mrs. Rasco and her entire family are in Mississippi to visit Jamie and Gladys as well as to participate in the 3/26 MWM/BWDL Press Conference scheduled for 12 noon in front of the Jackson, MS Capitol Bldg. at 400 High St. The organization is asking for letters of support for their campaign by 12 midnight 3/25 to be sent to nationalmwm@aol.com or officialmwm@yahoo.com. For more info call: 267-636-3802.

THE VISIT

Jamie has been in the hospital since 3/15 with a very serious infection, severe weakness, extreme pain and swelling. Jamie stated that she was "kicked out" of the hospital on Tuesday to prevent Mrs. Rasco from coming up in there and asking a lot of questions, in fact an extra guard had been placed there to make certain that Mrs. Rasco didn't come in there to see her. Jamie told Mrs. Rasco that she couldn't believe how her 4' tall momma caused so much worry among those prison officials!

She was abruptly moved to her old cell in the prison to await the visit with her mother and family to take place Wednesday for an hour, after which her family was to visit with Gladys for an hour. However, the Assistant Warden met them at the entrance and stated that some of the children weren't on the list to come in. After much wrangling and his personally searching the young men he permitted everyone to visit both women together BUT for one hour total, which actually ended up being less than an hour due to all of the wasted time spent being searched and with the Asst Warden on the phone rechecking names in the waiting area.

The family watched in tears as Jamie climbed off of a bus and limped slowly and weakly to the visiting area and questioned staff as to why she wasn't given a wheelchair, to which they had no answer. Jamie and Gladys grabbed onto each other and their family membersfor a very emotional reunion, especially for the children. Both women had lost quite a bit of weight, Gladys from extreme stress and depression and Jamie due to her serious illness. Jamie stated that she was told by the doctor that 6 catheter infections was much too much and that she never should have had so many temporary catheters, which blew out all of her veins where they were placed. She currently has a shunt in her groin which is extremely painful and must be surgically removed next week. She is scheduled to stay in her old cell until Friday, at which time she is told that she will be returned to the hospital.

Both Jamie and Gladys want all of their supporters to know that our activities are very greatly appreciated and that they want us to keep on! Mrs. Rasco and family are also very thankful and hopeful that together we can get those women released from this horrific situation soon! If we keep pushing and use our creativity to call attention to this case, it will happen! If you write, then write about it; if you sing, sing about it; poet about it; creatively perform about it; print out flyers and distribute them at programs and events, however you can do it, please help get the word out about the plight of these women, there's something that every one can do!

WHAT YOU CAN DO

The Days of Blogging for the Scott Sisters that happened on 3/18 and is so wonderfully happening again today will really help get the word out on the case in wider and broader areas of the internet and hopefully lead to much more support and national attention! Thanks so much to all of the participants and we will be posting links to all of the blogs that participated at the Scott Sisters site, so please send them in so that you can be acknowledged! Of course everyone is encouraged to continue blogging beyond today and please do!

We still don't trust that Jamie will receive adequate medical care once these hospitalizations are completed, which was proven by the fact that as soon as she was returned from the hospital yesterday she was put right back in that moldy building where she was originally housed! JAMIE SCOTT NEEDS TO BE HOUSED IN THE MEDICAL BUILDING. Someone as seriously ill as Jamie needs to be somewhere that she can get assistance in better living conditions, and that's not in the infirmary and definitely not in her original cell. The Medical Bldg. would give her access to her sister, Gladys, who would help her with her activities of daily living and monitor her condition, just as other family members incarcerated together there are permitted to do with less life-threatening illnesses than Jamie suffers.

We must keep pushing for media attention to what's going on and are continually pressing for nationwide press. A complete and in-depth examination of this travesty of justice must be exposed!! Please forward all of the info at the site to anyone, anywhere that can help to make that happen, the Scott Sisters need to go prime-time to apply enough pressure to make this Gov. do the right thing.

Jane Velez-Mitchell should do an entire segment on the Scott Sisters now that she is aware of the case, please contact her and urge her to follow-up her brief mention of the Scott Sisters on her 3/6 "Issues with Jane Velez-Mitchell" with a more significant segment that will focus on Jamie's serious medical condition and the Scott Sisters case period. The contact form is at http://www.cnn.com/feedback/tips/newstips.html

PLEASE TELL GOVERNOR BARBOUR TO GRANT INMATE JAMIE SCOTT, #19197, CMCF, AND GLADYS SCOTT, #19142, CMCF, PARDON AND RELEASE FROM PRISON. Neither sister is a threat to anyone and Jamie has a supportive family willing to care for her and obtain the medical care that she has not adequately received while in prison. These women are first-time offenders who have served 16 years in prison and are not a risk for recidivism, particularly with the gravity of Jamie's declining health. They must be released AS SOON AS POSSIBLE! Thanks to everyone, please help to really spread the word as faras you can & ACT!

CHARLES EVERS INTERVIEW EXCERPTS W/MRS. RASCO

2/17 INTERVIEW EXCERPTS (INCLUDES HLN "ISSUES WITH JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL" MENTION) EDITED BY DARRYL MCCLAIN

3/25 DAY OF BLOGGING FOR THE SCOTT SISTERS!

PLEASE PARTICIPATE AND SPREAD THE WORD!

Thanks to the many excellent bloggers who participated in our initial Day of Blogging for the Scott Sisters on 3/18!! The notices didn't reach everyone in a timely manner and so we are happy to announce a new date for bloggers to unite around this case of Mississippi injustice and particularly to intervene in theprison's medical malpractice being suffered by Jamie Scott!

In early January both of Jamie Scott's kidneys shut down and she has been swiftly declining due to unprofessional medical care that is inadequate, cut-rate and frighteningly inept. Jamie was rushed to the hospital last week due to severe infection and the need for prolonged medical attention. However, Jamie continues to require ongoing close monitoring as when she is returned to the prison it is well documented that the medical staff there has provided abysmal health care in filthy conditions that have put Jamie's life at risk far too many times to be acceptable. Jamie needs to be released from prison,period!

We ask that bloggers put out calls for students, clubs, churches/temples/mosques, organizations, creative artists, media, politicians, community leaders, journalists, etc. to become aware of the case of the Scott Sisters and to make certain that all of their contacts are informed, as well. There is something that each person can do and we need to get Jamie home while she still has time to be with her family!

Thanks to all who will participate in this and help to raise the call to FREE THE SCOTT SISTERS throughout the blogosphere 3/25 and beyond! In the spirit of International Women's Month, please support our women! Please send notification of anyblog postings to nattyreb@gmail.com!

In conjunction with: http://www.blackperspective.net
For Immediate Release
Afrosphere Action Coalition – March 22, 2010
Contact: Marpessa Kupendua of the Committee to Free the Scott Sisters at nattyreb@gmail.com

Wrongly Convicted In Dire Health Situation
3/25 DAY OF BLOGGING FOR THE SCOTT SISTERS

On 12/24/93, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department arrested Jamie and Gladys Scott for armed robbery even though three young males, ranging from ages 14 to 18, confessed to committing the crime and the women have unwaveringly maintained their complete innocence. Despite this, the corrupt Mississippi sheriff used coercion, threats, and harassment to compel the young men to turn state’s evidence against the Scott Sisters due to a long-standing vendetta against a family member. In 10/94 the Scott Sisters were sentenced to extraordinary double-life terms each, despite the facts that no one was harmed, neither sister had prior convictions, no weapon was ever recovered, and the amount alleged to have been taken was approximately $11.00. Even if they were guilty as charged, this sentence is completely outrageous and cruel.

Jamie Scott, who entered the prison system as a healthy young woman, is now suffering from complete kidney failure and other life-threatening medical conditions. Since January, 2010 Jamie has endured almost weekly severe health setbacks that the state has either outright refused to address or handled in a slipshod manner. Jamie has had weeks of serious infections that could have taken her life, has gone into shock, been given sporadic dialysis treatments, and suffered the state's refusal to provide her with adequate nutrition as required for her serious medical condition.

The Scott Sisters are now in their 16th year of incarceration and their five children and grandchildren are being raised by their now ailing mother. The defendants and their family are wholly dependent on support from the press, organizations, and all those dedicated to justice in making this debacle as public as possible. The lengthy incarceration of these women to date and their draconian sentences are completely shocking and must be challenged, enough is enough!

Mrs. Rasco and Afrosphere Bloggers are calling on the public to press the governor's office to pardon the Scott Sisters and release them, particularly Jamie who needs to be at home with her family during her very serious illness. Please ask that the media and politicians do an investigative inquiry about this tragic situation and the outrageous case of the wrongfully convicted Scott Sisters!

MRS. RASCO GRANTED VISITATION

Mrs. Rasco would like to thank everyone for all calls and e-mails into the prison. The prison has approved a special visit!

She thanks you ALL for your tremendous support!

Stay tuned for more updates...

MRS. RASCO DENIED VISITATION!

THIS JUST IN (3/16):

Dr. Gloria Perry at CMCF where Jamie Scott is an inmate just denied her mother, Mrs. Rasco, her three children and her two grandchildren from coming to visit Jamie this weekend. All six were denied by this doctor even though she knows they're highly upset at what's happening to Jamie and are extremely anxious to see her, and now with this surprise are even more worried than before!

Mrs. Rasco asks that everyone contact her office and ask why she is denying Jamie visitation with her family during such a critical time:

GLORIA PERRY, MD, CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
(601) 359-5155
gperry@mdoc.state.ms.us

Thank you!
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FREE THE SCOTT SISTERS!

3/16 JAMIE SCOTT MEDICAL UPDATE

Mrs. Rasco received word last evening that Jamie was rushed to the hospital in terrible pain with the intention of getting her pain stabilized and returning her directly back. She was examined by a doctor who determined that infection had spread through her entire body and that the veins in her neck had collapsed. He said he would not treat her pain and then release her back to the prison as they wanted because she would die from the blockages and the constant catheter infections. The doctor angrily stated that the MDOC had dropped the ball when it came to Jamie's medical care. He said she should have been admitted long-term to clear up her infection when she was previously sent there instead of quickly returning her back to the prison on antibiotics. He scheduled her to have emergency surgery to insert a shunt into her groin for the purposes of dialysis.

As of the time of this posting Mrs. Rasco doesn't know if Jamie is still in the hospital or back at the prison, as usual the prison is not forthcoming with information and the family is in a constant state of anxiety and extreme worry. All we can say with certainty is that the behavior of the prison is what is truly criminal when it comes to the medical care of Jamie Scott. The prison is well aware of everything that has been happening and is taking far too many risks with Jamie's life.
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PLEASE CONTACT POLITICIANS AND MEDIA

Congressman Bennie Thompson
3607 Medgar Evers Blvd.
Jackson, MS 39213
601-946-9003(ph)
601-982-5337 (fx)
Benniethompson@mail.house.gov

Congressman John Conyers
2426 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
Ph: 202-225-5126
Fax: 202-225-0072
John.Conyers@mail.house.gov

(More listed at http://freethescottsisters.blogspot.com/2010/01/119-emergency-update.html)