Contrary to what the prison officials had hoped for, Mark Curtis walked out of lockup and back into the general prison population at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Ft. Madison stronger, not beaten down. For the last seven years, prison authorities have tried to break him, to destroy his defense, and to set an example to intimidate others who are active in their unions and politics today.
In 1993, Curtis completed the sentence on a trumped-up rape charge and is now doing time on a fake burglary charge tacked on by the cops and prosecutors several weeks after his arrest. According to Iowa Board of Parole statistics, prisoners released in 1994 who were convicted of the same burglary charge as Curtis served an average of 76.2 months behind bars. In September Curtis will have spent 84 months in Iowa prisons.
The Iowa State Board of Parole continues to ignore Curtis's application for release, even though he meets the requirements under the law: a good work and personal conduct record in prison, community support, and length of time served.
Each extra day in prison opens the eyes of greater numbers of people around the world to the political nature of the frame-up of this union fighter and socialist. More and more people are forced to ask, why is he still in jail?
There are important new opportunities to broaden support and step up pressure on Iowa officials for Curtis's release.
Activists in defense of Curtis can reach out to workers and youth entering political action in the fight to defend Mumia Abu-Jamal. Defenders of the Cuban revolution will also be attracted to Mark Curtis's fight for justice. Union fighters like those at the Detroit newspapers, who are striking against union busting, will also see the Mark Curtis fight as related to their struggle.
The campaign to sell Why Is Mark Curtis Still in Prison? is an important tool in this effort, as the pamphlet explains the facts behind the frame-up.
Backers of Mark Curtis's fight for parole have been sending letters to the Iowa authorities urging his release. Over the next several weeks supporters should step up this effort to put maximum pressure on prison officials to grant Curtis a hearing and consider his release.