prisons -- issues -- political prisoners -- Teddy Jah Heath
We have lost another beloved and respected political prisoner. Teddy 'Jah' Heath died January 22, 2001 at Coxsackie prison in New York State. The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, which has been consistent and effective in working for support and release of political prisoners in NY State, is gathering funds to help Jah's family pay for the funeral and memorial. Any donation you can make will be welcome. Please send checks, made out to Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, to either of the addresses below:
Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
1195 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11216
tel: 718-622-8292
or
Bob Boyle, Esq.
350 Broadway, Suite 308
New York, NY 10013Teddy Jah Heath was a U.S. political prisoner/prisoner of war. Jah was given a sentence of 15 years to life because of his activism in the Black liberation movement of the 1960's and early 1970's. Jah, who originally hails from the West Indies, was a quiet, soft-spoken, gentle man, a devout Muslim. He went to the parole board twice, and despite a clean record, he was denied both times, and his last request for medical parole was also turned down. He spent more than 27 years in prison for a quarter of a century for the charge of kidnaping a drug-dealer.
Thanks to Safiya Bukhari and Laura Whitehorn of the Jericho Amnesty Movement for the information above.
About Teddy Jah Heath
Teddy 'Jah' Heath was a former member of the Black Panther Party out of New York City. Jah, along with another former member of the Black Panther Party, Baba Odinga, were charged with the death of a drug pusher in 1971. Understanding the lessons learned about how drugs were destroying our community and the police department's culpabiity in the trafficking of drugs, the Black Panther Party believed we had to show the people by example what had to be done to rid our communities of drugs. Jah was captured and imprisoned for attempting to clean up the Black community from drugs. -- From the political prisoner profiles on www.TheJerichoMovement.com
Back to the Prison Activist Resource Center political prisoner page
Last updated 24 January 2001