Thug Life Army

On Sunday evening, activist Iyaluua Ferguson told the Daily Challenge that Malcolm Shabazz, 19, grandson of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz, is back at the Upstate Correctional Facility in Malone, where he had been previously placed on 23-hour lockdown.

His aunt, Ilyasah Shabazz, explained, “Malcolm is back in Upstate Facility in Malone for supposed dirty urine. He does not smoke pot. I have a sister willing to do the legwork as she is an attorney out of PA to assist the attorneys here in NY who aren’t as active as we’d like, but who is?”

Ilyasah Shabazz is one of Malcolm and Betty Shabazz’ six daughters. She is the director of public affairs in the office of Mount Vernon Mayor Ernest Davis and author of “Growing Up X.” She contacted Nation Time newspaper publisher and editor Herman and Iyaluua Ferguson to confirm the rumors that Shabazz had once again been taken to the facility close to Canada.

Shabazz said, “Dr. Chancellor Williams’ grandson DeAndre Williams is also in the same prison.”

In a letter written by the two young men, they are now requesting assistance from the public.

“We the undersigned, Malcolm Shabazz and DeAndre Williams, are requesting assistance in exposing the cruel and unusual punishments that we are subjected to by the New York State of Corrections and presently Upstate Prison, where we are held in solitary confinement on trumped-up charges, denied our basic human rights and victimized by the imbecile and sadomasochist C.O.’s, who simply hate Us because of who We are and what We represent.”

In December 2003, Herman and Iyaluua Ferguson of the Malcolm X Commemoration Committee alerted the grassroots grapevine that Malcolm had been beaten by prison guards in Great Meadows Correctional Facility, Comstock, N.Y.

His attorney, Ron Kuby, told the Daily Challenge, “Malcolm was found guilty of assaulting a staff member on Dec. 31, but it is all a completely fabricated charge.”

He was given 120 days of solitary confinement in a SHU - Special Housing Unit - which is also known as solitary confinement or the hole. His sentence was extended by four months. Prison officials claimed that Malcolm was retrained for refusing to go into his cell and was brought up on charges for “refusing a directive, attempted assault and a movement violation.”

Malcolm Shabazz is the son of Quibilah Shabazz, another one of six daughters of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Malcolm X. In the summer of 1997, 12-year-old Shabazz was charged with setting the fire that killed his grandmother, Dr. Shabazz, 61.

Represented by former Mayor David Dinkins and former Malcolm X attorney and Manhattan Borough President Percy Sutton, Shabazz pled guilty to a juvenile delinquency petition.

In January 2002, Shabazz was charged with robbery and burglary after he was arrested in Middletown while riding in a car that was reported stolen. Shabazz was indicted on six of nine counts, including assault.

Individually, Shabazz and Williams continued, “I am Malcolm Shabazz, the grandson of ‘El Hajj Malik El Shabazz’ (Malcolm X). On Dec. 19, 2003, I was jumped and assaulted by prison guards who harbor an extreme amount of animosity towards me because of my family heritage. This was merely one incident in a string of many.

“The great majority of the workforce is composed of sadistic ‘KKK types’ who display overt racism as a traditional aspect of their characters. We are subjected to not only criminal but diabolical conditions. The only stops that will regulate how far the pigs will go come from fear of losing employment here as a result of outside pressure. So we call on the People, our People, for support.”

DeAndre Willaims wrote, “I am the grandson of the late Dr. Chancellor Williams. I have been illegally convicted of second degree assault, sentenced to ‘25 years to life,’ and kept in solitary confinement on trumped-up charges for the last 6 years. I am denied my seizure meds and denied medical treatment, threatened, starved and subjected to torture. I would appreciate help in stopping what is being done to us.”

In January, Ilyasah Shabazz called the conditions at the prison “deplorable.”

Yesterday she noted, “Dr. Chancellor Williams’ grandson is in this maximum security prison box with Malcolm. Dr. Chancellor Williams is the author of ‘The Destruction of a Black Civilization,’ an enormous contribution to the accuracy of our ancestors’ contributions to world history. He conducted a lifelong process of research to honor such, responsible for all of us. A must read for all people of African decent.

“And while visiting Malcolm last week, when he mentioned the young brother and his mental and emotional state, I thought how sad that no one could go to either’s rescue when their parents sacrificed their lives for all of us. Certainly all was not in vain. I realized again that either we have become so self-consumed or we really do not have much power.

“For either of these young brothers to be behind bars along with many other of our people, subjected to such inhuman conditions and treatment, is an absolute disgrace. All to say, yes, I’d imagine that these letters are accurate and from two very spirited young brothers reaching out to their people for help.”

“Malcolm was originally framed on charges of assaulting a guard. Those charges were eventually dismissed,” Attorney Ron Kuby told the Daily Challenge yesterday. “Following the dismissal they brought new false charges claiming drug use. Malcolm doesn’t use drugs. Malcolm has no history of using drugs. Malcolm has no desire to use drugs and is simply trying to get out of prison. I’m working to get those charges dismissed as well.”

Write to Malcolm Shabazz and DeAndre Williams at P.O. Box 2001, Upstate Prison, Malone NY 12953. Malcolm’s ID number is 02R4617. DeAndre’s ID number is 99A0052. Also write to Glenn S. Goord, Commissioner of the Department of Correctional Services, 1220 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12226. This story was published in the Daily Challenge Sept. 28.

Source: SFBayView