Kite Line

Maintaining contact with long-term prisoners is key to both their survival and to ongoing struggles across the prison walls. In this episode, we hear a statement from Cindy Crabb, supporter of long-term anarchist prisoner Marius Mason, who will soon enter his 9th year of incarceration. Cindy stresses the need for us on the outside to …

We return for our final episode with Mark Cook, former political prisoner and member of the Black Panther Party and the George Jackson Brigade. After hearing some news and a request from a supporter of Indiana prisoner Khalfani Malik Khaldun, we hear from Mark Cook about the impact of outside solidarity. Not only did outside solidarity help Mark Cook get released, he has spent the 17 years since his release working to support those still imprisoned. You can hear the first two episodes with Mark here and here. Or you can find these episodes at our website, kitelineradio.noblogs.org

We return for our final episode with Mark Cook, former political prisoner and member of the Black Panther Party and the George Jackson Brigade. After hearing some news and a request from a supporter of Indiana prisoner Khalfani Malik Khaldun, we hear from Mark Cook about the impact of outside solidarity. Not only did outside …

This week, we return to our interview with Mark Cook. You can hear more about his history in last’s week episode. Now, Mark leads us through several very interesting and entertaining stories from his own release, to his project providing jobs for people as they get released from prison, and other ambitious plans launched with other prisoners, the Black Panther Party, and the George Jackson Brigade. A link to part one of his story can be found here.

This week, we return to our interview with Mark Cook. You can hear more about his history in last’s week episode. Now, Mark leads us through several very interesting and entertaining stories from his own release, to his project providing jobs for people as they get released from prison, and other ambitious plans launched with …

This week is the first part of our interview with Mark Cook. Mark served 24 years in prison for his participation in a bank robbery and jail break associated with the George Jackson Brigade in Seattle. He co-founded the Walla Walla chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Mark continued his activism throughout his captivity.

In this segment, Mark talks about organizing in prison, and shares inspiring stories of struggle and ingenuity from behind the prison walls. His account also describes a time when prisoners were much stronger and enjoyed better conditions. If conditions have gotten worse since the 1970s, it's not because the prison administrators have become more brutal or profit-hungry (these are constants), it's because the prisoners' movement was temporarily defeated. Mark reminds of us of what's possible when prisoners organize and fight back strategically.

This week is the first part of our interview with Mark Cook. Mark served 24 years in prison for his participation in a bank robbery and jail break associated with the George Jackson Brigade in Seattle. He co-founded the Walla Walla chapter of the Black Panther Party, and Mark continued his activism throughout his captivity. …

This week takes us to Texas, where we hear from Candice Bernd, speaking at the 2nd Fight Toxic Prisons Conference, which took place earlier this month in Denton, Texas. Candice talks about the intersection between environmental activism and the carceral system. In Texas, prisoners are subjected to extreme conditions, and some prisoners have filed a class action lawsuit claiming that excessive heat exposure is leading to health problems and, in some cases, death. Candice talks about these terrible conditions, and takes a call from Keith Cole, one of the prisoners currently involved in the suit. Cole speaks first hand about his experiences, as an aging prisoner in the Wallace Pack Unit, north of Houston.

This week takes us to Texas, where we hear from Candice Bernd, speaking at the 2nd Fight Toxic Prisons Conference, which took place earlier this month in Denton, Texas. Candice talks about the intersection between environmental activism and the carceral system. In Texas, prisoners are subjected to extreme conditions, and some prisoners have filed a …

This week, we return to the story of Clinton "Boo" Gilkie, who died one year ago- on June 7, 2016- in the Monroe County Jail.  We discussed the circumstances of his death in our episode 2 weeks ago, and recommend that you to listen this episode of Kite Line for more context.

Our interview today is with TJ, who was in the same dorm as Boo for 10 months. TJ was a friend of Boo's- and was present in the dorm at the time of Boo's death.  We hope this offers a little more insight into Boo as a person, and encourage friends and family of Boo to write to us to share more stories.

Boo's death was premature, and avoidable.  It highlights major systemic problems- including a commissary system that forces prisoners to choose between medicine, food, and other needs.