I believe that timing is everything. This week RiPPa, a contributing blogger for FXP, posted a blog alerting the cyber world to the unjust case of the Scott Sisters, 15 years in the making. I beg you all to read that post as well as visit the website set up for the Mother of the Scott Sisters to provide updates.
From Rippa’s post:
The nightmare began on Christmas Eve in 1993 when Rasco’s two daughters, Jamie and Gladys Scott, left a mini-mart near their home in Scott County, Mississippi. Their car broke down, and they hitched a ride from two young men, one of whom they knew. But later that evening, the men were robbed at gunpoint by three teenagers in another car. The robbers got away with an estimated $11 and no one was hurt, but police accused the Scott sisters of setting the victims up.
Although the young women denied having any involvement and had no criminal record, a jury found them guilty of armed robbery. On October 13, 1994, a judge ordered them to each serve double-life sentences in the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, where they remain today.
I am not a lawyer nor do I have a strong command of the law but a double-life sentence for stealing $11 in a stick up seems outrageous. But we’ll save our energy on that for now.
Right now, RIGHT THIS MINUTE, Jamie Scott is dying. She is suffering from kidney failure and the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) is sitting on their hands. It is bad enough that they are ill-equipped to handle the job of her dialysis but it is just not enough. She needs a transplant YESTERDAY. Her sister has offered and has been denied. The MDOC is hiding behind silly rules and semantics saying that she must be classified terminal or totally disabled. Who wants to wait until it’s TOO LATE!? The media is not paying this any attention and so once again, WE THE PEOPLE, have to show that we don’t just stand idly by.
Remember the Jena 6? Remember how we mobilized and came together and sought justice? We can do that NOW. But first, let us come together and fight to keep this woman alive so that she can see her justice served.
It’s not that hard, all we have to do is DEMAND action.
CONTACT GOV. BARBOUR’S OFFICE
P.O. Box 139
Jackson, Mississippi 39205
1-877-405-0733 or 601-359-3150
Fax: 601-359-3741
(If you reach VM leave msgs, faxes, and please send letters)
CONTACT CHRISTOPHER EPPS
Christopher Epps, Commissioner of Prisons for the State of Mississippi
601-359-5600
CEPPS@mdoc.state.ms.us
723 North President Street
Jackson, MS 39202
Keep calling, keep emailing, send faxes! Copy and paste the following in your emails and faxes, or let the Governor’s office know via telephone.
~~~
Attn: Gov. Barbour
Attn: Christopher Epps
JAMIE SCOTT IS SUFFERING WITH PAIN, SWELLING, INFECTION AND WEAKNESS & NEEDS IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION OUTSIDE OF THE PRISON! Jamie Scott has the support of her community and other concerned citizens across the nation! We will continue to push for IMMEDIATE medical attention for Jamie Scott. We will not allow her to be treated like an animal. She will die if she does not receive treatment for her kidney failure and we will not stand by and allow this to happen!
Sincerely,
A concerned citizen for human rights.
~~~
It will not take you very long to send this email repeatedly and if you can just spend your lunch break taking some time out to do something monumental for someone else it will go a long way. We come to this website and we talk amongst our friends about the issues and we talk about taking action, but now is OUR time to ACT. We don’t have to face dogs and fire hoses, we can fight from our warm and cozy homes and offices. It doesn’t matter; the fact remains that we can FIGHT. We can, and we will.
Who is with me?
Please pass this blog as well as the other two posted above to anyone near or far from you. I’m tired of talking about it, let’s be about it.
The Fresh Forward Project has also initiated contact with the mother of the Scott Sisters, Evelyn Rasco, and we are mobilizing efforts to spearhead and support the “Free the Scott Sisters” movement. More information to come.
Article by Jennifer Garrett
JG* is a small-town turned big-city blogger who once wrote the random yet ever-creative look into the life of a girl entering the Quarterlife. These days as she prepares for her MBA program at The Ohio State University she's turned into quite the "Susie The Riveter." Working with teens by day, cooking delicious meals at night. Check out her blog showcasing her delicious recipes at http://jgrunsthekitchen.wordpress.com. Follower her on Twitter @JGRunsTheCity
Jennifer has written 50 article(s) for us.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Honestly, it takes absolutely nothing more than 15 seconds to copy & paste the information into an email. Also, if you have emailed, faxed and called – consider hand-writing a letter. It may seem archaic but it has proven to be a strong tactic even today!