No Death Penalty for Zolo Agona Azania Zolo Agona Azania How you can help The state of Indiana is trying for the third time to get a death sentence for Zolo Agona Azania. Opponents of the death penalty, social justice activists, human rights advocates, and people of all faiths from around the world are working to prevent a new death sentence for Zolo. Here are some ways you can join us in this struggle. Contact the No Death Penalty for Zolo Committee: No Death Penalty for Zolo Committee P.O. Box 478314 Chicago, IL 60647 usa Email: crsn (at) aol (dot) com www.zoloazania.org UNPRECEDENTED COURT VICTORY On May 1, 2005, Judge Steve David granted Zolo's motion to bar the State of Indiana from seeking the death penalty for the third time. The Court found that "fundamental principles of fairness, due process, and speedy justice" were violated in Zolo's case. Judge David also pointed out that "the State bears most of the responsibility for the delay between the defendant's 1982 conviction and the currently pending penalty proceeding." In 1993, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned Zolo's original death sentence because the prosecution had failed to turned over a gunshot residue test. In 2002, the Indiana Supreme Court overturned Zolo's second death sentence because "the jury pool selection process was fundamentally flawed," including the unconstitutional exclusion of Blacks. WE MUST DEFEND THE RULING The Lake County prosecutor has appealed this ruling, despite opposition from Indiana State Representative Charlie Brown, Jane Bohman, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, Father Charles Doyle of the Duneland Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, the No Death Penalty for Zolo Committee and many others in Indiana and around the world. The State of Indiana should not continue to seek the death penalty against a defendant after decades of obstruction and obfuscation by police, prosecutors and court officials. Both the Indiana Constitution and the U.S. Constitution guarantee all of us a right to a fair trial. This is not a "legal technicality," as Danielle Braff described it in the Post Tribune on June 1, 2006, but the basis of our justice system. SHOW YOUR SUPPORT IN THE COURT: When Zolo's case is heard in the courts we need to be there. We have to demonstrate that there is support for Zolo. Those who demand that Zolo be killed are well organized and are trying to mobilize public opinion to pressure Indiana's judges. Without our presence in the courtroom their "law and order" pro-death penalty ideology will go unchallenged. The oral arguments scheduled for June 9 were postponed to June 27th at 10:30am. We will be there at the Indiana Supreme Court, 200 W. Washington, Room 317, Indianapolis, IN. Zolo's legal team will argue to the Indiana Supreme Court that it should uphold the May 2005 ruling preventing the State of Indiana from seeking the death penalty for the third time. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Invite someone from the Committee to discuss Zolo's case at your church, home, civic organization, etc. Join the Committee and work with us to save Zolo's life. Send a donation to the Committee Download and Distribute the flyers below: No Death Penalty for Zolo Azania! Free Zolo Azania! , side one Free Zolo Azania! , side two Write a letter to the Indiana newspapers, or your local paper Write a letter to Lake County Prosecutor Bernard A. Carter asserting that he must give up his current plans to execute Zolo because it is not in interests of justice and or in the interests of the people of Lake County, and in fact is a waste of their resources. Thoughtful and respectful letters are most effective. The Honorable Bernard A. Carter Building B, 1st floor 2293 N. Main Street Crown Point, IN 46307 USA Write a letter to Zolo. Zolo would appreciate letters from supporters. He can currently be reached at: Zolo Agona Azania #4969 P.O. Box 41 Indiana State Prison Michigan City, IN 46361 Below are some addresses to which you could write letters to the editor. We need to create a political climate where the Indiana courts must give Zolo a fair and just hearing, despite the racism, prejudice, and bias which has so far characterized Zolo's case. Without any pressure from our side they will find it easier to sentence him to death a third time. Thankfully many supporters have written thoughtful letters to the newspapers and other media and helped to support Zolo in sucessfully overturning two previous death sentences. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, and the Indianapolis Star have written favorable editorials and printed letters supporting justice for Zolo. The Fort Wayne The News-Sentinel is much more reactionary and their editorial called for Zolo's execution. The Gary Post-Tribune 1433 E. 83rd Ave. Merrillville, IN 46410-6307 Email: editor@post-trib.com The Journal-Gazette c/o Laura Emerson P.O. Box 100 600 W. Main Street Fort Wayne IN 46801-0088 USA Email: jghabayeb@fortwayne.infi.net Telephone: 219-461-8428 http://www.journalgazette.net/ Indianapolis Star c/o Editor P.O. Box 145 307 N. Pennsylvania St. Indianapolis, IN 46206-0145 USA Email: stareditor@starnews.com Telephone: 317-444-6177 http://www.starnews.com The News-Sentinel c/o Editor P.O. Box 102 600 W. Main Street Fort Wayne IN 46801 USA Email: nsletters@news-sentinel.com or nsweb@news-sentinel.com Telephone: 219-461-8444 Fax: 219-461-8817 http://www.news-sentinel.com/ns/ South Bend Tribune 225 W. Colfax Ave. South Bend, IN 46626 Northwest Indiana Times 601 W. 45th Ave. Munster, IN 46321 Telephone: 219-933-3200 Email:letters@nwitimes.com Evansville Courier & Press 300 East Walnut St Evansville, IN 47713 Telephone: 812-424-7711 The Editor The Chicago Sun-Times 401 North Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 Telephone: 312-321-3000 Fax: 312-321-3084 The Editor - Steve Mills The Chicago Tribune 435 North Michigan Avenue Chicago, IL 60611 Telephone: 312-222-3232 Fax: 312-222-4674 "Even though I am seeking help from anywhere and everywhere I can get it, my personal freedom campaign is not the Movement per se. Higher progressive efforts at publicly critical resistance are needed now. We must organize, educate, and be proactive. I do not have any doubt that We shall overcome, and there is Victory for us!" - Zolo Azania, in a March 15th, 2004 letter to Presente! (a progressive artists group in Boston, Massachusetts) Return to Main Page