The NV-CURE Book Drive for ESP was completed on 4/2/16. The Icelady brought the books she gathered in the North down to William in Vegas. William combined them with the books-gather in Vegas. Laurie drove the books to Ely and delivered the books (13 boxes of paperback books) the Associate Warden at ESP.
Congratulations people and a big that you for the help - particularly to Icelady, William and Laurie. Good job done. The guys in solitary, and those who are forced to share a cell with another man for long hours per day, will appreciate them.
Our next goal for our book drive will be the women's prison, FMWCC.
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Showing posts with label NV-Cure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NV-Cure. Show all posts
Sunday, April 10, 2016
Friday, April 27, 2012
Press Release: Nevada Cure (NV-CURE) Receives Grant Award From RESIST
PRESS RELEASE
APRIL 27, 2012
Nevada Cure (NV-CURE) Receives Grant Award
Nevada Cure (NV-CURE), located in Las Vegas, Nevada, has just been awarded $1200.00 by RESIST, Inc., a national progressive foundation located in Somerville, Massachusetts.
NV-CURE advocates to unite prisoners and their family, friends and supporters across artificial dividing lines of race, religion, gender and sexual orientation in order to make constructive changes to Nevada’s prison and parole system: Prisoners helping prisoners, with assistance from supporters outside. We gather information on prisoner abuse, medical neglect, retaliation and other constitutional violations by the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC), publicizing such information and brining incidents to the attention to the director of NDOC, the general public, and the United States Department of Justice. NV-CURE assists prisoners with obtaining access to the courts by providing assistance with the grievance process and aiding them in understanding federal civil rights law and the remedies they have for redress.
To contact NV-CURE, please call or write:
John Witherow, President, NV-CURE,
540 E. St. Louis Avenue,
Las Vegas, NV 89104
(702) 347-1731
or email them at [email protected]
President of NV-CURE John Witherow, a paralegal who spent 26 years in Nevada’s prisons says, “With this help from RESIST we are heading in the right direction. Thank you, RESIST for your confidence in our efforts!”
Secretary Natalie Smith, a writer and retired high school teacher and secretary of NV-CURE says, “I am so proud that RESIST chose us to receive this grant. RESIST is a well-known force for good and has funded many important progressive projects, and now we are among them!”
RESIST began in 1967 in support of draft resistance and in opposition to the Vietnam War. As the funder of first resort for hundreds of organizations, RESIST’S small but timely grants and loans are made to grassroots groups engaged in activist organizing and educational work for social change. RESIST defines organizing as collective action to challenge the status quo, demand changes in policy and practice, and educate communities about root causes and just solutions. RESIST recognizes that there are a variety of stages and strategies that lead to community organizing. Therefore, they support strategies that build community, encourage collaboration with other organizations, increase skills and/or access to resources, and produce leadership from the constituency being most directly affected. In fiscal year 2011, RESIST gave over $342,000 to 130 organizations across the country.
“Each year, RESIST funds groups like NV-CURE because our mission is to support people who take a stand about the issues that matter today, whether it’s to resist corporate globalization, promote a woman’s right to choose, or develop activist leaders,” says Board Chair Miabi Chatterji. “And we believe it’s especially important to help grassroots organizations that might be too small or too local - or too radical - for mainstream foundations.”
RESIST Contact:
Robin Carton, Co-Director of Grantmaking
RESIST, Inc.
259 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
617-623-5110 or
robin @ resistinc.org; www.resistinc.org
APRIL 27, 2012
Nevada Cure (NV-CURE) Receives Grant Award
Nevada Cure (NV-CURE), located in Las Vegas, Nevada, has just been awarded $1200.00 by RESIST, Inc., a national progressive foundation located in Somerville, Massachusetts.
NV-CURE advocates to unite prisoners and their family, friends and supporters across artificial dividing lines of race, religion, gender and sexual orientation in order to make constructive changes to Nevada’s prison and parole system: Prisoners helping prisoners, with assistance from supporters outside. We gather information on prisoner abuse, medical neglect, retaliation and other constitutional violations by the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC), publicizing such information and brining incidents to the attention to the director of NDOC, the general public, and the United States Department of Justice. NV-CURE assists prisoners with obtaining access to the courts by providing assistance with the grievance process and aiding them in understanding federal civil rights law and the remedies they have for redress.
To contact NV-CURE, please call or write:
John Witherow, President, NV-CURE,
540 E. St. Louis Avenue,
Las Vegas, NV 89104
(702) 347-1731
or email them at [email protected]
President of NV-CURE John Witherow, a paralegal who spent 26 years in Nevada’s prisons says, “With this help from RESIST we are heading in the right direction. Thank you, RESIST for your confidence in our efforts!”
Secretary Natalie Smith, a writer and retired high school teacher and secretary of NV-CURE says, “I am so proud that RESIST chose us to receive this grant. RESIST is a well-known force for good and has funded many important progressive projects, and now we are among them!”
RESIST began in 1967 in support of draft resistance and in opposition to the Vietnam War. As the funder of first resort for hundreds of organizations, RESIST’S small but timely grants and loans are made to grassroots groups engaged in activist organizing and educational work for social change. RESIST defines organizing as collective action to challenge the status quo, demand changes in policy and practice, and educate communities about root causes and just solutions. RESIST recognizes that there are a variety of stages and strategies that lead to community organizing. Therefore, they support strategies that build community, encourage collaboration with other organizations, increase skills and/or access to resources, and produce leadership from the constituency being most directly affected. In fiscal year 2011, RESIST gave over $342,000 to 130 organizations across the country.
“Each year, RESIST funds groups like NV-CURE because our mission is to support people who take a stand about the issues that matter today, whether it’s to resist corporate globalization, promote a woman’s right to choose, or develop activist leaders,” says Board Chair Miabi Chatterji. “And we believe it’s especially important to help grassroots organizations that might be too small or too local - or too radical - for mainstream foundations.”
RESIST Contact:
Robin Carton, Co-Director of Grantmaking
RESIST, Inc.
259 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
617-623-5110 or
robin @ resistinc.org; www.resistinc.org
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Question: What is Nevada Cure?
By Gilbert Paliotta
Ely State Prison
Question, what is Nevada Cure? What does it/they do? Has it/they ever helped an inmate? Please, be honest with me. “Help” to me and others like me so that we’re able to take something that was given or done for us and elevate ourselves to a better place than where we were before that help.
Some of these prisoner support groups believe that whatever they do is enough, its beneficial to inmates. On some, albeit minor levels that’s true, but most of us are in way above our heads and need more than that.
Please do not think that I am ungrateful for them doing what they can, because I am not; and, I also understand that a majority of them -- if not all -- are work on a volunteer basis with little or no money.
I look at things from behind bars, you see things without bars. So everything in my world will always be looked at with doubt, skepticism, like nothing is true anymore. This type of environment breeds distrust.
One thing I noticed in regards to the general public is that they don’t care unless “it” (being constitutional violations, injustices, etc) is happening to a large group of inmates or if it’s happening to one of their loved ones. I would like to change that.
The fraudulent ACLU for example, they only stepped in when it became apparent to them money was involved. It took many years for them to care about the medical abuse at ESP, if they cared at all.
Why did it have to take that long?
My suggestion would be to get involved from the very beginning, even if it’s happening to a single inmate: Jump all over it and broadcast it like it happened to you personally.
Here’s why. Let’s say NV-Cure screamed bloody murder and blew up the Internet with the violations going on with me. For example; that you talked at every attorney possible, stayed in their ear and guilt-tripped them into doing the “right thing”, that you sent out massive emails to anybody and everyone w/an email address, hit every chat room, attacked everyone’s wall on Facebook, and tweeted like crazy, urging them to help you do battle, someone will hear your cry, someone will reach out to you. I believe a closed mouth doesn’t get fed.
By taking on one individual’s situation it does a couple of things. First it sends a huge message to the Department of Corrections that there is someone out there who wants to intervene on the behalf of just one inmate. It makes them re-think their strategy on what they are doing. It leaves them wondering “why”? First, the DOC are bullies: Get hit in the face and they back up; two, it prevents one situation from becoming new situations. It’s tantamount to having a flat tire on a car; if a tire goes flat you fix the tire. You don’t wait for the other remaining tires to go flat before you fix them. That allows one inmate to become an “example” for the entire prison system. If something good happens to one inmate, others want to know about, it’s a “oh Yeah”? That one example is now in a position to help guide others so their situations don’t have to go beyond say the grievance level. That “example” has become a standard. The DOC now must follow because if the “example” was granted this/that/whatever, they now have to provide or allow that same action to the next inmate, four, you establish a “pay it forward” system. That “example”, whether you demand it or not, is going to feel obligated to do the same for someone else and also repay that kindness back to you, even if it is monetary.
If I win any of my lawsuits the plan is to set aside money to hire the services of an attorney for a prisoner whose constitutional rights have been violated. I also want to donate a portion to a legitimate prisoner support group for their efforts. The rest I want to give to my ex-fiancé for the pre-paid flights she already booked prior to my visitation being stolen from us and to the family members who helped me pursue this civil action I have pending in federal court.
If you can, imagine yourself in my position, and me in yours.
Tell me everything you would want me to do in order to make the wrongs right again. Administration just took your visitation privileges for something you didn’t do, you’ve lost your husband because of it, and other family members are scared to go near the prison because of what they could be set up for. You’re stuck in segregation long past your expiration date. How would you feel?
What would you want me to do to help you.
What would you want done to those who attack you while you are in full restraints and beat on you while you are on the ground helpless?
Gilbert has a Facebook page and is looking for friends for correspondence: http://facebook.com/dreamerspellbroken
Ely State Prison
Question, what is Nevada Cure? What does it/they do? Has it/they ever helped an inmate? Please, be honest with me. “Help” to me and others like me so that we’re able to take something that was given or done for us and elevate ourselves to a better place than where we were before that help.
Some of these prisoner support groups believe that whatever they do is enough, its beneficial to inmates. On some, albeit minor levels that’s true, but most of us are in way above our heads and need more than that.
Please do not think that I am ungrateful for them doing what they can, because I am not; and, I also understand that a majority of them -- if not all -- are work on a volunteer basis with little or no money.
I look at things from behind bars, you see things without bars. So everything in my world will always be looked at with doubt, skepticism, like nothing is true anymore. This type of environment breeds distrust.
One thing I noticed in regards to the general public is that they don’t care unless “it” (being constitutional violations, injustices, etc) is happening to a large group of inmates or if it’s happening to one of their loved ones. I would like to change that.
The fraudulent ACLU for example, they only stepped in when it became apparent to them money was involved. It took many years for them to care about the medical abuse at ESP, if they cared at all.
Why did it have to take that long?
My suggestion would be to get involved from the very beginning, even if it’s happening to a single inmate: Jump all over it and broadcast it like it happened to you personally.
Here’s why. Let’s say NV-Cure screamed bloody murder and blew up the Internet with the violations going on with me. For example; that you talked at every attorney possible, stayed in their ear and guilt-tripped them into doing the “right thing”, that you sent out massive emails to anybody and everyone w/an email address, hit every chat room, attacked everyone’s wall on Facebook, and tweeted like crazy, urging them to help you do battle, someone will hear your cry, someone will reach out to you. I believe a closed mouth doesn’t get fed.
By taking on one individual’s situation it does a couple of things. First it sends a huge message to the Department of Corrections that there is someone out there who wants to intervene on the behalf of just one inmate. It makes them re-think their strategy on what they are doing. It leaves them wondering “why”? First, the DOC are bullies: Get hit in the face and they back up; two, it prevents one situation from becoming new situations. It’s tantamount to having a flat tire on a car; if a tire goes flat you fix the tire. You don’t wait for the other remaining tires to go flat before you fix them. That allows one inmate to become an “example” for the entire prison system. If something good happens to one inmate, others want to know about, it’s a “oh Yeah”? That one example is now in a position to help guide others so their situations don’t have to go beyond say the grievance level. That “example” has become a standard. The DOC now must follow because if the “example” was granted this/that/whatever, they now have to provide or allow that same action to the next inmate, four, you establish a “pay it forward” system. That “example”, whether you demand it or not, is going to feel obligated to do the same for someone else and also repay that kindness back to you, even if it is monetary.
If I win any of my lawsuits the plan is to set aside money to hire the services of an attorney for a prisoner whose constitutional rights have been violated. I also want to donate a portion to a legitimate prisoner support group for their efforts. The rest I want to give to my ex-fiancé for the pre-paid flights she already booked prior to my visitation being stolen from us and to the family members who helped me pursue this civil action I have pending in federal court.
If you can, imagine yourself in my position, and me in yours.
Tell me everything you would want me to do in order to make the wrongs right again. Administration just took your visitation privileges for something you didn’t do, you’ve lost your husband because of it, and other family members are scared to go near the prison because of what they could be set up for. You’re stuck in segregation long past your expiration date. How would you feel?
What would you want me to do to help you.
What would you want done to those who attack you while you are in full restraints and beat on you while you are on the ground helpless?
Gilbert has a Facebook page and is looking for friends for correspondence: http://facebook.com/dreamerspellbroken
Sunday, February 19, 2012
News from NV-CURE
02/19/2012
By Natalie Smith, Secretary, NV-CURE
By now, many of you are aware that Nevada Cure (NV-CURE) has been reorganized under new leadership and we are taking a proactive approach to problems within the Nevada prison system .Our new president, John Witherow, spent 26 years in Nevada’s prisons and is acutely aware of the problems prisoners face.
NV-CURE’s Investigation into Abuse of Prisoners
As the NPN is going to press, NV-CURE is sending out seven (7) more cases of excessive force/abuse of prisoners to Director Cox.
At our meeting in December, Director Cox expressed an interest in disciplining bad guards, the ones whose names repeatedly make their way to our mailbox as the perpetrators of cowardly acts of violence, sometimes against chained and shackled prisoners, some of whom are old or sick, handicapped or mentally ill. We have to give the department the first opportunity to correct the problems, even though that method has failed in the past, before we go to a higher authority to force them to correct the problems.
Abuses addressed in the mailing to Cox include a 70 year old prisoner who has tumors and a pacemaker beaten inside the medical unit of NNCC, guards using force only before the video camera arrives, five guards attacking a restrained prisoner while yelling racist slurs and acts of brutality in retaliation for prisoners “seeing” guards committing other atrocities. Another case involves a prisoner having his face bashed into the wall, and even after his face split open guards continued to bang his face into the wall. This behavior must not be tolerated. Please continue to provide NV-CURE with affidavits of any such incidents you are a victim of or witness to.
According to correspondence we have received, some prisoners condone the actions of the abusive guards, perhaps because the mentally ill are irritating, perhaps because it makes some people feel safer to be on the side of the guards; or, perhaps those prisoners are receiving “favors” from their sponsoring guards; however, remember that not all our correspondence is from mentally ill or “weak” prisoners. Once the floodgate of abuse is open, any and all prisoners may fall victim to vicious attacks. Speak up when you see an act of abuse committed against a weak prisoner or someone with a mental illness. Remember, guards are not your friends and condoning their abuse only leads to more abuse. You may be next on the list of prisoners disfavored by guards!!! The old boy system of protecting abusive guards must STOP, regardless of whether you personally like or dislike the prisoner being abused. Join us in the struggle for JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS FOR ALL!!!
Free! Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook!
The Center for Constitutional Rights offers FREE copies of their “Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook”. It can be downloaded by family and friends from their website at ccrjustice.org or you may order it directly by writing to CCR at :
Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook
c/o The Center for Constitutional Rights
666 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10012
Order it, read it, know your rights! The Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook is a primer on how to bring a federal lawsuit to challenge violations of your rights in prison via a section 1983 civil rights lawsuit
Become a Member! Invite your family and Friends to Join us!
NV-CURE invites all prisoners to become members. All we ask is a $2.00 donation of stamps. Please send your name ,number and address and $2.00 in stamps to:
Nevada Cure
Law Office of Gallian, Wilcox, Welker, Olson & Beckstrom, LC
540 E. St. Louis Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
702.347.1731 - nevadacure.org
Conference Call Number and Code
712-451-6000
Code: 493815 #
Please ask your family and friends on the streets to become involved with NV-CURE. There is a lot of work to do and we need as much help in the struggle for justice and fairness for all. Nothing will get done without typing, mailing, attending prison commission meetings and more. NV-CURE meets on the last Wednesday of each month at the above address and we invite the attendance and participation of all. For family and friends not in the LV area, they can call in and join the meeting on a conference call by calling conference call number listed above and entering the code.
We welcome any and all suggestions from prisoners. Write to us with your ideas and issues. We will present your information at the monthly meetings.
Unfortunately we do not have the financial resources to accept collect calls or to copy and return documents. We will, however, accept pre-paid calls at the above number.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Memorandum
Please
be advised that the Nevada Chapter of National CURE has been
reactivated. We are currently actively recruiting prisoners, their
families, their friends and prisoner rights supporters to join us in a
concentrated effort to change the Nevada prison and parole systems. We
need your help. Working together, instead of at cross purposes, we can
change the way our government treats our errants. Please join our
cause. Working together we can make constructive changes to the
systems.
The prison system MUST BE REQUIRED to provide to all prisoners:
adequate medical care, food, clothing and housing; rehabilitative educational, vocational and programming activities; and with respect for their constructive activities on behalf of other prisoners and themselves.
The parole system MUST BE ELIMINATED - OR REQUIRED: to provide full and fair hearings on parole application; to permit an applicant to review any and all information that will be considered by the Board in deciding a parole
application; to confront and cross examine each and every person that has contacted the Board in opposition of a parole application; and to comply with all requirements of Open Meeting Law or, alternatively, the Contested Case requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act.
Working together, jointly, and in solidarity, we can change the way the systems operate. By our concerted activities, we may demand the changes required through our legislative, judicial and support initiatives; by our votes in each election; and by o& reporting and demanding the removal from office all of the “tough on crime” bureaucrats that abuse their positions of power.
Join NV-CURE and help us change the prison and parole systems. We need you to become involved and help us to help those that depend upon us to secure for them their basic human rights.
Struggle in Solidarity,
NV-CURE Board of Directors
July 27th, 2011
John Witherow
Anthony Villa
Travis Barrick
Laurie Reilly-Johnson
Michelle Ravell
Pat Hines
Benjamin Zvenia
Board of Directors
NV-CURE
(Citizens United For The Rehabilitation Of Errants)
540 E. St. Louis Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89 1 04
nevadacure @ gmail .com
Nevadacure.org
The prison system MUST BE REQUIRED to provide to all prisoners:
adequate medical care, food, clothing and housing; rehabilitative educational, vocational and programming activities; and with respect for their constructive activities on behalf of other prisoners and themselves.
The parole system MUST BE ELIMINATED - OR REQUIRED: to provide full and fair hearings on parole application; to permit an applicant to review any and all information that will be considered by the Board in deciding a parole
application; to confront and cross examine each and every person that has contacted the Board in opposition of a parole application; and to comply with all requirements of Open Meeting Law or, alternatively, the Contested Case requirements of the Administrative Procedures Act.
Working together, jointly, and in solidarity, we can change the way the systems operate. By our concerted activities, we may demand the changes required through our legislative, judicial and support initiatives; by our votes in each election; and by o& reporting and demanding the removal from office all of the “tough on crime” bureaucrats that abuse their positions of power.
Join NV-CURE and help us change the prison and parole systems. We need you to become involved and help us to help those that depend upon us to secure for them their basic human rights.
Struggle in Solidarity,
NV-CURE Board of Directors
July 27th, 2011
John Witherow
Anthony Villa
Travis Barrick
Laurie Reilly-Johnson
Michelle Ravell
Pat Hines
Benjamin Zvenia
Board of Directors
NV-CURE
(Citizens United For The Rehabilitation Of Errants)
540 E. St. Louis Ave.
Las Vegas, NV 89 1 04
nevadacure @ gmail .com
Nevadacure.org
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