By Mark Anderson
Article Source
RBN’s host of Stop the Presses, Mark Anderson, on Wed. May 4 and Fri. May 6 updated listeners on crucial efforts, against tough odds, to lobby for freeing U.S. political prisoner P.F. Lazor, an inmate unjustly convicted and imprisoned for nearly 40 years in California.
Current efforts center around quickly sending urgent letters to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, using FAX and/or email to obtain the fastest-possible tranmissions, during a time window in which Newsom can be contacted and pressured to overturn a review of the state Parole Board’s decision to deny Lazor parole. That April review reportedly and tragically upheld the Board’s Jan 12 decision to deny Lazor parole.
Here, directly below, is Anderson’s letter to Newsom (fax’d to him Friday, May 6) as an example of what to write. The key thing to include is the words: “Time critical. California Constitution Article V, Section 8 (b) issue” at or near the top of your letter.
However, your letter can be shorter and even more simple if need be. The main goal is to get a sizable volume of sincere letters, handwritten or computer-typed, to Newsom’s office ASAP. You need NOT mention RBN. Just write as a U.S. citizen seeking to correct a grave injustice. If you live in California, emphasize that. Be polite but firm. The fax number for the Newsom’s office is: 916-558-3160. Internal email can be accessed via the weblink https://www.gov.ca.gov
Hon. Gov. Newsom:
I emphatically ask that you overturn the apparent decision of the Board of Parole Hearings to maintain its denial of the parole of inmate P.F. Lazor (inmate No. C73842), who was unjustly convicted and sent to prison in 1983 without a genuine and fair trial. He’s imprisoned at the Salinas Valley Prison, Soledad.
His case is likely one of the most egregious examples of extended unlawful inmate detainment and human rights abuse in California history. Statutorily he should have been released this month, the month of May, back in the year 1992 – 30 years ago!!! THE SITUATION IS BEYOND OUTRAGEOUS.
Yet he has been kept behind bars for alleged rule-violation reports, or RVRs, written up over the decades by often-corrupt and vindictive guards who can write up an inmate for an RVR that cannot be challenged. It’s purely “guilty until proven innocent” when it comes to RVRs. Besides, no one should be kept in prison beyond their prescribed term for mere RVRs—especially when those violations are improperly handled on a purely internal basis by prison administrators. In other words, actual judges have ZERO input and the inmate has ZERO recourse. The vast majority of Lazor’s 39-plus years in prison has been based on his alleged violations of often-petty rules. His time behind bars for his conviction, unjust though it was, was already served decades ago.
Lazor was most recently denied parole Jan. 12, 2022. Then, as I understand it, there was a review of the Board of Parole Hearings’ decision and the denial was upheld.
This man’s life has been literally stolen from him. He has been denied any chance of ever starting a family, or having grandkids etc. Please ACT NOW to reverse the Board of Parole Hearings’ decision to arbitrarily and capriciously keep Lazor behind bars. Inaction now could mean he won’t get another parole hearing for 5 years or more, and he’s 67 years old as it is.
THANKS FOR YOUR PROMPT ATTENTION ON THIS MATTER:
Mark Anderson