by Gillian Henry, LSPC Director of Development & Communications
On August 9, 2021, Minister King X was arrested for his participation in a protest earlier that summer. Wrenched into a car by plainclothes officers at his workplace California Prison Focus, King was arrested for allegedly violating California Penal Code (PC) section 4571 by standing outside of a state prison while engaging in peaceful protest.
PC § 4571 criminalizes the presence of an individual who has previously been convicted of a felony and incarcerated in a California state prison on the grounds of – or adjacent to – any state prison or jail, without the prior consent of the warden or sheriff. It is an unconstitutional pipeline sending formerly incarcerated people and people with conviction histories back into the prison system.
The facts of this case show that the prosecution of King was a retaliatory action by the State, targeting him because King was speaking out against the unjust incarceration of Black political prisoners in partnership with All of Us or None (AOUON).
We want to hear your stories. Has this statute been used to frustrate or discourage you from visiting a loved one in prison? Have you received threats veiled under technical penal code violations? Has it prevented loved ones from visiting you? Write to us to let us know.
Write to us at:
LSPC Legal Team
4400 Market Street
Oakland, CA 94608
How can we ever make progress against the injustices of the past, while the system, for justice delivers none for all? It is heartbreaking to hear that these kinds of stories continue to happen while people of my lighter skin color. Ignore and deny these facts..