The Militant(logo) 
    Vol.60/No.27           July 22, 1996 
 
 
Curtis Congratulated On Release  

BY RAY PARSONS

CHICAGO - "Congratulations on getting released! We welcome you back to the fight." These greetings were sent to Mark Curtis by 26 participants at the 18th National Conference of Women Miners held recently in Birmingham, Alabam. Curtis was released from prison in Iowa June 18 and paroled to Illinois after more than seven years behind bars on frame-up charges of attempted rape and burglary.

"This is an example of what our main work must now be," John Studer said at the June 25 meeting of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee. "We need to win renewed support. Mark is out but is not free. He faces serious restrictions on his rights, as a parolee and convicted `sex offender.'<

"The need for funds will continue," Studer added.

Curtis attended the June 25 meeting. In answer to a question from a young supporter, Curtis recounted the response he got from fellow prisoners the morning of his release. "I couldn't sleep, as you could imagine, and woke up before four.

"Later, guys were calling out from nearby cells, wishing me well. I wasn't allowed out for breakfast with the other prisoners, but a number of guys took the risk of stopping by my cell to say good-bye, leaving their state prison numbers and ad- dresses of family so we could stay in touch. The guards came around to warn them away, but we got to talk anyhow.

"I got to walk across the yard on my way out, and many of my fellow inmates came over to say good-bye. Some even hugged me, which you don't see much in prison.

"For me-it's not that it was hard to leave, but you wish you could take all these guys with you."

The June 25 gathering elected John Studer to continue as coordinator, Linda Jenness to serve as committee secretary, and Chris Naper as treasurer.  
 
 
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