Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and County D.A.’s Bogus Charges Against the Dallas 6By Kerry “Shakaboona” Marshall            Andre Jacobs, Carrington Keys, Derrick Stanley, Duane Peters, Anthony Kelley and Anthony Locke are The Dallas 6. A group of courageous Pennsylvania state prisoners who have stood up against prison guards’ torture, abuse and terror of prisoners in solitary confinement at SCI-Dallas prison and whom have suffered retaliation at the hands of prison guards with the filing of the bogus criminal charge of riot.          When prison guards tortured fellow prisoner Isaac Sanchez by strapping him into a “torture restraint chair” for 18 hours overnight, causing the prisoner numbness in his limbs and to urinate and defecate on himself, The Dallas 6 protested this cruel treatment by covering their cell windows with paper to bring attention to the incident.          On April 29, 2010, the guards responded to The Dallas 6’s covering their cell door windows with paper by arming up in black SWAT team uniforms, canisters of deadly O-C tear gas spray, Roman-style plastic riot shields, Taser guns, and a hand-held video camera to perform cell extraction assaults on each of the prisoner’s assigned cells.          In prisons, cell extraction assaults are performed on prisoners for refusing to obey an order while inside his cell, such as refusing to return a meal tray, refusing to speak with a prison official or covering the cell’s window, vent or light with paper. Prison guards use such reasons as a pretext to perform cell extractions on prisoners in order to physically beat and brutalize them.          On April 29, 2010, a six-man, armed, cell extraction team bull rushed into the individual cells of The Dallas 6 members, while being recorded by video camera and handcuffed, punched, kicked, tasered and tear gassed as they lay on the floor in a face-down position of surrender.          Prison guards left The Dallas 6 injured in their cells, naked, beaten bloody, with burnt skin, burning eyes and in great pain.          The Dallas 6 filed grievance complaints and civil action lawsuits with the PADOC and the Courts concerning the prison guards’ April 29th assaults and in retaliation the prison guards had the Luzerne County District Attorney  cover-up their criminal assault against them.          The criminal charge of “Riot” brought against The Dallas 6 are bogus, because the alleged riot supposedly occurred in the solitary confinement area of the prison. In every prison in the USA solitary confinement is custody level 5 and the most secure area of a prison. The Solitary Confinement area is isolated from the general prison and it is where prisoners are held confined to a cell 24 hours a day. Prisoners confined in solitary never leave their cells unless they are handcuffed or shackled.          During this so-called “riot” by The Dallas 6 they were confined to their cells and only covered their cell door windows with paper in peaceful protest over cruel treatment. Where was this so called “riot” in solitary confinement where none of The Dallas 6 were outside of their cells of confinement; where no prison guards were overpowered; where no prison property was destroyed, and where no prisoner sought to riot in anyway imaginable?          The Dallas 6 are scheduled to begin trial on the bogus criminal charge of riot next week, but it is apparent that the people who should be standing trial here are the law breaking prison guards and county District Attorney.          Let’s acquit The Dallas 6 and convict the PADOC.           I am Kerry “Shakaboona” Marshall, Co-founder and Editor of The Movement magazine, founding member of the Human Rights Coalition, Prison Radio correspondent and can be reached at: SCI-Rockview, Box-A, #BE7826, Bellefonte, PA 16823.           Thank you for listening.