I first reached out to Dr. Mutulu Shakur in 2004 during a time in my life when I needed more than anything, to be understood and I knew that he, of all people, would hear my voice and that my words and my story would matter to him because of his background as an expert on naturopathic cures for addiction. Continue reading →

I am the above addressed, Leonard A. Rollock, Jr., also known as Petey or Pete Rollock. I am 65 years young…and what I trust is significant as a former federal prisoner/defendant who spent over 25 years straight in various federal penitentiaries and lower level federal facilities is that I bear witness that inmate intellectuals who genuinely care for others become more efficient minded people at what naturally feeds their spirit…and that is providing service.

I was a former unconscious heroin dealer out of New York and Dr. Mutulu Shakur would have been at odds with my behavior as an enabler to the serious problem of crime and addiction in our community. My being held still, in prison, with a literally 152 and ½ years in concurrent sentences provided space and time to take personal inventory. I was convicted in a RICO heroin conspiracy which charged me with conspiring with the likes of Angelo Ruggiero and Mark Reiter, the infamous John Gotti associates placing me in USP Lewisburg and blessed to cross paths with Dr. Mutulu Shakur. This was in the early 1990’s, not too long after the HBO Special “Doing Time: Life Inside The Big House” was aired, and USP Lewisburg was considered the most violent Federal USP in America.

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In his own words, Rev. Kamal Hassan firmly believes that, “The church must be engaged in efforts to mend the tear in our social fabric that has caused so many of us to focus solely on our individual needs and ignore the sufferings of others. To be true to our prophetic calling the people of God must act locally for justice, peace, and freedom, while also considering the global implications of our work. We must take seriously the urgent need to participate in the building of a new heaven and a new earth, because in a faithful and relevant church there is hope for the entire world.”  It is through Dr. Shakur’s work for justice, peace and freedom while incarcerated that Rev. Hassan and his wife Makini came to know Dr. Shakur:

I’ve known Dr. Shakur since the 1990’s when invited to support special educational and cultural programs that were organized by Dr. Shakur at Lompoc Prison, where he was incarcerated. His dedication to the encouragement and education of others was evident in those efforts to provide connections between us in the community and those incarcerated. I believe his dedication and commitment has encouraged successful transitions for hundreds who have experienced more meaning and opportunity outside the prison system.

It was his wonderful example that prompted us to ask him to be the godfather of our beloved daughter, Aiyisha. We are grateful for his meaningful expressions of interest and love to our family, and so many others, even while being personally impacted by his incarceration.

Related to Dr. Shakur’s expertise as an acupuncturist, I’ve had the opportunity to experience positive results from acupuncture treatment for chronic health conditions, and I do believe that many in underserved communities would greatly benefit from his expertise and dedication.

Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a highly principled, caring, well respected, is beloved by thousands; and is greatly needed on the “outside,” as we strive to find demonstrable solutions to challenging conditions that disproportionately impact communities of color. In addition, while aging, and experiencing extreme conditions in prison, he has developed chronic health conditions that deserve comprehensive care and support.

It’s past time for Dr. Mutulu Shakur to receive executive clemency, and we ask that this consideration be provided by President Obama as a high priority.

Peace and Blessings,
Makini Hassan

Eleven years ago today I got in a car in Connecticut and drove 26 hours to New Orleans. It was four months since Katrina and I was heading to the area to volunteer as an EMT with a relief organization founded in the wake of the storm. For six months, I volunteered as a medic at gutting sites as well as an intake provider at a free clinic. For six months, I was worn down by the devastation created by the storm and more so by the underlying social conflicts it magnified. When I got in the car in May of 2006 to return north I felt utterly faithless. Then, on the way out of town, I received a letter from Dr. Mutulu and felt a renewed strength of purpose for the first time since my arrival. “It is important work you are doing,” he wrote. “It is an important place and time.” After a week at home, I drove back to New Orleans and stayed for two more years. That was the first letter I received from Dr. Mutulu.

In the two years that followed, we corresponded regularly, and Dr. Mutulu continued to remind me of the greater purpose of my work there. On days when I felt alone and questioned the motivations of those around me, when I was offered money to leave the work I was doing, when I was surrounded by drugs and violence, his words reminded me “Straight ahead, stiff resistance.” Continue reading →

I am writing this letter on behalf of Dr. Mutulu Shakur. In 1996, I was hosting a radio program in Atlanta and would receive numerous letters from inmates at Atlanta Federal Penitentiary. I was invited to speak at a program in the prison where I met Dr. Shakur. I had no idea who Dr. Shakur was or knowledge of his history. Soon after my speaking engagement, I was asked to become a chaplain volunteer for the Rastafari community within the prison. I noticed that Dr. Shakur was very active in many programs and had a good relationship with other inmates and staff. An inmate told me that Dr. Shakur was the step-father to the famous rapper Tupac Shakur. This did not impress me because, at the time, I was not a fan of Tupac’s music. What did make me notice Dr. Shakur was the positive programs that he spearheaded while in Atlanta and Coleman, Florida as an inmate. Dr. Shakur would conduct Kwanzaa celebrations, Black history classes, Hip Hop conferences to promote positive music and conflict resolution meetings between staff and inmates.

During one my visits to Atlanta Federal Penitentiary, one of the men in my religious group had a serious conflict with another inmate who was in a gang. The conflict started on the basketball court where the inmate who was in the gang spat on the man from my group. At the time, I was very ignorant to prison life or rules but I knew violence seemed to be in the near future. I witnessed Dr. Shakur bring both men and their representatives to a group meeting in the chapel. Dr. Shakur diffused the situation where both men agreed to respect each other’s space and no violence occurred between the two groups of men. Continue reading →

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On December 18, 1997, Louis “Homicide Lou” Griffin was convicted of murdering an individual in Alabama over a drug dispute. By a vote of 10-2, the jury recommended that Griffin be sentenced to death; he was subsequently sentenced to die in Alabama’s electric chair on January 29, 1998. He appealed the conviction and after serving three years on death row, was given a retrial, and was finally acquitted on December 13, 2001.

Whether the issue, topic, or subject is of revolutionary or political prisoner status, because the government has a way of mischaracterizing such titles, I feel it is best to know a person outside of what you may have read. I, myself have had the pleasure of meeting such a person who the government would prefer to never have to acknowledge or describe as a revolutionary or a political prisoner.

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